Cracked Butterfly

Chapter 1

(A big shout out to @juliedeville0709 for the fine editing job!)

What can you say about Glasscastle? Well it's your typical Southern town. Born, bred, and steeped in the "Southern" way of life and God forbid you should have an individual thought of your own. Or, actually dare to dream of a life outside of this Norman Rockwell-esque town.

You would be in the confessional, down on your knees, begging for forgiveness. Your penance would be ten Hail Mary's, all the while you know very good and well the priest is passing judgment on you for the sinful things flowing from between your lips.

But that's exactly the life that Ivy Glenn was leading, at least for now, but she was about to embark on a journey that would not only test her faith in herself and her beliefs, but her heart as well.

Ivy was smart, book smart, but she had no idea about the ways of the world. At twenty-four years old she had two degrees under her belt, and had just received a letter solidifying her position as the lead project manager for a prestigious advertising firm on the east coast.

Her mother had fought tooth and nail against her leaving Glasscastle, let alone moving to the town of Southwold on the east coast. What good could possibly come out of a town named Southwold?

Ivy knew her mother was just being protective, but this had been going on her entire life. She was never allowed to take a chance, or do anything where she might get hurt physically or emotionally, and Lord help us all if she should actually have some fun.

She had a sweet spirit and disposition, a heart of gold she had heard so often it made her sick sometimes.

Thank God she made friends easily. She had a ton of them in her town as well as the town where she went to college.

She was the smart one that everyone went to for help with their homework and tests, but the thing she never told her mother was that she got paid for tutoring her classmates. She had tutored a lot of them and was able to stash away a good chunk of change.

Ivy wasn't drop dead gorgeous, nor did she have the body of a model, but she was blessed with a very curvaceous body and ample breasts.

Her light auburn hair hung down the middle of her back and on those days she didn't use a flatiron to straighten it, it hung in beautiful waves, parted on the right side and framing her face in a lovely manner.

Standing at just five feet and one inch her short stature gave her both advantages and disadvantages, but she was never made fun of. In fact there were times when hanging out with her friends that she almost felt like a mascot in some ways.

Her caramel colored eyes always shone brightly, regardless of what was going on beneath them. Her father had taught her well on how to compartmentalize everything; her feelings, her emotions, everything. But that was another story for a different day.

No one knew the agony that was raging inside of her, the things that she had been forced to deal with, the things that had gone on inside their home. To the outside world it looked like your normal American family; white picket fence, happy parents, child, and dog. However, the child was anything but happy.

When her eyes twinkled mischievously people wanted to be around her, they gravitated towards her. She held a natural ability to set people at ease and she made friends very easily. Her witty sense of humor made people laugh and let's face it laughter is a precious commodity these days.

Looking around her room she sighed excitedly. All of her personal belongings were packed up, labeled and ready to be loaded into her car.

Something else her mother couldn't wrap her mind around. She had an issue with everything about her daughter's new employer. Her mother was suspicious as to why would they pay her to move and live there amongst other things.

Her mother had turned even colder than normal. It was just her way of trying to guilt Ivy into staying at home and under her thumb. Since Ivy's dad had passed away there was no one to dominate her, so now she would be the dominant.

Ivy could feel the rebellion towards her mother's authority coursing through her veins. Although why she was even worried about it was beyond her. She was an adult now and could damn well do as she pleased, and she decided she would do just that.

She worked up a good healthy sweat carrying the boxes down the stairs, and once they were settled by the old wooden front door she started to lug them out to her car. With the back seats down and a little southern ingenuity she would have the boxes expertly packed with not an inch to spare.

After getting the last box loaded, she went in search of her mother for that dreaded conversation. The sooner it was over the better and she could get on the road. She had a week to get from Glasscastle to Southwold, moved into her apartment, and ready to report for her first day.

Her best friend, Krista Taylor, was making the journey with her as Ivy had provided her with a first class plane ticket back home for her efforts. This was going to be some road trip and Ivy couldn't wait to leave.

Ivy was never sure why her mother let her remain friends with Krista, the girls' upbringings were as vast as night was from the day, but they were inseparable. Two peas in a pod and had it not been for Krista's constant encouragement Ivy would probably be staying in Glasscastle, bored to tears and without a man.

She found her mother in the living room, by the big bay window just staring out and not moving a muscle. It was very unsettling how she could do that. The temperature of the room probably made Antarctica seem like Hawaii on a good day.

Betty Glenn was cold and unfeeling towards her daughter as Ivy closed the distance. Words hurtful in their origin, sprang from her mother's mouth.

"Ivy Belle, the minute you walk out of this house you are dead to me. You can never come back. I don't want to hear from you or see you ever again."

She never bothered to turn and look at her daughter, good thing to. She would have gotten off on seeing her cry. Bitch.

Ivy angrily swiped the tears from her eyes and as she stepped down off that front porch she suddenly understood what prisoners must feel like on the day of their release. Freedom like they've never known.

Krista's mom had dropped her off and she was waiting, propped up on Ivy's car, ready and chomping at the bit to start their road trip.

Ivy could feel her friend's stare, Krista knew immediately what happened.

"Uh oh, Broomhilda's at it again huh babe? Come here sugar" she said soothingly as she wrapped her arms around Ivy's shoulders.

"Listen mama don't give that old bat another minutes thought. Don't waste your tears on her Belle. She's not worth it, but you are. Now, turn that frown upside down and let's get the show on the road!"

Ivy giggled and nodded. This is why she and Krista worked, why they were such good friends. Memories flooded her eyesight like a kaleidoscope as they drove through town. Ivy watched as it all
disappeared through her rear view mirror.

"Glasscastle, you can kiss my ass!" She muttered looking over at Krista. They both burst into a fit of giggles as Ivy's car glided through the last traffic signal of town before the on ramp of the highway came into view.

For all of the rebellion and fit throwing, she kept her fingers and toes crossed that she was indeed making the right decision; to leave her childhood home, but then her mother's icy words floated through her subconscious again and relieved her of any doubts whatsoever.

"Southwold, here I come!"