Chapter 21: I Divorced (2)

After drinking too much wine, Chloe’s eyes became blurred and she leaned back on Olive’s shoulder. By this time, they have moved from the bar to the sofa booth, which was full of bottles and cans. “Olive, I’m homeless. You must take me in, or I’ll have to sleep on a park bench." Olive was surprised to hear this from her, but it’s not out of her expectation. Olive just hugged her lovingly, “you’re so stupid.” Although their love was gone, but through a few years of youth, it was ok to ask for the break-up fee. “He left me a house, a car, and million dollars, but I didn’t take any of them. What do I need that money for without him? His parents and relatives always think I am going for his family’s money. I will show them that the poor also have the aspirations of the poor.” “Aspiration can’t change for food.” Olive mumbled, but she couldn’t speak out loud. She said another words, “you fool.” Chloe chuckled, “aren’t you stupider than me? You born a child for a man, but you didn’t let him know. You also kept your mouth shut to us. I haven’t seen you accept another man in these years. Are you still missing him in your heart?” When Ivy heard this, his lazy body suddenly leaned forward slightly and his eyes fell on Olive’s face. A mixture of emotions spreading over Olive’s face, it was hard to see through. Olive was silent for a moment. She picked up her glass and said, “let us drink.” When you were drunk, you didn’t have to think about anything. But she was not so easy to get drunk. With the good capacity for alcohol was not a good thing sometimes. The more drink, the more sober, how could she tell them? Annie’s father showed up, but he didn’t know her, and didn’t know that he had a daughter. She even didn’t know whether he remembered her or not. She once asked him, “if one day I am missing, will you look for me?” He said, “yes.” “What if you never find me?” “You belong to me all the way, and you can’t escape from me anyway.” But he didn’t find me for these five years. When we met again, we were strangers. Olive thought these in her mind. Chloe got drunk, and Ivy drove them home. Chloe was much quieter when she got drunk, and she curled up in Olive’s arms, like a wounded cat. Ivy took a look at her in the rearview mirror, “it is hard for her.” “It’s only a matter of time before she gets through.” Olive looked at the woman in her arms with pity. Chloe, whom she knew, was too strong to collapse. Under residential buildings, Ivy helped her get Chloe out of the car, and put Chloe on his back. He walked toward the elevator with practiced efficiency. Olive pressed the floor button. At the beginning, her father didn’t sell their old house even they couldn’t pay the urgent medical expenses of her father due to the car accident. However, when Annie had a sudden illness and they had no money for medical treatment four months ago, her parents didn’t tell her and sold their old house without hesitation. Her father said to her, “as long as there is life, there is hope.” At that moment, she swore that she would work hard and buy a big house to make her parents have a good life, after Annie regains her health. This dream finally came true last year. Although the house was not big, and the decoration was very simple with not much furniture, it was very warm. There was an elevator that was convenient for his father. Olive got Chloe settled and poured Ivy a cup of hot tea. Ivy asked, “aren’t aunt, uncle and Annie at home?” “My mom’s sick. She’s at the hospital. My dad’s with her. Thus, Annie also stays at the hospital tonight. She has a separate bed at the hospital. I'll pick them up in the morning.” “Why didn’t you tell us? How was she?” “It’s all right. She’ll be out of the hospital in two days.” Actually, her heart was still fluttering with fear when she thought of it. God blessed. After tea, Ivy stood up to say goodbye and Olive planned to see him off. “It’s cold outside, and I’m not the first time to come here. You should have a rest early.” Ivy stopped her. Olive said with a smile on her face, “I’ll drop in and do some shopping.” Ivy agreed. They went downstairs together, and the street lamps elongated their shadows on the neighborhood’s bleak streets. “Olive, do you remember how we meet for the first time?” Ivy asked suddenly. Olive laughed, “of course, I remember. You drunkard.” At that time, Ivy had not yet run the waittingbar. She had just returned to Luo city, and she didn’t know that she was pregnant. She happened to meet a homeless man who had slept on a park bench all night. The newspaper covered his upper body, revealing his dirty jeans. But as for a hobo, he shouldn't have had the money to buy a bunch of beer and put them under the park bench. There were twenty or thirty beers in total, both drunk and undrunk. Drinking beer like drinking water, a real alcoholic.