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The Sketchbook

“Are you okay?” Lynn asked her friend as she hung her winter coat on the peg.

“Mommy and Aunt Ivy are fighting and it’s my fault.” Chelsea dried her tears on her knit mitten.

“Your fault?”

“I wanted fruitcake and Mommy doesn’t like it but Aunt Ivy got me some anyway and then they started yelling at each other.”

“I don’t think that’s why, Chelsea. Who has a fight about fruitcake? When my mommy and daddy have a fight, it sounds like they’re fighting about what they’re yelling about but it never is.”

“What is it?”

“Grownup stuff. They don’t want to talk about grownup stuff in front of us so they yell about dumb stuff like trash or dirty dishes.”

“So, it wasn’t really about the fruitcake?”

“I don’t think so.” Lynn pulled out a chair to sit at their little round table.

“So, it’s not my fault?”

“Probably not.”

“I hope you’re right.” Chelsea plopped her head down on her crossed arms.

“Me, too. How was your fruitcake?”

“I didn’t get to have any.” She rolled her head to look at Lynn.

“Why not?”

“Everybody was mad. We just ate dinner and I went to my room.”

“That’s too bad.”

“I packed a piece for my snack. You can try some if you want.”

“Okay, thanks.” Lynn said with a smile.

“Did your uncle find a girlfriend?”

“No, Mommy’s friend is coming tonight.”

“Not the throw-up lady again.” Chelsea rolled her eyes.

“No, somebody else.” Lynn giggled.

“That’s good.”

“Does your aunt still want to be alone?”

“I guess so. She doesn’t seem to like anybody right now.”

“Except for you.”

“I don’t know.”

“Well, she got you fruitcake.”

“Two kinds.” A little smile teased the corners of Chelsea’s mouth.

“There are two kinds?”
“Can I come in?” Holly said.

“Go away.”

“It’s my house, you know.”

Ivy roared furiously and threw a pillow at the door.

Holly opened the door. “We need to talk.”

“I need more time.”

“That’s your answer to everything, isn’t it? Leave me alone. That’s the Ivy motto.”

“Works for me.” Ivy rolled over to face away from her sister.

“Does it? I see how you are with the girls. I think you know what you’re missing out on.”

“There’s a big difference between spoiling my nieces from time to time and having kids twenty-four seven who need me for everything. I’m not ready for that. I’m not ready for a guy. I’m not ready for kids. I’m not ready.”

“By the time you’re ready, it will be too late.” Holly sat down on the bed, facing away from her sister.

“What does it matter to you? Why don’t you worry about your own problems?”

“You are my problem. I’ve been worried about you since the day you were born.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Ivy rolled over to glare at Holly’s back.

“Mom always told me I had to look after you.”

“That was for kid stuff, Holly. We’re adults now. I can take care of myself. Can you?”

“I’d like to think I’m doing alright.” Holly turned around to face her, sitting cross-legged on the bed.

“Except when you’re crying in a heap because Frank is being mean. What is up with that anyway?”

“I don’t know.”

“Well, think hard. I’m pretty sure you do and you just don’t want to admit it’s your fault.”

“Look, I don’t want to fight with you.”

“Then go away and leave me alone.” Ivy balled up fists full of her blonde hair and pulled them in front of her face.

“What’s that?” Holly spied a sketch book half buried in the blankets.

“I was doing sketches for practice.” She stretched a leg out to cover it up.

“Let me see.” Holly yanked it free. “Aw, look at Chelsea. Did she pose for you?”

“No, I did it from memory.”

“I wish I could do that. You’re so creative. Here’s Kendra. She’s growing up so fast.”

“They do that.” Ivy reached out for the book but Holly twisted to keep it out of her reach.

“Where is this?” Holly held up a sketch of a landscape.

“It’s from a mountaintop on the Appalachian Trail.”

“I didn’t know you walked the trail.”

“Not the whole thing. One of my clients wanted to use that overlook for the cover on his memoirs.”

“I don’t wonder why. Even as a rough sketch, it’s breathtaking.” Holly noticed her sister tensing up as she turned the page.

“Holly, don’t.” Ivy lashed out to try to take the book again.

Holly deftly kept it away and flipped the page. “Who’s this handsome devil? He looks kind of familiar.”

“Holly, give it back.”

Holly spun around and ran to the window for better lighting. “I swear I know this guy.”

“I don’t know. He’s just a random guy. A lot of guys look like that.”

“No, I’m pretty sure I know this face.”

“Holly, stop. When are you going to tell Frank?”

She waved a dismissive index finger. “No changing the subject. I’m trying to think here.”

“Just give it back.” Ivy leapt off the bed and tried to get the book from her sister.

Holly sucked a surprised breath. “It’s that guy who was talking to himself. You sly dog. You imagined him without his scruffiness.”

“No, I didn’t. I saw him again yesterday. He was clean-shaven.” Ivy wrested the book from her sister’s grip and flung it back onto the bed.

“Well, he cleans up nicely and he certainly seems to have made an impression on you.” Holly smiled wickedly. “Who is he? What’s his name? When’s the wedding?”

“I have no idea. He ran away. He thinks I’m a creep and he’s pretty unimpressed with you, too.”

“Me? What did I do?”

“I don’t know but I’m pretty sure he’ll keep running the other way every time he sees me.”

“That’s a shame. I guess you should have drawn him without a spine. Don’t worry. We’ll find you somebody who’s man enough to treat you with some respect.”