Page 130 of Clint & Ivy

We both understood that what was happening wasn’t normal, and I couldn’t make promises. She could only choose to trust I’d return to her.

Ivy Humphreys might have seemed like a bad fit for my life. The tiny, rich girl didn’t radiate toughness. She hadn’t grown up in a world filled with rowdy people or dangerous situations. Yet, as she watched me ride away, Ivy kept her chin up and refused to break.

IVY’S EPILOGUE

Clint and I becameman and wife on a balmy summer evening at the Sorority House. Ford walked me down the aisle to Heart’s “Crazy on You.” The song always reminded me of my first party at the Sorority House when my confidence hit a new level.

The past barely touched me most days. The house in Reno sold quickly once Linus took his payoff and left. Soon afterward, I hired a new representative to handle my trust. I still hadn’t looked at the messages from Linus, even after he continued to send them every few months. I wanted to leave my past where it belonged and focus on the life I was building with Clint.

My first year in Little Memphis was full of milestones, but one of the most exciting was getting my driver’s license. I loved going anywhere I wanted without having to bum a ride from someone.

I chose a sporty Lexus LX SUV, which was small enough for me to handle but big enough for when a baby came along. Though I wanted a funky orange color, Clint begged me to get something more generic that might blend in easier.

“If some fucker gets it in his head to track you, orange will be super easy to spot.”

Unable to deny his sensible suggestion, I chose the steel gray color instead. With wheels of my own, I was free to drop by Shay’s house, meet Elle somewhere for lunch, and drive to the Sorority House.

I also began volunteering at Sabine Women’s Center several times a week to give me something to do. Though I considered finding a job, I didn’t want a set schedule. I preferred to be available for Clint. Besides, I sensed a baby wasn’t that far off.

Clint was both excited and wary when I suggested we try having a child on the first anniversary of the day we met.

“Are you afraid of your life changing?” I asked when Clint seemed unsure while we sat in the quiet courtyard with Hanzee.

“I’m worried the pregnancy will strain your body.”

“We’ll be extra careful,” I promised. “If the pregnancy is too difficult, I will get fixed so it’ll be our last.”

“I can get fixed,” Clint insisted. “I’m sexy enough to have my balls snipped.”

I rewarded his comment with fun times back in the condo. We started trying that day. Two months later, I missed my period. Those next nine months were an exciting yet scary time for Clint and me.

The pregnancy was highly monitored, yet overall uneventful. Though Clint worried endlessly about my heart, Elle seemed more afraid of the baby running out of space inside me.

“Imagine a full-size candy bar trying to hide inside a snack-sized one,” she insisted during dinner. “It’s madness!”

Despite Elle’s paranoia about the baby outgrowing my womb and tearing free, I was mostly concerned about picking a good name.

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