Better Choices (bwwm)

F I V E

"Happy belated birthday Alex" Her mom smiles at me and I smile at her back.

"What did you guys do?" Sarah asks making everyone look at her.

Ivy don't react. Don't do it.

"I took him to a restaurant then we went to a party for him" I know she's trying so hard not to say anything snarky.

"I remember the parties I went to in my 20's" She laughs. I remember me kissing her when she was in her twenties.

"Oh really? You seemed more like the kinda gal who preferred to hang with little kids" Why Ivy? Just why?

"What's that supposed to mean?" Her mom squints at her but Andrew is just looking at me along with my parents.

Funny enough Andrew doesn't even know about what happened. 

"Oh, nothing just that since you're a nurse, mainly a pediatric nurse I would assume you're good with kids" She played it off well but she should have never said it.

"Oh, so you work with kids Sarah?" My dad speaks up.

"No I'm a nurse in an ER but lots of kids come in so being good with kids is part of the job" She smiles innocently.

"How'd you get so good with kids?" I need Ivy to stop pushing.

"I used to babysit" She finally told the truth.

"Oh really? What kinds of kids? Teenagers? Babies? Toddlers?"

"All kinds, just for extra cash to get me through school" I know Ivy has something else to say but I just pinch her thigh shutting her up.

"I'm sorry Sarah. Ivy come on, you know better" Her mom looks disappointed but Ivy just takes a deep breath. 

"I was just curious, I didn't mean to make you sweat" She laughs it off and Sarah joins.

"Ingrid's 16th birthday is coming up this year" Ivy reminds everyone.

"I know, we're planning her this big party and she's still looking for a dress" I watch Ivy listen intently but her smile changes.

"Yeah, she said she wanted some DJ and we got him" Her dad adds.

She's trying her best to look happy for Ingrid but when she thinks nobody's watching she looks around and starts picking at old scabs on her thigh.

It's a habit she has.

I grab her hand and hold it so she snaps out her thoughts.

"It's really no big deal" Ingrid looks at Ivy and then at me.

"No it is, 16 means that you're two years away from being legal, that you can get your permit, and that you can do lots of things without parents because sixteen is like egging on to 18" I don't understand a single thing she said but sure.

"Didn't you have a sweet sixteen Ivy?" Ingrid asks her.

"Something like that, I don't remember much because I spent most of the time sitting down after being neglected so everyone else could talk about what Iris did at her last meet" She sounds unbothered by it but the way her eyes glisten says a lot.

"Oh please Ivy, we gave you a huge party, don't go and say that you were neglected, you were never neglected" Her father finally speaks but Ivy doesn't say anything.

"You know Ivy, what if you just had a sweet 21st, it's like a sweet 16 but adult style and it could make up for it" My mom offers.

"That sounds nice but I don't want a party and I don't have a whole bunch of money for the casual big party" She forgets my parents are filthy rich.