Free The Proverbial Mr. Universe by Maria La Serra

“Honestly, I don’t know. I asked Mom about it, and she assured me the doctors said it was okay to continue his normal activities.” Nina adjusted her wool scarf around her neck and gazed down the street, sliding her hands further into her pockets. “You know, I don’t want to push the subject, make him feel that he’s incapable because sooner or later he’s going to have everything taken away from him.”
    It was mostly silent on the drive back to Nina’s house. Olivia assumed her sister felt the same way … because nobody liked to speak when there was so much stuff going on in their heads.
    “Are you seriously thinking about moving back in with Mom and Dad?”
    Olivia shrugged her shoulders.
    “Is it possible to be twenty-three and still feel like you have to do what your parents tell you?” Olivia put on her left blinker, moving the car forward, crossing the intersection.
    “Try twenty-seven, married with a kid, and I still do what they want.”
    “At least they don’t see you as a failure. Nothing I ever do is ever right for Dad.”
    “That’s not true.” Nina frowned.
    “Yeah, well, feels like it.” She paused “Maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to move back home. I could help Mom with Dad when things get worse.”
    “Olivia, if you move back home you can kiss your life goodbye, besides I’m there if they need me.”
    “What life?”
    “Exactly. You’re so young and need to live a little. Go out and meet people. You’ll see. You’ll meet someone else and hopefully settle down and have a family of your own, I know it’s hard with all the shit that’s happing with Dad, but life doesn’t stop, Olivia.
    Nina opened the glove compartment and everything came tumbling down. Laughing, she said, “Olivia, I got one word for you: organization !”
    “What are you looking for?”
    “Gum.”
    “I don’t have any. I’ll pull over at a gas station and pick some up.”
    “No, it’s alright.”
    Olivia looked up, catching Nina studying her.
    “Olivia, if you don’t want to move back home then don’t—”
    “Oh yeah, this coming from the woman who bought a house next door to her parents.”
    “Yeah, yeah ... well, you know Dad. He can be overbearing, but he means well.”
    “No, it’s like an emotional trap. I don’t want to disappoint him, so I keep making these decisions based on what Dad wants, instead of what makes me happy, especially now that he’s sick.”
    “If it makes you feel better, you’re not the only one … Why do you think Paul is afraid to bring his new girlfriend home to meet our parents?”
    “What? Paul is seeing someone?”
    “Yeah, for the last eight months … but there’s more.”
    “Oh my God, he’s engaged !”
    Nina’s face distorted slightly. “I can’t tell you anymore. I promised not to say anything, so just wait until he tells you himself. Alright?”
    “I can’t believe he told you and not me … Paul tells me everything!”
    “Well, you know I’m his favorite.”
    “Bullshit!”
    “Don’t get offended. Maybe he thought you had more shit going on in your life than you to deal with his problems.”
    Nina peered down to find a folded paper at her feet.
    “What’s this?” Nina bent down and picked up the handwritten note off the ground. Olivia quickly glanced over her sister’s shoulders.
    “Oh, it must have fallen out of the glove compartment. It’s nothing.” Olivia snatched the paper out of Nina’s hand, not before Nina got a chance to read it.
    “What’s this all about? Who’s Mr. Universe?” Nina smiled.
    Olivia explained how she had been randomly finding these notes everywhere, from the windshield of her car to the inside of the front pocket of her purse. Nina took the paper out of her hand and studied the note once more.
    “Hey, this is Paul’s handwriting.”
    “That’s not Paul’s handwriting,” Olivia replied
    “Of course, it is …”
    “No, Paul is not the type go through the trouble of—”
    “I’m