Dear Me… With Love, Ivy.

Episode 1.

“Ivy!”

Was that a yell or a scream? She had no idea. Maybe another Ivy, right? It was too early for her name to be heard. With that, she pulled her blanket more tightly over her head.

“Ivy!” Moyo called more loudly as she took two steps at a time.

Clearly impatient, she pulled open Ivy’s door and walked in, banging the door loudly at her behind. Still that did nothing in waking up the sleeping figure.

“Who the hell sleeps till 11:00am?” She mumbled.

“Ivy,” She called again. The only response she got was a tiny purr.

Sighly loudly, she roughly shook the body awake.

“Heyyyy.” Ivy mumbled. “That was no nice way to wake up a princess.” She protested.

“It’s almost noon, idiot.”

“Still, I hate mornings!” Ivy groaned.

“See ehn, I know you love your sleep, but I seriously need your help.” Moyo rushed out, settling herself into the bed.

“That serious that it couldn’t wait? I was having this so intense dream.” Ivy whined.

“Seriously, Ivy?”

“Five minutes.”

Moyo watched irritatedly as her friend covered up herself.

“I’m pregnant, Ivy.”

Whether she heard or not, the other girl gave no reaction of any such.

“Ivy?”

“What Moyo?” She groaned, her head popping up from underneath the blanket.

“I’m pregnant.”

“Then sort it out yourself. Last time I checked, I wasn’t the one who impregnated you.” She snapped.

Moyo’s eyes widened at Ivy’s outburst. Not ready to take any shit from her, she fired back, “What’s got your pants so twisted this morning, huh?”

“You woke me up from my damn so sweet sleep, only to give me some shitty news of your pregnancy. And that’s even if you know the father this time around.” Ivy said angrily.

“Wow. Low blow, Ivy.” Moyo stared hard at her, folding her arms across her chest before retorting, “I’m not having that from you. You are not much of a saint either, you know?”

“At least, I have mine wrapped up all good. But you?” Ivy glared back at her. “All you do is to get knocked up every damn time. This is your fourth? Fifth?” She let out a mocking laugh. “Geez, I’ve even lost counts.”

“How could you be so stupid, Moyo?” She added irritatedly.

“Not funny, Ivy. I’m not stupid.” Moyo rolled her eyes exasperatedly.

“You can just go for another abortion.” On a second thought she added, “Madam Iris must not know you know?”

“That was the help I needed from you dumbass.”

“To help you abort a baby?” Ivy asked, her voice going a pitch higher. “Hell, no! I won’t have an unformed figure haunting me. So sorry, but no!”

“I won’t be having an abortion.” Moyo chuckled. “I’m keeping this one.”

Ivy’s lips failed her at that moment, as they refused to move. “I give up,” She sighed dramatically. “My friend clearly is insane.”

Moyo laughed, a little bit forced.

“I live in a brothel, alright? Which is no environment to birth or raise a child. And I know what Madam Iris’s reaction would be to this news. I should be freaking out now, cause I know next to nothing about motherhood. And as much as I hate to admit this last fact, I know that my unborn child won’t have a father figure in their life. So…?” She said sadly.

“I understand your worries, even without you voicing out any word. Still, I want this baby.”

Tears threatened to fall off from her eyes, but she masked it off pretty quickly.

Ivy stared at her friend sadly. She knew Moyo didn’t have a good upbringing. She wasn’t raised to be strong or independent. She was raised to be frail and submissive. But circumstances taught her to be strong and brave. And from her words, she knew she wasn’t just keeping the pregnancy out of guilt.

“Well, I don’t want you to be like me. I want you to be strong, confident and independent. To create a better version of yourself off that baby. Just follow your heart, it will always lead you aright.” She said with a broad smile.

“So?” Moyo asked nervously.

“You’ll be leaving tonight. Leave Madam Iris to me.”

“Seriously?” Moyo squealed happily. “Thanks, b.”

Ivy scoffed at her use of the alphabet ‘b’. Affectionate words don’t go down well with her. Not at all.

“Mind you, I’m not doing it for you. It’s for your little one. She deserves a chance at life.”

Moyo teared up then. “A ‘she’?” She whispered amidst sobs.

“Now the hormones are working.” Ivy groaned. “Honestly, what’s it with pregnant women?”

They both laughed at that.

“Are you really doing this for me?”

Ivy nodded. She knew convincing Madam Iris would not be a hard nut to crack. She only had to offer up herself till a replacement would be found for Moyo. It would be a sacrifice worth making.

“Yeah, we’re friends afterall.” She grinned. “I will work your hours with mine.”

“She is a real bitch.” Moyo said grimly.

“I know right?” Ivy chuckled.

Moyo smiled her thanks. “I can’t thank you enough.” She gushed out, rushing off to her side to engulf her in a hug.

“Yeah, yeah. Meet the incredible Ivy. She’s so nice, right?” Ivy said drily. “Now get off me, I hate hugs. Arrrgh!”

“Doofus!” Moyo laughed, as she gave a light smack to her back.

“I am scared. I don’t want you to leave. But I don’t have a choice here. You have to leave – to create a better life for your baby. I don’t want to lose anyone anymore.” Her voice trembled.

Moyo was surprised by her confession. That was a first. She knew she was someone who never admitted or showed anyone her doubts and fears. She was glad she was opening up to her.

“People complain too much about their lives, yet when they have the chance to do something about it, they don’t.” She said thoughtfully. “We can leave together, Ivy. This life is not cut off for us.”

Ivy laughed. A bitter laugh.

“We are different, Moyo. This is my own life. It can’t be changed.”

Moyo scoffed. “This is no life, babe. Don’t you wish to live the way you want?”

“This is my life.” Ivy snapped.

If only she knew that Ivy hoped to be just Ivy.

“Well, I guess this is my cue to leave.” Moyo said nervously, as she clambered off the bed.

“Hol’ up. I have something for you.”

She leaned towards the bedside table, pulled out the second drawer, then took out a big black purse.

“This is for you.” She said, as she handed it carefully to Moyo. “Coupled with what you have, it should be enough to get you started wherever you moved to.”

“You don’t have to – ” Moyo started to protest.

“It’s nothing, honestly.”

Moyo opened the purse and gasped loudly.

“How much, Ivy?”

Ivy started scratching her neck nervously. “It’s nothing much.”

“I know it’s nothing much, but I need an exact figure to these.” Moyo said, in an almost scream.

“I don’t know, okay? But it sure exceeds an hundred.”

“Thank you.” Moyo breathed out, as she threw herself at her once again.

Ivy laughed nervously. “It’s just a little…”

“It means a lot to us.” Moyo smiled appreciatively, rubbing her little bump as well.

“I’m also sorry for going off on you earlier. It was petty of me. And I hope you will forgive me for my words.”

Moyo waved it off. “I woke you up from your sleep, knowing how much you hated that.”

“And I don’t know,” She continued hesitantly, then reached around her neck, and pulled off a neckchain with a locket. “A present from me to her. There’s a golden inscription in the locket.”

Moyo’s hands flew up to her mouth, as she choked back a sob. “Ivy,” She rasped out.

“This is not goodbye. The future holds a lot for us, I believe.” Moyo said, wiping off tears from her face.

“The future?” Ivy shrugged with a grim expression. “I don’t picture the future. It’s fickle. It never pans out the way we hope.”

Moyo glared at her. “Be optimistic some times, huh?”

“Duhh… You can ask life why it had always been so cruel to me?”

Moyo smiled. “Still, thank you. For everything.”

“Geez. Friends don’t say thanks. Now stop the waterworks. It sucks.”

“Okay. Okay.” Moyo sniffed, wiping off her tears.

“You being a crying mess is not a beautiful sight at all.” Ivy laughed.

“You should get packing. Wait up, okay?” Ivy sent her a smirk, then walked out.

Moyo smiled happily, and mouthed as she gently rubbed her baby bump. “That is Ivy. She is not as tough as she looks. Her toughness is only a shield. She has been through a lot and seen a lot that she shouldn’t have seen. She keeps it all inside and hides it with her tough attitude, but on the inside, she is a kind soul.”

She had always admired Ivy and had wanted to be like her. She walked with confidence and had an aura that demanded respect. Not to speak of her beauty, that girl sure do turn heads. Her life might be a mess. But to Moyo, she was a beautiful mess.

The neckchain took that time to slip off her hand. As she bent to pick it up, the locket flew open. A simple message in a golden inscription stared at her. “When life gets out of tune, sing anyway.”

A broad smile appeared easily on her face. Well, what other perfect gift would a little girl had wished for from her godmother.

To be continued…