“You could have been more specific in what you were saying. I haven’t been right since the other day,” Grey felt a headache coming.
“You keep saying the other day? That was a month ago that I told you to stop leading that girl on,” Mattock said recalling their meeting. “Please don’t tell me that you’ve been festering over this for a month.”
“What can I say? I’m a late bloomer.”
“No, you’re a self-indulged asshole, but that’s a whole another story.”
“Yeah well. What do you think? Am I making the right decision?”
“Are you sure that you want her? Wait let me rephrase that. Are you sure that you want only her?” Mattock asked with clarification on the matter.
“Yes, I’m sure that I want her and only her,” Grey said with some conviction.
“Then in my opinion, Grey, you should have never let her out of your sight in the first place. Yes, you are definitely doing the right thing. I just hope that it’s not too late.”
“Why does everyone keep saying that?” The thought bothered him more and more as he dwelled on it. After five years, there was no way that she had already moved on to another man.
“Use your head. She’s a good catch.” Realizing that Grey’s epiphany was definitely becoming a strain on his only weekly indulgence, Mattock cut their conversation short. There was nothing left for him to say to his friend now, anyway. “Well, head off on your mission. I’m going to get back to my massage before my hour is up.”
“Wait. Would should I say to get back into her good graces?”
“For a change, tell her the truth.”
“The truth?” Grey thought for a moment. What was that? “Alright. I’ll do my best. Say hello to Dr. Dana for me,” Grey said feeling even more confident in his decision now that he had spoken with the one man in Memphis that he knew seriously believed in monogamy.
“Will do,” Mattock said looking over at his girlfriend of three years.
*
While Grey was looking all over town for Ivy, she lay in bed back in her quiet little dorm room tranquil in her thoughts. There wasn’t much to do in the unseasonable weather but lie around and relax. Besides, she didn’t feel up to doing anything anyway. Too lazy to even dress, she lay under her comforter nude listening to an old Robin Thicke CD.
Hours later after circling Ivy’s mother’s house, Ivy’s office, all three major malls, and the major libraries, Grey pulled up to the dorm in his last attempt to locate her. Exhausted by his search but pleased that he was successful, he got out the car and headed to the dorm. It was then that he suddenly realized that he didn’t bring cards, candy, diamonds or flowers. Anyone of her favorites would have done fine to help along with his groveling.
As Grey approached Ivy’s door, his heart skipped a beat. He was so nervous that he almost decide4d to leave and come back another day. What if she said that she didn’t want him back? Everything in his being prayed that she would forgive him for nearly making the biggest mistake of his life. Startled by the solemn knock, Ivy sat up in her bed with her comforter barely covering her body. As she watched the doorknob twist, she jumped up out of the bed and held the door.
“Who is it?” she said grabbing the cordless phone. Grey? Nicola?
“It’s me,” Grey said leaning against the door. “Ivy let me in. I need to talk to you.”
“I’m not dressed,” she said pulling the covers around her entire body.
“I don’t mind.”
“Well, I do. You can’t just show up at my door after a month and expect me to let you in.” She was too tired to scream and fight.
“Please Ivy, just let me in for a minute. I promise not to take too much of your time.” The tone of his voice made her calm enough to let go of the knob and allow him to slowly enter the room.
“Fine. I’ll let you in for just a minute, and then you have to go,” she said backing away from the door entry.
Grey entered the room hesitantly. He cast a long gaze on her as she stood away from him. Her body had a beautiful radiant glow, her long auburn mane danced about her bare shoulders. The room smelled of the lilac she wore in her hair, and she stood gracefully out of reach, strong and exotic. He could barely bring himself to speak when he looked at her.
“Hi,” he said finally forcing himself to utter something.
“Hello.” Looking around the small room, Ivy grabbed a pink robe hanging from her vanity. “I’ll be back in a moment. I just need to slip on something.”
“Please don’t.” Grabbing her arm, Grey pulled her body to him and held her close.
Unsure of what to do, Ivy hugged him carefully, trying not to drop her cover. “Grey, you’re making me uncomfortable,” she said pulling away.
“I don’t mean it, baby. I’m just glad to see you.” He looked in her eyes and kissed her forehead. “You look so beautiful.” His voice trembled.
“No, I don’t.” Ivy tried to avoid eye contact. “Get to the point of why you are here,” she said sitting down on her bed.
“I’m here, because I want you back. I want you to forgive me for being stupid and selfish.” Seeing that her anger grew stronger by the moment, he grabbed her hand and noticed for the first time since he had placed it on her finger that her engagement ring was gone.
“Forgive you or take you back? Last time I checked there was a big difference,” Ivy said viciously. “How am I to ever truly trust you again, anyway? How am I to know that you just won’t walk out the next time things aren’t going your way? Quite frankly, the last
