Ivy's Twisted Vine Redux (55 page)

“Yeah,” Santo said barely taking his eyes off of the catwalk. “You gotta love these girls.”

“Look, I’ve got to cut out of here for a moment. You don’t mind, do you?”

“Why? What’s wrong?”

“A guy I know needs some help getting home.”

“Sure.” Santo hesitated. “Are you sure, you aren’t leaving with a woman?” A sly smile crossed his face. “Getting a little kitty before the kitty call?”

“Positive.” Nicola laughed. “Do you remember how to get home?”

“Yeah. It’s basically a straight shot, right? I got Mt. Moriah to I-240 and that will lead me downtown.”

“Yeah. Just call me on my cell, if you get lost or too drunk.”

“Oh, you know I’ve never been a heavy drinker. Besides, I don’t want to miss one minute of this.”

“Alright,” Nicola said feeling a little better leaving his brother alone his first night in Memphis.

Returning to Grey, Nicola got their jackets from the coat check and headed out to Grey’s car. It wasn’t until Nicola started the car that he realized that he might have been too drunk as well to make it home. Turning on a little music and letting down the windows, he looked in Grey’s wallet one more time to memorize his address and headed out into the streets.

Grey was unconscious the entire time, occasionally moving around in the passenger seat. Driving quietly, Nicola had time to think, but not about Grey or Ivy. It was himself he was dwelling on. When he looked at Grey, he saw himself. He saw the drunk he used to be and sometimes still was. He asked himself now, why did he do it? What was it every time that made him go too far? He didn’t want his boys to grow up thinking that it was okay to drink their problems away, because the truth was they never went away until he solved them. How many problems have you solved, he asked himself. That was good question. There was also a shame inside of him for the way that he had behaved. He still remembered how Ivy had nursed him back, disgusted with his appearance but concerned for his health. To that very day, he knew that she had done her selfless deed out of love. That one act validated every reason he had for helping Grey now.

One half hour later, he arrived at Grey’s house. Pulling into the driveway, he pondered for a moment his actions and then released his thought to the future actions needed to get the drunken young man from the car to his house. Struggling, Nicola threw Grey’s arm over him and helped him to place his feet on the ground.

“Where are we?” Grey asked finally focusing his eyes on the manicured lawn.

“Shit, I hope we’re in front of your house,” Nicola said yawning.

“Oh, yeah,” Grey laughed and fell down on the ground, where he heaved up his dinner.

Watching with sheer disgust and a hint of queasiness in his own stomach, Nicola helped Grey once more up and to the door. Looking through Grey keys, he found what seemed to be the door key and opened the front door allowing Grey to fumble through the hall to the alarm system.

“You can stay here tonight if you’d like,” Grey said leaving Nicola in the kitchen.

“No, I’m just gonna call a cab.” He yawned again.

“Well at least allow me to pay the fare,” Grey screamed from the bathroom.

“No, I’m fine. Thanks, though.” Nicola looked around Grey’s condo for a moment amazed at the similarities in their homes and the distinct differences. Where Grey had a picture of an African tribesman over the fireplace, Nicola had Old Italian artifacts he had gotten on his first trip to Rome. Similar but different.

Grey came out of the bathroom a little more alert but still extremely under the influence. Feeling disoriented, he walked slowly to the staircase and bid Nicola farewell until a new day.

“If you choose to leave, there’s a cookie jar full of money on the right side countertop.” Turning quietly he disappeared up the stairs to his room where he fell on his bed unconscious and unconcerned.

Picking up the phone to dial the cab company, Nicola sat down on the couch and stared at a picture of Ivy standing gracefully with Grey at some formal function wrapped in his embrace and shinning for the camera. Even on the picture, her eyes glittered like virgin diamonds. As his fingers glided over the phone dials, he heard the kitchen door open and close. Standing up, he looked curiously around the corner to find Ivy standing at the countertop taking off her shoes.

“I see you’re still awake,” she said feeling someone in the room even with her back turned.

“Not for long,” Nicola said leaning against the door transfixed by her presence.

Turning suddenly, she looked frightened. “Nicola? What are you doing here?” she asked looking around past him to the living room for Grey.

“I dropped Grey off. He was pretty drunk.”

“
You
dropped him off?” Ivy asked confused. “Did you two go out?”

“No. I saw him at the Black Tie. He was in no shape to drive home.” Nicola felt awkward now that he saw distrust in Ivy’s eyes. What did she think he was doing here?

“Where is he now?” She inched towards the doorway.

“Upstairs,” he said moving out of the doorway. “You can go see if you like.”

“Okay,” she said walking slowly around him. “Don’t go anywhere. I’ll be right back.”

“Alright,” he said laughing. She had to be kidding.

Running up the stairs, Ivy could see Grey’s door open and his bathroom light illuminating the bedroom. Walking closer to the door, she could see his feet hanging off the edge of the bed. Her heart stopped for a moment. What if he was dead? Sticking her head through the door, she turned the light on to find Grey snoring loudly and reeking of vomit and alcohol. He wasn’t dead, but he was definitely drunk. As she closed the door to his room, she felt awful for the way that she had behaved with Nicola. She shook her head in disbelief of the situation. She would have never pegged Nicola for the Good Samaritan when it came to Grey, but evidently she had judged wrongly. She held her stomach feeling the pit of it ball into knots.

“I told you he was alright,” Nicola said as she came back down the stairs.

“Yeah, you did,” she said looking at Grey’s grandfather clock. “God, it’s late. You must be exhausted.” Her manners came back to her slowly.

“Actually, I was just about to call a cab,” he said yawning again leaning against the doorway.

“A cab? I don’t think so. Come on. I’ll take you home.” She brushed passed him as she went into the kitchen.

“You think that’s a good idea?” he asked unsure of her offer. “Just a minute ago you thought I could be Jack the Ripper.”

“I know. I’m sorry. Yes, I’m sure,” she said grabbing her purse and putting on her shoes. “Now, come on. Grey won’t miss me. He’s too drunk, and believe me, you don’t want to spend the night. He won’t be the same person in the morning. ”

“I hadn’t planned on it,” Nicola said setting down Grey’s keys. “Let’s go.”

It was a long and quiet drive to Nicola’s condo on the river. He slept most of the way, and Ivy listened to R. Kelly sing the blues about yet another woman that he had treated badly and was begging to forgive him. Once or twice, she looked over at Nicola sleeping peacefully and smiled. She had seen another side of him tonight, and honestly it had taken her by total surprise. His large, muscular arms hung over the armrest and his hand touched her thigh slightly causing a small arousal that she tried to repress by thinking of her sons. That’s how she had gotten in their predicament the first time. When she pulled up to his house, she moved his arm and watched the slits of eyes open to their full almond propensity. Gleaming at her now, he yawned again involuntarily and looked at her radio clock. It was officially four thirty, and Santo wasn’t home yet.

“Can I invite you in for cup of coffee?” Nicola asked as he sat up.

“I don’t think so,” she said hesitantly wiping her red eyes. She turned down the radio and turned to him.

“Well it’s either that or you’re forced to spend the night, because you’re too tired to make it home right now.” He nudged her side. “Come on. I promise not to bite.”

“Alright,” she said feeling the tiredness overwhelm her. “But I only plan to stay a minute.”

“Fine by me,” Nicola said opening his door. “I won’t be up much longer anyway.”

Ivy followed behind him quietly, hearing crickets chirp and feeling the dew on the grass as they cut across the lawn up to his front door. The streetlights gleamed down on them as he fumbled with his keys. Finally opening the door, he hit his alarm and escorted her inside. She was greeted by the familiar smell of fresh linen and Ralph Lauren Cologne. The cold air blasting from the air conditioner, the dimmed lights, perfectly cleaned house and picturesque bachelor pad were all things that she loved about his place. He closed the door behind her, threw his keys on the table and watched her walk into his kitchen.

“Make yourself comfortable. I’ll be right back,” he said headed up the back stairwell to his bedroom.

Sitting in the kitchen, Ivy noticed that Nicola had gotten rid of all the alcohol he used to store in such abundance. There were pictures of the twins where under magnets on his refrigerator along with their first ultrasound. The kitchen was fully stocked,
very unlike him
. In all, she was proud of the visible changes that she saw him making, slowly coming around to parenthood.

“I’m back,” he said bouncing around the corner in a pair of navy blue basketball shorts and a white t-shirt.

“That was quick,” Ivy said getting up to tend to the brewing coffee. “Would you like a cup, too?”
“Yeah,” he said walking back into the kitchen more rejuvenated.

“You probably have as many pictures of the boys as I do,” she said looking at the refrigerator. Handing him a cup, she felt his fingers rub over hers causing them both to hesitate for just a moment. Ivy looked away.

“Thanks,” he said sitting down at the table.

“You’re welcome,” she said trying to control her rapidly beating heart. Until now she thought that she was well over Nicola’s boyish good looks and charm, but she was clearly mistaken.

“So, is everything ready for the wedding?” he asked trying to change the obvious subject they both dwelled on in silence.

“Nearly.” Her voice streaked. Clearing it, she began again. “Nearly, it is next week.” She sat down across from him and sipped on her coffee.

“It doesn’t seem like our kids have been here six weeks,” he smiled at her.

“I know. I was just thinking that tonight.” Their eyes met again before she looked back down at her coffee. She wished that he would find something else to look at besides her. “How’s Rachel?”

“She fine,” Nicola said looking down at his coffee. Touchy subject.

“She seemed…nice,” Ivy said running out of things to say. Suddenly, coffee didn’t sound like such a good idea.

“So, this is what you really want?” Nicola asked finally. Enough about Rachel and idle chat about their children. For Nicola, he needed to know where Ivy’s heart was.

“Yes, Nicola. I think so.”

“Well, I really think that you should be sure before you do this.” His nervousness began to show in his trembling voice. “You should…make sure that he is the man that will make you happy.”

“Everyone keeps telling me that, as if I don’t already know.” She looked up and sighed.

“Do you know?” His felt his nerve nearly leaving him with every word. “I mean, do you know that he’s the one.” His eyes darted unable to make eye contact for fear of being found out.

“At times.” And finally her nerve had left her. “It’s hard to explain, especially at nearly five in the morning.” She wiped her tired eyes trying to fight unneeded agitation.

“Point taken,” he said sipping his coffee.

“Thanks for tonight, though,” she said setting down her cup. “What you did…well, it was extremely thoughtful.”

“I just remember when someone did something like that for me once.” He didn’t look up. He simply sipped quietly.

“It was out of the same humanity that came from you tonight.”

“I thought what you did came out of love,” he said catching her off guard. “But you’re right tonight was out of humanity and respect.”

“Respect for him?”

“No, respect for you.”

“Right. Well, I’d better go.” Pulling away from table, she stood up and stretched.

“Okay,” Nicola’s voice faded. He didn’t want her to go. “Well, thanks for bringing me home.”

“No problem.” She couldn’t bring herself to look him in his eyes.

Walking to the door, Ivy felt Nicola watching her body as he walked behind her. The thought made her nearly stumble. She turned around slowly scared to face him.

“I’ll see you later,” she said hugging him softly, weakly.

“Alright, take care,” he said hugging and at the same time releasing her.

As Ivy opened the door to leave, she felt Nicola’s fingers around her again. She turned to see his eyes free of the hooded sexual look she had once seen but full of a new needy look that matched that of a lonely soul. She hugged him once more, understanding it was hard for him to let go. What he didn’t know was that it was hard for her to let go also.

“Ivy,” Nicola said pulling her to him. “What am I suppose to do without you?”

“Don’t do this to now, please.” She finally looked at him, through him and began to feel repressed emotions pumping through her veins. She could feel his breath on her shoulders. He rubbed her arms softly and kept his eyes on hers. Like a deer in headlights, she stopped.

“Why do you think that all of this happened?” he asked feeling his emotions boil over. “Why do you think that you had my children, that I feel all of these things for you when we only spent one night together?” He searched his heart for the right words.

“I don’t know,” Ivy said faintly. “I ask the same questions all the time.”

“Tell me that you don’t want me,” Nicola said as he held her body up against the wall. “Maybe if you were to tell me that, I would stop feeling like I feel every day of my life.” He looked at her body as she breathed heavily. Finally, he looked back up at her. “Ivy, something has happened to me. I’m not the same man anymore.”

“Well, I’m not the same woman, either.” Ivy tried to slow her breathing.

“Baby, I need you,” Nicola protested.