Olivia turned to see Ivy crestfallen face. “Ivy.”
“You’ve been seeing this guy for almost a week, and he doesn’t know I exist? Are you ashamed of me?”
Olivia gasped in horror. “Nothing could be further from the truth. I love you more than anything in this world.”
“Apparently not, if you never told him you have a daughter.” Ivy fired back angerly.
Olivia glanced over at Kathy, who wouldn’t meet her eye, and then back at Ivy. “I think this is a conversation better had privately at home.”
“Whatever,” Ivy stormed out of the door not waiting for her.
An awkward silence fell over the house. “Thank you again for watching Ivy. We’ll see you tomorrow.” Olivia closed the door not waiting for a response. She didn’t see Ivy right away, but assumed she was waiting at the car parked behind the house. Olivia had made a real mess of everything, and she had no one to blame but herself.
Ivy stood impatiently at the side of the car fuming. Olivia unlocked the car, and Ivy immediately got in. It took several tries to get the car started, before she heard the engine rumble to life. The car was on its last leg, and she’d be lucky if it made it much longer, but it needed to, until she could afford another one.
“Ivy,” Olivia started to say, as they pulled out.
“I don’t want to talk to you, Mom.” Ivy cut her off.
“Then just listen. I have no excuse for not telling Heath about you. It had nothing to do with you. I was being selfish. Heath never pointedly asked if I had a child, and I never told him. I planned on it, but every time, I chickened out. It wasn’t out of shame or embarrassment. I’m so proud to call you my daughter.”
“Then, why?” Ivy asked softly. Her voice warbled, like she was holding back tears. It tore open Olivia’s heart. She’d done that. Her selfishness hurt her daughter. She’d been lying to both of them. The lies stopped now.
Olivia took a deep breath before answering, “Heath doesn’t like children. I had hoped to ease him into the idea of kids and introduce you. I thought if I just came out and told him he would leave.”
“Why would you want to be with someone who doesn’t like kids? Kathy said people should accept us the way we are. That if they couldn’t deal with it, then it was their problem not ours.”
“She did.” Advice Olivia never seemed to be able to follow. She had changed herself to appease Royce, and even omitted she had a daughter to stay with Heath longer. “I should have followed that same advice, and then we wouldn’t be where we are.”
“Then, I never would have met Susan.”
Olivia glanced at Ivy out of the corner of her eye smiling. “That’s my girl. Always finding the silver lining. I’m glad you found such a good friend.”
“Are you going to tell him now about me?”
“Yes,” she said definitively. No more stalling. “I plan on it tomorrow, when I explained why I left so early.”
“I’m sorry for ruining your night.”
“Honey, you have nothing to be sorry for.” Olivia assured her. “I told you before, you’re more important to me than anyone else. I’m just glad you’re feeling better.”
“Me too. I’ve been sick, since I ate your lunch. Well, some of it. It tasted funny after two bites, so I threw it away.”
“Funny how?” She ate the same thing she always did, when she worked. A ham sandwich. All employees got a free meal, when they worked, but she always choose the cheapest and easiest thing on the menu.
“I don’t know.” Ivy shrugged. “Like it had gone bad. I started getting sick right after and threw up.”
Olivia jerked the wheel and had to correct herself at her abrupt movement, but she was shocked. “What do you mean you threw up? You told me it was only an upset stomach, and Kathy said you threw up tonight.”
“Well,” Ivy said, stretching the word out.
“Ivy Madison Berkley.” Olivia didn’t use Ivy’s full name often, but when she did, Ivy knew shew as in trouble.
“I didn’t want you to worry and cancel your plans. I really wanted to hang out with Susan, so I figured if I told you it was only an upset stomach you wouldn’t worry. I didn’t expect Kathy to run out and tell you I threw up.”
“What if it had been a stomach bug, and you made Susan sick? You should have said something.”
“I’m fine now. I feel like my normal self, so there’s no harm done.”
