I know it’s her way of keeping her promise to Tim when it came to speaking up about what Ryan did to her. She handed me the episode based on what occurred in his Jeep one night while we were lying in bed. After I read it, I held her until she fell asleep. I never knew the full extent of the attack until then and how much she suffered because of it. And I think she only told me because she knew I couldn’t get to him. I might have gotten better at managing my temper, but it will never be tamed.
It was her way of assuaging her guilt for not being able to go to the cops about it. Ivy didn’t want to put Ben back in Conrad’s line of fire, and neither did I. We both feel a responsibility to protect him now that Tim’s no longer here to watch over him. We thought it best not to disturb a sleeping giant by going after Ryan directly and having any more dealings with the Price family.
Especially since the prosecution wanted to make an example out of Ryan when his trial came up, asking and receiving the maximum five-year sentence for his assault charge. The jury had no problem convicting him when other girls from Glendale High came forward to testify against him. It seems that Ivy and Ben weren’t the only ones he’d set out to victimize. Once it became known that Ryan would be locked up for the foreseeable future, Ben’s spirits started to rally.
I step back and watch him carry a chair out of the back of the U-Haul and into the cabin. He’s sturdy and dependable to the core. The Penn State football team has a bye week this weekend, so he came home to help us move in. He didn’t have to, but he said he wanted to. We’re all glad to see that he’s doing so much better now and how well he adjusted to college life. It’s good to have him back. We certainly miss him around the garden center, no one more than Will, but somehow the two of them are making a go of it. Will even attended a frat party with him as one of his ‘friends.’ They’re still keeping their relationship quiet on account of the jock culture Ben’s immersed in, but I hope that one day they’ll be able to publicly acknowledge what they have together. They better each other, strengthen each other, and if that’s not the meaning of true love, I don’t know what is.
And Will has been a pretty kick-ass godfather. I catch a glimpse of him cradling Natalie in his arms as Ivy runs by him with a box full of baby clothes. I made Ivy stick to our agreement of our Saturday night dates, even though she never wants to leave Natalie’s side. Will helped me convince her by offering to babysit for us during those few precious hours when we get to spend some alone time together. No matter how devoted a mother she’s become, we both need it. Fooling around in my childhood bed with my parents sleeping on the other side of the wall has been a definite buzzkill when it comes to our sex life. It hasn’t been easy living under the same roof, especially considering how loud Ivy can get when I’m doing things to her. Let’s just say the wildlife on those back country roads has gotten an earful from the front seat of my truck on many a Saturday night.
“Are you ready to break for lunch?” my mom asks, lugging over a cooler and a giant picnic basket. “I have fried chicken in here and some coleslaw, two of your favorites.”
“Sounds good, Mom,” I reply, putting down the lamp I was carrying to help her set up. “I know you’re going to miss cooking for a small army.”
“Yeah, but Will will probably be over most nights anyway since he doesn’t have much of a kitchen in that one-room apartment in town,” she says, her eyes twinkling. “And I kind of like having him around. He’s not afraid to pitch in.”
“Yeah, I’m afraid that Ivy and I are more of a hindrance when it comes to preparing meals. You’re better off with Will,” I chuckle as he comes over and starts rooting through Natalie’s diaper bag for her bottle.
“You’re pretty domesticated now yourself, for a former mountain man,” he jokes, unscrewing the lid on the bottle.
“He’ll always be my wild man,” Ivy replies, reaching up to give me a quick peck on the cheek before scooping Natalie out of Will’s arms.
“I could’ve fed her,” Will protests, annoyed at being deprived of his goddaughter’s company.
“I know, but Ben’s only here until tomorrow. So go spend some time with him,” Ivy implores. “I’ve got this.”
“That’s right, old man,” Ben chides, coming up behind him. “Why don’t we take our plates and head down the trail over there. I bet the view is spectacular once you get to the clearing.”
“It is,” my dad concurs, giving him a friendly pat on the arm as he strolls by, grabbing a drumstick out of the container before ripping off a piece for Shep.