Chapter 10It is complicated
Chapter Ten
IT IS COMPLICATED
“I can’t keep doing this… It’s just too much.” Ivy’s eyes were still red and watery. Yes, Emmanuel had been going through hell, but so was she. He’d let the stupid test and condoms make him lose sight of that. The guilt lodged in his throat.
Emmanuel opened his mouth to ask why she hadn’t told him, but stopped. At this point, it didn’t matter. In that small civil ceremony, he had promised to protect her and be her champion. Somehow, he’d lost sight of that. Standing, he walked over to her and stopped. The way she looked up, as if begging him to make it right, left no doubt. He didn’t have the answers, but at least he could hold her. Ivy didn’t hesitate to walk into his open arms.
They stood there for a moment, neither moving nor saying a word. Finally, he asked the question he should have been asking. “What do you need, Doc?”
She tensed in his arms.
“No. Please don’t shut down. You have never hesitated in letting me know what you needed. Don’t allow this situation to take that from us, too.”
Ivy took one step back, then another, until she was an arm’s length away. Emmanuel took her hands and laced his fingers with hers.
“Go on, tell me,” he asked, but a part of him already knew the answer. Almost… dreaded hearing the words.
“I feel like I’ve been torn in half since the second set of test. I need space to process.”
Space. The word detonated between them.
“What kind of space do you need? Are you talking… about me staying in another room…” Emmanuel trailed off. Ivy was shaking her head. The tears returned to her eyes again. Too many tears. It was one of the hardest things he had to say, but it had to be done. “You need me to go?”
At first, she didn’t respond, didn’t move a muscle. Emmanuel didn’t push… just waited. After her hands shook slightly in his, she nodded. A beat later, Ivy whispered, “yeah. I think so.”
They had never been apart. It had never even been a close call. Decades of rushing back home… to her. Home.
This home.
Their home.
Emmanuel had fucking asked what she needed. Ivy had told him. He took some comfort in the fact that it seemed to hurt her as much as it hurt him.
This was the last thing he needed. Last thing he wanted.
Would he do it? Yeah, yeah, he would. Hopefully, this would save them and not pull them apart.
God, please don’t let it be for too long.
This couldn’t be happening at a worse time. Work was a nightmare. Now he had to think about the logistics of leaving his home.
Ivy squeezed his hands. “It doesn’t have to be right away.”
That was where his lovely wife was wrong. It most certainly had to be right away, otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to bring himself to do it. Emmanuel had to rearrange his day.
“It is probably best if it is.”
“Maybe we should talk some more,” Ivy backed pedalled.
“Doc.” That one word said more than he could bring himself to say. She needed this and so he would do it. But without the back and forth.
Shit!
“The kids!” They both said simultaneously.
“Let’s sit,” Emmanuel’s voice was as shaky as he felt. He was fine doing this for Ivy, but when he started thinking about his children. Sage. Although she acted like she was ready to conquer the world. Sage was still just a little girl. A girl that very much needed her parents… needed her father. The thought of her made him want to go back on his word. Would his little girl understand that despite what the evidence indicated that he didn’t go against everything he believed in?
The boys, although they didn’t live with him, this would affect them too. Would they think he’d betrayed their mother? How many times had he impressed upon them that they had to treat women with the utmost respect?
Ivy and Emmanuel talked it out. Their children’s schedules were hectic, but by some miracle, on a Friday night, they were able to get them all to agree to come over for dinner that night.
Maggie had been suspicious when he called in and told her he wouldn’t be in the office today and couldn’t be reached until the afternoon. Frank called him immediately when he shot him the text.
“So, you decided to skive off today?” Frank asked the moment Emmanuel answered his call. His tone was full of laughter.
“I have some shit I need to take care of.”
All traces of laughter vanished as Frank asked, “what the fuck is going on? You barely take time off and you have been working us to the bone into all hours of the night.”
“I’ll be working this afternoon. Listen, I need you to do me a solid. Without a bunch of questions.”
“Eh, we will see.”
“I need you to grab me the keys to a vacant corporate condo.”
The last thing Emmanuel was expecting was for Frank to actually do as he was requested without question. “All right, I will be right over.”
Emmanuel finished some packing and moved his bags into his car, then waited for Frank in his home office. Ivy had gone into the hospital after she discussed with the Chef, what to make for dinner. He was certain she had asked for the children’s favourites. Although he doubted Sheppard’s pie, spaghetti and meatballs were going to soften the news that they were going to drop on them.
Frank didn’t bother to knock, he just waltzed into his home office.
“Hey man,” Emmanuel greeted. He barely looked up from the computer as Frank plopped down on the leather sofa.
“Why do you need the keys?”
Oh, that is why Frank hadn’t badgered him over the phone. He wanted to do it in person.
“I’ll be staying in the condo for a bit.”
Frank let out a sharp whistle. “Why?”
“Because it is what’s best for my family.”
“I don’t know, man. This doesn’t seem like it will help. Ivy can’t be hap—” Frank stopped short. “Ohhh. Wait, this was her idea?”
Well, it sure the fuck wasn’t mine.
Frank didn’t wait for a response. “Listen man. I’ll talk to her.”
“You will do no such thing! Leave it alone Frank.”
“It’s okay. She’s my little cousin. I will talk her out of this.”
“I don’t want you doing that. Ivy feels like this is what she needs. I have to give her some space… it won’t be for long.” God, he hoped he was right.
“Why are you staying at the condo? You know my door is always open. Stay with me.”
“I appreciate the offer, but you and Darren just moved in together. I wouldn’t dream of intruding.”
Frank huffed. “Whatever.”
It hadn’t been a complete lie. Frank had waited for a long time to find someone whom he trusted enough to cohabit with. They didn’t need a third wheel. Plus, Emmanuel didn’t think he would be good company.
“I want to go on record as saying, I think you two shouldn’t separate. It would be better if you guys are together—” Frank trailed off as Emmanuel made the gesture for him to cut it off.
“Last thing on the subject. Promise. Have you guys thought about how my precious godchildren will handle this?”
Emmanuel sighed deeply as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “Of course, we have thought about our children. We will talk to them tonight.”
“If you need me…” It went without saying. Emmanuel nodded.
“Before I head out, I have been spit balling some ideas of how this paternity shit could have gone down. The sooner we figure this out, the quicker two of my favourite people can get back to being the cloyingly sweet couple that makes everyone slightly nauseous.”
It hadn’t been the first time Frank alluded to this. Emmanuel didn’t give a fuck if others thought he and Ivy were being too much. Once he realised that somehow Ivy had begun to occupy the majority of his thoughts, he never shied away from showing his affection.
Snap, snap. “Yo, are you listening? So, like I was saying. Your ass is always travelling. Maybe you haven’t been careful with your little soldiers.”
Emmanuel’s head whipped in Frank’s direction. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
“I’m saying, maybe during your travels you left a sample behind, and someone scooped it up.”
It wasn’t often Emmanuel was at a loss for words, but Frank got him to that state. His friend looked normal to the naked eye, but obviously, something wasn’t right with him. He opened his mouth and shut it. After a couple of false starts. “I will not ask what you do when you’re travelling, but I don’t leave ‘samples’ behind.”
“You’ve never rubbed one out while you were on a trip?”
Emmanuel had slipped into an alternate universe known as Hell!!
“I am sure you can figure out why this conversation is over. Go back to work or don’t. Just stop!”
Frank didn’t understand boundaries. He made that clear as he waved him off and continued. “Let’s say you are alone in the hotel. You give yourself some manual love. It stays on the sheet, or towels, or plant, or whatever. Then bang, someone comes in and grabs it.”
What the fuck!? Plant? Who was coming in the hotel on plants?
While Emmanuel didn’t want to engage in this conversation with Frank… the practical side of him wouldn’t let it slide. “You realise that theory doesn’t make sense. Even if I was a horny teenage boy just ejaculating every time, I entered a hotel room. Sperm doesn’t live indefinitely. What the fuck were you doing in science classes?”
“I’m trying to figure this out. Normally I go the practical route. This shit has me stomped. So, we have to think outside of the box.”
“Can the box not include hotel plants being nourished by me?” Although his idea was outlandish, Frank had the right idea. They needed to figure this shit out and end this nightmare.
It wasn’t really a surprise to Emmanuel. Frank’s visit had inspired him to be more proactive regarding finding a solution to how that Journee woman set him up. The company kept the private detective firm Khana Agency on retainer to handle corporate matters. Emmanuel didn’t like surprises when it came to employees and business partners. They thoroughly vetted everyone. He didn’t bother to check with his hard-nosed attorney or Frank if what he was about to do was okay. It was better to ask for forgiveness than permission.
“Hey Darsh,” Emmanuel greeted the owner of the Khana Agency. Both men attended high school together and became friends, so they engaged in some small talk. Then Emmanuel got to the reason for his call.
“Darsh, I need you to take care of a personal matter for me. Look into someone. I have to get to the bottom of the upheaval they are causing in my life.”
“Of course. Send me their details and I will get on it. You want a deep dive?”
“The deepest, and I would like it to be ongoing until I advise otherwise.”
“That sounds serious. Is there something in particular you want me to pay attention to?”
“I don’t know what I’m looking for. So just dig up everything on this Journee woman.”
“Jasmine Journee?”
A muscle ticked in Emmanuel’s jaw as Darsh mentioned her name. Wait!?
“How did you know her first name?”
“I’m already on the case. Frank retained me a few weeks back. I’ve already delivered my initial findings and then I deliver weekly reports. Did you want the initial findings and to be copied in the weekly updates?”
“Since I’m playing catch up. Can you send over the initial report, and I’ll let you know if I need anything else?”
“What did this mousy vice-principal do to get two big bad wolves on her case?”
Emmanuel had given little thought to what the woman did for a living. He didn’t know what he expected her profession to be… but certainly not working with people’s children. Well, that shit would come to an end.
Emmanuel was hesitant to inform Darsh why he wanted the woman investigated, but since Darsh was already on the case, Emmanuel saw no problem in revealing the reason. When he completed his account of the bare facts, Darsh whistled.
“Well, we will keep on it.”
It was good to know that Frank wasn’t just paying him lip service. He firmly believed that his friend was being set up and put the wheels in motion to prove it. Emmanuel was impressed and touched. Frank wasn’t just sitting around concocting wild theories how this could have happened. That is why Frank was one of two people he truly considered a friend. Their bond went beyond friendship; he was like a brother to him. Emmanuel cherished their relationship as an only child.
He shot Frank a quick text.
Me: Thanks for getting Darsh on this.
Frank’s response was immediate.
Frank: Told you I am working on it.
That he did. Emmanuel prayed to God that they would get to the bottom of things soon.
Me: Well, thanks.
Frank: Working, bye
Emmanuel suppressed the natural urge he had to text or call Ivy and catch her up on his morning. Instead, he allowed himself a moment to wallow in the anguish his life was becoming. It was brief because, in a few hours, he and Ivy had to put on a united front for their children. At least they could hold on to their commitment of being the best parents that they could. He allowed work to become his distraction and got lost in reports until he heard a knock at the door.
“Come in.”
“Hey Manny.” Ivy stuck her head in, but didn’t walk into his office.
Trying to keep the annoyance from his tone, he repeated, “Come in, Ivy.”
While closing the door behind her, she lingered. Her steps were tentative as she walked in. Ivy stopped in front of the desk. The furniture stood between them. There had never been a time she came to visit his office when she didn’t make herself at home. It dawned on him that their separation might last a hell of a lot longer than he originally thought.
Ivy cleared her throat. “I didn’t want to disturb you, but dinner will be in half an hour.”
Emmanuel nodded. “Thanks for the reminder. I am shutting everything down.” How the hell was this supposed to work? They seemed off. His children would pick up on this.
“Come here, Doc,” he instructed as he rolled his chair back, allowing room for her. Without hesitation, Ivy rounded the desk and sank into his lap. As if by magnetism, their foreheads drew closer together.
He inhaled and took comfort in the lush curves in his arms. It had been a long day and Ivy had never been one to be overly liberal with her application of fragrances, but he picked up traces of Egyptian iris and magnolia.
He pulled away, and his forefinger left her chin. Their gazes connected. “Ivy, please don’t ever hesitate to come to me.”
Her sigh was soft. “I felt… bad. You’re leaving your home because I asked.”
“I’m doing it for us because I believe when this is all over, we will be stronger and closer.”
She nodded her head, and her lips tipped up in a small smile.
“I love you, Manny.”
He gave her a gentle peck on the lips.
“And I love you, Doc.”
Ivy started the next kiss. For a moment, everything was forgotten. They became lost in each other. In the tender way that only a lifetime of love could create. Emmanuel held onto Ivy and at that moment with everything he had. The knocking interrupted their connection… but as they separated, Emmanuel knew this was how he was going to make it through what came next. They couldn’t part in anger. Not if they stood a chance of coming back together. And they would be back together. No matter what.
The knocking became pounding. “Daddy! Is Momma in there?”
“Yes, Sage. We will be out soon.”
“Hurry. Oliver is working my nerves.” Ivy and Emmanuel shared a smile at that. He was certain if anyone was working anyone’s nerve, it was the other way around.
“Ready?” Emmanuel asked as Ivy left his lap.
“Yeah, let’s get it over with.”
Belying the fact, they were about to announce their separation to their children; they joined hands as they walked from his office to the dining room. The scene they came upon very much resembled the one when they first told the children about the paternity results. They all greeted each other. He tried to hold on to the jovialness of the moment.
As they sat, Emmanuel started doubting whether he could adequately describe the situation to his children. Normally announcements came before meals were served. He would have loved the extra time that the meal would have provided. Ivy squeezed his knee, and he nodded at her.
“Hey Guys, thanks for coming over on such short notice. Mom and I wanted to tell you about a temporary change.” Emmanuel was glad his children’s eyes weren’t trained on him as he continued. “We wanted to let you know that Mom and I have decided that I will move out for a bit.”
If the situation wasn’t so serious, it would have been comical how three heads looked and whipped their head in his direction in synch. Ivy and Emmanuel had rehearsed what they would say earlier this morning. However, under the scrutiny of the stares of his children, words failed him. He was the first to break eye contact as he beseechingly looked at Ivy. She slowly turned rounded eyes at him.
Sage was the one to break the silence, “Why? Why are you moving out?”
Before Emmanuel could answer, Oliver jumped in. “You can’t be this stupid Junior.”
“Oliver! Don’t call your sister names.” Emmanuel didn’t tolerate the children calling each other names. It was something they had been taught from toddlerhood.
“I don’t think you are in the position to tell me what to do… Dad.” The way he said that might as well have been ‘fuck you ole man.’
“Oliver!” Ivy admonished.
“Come on Mom, tell me you aren’t putting him out because he…” Oliver snarled as he pointed to him, “…didn’t screw around and get that woman pregnant.”
“I’m not putting your father out. I can tell you are upset, but you watch the way you speak to me and your father. We are making a difficult choice as a couple?—”
“Yeah, but we are a family. We deserve fucking answers,” Oliver shouted.
“That’s your last warning, Oliver.” Emmanuel didn’t know what he expected but it wasn’t this… Oliver was testing him.
“Or what?—”
“Oliver, stop it!” Benjamin interrupted. “You are upsetting Mom and Sage. This isn’t the way to get answers.”
Oliver turned his anger on his brother. “Tell me you don’t understand what’s going on. Am I the only one at this table willing to tell the truth? He came to us with some bullshit story about how he took a test that said he was the father of some kid. But perfect Emmanuel Campbell Scott can’t admit he screwed up. So, we are fed a load of crap about it not being true. Our family hasn’t been the same. Even you said Christmas had weird vibes. Now, he’s been put out on his ass. It’s just so perfect, and he has Mom by his side pretending everything is okay when it’s not. She’s been baking like a maniac.”
Oliver was out of breath when he was done. There was no doubt in his mind about what had happened. Emmanuel knew at the moment he couldn’t convince his eldest… but Oliver wasn’t staying around to hear anymore, anyway. He pushed back from the table and the chair toppled over as he stormed from the room and thundered upstairs. Ivy rushed to go after him. While Emmanuel was left with the two youngest.
“Daddy?” Sage had tears in her voice.
“Yes, Sage.”
“You told us the truth, right?”
“Absolutely.”
“Okay. Are you moving out because of the whole paternity thing?”
“In part, it is complicated.”
“Momma doesn’t believe you?”
“Sage. She does, but it doesn’t mean that this isn’t still difficult. That is why we are taking some time apart. We still love each other, and you all very much. It will work out, but your mom and I are going to be living apart for just a bit.”
Words he never thought he would hear from his daughter came next. “May I be excused? I’m not hungry.”
“Yeah Sage, you are excused.” Sage walked over to where her dad sat and gave him a squeeze. Then shuffled out of the room.
Benjamin stood and righted the chair his brother had toppled.
“Benjamin, do you have questions?”
“I think you’ve answered them, Dad. I’m going to head up to my room, too.” Then he was gone. Sitting at the head of the family dinner table alone, the weight of the encounter came crashing down on him. His shoulders sagged under the weight of the torrid emotions ravaging him. That shit couldn’t have gone worse.
Now he had to get up and go move into a condo. The last place he wanted to be. His thoughts were so far away, he didn’t hear Ivy return. She sat beside him and took his hand.
“I’m sorry for the way Oliver spoke to you. Once he has calmed down, he will apologise.”
Emmanuel didn’t want to think about Oliver and his behaviour. He waved her off.
“No one is in the mood to eat. I'm going to head over to the condo. I’ll message you when I get there.” Emmanuel patted her thigh as he stood. The walk to the door seemed miles away. As he reached it, Ivy tapped his shoulder.
“Maybe you shouldn’t –”
“Ivy. Please don’t. I’m gonna head out.”
“But it’s so dark out.”
“It was always going to be dark.”