Ivy knows it's time to return to her childhood seaside town to battle the demons of her past. Two years away from her friends, family and the beloved sandy beach that holds such a special place in her heart.
She knows the visit will be painful but...
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I V Y T H O M P S O N
THE STORM CAME AND WENT FASTER than I expected. As I approach the kitchen I glance outside to find my brother standing in the beams of sunlight, not a single cloud in the sky. The door is slightly ajar but Finn has his phone glued to his ear, concentration face on.
I decide not to disturb him and make some eggs for this fine morning.
The last few days have been uneventful due to the weather but that meant I could catch up on some reading for my final year of university. Not that we were actually set anything to complete but I wanted to get a head start. Nothing better to do.
Isaac has been texting me on and off which has been nice, keeping me company from a far whilst the storm wrecks our seaside town. But from the reports online, not much has been damaged which is a relief.
Now the sun is out, we can get on with our summer.
When I start cooking the eggs and place two pieces of bread into the toaster, the door to the patio slides open. Finn is glancing down at his phone and steps inside.
"Morning," I call out to him. "Who was that?"
"Hey, Iv," he mumbles as he taps away at his phone before giving me his attention. Then his face lights up completely. "That was Wendy down at the seafood restaurant at the marina. I got a job there for the summer."
I continue to stir around the eggs that begin to scramble. "A job? I didn't know you were looking for a job." I admit. "But congrats. Proud of you."
Finn flashes me a grin and walks towards the kitchen counter, resting on his elbows as he continues to text. "Yeah, I didn't want to get a job but I need one if I want to fund this summer."
"What about your student loan?"
His blue eyes flick to mine and he tilts his head. "I spent a lot of it last term and I desperately need to make the money back."
"Define 'a lot'," I quirk an eyebrow at him.
He grimaces at my question. "I'm in my overdraft."
"Oh God," I turn off the stove and grab the fresh pieces of toast to be buttered to perfection. "What were you even spending your money on?"
I watch his shoulders rise to drop dramatically. "Going out, takeaways."
For a moment I pause. "Has this got anything to do with your excessive drinking?"
"What are you talking about?"
I stand back to prepare my breakfast and glance up at him through my lashes. "The fact that you like to drink and get so drunk you threaten Isaac with digging his grave for him."
