Page 85 of After Care

“So, I heard you’re getting a new school,” Masie said, deflecting the question away from her. Her excited voice filled the kitchen, suddenly quiet beyond the perk of the coffee pot and the sizzle of bacon. All other sound seemed to dissipate, including my breathing. I froze in mid-reach for my glass of orange juice and noticed the slightest pause in Ivy’s motion to flip a pancake.

“I’m going to be in first grade,” Ava announced, and my shoulders relaxed at the innocent response saving us all from a sudden awkward revelation.

“First grade? No way! I thought you were already in sixth grade,” Masie teased.

“I’m going to school, too,” Emaline replied, her head shaking adamantly to emphasize her participation in something similar to her older sister. “I’ll be going with Mommy.”

This time the quiet weighed heavy, the echo of silence after Emaline’s announcement ringing longer as Gage slowly lowered his coffee mug, Ivy set the spatula on the counter, and I stepped to Ivy’s side.

“What’s going on, darlin’?” Tommy asked, noting my sudden proximity to Ivy.

“Nothing,” Ivy and I said in unison.

“Mommy’s getting a school,” Emaline offered, her attention still focused on the pancake before her.

“Oh, God,” Ivy muttered as I whispered under my breath, “Shit.”

“Babe?” Gage questioned stepping towards his wife, and her eyes closed, knowing this was the opportunity she’d been searching for, albeit inopportune. Unfortunately, there was never going to be a right moment. It was time.

“I have something to tell you,” she said, her voice lowering. Tommy’s eyes met mine, but I quickly avoided his questioning glance and set my hand on Ivy’s back. Gage noticed the movement and reached for his wife’s shoulders.

“What’s wrong?” His eyes searched her face. “Is the baby okay?” A hand lowered to Ivy’s belly.

“Yes. Oh, God. It’s nothing like that.” She sighed. “It’s just…I bought a school.” The words tumbled out of Ivy, and her eyes closed at the sight of Gage’s eyes widening in shock. This could only go one of two ways for Ivy, and I held my breath: he was going to hate it or love it.

“Tell me about it,” Gage requested, and I took a sigh of momentary relief. Tommy’s eyes burrowed into the side of my head, but the need to protect Ivy didn’t allow me to meet his glare. Honestly, I was afraid to look at him. Ivy explained how she’d kept up her music therapy license and had been considering using it again. When she noticed the floundering school in the news, she inquired what it would take to restore the organization. She explained to Gage that she needed something to do. She loved the girls and being his wife, but she wanted something more.

“I’m your something more,” he said selfishly before swiping a hand down his face.

“That’s just it. You have your music. The band. I want something more for me.” My heart broke as my young friend tapped her chest, the desperation evident in her voice. She needed this or she’d break. Ivy Everly had a quiet, confident strength, but she was teetering on the edge of cracking in that fortitude.

“Maybe we should give you two a moment,” I offered, pressing Ivy toward Gage, hoping to encourage them to speak privately elsewhere.

“This is your fault, isn’t it?” Gage snapped, looking at me over the shoulder of his wife. “You put her up to this, didn’t you?”

“I—”

“Check your tone, mister,” Tommy interjected in response to Gage’s accusation.

“Edie wasn’t involved,” Ivy whined. “This isn’t about anyone else. This is about me, Gage. Look at me,” she snapped at him. His eyes briefly shifted to her before returning to mine.

“Everything was fine until you met her. I don’t get it. Life was good. Now my band manager is jet-setting off to Chicago. My bass guitarist wants time off to visit your daughter. Just what the fuck?”

“Gage,” Ivy hissed, her eyes shifting to the children. On that cue, Masie picked up Emaline and reached for Ava’s hand before guiding the girls out of the room.

“Darlin’, why am I suspecting you knew something about this?” The tone of Tommy’s voice told me he questioned Gage’s accusation. He considered it a possibility. A sudden chill bristled over my skin.

“Ivy told me of her plan, and I think it’s a wonderful idea. If she wants to do this, you should both support her. It’s very…noble.” Ivy peered at me over her shoulder, giving me a slow smile of gratitude.

“I support her just fine.” Gage glared at me. “I support you, babe.” He looked back at his wife, cupping her face in his hands. “I give you what you need, right? What else do you want?”

Ivy’s eyes widened, the excitement returning, detecting false sympathy in Gage’s tone. “Well, we need some sponsors and—”

“Not for the fucking school. I mean, what do you need? From me? For us?”

Ivy and I might have blinked in unison, in confusion. Was he not listening to her?

“What I need is your support of me,” Ivy clarified, suddenly realizing Gage’s tone had nothing to do with understanding her desire for the school.