IVY
T he Sorority House felt oppressive when quiet. I peeked out of the room a few times, searching for activity. If Stevie or anyone else was around, I didn’t hear them.
Once I got the nervous dogs quieted down, I sat on Vanessa’s bed and tried to relax.
The walls were covered in sketches and water paintings. I recalled Clint saying his cousin was an artist with both a pencil and a wrench.
Her room was cluttered with clothes stacked everywhere. Several easels stood around the room with partially finished artwork on them.
Her Chihuahua sat in its dog bed, staring curiously at the others huddled around it. Porche looked at me like I was befouling her human’s safe space.
“It won’t be for long,” I told the dog as I stretched out in bed.
Unable to sleep, I kept thinking of Clint in the cold morning. Was he in danger? This part of his life scared me.
I finally turned on the TV and streamed episodes of “Charmed” until my eyes couldn’t stay open any longer. I dozed for a few hours, waking occasionally when a dog moved and its collar jingled.
Once the sun came up, I could no longer remain in bed. The dogs watched me as I used the adjoining bathroom. When I clicked my tongue, they came running for the door.
Bundled up in my jacket, I sat outside on a side deck while the dogs enjoyed the chilly morning. They were surprisingly rowdy, running back and forth. Finally, they wore themselves out and returned to me.
Soon, I made a pot of coffee in the high-end, pastel-infused kitchen. Finding a banana, I took my cup of caffeine to the quirky adjoining living room. The various colorful couches and chairs were jammed together to allow as much seating as possible.
I settled in the corner of a deep green couch and struggled with the quiet. As the dogs napped by the windows, I found more comfort shows to stream.
Around nine, a small SUV parked in front of the house. I peered outside to find an older woman exiting in black leggings and a dark gray shirt printed with a skull. Her gray-and-black hair was tied back with a red bandana. She wore dark eyeliner and bright red lipstick. I was surprised to see someone so made up so early in the day.
As familiar as the woman seemed, I couldn’t place her name. She might be a fox’s mom. I’d seen lots of photos of important people in Clint’s life and had only met maybe twenty-five percent of them.
The woman entered the house and walked past me into the kitchen. I heard her humming a song. Even though I felt I should say something, I kept quiet to avoid startling her.
The woman went still, likely sensing eyes on her. She glanced over her shoulder to find me.
“You must be Clint’s girl,” she said and walked over with a cup of coffee. “Ivy, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“I’m Darby.”
The name brought back memories of stories told to me. Darby Curran was Joker’s first wife. When Shay arrived in Little Memphis, she stayed at Darby’s house. This woman was a regular fixture in Clint’s life.
“I’ve heard only good things about you.”
“That sounds like a lie, but I’ll allow it,” Darby said as her bright red lips pulled back into a warm smile. “I’m here to use their gym for my morning workout. What’s your excuse for roaming the Sorority House at this ungodly hour?”
“Clint needed to go to Rawlins. He thought I’d be more comfortable here than back at the condo.”
“Are you?”
“No.”
“Do you think he’s blind to your reality or he lied about why he brought you here?”
“I think he was worried about me being alone when something bad could be happening in Rawlins.”
“Why didn’t he take you to his parents’ house?”
“I don’t know, and I was too tired to ask when he brought me here.”
“Do you feel safer here than at the condo?”
“No.”
“Who’s still around?”
“Just Stevie, I think. Everything happened fast.”
“Well, whatever’s happening can’t be that big of a deal or else I’d have gotten a heads-up.”
“I think Clint worries I’ll fall back into my homebody habits if I’m alone at the condo too much. I used to spend my days watching TV and reading rather than engaging with people.”
“Do you miss that?”
“Sometimes.”
“You should explain to Clint how you are a big girl who can choose her own adventure.”
“That doesn’t sound like something I would say. Also, when I tell people I’m a big girl, they laugh,” I explained, standing up and lifting my arms for full effect.
Darby snorted and nodded. “Well, tell him that you’re an adult. That’s true, right?”
“Yes, but I worry I’ll miss out on fun stuff if I give in to my homebody habits.”
“Life is about balance. I enjoy my house. There’s comfort in a place I’ve spent decades making fit my style. But it’s important to get out and remember the world still exists. That’s why I come here to work out.”
Smiling, I asked, “Can I work out with you?”
“Of course. The gym has a great view, and I play fun music. Keep me company until someone wakes up and entertains you.”
Following Darby, I considered a twenty-year-old Shay starting over in a new city. I bet meeting Darby was a highlight in those early days.
The older woman exuded confidence. As we arrived in the large sunroom turned gym, she set her phone out and played “Seven Nation Army.” Darby started stretching near the weights.
“Clint’s always been soft compared to his dad. They’re wired differently. A good upbringing will do that,” Darby said while I adjusted the height on the stationary bike. “But neither man seemed at all interested in romance or marriage. I was as surprised as anyone when Ford went gonzo for Shay. I warned her about his reputation, but the girl was blind to reason.”
Unsure if I was supposed to agree with Darby, I mumbled, “They seem happy now.”
“Of course, they are. It’s been thirty years. If they weren’t happy, they’d have bailed on each other by now. But who could have seen that coming?”
Clint told me that if I didn’t know what to say that it was okay to say nothing. I chose that route right now as I started cycling.
“Clint never dated. I tried setting him up. He wasn’t celibate, obviously, but he showed no interest in having even a casual girlfriend. That’s why I was so surprised when I heard he brought you home.”
“Clint saved me. I have nothing negative to say about him.”
“That’ll change. I was the same way when I got into relationships that stuck. I had stars in my eyes. That’s for the best, I think. Most of life allows for zero dreamy wonder. Best to enjoy the times when you can turn off your brain and let your heart run the show.”
Finding a solid pace, I smiled at her words. Clint and I didn’t make sense. Not yet anyway. Eventually, I hoped I’d be more suited for his world. I imagined a day when Little Memphis would feel like home.
“What is this madness?” Stevie asked mid-yawn as she stumbled into the room. Her bandaged wrist was the same shade of pink as her hair. She wore boxers and a black tank top. “Is this what people do in the morning around here?”
“Why are you up so early?” Darby replied as she reclined on a weight bench. “Come spot me, tough stuff.”
“My wrist is fucked.”
“If I need you, I have no doubt you’ll find your inner strength.”
Stevie walked over to the weight bench and smiled down at Darby. “You’re such a badass. Staying strong for battle and sexy for your lover.”
“Did Clint tell you about my late-in-life step into lesbianism?” Darby asked me as I continued to cycle.
“No.”
Stevie snickered at my response while Darby lifted the weights and blew out a gush of air.
“I was married to Joker long before Shay stepped foot in Little Memphis. After our marriage ended, I wasn’t looking for love. I’d had my one shot, and it was great, but it was over.”
“That’s sad,” Stevie said with her hands ready to grab the weight bar. “But not too sad since I know how the story ends.”
“In my sixties, I met a woman named Keener at the farmer’s market. She makes artsy stuff as a hobby. Back then, she was staying with her sister and was new to town. We became buddies, and she moved in since I didn’t like living alone.”
Darby hesitated as she lifted the weights a few more times. Catching her breath, she continued, “Keener and I didn’t instantly hump or anything. We stayed friends and roommates for a few years first. Then, I looked at her and thought she was great. If she were a guy, I’d be on that in a hot minute. She also admitted she thought I was great. So, we gave our relationship a little lube. We’ve been together going on six years now.”
“That’s beautiful,” Stevie told Darby and then smiled at me. “Especially the lube part. I like picturing people slamming bacon.”
I smiled at Stevie’s teasing while Darby only grunted her disapproval.
“My point was that love can be unexpected.”
“Oh, well, that’s sweet,” Stevie replied. “I plan to fall in love when I’m forty. I figure I’ll either find a young, stupid stud to worship me or an older doofus to live in awe of me. Either way, it’ll be great, and we’ll have birds for children. People will pretend that’s cool, but you’ll all talk shit behind our back.”
“I can talk shit about that right now if you want,” Darby suggested.
I laughed at their teasing and gave up on the cycle. I was only exercising because Darby was. Climbing off, I sat on the floor near the women and petted Hanzee. The other dogs sat on the other side of the room, eyeballing a squirrel.
“There you are,” Elle said as she entered the gym. “I walked around the house three times before considering you might be back here exercising.” Elle glanced at Darby and sighed. “Look at you showing off again.”
“I need to stay strong, so I can keep up with the grandchildren.”
Elle sat next to me on the floor and told Darby, “Get one of those motorized carts and chase them on that.”
“Elle Reed, you only pretend to be lazy. I know you work out.”
Nudging me, Elle smiled. “I don’t know why Clint didn’t ditch you at my house rather than here.”
“He didn’t want you to go with them, Elle,” Stevie said before I could speak.
Elle grunted and frowned at me. “Did he say that?”
“No,” I insisted.
“I put shit together using my big brain,” Stevie said and acted ready to grab the weights when Darby’s arms trembled. “Don’t show off. No one is impressed by anything around here. I mean, Rowdy threw a peanut across the room and I caught it with my mouth. Did anyone applaud? Nope.”
“I would have applauded,” I told Stevie. “I’ve never caught anything in my mouth like that before.”
Elle smiled at Stevie. “Do we have any peanuts at the house?”
Minutes later, Darby was working with the leg press equipment. Nearby, Stevie and Elle took turns throwing peanuts at me. I got close several times, yet caught nothing.
“Well, we should leave,” Elle announced. “Clint is on his way back, and he wants Ivy at the condo.”
“You are not leaving me to clean up those peanuts!” Stevie yelled.
Elle shrugged. “Can’t you just vacuum them up?”
“You lazy motherfucker.”
“Hey, now, watch your language around Ivy’s. She’s just a wee girl.”
“Don’t pull that shit with me. I know how old she is.”
“I’ll clean them up,” I said and squatted. Elle yanked me back up. “No, it’s okay,” I insisted, unsure if this argument was real or not.
“No, it’s never okay to bow to Stevie. It only encourages her. Best to push her buttons and make her crazy.”
“I’m trying to listen to music,” Darby griped. “Argue quieter.”
Stevie and Elle smiled at each other, but I was starting to sense they were genuinely angry. Clint told me once how his club was full of aggressive personalities. They might smile and laugh, but they were people prone to throwing punches.
“I’m cleaning up the peanuts,” I announced.
“No.”
“You and Stevie should help me. You helped make the mess.”
“I don’t want to,” Stevie whined and held her wrist against her chest. “I’m injured.”
“Why not use your uninjured arm like when you were throwing?” I asked as I grabbed a trash can.
Stevie stared at me with that faraway gaze she and Cher often wore. Meanwhile, Elle eyeballed me with that “fuck you” look she frequently flashed at Sabrina.
“Are you kidding?” I asked them loudly. “I wouldn’t have agreed to have shit thrown at me if I knew you wouldn’t help me clean it up.”
Acting angrier than I felt, I knew if I didn’t stand up for myself, I’d never get any respect. I was smaller than they were. I didn’t wear the club vest. I was just Clint’s girlfriend.
“Why do you think Clint didn’t take me with them?” Elle asked and started cleaning up.
“He probably didn’t want to wake up Sutter.”
Elle nodded while Stevie shuffled over. The pink-haired beauty squatted down and sighed.
“I am injured. If I were faking, I would have stopped when the others made their plans. I mean, I wanted to go and punch someone in the head, too.”
“I also would like to punch people in the head,” Elle muttered. “Clint has domesticated me. I might as well retire and learn to sew.”
Though I caught Darby rolling her eyes at their dramatics, I was mostly relieved they were helping me clean up.
“Clint is maybe a little off his game,” I mumbled, unsure if I should say anything. “His feelings for me have clouded his thinking, but it’s temporary. Next time, he’ll want you both there to punch people in the head.”
“I love you,” Stevie said and hugged me.
Elle wrapped us both into an embrace. “I love everyone. I’m just a very affectionate person.”
“You’re really not,” Stevie muttered.
“Fine. Then, I’m an asshole, and that’s why you’re cleaning up the rest of this shit,” Elle announced, standing up and tugging me away.
“Nice meeting you, Darby!” I called out as Elle dragged me out of the room.
Elle didn’t let go of my hand until we got to the front door. She turned to me and hollered, “I’m mad!”
“I see that.”
“Why didn’t Clint bring me?” she asked, glaring down at me. “I’m fucking scary.”
“You’re scaring me right now.”
“Yeah, because I’m a ferocious beast,” Elle snarled and then shrugged. “I had a fear this might happen. You know, back when we started the club, I thought I should be the VP. It was the only way to insist I got the respect I rightfully deserved. But I let Rock take the spot because he’s very emotionally fragile. I just couldn’t bear to watch him cry again.”
Despite Elle’s grumpiness, I laughed at the idea of Rock getting teary-eyed.
“I’ve barely seen Rock smile. I can’t imagine him crying.”
“Oh, he’s very sensitive. Don’t let his exterior fool you. He can’t watch ‘Bambi’ without crying his big boy eyes out.”
“Well, that is a sad movie.”
“Just the part where Bambi’s mom dies and his deadbeat dad shows up. That movie should have had more violence.”
“You say that a lot.”
“Well, wouldn’t ‘Cinderella’ have been more exciting if she went John Wick at the end and killed the people who did her wrong?”
Smiling at Elle, I turned around and walked back to Vanessa’s room.
“You’re supposed to come with me.”
“I need to get my stuff. Also, we can’t leave without the dogs.”
“Oh, yeah, I was so busy feeling slighted that I forgot about the demon dogs.”
Elle was in a rowdy mood even after we got Hanzee, Goblin, and Boa packed up. I gave a proper goodbye to Stevie and Darby before leaving with Elle.
Despite my casual demeanor, I wouldn’t feel okay again until I saw Clint with my own eyes and felt his arms around me.