Gravity

Chapter 18

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Soundtrack

Ruin - Shawn Mendes
Do ya, do ya think about me
Do ya, do ya feel the same way
Do ya, do ya remember how it felt
'Cause I do, so listen to me baby

St Jude - Florence + The Machine
Another conversation with no destination
Another battle never won
And each side is a loser
So who cares who fired the gun

I Won't Give Up - Jason Mraz
I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
I'm still looking up

***

In the days leading up to Christmas the Water's house buzzes with activity as everyone tries to make the best of Tyler and my time home, despite our injuries. We were all very shaken up by the whole ordeal, but seem to have come to the collective mindset that there is no use dwelling on what we can't change.

Tyler and I keep ourselves busy with holiday activities in an attempt to distract ourselves from remembering, and things are so hectic that I hardly notice the passage of time. I stop keeping track of the date itself, and instead find myself using the texts I've been receiving from Avery as indicators of the days crawling on.

The first one comes the evening after the accident, shortly after Tyler and I arrive back at the house. I'm perched on a barstool in the kitchen, when my phone dings on the counter. I languidly take it in my hand and flip it to see the screen.

Avery: hey, how r you doing? still in the hospital?

My immediate reaction is to frown. I know I said that I'd keep him posted, but I didn't think he'd take me up on it.

Although, why wouldn't he?

"Oh no, what's with the face?" Tyler asks, noticing my scowl.

"Just Ivy," I lie as I begin to type out my response, much to my own surprise. "Asking if we're doing okay after last night."

Grace: I'm okay. Back home now. Horses aren't doing so well tho

    Which is unfortunately true.

Tyler's horses were completely traumatized by the incident. Scarlett was so distraught that they had to sedate her just to get her into a trailer to get home and Rhett, who feeds off her energy, refused to be stalled last night. They ended up staying in the pasture, and spent the entire night pacing anxiously.

    I take a sip of the orange juice I poured earlier, slipping my phone into my pocket.

    "Does your Mom still want everyone to go to a Christmas tree farm today," I ask, hoping to change the subject.

    And it works.

    "I'm not sure," he replies. "She might not want us to go with your leg and my head. I think she was talking about picking one up at Home Depot."

    I smile. Most people would have put up their tree already, with it being this close to Christmas, but not Marilyn. She was emphatic that she wanted to wait for Tyler and I to get home.

    Throughout the rest of the day, I'm laughing and smiling and generally enjoying myself as we go through the process of picking up and decorating the blue fir tree we end up picking. But despite all the holiday merriment, I find myself waiting for my phone to buzz with a reply from Avery.