Motherhood Lessons²

Mommy!

Sitting up, Ivy looks at the forest surrounding her. It's been a while since she had been able to explore nature and just take it all in, so she stands and starts to explore. Hearing water, she makes her way to it. She sees a man looking over the river, "Hello?"

"Ivy."

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" Ivy asks, moving to stand next to him.

"Sadly, the chance for us to get to know each other was taken from us."

She gasps, "Your my-"

Christopher Shepherd smiles, "Yeah, I'm your dad."

Walking along side the river, Ivy and her dad move side by side, "Why am I here? I'm ready to go home."

"Because there's people you still need to talk to," Christopher tells her.

"I've talked to Mark and Derek already and I'm talking to you now. Who else do I have to talk to?" Ivy questions stopping.

He smiles at her, "You and Amelia are so alike. Stubborn, strong-headed."

"Well, growing up, I just had her and Derek. Mom never gave me the time of day and the girls were jealous that Derek took care of me," Ivy shrugs, looking down.

Christopher looks over the water, picking up a rock and tossing it, "Carolyn is a tough woman. She gave birth to six amazing kids and, for the most part, raised them by herself after I died. She didn't do right by you or Amelia but look at you now."

Ivy shakes her head, chuckling sadly, "The amount of times I've heard that. Oh, your childhood sucked, but look at how strong you are now! That doesn't make it right. The only reason I turned out semi normal was because of Derek. Even then, the constant fear of him realizing he shouldn't be raising me and just give up on me was there."

They both start to remember her childhood. Christopher from an outside perspective and Ivy with a layer of pain.

Five year old Ivy stands in the doorway of the kitchen, watching as the rest of the Shepherds make dinner.

"So, Der, are you coming to my softball tournament tomorrow?" Kathleen asks her brother.

"I don't know, Kathy. I was planning on taking Ivy to the park with Mark," Derek tells her, spotting Ivy, "Come here, Ivy. It's family binding time."