Page 164 of Ink Me Three Times
“Okay,” she gasps out. “Thank you for warning me. This is… it’s real now, isn’t it?”
I nod along with her. “Yeah, it is.”
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
Ivy
The door creaks open,and I don’t even need to look up to know who it is. Jesse’s footsteps are unmistakable, and he’s carrying a storm inside him.
Pickle, who’s been enthusiastically chewing on an old sock at my feet, freezes, tail no longer wagging, sensing the tension before I do.
I look over at him, meeting his eyes for the first time in ages. He looks... not angry, but definitely not happy. His shoulders are tight, and his jaw is set in that familiar way that means things are about to getreal.
“Jesse,” I say, trying to sound casual, as if it’s no big deal that my life has turned into a dumpster fire.
Pickle, apparently deciding it’s time to break the awkwardness, lets out a little bark and darts over to Jesse’s feet, wagging his tail so hard he might topple over.
Jesse doesn’t bend down to pet him, though.
Instead, he just stands there for a second, his gaze flicking between me and the room, like he's not sure where to start. I don’t blame him. I’m not exactly sure where to start either.
“Freddie told me,” Jesse says, his voice low, like he's testing the waters before diving in. “The truth. All of it.”
I rub the back of my neck, trying to keep my head clear, but the room feels a little too small, a little too heavy.
"I... yeah. He did. Look, Jesse, I… I know this is hard to wrap your head around. Trust me, I’m finding it hard as well, but Freddie, Mitchell, and Timothy…” I shake my head. “I know it sounds wild, but it feels right.”
I pause, trying to collect myself, but Jesse’s standing there, not saying a word, his face a mask of disbelief. I know he’s trying not to lose it, trying to keep it together, but the disappointment is already there, hanging in the air between us.
“And now I’m pregnant,” I add, my voice almost a whisper now. “And they all want to give things a shot. Like, a real relationship with all of us.”
“And how will that work?”
I have no words. This isn’t something Iknowyet.
“I don’t even know how to process this, Ivy,” he mutters, shaking his head. "You’re my sister. And you’ve got yourself wrapped up in this... this mess. And I… I don’t know how to help you. How to protect you from it."
“It’s not a mess, Jesse. I know it sounds like it, but it isn’t.”
“This is what you want?”
The air feels thick with everything left unsaid, and I wish I could just make it stop. Make him understand. But I know I can’t. Not right now.
So I just tell him the truth. “Yes.”
I can feel it. The sharp edge of his disappointment cutting through me, and it's worse than anything he’s said. Worse than any of the stupid decisions I made to get here.
“I just need you there, Jesse…”
There’s a beat between us, silence hanging heavy as he searches my eyes. For answers, for clarity. I don’t know. He inhales deeply, breaking eye contact. “I’ve always been there for you. I always will. But I need some time to process all of this.”
I try to swallow the lump in my throat, but it's lodged there for good. I can’t bring myself to look at him, not yet. If I do, I’ll crumble. And I can’t do that. Not in front of him. Not now.
“Okay,” I say, my voice barely more than a whisper.
I hate how weak I sound, but I can’t help it. The weight of everything pressing down on me is too much.
Jesse hesitates for a second, then, without another word, he leaves. The door clicks softly behind him, and the silence that follows is so heavy I might drown in it.
