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“I feel bad,” she said.
“So you are dating Ivan?” Ella asked.
Ella hadn’t come right out and asked her directly. They’d almost avoided it for that reason alone. This way neither of them was actually lying.
Now she couldn’t avoid it.
“Would you be upset if I was?”
“God, no,” Ella said. “I’d be thrilled. Maybe that is why you’ve got some color in your wardrobe lately. Not daily, but some. Like today.”
She looked down at the red sweater she had on with black pants. “My mother bought me a bunch of clothes for Christmas.”
Ella started to laugh. “Your mother who is legally blind and most definitely color blind is buying you a brighter wardrobe than you had before? You do realize how funny that is, don’t you?”
She shook her head. “When you put it that way, yeah.”
“Yes or no if you are dating my cousin. Or if you’d rather not answer, which of course would be answer enough but would still put me in the position of not lying when I play dumb with my mother, then just go back to work.”
“Do you want to lie to your mother?” she asked, grinning.
“It sure is fun.”
“We’ve been dating for almost two months.”
“Damn,” Ella said. “Good for you. Since before Christmas. Ivan is a cool one.”
“It was new at that point. One date. So I could see where it might not come up. But I do know your mother tried at the holidays. That your father talked to him too. Asked him if he had to be prepared for your mother to get more worked up in the coming months.”
Ella moved over and grabbed the arms of the chairs, angled her body and managed to sit down without flopping. Kendra was pretty sure she’d flop if it was her.
“My father enjoys yanking my mother’s chain too. Anyway, I’m happy for you. And don’t let my mother get in your head about anything. She’s going to brag once she finds out. When do you plan on letting her know?”
“I’ll let Ivan know that you are aware tonight when I see him,” she said.
“With any luck one of us is going to have a good night. All Travis is getting from me is dinner that I’m bringing home from the restaurant.”
“I feel for you. You look uncomfortable.”
“I am.”
“Was there something you needed me for or just wanted to get the lowdown on my dating life?”
“I was going to see if we could meet a little later this afternoon. I have a doctor’s appointment in an hour. I want to go over a few things with you.”
“Sure,” she said and watched Ella get back up. Or try to.
She moved over and extended her hand. “Let me help you.”
“I know I shouldn’t have sat in this chair, but I need to figure this out better. At home Travis helps me up. It’s horrible. It really is.”
“It will be so worth it soon.”
“Yes, it will.”
Ella left her office and she texted Ivan. She avoided talking to him in the office because she never wanted to worry about someone overhearing her. This time though it would be easier to talk she was sure.
When her phone rang, she got up and went to shut her door and then answered it. “Hi,” she said quietly.
