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"I didn’t ask you what you don’t want," Ivy informed me "I asked what you do want Don’t think of this as a heart-to-heart Think of it as a negotiation I want you to give this arrangeed--not in volume, not in tone "Tell o horeat Ivy Kendrick couldn’t turn back the clock She couldn’t make him well

"Have you heard froot an update this nitive iht of Gra to knohat I’d done with his wife

"He has good days," I told Ivy

Her voice was gentle "They’re going to get fewer and farther between There are some treatment possibilities A clinical trial, for one"

"I want to talk to the doctors" I sed, pushing down the lump in my throat "I want them to explain the different options And I want to talk to Grah yet

"I’ll get you the doctor’s direct number," Ivy promised "What else do you want?" She paused "For you?"

I didn’t reply

"I want you to give yourself a chance to be happy here, no ry you are with oing to stop asking until I answered I gritted my teeth "No more afternoon teas"

Ivy didn’t bat an eye "Done What else?"

She wants a negotiation Fine I locked my eyes on hers "I want a car"

Ivy blinked Then she blinked again "A car?"

"I don’t care if it’s used," I told her "I don’t care if it’s borrowed or barely functional I want transportation"

I didn’t like depending on other people I needed to know that if push ca in DC isn’t like driving in Montana," Ivy told ely loud For a ht I’d raisedat the exact saed

It was silent

I glanced to one And so were the women at the table beside them The sorority sisters on the other side, the one

The entire restaurant was empty, except for us

Ivy took in the silence, the ehed Then she picked up her tea and took another drink, waiting

For what?

The back door to the restaurant opened A h He had an earpiece in one ear and a gun strapped to his side

"Mark," Ivy greeted hi A second later, a woh the door She was in her early sixties but could have passed for a decade younger She had blond hair that had gone only slightly silver with age, perfectly coiffed around her heart-shaped face, and wore navy blue like she had invented the color