Ivy's Twisted Vine Redux by Latrivia Nelson (books to read for beginners .TXT) 📕

“Do you love me?” She crossed her arms.

“What happened to the submissive little…” Emerald shrugged. “The sweet little woman I brought home with me?”

“Your mother rubbed off on me,” Kakeline said rolling her eyes. “She’s right. I need to think for myself and not let you do it. Just look at where your own thinking has landed you…right back in your mother’s house.”

“Ouch,” Emerald said holding his heart. “That hurts.”

“Answer me,” Kakeline said.

“Okay.” Emerald moved back a step. “This time back at home has made me realize that while I do have feelings for you, we did move too fast. But I had good intentions, Kay. You have to believe that.”

“The road to hell is paved with good intentions, Emerald.” She said opening the door to his bedroom. “I’ll be leaving first thing in the morning. My brother sent money and a plane ticket before my father started to ask too many questions.”

“I could have at least bought your ticket,” Emerald said offended. “But you didn’t think to include me in on your little escape plan.”

“Don’t worry. You have over ten payments left on this ring, and I’m keeping it,” she said pushing him out of the door. “Goodnight.”

**

“Wake up,” Kakeline said hovering over Emerald’s bed blocking the morning sun from his face.

“What?” The slits of his eyes opened slightly. Was it already morning? He felt as though he had just laid his head down.

“I’m leaving that’s what.” She sat down on the bed beside him. “I wanted to say goodbye to you one last time.” Her voice was softer than the night before.

“Are you sure that you want to do this?” He wasn’t much for arguing, and even though he was sad to see her leave he agreed that their marriage had been a mistake.

“No. I’m not sure of anything…except that I cannot stand your mother.”

“You don’t like my mom?” It was as if she had cursed his blood.

“No.” Kakeline folded her arms. “Is that all that matters to you?”

“I’m sorry.” Sitting up in the bed, he took her in his arms and kissed her lips softly holding her face to his and rubbing her arms softy making her sink down on his chest. “Aren’t you going to miss that?” he asked moving her long mass of hair from her shoulders.

“Yes.” Her eyes opened, and she looked at him for a long moment before she regained her composure. “But, that is all I will miss.” Standing up, she straightened her clothes. “I have to go, now. My cab is waiting on me.”

“Okay,” Emerald said standing up and hugging her. “Do you need anything? Money? Can I at least walk you out to the cab?”

“No. I want to go out alone.” Her eyes moved across his room once more before she grabbed her backpack and walked out. “Good bye, Mr. Winters. I’ll send you the uncontested divorce papers FedEx. Promise me that you’ll send them back immediately.” She looked at her watch.

“I promise.” He was shocked that she was leaving, but somehow he knew that it would be wise not to stop her.

Emerald watched from his upstairs window as his wife pulled away from the house in the yellow taxi and felt a pain in his stomach. It was amazing how overnight a person’s life could just change. Closing the curtain, he returned to bed unable to fight the sudden depression he felt. He was certain that it was just a bruised ego. Kakeline was the first person to ever break up with him. She had led him around by his nose the entire time they had dated. Even in their marriage, she ran the relationship behind closed doors. All she had to say was that she wanted something, and he was off to get it. As he drifted off under his comforter, Sadie walked in with a bottle of vitamins.

“Emerald, get up and run this over to Ivy’s.” Her voice was as usual demanding and dominating.

“Mom, I’m not in the mood.” He tried to wipe his tears on his pillow.

“I don’t care. Get up.” Leaving the vitamins on his nightstand, she walked out closing the door softly. Suddenly, Emerald could understand why Kakeline didn’t like her.

As he slipped on his jogging suit, he felt in his pocket for the keys and realized that they were in Kakeline’s purse. Shit! Kicking the garbage can over, he grunted. This Saturday was going to be one long day.

After a shower, Emerald went down to the kitchen. Sadie and Madison were sitting at the kitchen table serene and undisturbed. Suddenly his complacent attitude vanished. He wasn’t sure if they already knew that Kakeline had left or not so he decided to announce it over his coffee.

“Keylime Pie is gone,” he said mocking his mother. Leaning on the counter, he sipped the hot coffee quietly waiting for the questions to start rolling, but there was only a silence in the room. “She left me for good. Mom, I hope that you’re happy.” He had to say something to spark a conversation. So, he decided to pick a harmless little fight with his mother. She was always a sucker.

“Happy?” Sadie turned slightly in her seat to face Emerald.

“Yes, happy. You know that you didn’t like her.”

Madison sat silently with a grin on his face. Sadie was such a sucker.

“I didn’t know her, and as long as she was in my house, she never made an effort to get to know me.” She huffed. “When I first married your father, I had to make constant trips down to New Orleans just to visit with his mother to break the ice. Eventually she began to like me, but it didn’t happen overnight. Plus, if I’m the reason that your relationship didn’t work, then it wasn’t much of a relationship.”

“Mom liked you from the start.” Madison said defending his mother, God rest her soul. In silence, Sadie looked up against his head and rolled her eyes. Twenty some odd years later and Madison still took up