“It’s not like we’re about to have a relationship,” I told her. “I’m just here to offer no-strings-attached sex. It would be beneficial for both of us. I get over my failed engagement, and you have a devilishly handsome hookup that you can schedule in between rehearsal dinners, cake tastings, and yoga.”
Her phone buzzed, and she grabbed it. Her face blanched. Then she grabbed her coat, shoved it on, and raced for the door.
“Sorry, there’s something I have to deal with.”
32
Ivy
Why was my mother calling me? I was barely able to deal with the situation with Evan, and now my mother was adding gasoline to the dumpster fire of my life.
“Ivy,” she said, her voice raspy over the phone. She was only thirteen years older than me, but she sounded like she was twice my age.
“Mom, how are you?”
“Terrible,” she said dramatically. “I was evicted from my last house, and my lying boyfriend ran off with the money.” She started sobbing. “I’m homeless, Ivy!”
“I literally can’t help you,” I said, rubbing the bridge of my nose to ease the oncoming headache. “I gave you that money so you could buy a house, not support your boyfriend.”
“I couldn’t afford a house,” she complained. “All these bankers discriminate against teen moms.”
“I gave you enough to buy a house in your areaoutright,” I reminded her.
“Don’t get smart with me! I sacrificed everything to raise you.Everything. The least you could do is show some gratitude.”
Her voice softened and adopted a wheedling tone. “Can’t you spare something for your mom? Just so I can rent a motel room.”
I looked around desperately. I still hadn’t resolved my own housing issue.
“Why don’t you see if there are some social services that could help you get back on your feet,” I suggested, shivering slightly in the cold.
“I don’t want a handout,” my mother raged. “I want the daughter that I raised and sacrificed for to take care of me.”
Tears pricked in my eyes. “I just am in a bad spot myself,” I said quietly.
“I don’t believe you. Now, I’m trying to find a job, but I need you to help support me like I supported and sacrificed for you,” she barked. “Just let me come up there and live with you. Send me money for a bus ticket.”
“Let me see what I can do,” I said weakly.
I chewed on my lip after my mother hung up. I literally could not afford to keep subsidizing her, but then what was I going to do? She always made me feel so guilty! She could not come up here and live with me; that was not going to work.
My phone rang again, and I fumbled to answer it, thinking it was my mom.
“Ivy, you picked up!” Grace said. “We weren’t sure if you were getting your inner sex goddess on!”
“My what?” I said, starting to walk back home.
“Your calendar said you had a date with Evan,” Amy exclaimed in the background. It sounded like they were in a restaurant.
“It was not a date; we were discussing a wedding,” I countered.
“Uh-huh. And that meeting is over, I take it? So you can come eat pizza with us and give us the panty-dropping play-by-play.”
“Grace!” Elsie chastised in the background. There was squabbling, and the phone cut off.
After Sophie texted me the restaurant address, I decided, what the hell, who cares about paying off their credit cards anyways, and took an Uber to the pizza place.
As soon as the smell of tomato sauce, herb-infused olive oil, melted cheese, and homemade crust hit me, I felt myself relax. Food was my favorite form of self-care.
