I'm New York City

nineteen

"She's, she's going through some stuff, Joe," I said quietly. I didn't want to risk Sage hearing us. Sage made me promise not to tell him about her trying to hurt herself, she said she didn't want to disappoint her father even more. 

"What kind of stuff? Taylor, I need to know what's going on with my daughter, too!" he exclaimed, pacing back and forth. I could see the anger in his eyes, it wasn't a pretty sight when he got angry.

While Sage and I were out, we had talked about her father. She told me all about wanting to make him proud and hated the fact that she felt jealous and unloved by him. Sage knew that the two were drifting a part, but didn't want to blame anything on Ivy. I wanted Joe to try more, force himself to put in the effort that Sage can't. 

"She hurt herself. Is that what you wanted to know?" I asked, watching him stop in his tracks. He slowly looked up, walking back over to me.

"What do you mean she hurt herself?" he asked in an angry tone, once again.

I shook my head, "She scratches herself! She's too damn scared to actually cut herself, so she scratches her arms until she fucking bleeds," I yelled. 

Joe shook his head, looking at me in disbelief. "No, she wouldn't do that. Not on purpose, right? Not because of me? My little girl wouldn't do that," he continued.

"How often does she do this?" he asked.

"I don't know, I only found out that one time. Sage won't tell me anything else. She doesn't want to keep disappointing you, Joe. She thinks you don't love her, your love to her probably means more than mine! You were the one that was there for her when I wasn't," I said, tears threatening to spill out of my eyes. 

"She could never disappoint me, Taylor. I love that girl with every bone in my body. From the first glance I saw of her when she was born, until now. Don't tell me that you think that I don't love her," he asked, furrowing his eyebrows. 

I crossed my arms, not wanting to look him straight in the eye. I knew that Joe loves Sage, I would have never questioned it. But the way Sage said it, made it seem so believable. She was hurt. She sees things in a different perspective than I do. 

"We need to come up with a solution. Have you even thought about what Ivy thinks?" he asked, making me look at him confused. 

"Why are you bringing Ivy into this?" I asked, looking at him shocked.

He laughed, "Ivy needs her mother too, Taylor. You're spending too much time, babying Sage. Ivy, our youngest, needs her mother. She might not seem like it, but the look on her face tonight, said it all. She asked me why you don't spend time with her like that. On your days off, it's only ever you and Sage going out, leaving her behind," he spilled out. 

Right as I was going to reply, there was a knock at the door. Joe opened it, revealing Ivy.

"What are you guys doing? You're taking so long," she said, looking up at us sadly. 

I bent down, rubbing her cheek with my thumb. "We're just talking, we'll be there in a minute," I said, kissing her head. 

She looked at me and then at Joe. "Are you talking about us?" she asked. 

I took a deep breath, staring at Joe. Ivy was too smart for this, she knew what was happening. 

"Your mom and I just need to talk about something, love. Go back to the living room," Joe said, rubbing her shoulder. Ivy shook her head and looked up at me.

"Mom, can you and I go out one day? Like you and Sage?" she asked and I saw the hope in her eyes. 

I instantly nodded my head, "Of course, babe. It never hurts to ask," I said.