We can't Rule Our Hearts! They Rule us!

The Move

Ivy had been married to Robert for 5 years, they had been together for 11 in total and unfortunately even though they were trying to build a great life together fertility issues, loss and stress due to this had pulled them apart.

The divorce had been hard on them both as the loves was still there but resentment had grown and overtaken the love they felt for each other. Ivy wanted to make a complete break after the split so Robert bought her out of the 3 bedroom house they shared together in Essex and she moved to Wapping in East London to rent a one bedroom flat close to her cousin who owned a pub with her husband in the same area. It was a big thing for her to move on her own but she knew it was what she needed, work luckily had a position open up in London as a publicist so she decided to just go for it and luckily got the position. Ivy was hoping that more responsibility, more money and some independence would help her fix her broken heart and soul.

It was move in day and Ivy's best friend Jenny, cousin Freya and her husband Daniel was helping her to move in. Luckily it only took a few hours due to the size and the fact she had downsized so much.

Once done they all stood in the tiny front room covered in boxes, Ivy couldn't help it but tears started to fall from her eyes as she looked around the small space that she would now call home. She had never been on her own before, before her and Robert lived together she lived at home with her parents. This would be the first time she would literally be on her own and she knew she needed this because the breakdown of her relationship with Robert had destroyed her, she needed to find herself again.

Let's hope she can.

******************************************************

"Hey, it's okay hun. It all looks great I think you are going to love it here." Jenny wrapped her arms around me and I rested my head on her shoulder.

"Thanks for your help guys I do appreciate it." I said as I moved away from Jenny and over to the window to look out at the cobbled street below me.

"Do you want us to help you unpack the boxes Ivy?" Freya said as she walked over to be beside me and I turned to her and smiled pulling her in for a hug.

"It's okay, I will do it over time. Will give me stuff to do in the evenings." Heavens knows I needed something to drag out to keep my mind off my inhabitable womb and divorce.

"Right! Off to the pub it is then yeah?" Said Daniel as he clapped his hands together and my tears faded and a smile took over the frown.

"Oh Yes! Cocktails are needed tonight Dan, Jenny you up for it?" I look over and Jenny has a great big grin on her face.

"I am in, I have told the husband and he's taking the kids to his Mum's for dinner so I will be sleeping on your sofa if that's okay?" She grabbed her phone and purse off my side table and started to walk towards the front door.

"Let's go then ladies!" Dan stands in the door way to the side letting us all walk past and out of the front door.

Freya and Daniel's pub is only 5 minutes down the road, it used to be owned by his Mum and Dad but they have now retired and they took over. It was a typical East London pub full of the old regulars who have known Dan since a baby, they were all so friendly and when we walked in we were greeted like royalty heading over to the always reserved family corner next to the old fashioned fire place.

"Aperol Spritz Ivy?" Freya calls over as she and Dan head behind the bar with Lizzie the Bar Manager.

"Yes please darling, Jenny you want one too?" I slide into the booth next to Jenny removing my leather jacket.

"OOO Yes please hun." She places her purse and phone onto the table then rubbing her hands together.

"One for Jenny as well please!" I settled back into the cushion and when putting my phone on the table I could see there was a message from Robert and I decided to leave it for now, I felt emotional as it was and just wanted to relax with my friends and family. Jenny saw the phone and we looked at each other then I forced a smile on my face.

"It's okay, I'll check it later....Let's get smashed yeah? I think it's karaoke tonight. Let's make everyone's ears bleed." I turned my phone over then reached out my arms to take the drinks off Freya as she came over to the table.

"Thank you my lovely, can I just say thank you guys for today. Let's drink and have a bloody good time yeah." I held up my drink to cheers with the girls.

"To Ivy and her new home. Congratulations!" Said Freya as we all clinked our glasses together.

Once a few Aperol's were consumed the karaoke started, Dan decided to sing Sweet Caroline so Jenny and I got up dancing with the older regulars, singing at the top of our lungs along with Dan.

After even more Aperol's Jenny, Freya and I got up and sang a Spice Girls classic 'Spice Up Your Life'. I can't sing to save my life but with the amount of alcohol in my system I didn't care, I was letting loose not thinking about anything serious for a change and it felt good.

Jenny and I left the pub about 1 staggering to my new home, what should have been a 5 minute walk turned into 20 as we swayed across the pavement and up the secluded thin staircase to my front door.

"Thank you for tonight Jen I really needed it." I said as I fumbled around with my keys putting what seemed like 1000 keys in the lock before it finally turned.

Jenny collapsed on the sofa as I headed to the bedroom to hunt through an unpacked box to find her a pillow and blanket, when I cam back in she was already fast asleep so I tucked her in the blanket and went back into my room looking round the boxes for PJ's before just grabbing a baggy t shirt and PJ shorts before jumping onto the unmade bed with a pillow and quilt.

As I stared up at the unfamiliar ceiling I remember the waiting text on my phone, reaching over to the bedside cabinet I grabbed the phone and opened the message.

"Hope the move went well. Was hard seeing you take all your final things from the house today. I hope you're okay. x"

I couldn't control it, the tears started to fall. I loved Robert so much and us deciding to divorce was one of the hardest things I had to do in my life, even though we loved each other we weren't in love with each other. We had trouble conceiving a baby then after 2 miscarriages my heart and mental state was not in a good place, we argued all the time and we were just making each other miserable so we had to walk away before we despised each other. I guess that's why the divorce was so hard, because we didn't hate each other. There was still love there, we just knew it couldn't work anymore.

I decided not to reply to his message, I just laid the phone on my chest and sobbed myself to sleep.