All Chapters of SECRETS & SCANDALS: Chapter 11 - Chapter 16

The day of the burial came too soon. I wasn’t ready. I don’t even think I moved when I woke up that morning. The rain had already started - just a light drizzle - but it felt like the whole world was warning me, ‘today’s going to hurt’. Everyone was in black. Umbrellas everywhere. But halfway through, the rain didn’t care about that anymore. It poured, soaking everyone. No one moved. No one spoke. Just the sound of water hitting coats and skin, and the occasional sniffle. I held Aunty Linda’s hand. Tight. Her hand was warm. Mine was cold, all over. But I didn’t let go. If I did, I felt like I’d fall apart. I couldn’t stop staring at the caskets. Two. Side by side. That was them. My parents. Right there. White lilies covered the tops. They loved those. I remember them in vases all around the house. I shut my eyes hard. I had told myself - don’t cry. Not today. Be strong. You don’t want them to see you fall apart. You want them to be proud. But inside, I was shaking. I wa

IVY (WHAT HAPPENS TO IVY).The room fell silent for a moment, aunt Linda’s words seemed to mellow the mood, but that didn’t last long at all. Not long before that someone started the conversation again, i couldn’t even remember who exactly, all I knew was that i was tired of the whole thing. A lump formed in my throat, my head was hurting, the room was spinning. I pressed my hand to my chest, trying to keep myself from losing my cool, but none of that seemed to matter to the people in the room, all they cared about was themselves. Somewhere along the line, someone suggested placing me in some government welfare agency across the state, since I had long passed the age for foster care. A few murmurs of agreement came from my dad’s side of the family, but my mom’s side looked around uncomfortably, though it seemed like they were for me, they weren’t offering any help to her situation. It was only aunt Linda who cursed them out calling them all sorts of foul names which had shocke

IVY- A NEW HOME My first night at Aunt Linda’s place was weird. It wasn’t bad. Just felt a little off. Too quiet. And a bit cold, not like temperature cold but just - not warm. The house wasn’t bad, t’was just hard to settle in. It didn’t feel like home. Not even close. I mean, I was thankful to her, really, I was. But still. I put my things on the floor and began to unpack which really didn’t take long to do either. I didn’t bring much to be honest. Just what I thought I would need for a few days’ worth of stuff. A few clothes, a phone charger, the stuffed bear I’ve had since I was six. The rest of what I had was left back at the house. Our house. I couldn’t pack up everything and leave like that. It was still home, even if it wasn’t anymore. That house was all I knew. My parents. The smell. The memories. Every wall had a piece of our memories embedded in it. I couldn’t pack that in a bag. Aunt Linda really did try, though. She made up the guest bed with fresh sheets, al