Deaf Love

Chapter 8

After school I walked home with Ivy in total silence. I occasionally looked over at her and she would have the same look on her face every time. It's as if her mind is totally full of the most wonderful and scary thoughts yet she is completely at peace surrounded by them. Curiosity is a beautiful thing is something my mother always used to say to me. I became solemn as I thought about my mother. I didn't have time to grieve because I was to busy taking care of dad and myself.

As if her senses were aware of my change in mood, Ivy touched my arm softly and looked at me with comforting and confused eyes. I smiled to let her know I was okay and she smiled back. It really was too much to explain on pen and paper.

--9 weeks later, almost winter break--

At 8:30pm we decided to give up on our homework and studies knowing that we now had a whole two and a half weeks to get it all done. As usual Ivy picked out a movie as I cooked dinner. Tonight was The Princess Bride with stir fry.

When we'd finished eating I took the dishes to the kitchen and on the way back to the lounge I grabbed pen and paper. I had lived with Ivy for over two months now and I only knew how to sign good morning and to spell my name. Things were going well. We looked out for each other. But I knew I had to come clean about my parents soon. Every so often Ivy would do something that reminded me of my mother and I would get into these moods. She'd comfort me but I was never able to tell her the full story.

"Will you teach me?" I wrote. I hesitated for a second but then slowly handed it towards the girl next to me.

"What?" She wrote back.

"To sign?" I handed back the book and Ivy's face turned from concern to excited joy and she nodded vigorously.

"Yes!!" She scribbled and clapped her hands together.

She was so beautiful when she smiled that I smiled too. She had a contagious beauty. When you saw how beautiful she was, you felt beautiful to be around her.

"Why so excited?" I asked.

"I've always wanted to teach someone. Hannah taught herself and teachers are either too lazy or already know. I can't wait. Let's start now!" She wrote fast and almost threw the book back at me and was now sitting on her knees with her hands in the air getting ready. As she began I placed my hands on hers to stop the from flying off her wrists in the excitement she was in. I was now on my knees facing her too. Her face fell from excitement to shock as our skin met and she stared at my hands on hers. I guess that's how you tell deaf people to calm down or shut up.

After contemplating the situation she looked up and locked her eyes with mine. For a moment I saw her in a new light. This was an Ivy I had never seen before. I saw who she was, what she had been through, the relationship she held with her parents and how that dug away at her life. I saw all of the wonder inside her mind and the millions of thoughts behind her eyes.

"INCONVEIVABLE."

I burst out laughing and Ivy looked confused but then turned to the TV just as the subtitle left the screen. She shook her head and breathed out heavily as if fed up with the stupidity of the character and disappointed that I stopped her from signing.

"Tomorrow," I wrote after composing myself. Ivy grabbed the book and tore out the piece of paper. She pointed to the word tomorrow, put the paper down, then then put her pointer finger on her collar bone and waited for me to do the same. She then slowly moved her finger away from her body making an arc. I did the same and she smiled.