Page 10 of Left

“I can’t believe you told her that!” Frank sounded outraged.

“Of course, I told Doc. I tell her everything.”

Emmanuel wasn’t lying. They had that type of relationship. If you told one, you effectively told the other. Ivy would have never believed that her closest confidant would be her husband, but that was the way it was.

Kimberlin found their bond annoying. She had complained,“Sometimes it feels like your husband stole my best friend.”

“Maybe not everything,” Frank mumbled.

She was sure her cousin meant well, but his assertion would drive a wedge between the friends.Oh damn.Emmanuel sent Frank a look that had both men returning to their original stance. They were back in each other’s faces.

“Manny,” she called out to him. Ivy held out her hand, and he took it. He didn’t hesitate as he backed away from her cousin.

“It seems, despite all these years, Frank believes some fucking stranger over me. I’ve explained that this is bullshit.” Emmanuel turned imploring blue-grey eyes to her. They gave her an answer she wasn’t even seeking. He was being truthful. Besides, her heart knew that there was no way that he would betray what they had. Over the years, women had thrown themselves at her Manny. Inevitably, they would end up with their feelings hurt. He never used kid gloves when shooting down advances. Someone blatantly making a play for him when they knew he was married was considered an attack on his family.

Ivy squeezed this hand. Wordlessly, she let him know she had his back. Understood, he wouldn’t have jeopardised everything they had built over some woman. Her heart and head were on the same page. Whatever this was, they would face it head-on, as a united front. The certainty of her conviction caused a warm smile to blossom, spreading from her eyes to her upturned lips. He nodded in recognition.

Now she had to deal with Frank. She didn’t like the tension that was going on between the two men. Frank always looked out for her like a big brother, and she suspected it was his protective nature that had him questioning Manny. It was sweet, but totally unnecessary.

With a final squeeze of Manny’s hand, she let go and turned to her cousin. “Frank, you can’t believe this.”

Frank looked skywards and exhaled. She could see that this was tearing him up inside. “Listen, Ivy, I don’t want to believe Emmanuel is capable of something?—”

“Then don’t.” Ivy cut him off. It really was that simple for her.

“Ivs, come on. This accusation had to come from somewhere.”

“Wherever its origin, I know my husband. He didn’t father some woman’s child. It just isn’t possible.”

“Ivs—” Frank looked at her imploringly. She felt bad for him because it looked like this was really hard for him. In her mind, Frank was putting himself through unnecessary angst.

“What was the very thought you had when you read that?” Pointing to the document.

It took him a moment, but Frank looked down. “That it was bullshit.”

“Exactly!” Manny and Ivy said in unison.

“That was before I looked at the matter critically. Things like this…” Frank waved the document. “… do not come out of thin air. The court frowns on people wasting their time in these matters. Roi and Snyder know that. I don’t see them taking the chance.”

“Frank don’t let this come between you and Emmanuel. If you can’t trust him right now, trust me. Okay?”

Ivy didn’t think that he would answer. A minute went by and then a next. His gaze drifted from Ivy to Emmanuel. Finally, he nodded. “Okay.”

It was a start.

“Listen, Manny.” Ivy turned towards Emmanuel. “Just take the test so we can put this behind us.”

“Doc, I guess I will stop by your lab Monday morning.”

Technically, it wasn’t Ivy’s lab. It belonged to the hospital’s research department. However, Ivy was the directress of the department.

“You have to go to the court-mandated laboratory,” Frank interjected, as he pointed to the paternity request.

Of course, the courts would want an impartial party to run the test.

Ivy looked over the papers. The facility mentioned was a federally funded laboratory. “Helix is a good lab.” In fact, Ivy had gone to school with the directress Clara.

Emmanuel shrugged. “As long as we get this over with.”

---