Ivy's Twisted Vine Redux Latrivia Nelson (best selling autobiographies .txt) 📖

as her eyes met Nicola’s. He stood up. Shocked. Embarrassed. Pulling at his suit vainly, he lifted his head and gave his best leisurely smile.

Ivy walked up to him only inches from his body and stood silently for a moment eyeing him carefully and sniffing the stench of the young drunk before she wrapped her arms around him warmly and hugged him. It had been the first hug anyone had given him throughout the entire ordeal, and he hoped it would be his last. It was utterly agonizing to bear, leaving him weak and vulnerable. Wanting to cry all over again, he substituted tears for a small, bottled up sigh.

Nicola stepped back finally and was able to get a good look at Ivy with her protruding stomach and long flowing locks pulled back in a soft ponytail. The small tendrils of hair that she left dandling on her sides flirted with her collarbone and the arm of her silk black sundress. Her soft lips were slightly glossed, her high cheek bones rosy, her caramel skin bare and resilient, her eyes shining bright and her long swan shaped neck decorated with a beautiful one carat diamond necklace that sat at the base of her throat.

“Oh, Nicola. How are you?” she asked looking around the corner for Grey. It was shame she had to watch the way she behaved with Nicola at a time like this when she was sure that he needed her most.

“I’m fine. You look great.” He touched her face slightly.

“Thanks.” She started in on him. “I called a hundred times to see if you needed anything. I couldn’t reach you. I’ve been so worried. I heard about the guy showing up at your house.” Tears formed in her eyes. “I just…I’m so glad that you’re not hurt.”

“I’m fine. Really. And I apologize about for avoiding you, but I just wasn’t up to seeing anyone.” He scratched the top of his head nervously and squinted his eyes, trying to keep his emotions under control.

“No. I totally understand. If anything were ever to happen to Trina.” She stopped the thought. “Heaven forbid it.” She shook off her thoughts and tried to focus on one thing at time. “Anyway, what’s next for you?”

“Actually, I’m headed to Miami Beach…tomorrow.” He watched her face for a response. “Do you need anything before I go?” It was obviously another afterthought.

Disappointment seemed to cover Ivy’s face to Nicola’s approval. Her face frowned uncontrollably. “Why do you have to go there?” She felt her heart skip a beat. Please don’t go so far away, she pleaded to him silently.

“That’s my home. Remember? ” he said seeing the urgency in her eyes. He grinned happy to see her concern. He needed that. He needed to know that she still cared. “Ivy, I’m just going to regroup.” He put his hand on her shoulder. “I’ll be back.”

“Oh. Yeah of course.” She tried to act as if it was nothing. “Well, don’t forget to call me.”

“I doubt that I’ll forget.” Nicola felt his head spinning. “I’ll call and give you all of my numbers there. And you can call me whenever you feel like it.” He was sure that she would not take him up on her proposition as badly as he wanted her to do so.

“I will,” she said letting go of their moment together. “Well, I’ll talk to you later. Take care.” Her arm slightly brushed his as she walked past him through the hall where Grey stood talking to one of the policemen, but inwardly watching her every move.

**

Crawling into bed later that night, Trina wiped her cheeks again and tried to massage the tear ducts of her eyes. She had cried so long and so hard that she began to feel terminally ill. It had been hard for her to pretend to be so strong the entire day when she wanted to throw herself on the casket as they were burying it. Launching her high heels across the room off her bed, she laid her head on the soft goose down pillow and sniffled involuntarily.

Looking at her alarm clock as the minutes slowly passed, she began to drift off feeling the tears dampen her pillow and wet her cheek. Unable to rid herself of the tight ball in her stomach and the constant flinching whenever she thought of Brooks’ body in a cold, dark coffin, she rose up in her bed and sighed. Damn it, he had just proposed to her…asked her to spend the rest of her life with him and then he went away…forever!

With all that was inside of her, she just wanted it all to end. She had contemplated how to rid herself of her burdens. Maybe she should do something drastic. Join the military? Become a police officer in remembrance of his death? Suicide? No. No. She looked over at the Bible that lay demandingly on top of the pile of books on her study table and decided absolutely not. She had to will herself to sleep. Grabbing her unfinished novel that she began reading six months ago, she turned to her marked page and began to read. …her lips quivered with passion as she held him closely.

“Trina?” a voice said from the other side of her door.

“Yeah,” Trina said putting down her book and wiping her eyes.

“It’s me, Emerald. Can I come in?”

“Sure, it’s open.”

Emerald had become a source of strength for Trina over the last few days. She almost envied Kakeline for having him. He was so beautiful and so bright. She loved with way that he smiled at her with his mossy green eyes and wide perfect smile. But he had not once flirted. Instead, late in the evenings, he would come and talk with her, keep her company…ultimately, giving her hope. She didn’t know why he had taken such an interest in her, but she was thankful. It was like Brooks had sent someone in his absence to help her through the most difficult point in her