Page 86 of Fierce-Ivan

“He can be sneaky if it gets you out from under my hair.”

“Oh, now it’s okay as long as you get your way.”

“Ladies,” he said. “I’m sorry I opened a can of worms.”

“You didn’t,” Kendra said. “If my mother wanted me to leave so badly, I’m trying to figure out why she asked us to dinner.”

“So that you can see she can take care of herself,” he said. “Just like you wanted me to stop fixing your leak. Not that I want to get involved here, but maybe I will. Kendra, I know you don’t need a man to take care of you. I’m not asking you to let me do that. Not like you think. I saw your faucet was leaking and I can fix it and did. You didn’t ask, I consider it a nice gesture for my girlfriend.”

“That is a nice gesture,” Karen said. “I hope my daughter thanked you.”

“She did. And you, Karen. You seem like you can care for yourself. You’re a strong woman that Kendra takes after. Good traits to have and show your child. But she’s worried and scared at times and I understand that. I don’t want to push or pressure her. When she’s ready to leave you alone again, she will.”

“I’m not afraid to leave her,” Kendra said.

“Then why have you been home every night this week?” her mother asked.

“I’ve been busy at work. By the time I get home I’m tired. I’m trying to make it so Ella isn’t worrying.”

So it was that over not leaving her mother. Guess he was wrong.

“I’m sure Ella appreciates that,” he said.

“She does.”

“Then why aren’t you at Ivan’s tonight?” Karen asked.

“Because you asked him for dinner tonight.”

“Only after you said you were thinking of staying home this weekend,” Karen said, throwing her daughter under the bus.

“Fine,” Kendra said. “I’m nervous and feel guilty that I wasn’t here when you got hurt.”

“Doing something that had nothing to do with me being blind. Get it out of your head, please,” Karen said.

There was a ping-pong ball going back and forth in the room between them. Part of it was entertaining. The other giving him some insight into his girlfriend’s relationship.

He knew Karen wasn’t unable to care for herself and he was now starting to realize it was more on Kendra than her mother. At least at this stage of the game.

“I get it, Mom. We both feel we can take care of ourselves.”

“We can,” Karen said. “It might have been forced on us, but it makes us stronger. Let’s enjoy our dinner and then you can have a nice relaxing night with your boyfriend. Just keep it down. That old bed of yours creaks.”

He was pretty sure his face was matching the same shade of red as Kendra’s while Karen laughed at the silence in the room.

Guess they both got put in their place.

* * *

When Shay sawher phone ringing on Sunday morning and noticed it was Ivan, she grabbed it fast. “Ivan, what is wrong?”

“Nothing,” he said. “Why?”

“You never call me. Least of all on a Sunday.”

Her heart couldn’t take things like this. Her boys spent more time texting her than anything. They only called when she asked them to.

“Sorry,” he said. “I’m on my way back from Kendra’s. I spent the night.”