Pantry Promises by Jennifer Johnson

Author:Jennifer Johnson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Inc.
Published: 2013-10-09T00:00:00+00:00

ten

Ivy plastered a smile to her face when she opened the door for Mirela and her family. Her sister took one look at her, lifted her right eyebrow, then handed Benny to Josif. She wrapped her arms around Ivy. “Are you okay, sis?”

Ivy released a long breath while Josif and the kids made their way into the kitchen. Her mother’s excited tones while talking to Benny and Bella sounded from the room. Phil Mamry’s voice boomed in greeting as well. Ivy swiped away tears that had suddenly welled in her eyes. “It’s been quite a week.”

Mirela still held her tight as she talked over Ivy’s shoulder. “Does it have to do with what I see happening in the kitchen?”

Ivy nodded. “But that’s only part of it.” She pulled away from her sister and lifted her hand, making a small space between her thumb and index finger. “Only a tiny part of it, really.”

“Okay. You go to your room. I’ll go check on them in the kitchen. Once I know all is well, I’ll tell Mom you need to show me something, and I’ll come up.”

Ivy grinned. Their mother, wonderful as she was in so many ways, nosed into both of their business more than either wished. If their mom had the slightest hint that Ivy had teared up, the whole family would have to know all of Ivy’s thoughts, feelings, and quandaries. The whole family and Phil.

She scaled the steps and walked into her room. At twenty-six, she’d lived at home her entire life. And enjoyed it. Never saw a reason to move out. But lately, she felt squeezed and dependent.

Plopping onto her bed, she grabbed one of the decorative pillows and shoved it under both arms. She leaned forward and stared at her toenails. She needed a pedicure. Something she and Mirela often did together. But her sister was a married woman with kids now. And she lived forty-five minutes away.

“Spill it.”

Ivy looked up and saw Mirela standing in the doorway. She held a can of Ivy’s favorite soft drink in her right hand and tissues in the other. Attempting to grin at Mirela’s familiar sister-to-the-rescue scene, another pang of sadness nailed her gut. “Don’t need the tissues today. I’ve got to hold it together, so Mom doesn’t suspect anything.”

Mirela placed the tissues on the bed. “Just in case.” She popped the can’s top and handed it to Ivy. “What’s going on?”

Ivy tried to put her finger on all that had her feeling so discombobulated. It was more than her mother’s newfound relationship with Phil or her mom’s matchmaking with Brent. So much had changed and was continuing to change. And Ivy was a woman of order. Consistency.

“Do you not like Phil?” asked Mirela.

“That’s just the thing.” Ivy tossed the throw pillow toward the top of the bed. “I wanted her to date Phil so that she’d get off my back about Brent.”

“She’s still trying to set you two up?”

Ivy nodded. “But I don’t care that much. Mom’s been trying to get Brent and me together for months.

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