From Nice to
You look nice dear my mother told me as I came downstairs.
Thanks...do we have any decent food around here?
Morgan came into the room with a half eaten sandwich and offered me a bite.
No thanks Morg, I'll find something
Good, because I don't think you'd like turkey and peanut butter she tells me and takes a bite.
My mother wrinkles her dainty nose in disgust.
Morgan, sweetheart, I told you that i would fix something for you in a minute
My mother's voice is almost pleading. I have to admire Morgan for this. She already knows just how to push our mother's buttons.
Its ok Mommy, I like it
Her voice sounds a little different and I wonder how much peanut butter is stuck to the roof of her mouth. Morgan makes a big show of moving her mouth around and swallowing then turns to me and smiles.
You look pretty Ivy
Thanks kiddo
The thing is, I look nice. Not exactly Susie Homemaker, apple pie baking nice, but not the usual teenage harlot that I would be dressed as. If my mother and little sister not been there that is.
Once at the party off would come the knee length skirt and pretty sweater top. The top was a little snug and low cut, but I wouldn't want to wear it to a party. Not even one that my mother would throw. Knowing her she would give me a talk about my cleavage showing.
I think there's some chicken soup
My mind snaps out of its thoughts and directs its attention at my mother.
There should be a can of that soup you like Ivy, dear
Oh, ok...yeah thanks
Do you want me to heat it up for you?
I get the feeling that my mother is prodding me for answers just as I prodded Dally earlier.
I nod and give her a weak smile. I hate it when people interrupt my thoughts. My entire mind feels numb for at least ten minutes after. Hopefully the soup will be hot enough to thaw me out.
Just come sit at the table dear
I feel like a small child now. That or a mentally deficient person. All that I think about is how much longer until the ten minutes are up. Right now, I feel like I am five again and waiting for my time out sentence to be over.
Here we are, some nice hot chicken soup my mother says cheerfully and set a steaming bowl in front of me. She then hands me a napkin, a spoon, and drops two ice cubes in the bowl.
Just the way you like it she says and winks.
This, for reasons I do not know, makes me want to cry. I don't cry though. The last time I cried was in that dingy little clinic, clutching on to that orderly's hand for dear life. Instead I flash her another weak smile and I know there is something else I should do right now. What is it? Suddenly I remember and tell my mother thanks, cracking voice and all. You would think I had just given her the mother of the year award, her smile is so wide.
I take a spoonful and raise it to my lips.
Watcha doing?
My little sister is usually content just to sit and be near me. I can't even use the Do as I say, not as I do line on her. I swear too much, and she should never do what I do.
I'm eating
I know that silly, what are you eating?
What does it look like?
I knew that the whole time
Then why did you ask me?
Morgan doesn't say anything, she just shrugs and puts her head in her hands and continues to watch me eat. A few minutes later I am done, and take the bowl to the sink.
Can we play now?
Morgan uses the face she knows that I can not resist.
Yeah..but just for a little while, ok?
Yeah, yeah she mutters and takes my hand.
We go up to her room, and I sit on her still unmade bed.
Don't you want some sheets on your bed? I ask her and bounce up and down lightly on the mattress.
Why? I have a sleeping bag she retorts.
Getting sassy, now are we Morg?
I have to grin at this.
No...its the truth
Ohh, I don't care, but you know how mom gets
she says softly
Then she brightened.
I'll just get mom to make it for me later
I laughed.
She is picture perfect innocence.
What, she likes doing that kind of stuff
True..so where are your dolls?
Right here she says and pulls a duffel bag out from under the bed.
Ok.. I can only play for a little while
Yeah...you be Tina she says and shoves the dark haired doll in my hand.
Then who are you gonna be?
Rachel
She holds up the redhead and says this as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Ok, she's your favorite isn't she?
Yeah..but don't tell the others
Her childish voice drops to a whisper and she leans in closer to me to disclose this information.
Don't worry, I won't
After a few minutes of making up another fantasy adventure for her dolls, my heart jumps up in my throat as I realize something. In a few hours I will be in bed with a guy I barely know, and Morgan will still be in here playing with her dolls, being the little girl she should be.
Ivy, you look sad
Her voice is full of concern.
You know what Morg, I'd better go finish getting ready
She sets Rachel down.
Will you play with me later?
You know it
I leave her room before she can see the tears forming at the corners of my eyes.
I go into the bathroom and splash some water on my face. Then I reapply my makeup and put my other makeup in my purse.
Ivy, your date is here!
I run downstairs.
I say
I know that my outfit amuses Dallas. I nod and say goodbye to my mother and call upstairs to Morgan before leaving. Once in his car, I take off the nice outfit and pull my hair out of its ponytail.
Dally looks at my short black skirt and blue halter top, and watches as I reapply my makeup.
he says
I'm still nice, but with two syllables now. I can live with that.
Please r/r. Thanks, Fyre.
