Ivy walked into the kitchen, fixing the back of her hair that still had a slight bedhead effect. The only person that was in the kitchen was Sharon. Who raised an eyebrow to her, sipping on her cup of tea "Good morning"
She spoke in a tone that was down right teasing her about what she had gotten up to last night. Ivy rolled her eyes with a smirk and began to pour herself a cup of coffee. Then walking over to the table and sitting beside her.
"What're you doing up so early?" Ivy asked "You usually aren't exactly the early riser"
"Unlike you, you mean"
"Exactly" Ivy lightly chuckled. Sharon then shrugged "Well I guess I just couldn't sleep. What about you? Did you sleep with a hanger in your mouth?"
Ivy rolled her eyes with her grin still lingering on her face, she looked down to her coffee and played the clueless "I have no idea what you mean"
"Hm. I saw you lip locking with Nathan, felt like it was 2011 all over again"
Ivy raised her eyebrows and muttered as she went to take a sip of her coffee from her cup "You're stuck in the 60s by using the phrase lip lock"
Sharon nudged her with her shoulder "I'm pretty impressed, you've been back for what? A month"
Ivy let out a small chuckle and then heard footsteps come down the stairs along with a yawn, Stef smiled to them both and did what Ivy did, which was walk straight over to the coffee machine "Good morning you two, what're you talking about?"
"Ivy's antics last night"
"Over exaggerate much" Ivy said as she stretched her arms behind her. Stef sat facing them and shrugged along with nodding her head to the side and asking "Where do you go from here then?"
Ivy smirked "He erm, he wants to do something today. Go out somewhere or something"
"So a date" Stef smirked.
Sharon then grinned with excitement and then quickly turned her body to Ivy, putting her hands on her arm "Listen, if you're going to put out-"
"Mom!" Stef cringed with Ivy cringing right after her and moaning "Grams!"
"What? We all know it happens. We've all done it. Well I know I and Stefanie have"
Stef rubbed her forehead and shook her head to her, holding her hand out to her "Okay, Ma this is not a topic I want to be discussing...with either of you"
Ivy nodded "I agree, plus I already know all that stuff. I'm not easy"
Stef grinned and pointed to Ivy, still looking at Sharon and bragging "See? That's me. That's my upbringing breakthrough"
Ivy rolled her eyes to her and cleared her throat as she looked to Sharon "So have you heard anything from Kath?"
Sharon frowned and shook her head "No. Sorry honey"
"Oh don't be sorry I prefer it to stay like that actually" Ivy said, then looking to Stef who was in total agreement as she then added on "None of us need that in our lives, she's a loose cannon" Stef took a sip of her drink when Sharon sighed.
"Stefanie. She is your sister still"
Stef pulled a face and shook her head as she put the cup down on the table "Not really, mom...I know she's your daughter but admit it. She has never really been one…" Stef sighed and nodded her head to Ivy "The only thing I will ever thank her for is this young lady right here"
Ivy remained silent, then looking to Sharon as she ran her fingers through her granddaughter's hair and nodding along to Stef's statement "Yeah. She did something right I guess"
Ivy smiled and bowed her head down, then hearing Stef tease "Uh-oh, don't get too sentimental. Ivy might throw up"
Ivy lifted her head up to Stef and briefly stuck her tongue out as she watched her stand up and start to put on breakfast. The kitchen would soon get filled up again as soon as the smell of bacon hits their noses.
Nearing 2pm. Ivy wasn't quite sure if Nate was going to show up. She wasn't exactly sitting around waiting, she was keeping herself busy. Like helping taking all the stuff down in the backyard that was taking so much more time than they thought it was going to.
As Ivy was lowering down the 2 out of the 21 and then saw two pair of hands coming along to help her, she glanced to Brandon and gave him a tight smile "Thanks"
"Sure" Brandon muttered, they lowered it down on the floor, ready to take it apart. You just had to undo it in half and pack it up then off it goes back to the party rental store. Brandon looked to her "So you and Nate are…"
Ivy smirked and put her hands on her hips. So that was the reason he came over to help. He just wanted gossip, Ivy slowly nodded "We are getting back on track. Don't worry it was post breakup"
Brandon rolled his eyes at her mocking, he shook his head "Do you not get nervous that he'll just do to you what he did to her?"
Ivy smirked and tilted her head "You've really got it in for him for some odd reason that I, to be honest I no longer care about. I am a big girl and can take of myself. Thanks for you imput, I'll be sure to warn your girlfriend when you get one"
He scoffed under his breath and just walked away, leaving Ivy to let out a brief laugh as she looked down to the number and began to unclip the two parts of the number. Callie then came over, couched down to her level and whispered "Seriously what is with you guys? Why do you dislike each other so much?"
Ivy shrugged and glanced to him "I have no idea, you'll have to ask him. I've never disliked him, that's just been a one way street"
Callie frowned "Well, just ignore him, everyone is excited for you"
Ivy smiled and briefly pinched Callie's cheek before they worked together and took the large number apart to pack away. After that was done, Ivy walked over to the bar and picked up her bottle of water, she she drank it down, she saw Nate walk in through the back with a smile on his face as he headed over to her. Ivy smirked, swallowed her drink down "Hi"
"Hey" he motioned his hand to the garden "Some DIY going on?"
"Yeah we didn't quite comprehend how much we'd have to pack away. Think we were just hoping it'd have packed itself away whilst we were sleeping"
Nate laughed airily as he leaned against the bar and looked to the family packing stuff up. Ivy looked to him "We can still go out"
"No, no. Well yeah we can but I'd like to help you guys pack up first" Nate said as he took off his hooded zip up jacket, looking to her and saying in a laugh "I can't exactly just whisk you away without helping. What kind of guy do you think I am?"
Ivy laughed and jokingly held her hand up "Sorry"
As they walked over, Ivy looked to Nate "How's Milo doing?"
"Still asleep" Nate snorted. Ivy raised her eyebrows and shook her head "Hardly surprising"
Nate looked at her up and down, with a smirk on his face he muttered to her "You look good"
Ivy scoffed a laugh as she looked down herself. She was wearing white jeans that ripped at the knee cap, a purple tie dye crop. Her hair was tied up in a high ponytail, with many strands of hair falling on her face. It wasn't exactly the most glamorous outfit she had ever worn. But still, he thought she looked amazing.
"Tell me. Where were you planning on taking me today?"
"Well, the day is still young. You'll just have to wait and see"
Ivy let out a smile as she looked away from him and got back into helping out the family.
About an half an hour into helping them, Stef finally convinced Ivy that they would be fine with getting things done without her and insisted that she actually let Nate do what he said he wanted to do and take her out.
They walked down the drive to Nate's car, he looked over his shoulder "I think your mom likes me" he teased.
Ivy scoffed a small laugh "Cute. Just to clarify she's always liked you. She just likes me better"
Nate mocked a laugh to her and opened the car door for her before walking round to his own side and getting in. He looked to her as he shut the door and gave her a smile "So you ready?"
"It depends. Are you taking me to my death?"
Nate smirked as he looked ahead and teased as he turned on the engine "Never say never"
The drive to where Nate was taking her wasn't that far away, it was when they went down a certain road that Ivy then gathered where they were going and when she did, she couldn't help but let out a laugh, she didn't understand why or how she didn't catch on as soon as he even asked her out "You're such a cliche" she laughed.
"And you're pretty dumb for not figuring it out before" Nate laughed back as he pulled over, Ivy leaned forward to the front window and slowly nodded as she looked at the attraction in front of her "The fun fair"
"The fun fair"
Ivy sat back in her seat and looked to him "Our first date. Are you trying to reminisce the good old days?"
"No I just love fun fairs is all"
"Of course" Ivy whispered, smiling at him then leaning forward and kissing his cheek "Lucky for you, so do I" she let out a small excited giggle and then rushed out of the car. Nate laughed as he watched her do so and then followed her actions by doing the same. He held his hand out for her to take, wiggling his eyebrows at her which made her let out a breathless laugh and slap her hand in his as she rolled her eyes with a smirk still written across her face.
Nate pulled her close and kissed the top of her head "I've been waiting five years for this"
Ivy turned to him and gripped onto his shirt, pulled him close "Me too" she whispered as she lightly kissed his lips, then cupping his face and smiling softly "So let's take this all for granted" she giggled, making him laugh too as their foreheads pressed together "Ivy I think I've been cherishing every single part of you since we were eight"
"You say shit like that to me and I am going to throw up one day"
Ivy took a few steps back before Nate wrapped his arms around her waist and said as he pulled her back to him "You used to like me saying shit like that"
"When I was a love sick teenager"
"What you're telling me you're not love sick?"
Ivy smirked and looked to him "Well now that is for me to know"
Nate put his hands on her waist and lifted his head up from her shoulder "Alright, let's go win you one of those big pandas"
Nate swung his arm over her shoulder, she took hold of her hand that draped to her collarbone as they began to walk through the park. Hearing the laughter and screams of excitement from those on the rides. Noah looked to her and asked "So how are things at home?"
"Really great. Other than Brandon" Ivy muttered a laugh. Hearing Nate then do the same "Yeah well, no shock there"
Ivy rolled her eyes and shook her head "But he's always been like that"
Nate rubbed his lips together and cleared his throat "So. You clearly know that I met someone during our time apart. Did you meet anyone?"
"And by meet you mean have a boyfriend" Ivy laid on thickly. Nate was so unbelievable awkward in asking personal questions, even when it came to her.
"Am I that transparent?" Nate joked in a mutter, hearing Ivy let out a small laugh and looked out to pier that was to the side of them. Ivy cleared her throat and nodded, going to be as vague as possible "Yeah I did...it erm. Lasted a few months, probably the same amount it did for you and...that's the story, I ended it after those months because I wasn't feeling what he was feeling"
"Guess we were in the same boat"
'Not by a long shot'
Ivy gave a tight smile and nodded "I guess so"
Nate tucked his hands in his pockets "So did you and him. Y'know"
Ivy let out a breathless laugh "Well there's nothing like getting personal"
Nate chuckled and shrugged "I'm sorry. But we never did so I was just-"
"Being nosey" Ivy teased as she poked his chest. But still, she answered his question "But yeah that happened. Once. Regretted it"
Ivy looked to Nate as he remained silent and just looked at her, she shrugged and mumbled "You know? Not worth it all if you're not in love" Nate smiled and nodded "Yeah I agree"
"Oh so you were in love?"
Nate snorted a laugh and shook his head "No. Once again we fell into the same situation. Kind of. Mine was one with less dignity, I wasn't dating the person, it was college"
"Anyone I know?" she meant it as a joke. But when he remained silent she stopped walking, holding his hand and making him do the same, she tilted her head "Is it?"
Nate sighed a small smile, looking to her, he raised his eyebrows to her "You really wanna know?"
"Well now I do" Ivy laughed, she gaped at him and said in a higher tone due to her sheer curiosity "Who was it?"
Nate knew he wasn't going to be able to get out of it, he ran his fingers through his hair with his free hand and shrugged as he dropped it back down and just said it "Mandy Hurst"
Ivy's eyebrows shot up "M-Mandy Hurst? Your first time was with Mandy Hurst?"
Nate and Ivy went to highschool with her. She was tall, dark. Kind of bratty. She was basically everything that Ivy wasn't.
"Yeah it was college. One stupid party, just kind of happened" Nate then held his finger up and pointed it to her "There was one thing I did know. I knew that nobody would have ever been a patch on you"
Ivy stared at him, with her arms crossed and a smirk on her face, she rolled her eyes "Great. Now if I don't say it back I'll look like an ass"
Nate walked to her, putting his hand on her cheek and softly putting his lips on hers that made her knees go slightly weak. Ivy smirked against his lips and whispered "You too"
He hummed a small laugh, Ivy gripped onto his jacket and raised her eyebrows to him "Now. You owe me a big panda. Last time we were here, you were shit"
Nate let out an offended laugh as she pulled him towards the attractions.
After a few hours of Nate trying to impress Ivy by having a winning streak in the attractions, winning her a big panda four booths ago. Now he was just showing off. After hours of holding hands as they screamed on the rides that were probably more dangerous than they had thought. After all of that, they decided to grab some food, park themselves on a bench by the pier and get wrapped in conversation.
"Hows your mom?" Ivy asked as she planted a fry, looking to him and seeing him shrug "She's alright. Wish she'd leave him though"
"He still as bad as he was before?"
"Guess not but only because I don't live with them anymore I avoid him as much as possible"
"You work with him" Ivy blutered out a small laugh. Nate rolled his eyes "Yeah but it's different. He's in coach mode then, never talks to me about family life"
Ivy nodded and shrugged as she looked down to her fries. Suppose it's actually better that way than him trying to play to doting father, Nate looked to her and gave her a nudge "So Brandon is still being a pain?"
"I don't get what his problem is" Ivy shook her head, then looking back to him and said with a straight face "Maybe it's you"
Nate raised his eyebrows as he sipped on the drink they were sharing "Me?"
Ivy shrugged "He told me to stay clear of you. Maybe you're the problem" she stared at him a little while longer with a straight face, she could tell that she was making him nervous. She then cracked a smile and laughed "I'm kidding"
Nate smiled and then looked back to her. Ivy looked to him and then gave in, rolling her eyes "Okay what?"
"What?"
Ivy put her hand to his cheek, raising her brows "You've got that I want to ask you something face"
Nate sighed and looked away from her for a moment, and then said "I was wondering about the day that you were taken away"
"I knew it" Ivy muttered, shuffling closer to him and draped her legs over his. Nate took a deep breath as he rested his arm on the back of the bench, with his hand on her back "I just...I never really knew"
Ivy put her fries to the side and took hold of his hands, she soon began to explain what had happened.
29th September 2010
The family were all getting ready for dinner. It was the day before they were going to spend the day on the beach as a family along with Nate since he was practically part of the family anyway. All the kids were upstairs whilst Stef and Lena got the food ready.
The doorbell went, Lena went over, opened it and then walked back in the kitchen to Stef, announcing the presence of her sister "Honey, Katherine is here"
Stef looked over her shoulder to find her older sister step in the kitchen "So she is. How's it going, sis?"
"I'm moving" Katherine said boldly, Stef looked to Lena as Lena looked t her and then glanced back over to Katherine "Oh. I bought a new car freshener"
Katherine let out an amused huff from her nose and took a step forward, resting her hands on the table "Are you mad?"
Stef put the kitchen towel over her shoulder and turned to Katherine "Well it's not as if we were exactly that close, Kath. It's your life. But what about Ivy?"
Katherine shrugged "What about her?"
Stef looked to Lena asking for help by just the look in her eyes. Lena was always so much better with words. Lena looked to Katherine "What she means is. Aren't you going to miss her?"
"Why would I?"
Stef scoffed and muttered "Nice, Kath" she turned back to the sink and continued to rinse out the tomatoes. Katherine wasn't exactly around all the time. But it must take a new level of selfishness to abandon your child all together completely.
"No, no I mean I am not gonna miss her. Because I am taking her with me"
Lena's head snapped to Stef, who slowly lifted her head from looking down at the sink. Straight out into the backyard for a moment as she tried to process what had just come out of her sister's mouth. Stef slowly turned around and asked sternly "What?"
"I'm taking Ivy with me"
A fourth voice then came into the conversation "I'm what?"
Stef looked to Ivy's shocked and horror filled face. Stef shook her head "Honey-"
"Tell her that she can't do this! I don't want to go anywhere with her" Ivy rushed over to Stef, Stef put her hand on her cheek as Ivy gripped onto Stef's waist. Before she had the chance to say anything, Katherine spoke up "Ivy. I'm your mother"
"When it best suits you" Ivy snarled as she turned her head to Katherine "I haven't seen you in over two months. Why would I want to go with you? Why would you even want me with you?"
"Because I want a good clean start. With you in it"
Stef put her arms around Ivy and held her close as she shook her head and said in a shaky voice "You can't do this, Kath" Lena then walked over and joined them, putting her hand on Stef's back and her other on Ivy's arm that wrapped around Stef's waist. Lena shook her head "She's not going anywhere"
"Really? Cause I haven't signed away my parental right for you to adopt Ivy yet because she is still my daughter. I was going to do it, but when Dylan promised me the life he is promising me I thought that the thing that would make it complete was to have my little girl with me"
Katherine looked at them and scoffed she stepped forward to grab Ivy's arm, Stef then snatched Katherine's hand away before she had the chance "Get away from her, or I'l throw you out myself"
Katherine rolled her eyes "Stefanie. Stop pretending she is yours. You're not her mother. You have habit doing this, claiming children that aren't your own. Do the twins get to see their real mothers or?"
That was it, that was the moment that caused Stef to lose it, she swung her hand and slapped Katherine across her cheek. Lena jumped with Ivy sayed still and silent. Katherine put her hand on her stinging cheek and looked back to her "Pretty bad for a cop to assault someone"
They remained silent for a moment. Katherine lost patience and muttered "That's it" she reached over to Ivy and took her by the arm, beginning to drag her out of the house. Stef and Lena tried to fight her back, but then Katherine's boyfriend came in and took Ivy and carried her out. They had no chance fighting him off.
"All I can remember after that was hearing Stef scream they drove away with me in the car"
Nate remained silent and rubbed her back. Ivy sighed and took her eyes back to him, letting out a soft smile, she shrugged "But I'm home now. I don't care"
Nate smiled as she leaned forward and kissed him. Nate put his hand on her cheek and brought her close. Smiling against her lips and then saying as their forehead pressed together "I'm finally home now that you're here. Everything's back to the way it should be"
Ivy smiled grinned sweetly and kissed his cheek as he held her. Nate kissed her shoulder as she buried her head in the crook of his neck "We've been out for hours. Best get back huh? Jesus already gave me the protective brother speech and to be honest he is pretty strong"
Ivy laughed breathlessly "Only you would get scared by his threats"
She stood up and took hold of his hands, pulling him up and pressing her body against his, she bit her lip as she looked at him "Come on, I'll even let you drive me home"
Nate laughed as he put his arm over her shoulder "How did I ever get a date with the most popular girl in school?"
Ivy slapped his stomach at his slight mockery and carried on walking with him towards the parking lot.
They walked into the house from the back, it was pretty late. They were hoping that they were asleep. Ivy slowly and silently opened the back door and took his hand as they walked in the kitchen. The lights were off. They whispered and quietly giggled. All of a sudden the lights by the lounge area went off. Making them both jump. Stef, Mariana and Sharon all sat on the couches.
"Jesus Christ. What are you doing sat in the dark?"
Stef shook her head "Oh we weren't. We saw you coming so we did it for dramatic effect"
Nate laughed behind Ivy, who shot him a glance over her shoulder. He quickly shut up. Ivy pointed her thumb to him behind her and said "We just came in for coffee"
The three ladies slowly nodded with the same smirk on her face. Nate, totally clueless at them teasing Ivy said "You want some?"
Mariana raised her eyebrows "Oh you actually meant coffee?"
Ivy looked to her and said plainly "If I wanted anything else I'd be in my bedroom"
Stef cringed and put her arms in the air as she stood up "Okay. I am going to bed" she tugged on Mariana's shirt "You too Miss Thing" she then looked to Sharon "Mom?"
Sharon waved her hand "Yeah yeah I'll be going in a minute"
Stef looked to Ivy and rolled her eyes. Even if Ivy wanted Nate to stay the night that wouldn't be possible. With Brandon being home tonight, Sharon was bunking in Ivy's room with her. Stef kissed Ivy's cheek as a goodnight and then whispered "Good date?"
"Very"
Stef smiled "Good" she looked to Nate and gave him a soft smile "Night, Nate"
"Goodnight" Nate said with a nervous mutter, looking to Ivy as she turned away and whispered "Even after all these years I get scared"
Ivy laughed and put her hand on his stomach. Mariana turned at the stairs "Oh Ivy. There was a letter or something for you with the mail"
Ivy looked at her, confused. A letter?
Sharon soon made herself scarce and left them alone in the kitchen. Ivy took her cup out of the handle and cursed under her breath, repeating something she said before "Handle's loose. Need a new one"
She poured them both coffee and then took hold of the letter that Mariana had pointed out. She stood at the end of the table and opened it up. Her heart dropped as soon as she saw the handwriting of her name. She knew who this was. Her eyes moved faster and faster down the page. Reading it fast as she could so that she could rip it up. Ivy took a deep breath which grabbed Nate's attention "Hey, you alright?"
Ivy looked up to him and cleared her throat, plastering on a smile and shook her head as she ripped up the letter "No-one important. Just some guy wanting to get in touch about a script deal"
"What that's great!"
Ivy laughed breathlessly "Not when the script is porn"
Nate choked on his coffee "Oh"
Ivy laughed "Yeah oh" she walked over to the bin and threw it in. That guy did offer her to write that script. Months ago. The real person who wrote that letter, she wished she never met. And now that she's getting these letters there's one unsettling thing that she had realised.
He knows where she lives.