“Did you see the wine in the rack? We could chill something.”
“No alcohol, Nico.” Ivy said infuriated that he had even suggested.
“I’ve been drinking wine with my dinner since I was six.”
“Well tonight, we’re going to have Coke or water.” She smiled.
“Si, signora. You better be glad that I went grocery shopping. I normally have an empty cupboard,” Nicola said spraying himself with Ralph Lauren Polo cologne.
“Where do you shop?”
“Miss Cordelia's Grocery.”
“I love that store.” Ivy paused. “Is that the Black by Ralph Lauren?” she asked looking at his cologne bottle.
“Yeah.” He smiled. “You like it.”
“I love it,” Ivy said walking up and sniffing his chest.
“Hey,” Nicola said lifting her chin. “I’m only human. Don’t tempt me.”
“Tempt you to what? I didn’t think that men liked pregnant women.” She looked him directly in his brown eyes.
“I think that you are more beautiful than you’ve ever been right now. And if you weren’t with Grey, you’d be in my bed right now.” Rubbing her back, he kissed her cheek and walked into his walk-in closet to pick something comfortable to throw on.
Ivy was left on cloud nine. He did find her attractive still. The thought made her happy, but hearing him say it made her feel like a women. She tried hard not to lose her composure, but it was a hard task. “Your closet is more like another bedroom,” she said peering inside his wall-to-wall, wooden closet space with mahogany wooded hangers, oak dressers and larger oversized golden mirrors.
“It’s one of the reasons I bought the place.” Putting on some white tube socks, he grabbed a pair of long, black jersey shorts and took off his towel.
“I’m going to go down and check on the food,” Ivy said remembering herself.
“Okay,” Nicola said jumping into his white Nike shorts. “I’ll be down in a few.” Shaking off his dizziness and nausea, he collected his thoughts.
“Okay,” Ivy said drifting off. She could feel the heat rising around her neck. His beautiful body never ceased to amaze her.
To set the mood from the earlier somber feel to a more lively beat, Nicola put on his favorite Ibrahim Ferrer CD and opened all the patio doors to let the late evening breeze in the house. He pulled the dark drapes to allow in the moonlight. Ivy finished setting the table and grabbed two cokes from the refrigerator. Sitting comfortably in the dining room, they lit two candles and sat quietly enjoying the meal.
“So, how do you feel about having two boys?” Nicola asked.
“Truthfully, I always had the feeling that they were boys.”
“Really?” Nicola tasted the food. Absolutely delicious. “Why did you think that?”
“Well, I’ve always had a really good connection with my brother and my father. So, I figured that this would be no different?”
“You don’t have a good relationship with your mother?”
“Oh, yeah. She’s always been my rock.”
“So, is my mom. She has always kept my family together.”
“You rarely talk about your family. Are you all close?”
“Well, this time away has made me appreciate them a lot more. And you know,” Nicola cleared his throat and wiped his mouth. “The whole thing with Caesar in my house…that really has made me realize that you have to embrace each day, because the next one is not promised to you.”
“That’s true. Did you live with your folks growing up?”
“Yeah. My dad was always gone, but when he was home, he was a great guy…a real family man. My mom was always there. She always put us first on the list…still does. You know that she still sends me birthday and Christmas packages?”
“Wow,” Ivy laughed. “I wish that my folks did that. Well, they still do a lot.”
“Did you grow up with both parents?”
“Uh huh. My mom and dad divorced when I was a sophomore in high school. They said that it was due to my dad’s work.”
“Which is?”
“He ran a battalion for a while, but now I don’t know what he does.” She laughed. “He’s constantly on the phone with us.”
“Sounds like a good man. No. Really. They did a great job with you.”
“Thanks,” Ivy said happy. “I think so, too.”
Ivy and Nicola talked for hours about their childhood, adolescents and growing adulthood, exposing personal thoughts and interests that no one had cared to know before. For the first time, Nicola found himself enjoying reminiscing about life, and Ivy found herself intrigued by more than just a man’s ambition but about his entire life story.
**
Trina came in from a long haul at work and peeled out of her sweaty uniform at the front door, kicked off her steel toe black boots in the dining room and walked into the kitchen in her underwear to scavenge through the leftovers in the refrigerator. Turning on the stereo on top of the counter, she wiggled around in the middle of the floor as she drank the last of the milk right out of the carton. Pulling her long black hair out of a tangled ponytail, she let her mane down and moaned as she scratched the crown of her head.
“Well, aren’t we relaxed,” Emerald said coming out of Ivy’s room.
“Emerald!” Trina screamed ducking behind the counter.
“Hey,” Emerald said turning around. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”
“Well, I am in my underwear.” She looked across the counter and saw her uniform.
“Could you throw me my clothes? They are in the dining room.”
“It’s no different from seeing you in a swim suit. Besides, you
should be proud that you have a freakin’ six pack,” Emerald said picking up her uniform top. “You want the bottoms too?”
“Yes,” Trina said blushing. “You would be embarrassed too, if I had seen you damned near naked.” Her southern drawl emerged in a thick accent.
“Well that can be arranged,” Emerald said peeling out of his jogging pants.
“Boy, what are you doing?” Trina asked laughing as he stripped down to his boxers.
“I’m making you comfortable.” He said rocking to the beat of the song on the radio. “Turn that up.” In a convulsing fit, he danced around the room doing the snake and the robot in his white tube socks and gym shoes.
“God, you can’t hold a beat,” she said watching him dance around in his white boxers. “Okay. Okay.” She said standing up feeling at little better about being in her underwear.
“Okay,” Emerald said laughing as he passed her the sweaty uniform she’d thrown on
the floor.
For a moment, they stood staring at each other in complete silence as the music played. Emerald had a devilish grin on his face, and Trina stood compelled to kiss him for his ability to utterly humiliate himself for her pleasure. Realizing that she was ogling him, she came to her senses.
“I’m going to go and get dressed. You can put your clothes back on,” Trina said with her clothes balled up in her arms. I have to fight this. I’m just horny, she thought to herself as she rushed out of the room leaving Emerald alone.
“I may get dressed. I don’t know. I sort of like being free,” Emerald taunted Trina and picked up his clothes as he watched her walk down to her bedroom. He was glad that he had made her smile, but there so much more that he wanted to do for her.
Chapter Twenty-Four:
Graduation Day
Chapter 24
GRADUATION DAY
“Ivy Marie Winters, Summa Cum Laude with Honors and Distinction and Valedictorian,” the dean of students read aloud over the microphone in front of the packed auditorium. Walking across the stage, Ivy heard screaming and shouting of her name, her sorority sisters screaming their call, flashing lights and cameras watching her every step. Taking her degree and shaking the college president hand, she let a small tear fall onto her cheek.
The day had been perfect. She gave a remarkable spe
ech and received a standing ovation earlier. Her entire family was present and proud, and Grey had rewarded her for her wonderful success with a real pearl necklace from Tiffany’s. Trina had walked only moments before her and stood on the side waiting to give her a congratulatory hug. Emerald waited patiently with two-dozen pink tea roses, and her father gave her a debit card that was linked to a banking account filled with rewards.
As she took her picture with the president of the college, Ivy felt his arm around her waist and him whisper, “Job well done, Ms. Winters.” This was a coming out party of sorts for Ivy. During her speech, she had revealed to the world that she was an expecting mother who would not fall down to and wallow as a failed statistic, but that she would rise and lead her children into a bright new world full of limitless opportunities. Tears filled her eyes even now at how proud she was to finally acknowledge her children and forget what the world would say about it.
“I now present to you our newest graduated class of Bryton-Ritz College,” the dean said as the students stood up and threw up their caps. Ivy and Trina screamed to the top of their lungs with huge joyful teardrops staining their gowns.
“I love you,” Trina said kissing Ivy on the cheek.
“I love you, too,” Ivy said reaching inside of her gown. “Here, I have something for you.” Pulling out a gold charm bracelet with their initials on a dangling heart she gave on to Trina and put one on for herself. “To celebrate out lives together.”
That evening after a long celebration and dinner with family, Ivy hung her degree on her wall and stared at it for hours as she sat in her bed curled up with her pillow and cup of tea. She had not given up or given in to the obstacles that seemed to have crowded her life all of sudden. She had managed to also keep her fiancé despite her relationship and circumstance with Nicola. She had a job awaiting her after her honeymoon and a beautiful wedding coming up in less than two months. She had God to thank for everything, and yet she deserved nothing.
Then, he crossed Ivy’s mind and she had to stop thinking of her accomplishments and focus on the man who could be classified as her one big failure. Nicola. She wondered had he been at the graduation somewhere. Had he thought of her special day? She knew inwardly that all of this affected him. She knew inwardly that he loved her, and she loved him. But she hated the distance between them. She had tried for months to understand why he had pulled away, but there was no logical explanation. When she looked in his eyes, she still saw it. When he did things for her, she still saw it. When she closed her eyes and thought of him late at night, she still felt it. Love. So what was keeping him so far from her reach?
“Hey, lady,” Emerald said knocking on the door.
“Hey, come in,” Ivy said sitting up in bed. “What are you still doing here,” she asked yawning.
“I just wanted to tuck you in since your knight in shining armor isn’t here to do it.” Emerald sat on the bed. “I like that guy less and less.”
“Grey’s just busy. His work and school take up a lot of his time. I have to be willing to…”
“Save it, Ivy,” Emerald said tucking the covers around her bulging body. “My nephews need to hurry up.” He touched her stomach. “Wow. You are getting huge.”
“Tell me about it,” she looked at the clock. “Well, I’m going to call it a night.”
“Alright,” Emerald said rubbing her hair. “Sleep well.” Closing the door to her bedroom, he turned off her light.
**
“Is she asleep in there,” Trina asked as she sat curled up on the couch with a bag of potato chips.
“Yep, it’s been a long day for her,” Emerald said sitting beside her.
“Do you want a sip?” Emerald asked offering his glass of Peach Schnapps.
“No, I can’t.” Trina said looking twice at the glass.
“Are you sure? It’s your graduation night.” He sat down beside her and allowed her to put her head on his shoulder. He yawned. “When I graduated, I don’t believe I turned down a drink.”
“I found out something day before yesterday.” Trina said turning to Emerald.
“What? You’re allergic to Peach Schnapps.” He put his hand in her bag of potato chips.
“No, I’m pregnant.” Trina smiled as she rubbed her stomach. “And I’m scared as hell.”
“Damn,” Emerald said looking at his glass. “I must really be messed up, because I could have sworn that you just said that you were….”
“Pregnant? I did.” She lifted her head.
“Trina, how can you be pregnant?” Emerald sighed. “I’m lost.”
“Brooks and I celebrated our engagement a little too hard the night before he was killed, I guess.” She sighed. “You know, my whole life up until this point has been about me, but I’m not going to make the same decision that I did before. I refuse to have another abortion. It’s just that I never wanted to raise a child alone. Brooks promised me that I would never have to, and I trusted him. And even though it’s not his fault, look where I am right now.”
“You can’t feel bad that you two were planning to have a family. You can’t blame yourself for his death. That’s crazy. You have to put in God’s hands.” He placed his hands over hers. “As strong as you are, you will be fine.”
“You sound like my mom. Thanks for having more confidence in me than I have in myself.” She patted his hand.
“I want to kiss you right now,” Emerald said touching her chin.
The mood had changed suddenly without Trina even noticing. “Don’t. You don’t even know the half of it.” Trina thought of Nicola.
“Why…” he frowned. “What’s wrong with me? Does my breath stink?”
“It’s not you, Emerald.” Trina felt that she could trust Emerald and her heart ached to tell someone the secret that was keeping Nicola out of Ivy’s life and her only inches from being kicked out of her apartment. “Can you keep a hideous secret?”
Emerald looked around and whispered. “Yeah.” He smiled mischievously. “No, seriously, what is it?”
“Some years ago when Ivy and I were just sophomores in college, and she was really into Grey and no one else, I was brand new in my relationship with Brooks. Well, I found out that he was cheating on me with a girl from U of M. So, I got really, really drunk at one of his parties he was throwing and went to his extra bedroom to lay down. Now, I didn’t realize that there was a hard body passed out cold and in the darkness beside me until I rolled over. But I thought that it was a perfect way to get back at Brooks. I didn’t know who it was, and I didn’t care. I just assumed that it was cop, because that’s all that Brooks hung out with. Well, I climbed on top of the guy in my stupidity, and he woke up. We had our way with each other. He never said a word the entire time. I heard him grown a few times, and I felt the softness of his hair. But I never…When he got up to go to the restroom and turned on the restroom light, I realized that it was Brooks’ best friend…Nicola.” Trina watched Emerald’s eyes for outraged. When she saw there was none, she continued.
“He was so hammered that he passed back out while trying to wash his face in the restroom. I left him there on the floor, got in my car and went home in total shock. Brooks never suspected that I had been with Nicola. A month later, I found out that I was pregnant. It could have been either one of them. But I wasn’t sure. Needless to say, he didn’t even remember sleeping with me, but on my word, he took me and paid for an abortion at this clinic where this girl he had be messing off with worked. I don’t know how Grey knows, but he does. And he’s been holding it over Nicola’s head to keep him out of Ivy’s life.” She paused for a moment. “I never wanted them to hook up, because of what I did.” She began to cry. “This is all my fault, for real.”
“Shh,” Emerald said putting his fingers on her lips. “It’s okay. We all make mistakes. Maybe not always that big, but it’s understandable.”
“Promise me that you won’t tell Ivy,” she begged frantically.
“I would never do that. She wou
ld definitely kill the messenger on this one,” Emerald said understandingly. “But I still don’t understand why you won’t let me kiss you.”
“Isn’t what I told you just now enough reason?” She sat stupefied.
“No,” Emerald said softly.
“Aren’t you still married?” Trina asked thinking about Kakeline.
“Not really. I sent the divorce papers back two weeks ago. I’m good. In two more weeks, I’ll be legally a free man.” He pulled her to him.
“I don’t think that this is a good idea.” She said feeling her strength wane in his strong arms.
“Liar.” He could see how badly she wanted to be with him.
“Don’t call me a liar.” She shifted in her seat.
“So you’re not lonely?” He knew that was the million-dollar question.
“Damn right, I’m lonely.” What was he getting at?
“So what are you waiting for? You need to move on with your life. You’re so young.”
“I’m not finished grieving.” She still didn’t know how to feel about Brooks’ sudden death.
“So when will you finished? I’ll make an appointment.” He took her hand.
“Stop playing with me.” She pulled away.
“Who said I was playing?” His voice rose slightly as he moved closer to her. He could tell that she was about to give in to him, because her bottom lip quivered.
“I can see it in your eyes.” Trina rolled her eyes as a defense mechanism.
“What?”
“Lust and bullshit.” She threw him off guard.
“So, you looked right over the love and admiration to see lust and bullshit?” Emerald was stunned at Trina.
“How could you be in love with me in only a few months.”
Ivy's Twisted Vine Redux Page 34
