“Well regardless of all that, welcome to the family.” Ivy wrapped her arms around her and hugged her affectionately. She was glad that Emerald had finally found someone he could love.
“I’m going to take Kakeline back to Mom’s house, and let her get settled. We just drove from the rental lot directly to you. So, I’ll be back in a little while,” Emerald said kissing Ivy on the cheek.
“Okay, don’t be long,” she said holding the door as Emerald walked out. “It was nice meeting you, Kakeline.”
“You too,” Kakeline said waving.
Exhausted from the brief but emotional reunion, Ivy returned to her bed to rest. Who would have thought that her big brother would return home married? He had gone to Hawaii to find himself after he graduated from college. During this trip, he spent thousands of dollars on women, booze and lodging. One night while at a college party with some of his friends, he met Kakeline and what was supposed to be a one to two month high yetis became a six month stay. In reality, it was probably inevitable that he would marry. Ivy just never thought that he would do so before her.
Emerald was never marriage material. He was talk, dark, wild, extremely handsome and smart. He had modeled since his freshman year of college and had even been in some top men’s fitness magazines. Everyone thought that his future would be in the fashion industry until he went to Hawaii and discovered he had a better talent…business management. To pay for his stay, he started to work for the resort owner in his nightclub and ended up yielding a twenty-five percent increase in profit over only five months. Now that he was home, God only knew what he would do for work.
Excited that she had a new sister-in-law, Ivy nestled back down in her comforter and began to look over her work again. Halfway down the page the phone rang. Groaning, she picked it up.
“Hello,” she said impatiently.
“Ivy, it’s Nicola.”
“Oh. Hi.” She was surprised to hear from him.
“I saw that you called the other night, and I never got a chance to see what you wanted. How are you?” He truthfully just wanted to hear her voice.
“Not doing too hot. The babies have had me up all morning, but I can’t seem to get going. I feel so nauseous. All I’ve been eating is broth and crackers.”
“Um, I know that you called me the other night and you had a run in with a friend of mine. I’ve been meaning to call you and apologize for that,” he stuttered. “I’ve just been really busy with work.”
“Yeah, about that. I didn’t want anything. I was just calling to talk.” Ivy felt uncomfortable even discussing the rude woman.
“Well, maybe I can make up that situation to you. Have you eaten today?”
“I’ve been too sick to get out of the bed really. So no.”
“Good. I mean, not good. But it just so happens that I’ll be in your area in just a little while. You need something solid on your stomach,” he said closing the door to his office. So, she really did just want to talk with me the other night. His instincts about her were starting to be really good. “I could stop buy and bring you something.”
“You don’t have to go out of your way.” Deciding she would never finish her work, she set the papers down on her nightstand.
“Believe me. It’s no problem. Really.” He anxiously awaited her reply.
“Okay.” Ivy paused for a moment. What was she doing? Grey would have died if he had found out that Nicola was bringing her anything. Their agreement was that she would only see Nicola when it was his turn to take her to the doctor, but if she didn’t eat, she would end up in the emergency room.
“Great. I’ll bring you something by, and we can sit and talk for a while.” It had been three weeks since he had seen her face, and he missed her terribly.
“Okay,” she said seeing nothing wrong with his kind proposition as long as Grey didn’t show up. And that was highly unusual considering he was so busy with work these days.
Hanging up the phone, Nicola slid across his office floor in excitement. He was like a schoolboy again feeling his heart skip a beat when Ivy smiled and smelling her perfume when he thought of her late at night. If just for a moment, he was alive again. As he turned around smiling, Brooks threw a ball of waded up paper at him and bounced it off of his forehead. “What are you so happy about?”
“I thought I closed the door,” Nicola said calmly. It was time to put on the façade. He picked the paper up and threw it in the trashcan.
“You did, but you know I’m nosy, and I wanted to know who you were talking to all sweet and quiet like on the phone,” Brooks said closing the door behind him.
“I was talking to Ivy.” But Nicola was sure that Brooks already knew that. There was brief silence in the room as they made eye contact.
“About…” Brooks wished Nicola would take his advice and leave Ivy alone.
“Lunch. I’m taking her some over there in just a minute. She’s not feeling well.” Grabbing his coat, he walked pass Brooks who was leaning on Nicola’s desk looking through his paperwork.
“When you get back, we’ve got to review this new Intel on Caesar,” Brooks said yawning. The subject quickly changed but only for a brief moment.
“Cool.” Ivy crossed Nicola’s mind. He needed to go…now. “Look man, I’ll be back in about two hours. Call me if you need me.”
“Lunch is only one hour,” Brooks said playfully as he followed Nicola out of the office. “Don’t let me have to report your ass.”
“Go right ahead. Just remember, I have some good shit on you, too,” Nicola said closing and locking his door behind them.
“What happened to you being finished with the women folk?” The thought suddenly dawned upon Brooks. “Is Ivy not included? And what about Grey? How does he feel about you going to her house?”
“To hell with Grey.” Nicola tried to shrug off his nagging mother-like friend.
“Don’t you think he would consider this cheating? I would.”
“No. Now, what we did a few months back would be considered cheating. Taking a sick mother food is…charity.”
“Yeah, her husband will charitably kick your ass if he finds you at that woman’s house.”
“I’m on the clock, and if I recall correctly I took an oath to protect and serve. Besides, she is not married yet.”
“She’s close enough,” Brooks said shaking his head. “Don’t go over there and get your ass handed to you.” They both chuckled as Nicola headed out of the precinct flipping Brooks the finger.
**
If Ivy had had more energy, she probably would have gotten out of bed and dressed, but it seemed the more she wanted to get up, the more her body would not allow her. Evidently, she had used all her extra energy on getting up to see Emerald. Turning on the television, she fluffed her pillows behind her back and sprayed the air freshener beside her. At least, the apartment was presentable, even if she was not.
After watching a game show and flipping through the novel on her nightstand, she finally heard someone at her door. “I’m in here,” Ivy said brushing through her hair frantically. She didn’t’ want to look too messy.
Walking through the corridor, Nicola got a chance to see Ivy’s bedroom for the first time. Shyly, he smiled as he walked through her doorway. It was everything that he had imagined about Ivy’s personality.
“Hey,” Nicola said standing in the doorway.
“Hi,” Ivy said sitting up and smiling. Wow, he looked great. He was like a breath of fresh air in his faded denim jeans and University of Memphis blue pullover.
“Still not feeling well?” he asked shocked that Ivy was still in her nightgown.
“Not my best, but not my worse either.” She didn’t want to appear sicklier than she actually was. “You can put those bags in the kitchen,” she said noticing he was still carrying the groceries. “I hope you don’t plan for me to eat all of that for lunch.”
“Actually, I was hoping that you’d share. I stopped at this Chinese place by the precinct. They
fix the best pepper steak in the world.”
“Well, what else do you have in there?” Ivy asked getting out of the bed.
“Don’t get up,” he said alarmed. “I’ll fix your plate and bring it to you.”
“I feel good enough to get up,” Ivy said sitting back down. Inwardly, she liked the attention from him even when she despised it from other people.
“No, you’re not well enough now, but you will be when I’m finished. I have just the right stuff to get you going again.”
“What got into you?” Ivy asked amazed by his concern.
“I just wanted to make sure that you were…okay,” Turning around, he headed for the kitchen.
A few minutes later, Nicola returned with a full plate of food and two glasses of orange juice for Ivy. Now shining with lip-gloss and a small pink bow that tied back her ponytail, Ivy sat at the end of the bed in her robe dangling her feet off the side.
“That didn’t take long,” she said reaching out for the plate.
“I hope I put enough food on here,” he said setting her glasses on the table.
“This is more than enough. What are you trying to do make me fat?” Giggling, she tasted her lunch. “Umm, this is good. I’m really starving.”
Still astounded after all this time at her beauty, Nicola stood across from her in silence. Making eye contact with him, Ivy blushed. She was starting to recognize his looks and could almost tell exactly what he was thinking.
Too afraid to bare his true feelings for her, Nicola sat on the bed beside her and began to massage her shoulders as she ate. Nervously, she shied away for a moment causing him to stop.
Nicola was stunned. He didn’t mean to make her nervous. He had gotten too comfortable with her. Unsure of how to react to her, he put his hands down.
“I’m sorry,” Ivy said touching his thigh. “Don’t stop.” Feeling his embarrassment she put his hand back on her shoulder. “Please,” she said softly. As awkward as that brief moment had been, she wanted to move past it without it being such a big deal.
“So, have you been handling the pregnancy well?” Nicola searched for something to say to her as he rubbed her shoulders.
“Pretty well,” she said closing her eyes and relaxing.
Nicola coached himself quietly. Why was he so nervous? This was just a woman, like all the others! Maybe not just alike, but not so different that he had to fee like this inside.
“I was reading in one of those pregnancy books that massages are good for you,” Nicola said needing a massage too.
“Massages are good at anytime.” She laughed. “Nicky, I never thanked you for being here did I?”
“The lunch was nothing.”
“No.” She touched his hand. “I mean, thank you for being here period. I can’t tell you how much I’ve needed it. I know with your hectic work schedule and your personal life, it can’t be easy to deal with me, too. But you do it. So, thanks.”
“I don’t have a lot going on in my personal life.” Nicola reflected on his emptiness.
“Come on, Italian lover. Keeping the ladies pleased must be a full-time job.”
“Trina must be talking about me again.”
“Actually, no. She hasn’t said anything lately. But I can tell that you aren’t practicing celibacy.” Ivy smiled.
“Why should I be?” Nicola stopped massaging her shoulders and made her turn towards him.
Ivy searched for the right words. Staring him the face, it was a lot harder to say what she felt about him. “Well, sometimes celibacy clears the mind. And if you’re waiting for the right woman, you can see her better if you’re not caught up in the motions.” She smiled. “I’m not trying to lecture you. You’re a good man. It’s just my opinion that good things come to those who wait.”
“Maybe the thing that I’ve wanted for a while came and went without my control.”
Ivy tried to respond but her mouth wouldn’t move.
“But I get your point. It’s a coincidence, really. Just this morning, I swore off women and sex for a while.”
“You?” Ivy giggled.
“What?” Nicola smiled. “You don’t think that I can do it?” He laughed.
“I think that you can do anything you set your mind to.”
“What if I’ve set my mind to proving myself to you?” He didn’t smile.
Again, Ivy was silent. “You don’t owe me anything, Nicola.” She looked down at her shaking hands realizing that she and Nicola were actually in her bed having a conversation. She became acutely aware of her position at the same time that she became acutely aware of Nicola.
“I want you to love me, Ivy.” Nicola couldn’t believe that he was allowing himself to say the words that he had kept in the back of his mind for months. He tried to catch them before they slipped deceitfully from his tongue, but they leaped forth with such intensity that he had to submit to his unconscious will.
“I do…love you.” Ivy looked up from the bed holding on to her engagement ring.
“You do?” He was startled and elated by her response.
“Yes, but…”
“No,” Nicola put his index finger on her lips. He wouldn’t allow her to ruin this moment with their crude reality. “No stipulations. No clarifications.” He shook his head. “You love me.” He smiled at her, and she smiled back.
“Ivy?” a man’s voice said as the front door closed interrupting the tense moment.
“In here,” Ivy said blushing at Nicola. Emerald had perfect timing. She needed someone to save her from making a total fool of herself. “That’s just my big brother.”
“Great,” Nicola said frustrated. He took a deep breath on the brink of an explosion.
“Sorry it took so…long.” Emerald stopped at the doorway of Ivy’s bedroom. What in the hell had he interrupted?
“Emerald, this is Nicola, my friend,” Ivy stood up beside the bed. “Nicola, this is my brother Emerald.” She could see Emerald’s confusion.
Getting up off the bed, Nicola went over to the doorway and shook Emerald’s hand.
“Nice to meet you, man” Emerald said grinning slyly. So, he wasn’t the only one that had been involved in an interracial relationship. Strangely enough, he would have never guessed it for Ivy. In fact, he would have never guessed anyone for Ivy except her beloved Grey. He was glad for the change.
“Like wise,” Nicola said picking up on Emerald’s smirky grin.
“So you’re the cop that our family has been buzzing about.” Emerald instantly liked Nicola. He seemed sure of himself. Maybe he could be good for Ivy?
“That would be me,” Nicola said leaning on Ivy’s entertainment center. He was still relaxed and unconcerned for the moment basking inwardly at the possibility of what may have happened if they were not sorely interrupted.
“Yeah, my fiancé Kakeline used to be the talk of the family. It’s good to finally meet someone that can take her place in the spotlight.” Emerald smiled at Ivy.
“I’m sure that I won’t be in the spotlight for long. Once the babies get here and wedding takes place,” Nicola stopped to look at Ivy. “There will be a lot more to talk about than little old me.” There was no since of blowing his cover.
“Babies?” Emerald had not yet heard the news. “There is more than one?”
“She’s having twins. I won’t know if I’m having twins until after they get here.”
“And we won’t know until the test,” Grey interjected, standing at the door listening with a keen ear. No one had heard him come in only a second before; so he sat quietly listening to the conversation awaiting a slip up and a perfect time to surprise them.
“Grey!” Emerald said trying to take the instant tension out of the room. “How are you doing, man?” Walking over to Grey as he emerged out of the hallway, he hugged him warmly. Emerald laughed. “Shit it’s been what…two years?”
“Almost that long,” Grey said smiling. “And man, a lot has changed, huh? You look great. Did you do go over to Hawai
i and get buffed?”
“I tried.” Emerald flexed playfully, but inwardly he knew that this was not a laughing matter. Ivy had developed some serious issues while he was away.
“How long have you been lurking over in the corner?” Ivy asked offended by his prowess.
“Just a moment…not long enough, I’m afraid.” Grey kissed Ivy on the cheek and looked over at Nicola in total disapproval.
“Well, I better go,” Nicola said looking at Ivy. “Call me if you need me for anything.” His eyes searched hers for the fervor he had seen only minutes before, but it was gone. Now, only a cool calm was present. It was then he knew just how strong of a hold Grey had on her feelings.
“I will,” Ivy said as her heart skipped a beat. She was sure that an argument would soon ensue between she and Grey once everyone had left. Recalling Nicola’s words she smiled again. It would be worth it.
“I’m here. I don’t think that she’ll need you.” Grey’s smiled disappeared as he heard Nicola’s offer. How dare this bastard be so cocky? If it weren’t for Emerald being there as a witness, he would have surely lashed out on them both the way that he really wanted. But there was also their interaction at the Black Tie to consider. No, he should wait. A better time would present itself soon enough.
“Hey, you never know,” Nicola said walking past Grey with their eyes planted on each other. “Nice to me you, Emerald. I’m sure I’ll be seeing you again. Ivy, see you later.”
“Yeah, nice to meet you too,” Emerald said picking up on the hatred between the two men. He was glad he had been there to keep peace. Otherwise, he could only imagine what would have happened.
“Grey, get some rest.” Nicola said laughing. Grey’s little antics barely bothered him now. With a last look at Ivy, he turned and headed back to the precinct. The race was on now, and he was officially in the lead.
“Well, little sister,” Emerald said as Nicola closed the front door behind him. “What are we getting into today?”
“I’m too sick to really go out,” Ivy said wishing that both Emerald and Grey both had stayed away.
Ivy's Twisted Vine Redux Page 23
