Her Frozen Memories by Vania Rheault

Author:Vania Rheault [Rheault, Vania]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Vania Rheault
Published: 2020-04-29T16:00:00+00:00

Logan wiped a smear of whipped cream off Ivy’s nose. Rimmed with black, her eyes were huge, and they reflected a sadness he’d felt deep down in his soul since he’d said goodbye to her eighteen years ago.

She smiled a little and rubbed her nose.

He picked up a spoon, gave himself a moment. “That’s not true. There were good times, many good times, and they all had to do with you. You helped me with homework, you gave me rides to football practice. I hated football, you know. I just wanted to get out of the house.”

“I know.”

“You weren’t disgusted whenever I had a new ache, whenever I would wince when you touched me.”

“I loved you. I wanted to take care of you.”

“And I left town to learn to take care of myself.”

Ivy opened her menu. “You did a good job of it.”

She fell quiet as she scanned the menu, her shiny hair hiding her face.

Logan opened his, different from eighteen years ago. The dining room looked the same, though they’d replaced the carpet, the tables, and all the fixtures. But the wide windows still gave them a clear view of the frozen lake and car lights from a road somewhere far from them.

The wary waitress came back to the table to set water glasses on the table and take their orders. She looked between him and Ivy and hurried away scribbling as she went.

“I went to see your mom yesterday.”

She stiffened. “Why would you do that?”

“Because my mom had a message for her. I guess she’d written to thank her for all she did for me, but it came back to her. She didn’t know you lost your house. Ivy, will you look at me?”

She stared out the window, looking like she wanted to be anywhere but sitting there with him.

“Ivy.”

Finally, she turned toward him, eyes glistening.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Tell you what? That my mom is an alcoholic? That she hasn’t had a job since Joey died? That my father never calls? That I don’t know if he’s dead or alive? Tell you what?”

“All of that. Why didn’t you tell me when we were snowed in at the cabin?”

“What would you have done? Said, ‘I’m sorry’? You haven’t had to live with it. You haven’t had to pick up the pieces.”

“I’ve picked up pieces.”

“Oh, don’t play the martyr with me, Logan. James helped you get away, and you left everything behind. You didn’t give a shit about me.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. You think just because I could leave without looking back, that you weren’t always in my heart? In my thoughts? Ivy, I loved you.”

“That didn’t keep me from working doubles all these years. That didn’t keep me from cleaning up after Rosie when she’s had another bender. That didn’t keep me from crying myself to sleep at night. This was a mistake.” Ivy shoved her black cloth napkin onto the table and pushed her chair back.

Panic pummeled Logan from all sides. “Please don’t go. Don’t go.” He forced himself to relax his hands under the table.

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