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Authors: W.B. Kinnette
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but no more tears.
“I just don’t think that’s right,” Jack said, shaking his head.
“I hope not.” Ivy sighed, managing to dodge Desee’s sauce-covered hands and guide an entire forkful of noodles to her tiny mouth. Desee sucked the noodles like a little cartoon character and Ivy laughed. Desee grinned proudly before opening her mouth like a baby bird, waiting for more.
“It doesn’t make sense,” Bev said. “People get divorced living in different states all the time. Why would this be any different?”
Ivy shook her head. “I’ll call on Monday. Hopefully I’ll find out something helpful then.” Ivy hated the way her voice shook. She hated how weak she was, and how scared. She hated that she never dared stand up for herself, and it had taken Vick hurting her baby before Ivy had found the courage to leave. Her poor dog, Sadi, still cowered and wet herself whenever someone approached her too quickly. All because Ivy had been too afraid to stand up to him. Somewhere, she had to find the courage to fight him. Or she’d never be truly free.
****
She’d never been to a play before. Even in high school, when she was supposed to go to get credits for class, she’d always snuck out, going to the local restaurant to raise havoc with her friends or do something else she shouldn’t have been doing. So going to a play at a university, where people paid money to see the performance, made her nervous. Add to that the fact that, unlike the football game, this time she had no one to go with. She was left drifting through the building alone, wondering if she was dressed appropriately or if she was even in the right place.
She didn’t know anyone in her class beyond recognizing them as they wandered into the theater. She stood in the foyer, looking first one way and then the next, unsure which way to go. The building was much newer than the others on campus, and beautiful, but also big . “Hey, Ivy, right?” The boy suddenly standing next to her had a British accent.
She blinked, caught by surprise. She’d seen him in class several times, but until now she was positive she’d never heard him speak. She was sure she would have remembered that accent. Realizing she was staring stupidly, she nodded. “Yes. Ivy. Sorry, I don’t know your name.”
“Drew. You look lost.” At least he didn’t seem offended that she hadn’t a clue who he was.
“Very.” She sighed.
“I happen to know this theater well. This way.” He offered his arm with a smile like he’d just stepped out of jolly old England, and she laughed and took it, trying not to cringe away from his touch. Not everyone that touches you is going to hurt you, Ivy, s he told herself, aware that he could probably feel the tense grip she had on his forearm.
He led them to seats up in the balcony because, “You can see okay from here, but no one else notices if you’ve fallen asleep.” For the rest of the play, they compared notes on what they thought was happening. Shakespeare’s Greek plays were so tragic. And so confusing. Which shouldn’t have been funny at all, but somehow Drew made it hilarious. Ivy laughed so much her sides hurt, and she hadn’t done that for such a long time.
Chapter Six
Saturday Ivy woke up with a sore throat. By Sunday she had a raging fever and was certain she would die if she was forced to swallow one more time. She sent a text to Archer telling him she wasn’t feeling well and wouldn’t make it to watch football that night, and she was too sick to feel anything more than mild disappointment. Texting seemed to be a monumental task, and once it was done, she curled up in misery, uncertain whether she would leave her bed alive ever again.
Desee wasn’t used to being away from her mama so much and refused to stay out of the bedroom. For what had to have been the hundredth time, she snuck in and crawled up in bed with Ivy, cuddling against Ivy’s side. Ivy held her breath, trying not to breathe on her
“I just don’t think that’s right,” Jack said, shaking his head.
“I hope not.” Ivy sighed, managing to dodge Desee’s sauce-covered hands and guide an entire forkful of noodles to her tiny mouth. Desee sucked the noodles like a little cartoon character and Ivy laughed. Desee grinned proudly before opening her mouth like a baby bird, waiting for more.
“It doesn’t make sense,” Bev said. “People get divorced living in different states all the time. Why would this be any different?”
Ivy shook her head. “I’ll call on Monday. Hopefully I’ll find out something helpful then.” Ivy hated the way her voice shook. She hated how weak she was, and how scared. She hated that she never dared stand up for herself, and it had taken Vick hurting her baby before Ivy had found the courage to leave. Her poor dog, Sadi, still cowered and wet herself whenever someone approached her too quickly. All because Ivy had been too afraid to stand up to him. Somewhere, she had to find the courage to fight him. Or she’d never be truly free.
****
She’d never been to a play before. Even in high school, when she was supposed to go to get credits for class, she’d always snuck out, going to the local restaurant to raise havoc with her friends or do something else she shouldn’t have been doing. So going to a play at a university, where people paid money to see the performance, made her nervous. Add to that the fact that, unlike the football game, this time she had no one to go with. She was left drifting through the building alone, wondering if she was dressed appropriately or if she was even in the right place.
She didn’t know anyone in her class beyond recognizing them as they wandered into the theater. She stood in the foyer, looking first one way and then the next, unsure which way to go. The building was much newer than the others on campus, and beautiful, but also big . “Hey, Ivy, right?” The boy suddenly standing next to her had a British accent.
She blinked, caught by surprise. She’d seen him in class several times, but until now she was positive she’d never heard him speak. She was sure she would have remembered that accent. Realizing she was staring stupidly, she nodded. “Yes. Ivy. Sorry, I don’t know your name.”
“Drew. You look lost.” At least he didn’t seem offended that she hadn’t a clue who he was.
“Very.” She sighed.
“I happen to know this theater well. This way.” He offered his arm with a smile like he’d just stepped out of jolly old England, and she laughed and took it, trying not to cringe away from his touch. Not everyone that touches you is going to hurt you, Ivy, s he told herself, aware that he could probably feel the tense grip she had on his forearm.
He led them to seats up in the balcony because, “You can see okay from here, but no one else notices if you’ve fallen asleep.” For the rest of the play, they compared notes on what they thought was happening. Shakespeare’s Greek plays were so tragic. And so confusing. Which shouldn’t have been funny at all, but somehow Drew made it hilarious. Ivy laughed so much her sides hurt, and she hadn’t done that for such a long time.
Chapter Six
Saturday Ivy woke up with a sore throat. By Sunday she had a raging fever and was certain she would die if she was forced to swallow one more time. She sent a text to Archer telling him she wasn’t feeling well and wouldn’t make it to watch football that night, and she was too sick to feel anything more than mild disappointment. Texting seemed to be a monumental task, and once it was done, she curled up in misery, uncertain whether she would leave her bed alive ever again.
Desee wasn’t used to being away from her mama so much and refused to stay out of the bedroom. For what had to have been the hundredth time, she snuck in and crawled up in bed with Ivy, cuddling against Ivy’s side. Ivy held her breath, trying not to breathe on her
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