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From the Past
Fan fiction and fond (mostly) memories
of soap days gone by
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The Price of Love
by AshleyTara
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CHAPTER 3
Grace’s Shop
Ivy slowed her cream Mercedes convertible to a stop in front of Grace Bennet’s little shop. She had put her light
blue vintage Mustang convertible back in storage the day after the prom disaster. That was the first time she
had had the Mustang out in twenty years. Ivy could never bring herself to use the car because of the painful memories
it held of her and Sam. Yet it was those same painful, but beautiful memories that kept her from parting with
it. She got out of the car approached the door of the quaint shop.
As usual with her commanding presence, she made a royal entrance into the shop where none of the country club set
would ever think to look for Ivy Crane. Her blonde hair was pulled into a neat French roll with her signature
strand of hair floating down the side of her face. Her nails were perfectly manicured and she had very small,
understated cream pearls hanging from her earlobes. She was wearing a pale blue high waisted, knee length skirt
with a matching cropped jacket, a cream silk blouse, and designer cream heeled sandals. To complete her ensemble
was a wide brimmed cream hat with pale blue ribbon and flowers the same shade as her suit and a cream handbag.
But her locket was safely hidden under her blouse. Yes, Ivy Crane was definitely not someone you would expect
to find here when it was a perfect afternoon to be shopping and lunching with the other ladies of the country club.
Nonetheless, she was here and on a mission.
"Ivy," Grace greeted her with a wide smile, "it’s so good to see you! That’s a fabulous hat you’re
wearing. It’s so becoming!"
"Thank you! It’s good to see you too Grace, dear. Ethan never lets me leave the house without a hat since
that day Sam was over and I fainted from being out in the sun without one. I figured I might as well wear one
in style," Ivy responded with a genuine smile, even though she knew the reason she fainted wasn’t because
of the sun.
Grace gave a small laugh of admiration, "Well, it certainly is marvelous. I wish I could wear a hat like
that."
"Well Grace, how are you? I haven’t really gotten to talk to you much since that winter weekend at the ski
lodge."
"I know we’ve all been so busy. Especially you with Ethan’s wedding coming up. Did you and Julian enjoy
your weekend as much as Sam and I did," Grace asked innocently hoping what she had heard about Julian wasn’t
true for Ivy’s sake.
Ivy nervously brushed the question away, "I’m sure not. I heard that you came back positively glowing. Wasn’t
it supposed to be your second honeymoon?"
"Yes, and it was nearly perfect, except for the strange, paranoid dreams I had about Sam being with another
woman while we were at the lodge. I know it wasn’t real, but I felt better when Sam reassured me that I was just
dreaming."
Ivy’s conscience almost got the better of her by trying to make her cringe with guilt, but she stopped it before
it came and felt it gather into a lump in her throat.
"Anyway Ivy, enough about me, what is it you need help with?"
"Well, as you know Sheridan is out of town with Luis. They’re trying to gather more information and clues
as to the murder of Martin Fitzgerald and if Sheridan had any part in it. Julian and Alistair know she’s out of
town, but they think she’s doing some shopping and getting some rest after the whole Paris incident. They don’t
know Luis is with and I’m just praying that they won’t find out. But to get down to the point, I know Sheridan
has been upset about the whole situation lately and been a little down. I thought I’d get some new nick-knacks
and things here to redecorate her cottage a little bit to cheer her up and I want you to help me."
Grace’s eyes teared up a bit at Ivy’s thoughtfulness and sincere wish to help her sister-in-law. "Of course
I’ll help you, Ivy!"
They spent the next hour picking things out for Sheridan’s cottage and bringing them to the large counter at the
back of the shop. As they were wrapping things up and putting them in boxes and bags, they began talking again.
"You know Ivy, I just want to let you know what a wonderful thing I think it is that you’re doing for Sheridan.
There aren’t many people who would go out of their way to cheer up their sister-in-law. You are truly a kind,
thoughtful, generous person. I’m so blessed to have people like you and Eve for friends."
Ivy stopped wrapping the candlestick she was holding and looked Grace in the eye with at first guilt and then a
kind, thankful smile. "Grace, that’s probably the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me, but don’t worry,
I won’t hold you to it," Ivy replied and looked down shamefully.
Grace was surprised, "What do you mean?"
"Oh Grace, I know what the people of Harmony think about me and my family. Most of them despise us and have
good reason to. I know that they call me, ‘Poison Ivy’ and ‘The Ice Princess’ behind my back. It means a lot
to me that you would consider me one of your friends. I really don’t have any true friends except for Pilar.
The ladies that I lunch with from the country club only care about wealth, marital status, and social standing.
You can be sure that as soon as you leave they’ll have something bad to say about you. I’ve seen it happen,"
Ivy rambled so that Grace could not console her, furthering her guilt.
"Ivy, I really –"
"Grace, what I’m trying to say is, I really appreciate your selfless gesture, but good people like you aren’t
friends with someone like me. I don’t deserve your friendship. I know you’re just being kind in offering it.
That’s the kind of person you are. But if we see each other in public and you don’t talk to me, I’ll understand."
Ivy looked away and started re-wrapping the candlestick she’d been holding throughout her whole speech. Grace
was shell-shocked.
"Ivy, I meant every word I said," cooed an astonished Grace. "The people who say those things don’t
know you at all. No matter what the rest of your family may be like, I know the truth about you, and I consider
you a friend. I promise I’ll always talk to you, no matter where we are."
Ivy smiled, "Thank you, Grace. I’m honored that you would consider me a friend."
Trying to lighten the mood, Grace changed the subject. "So, Ivy how is your family?"
"Oh, Ethan is just wonderful. He’s preparing for his marriage to Gwen. Theresa has been helping him while
Gwen’s out of and she really is God sent. She’s so helpful…I don’t know how we would have gotten the wedding off
the ground without her." Ivy continued, "The girls are still off at boarding school. I wish they didn’t
have to be so far away from me. But they are coming home for the wedding. They’re young women now and I’ve missed
seeing them grow up, but the Crane family wouldn’t have it any other way. You’re so lucky to have your girls at
home with you, Grace."
"I know I am but, Noah is still away at school. I miss him terribly. You know how it is with your first-born…you’re
just a little more protective of them, even if you’re first born is practically a grown man." Then Grace
remembered something she thought Ivy would find humorous. "You know what else amazes me? How much Ethan
reminds me of Sam and Noah."
Ivy stopped short. "Really? How so," she asked nervously.
"Well, I just think it’s odd how people from two completely unrelated families could be so much alike. They
all have the same eyes, but it’s more than that. I know how much Ethan loves you, Ivy. That he would protect
his family, and especially you, to death from whatever could be threatening you, just like Sam."
"That is strange, isn’t it," Ivy laughed cautiously. "But it certainly is true."
"It is. Well, I think that’s everything," replied Grace, gathering up the bags. "I’ll just send
the bill up to the mansion tomorrow when I get it figured out."
"Thank you so much again, Grace for your help…and everything else."
"It’s no problem, Ivy. Remember, we’re friends and if you ever need someone to just listen to you I’m here.
I know you and Julian aren’t very close –"
"I appreciate that, Grace. Have a lovely evening," Ivy said as she slowly closed the shop door.
This was all so hard. She genuinely liked Grace. Grace was a good person and Ivy had no reason to hate her.
After all, Grace hadn’t even been in the picture when she and Sam were together. That was the whole problem.
Now it was Grace who had Sam and Ivy didn’t want to hurt her, but she wasn’t sure she could live without Sam.
As she got in her car and drove off toward the mansion, she made a promise to herself, "I am going to forget
about Sam. It’s the best thing for all of us." She got a little more confident as she gave herself a pep
talk. "I lived without him in my like for twenty years and didn’t have any contact with him. I never even
had a relapse. At least I was functioning." All of a sudden Ivy began to weaken, "Then he just showed
up at the mansion one day and everything changed. Since Sam walked onto the estate last summer, I haven’t been
able to think about anything else. Well, better my happiness that is sacrificed than that of Ethan and Sam and
Grace’s family. I’ve learned to live without it. After all, I’m the one who left, even if it was to protect them….’ |
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