Bound by Ivy by S. Quinn Read Free Book Online Page A

I’ve ever seen the cottage looking so bad. Piles of dirty clothes everywhere. A counter covered in dirty plates and cups. There are even a few flies climbing over rubbish bags by the bin, which makes me absolutely shudder. It’s winter. Who gets flies in winter?
    An empty whisky bottle lies on the dining table, and drained beer bottles are lined up along the floor by Dad’s easy chair.
    ‘Oh Dad.’ I turn to h im and realise how truly awful he looks. Those bleary eyes are bright red under the light. His skin is pale and tired, and he’s wearing the same shirt and trousers from the party.
    ‘You were wearing those clothes in bed ?’ I ask.
    ‘Yes.’ Dad scratches his head. He follows my gaze down to his dirty shirt. ‘I was too tired to get out of my clothes tonight. It’s ... been a long day.’
    ‘And too tired yesterday and the day before by the looks of it. Where’s Genoveva?’
    ‘She’s ta king a break.’
    ‘Da d.’ I cross my arms. ‘Are you going to tell me what’s going on or am I going to have to force it out of you?’
    Dad sig hs and slumps down on the sofa. ‘Genoveva left,’ he says, picking up an empty beer bottle from the floor and trying to drink from it. It takes him a good few seconds before he realises the bottle is empty, at which point he tosses it back down to the floor.
    It rolls towards my feet and I pic k it up. ‘Has Sammy been crawling around all this stuff?’
    ‘No .’ Dad rubs his eyes. ‘A girl from town has been taking him for half the day while I’m at work. She’s not bad. Cheap rates. He seems pretty happy with her. And this place isn’t so bad.’
    ‘Not so bad?’ I try to stuff the empty beer bottle in the overfull bin, before giving up and placing it on the sticky kitchen counter. ‘Dad, it’s awful. You can’t have Sammy in a place like this. Does Genoveva know what a mess it is?’
    ‘ I … she won’t take my calls. I keep expecting her to walk through the door. But it’s been over a week …’
    ‘Oh, Dad.’ I go behind the sofa and put my arms around him shoulders. ‘Why didn’t you tell me? I would have come and stayed here. Helped out.’
    ‘You couldn’t have done, love. You’re so busy with your play and everything.’
    I hug him tighter. ‘I’m so sorry. I should have called you. I was ...’ I think back to that weird and difficult week after the whole Giles Getty thing. ‘... pretty busy. But I still should have thought of you. I’m so sorry. I knew something was up last night, but I didn’t realise it was this bad. You should have said something. You know how important you and Sammy are to me. I’d drop everything to come help out.’
    Dad gives a tired smile. ‘That’s exactly why I didn’t tell you.’
    ‘What happened?’ I ask. ‘With Genoveva? Did you have a big fight or something?’
    ‘Of sorts.’ Dad sighs. He grabs another empty beer bottle and starts picking at the label.
    ‘Dad?’
    ‘She’s … been seeing someone else.’
    ‘Oh no.’
    ‘A doctor. He lives in the village. He’s married.’
    ‘Oh no. ’
    Dad nods . ‘I feel terrible for his wife. They have three kids together. Three times the heartache.’
    ‘So where’s Genoveva now?’
    ‘I don’t know. I’ve heard that she’s with him. In one of his holiday homes. I’m just hoping she’ll see sense and come back to us. Sammy needs her. I need her too.’
    ‘Poor Sammy. He must not know what end is up right now.’
    ‘Him and me both.’
    ‘Things will get better ,’ I say, picking up beer bottles. I line them up around the bin, just like I used to after Mum died. ‘Time heals.’
    ‘She’ll be back ,’ says Dad. ‘I’m sure of it. She just needs time to realise what a terrible mistake she’s made.’ He puts his head in his hands.
    I put a hand on his shoulder. ‘I hope so Dad.’ But secretly, I can’t see it. Genoveva and Dad often rowed, but she’s never left him before. And if she’s seeing someone else …
    ‘