Hurting Kind//Del Water Gap

Chapter 30

Ivy

We left the hotel and are on our way back to my house. Today is strictly family day where we spend all day catching up. Tomorrow is the day where I take him around Mullingar. I can tell my family already really likes Holden. He charmed his way through to their hearts.

"So what's the plan for today?" He spoke up from beside me. We are only a few minutes away.

"Today is catching up day. We have this tradition where we all sit around and talk about what we've been up to." I explained.

"Is everyone going to be there?" He asked.

"I think so. Listen if my dad is here, it's going to be a lot different than yesterday. The whole atmosphere is different." I wanted to make sure he knew.

"Okay. If we need to leave just let me know and we can go. I don't want you to put up with it." He reached over and grabbed my free hand as I was driving.

"I'll be okay." I smiled at him.

"Your birthday is coming up. What do you want?" He asked me.

"I don't want anything. Speaking of birthdays when is yours? I'm really bad about birthdays. I forget everyone's." I wondered.

"April 15th." He said as I whipped my head around to look at him.

"What? No it's not. Really? You're telling me I forgot about your birthday? We were together. You didn't tell me!" I was a little angry.

"It's not a big deal. After a certain age you don't celebrate it." He shrugged like it's not a big deal.

"Then I'm not celebrating mine. We can celebrate next year." I declared. I wasn't missing his birthday but celebrating mine. I'm not doing it.

"What? No. We aren't missing your birthday. I don't care what you say."

"Yes we are. I missed yours. It's only fair." I insisted.

"We are celebrating you. No discussion about it." He tried to silence me.

"No. If we celebrate mine then we also celebrate you. We can celebrate the both of us on my birthday. That's it. No saying anything else." I stated. I wasn't letting him celebrate me. I felt awful that I forgot.

"No. Ivy it's your day. I didn't want to celebrate mine."

"Holden. Please. Let me celebrate you." I pleaded. I looked over at him and I could see him slowly giving in.

"Fine. We can have a cake. That's it. A cake that says congratulations on living another year." He gave up.

"Deal. I promise it'll be the best May 14th you'll ever have." I said as we turned into my parents' driveway.

"Deal." He got out of the car and quickly ran around to open my door. He's the sweetest.

"Well thank you." I got out of the car and we walked up to the door. I was kind of nervous. I saw my dad's car in the driveway.

"You ready?" He walked up and grabbed my hand.

"As ready as I'll ever be." I smiled at him. I opened the door and we walked in. "I'm here!" I called through the house. I walked to the living room and saw everyone sitting in the couches. They were all dead quiet. "Hey guys." I quietly sat down on the floor. Holden sat beside me. This is normal behavior, I just never get used to it.

"Are you alright?" Holden whispered.

"I'm fine." I messed with the carpet. It was all messed up from all the years of me sitting here. "See how messed up the carpet is? That's because I sit here and mess with it every time I'm home."