Chapter 18
The drive to Ohio State University had been like going back in time a little. True, he had met up with his frat brothers a lot over the years, but it was rarely in Ohio and never at the University. He was so proud Olivia would be going to OSU, and he was honored to help her move into her dorm room. He had actually driven down a day early. He and a frat brother were going to meet up. Plus, he wanted to walk around the campus and relive some of those good memories.
Tony met with his buddy, and they went out to dinner. He then found a hotel close to the university. But it has not been an easy task. Many parents and the incoming, and returning students having the same idea, having driven in from several hours away. They all wanted to get their children to registered, unpacked, and settled in plenty of time to head back home before it got too late.
Surprisingly, Tony remembered the dorm where Olivia's room was located from his university days. He had dated a couple girls from that dorm his first two years at OSU. But, he purposely parked in a lot where he would have to walk through fraternity row to get to her dorm.
The houses had not changed, that much. New paint, and surprisingly, the fronts of many of the houses had trees and brushes. It was, he realized, better than the old, ugly sofa and assorted beer cans he remembered littering the front lawn the entire time he had lived in his frat house.
Tony met up with Olivia and the Martins just as they began to unload the U-Haul they had rented. He helped carry things up to Olivia's room on the second floor. After many trips of hefting boxes, Tony was really, really glad the dorm had an elevator.
The other members of the Martin family took joined a tour group of the campus for the express purpose of giving Tony and Olivia a little alone time. Tony sat down in Olivia's bed. He watched her unpack the last of the boxes. He had helped her hang curtains on her window. He had also made her bed for her.
"I don't remember having so much stuff." Tony said, looking at what seemed like 100 boxes sitting all over the room.
Olivia shook her head. "You probably didn't. It's a 'girl-thing.'"
Tony just looked at her.
"You know, like when we went camping. You brought one duffel bag. I had three."
Tony nodded. He stood up and drew his daughter into his arms. "I'm going to miss you so much."
Olivia sighed. "Yeah, me too. But Abby set me up with a webcam and Tim showed me how to hook it up."
Tony nodded. "He came over before I left yesterday and hooked mine up."
"But I know what you mean, it won't be the same." Olivia said. "I...We've only had three months to get to know each other, and here I'll be, seven hours away."
"It's not like you'll NEVER come home. Plus," Tony gestured towards the computer. "...we'll have our webcam chats."
Olivia didn't say anything. She just wrapped her arms tighter around Tony's waist.
"Besides, this is what kids do. They get taught how they should live and act from their parents. Then they get the rest of their lives to try it out and see if it works."
Olivia looked at Tony and smiled. "I liked the way you put that."
"I'm honored you decided on OSU. I really enjoyed my time here. I hope you will pledge while you're here. It's a lot of fun. I hope sisterhood is a good as the brotherhood I had, have. I just met with a brother yesterday for diner." Tony leaned down and whispered in his daughter's ear. "Watch out for those frat boys, though. They're no good."
Olivia stared at Tony for just a moment, then chuckled. "I think that is your first bit of fatherly advice."
"What did Jacob tell you, his first advice?"
Olivia chuckled at the memory. "It wasn't advice, really. He just told me I was not allowed to date until I was thirty."
Tony smiled. "That one works for me, too."
Olivia shook her head. "That just proves my theory."
"What theory?" Tony asked with an amused look on his face.
"All dads are insane." Olivia chuckled.
"We just love our daughters and want to protect them." Tony said, sitting back down on the bed.
Olivia sat down beside him on the bed.
"I..." Tony started. "...Olivia, if you need me. I'm just a phone call away. I still have a few frat brothers living here in the area. They...you can go to them, too. I'll give you their names and numbers. You can stay with them and their families until I or Jacob and Sallie can get here, if you need somewhere safe." Tony paused. "They are very excited to meet you. And I've given them pictures of you."
"Dad," Olivia stammered, suddenly afraid. "...Dad, I'm going to be OK."
"I know you are, Baby Girl. But we are 7 hours away. Even by plane, it's hours. I...a lot can happen in that time."
"Dad, I'm going to be OK." Olivia repeated.
"I know, Olivia." Tony put his arm around his daughter. "I know your parents prepared you for this. But the fact remains, as soon as we leave here, you will be on your own. You will be making your own decisions. You won't have your parents looking over your shoulder and offering you advice. You will be free, for the first time in your life. Most kids have had a good enough family background and are grounded enough to handle it. But for some kids, Olivia, it's just too much. They can't handle it. They either spend their first year getting sloppy drunk or they go into a deep, deep depression. Those are the extremes, but that's usually what you see."
"Why...?"
"I just want you to be know how to recognize it, in yourself or in your friends." Tony paused. "A guy in my frat house committed suicide. I mean...I was talking to him one minute, the next he was on the roof of our frat house with a beer in his hand. He was drunk. We all were. But I had just been talking to him. He had said he was going to meet his girl friend later that night." Tony shook his head. "Moments later, he was...he was dead. He...the campus police got there just seconds after he jumped." Tony shook his head. "It was surreal. I looked out the window of the second floor room we had been in and saw him lying there...it...."
Olivia sighed. "I know, Dad. I'm going out into the big bad world. I am actually kind of excited about that, scared, but excited." Olivia paused. "You can trust me. I am prepared. I know about Columbine and Virginia Tech, and all those others. But you can't protect me from living, from life. I know you have seen bad, horrible things in your job. The things people intentionally do to one another are horrendous. But that's not the majority of people." Olivia took Tony's hand. "I am so sorry about your frat brother. I truly am, and I know what you're saying. But there was nothing you could do. He had already made up his mind, or it was just a spur-of-the-moment decision. Either way, you had no way of knowing what he was thinking. He...he needed help beyond what any of his frat brothers could give."
"You are far, far too wise for your own good, Baby Girl." Tony looked at her and smiled. He squeezed her hand.
"I'm be fine."
Tony sighed and kissed her cheek. "I guess I could help you clean this up before I head back." Tony said, looking at the mountain of empty boxes.
"I told my roommate she had to meet my handsome dad." Olivia said. "I sent her some pictures, via email."
"You told her I was handsome?" Tony preened.
"Very handsome." Olivia amended.
"Well then, by all means, I wouldn't want to disappoint." Tony said as he helped Olivia disposed of her boxes and packing materials.
TBC
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