Bennett’s car is outside. He told me the driver would be there the entire four hours of the test, waiting for the moment I could escape. I’m relieved to see it, flinging open the back door of the black Mercedes and diving in.
“Good day, Miss,” the driver says. “Glad you got away all right.”
I feel like a criminal on the run. I resist the urge to say, “Step on it.”
Mom won’t notice I’m gone until the essay is over, almost an hour from now. But I will have disappeared. Hopefully they will find my note quickly, before calling the police. I might call home, just to ward all that off. I’m so glad they don’t know anything about Blitz and can’t involve him.
When we arrive at the airport, I stare out at the jumble of terminals and parking lots. I’ve never flown. But considering the rest of what I’m risking today, traveling by air seems insignificant.
The driver takes us out on a flat space where smaller planes sit waiting near a huge outbuilding. We’re stopped by a security man next to a tiny station, then waved through.
I clutch my backpack to me. I’m so far out of my element now. I’ve walked away from my entire life for someone I’ve known six weeks. I tug my phone out of a side pocket and power it on. I had to turn it completely off for the test.
There are a few early morning texts from Blitz, the last one warning me he’ll be in rehearsals all day for the finale. He still hasn’t mentioned the extra episodes.
I still haven’t mentioned I’m coming.
The driver opens my door and I fairly fly out of the car. I only get a few steps away when I realize I have no idea where I’m going.
“The Claremonts are waiting for you on the plane,” the driver says. “This way.”
The wind whips my hair. It’s warm again, and we’re headed to Southern California, so I haven’t brought a coat. The sky is bright white, gleaming off the airplanes. We head toward a long stealthy-looking one. A set of steps has been rolled up to the door.
I ascend carefully, holding the rail. Inside, Bennett and his wife Juliet are seated in leather chairs. Bennett stands up. “You must be Livia,” he says. “We’ve been in the same room before, but I don’t believe we’ve actually met.”
I shake his hand automatically, feeling anxious and unsure. I’m going to ride with two strangers to a place I’ve never been to stop one of the most famous people on television from wrecking his career.
“I remember you from some of the classes,” Juliet says. “Come sit.”
She leads me to a cushioned bench opposite their chairs. My hands are trembling.
“Poor girl, she’s scared to death,” she says to Bennett. “Go get her some tea.”
Bennett heads to the back of the plane.
She sits next to me. “I’ve done some pretty crazy things in my career, but this one is right up there,” she says. “It’s no wonder you’re anxious.”
Bennett returns, followed by a young woman in a crisp khaki skirt and white shirt. “Excuse me, Miss Juliet,” she says, and reaches between us to press a button. A tray slides out, and the woman turns it down and out to make a small table. She sets a mug with a tea bag on it. “Let me know if you would like something else.”
“Thank you, Penny,” Juliet says.
Bennett settles back in his chair. “Everything is on course in LA,” he says. “Dress rehearsals are going well. We are all set.”
“Does anyone know who he’s going to pick?” I ask.
“The director should know, and probably a couple of wardrobe people,” he says. “They have to be ready, as Blitz will do a final dance with the winner.”
“He got a wedding ring,” I say. “Is it scripted for him to propose?”
“He’s not proposing,” Juliet says. “All the shows have a segment where they look for a ring, but it’s rarely used. Twenty seasons of the Bachelor, and only one proposal. In fact, I think that six-carat monstrosity is just on loan, right?” She looks to Bennett.
“It’s not even on set,” he says. “It never left the jewelry store.” He laughs. “The producers have to sign off on anything worth more than half a million that needs insuring.”
I begin to calm down with their banter. This is going to be okay. I check my watch. The test will end in ten minutes. That’s when Mom will realize I’m gone. Dad is out with Andy. I wish she had a cell phone. Will she call the police before she even leaves? Or will she go home? I should have thought about that.
“What’s on your mind, Livia?” Bennett asks.
“I’m just worried Mom will call the police from the SAT site, before she can get my note. I’m not very good at planning this escape thing.”
“I’ve already put in a call to my friend on the force,” Bennett says. “But it’s best if we can prevent her from notifying them. I can’t guarantee the dispatcher or officer who is called will know anything.”
“Doesn’t an adult have to be missing twenty-four hours before they do anything?” Juliet asks.
“Technically, I think that’s true,” Bennett says. “But I’d rather avoid the whole thing if we can.”
“Mom doesn’t have a cell phone,” I say.
“You want to leave a message on your home phone?” Juliet asks.
I can do that. I pull out my cell phone and shakily dial my home number.
Then the worst happens.
My father answers.
For a long moment, my voice is stuck in my throat.
“Hello?” he says again, his voice gruff.
I finally manage to squeak out “Dad?”
“Livia? What is it? Is your test done? Is your mother okay?”
“Dad.” I pause. This is hard. “I left Mom at the center. I’m not there.”
“Then where are you?”
“I’m taking a trip away. I took my test. It went fine. Other than the essay part. I skipped that.”
His voice is a roar. “LIVIA MASON, WHERE ARE YOU RIGHT NOW?”
His anger helps me rise up to defend myself, makes me stronger. “I’m doing something for myself, Dad. I’m on an airplane,” I say. “I’m leaving.”
“Get off that plane right now!” he shouts.
“Dad, do you hear yourself?” I ask. “I can’t do that. I’m leaving for a while. You can’t stop me.”
I rush on before he can yell again. “But you can stop me from ever coming home. And I don’t want you to do that. Don’t make it so I never come home.”
The line is quiet, then he says, “You’re breaking this family’s heart all over again.”
I don’t know what to say to that. He was the one who broke it first. So I just say, “I’m sorry, Dad. I’m sorry for all that I’ve done. But I have to go.”
I hang up.
The phone rings again almost immediately and I realize he’s done the dial-back thing. I click ignore.
Juliet reaches over and squeezes my arm. “I’m sorry, Livia. I know that was hard.”
I feel numb about this encounter with my father. But it had to happen. One way or another. And I have the best reason. Blitz loves me, or so he told Bennett. And I’m not going to let him hurt his career for me.
The pilot comes over the speaker. “Our flight path is approved and we are cleared to take off in twenty minutes,” he says.
Juliet glances over at Bennett. “I have an idea of what we can do when we get there,” she says. “But you’ll have to talk to the director.”
When Juliet explains what she thinks will work, I know she is absolutely right. I just have to have the guts to do it.