Tangled Up in Daydreams (12 page)

“Do you know on how many levels this upsets me?”

“I know.” Liam pulled the car over and turned off the ignition. “I wanted your birthday to be special for you, and I messed it all up.”

“Did you hook up with her?”

“Are you insane?”

“Did you?”

“Molly.” Glaring at her. “She does nothing for me.”

“But you do everything for her. You know how much she hates me and wants you. Fuck!”

“She doesn't hate you.” Saying earnestly. “She thinks you're great.”

Molly burst out laughing.

“Are you kidding?” Laughing harder. “They both wish we had never met.”

“They are my best friends, Molly.”

“I know, and that's fine. But don't you see that last night you let them totally screw me over? They sucked you into their little vibe and you instantly forgot about me just like that.” Molly snapped her fingers. “Because I was waiting for you and feeling all mopey, I drank way too much and puked cake in some nasty-ass bathroom! It was my birthday for God's sake!”

“I'm sorry. Look, what else can I do? It won't happen again. I promise.”

Molly looked at him and saw in his eyes how serious he was. He leaned over and kissed her.

“Here, give me your watch.” Grabbing her hand.

“What?”

“Okay.” Taking it off her wrist. “It's officially February eleventh again. Today is your birthday. You are one lucky lady because you get to celebrate twice.” Refastening it. “All day is Molly day. How may I do you?”

“Food and coffee would be a good start.”

“As you wish, Buttercup.”

He leaned over and kissed her again. Molly softened under his lips.

“Before we adjourn to the grease pit, I have something for you. I meant to give it to you last night, but, well, here.”

He reached in the backseat and produced a shoe box wrapped in newspaper tied with a red piece of yarn. He placed it in Molly's lap. She ripped it open. Inside was a letter-sized envelope and a tape. Molly opened the letter and inside was sheet music. She began reading the words as Liam pushed the tape into the player. Soon, gentle guitar chords filled the car and Liam's melodious voice echoed. He sounded like mittens, mashed potatoes, the best broken-in boots. He was part Whiskeytown, part Jackson Browne, with a dash of Jeff Buckley thrown into the mix. Familiar and comfortable. Molly sat back and listened.

When the song ended, Molly was speechless. She felt like she had been dipped in honey, licked off, and left to dry under a warm June sun. Every last bit of anger and doubt evaporated, and she felt a grin the size of a hot air balloon billow upon her face. In this moment, the one she was in, she loved him.

“Wow.” Looking at Liam.

“Do you like it?” Blushing slightly. “I've been working on it for a while. I wanted it to be perfect.”

“It is.” Caressing his cheek. “No one has ever written anything for me before—that is if you don't count the Valentine poem Kenny Childress wrote for me in fourth grade.”

“Did it go something like ‘roses are red, violets are blue'?”

“How did you guess?” Smiling at Liam. “You are soooooo smart.”

“I know, I know. Genius.”

“I really love it. Thank you.”

“You're very welcome.” Squeezing her hand. “Hungry?”

“Starving.”

Molly forgave him, time passed, and things were okay. But while she made peace with her boyfriend, Elena was a whole other story. One more check on Molly's “hate her forever” list. She just never seemed to give up! She was always in the background scheming, judging, hissing—anything to steal Liam's gaze away from Molly. No matter where they were, somehow Elena would figure out a means to interject herself into the situation like an umlaut or exclamation point. But the real problem lay in the fact that Liam never really saw Elena's true nature, as he was so accepting and trusting of others almost to a fault. Liam was oblivious to what lurked behind her perfect orthodontic smile and lithe size-two frame, while Molly couldn't even keep count of the number of times Elena showed up at just the right time to triumph over her. Like when Elena arrived uninvited at a dinner when Elizabeth was in town for a night and monopolized the entire conversation. Or when she used her bevy of salesgirl spies to stalk Molly and then strolled into Liam's CD release party in the exact same top Molly happened to be wearing. Of course her perky bra-free boobs looked runway perfect. Elena was sort of Veronica to Molly's Betty, but Betty stayed friendly while Molly wished for a tornado and a flying house.

Elena's first real strike came about two months after Molly and Liam had begun dating. There was this big Hollywood music fête in the Hills above Sunset. An all-day barbeque and musical jam, with babes, booze, and big shots. Liam invited Molly to be his date, and she was thrilled. It was their first real foray into Liam's public world together and Molly wanted it to be perfect. She wanted to represent. For a week, she planned her outfit. Trying on the contents of her wardrobe five times over to find the right mix of casual, sexy, fashion forward, yet blasé. She blew almost her entire month's salary on the right shoes, the right bag. Lucky for her discount at Jane Doe or she would have been even more broke. Molly wanted her armor to be wrapped and whipstitched snuggly around her form. Liam picked her up and his eyes lit up the minute she opened the door.

“Wow.” Spinning her around. “You look beautiful.”

“Thanks.” Smoothing her hands down the front of her pink silk Indian printed tunic she was wearing over jeans. “It's not too much?”

“Nope. You are perfect.” Kissing her long and hard. “Your chariot awaits.”

The conversation flowed out the windows of Liam's car like a melody. Everything was sunny and light, they were inside each other's rose-colored glasses. When they arrived, Molly grabbed Liam's hand tightly and blinked, sending herself shooting away from their easy banter of only seconds before and right back into her fit of nerves. For some reason, even though she had been to a million parties, and met a million people, Molly felt extremely vulnerable. Maybe she wasn't yet comfortable in her seemingly perfect relationship. He squeezed three times and Molly was brought back.

“My dad used to do that,” Molly remembered.

“What?”

“The three-beat hand squeeze. It was our secret code for I love you.”

“Mine too.” Kissing her cheek.

Molly blushed, swooned, and let herself feel the tiny champagne bubbles fizzing up and down her body. They walked into the party and it was already in full swing. Music and laughter filled the rooms and tumbled through the sliding glass doors onto the lawn. Exquisitely rock-'n'-rolled children with their hippie fashions did cartwheels while their parents held beers or played bongos. Molly was taking it all in when Liam handed her a drink and a small white pill.

“What's this?” she asked, holding it in her palm.

“Some E I just got from Elliot. I thought it would be cool to do it together.”

“Now? Here?”

“Sure, everyone is already rolling.” Gesturing to a group huddled around Elliot holding water bottles.

“I don't know.” Looking at him. “I'm not the biggest fan. The last time I did this I was in the bathroom, curled up with Jay in a bathtub for about two hours.”

“It'll be fine. This time you're with me.”

“Are you going to do this regardless?”

“Well, actually, I already took some.”

“Really?” Getting a little weirded out.

“I'm sorry, I thought you'd want to too.”

“It's fine.” Trying to smile. “You just have to promise that you aren't going to ditch me. That's a mighty big yard and I have a tendency to wander off.”

“I swear, I will be your buddy for the whole day.” Sticking out his hand. “We can shake on it.”

“Fine.” Shaking and then swallowing the pill before she could rethink her decision.

“Besides,” taking her hand again, “you are the only one I want to pet me later.”

Molly smiled at him and let him think the whole thing was just the best darn idea in the whole damn world, but she knew she was in for a nasty ride. Molly and E just did not get along, and she knew she would either freak out or puke. Bad decision, but it was give it a go or be the only one to not give it a go and be trapped with strangers for hours while Liam tripped. Wasn't she too old for peer pressure? That fucking smile of his would be the end of her.

About an hour later, when Molly's tongue started feeling thick and her body was on vibrate, Elena strolled into the party, coiffed and radiant. The girl had the fuck-me look and glamorous glide down pat. It took Elena all of about two seconds to insert herself into Liam and Molly's conversation. She sat herself down on the grass and started right in.

“Wow, Molly, you look seriously fucked up. Your pupils are enormous.”

“Thanks.” Swallowing. “You look great too.”

“What did you guys take? Got any more?”

“Go ask Elliot.” Liam gestured to the house.

“Cool.” Getting up. “You should really drink some water because your jaw is super clenched, Molly. It looks kind of intense.”

Molly raised her hands to her face, and traced her lips and teeth. They did feel funny. She looked at her hands and it was almost like they were butterfly wings slightly beating. Her heart and stomach swelled.

“I think I am going to be sick.” Jumping up and running into the pool house behind them.

She pushed open the door to the thankfully free back bathroom and promptly threw up into the toilet. Liam followed after her and shut the door. Molly eased herself onto the floor and pushed her hair back. Her entire body felt wretched and she started to cry.

“Baby.” Sitting next to her on the floor. “What happened? Drink some water.” Handing her his bottle.

“I knew this was going to happen.” Trying to focus.

“We were doing fine.” Rubbing her neck. “Everything was mellow.”