Redeeming the Darkness

Chapter Four - Ivy

When I got home from work, the excitement had slightly worn off, and some fear settled in my mind. I didn't have any idea who this man was, and I'd just agreed to marry him. Of course, I could take it back and not leave with him when he showed up, but I didn't want that.

I made my way to the living room and sat down on the recliner. My stomach rumbled, and I wondered what I had in my fridge.

I hadn't gone to the grocery store in two weeks, but I guess if I was leaving, I didn't need groceries.

"What in the world is happening to my life?" I asked out loud.

"I have no idea," a voice answered. I started screaming. Like, my throat was going to bleed because I was screaming so loud.

"Ivy!" the voice yelled again, and I opened my eyes to see my cousin Callahan come out of the spare bedroom. He was laughing hysterically. I wanted to kill him.

"What are you doing?" I yelled. I took a calming breath in through my nose and shot daggers with my eyes. "You scared the crap out of me!"

He was still laughing. "Oh, man, that was brilliant!"

"How did you get in my house?" I asked.

"I asked Ryan to let me in earlier," he grinned.

"Why?"

"I came to town to spend the weekend with you." He took a seat on the couch and got comfortable.

"Where's your car?"

"I parked it in the store parking lot so that you wouldn't see it."

Well, this was going to be a problem.

"Cal," I said. He must have heard something in my voice because his eyes shot to mine and he sat up.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"I have to swear you to secrecy."

"On my life, you already know that."

Cal was my best friend. He was my only friend, and it didn't matter that he was my cousin, we were just best friends. Too similar in too many ways.

"I met someone yesterday," I started. I told him about Zane coming in to get work done on his car and how he came back, asking me if I'd marry him. I told him who he was and why he wanted me to marry him. I told Cal everything.

"What's his name?"

"Zane Landis," I answered.

"No way! Ivy, he's that guy in that ranger movie!"

"That's what he said."

Cal took his phone out and started typing away. He showed me the screen, and I saw a younger version of Zane staring back at me.

"Is this him?" he asked. I nodded. "Wow, you're going to be famous."

"You're assuming I said yes."

"I know you said yes. You'd be an idiot if you said no and you're no idiot. Plus, you wouldn't look conflicted if you'd already said no."

"You think I should do it?" I asked.

He placed his phone down and moved to the coffee table, so he was sitting directly in front of me. He leaned his elbows on his knees and smiled at me.

"I think you're one of the strongest people I know. You're smart, and you have a lot of energy. If there's anyone that could do this and make it work, it's you. I think you should take advantage of an opportunity that's staring you in the face. Tell me what I need to do, and I'll help you."

I was struck by a memory of something crazy we'd done when we were children, not that we were much more mature as adults.

"Do you remember when we were kids and our dads took us camping?"

"The one, and only time they did? Yeah," he chuckled. "I remember."

"Poor guys. Mom told them not to do something like that, but they didn't believe the trouble we'd get into."

"You're the one that got stuck in the tree; I was only trying to help you get down."

I narrowed my eyes. "That is not true, and you know it. If you hadn't wanted to race, I would have never climbed that high in the first place."

"What kid doesn't dream of racing someone up a tree? It was like, ingrained in my soul or something."

"We raced up the tree and, instead of calling out when you got scared so I'd stop climbing, you let me climb so high that my dad had to call the fire department to come get me down."

Cal fell backward on the table, laughing so hard he grabbed his stomach. I couldn't hold it in, and I joined him. The look on Dad's face when the firefighters got me down was priceless.

"Shortest camping trip in the history of the world, I think," I giggled.

"I think our dads were so shocked that they didn't know whether to be mad or proud."

"Well, mine grounded me when I got home," I admitted.

"Mine too," he shook his head and smiled. "So, what's it going to be, Ivy? Are you going to take a risk? See how high you can climb in the adventure of life?"

I grinned.

"I need to pack some bags."

"That's the Ivy I know and love!"

"And I need you to act like you have no idea what's going on, Cal, no matter who you're around. Even if it's just you and I talking, you can't say a word, just incase there's an a chance of someone listening. I can't let Zane know I told you, at least not yet, because I don't want him to get upset."

"Well, it sounds like I came for a surprise visit just in time," he laughed. "Let's go pack some bags."

We stood and made our way to my room. Callahan helped me until the early morning hours, and then, after a hug goodbye, he left. 

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