Ivy's Twisted Vine Redux by Latrivia Nelson (the beach read txt) 📗

happens again, there won’t be any room for excuses or excusing you. It will be over,” she said turning to walk away.

“Wait,” he said seeing a worried sickness all over her tired, perplexed face.

“Don’t pacify me,” she said without turning around. “I’ve had my share of you for tonight. I don’t even want to look at you..” Grabbing her keys off the table by the door, she headed slowly down the steps trying to repress her tears. “Regardless of what was done in the past, this makes us even, Grey. Square.” She turned and left him standing in the middle of the floor.

A first offense always deserves a second chance. Emerald wouldn’t believe it when he showed up for Sunday dinner next week. Grey smiled at the thought when he heard his front door slam.

Book Three

“So what if you look like a fool to the world, the person you’re in love with sees the genius in your good intentions.”

-Anonymous

Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Arrival

Chapter 27

THE ARRIVAL

“God, help me!” Ivy screamed, as she lay on her bed holding her stomach. She had never experienced such a flesh tearing, agonizing, heart-stopping pain, as she was experiencing at that very moment.

Even amidst the pain, Ivy was astonished at how sudden it had come and how marvelously unbearable it was becoming. She wasn’t even supposed to be at her apartment alone. She had come to pick up a pair of curlers only two hours before but stopped to watch some stupid talk show. Then all of sudden her water broke, flooding her bed and drenching her jumpsuit. She dialed her mother quickly, hoping someone was home.

“Hello,” Sadie said taking off her garden gloves.

“Mom! Thank God!” Ivy took a deep breath. “I’m in labor. My water just broke…”

“What!” Sadie grabbed her keys off the kitchen island. “Where are you?”

“At my apartment. Could you please…”. She clenched her teeth.

“I’m on my way, baby. I’m going to call you on my cell phone when I get in the car, okay.” Sadie looked over at Madison urgently.

“Hurry!” Ivy gasped for air.

“Okay,” Sadie said hurrying off the phone.

“Is it time?” Madison asked wrinkling his forehead as he frowned.

“Yes! Grab Ivy’s overnight bag, and I’ll grab my purse,” Sade said scurrying through the house. “She’s having the baby!”

***

An hour later at the Baptist Memorial Women’s Hospital, Ivy lay in stirrups in small delivery room breathing, sweating and panting the way she had only seen in movies. Holding her mother’s hand, she thought about Grey and Nicola for the first time. This was what everyone was waiting for. Contraction! She rolled her eyes and grinded her teeth together to block the pain.

“Okay, we can see the head. So take a deep breath and push hard for ten seconds. The first one’s almost here.”

“Okay,” Ivy said grinding her teeth.

“Okay, and ten, nine, eight, seven...”

The doctor counted and Ivy pushed. The doctor counted again and Ivy pushed harder. Knees in the air, held by tired sweaty hands, feeling wet cleanser down below as the doctor prepared for the crown of the head to reveal a full body, Ivy finally felt the pressure release and sterilized stirrups pulled a little baby from her womb. Ivy gasped unable to look up or down, she closed her eyes. Deep breaths. She could hear her mother exclaiming loudly. Declaring the newborn was perfect. Beautiful! But she couldn’t look. Her heart wouldn’t let her. And then, she felt that feeling again. Another one in place, ready to meet the world literally head on. She took a deep breath, felt her mother wipe her face, and she pushed again. The doctor was already at the base of the bed coaching her again. She knew that she only had a little strength. Just a little more. And then, she would have nothing else to give. She heard him count. And she pushed. Count. Push. Count, but she had to push then, breaking their rhythmic method. She grunted and pushed hard, felt a rip and pain. And then the second and last child was out. She collapsed. Exhausted, she finally opened her eyes and looked over as they cleaned the children. Her eyes watered. They were beautiful.

***

Trina sat down on the couch watching Emerald fix a sandwich in the kitchenette of the hotel and started to feel guilty. Everything in her told her that marrying him was the right thing to do. She didn’t need to trick him or lie to him. She didn’t have to worry about him being trapped or fooled. He had chosen to be with her voluntarily. He had asked her out of the blue. He had made the first move and helped her to see that there was still life after death for the living. But somehow she still felt as though she had possibly married him because she was more scared than in love. However, there were moments like right then watching him prepare his sandwich ever so carefully, humming happily and occasional looking over at her with his killer eyes that that assured her that she was truly in love. Emerald was attentive, creative and passionate. Something she had only experienced with Brooks in ration.

In only his basketball shorts, Emerald strolled across the room to her and laid his head across her lap. “You sure that you’re not hungry?” he asked taking a massive bite out of his sandwich.

“No, baby. I’m fine.” Rubbing through his curly black hair, she flipped through the channels looking for something to watch. “What are we going to do today?”

“I don’t know.” He yawned as he nuzzled his head in her lap. “What do you want to do?” The phone rang and Emerald sat up. “Hold on a minute. Hello.” He said gulping down his sandwich, the lump stuck in his throat.

“Ivy’s having the baby,” Madison said quickly forgetting to speak at all.

“Get out. You know, I knew it was going to happen before the week was out,”

“Good for you. Now, haul your ass down