ivy

Chapter 4

I stumble through the heavy snow to the stables. The air was cold, but something about it felt like home somehow. I make my way to the stables. I look at his beautiful ocean blue eyes that look like sinking ships on water. They are so inviting, I almost jump in. Suddenly I feel myself going down. I yelp as I feel my body going down. Just as it's about to hit the freezing snow, something grabs onto my waist and stops me. I look up and see the stable boy grabbing me just before my head touched the ground.

"Are you okay ma'am?" He asks me as he looks down at me. He looks like a knight-in-shining-armor! He looks so worried and genuine! It's refreshing. I sigh.

"Ma'am?" He repeats, confused on why I didn't reply. I snap back to reality.

"Oh! Sorry. I'm okay, thank you.." I say as I make my way back up to my feet. I remembered, fairytale loves and knights-in-shining-armors don't exist. I step back from him and brush myself off. I look at him in a more serious face.

"Okay. Great. Well, I'm Stephen Ivy, the stable boy. I have to work here because this obnoxiously rich man hired me and gave me an offer I couldn't refuse. What about you! Why are you here?" He asks laughing.

"Umm..I'm the obnoxiously rich man's wife..." I quietly say.

Stephen looks shocked.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean that! I mean, okay I meant it a little but still this job means a lot to me and please don't fire me!" He says super quickly, looking ashamed of himself. I take a deep breath and smile.

"It is a little obnoxious how much money he has, isn't it?" I ask giggling.

Stephen chuckles.

"A little?"

We both burst into laughter. After a few minutes of laughing I realize what I was doing.

"Anyways, it's nice to meet you! I've got to go inside now." I say with a serious face. I head to the door. Before I go in, I hear a faint voice saying 'bye' and a short chuckle.

I rush inside and I run into the library. I slam the door behind me and I sit down on my favorite chair. What am I doing? I mean, a man insulted my husband and what do I do? I laugh about it with him! I can't with myself today! I can't! I have to stay away from those dreamy eyes and the best smile I've ever seen and....I'm getting off topic! The point is I have to stay away from Stephen! I can't hang out with the stable boy who insulted John! I already greeted him, that's enough. I was nice to him and I will be civil with him but that's it.

A few hours later, I decided to go for a walk. I grab my fluffy coat and I put on my boots before leaving. I struggle to make my way through the snow but after a few minutes, I get to the sidewalk, which has been shoveled already. I look back at the house and smile then my gaze wanders to the stables where I see Stephen laughing with a blonde girl. She looks familiar. I look at her for a second and remember! She is my neighbors maid! Her name is Inez and she is the gossip of the neighborhood. What's he doing with a girl like that? Well, he can do whatever he wants. I'm just surprised. I find myself staring at them laughing and I stop. I start to go but the second I start walking, I hear a voice say, "Dorothea!"

I turn around and see Stephen running to me and Inez looking annoyed.

"Hey, Dorothea!" He says, gasping for breath.

"Hey Stephen!" I say, smiling. It's not a choice, I'm not trying to smile but I just am.

"So...where are you going?" He asks. His hair looks so good with little snow flurries stuck in there. He's holding a warm cup of coffee in his hand.

"Im just going for a walk." I reply as I gesture to the street.

"Oh!" He says, looking a bit surprised. "Well, can I come with you?" He asks, leaning on the fence surrounding the house.

"Well, I wouldn't mind but what about your girlfriend?" I ask, gesturing to Inez. I didn't know if they were dating but I had to hear it from here since Inez has a tendency to lie.

"What? Oh! Inez? No, she's just a friend. Well, barely that. We just met. And I don't have a girlfriend." He said blushing.

"Okay, well it looks like she's flirting with you but yeah, you can come!" I said, uncertainly. I couldn't say no, it would be rude. And okay, maybe I can get past the whole 'insulting my husband' thing. After all, it was funny and he's nice!

"Okay! I'll just run and tell Inez!" He ran over to the stables and I could see their lips moving. Then he waved to her and she smiled and left. He ran back and smiled at me.

"Let's go." I said as I started walking.

He smiled and walked with me. He looked so exited and happy.

We were silent for a moment.

"So...what do you do for fun?" He asks me.

"Well, I read sometimes and I write poetry!" I say shyly.

"Wait, really?" He asks, surprised.

"...Yeah..." I quietly say.

"That's so cool! I'm a poet too! Well, I'm not very good but I can write poems..." He says, looking away from me.

"Really? I'd love to read them some time!"

"No!" He quickly says. I stop walking.

"What?" I softly ask.

"Nothing. I just never share my poetry. With anyone."

"Oh ok."

"Yeah."

Suddenly the wind blows his hat off of his head. Without thinking, I bolt and grab the blue hat just in time, right before it touches the gross melted snow puddle. I smile as I throw it to my other hand then walk back to him. I pass him his hat back.

"Woah! Thank you, Dorothea!" He smiles.

Just as I'm pulling my hand back, I accidentally push over his coffee cup and it splatters all over the sidewalk. I jump and take a step back.

"Oh my god. I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to knock over your cup! I'm so so sorry!" I say really quickly and apologetically. I keep thinking I'm about to get hit by him. I don't know him that well.

He puts his hand on my shoulder to let me know it's okay but I take a big step back and flinch. The face that he didn't hit me made me feel a sense of relief.

"You flinched..." he said with his voice lowered. "Why?"

I thought about telling him. Telling him that I was scared he'd hit me like John but I couldn't. No one would believe me.

"I didn't flinch.." I lied.

"Yes you did. I saw you. Don't lie..." he softly says.

"It's nothing. Don't worry about it."

"It's not your decision whether I worry about it or not." He says a bit louder and with an angry tone.

I take another step back. I can't help myself. It's a reflex at this point.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound angry but I need to know. Are you okay at home? Is your husband...?" Stephen started.

I stayed quiet. I don't like to lie. I look at my feet. I can't meet his eyes.

"Dorothea..." he whispers.

I look up to his blue eyes and before I know it, tears are streaming down my face. I try to shake them off but I can't, it's too late. He doesn't say anything. He just leans in and gives me a warm embrace. I cry on his shoulder and he just holds me. I felt so safe in his arms. I start sobbing and he just squeezes me tighter.