Chapter Nine.

If it works, the photo is of Ivan



Becky sent a large group text out later that afternoon inviting all the girls to her place, which was also Zeke's house. The pair had moved in together a few months ago, not long after Zeke finally confessed to being in love with Becky.

Jenny was walking out the hall way not looking forward to getting a ride from Sky when she saw Lacy.

"Hey, did you get a text?" Lacy asked.

"Yeah, are you going?"

"Course, Morgan is too and I think Laurel. You want a ride?"

"That would be great."

"Come on," Lacy motioned with her head and the two started for the door.

They rode together to the small white house that Zeke had lived in alone until Becky moved in, after years of beating around the bush the pair had finally admitted their feelings for each other.

They walked up the sidewalk and stepped into the house without knocking, Laurel was standing near the end of the couch with a cup of coffee, Morgan was sitting on the couch and Becky was tucked into a large chair, her feet pulled up beneath her.

"Hey, we made it." Lacy said.

"Barely, you almost killed us three times." Jenny teased.

Lacy rolled her eyes and waved Jenny's comment away, it was a known fact that Lacy was a terrible driver.

"So, what did you call us for? Is something wrong?" Morgan asked.

"Uhm.....I'm pregnant," Becky said with a heavy sigh.

"Holy Shit!" Lacy exclaimed, flopping down on the couch.

"Does Zeke know?" Morgan asked leaning forward.

"No, I haven't told him."

"What are you going to do?" Lacy asked leaning forward as well.

"I'm going to have it obviously."

"Obviously, I meant about Zeke." Lacy said.

"Oh.....I don't know."

"Well you have to tell him about it eventually," Laurel said, speaking for the first time.

"I know, I just.....I'm afraid too, I don't know....how."

Becky leaned forward resting her elbows on her knees and forcing her hands back through her thick hair.

"Zeke loves you, I'm sure he'll be shocked but.....thrilled." Jenny said, speaking for the first time.

"I doubt he'll be thrilled at all."

"Zeke likes kids, he's always been good with Iris." Morgan pointed out.

"Yeah and besides...it's a baby," Laurel said with a shrug.

"Well it sure as shit isn't a cat, it's an eating, barfing, crying machine." Lacy said.

"Thanks Lacy," Becky said with a shake of her head.

"No problem."

"When do you think you'll tell him?" Morgan asked.

"I don't know."

"How far along are you?" Laurel asked.

"I'd say almost three months," Becky said with a small wince.

Her friends collectively fell silent, each absorbing the fact that Becky was about to be a mom and Zeke a dad. The pair hadn't been together long but they were happy.

"Well, you have to do it sometime." Morgan said.

"Yeah, I know."

The friends stayed for a few hours before agreeing it was time to go, Jenny riding home with Morgan instead of Lacy. Together they headed back to the compound. Laurel went to Ivans.

She parked in front of the apartment building and then grabbed the food she'd brought from his favorite diner. Walking up the long dirt stairs she knocked on his door and wasn't surprised when he didn't answer.

"Ivan, it's me."

"Go away Laurel."

"I brought food."

"I don't care."

She sighed and then reached above the door to where she knew his spare key was hidden, pulling it down she unlocked the door and stepped into the dark apartment. He had all the blinds pulled to block out the sun and the lights were off, the apartment was a disaster. Empty beer cans and bottles littered the floor as well as other random trash.

"Oh, Ivan."

She set the bag of food on the table and then shrugged off her jacket, moving through the living room. She found Ivan on his couch, wearing clothes that were so old they could stand up themselves and obviously drunk.

"Damn it, I said not to come in here." He slurred.

"Like I ever listen to you, come on get up. Time to shower."

She leaned down and with his awkward help managed to pull him to his feet and lead him in to the bathroom. Sitting him on the toilet she turned and turned on the water in the shower, adjusting it to the right temperature she turned and stripped his shirt over his head.

Suddenly he stood, one arm going around her waist and bringing her body against his. He backed her up until her back was pressed into the wall behind her. She braced her hands on his chest, noticing his slightly unfocused eyes.

"Ivan.....listen to me....your drunk."

"Come to bed with me," He said, still slurring his words.

"Ivan....no, just...get in the shower? Okay. Let's get you sobered up."

"I don't want to sober up, I want to take you to bed."

His hand slipped under her shirt, sliding up her stomach to cup her breast through her bra. She jumped at the skin on skin contact.

"Listen to me, you don't know what you're doing."

"I'm not that drunk, I'm sure it'll come back to me."

"Ivan."

"Laurel."

She knew he was drunk, more so than he realized. He wasn't steady on his feet, he was hard to understand when he spoke and he wasn't focusing. He'd been drunk for days as far as she knew, ever since Ezra had died. Ezra had been Ivan's cousin and best friend since they were born and losing him had broken the man she once thought unbreakable.

She took a deep breath and tried to block out the feeling of his fingers on her skin, dipping into the cup of her bra and of his breath on her neck, his pelvis pressing against hers.

"Let's get you in the shower," She said softly.

"Come with me."

"No."

"Laurel please, I need.....I need to feel something."

She shoved him, hard. Hard enough he stumbled back on his drunken legs almost falling to the floor. She took a deep breath.

"No. You don't get to do that to me, you don't get to just use me like that. I know you're hurting but you know what? So am I!"

"Laurel..."He started to stand.

"I loved him too, he was my friend and I lost him the same as you did. I don't have to keep coming here and checking on you, feeding you, babying you, we're divorced you're not my problem anymore. I'm leaving and I'm not coming back, pull yourself together or don't but you don't get to use me."

She stormed out of the bathroom, more angry than she'd been in years. She and Ivan had kept up a friendship after their divorce agreeing that it was really nobody's fault but this is where it ended. He couldn't use her for his own needs without any thought of how she felt. She reached the door and had just grabbed the knob when his body collided with hers.

He pinned her to the door, his chest pressing against her back and his face buried in the crook of her neck, it was a minute or two before she realized he was shaking.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I just....I miss him so much."

He was crying and it broke her, she started to cry herself resting her head against the door She cried for Ezra, and his girlfriend Eve that he left behind. She cried for Ivan and his loss, she cried for herself and the fact that she didn't know how to help him this time.

"Just.....don't leave me."

"I'm not," She said softly.

She turned and taking a deep breath forced her own feelings and pain down deep where it always was. Then she turned and slowly led him back to the bathroom.

"Get a shower then I have dinner."

"You're the best ex-wife ever Laurel."

"I know," She said with a sigh.

He moved on his own into the bathroom and closed the door, she turned and walked to the living room looking around her at the condition he was living in she sank down onto the rocking chair and burying her face in her hands she cried.




Author Note: I'm just wondering if anyone out there is interested in a story about Mr. Wilmington? Would you like to see him have his own book or prefer he remain a back up character?
Ivan and Laurel will be getting a book next.
Ty will also be getting one eventually but would anyone like to read Mr. Wilmingtons?

Bạn đang đọc truyện trên: AzTruyen.Top