Withering Ivy: Chapter Seven (Patreon)

Day in and day out I watched and felt the attitudes around me change back to what it once was. no more was there a few seconds of loneliness. From the wondering eyes of the gardener watching me from the water he sprayed on his flowers to the cook making sure I took each and every pill that was put in front of me. I was put back on the short leash with Grace behind me every step of the way.

She was angry with me, her words never left her mind, and her sunglasses hid any sort of emotion she used to share with me. I knew why and I felt the punishment was justified enough to feel the hurt. I didn't like Grace being distant and I somehow didn't enjoy the lack of playful banter I once had the privilege to see from Ms. Winslet. I hadn't seen her since that night. The only time my eyes caught hers was from her office where she would promptly shut her door. No more were the smirks that I didn't think I would like so much.

The training was what Ms. Winslet had warned me of, Grace went over what was expected again like I was a pet who disobeyed. Basic commandments filled our days and my knees burned from the carpet underneath me where I had to sit. The morning chores were becoming the only time I had an inch of being normal. My mind still wondering when Grace, who sat in the shade watching me would smile. She didn't so I gathered the eggs slowly hoping I would waste the time before having to go inside. The flaps of their wings and the pecks of their beaks echoed as I grasped the handle of my pail. The uneven terrain of the animal area made me wobble as I brought the bountiful load to her.

Her mint gum was the only thing I could smell but her face was hidden with her hat that covered the top half of her face, Her lips moving as she counted the eggs I brought to her. "All there." She spoke. The sprinklers that were kicking on in the background caused her to get up and shoo me in front of her. I so badly wanted to ask her something, anything, to get her to talk to me. The only comfort I had from her was suddenly gone. I couldn't think of anything, however. "Go clean up. I'll bring your food to your room." She pointed to the closet where my shoes were meant to go but I didn't move like I was supposed to.

When she noticed only one of her eyebrows went up. "Why are you making me tell you twice?"

"I was wondering if we could do something different today." My voice started strong but the end wandered off as I saw the cook in the back look over at me to see how badly I would be punished.

"Like?" Grace asked. Her arms folded as she leaned against the dining room chair that was usually mine.

I glanced down trying to find my courage again. "Like eating together again."

The one eyebrow that was once up slowly fell as Grace sighed. "Go clean up like I said, Ivy."

discouraged I obeyed. My sunken shoulders felt heavy as the bathroom in my room opened up for me like a hug. The warm water fell over my hands and face as I absorbed the feeling before drying and going to my floor, I leaned against my bed and raised my knees to my chest as I waited for my lunch. The thoughts of the type of birds that mocked me outside my bared window flew by as everything else did.

A plate was sat down in front of me but it didn't make me want to raise my head, it wasn't until I heard the sound of an exasperated sigh come from beside me that I looked over at Grace who leaned against my bed the same as me. Her food already disappearing in her mouth as she dipped it into the sauce I couldn't place. "Eat baby, You only have thirty minutes before nap time." She never looked over at me to see my small smile but I did what I was told.

The only sound between us was the food on our plate dwindling until finally she cleared her throat. "Why did you run?" Her words were barely above a whisper. "I thought you-" She stopped herself. "I don't understand I suppose."

I stared at her side profile knowing she hated that. "I saw my home on TV."

There was silence again before she put her plate down between us. Her eyes finally glanced over. "When do you imagine this will be home?"

I didn't know how to answer that so I instead looked up at the ceiling.

"When I check on you at night you are always looking up there." Grace smiled. "What do you see up there?"

"I imagine there are stars," I say. The thought of the twinkling lights from my hometown lit up my mind.

She looked up to the ceiling the same as me. The presence of her bringing back that comfort that I had been lacking for the last couple of days of punishment. "I hope you feel it, Ivy."

"Feel what?" I asked. My confusion only worsened as she stood up and grabbed both of our empty plates.

"How much we didn't want you to go." She whispered. Her tired eyes crinkled to a smile as she pointed to my bed. "nap time." For the first time in a while, she put the covers around me and brushed my hair back before latching my harness to the wall. "Dream of the stars." For a moment I thought she would reach down and kiss my forehead but my mind got the best of me and she left.

I slept soundly, my anxieties about her anger suddenly gone and my want to leave completely vanishing as I instead thought about our training. Even if she was only teaching me how to sit straight, even if she was instructing me on how to greet her, even if Ms. Winslet only sent me a wink from across the room...I was feeling complete. My dreams of the stars being so touchable with my mind at a state that not many reached. When I awake I waited patiently for Grace to come to fetch me, sometimes she would have to stir me awake and other times I crossed my legs and counted the bars around my bed.

This time it wasn't just Grace that came inside, it was also Ms. Winslet who closed the door behind them softly, her eyes looking everywhere but mine as she examined the room. "How are you feeling sweetheart?" Grace asked, her constant need for me to be ok always coming first as she opened the bed and unlatched me. "You look well rested."

At first, I didn't respond but the raised eyebrow from Ms. Winslet reminded me, "I feel better."

"I have been invited to a football game Ivy, by someone who..." Ms. Winslet paused to watch Grace look through my dresser. "Let's just say he is someone of high esteem." My hair was brushed to the side as a fancier collar took the old one's place, the name of my owner shining in gold. "I would like for you to come but that is only if I can trust you."

Her piercing eyes met my uncertain ones but the hands of Grace warmed my shoulders as they awaited my answer.  "You can't be a flight risk baby." She whispered. "Let alone an embarrassment. He needs to be impressed."

"I'll be good." I finally said. My confidence overflowed as an encouraging pat came from the blonde and a nod came from the tall brunette.

"We leave in two hours." Ms. Winslet checked her watch before leaving the room. My confidence suddenly deflated as Grace took a suitcase and began folding clothes slowly.

"How long will we be gone?"

"You and Amelia will only be away for one night."

My leash dragged along the floor as I went to the working woman, her duties keeping her fluttering around the room as I felt a tightness in my chest. "You aren't going?"

"I have too much to take care of baby," she reached for my better harness that she had folded neatly. "This will be the perfect opportunity for you and Ms. Winslet to have some time together."

Whatever came over me led me to Grace, all the strength I had held onto the woman's waist as I thought about the dreaded time alone with the woman I still feared. She really gave me no reason to be petrified, but my attachment to the blonde had made the thought of her not being there terrifying. "I don't want to go."

Grace had paused for a minute, her surprise showing from her slow reflexes before she tried to pry me away. "Baby you'll be fine." I wouldn't let go, however. "Amelia is a sweetheart, especially when it comes to you, you have no reason to be afraid." She finally peeled me away. Her body stopped me from coming back as she bent down to look into my eyes. "Why do you want me there?"

I really didn't know. I just know I did, my watery eyes said that enough for me but I couldn't explain why. She wiped away a fleeing tear and smiled up at me as I tried catching my breath, a shaky answer leaving me instead of a confident direct one. "I just do."

"I'll be here when you return. And so will my hugs." Her arms wrapped underneath mine as she raised up, her strength able to raise me as I latched back on and laid my face into her neck. The smell of her was so familiar and so safe that I couldn't bare to have any other aroma surrounding me.

Her work still had to be done, my empty suitcase waited as she let that slide for a moment, however. Instead, she brought me back to my bed and sat down on it, her embrace not wavering as she leaned back and held onto me like she knew I needed. Her nails rubbed softly on my back and I wondered why I would ever want to leave that feeling. It's something I had never felt before and something I didn't want to lose. Even the thought of my parent's embrace didn't come close to the love I felt when she wrapped herself around me.