“Oh, right? Mom.” Heath couldn’t believe how Geoff forgot about his mother. Poor Ivy, she did double duty as mom and dad, and this was how Geoff saw her. Heath must fix that now since he now stood in the dad’s role. “How about we make sure we ask your mom before we plan anything? Your mom may have plans already. If not, we’ll surprise her by planning everything. Think of it as a thank you for raising you.” Heath didn’t want to tread on any plans Ivy might have for Geoff, but he didn’t want anyone missing out on celebrating or expressing their appreciation for others. He thought it might help them bond faster. “Isn’t that Mother’s Day?” Geoff asked, frowning up at his dad. He didn’t know if his dad remembered that day. “It is, but Mother’s Day doesn’t handle everything your mom does. She’s been doing her job at work. She comes home, and she’s your mom, which is another full-time job. I couldn’t do my job because I didn’t know I had it. Sh
“For once? I practically gave up living unless you were around, and I still couldn’t get past a tiny little bubble in your life.” Ivy tried not to stare at Heath as he stared at her. She could see his mind racing with questions he sought answers to. She considered him an idiot back then. He believed everything people said about her. Yet Heath selfishly kept her to himself. He didn’t let many people near her from his personal life after the mess his parents made the one time, he’d tried to introduce Ivy to them. She’d never forget that humiliating experience. His mother made her feel like a street urchin there, begging for a handout. “That’s not happening again. Speaking of my life. We need a sitter for next Tuesday evening. Do you think Kathy can be available there to watch Geoff? We have a fundraising event for the museum we must go to.” Heath threw this event on her with no notice, as if it was something he’d forgotten about. She’d have to give him that as a
Ivy waited for the elevator and thought about Heath’s reaction. This was her life; he didn’t get it. This would change her life significantly. If he left or she couldn’t live with whatever the truth was, he wasn’t telling her. Ivy really feared he’d wake up any day now and realize he’d chased after her in response to the rebound of getting a divorce. She was the one who got away. She wasn’t the same naive girl she’d been back then. Ivy had standards. Realizing it was futile, she went to the pharmacy. Ivy entered the elevator and headed down to the main floor lobby. She’d not told Heath about her pregnancy limitations. One of which was, she couldn’t do the restoration herself. The chemicals used in the restorations were too harmful. There were fumes involved with some compounds. Others were dangerous if they touched her skin. That was the museum’s policy on pregnancy in her contract. Thankfully, with Geoff’s pregnancy, she’d not had this position until aft
What she’d not expected were two women in front of her looking at a paper gossip sheet. They still publish the magazine for the older generation who didn’t use the internet for their gossip. “Ellie, look at this. That poor woman. She’s coming out of a hospital after her son received medical attention for an injury. The woman must have been distraught. If he’s the father. He better step up and be there for his son and her.“Janice, love. The article’s not about that. It says she’s blackmailing the Allan heir, but that doesn’t sound right. Why did she take so much time? Also, look at her face. That's a woman with everything. We’d have heard rumours of blackmail and illegitimate children long before now. That’s boy’s well past toddlerhood. The story doesn’t make sense. He’s been divorcing his wife for well over a year. It's likely something that would arise during the divorce proceedings. "If we checked I bet there’d be no mention of this in the public record." El
Heath could not keep his mind on the television. His mind raced back and forth through his memories. Past conversations and current overlapped in his mind. He wasn’t sure where some of them ended, and others began.He realized Ivy wasn't happy as he had thought. Had he ever known her as she truly was? His mother had him convinced at one point Ivy was out for money from him. It was the first time she requested money. That money would cover only his expenses. She’d not asked for a single cent for her or Geoff. That didn’t sit well with him. He didn’t like the idea of her paying for his son. Damn it, if the media found out that a billionaire’s son was not only being raised by someone else, but his family wasn’t contributing to his care or upkeep. Heath knew he’d have to settle his paternity and fix this. Ivy and Geoff should have the same lifestyle as any Allan family member. She should have been his wife, not some faded memory. He’d screwed up so badl
“Ivy, have you taken any of the pain medication today?” Heath watched Ivy wince again as she shifted on the bed where she sat. Her hands went to her ponytail and pulled the band, restraining it out of her hair with several irritated tugs.“No, as I said before this. I can’t take the medication while pregnant. I needed to go to the pharmacy because I ran out. It’s over there in the bags along with stuff we might need going forward.” Heath nodded at Ivy’s words. Her face changed making Heath aware of how the gulf between the bags and her. In her state she saw a torturous journey to the bags, and she tried to find the strength to cross the distance.“I’ll get you some hold on a minute.” He searched the bag for the prescription. He was amazed by the variety of items he discovered in the bags. It took him a moment to remember what he was saying. She’d prepared for several pleasurable evenings. “Taking it now probably wouldn’t do anything if you are pregnant. It’s too early.” Ivy looked at
“Fine. We can try, but if they don’t change after a reasonable time, then we’ll wash our hands of them.” Ivy listened to Heath. She understood why he felt so reluctant to try. Ivy watched him repeatedly reason with his parents. Both or one of his parents would always resist his overtures and compromises. However, Ivy wanted to make sure his parents couldn’t accuse her of keeping them away from their grandchild going forward. The past she could do nothing about. If Heath could change like this, could his parents if given the chance? “Good. If we get them with us. Monica won’t have access to them or your family’s finances.” Ivy would use any advantage she could get. Monica’s threats the day Geoff broke his ankle were still in her mind, along with the echoes of past confrontations. Ivy tried avoiding all this, including Monica, but when Monica made it clear she’d use Geoff as a tool to force Heath to interact with Monica on her terms, that scared Ivy to no end. Mo
Ivy awoke with a slight jolt when Heath’s warm, smooth lips met hers. “Dinner is here, Ivy. Time to wake up, love. Are you feeling better?” His soft, deep voice sounded gentle and caring above her. “Ah! Oh Heath. I was asleep. You scared me. Oh, uh.” Ivy said. It took her a moment to assess her mind and body. Lost in thought, she questioned the year and all its implications. Were they parents to a son? Ivy wondered about his motive for asking about how she felt. Her mind focused on the present, leaving the past behind and quickly assessing the situation. “I think the pain medication has done whatever it will do. It won’t get any better. What was Geoff craving for dinner? Ivy felt disoriented from sleep and strange dreams blending past and present in a confusing manner. “As you requested. I took pizza off the list of options, and he chose fried chicken.” Heath may not have realized he made a face. But Ivy acted as if he’d grown a second head or a t