Page 117 of Fierce-Ivan

He’d gotten out of work early and needed to meet with Devin and Mason over something. It’d been last minute because his mind wasn’t on his work but rather his girlfriend who had been given a blow in life.

Just another one.

She wasn’t letting him help.

As hurt as he was over it, he was trying to keep it to himself, as she didn’t need that on her shoulders.

His feelings were his own and he’d have to get through them.

Kendra asked for time and he’d have to honor that rather than push and worry he’d drive her away.

He’d taken a chance going to Karen’s last night. He wanted to just show up but realized he better see what Karen’s thoughts were on it and she felt it was what her daughter needed.

Too bad he knew there was more that happened with Kevin yesterday than Kendra would say.

He wasn’t sure if she was keeping it from him or from her mother.

“I thought I’d come over and see how Jessica and Hope were feeling,” his Aunt Jolene said.

“You happened to come over on the afternoon that I was here?” he asked. “That I decided to come last minute?”

“Happy coincidence,” Aunt Jolene said almost dancing in place.

“It’s never a happy coincidence,” Devin said. “We know it, Aunt Jolene. I guess that Uncle Gavin told you that Ivan was stopping over when he met with Mason and me earlier. Since we know I’m here early too, am I right?”

“Don’t be a brat, Devin,” Aunt Jolene said.

“If you were going to see Jessica or Hope,” he said, “their offices are at the other end of the plant.”

They were in Devin’s office now. Ivan was early for the meeting because he wanted to talk to his brother about what was going on in his life.

He wasn’t one to share intimate details, but he needed to talk to someone and knew his brother would keep his secret. He’d barely gotten through it all before his aunt showed up.

“I know where their offices are,” Aunt Jolene said. “But I wanted to see how you were doing?”

Ivan narrowed his eyes at her. “Why would you ask that?”

“I know everything, Ivan,” Aunt Jolene said. “You can’t think I wouldn’t, could you?”

He wasn’t sure if she was playing him or not and crossed his arms. “Explain ‘everything’?”

“I know Kendra’s father had an accident and surgery and Kendra had to go pick him up yesterday and bring him home. That he had expectations of her that were unreasonable and would have resulted in me knocking his other leg out from under him if I were in Kendra’s shoes.”

He smirked. He had no choice. “Sounds about right. The question is how did you find these things out?”

“Kendra told me,” Aunt Jolene said.

“Huh?” Now he was pissed. His girlfriend couldn’t tell him things, but she could tell his aunt?

“Get that look off your face. I surprised her in her office. I know how to get information out of people and read between the lines of what I’m told.”

Again, nothing there surprising to him. “She doesn’t need people on her case right now.”

“I wasn’t on her case,” Aunt Jolene said. “You know better than anyone.”

“Yeah,” Devin said. “We do. Which is why Ivan said that. The last thing Kendra needs is someone asking her about her relationship with Ivan when she is dealing with something else.”

“Please, boys,” Aunt Jolene said. “What do you take me for? I was there as a shoulder for her. I tried to be a sounding board and give her some motherly advice.”