Page 71 of Strange Love

“But did they ever truly heal?” Michelle’s question hangs in the air and I shrug my shoulders.

“No, but I’ve accepted that pain as a part of life now,” I say with a forced smile.

Misty’s voice breaks the silence that follows, “What do you think it’s going to be like?”

I pause before answering honestly, “Strange, but it’s not as if we left things badly.”

Sascha lets out a scoff beside me, “Ivy, you’re my best friend, and I love you, but that man was crushed. He hasn’t come home in five years.”

“Of course, he was sad and hurt. We both were,” I reply defensively. “But we understood why things had to be how they were.”

“We’ll see,” Sascha says skeptically. “He skates harder and angrier than ever, I’ve heard.”

“But so much time has passed now,” I reason. “Five years is a long time. I’m sure any hard feelings he may have had have dissipated. Besides, I wouldn’t be surprised if he showed up tomorrow with some beautiful woman on his arm.”

“What about you?” Amy pipes up.

“What do you mean?” I ask, confused.

“Have you dated in the last few years? Did you move on?” Amy presses further.

My heart sinks at her words. Dating was the last thing on my mind as I tried to focus on school, work, and spending time with my family.

With a slight hesitation, I confess, “I’ve had a few flings, but nothing serious.” Nothing like the all-consuming love I experienced at eighteen years old.

Some days, it seems like I may never be able to move on from Corey Delacour.

“That story sounds like it’s straight out of a movie,” Amy remarks. “You two should be together,” she says with genuine sadness.

I shrug. “I guess you can blame the timing.”

“Is it a better time now?” Misty asks, her eyes curious. “Have you found yourself or whatever you were looking for?”

“I have.” I nod. “Watching all of my friends move on and leave me behind was tough,” I say, glancing at Sascha and Kerri with a wistful smile. “But it forced me to figure out what I truly wanted without any outside influences, no friends, no boyfriend, no one. I got to spend a lot of lost time with my family, which I needed. In the end, it was the right decision.”

“It sucks that the right decision is usually the hardest one,” Kerri offers sympathetically.

“That’s so true,” Sascha agrees. “We’re proud of you, Ivy. You’re strong, confident, and never let anything break you.”

“Should we get some more wine?” Michelle offers, breaking the somber mood.

“It’s getting kind of late,” Sascha points out, glancing at me with concern.

“I think we should replenish our wine reserves,” I suggest, gesturing toward the nearly empty bottle on the table. “And maybe someone else can regale us with some stories of their teenage years.”

Misty hesitates before replying, “Well...I don’t have one as juicy as yours, I’m afraid. Just a trail of loser ex-boyfriends, but I am dying to hear about what happened between Michael Tazman and that rooster.”

Kerri grins mischievously, exchanging a knowing glance with Sascha. “Oh, we all want to know,” she drawls.

Sascha erupts into laughter and quickly defends herself. “Hey now, I had nothing to do with that craziness.” However, as her best friend, I can see right through her facade.

“The best part is, both cocky and Vincent are still alive and kicking,” Kerri adds with a chuckle. “Slowly but surely.”

Misty chimes in, “Why didn’t we just have the wedding at your grandparents’ barn? Think of the entertainment!”

“Well, that’s a fantastic question,” Kerri says with a sly grin, “But I think Sarah was afraid of what might happen if we let loose there.”

As the ladies continue their playful banter and swap stories of school and past relationships, I feel a weight lift off my shoulders. By sharing my story earlier, I’ve been met with understanding and support instead of judgment or disbelief. It gives me hope that the difficult decision I’ve made for my future is right. However, that sense of excitement and optimism is short-lived as I realize I have sixteen hours until I will come face-to-face with Corey Delacour once again.