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

claiming her once more as his own. There was no escaping either one of them now.

Ivy was carrying twins by one of two men that were constant forces in her life, and she seemed to have little control over the situation. Every day she worried that Grey would grow tired of their arrangement and leave her alone and denied. In his eyes, she had cheated on him, and in her eyes, well…she just didn’t know anymore.

“Ivy, are you in here?” Trina asked knocking on Ivy’s bedroom door.

“Yeah.” Ivy wiped her eyes once more and hurried to her feet.

“Grey is on the phone.” Trina automatically knew that Ivy was crying again but refused to acknowledge it.

Cutting her misery session short, Ivy made her way to the chaise lounge by her bed. Grabbing the phone, she laid down on the comfortable cushion and let out a great sigh.

“Hello,” Ivy said clearing her voice.

“Hey. I was calling to see how you were doing.” Grey still felt extremely guilty for his vulgar, tasteless actions with Kit only a week prior, but he also felt vindicated now by Ivy’s own poor judgment.

“I was going to call you when I thought that you were at home. I’m fine. I went shopping today with Momma, and we just got home about two hours ago.” Running her hands through her hair, she held the phone in a long silence. “Are you still mad at me, honey?” she asked finally.

“For God’s sake, would you please quit bringing it up! No, I’m not mad at you, but you make me crazy constantly apologizing.” He was still very much upset, but he didn’t want to admit it. However, stating that fact would only start an argument, or should he say another argument.

“I just wanted to be fair with the two of you. I said whose ever turn it was to take me would get the first glimpse of the baby.”

“Babies,” Grey said correcting her. He rolled his eyes. “I just think that it’s messed up you didn’t think enough of me to make that type of decision with me.” He couldn’t seem to let it go either. “I am still your fiancé, you know.”

“You just don’t know how difficult it is to be fair to both of you right now.”

“You wouldn’t have to worry about that if you had just never told him you were pregnant. Besides, there is no need to be fair with him. It’s me you should be concerned with. His ass will be gone when all of this is over…back out chasing skirts.” His voice raised in irritation. “Damn, I hate him.”

“You shouldn’t hate him. It’s all my fault. You should hate me,” Ivy said feeling guilty all over again.

“I should, shouldn’t I?” Grey said letting his anger get the best of him. “You talk about how hard all of this is for you, but what about me? Hell, I have to raise these children. If they are mine, I don’t have a problem doing that, but if those babies are this son of bitch’s I don’t know what in the hell to do.” He could hear Ivy crying faintly.

“You shouldn’t marry me if you can’t accept these children,” she said trying not to wimp out. “We should just call this off, right now.” Ivy knew that she didn’t mean it.

“Don’t tempt me, Ivy. No man in his right mind would sign up for this job. I love you. I do, but…” Grey stood up behind his desk and stared out the window at the skyline of downtown Memphis. He didn’t really want to hurt her. So, he backed off. “Look, I’ll talk to you later alright. Just… get some rest.”

“You always do this!” Ivy said screaming to the top of her lungs.

“Do what?” Grey said on the defensive. “Calm down. Think of your health.”

“You always say all of this mean shit and then run off the phone.” She blew her nose in her handkerchief.

“Are you serious? Ivy, what in the hell do you want from me? I’m trying like hell to hold on to you…trying to make this work. But you need to take responsibility for your own shit. You know that I wanted to be there with you yesterday. Don’t play stupid with me.”

“I was just trying to be fair. I made a mistake.”

“Yeah, well lately, you’ve been making too many.”

Slamming in phone down in her face, Grey immediately regretted his words. Who was he kidding? He didn’t want to call it off. In fact, he wanted her more her now that ever, because for once, she depended on him. She needed him to be there for her. It sort of made him feel good, better than before when she was so damned independent.

Ivy moved to her bed and put her hands over her face. She was so tired of arguing with him! He was more emotional than her, and she was pregnant. She hit her pillow as hard she could. Damn him! She closed her eyes and tried to block out her frustration. This entire situation was driving her insane.

She needed to talk to someone. Anyone who understood her. In the same frustrated breath, she thought of Nicola. He always understood her, and he never seemed to have a bad word to say about anything. She huffed. Feeling vindictive herself, she picked up the phone and dialed Nicola’s house phone. She would just talk to him until she fell off to sleep. To hell with Grey and his spiraling antics.

“Hello?” A woman said answering Nicola’s phone.

“Umm.” There was immediate hesitation. “Hello, may I speak with Nicola?” Ivy asked startled. If she didn’t think that he had caller ID, she would have just hung up the phone.

“No, you may not. He’s busy right now,” the woman said hanging up the phone quickly.

Ivy stared at the phone in shock for a moment before she put down the receiver. Who was this bitch? She thought about what Grey has said about Nicola only minutes before. Maybe all