Olivia carried two glasses of water to the booth Ivy was already sitting at. Olivia noted it was the same booth Heath liked to sit at. “Here, drink up.” She said brightly.
“Mom, you don’t have to pretend to be happy all the time.” Ivy grumbled, taking her water and downing it in seconds.
Olivia took slower sips, despite how thirsty she was. The cool liquid soothed her dry throat. “I don’t always pretend.”
“I heard you crying last night, and your eyes are red. You’re sad, and it’s okay to admit it.”
“Being sad won’t change anything. So yes, I’m trying to sound a little more chipper than I feel.”
Olivia was saved from more questions, when Kathy showed up to take their order. Ivy ordered pancakes, while Olivia settled for scrambled eggs, since they were the cheapest thing on the menu.
“Coffee?”
Olivia would have said no given the extra cost, but she really could use the caffeine this morning. It was the only way she would make it through the day. Her eyes were so tired and gritty, like sandpaper.
“Yes, please.” Kathy eyed her suspiciously, but she left to get the coffee.
“Are you really going to look for another job?” Ivy asked quietly.
“I have, too. We’re almost out of money, and Kathy isn’t giving me any more hours.”
“Too bad you can’t access your bank account.”
It was a shame. Olivia had a nice savings built up, since Royce wouldn’t let her pay for anything. He had tried getting her to cosign with him, but that was the one thing she wouldn’t do. If it wasn’t for fear that he could use that account to track her, she’d pull money from it. There was also the fear the government was looking for her, too. She couldn’t be sure Royce put her name on some of the documents to bring shipments in, so she would take the fall, if something happened.
“One day, I hope we can.”
“Why can’t we?”
“Ivy, it’s complicated.”
“Then, help me understand, because from where I’m sitting, if you just turned Royce in, we wouldn’t have to live on the run. He’d be in jail, and we could live a normal life here.”
Olivia scrubbed her hands over her face not ready to have this conversation. She knew it was only a matter of time, but she still wasn’t ready. Ivy only knew about the beatings, and she didn’t know about his illegal activities, and she hoped to keep it that way. The less Ivy knew the better.
“Let’s just say it’s not that simple. Royce is a powerful man, and if I turned him in, he would send people after us. We wouldn’t be any safer. There’s also the chance the police wouldn’t do anything.”
Ivy looked at her with a critical eye. “There’s something else, isn’t there? Something you’re not telling me. Great more secrets and lies.” Ivy said with a roll of her eyes.
“Ivy,” Olivia groaned, but she didn’t know what to say. She wasn’t lying, but she was keeping secrets from Ivy. That seemed like all she did any more.
“Just forget it.” Ivy hmphed, sitting back in the booth with her arms crossed over her chest.
“Do you think I like lying to everyone?” She whispered, attempting to keep her voice down. Her hands balled into fists, as she tried to rein in her temper. She felt like she was drowning. Up until now, she’d been keeping her head above water. Now, it felt like it was sinking. Everything was going wrong.
She and Heath broke up. Ivy was mad at her. They didn’t have a car. They were broke. Everything that could go wrong was.
“Apparently, because you do it to everyone.” Ivy grumbled, looking out of the window.
“That’s unfair.” Olivia snapped. She looked around to make sure no one was listening to them, but she lowered her voice anyway. “I’m doing everything I can to keep us alive. You don’t understand the sacrifices I have had to make to do that and will continue to do so to keep us safe. Yes, I lie and keep things. It’s not to be vindictive. It’s to protect people. People like you.”
Ivy turned from the window to look at her with tears in her eyes. “I just want a normal life.”
A knife twisted in Olivia’s heart. “That’s all I want, too. That’s why I need to find a different job that can do that. So, I can buy you clothes, and we can have a real apartment with two bedrooms.”
“What are you going to do, if you can’t use your real name?”
“I have a friend I’m going to contact. He can help me get a new ID.”
