in the scheme of things

"At least you haven't let your Aunt break you down." Ravi smiled, thinking how the old woman had looked at him when he was there with Olivia when she visited her aunt. Ravi knew what must have been going through the gray haired woman's mind. He must have been a terrorist.

"I don't think she hated you, completely." Olivia hugged Ravi's arm as they sat there at the coffee house on campus listening to someone try their best to acoustically sing "Mysterious Love" to a dismal crowd of college kids.

"Just a little." Ravi grinned. There wasn't a chance of Olivia moving back in with her Aunt. They were on their own. Her parents were back in the Philippines at the orphanage they helped with.  He vaguely recalled Olivia mentioning about having lunch with her parents a while ago.

"But it was interesting that she talked to me." Olivia nodded as if she hadn't given up on her great Aunt.

"About your Mom and Dad?" Ravi looked at her. He knew they were talking about family, but he was a little lost in the conversation.

"No." She pressed her lips tight. "She wants me to meet my sister."

"Oh." Olivia had never mentioned a sister. This was news.

"I know. I don't know her. I don't know why she mentioned it. I'm not banking on anything coming out of it." She looked suddenly sad.

"Why not?" Ravi winced.

"For one thing, she doesn't want my mother to know. Well, the one I've always known. The one who adopted me. Really, I'm fine with everything." She sighed.

"I don't believe that." Ravi shook his head. Just then someone practically fell on him. True it was a rather dark atmosphere but someone had their arm around him. It was Bridget. Of course she was with Stan. She was so silly. She smelled of booze. There was no alcohol served here.

"ITS MY BIRTHDAY!" She was excited. She'd turned 21.

"What are you doing here?" Ravi's eyes lit, and she laid practically across him to give Olivia a hug and a very open kiss. Ravi was horrified.

She laughed as Stan did his best to pull her back, but it wasn't doing much good. Olivia cringed as Bridget and Stan made themselves at home at their little table.

"You didn't get me anything, Ravi." Bridget looked devastated about it, but a second later she was laughing, sitting in Stan's lap. She looked at both of them. Especially, Olivia. "Don't I know you?" She pointed at her as she hiccuped.

Olivia only nodded. They had met once. Halloween.

"Have you seen my sister?" Bridget looked at him wide eyed.

"Not recently." Ravi wanted them to go. They had no business ruining their night out.

"You know, this one time-" She belched loudly then, but it didn't stop her from telling the story. "She did it with the cable guy." Bridget laughed as it was the funniest thing. "Seriously, she'll have sex with random strangers." She smiled as if it were a joke. "Its either that, or a personality disorder." She winced then.

Ravi looked at Olivia out of the corner of his eye. She was nodding as if this was important to know. Next thing they knew, Bridget was trying to dance on the table they were sitting around. Finally, Stan put her over his shoulder and apologized.

"Well, that was fun." Olivia laughed then. "Want to go to Wal-Mart and look at lingerie?"

Ravi looked at his watch. It was true. These were things they liked to do after mid-night.