Ivy knows it's time to return to her childhood seaside town to battle the demons of her past. Two years away from her friends, family and the beloved sandy beach that holds such a special place in her heart.
She knows the visit will be painful but...
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J J W O O D F O R D
I've never met anyone like Andrea and James. Take away the fact they're Ivy and Finn's parents, they might as well be older aunties and uncles who are bad yet fun influences.
We order pizza and sit around the kitchen counter as we discuss their latest travels, it seems that they go away often. Finn digs out a couple of beers and hands them to his dad and then myself. I study him as he drinks down the majority of his beer in one go.
His alcohol problem is definitely something that needs discussing.
I don't know what was going on between him and Ivy the other night. Both of them were crying, their puffy eyes and blotchy skin was a giveaway. I know they're close but I have no idea what could have upset them both so dearly.
But I've been keeping away from Ivy anyway. Not because I'm trying to be an ass but because I want her to make her own decisions. I've done my fair share of persuading, now it's her time to prove that she knows what she wants.
She's a strong girl. We all know that. But is she ready to let go of whatever is holding her back?
"You guys are too old to be going to clubs," Finn covers his eyes with embarrassment. "Let alone being kicked out of them."
Ivy is sharing the same amount of shame as she flicks her eyes between her parents. "What did you do to get kicked out?" She asks.
Andrea covers her mouth to suppress a laugh and James takes a large sip of his beer. "Nothing bad," he shrugs with a cheeky smile. "Nothing bad at all."
Finn rolls his eyes. "Yeah, like I totally believe that." Then he turns to me with a serious expression. "This is coming from my parents who accidentally took shrooms at our aunties wedding."
My lips curl into a smile. "Never too old to be going clubbing."
"Thank you!" Andrea exclaims and latches onto her wine glass with a fresh manicure. "We might be older than you but we're still allowed to have a good time."
Ivy snorts. "Having a good time or being menaces and getting kicked out?"
"When did we adopt two teenagers?" Finn directs to his sister.
James swats his son's shoulder gently but his expression is playful. "When did we have two children who might as well belong in the old people's home?" He jokes.
Finn wrestles back with his father gently until they're laughing. As I watch them, it makes me miss my family. Dearly. I wish I could hold my mother through her experimental treatment, and be there for my father. I wish so many things.
But being here with them heals a tiny hole in my heart. It makes me feel like I belong in a family somewhere–even if mine is crumbling as we speak.
"So what's been going on around here then?" Andrea asks as she looks between us all. "Enjoying your summer, I presume? The weather is delightful today."
