Rory vs. Rockstar

“C’mon, darling. Sit down. I’ll get a plate for you,” her mother told Tara.

“No, Ma. I don’t have time for that, besides I want to fit in the wedding dress. If I keep eating that delicious food you make, that’s not gonna happen.” Tara laughed and her parents joined in wholeheartedly.

“All right, dear,” her mother replied sweetly.

“And Rory. Seems like you have made quite a name for yourself in the one day that you have been back here.” The mischievous looks on Tara’s face made Rory nervous. She wanted to stay silent but was also curious to know what Rory was talking about.

“What do you mean?”

“Here, take a look.” Tara handed Bill Loughlin her iPad. His face went dour as he stared at it and then he silently passed it to his wife who had the same reaction. The tense atmosphere that she was used to in this house was back with full force, and the fact that Tara was smirking told Rory that something was up.

“What did we do wrong here?” her mother sighed, pushing the iPad away from her. Rory quickly picked it up, and once she saw what was on the screen, she was mortified. Her heart raced, her pulse grew uneven, and she wanted to die in that moment.

Fan Faints After Failing to Chase Rock Stars, was the headline of the article on the celebrity gossip website that Tara had opened up on her iPad. Right under that, was a picture of Rory, passed out on the sidewalk. There was another picture of a man, the Uber driver, checking on her with the paparazzi laughing in the background.

“Aren’t you a little old to be chasing celebrities? Is that the real reason why you came here early? Where did I go wrong with you?” Her mother was hysterical. Her father was grinding his teeth and Rory could tell that he was very upset. She felt like she was twelve again.

“Rory, if you were so desperate to meet celebrities then you could have just asked me. I know a lot of people who work in the business. You didn’t have to go around making an utter fool of yourself and embarrassing the family.” Great. Now Tara is scolding me.

“Rory, this is really shameful. Why do you do such things?” her dad finally said. Rory closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She was angry at the paparazzi, angry at those who had put her pictures up on the internet, angry at the fact that she had ever run into that damn band, and angry at Lizzy for being so naive.

Most of all she was angry at her family. They didn’t understand her at all. For the most part, they didn’t give a damn about her, and now they were getting upset because they were afraid that someone in their church might see a picture of their daughter. All they have ever worried about is their social standing and how they appear to other people. Couldn’t they at least ask me for my side of the story?

“Let her be, Bill. She doesn’t care about us enough to even bother explaining this. She’s not a teenager anymore and there’s nothing we should expect from her. C’mon, Bill, we have a lot to do today.” Her mother walked away with her father in tow, faint sounds of mumbling and complaining erupting from her mouth.

“You can always sue them. But I guess you don’t have enough money to hire a lawyer,” her sister smirked. “If you’re planning to chase any other celebrities today, please let me know. I’ll look out for the pictures tomorrow,” Tara remarked, then laughed that evil laugh of hers and made a quick exit.

Rory just stared at the wall. Blank, numb, and totally out of place was how she felt. She wanted to break all the expensive

crockery in that kitchen. Turn the refrigerator over and destroy this perfect little kitchen that her mother had painstakingly built.

She wanted to get away. Run away as far from this house as possible and never return. But she couldn’t. Her muscles refused to obey the directions of her mind. Rory cursed herself for coming here. She longed for the quaint house in Montcove that seemed so far away.

22

Thank heaven for small mercies, Rory thought as she realized that she was finally home alone, since her parents had gone out to make the final check on the wedding arrangements.

She called up the band’s office again, asked for Don, and once again he was unavailable. This time, she left her cellphone number and asked the receptionist to make sure that he got the message. There was very little chance that he would—especially since Rory didn’t state the purpose of the call—but all she could do was be hopeful.

The next morning, she decided to head out and go to a quiet little chapel that she had always liked when she was a child. If nothing else, I can pray for Lizzy. Maybe the gods above would listen to that, at least, since I rarely pray for anything.

After praying, Rory spent a few hours wandering around the old places she used to frequent, the places where she had done odd jobs to make ends meet. It was no surprise to her that there was barely a positive memory to be evoked. Besides, with every passing moment, Rory knew that she had to talk to her father about helping her out with money.

I could wait until the wedding day when he is happy and hopefully intoxicated.

As she made the long walk back home, Rory rehearsed the speech again and again in her head. She couldn’t be overly sweet or too meek. Sure, she desperately needed financial help, but she didn’t want to beg for it either. Rory knew her mother would do her best to make her grovel. Anything she told her father would certainly reach her mother’s ears. That’s just how it was. Especially since, in this case, money was involved.

Rory entered the house through the kitchen door and her mother was standing at the counter, preparing lunch. Good, I am famished, Rory thought. The long walk in the LA heat had exhausted her and she just wanted to put her feet up and laze around on the couch. But for now, the only option was a proper meal on a dining table.

“What are you cooking, Mother?” Rory asked in her most cheerful voice. Her mother remained silent at first, and then she turned and nodded to the living room.

“I think you should head in there first.”

Rory wondered what was going on. Did I do something else now? Why is she being so serious? Rory cautiously made her way to the living room, all kinds of possible situations going through her mind. She hated being this clueless.

Her voice got stuck in her throat as she entered the living room.

“Lizzy!” She let out an excited whisper. Lizzy sat on the couch, looking disheveled and distraught. It looked like she hadn’t slept for days or had even taken a bath for that matter.