The Color of Knowledge

Chapter Seven (pt. 2)

       

The President had visited Alex a total of four times since he had been admitted to the hospital. Ivy's eyebrows pulled up and together in puzzlement. Why was the President visiting Alex, and more importantly, why would Alex try to hide this information?

"What are you doing, young miss?"

Ivy slammed the logbook shut and retreated from behind Terri's desk. "I was just admiring the picture on your desk. It that your mother?" She referred to a small picture of Terri and some old woman posing in front of a few trees on a sunny day.

Terri walked over with a cup of coffee in his hand. "Yes, it is. She's over in the nursing home now. I visit her quite often." He smiled as he resumed his position behind the desk.

Ivy let out an inaudible breath. 

"Done visiting, I presume?" He took a sip of coffee. 

"Yes, I'll be going now."

President Khamar visiting Alex muddled her thoughts as she made her way out of the building. Something was going on, she just didn't know what it was. What Ivy needed most was to get all the puzzle pieces together. She made up her mind to visit Alex's parents. She knew where the Turner's lived and the fastest way to get there.

She knocked on the blue door of the Number Seventeen house and waited. She could feel a presence inside the home, but there was no answer. She knocked again.

"Who is it?" a woman's soft voice came from within.

"It's Ivy Stone. I'm a friend of Alex's."

"I'm sorry, we don't know who Alex is. I think you may have the wrong house."

"This is the Turner residence, correct?"

The voice hesitated before answering. "Yes."

"Ma'am, I don't believe I have the wrong house. You have a son. His name is Alex. I need to know why you haven't visited him in the hospital."

"Please leave," said a second voice from within the home. Without a doubt it belonged to Alex's father. Its deep gruffness gave him away.

"Look, I don't want any trouble, Mr. and Mrs. Turner, but it's important. Why haven't you visited?" Ivy could feel herself losing patience.

"They won't let us," Mrs. Turner whispered. Ivy had to hold her ear closer to the door in order to hear.

"Who is 'they'?"

"Please help him, Ivy. He's in trouble." 

Although Ivy could not see the faces of the Turners, she could hear the worry in their voices and visualize the tears in their eyes.

"I will do my best." 

She gave them this affirmation although she did not have any sort of plan. It was a true statement based on false pretenses. Ivy did not know hardly anything at the moment. However, it was the best she could do.