Page 83 of After Care

“She has a day off of school, so timing-wise it worked best. Plus, she has to decide by May first. What about you? Can’t you reschedule?”

“Can’t, babe. We’ve been waiting for this meeting for months. It finalizes the tour.”

The tour kicked off in June, and I sensed the stress each time Tommy mentioned the details. Forty-three days on the road. I couldn’t imagine.

“Well, another weekend.” I sighed, pasting on a false smile with my fake cheeriness. After the April date, Masie had prom, graduation, and a slew of parties and activities commemorating the end of high school. I didn’t have a free weekend until June, when the tour started. “I’ll get to see Ivy this time,” I added. Excitement filled me at seeing my young friend and learning more about her secret project, which she still hadn’t announced to her husband. She knew I was coming before I told Tommy, assuring me that I’d at least see her house as she offered a place for Masie and me to stay. Tommy’s brow pinched at the mention of Ivy, and that old feeling of something kept from me crept through me.

17

Secret Therapy

“Isn’t it beautiful?” The rundown building before me wasn’t exactly something I’d consider architecturally stunning, but the old church had potential. Ivy stared at me as if desperate for my approval, and I didn’t want to disappoint her.

“It’s got possibilities,” I murmured, my hands tucked in my jacket pockets as I surveyed the building once again. I wasn’t convinced this was the safest of areas, but my knowledge of Los Angeles was limited to my first official visit. Masie and I flew into San Jose on Thursday evening, took her campus tour on Friday morning, and then flew to LAX in the afternoon. My heart dropped, knowing Tommy was probably somewhere in that airport taking off at the same time we landed. Ivy picked us up, refusing to allow us to stay anywhere but at her modest home along Malibu Beach, and when I say modest, it’s with full tongue-in-cheek. The home was gorgeous, set along the coast with an endless view of the ocean. White sand was her backyard and the glass exposure hid nothing. It was breathtaking.

Tommy had offered his house, but I refused on principle. I didn’t wish to intrude without a proper introduction to his home from him.

“I know, right?” Ivy squeaked, her excitement hardly concealed as she tugged at my arm to follow her. A realtor had already sold her the location, and lawyers were involved in the details of her future music therapy school. “It’s perfect.” The sigh in her voice was nothing other than pure love for this facility and a dream coming to fruition.

“And how is Gage taking all this?” I asked. A dismissive wave gave me my answer. As my baby-bump-friend waddled to the front entrance, fear harbored inside me that her husband wasn’t going to share her enthusiasm, especially after he found out she hid all the details from him.

Pulling me into the church, construction plans were pinned to a wall, sketching out the division of the massive space into therapy rooms for both small and large groups.

“It has the perfect acoustics, but also all these niches for intimate study.” Her face beamed with the thrill of helping others in a way someone raised in music might enjoy—by sharing the gift. With hands clasped reverently beneath her chin, she walked slowly through the open forum, eyes wide as if she could already envision the layout. I sighed behind her, my shoulders falling, but not in defeat.

“Your mother would have been so proud.”

Ivy spun to face me. “Do you think so?” Her voice was small, child-like even, as she awaited my answer.

“Without knowing her, I’d say she’d be over the moon.” Ivy’s face lit up, and her sheepish smile grew. She exhaled in subtle pleasure. “I bet your uncle would be proud as well.” Ivy’s smile faded a touch, and her head hung.

“I just can’t seem to find the right time to tell him. Any of them. They’re so wrapped up in the tour, which is where they should be. In fact…” Her lips twitched as if she fought the return of a smile. “It’s been perfect for me, because they’ve all been too absorbed to notice I’m busy.” A tiny giggle escaped as if she’d gotten away with mischief, which she had.

“Aren’t you worried they’ll be upset that they didn’t get to be a part of this? That they didn’t get to help you?” With those questions, Ivy’s curled lips flattened.

“Actually, no. They wouldn’t be a part of anything. Gage would take over, and Tommy would direct, and I’d be lost again.”

I drew in a deep breath at her sudden outburst, understanding once again Ivy’s strong desire to do this, to do something on her own, for herself. Being five months pregnant didn’t seem the ideal time, but what did I know?

“I wish there was some way I could help you,” I offered, letting my eyes drift upward to the dust mites tumbling through the sunshine, dancing before the dirty windows.

“Really?”

My head fell forwards and I peered at my young friend. “Of course. I’d love to help if I could.”

Ivy chewed at her lip for a moment as if considering something. Her mouth popped open and then closed. Her eyes lowered before she spoke.

“Actually, I could use a manager.”

“Good idea, with the baby coming. It sounds like this will be up and running around the time you give birth. I don’t know how you’ll manage both jobs at the same time. Motherhood. Music Therapist.” Knowing that Ava started first grade in the coming fall, Ivy still had Emaline at home, refusing a full-service nanny or daycare. With another baby on the way, opening the school would be a double whammy of full-time responsibility.

“The timing isn’t ideal, no, but again, it’s why I’d need a manager. Someone I trust to run the place and look out for it if I couldn’t be here. Or…run things while I was here, but if I was indisposed because of the baby.” Ivy and I had one of those strange conversations about breastfeeding that women of children seem to have with complete strangers, as if baring one’s breast to feed a child is some kind of unwritten bond. Nodding, I agreed with her plan.

“So…” Her voice drifted as she watched me, my head still rolling in different directions taking in the large, sacred space.

“So?” I shrugged, returning to look at her.

“Would you consider it?”