Ebony & Ivory

Prologue

Ivris:
       Summer break is over and school is starting once again. I already prepared my mind for the judging looks of my peers I will get when I have to walk through those double doors once again. I've made myself remember that I can not act like myself I have to act like Ivris Wells, Bernadice Johnson's son, the owner of the water company that supplies this town.

       There are too many people watching me, waiting for me to slip up and damage my reputation. So yesterday when I accidentally forgot to help my mom out at the company and she spat those cold words at me, I snapped. 

       I was sick of hearing those words she insisted on repeating to me constantly every day. "Your worthless just like your grandfather."

       It wasn't the fact that she called me worthless that caused me to flip, I could care less of all the things she's called me, it was the fact that she called him worthless. My Grandfather. The only family member I had that truly loved me.

       He practically raised me when my mother came home claiming that she was pregnant at 16 and my grandfather was 33. He took care of me like I was his real son since my mother claimed to not know who my real father was. 

       He lost my grandmother to a plane accident and never remarried saying she was his only love. He never had anymore children even though he did want more. So when I came along it was a blessing.

      My mom continued partying after she had me and only came home in short intervals to grab clothes or borrow more money from grandfather until one day she came home with her meaty drug dealer of a boyfriend wreaking havoc she screamed at my grandfather in a drunken and possibly high stupor.

       She was just running around trashing the place, books were thrown, dressers were flipped over, furniture was ripped. She just kept screaming "where is it?!" While my grandfather stood off to the side silent and watched both the intruders trash our house until she finally found the bundles of money she had been looking for.

      She grinned in triumph and ran out the door completely ignoring the one bundle that my grandfather really cared about and that was tucked away safe in his arms.

Me.

       After that she just stopped coming altogether. My grandfather had thought that was the last he'd see of her until one day she came home drunk and asked grandfather where I was.

******

"Where's my baby?"

"First, he is not a baby anymore. He's four, and second, he has a name." Grandfather said.

"just tell me where he is I want to see him." She slurred out.

"I don't think that's such a good idea. Look at you you can barely stand up. Just go to bed you can see him in the morning." Grandfather replied noticing her tripping over air as she stood in one place.

       That's when I decided to make my appearance known from hiding behind the couch.

"Hey baby! How are you? I haven't seen you in a long time. Your selfish grandfather has been keeping you from me!" She then squatted down arms spread wanting me to walk to her. Instead of doing like she thought I would, I ran to my grandfathers side and held onto his hand as he sat in his large recliner. She looked at me shocked and took a step closer but I took a step farther back afraid of her.

"Grandfather, who is she?" I whispered in his ear.

       She gasped suddenly sober and screamed "You don't know who I am!"