Page 103 of Give My Everything
An illness as a kid that made her deaf. A blood disease that slows her down and makes it easy for her to get sick. Her parents’ divorce and all the other Calloway drama. The emergence of a sister and brother she didn’t know anything about.
And she’s in a hospital bed right now.
But she’s still smiling.
I don’t know why we were kept waiting for so long or what’s going on with her health, but Ivy passing out on the floor was apparently a side effect of her medication.
Her doctor, Dr. Lyons, who Ivy sees at USC Medical Center, drove in to talk to all of us.
Apparently her body is rejecting the medication she’s on, isn’t responding the way they’d hoped.
I don’t know all the specifics, probably because I don’t really understand what’s wrong with her, but Ben and Wyatt and Vivian all looked…like ghosts when she told them.
They looked back and forth at each other like they just couldn’t believe it.
I know they’re worried. I can feel it. Their fear is leaking across the room in a pool I can only hope Ivy can’t see.
But kids are perceptive, and I wonder if she’s just putting on a brave face for them.
I open a browser screen on my phone and try to search for the disease she has. I heard the doctor say it, but the words were so long I don’t even know if I’m searching for the right thing.
The best way I can help Ben is to understand enough so that he doesn’t have to answer my questions, and to stand by his side as he does everything he can to support her.
The couch dips to my right and my whole body tenses as Calvin Calloway sits too close for my comfort.
“It’s good to see you, Remmy.”
I try to give him a smile, but I know it falls flat. “If only it were under better circumstances.” My eyes scan the room. “Where’s Krissa?”
“Oh, she went home. She’s feeling a bit tired and I don’t want her to feel unwelcome in a room full of people who don’t want her around.”
The comment makes me uncomfortable, but I am far from fluent in the language of how the Calloways interact with each other.
Lucas told me once that Vivian and the kids take direction from Calvin by attending events asone big happy family, which is absolutely beyond me, but hey, whatever floats your boat.
“So tell me, how long have you and Ben been seeing each other?” he asks, leaning back in the couch and lifting one leg to rest it on the other.
I open my mouth to reply then realize Calvin has leaned even closer to me.
“And be honest,” he whispers.
Something inside me turns cold, and when I turn to look at his face, I see something calculating behind his expression, something unfriendly that makes me uncomfortable.
My body freezes up. I try hard to get myself to relax.
This is just Ben’s dad.
This is just Ben’s dad.
Clearing my throat, I try to give a coherent response.
“Things are pretty new,” I say, trying to stay vague.
“You know, I thought you were dating Lucas over there, for quite some time, if I’m not mistaken, though I don’t normally keep up with the teenage gossip.”
I let out an awkward laugh. “We’re not teenagers, but I get your point.” Then I gesture to Lucas, who stands at the foot of Ivy’s bed. “But Lucas and Lennon have been something for a few years now.”
He hums his acknowledgment, but his eyes don’t follow my hand to focus on Lucas in the distance.
