Chapter 8 Ivy
Ivy
We’re eating dinner in a dimly lit pub close to our hotel.
Earlier, when I’d arrived back at the hotel, I’d avoided talking about the afternoon, ducking into the bathroom to get ready.
I wasn’t ready to talk. I needed to sort through my feelings.
Still do, but as I lower my menu, having taken as long as a person possibly can to look at a two-page, well-spaced list of food, I meet my sister’s hazel eyes.
“Alright. You cannot keep us in suspense any longer. Tell us all about it. Was he as nice as they make him seem? What did he say? Tell us everything.”
I sigh. And before I can speak, Juniper jumps in. “Is he strong like that superhero he played in that movie?”
“You haven’t even seen that movie.” I laugh. “I have no evidence to say he is strong like a superhero.” At Juniper's disappointment, I add. “I also have no evidence that he isn’t.”
“I bet he is. Did you see how big he is? And he’s taller than Dad. And Dad is tall!”
“I did notice.” It was hard not to. And how he thinks wearing a hat and glasses will disguise him in the least is beyond me.
But I guess you have to try. “He was extremely nice and seemed genuine. He was a good listener and asked good questions, like he actually cared about what I had to say. Honestly, that was the most surprising thing. I assumed someone like him would be a bit self-important.”
“Why did he want to go on a walk with you?” Val asks, then we all pause as our server sets our drinks on the table. “Thank you.”
“The better question is, why wouldn’t he want to go on a walk with me?” I joke.
“Because you’re a girl and he doesn’t know you at all,” Peter supplies, helpfully.
His parents laugh, but I look at him seriously. “That’s a good point.”
“This is crazy. You’ll never forget the day you met Alexander Henry,” Val says, shaking her head.
“It may not just be a day. He asked for my number.”
“What?” My sister exclaims at the same time Micah says, “Are you serious?”
I nodded. “Who knows, he might get in touch. He might not.” I shrug like it doesn’t matter, and really I know it doesn’t.
There is nowhere we could go beyond London acquaintances.
But I enjoyed spending time with him, and I’m not gonna lie, it felt good to have such a handsome man show interest in me.
Of course, I didn’t give him a lot of reason to contact me.
I did my typical. Gave him attitude in an effort to protect myself.
I’ve spent my adult life thinking I’d be better on my own.
I couldn’t imagine putting my trust in someone, until recently, that is.
Still, I’m not certain it’s the right move for me.
And if it is, I know it isn’t with someone who lives across the Atlantic.
“Are you gonna call him?” Val asks.
“He didn’t give me his number.” Probably because I didn’t ask.
“Let’s walk to see Big Ben,” I suggest. “It’s always pretty at night in the movies.”
We’re standing outside the pub, each of us knowing we are far from sleep. The five-hour time difference will probably get us until we leave. Even the kids are bouncing up and down. Eight p.m. at home and they are both dragging. Eight p.m. here and they’re ready to run a 5K.
So am I. Part of it is the time change, and part is nervous energy, wondering if Alexander will get in touch.
Everyone agrees to the walk, and we set off. I marvel at the architecture. The mix of extremely old and ultra-modern. And some buildings that were likely ultra-modern fifty years ago. Something about the combination is so visually stimulating and exciting to me. Maybe it’s the novelty.
We pass by a classic red phone booth, and I wonder how often it’s actually used for phone calls these days. Currently, there’s a group of college-age kids taking photos in it.
I’m taken by surprise as we come to Westminster Abbey.
I hadn’t seen it on the map. I want to come back and see it during the day.
A quick search tells me it opened in 1269 and I cannot believe they were able to build something so incredibly impressive back then.
I once had a professor say that as humans we are getting dumber.
That as our technology increases, our intelligence decreases.
I’m not sure if he meant that as correlation or causation, or if he was correct, but it’s interesting to think about.
“There’s Big Benny!” Peter calls out as we come around a curve and Big Ben comes into view. He clearly thought it would be hilarious to rename the famous clock tower after his stuffed dinosaur named Benny.
We cross the street into a grassy area to look up at the giant clock. It is really cool to see in person. The lights on the building and the illuminated clock faces take me back to Peter Pan and it makes me so very thankful our Peter didn’t go off to Neverland today.
The kids are quickly bored, so after taking a few photos, we decide to take one of those classic double-decker buses back to the hotel. We got seats up top, and you would have thought the kids were riding on Santa’s sleigh, for all the excitement that brought.
It’s hours later and I can’t sleep. Midnight is only seven at home. I’ve been tossing in this bed for an hour. I should probably just get up for a bit. Instead, I lie there and pick up my phone.