Fallen Wishes #2, Ghost Trapper #17 ½

(My sequel to Fallen Wishes written by Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper series)

Fallen Wishes #2 (Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper #17 ½
(My unofficial sequel to Fallen Wishes written by Ellie Jordan, Ghost Trapper series)

Payton set up a You-tube accident and uploaded his video quite proud of his fine editing. Brenda and Sam felt terrible for him. Sam said, “Ted might be able to redeem himself in death, but he died, and he was mean to his son, probably Ivy too, and Ivy – she wants nothing to do with her son. He should at least get to talk to her.” “She will not help, she does not want anything to do with her old life” Brenda said. “But she is her son, after all, so I will see what I can do” Brenda reassured him. Brenda decided to phone Ivy. She decided to make the conversation casual; going from asking about her children to the You-tube channel to which child should she give her attention to now.

“Hello?” Ivy answered. “This is Brenda” Brenda answered, “How are Everest and Millennia?” “They are doing wonderfully” she answered. “Payton set up his own You-tube account; he uploaded a video, of the gardens. He is hoping you will see it. He did a great job on it.” Ivy sighed and hesitated, “If I have the time, I will.” Brenda deeply sighed and said. “Ivy, I realize you want to give up your life, with Ted’s death and all, and you should devote your time to your husband and children, but Payton is your son, and you are his mother, you will always be. He wishes you will come back for him. He misses you so much. He should at least get to talk to his own mother at least once while she is still alive.” “I am very busy” Ivy answered a little annoyed. “Ted treated him like dirt and you – well, he did not just lose his father, but he lost his mother as well when she abandoned her own son for a new life, both his parents gave up on their sweet little boy. How do you think that would make him feel, any kid feel?” “What do you expect me to do Brenda? Give up my own life just to take him back? He is with you, Sam, and Ceci, and I am sure he is fine.”

“He is not. He is hurt. Ivy, do you know what Payton asked me today?” Brenda asked, “No, what?” Ivy replied. “’Why is it that both my parents did not want me? Dad was disappointed with me and Mom abandoned me.” Ivy did not know what to respond with, Brenda resumed, “Look, can you just send him a letter or something? You are his mother.” Brenda repeated, almost imploring, “Sam is his uncle and I am his stepmother, but he needs his mother. The woman who gave birth to him, the woman who raised him, ’One thing I do with Millennia that I wish I’d done with my first baby, Everest’, you know he watched your ExerMommies video and replayed that part again. Ivy, that was cold and that tore him, you left him even before his own father died (who by the way called his own son Porky Pine and ridiculed him for his weight, basically said his own son was a failure), your own son and you are acting as if he does not even exist; do you ever stop and think about him? What makes anyone think you would not knock up someone else and give up the kids you have now? You and Ted sent him to us even before Ted passed, what parents give up their children like that? He is a sweet kid and it is awful what happened, and that is some serious guilt you must live with for the rest of your days, for any parent.” Ivy took a deep breath and did not say anything for a while. “As I said, he is fine with you, Sam, and Ceci” she repeated. “Not Ceci” Brenda interrupted, “She wished her stepfather, Ted, Ted’s own father, to go away”, “Brenda, wishes do not come true just like that, Ted died because he died” Ivy interrupted too. Brenda resumed, “Point is Ivy, he needs you, and his heart has been tremendously broken, so please make amends while you still can. He is still only fourteen. You do not need to give up the life you have now, but at least, try to make an effort to consider his existence on this planet.” Ivy sighed and said knowing she could not win either way, “I will consider something Brenda.” “You cannot undo what has been done Ivy” Brenda told her, “But you can at least try to patch things up with him, we all only live once, and Payton does not want to end up thinking, no, knowing, his own mother wants nothing to do with him. A loving stepparent is good to have, but cannot replace a parent. A child needs both parents in his and her life, and he has neither.” Ivy said nothing else, she could not. The phone conversation ended. As Ivy lied down to rest, the hurtful words, “’Porky Pine’, ‘One thing I do with Millennia that I wish I’d done with my first baby, Everest’, ‘risen like a phoenix’, echoed in her mind haunting her all through the night. She could not sleep and started to sob a bit. Brenda could not sleep either.

That night though felt different than any other night. Ivy felt a peculiar presence. Ivy could have sworn that she saw an apparition. She looked at her partner Roger who was sleeping aside her. She felt like calling out a name she thought she would not have to utter ever again. She rose in her nightgown slowly making her way to the glowing bathroom. “Ted? She asked quietly and weakly. “Is that really you?” “Yes” he answered in a soft but somber tone raising his hand against her chest. “Ted, please do not touch me” she tipped back a bit. Ted started to speak, “Ivette, I saw our son today at the wishing well. I came to him, but perhaps in a rather zombie-like form.” “What?” Ivy asked without speaking. “He wished for my return.” Ted continued, “Though he started to wish for your return for you to come and scoop him up taking him back home to you, but he was reluctant. He wanted you if for good.” Ted paused and continued, “We both left him Ivy, our own son. Perhaps we thought he would have a better life, but we were terrible and he did not deserve any of it.” “I cannot give up my life with my new children Ted or my husband” Ivy finally spoke. “You know that.” “But, would you give to see your son again, at least once, the boy who we brought into this world, or does he mean absolutely nothing to you, nothing at all? ‘Mrs. Put Her Life Behind, Put Her Own Son Behind’, the boy who she was supposed to love, to protect, to raise.” “As did you” Ivy wanted to say, but hesitated, Ivy wanted to snap and yell her lungs out, but decided to hold back, perhaps she had nothing to say maybe she did but thought he would not care if she said any of it, but for a few silent moments they just looked at each other saying nothing but saying so much. They left their own son behind, they treated him like dirt, and they will have to live with that guilt forever. “I know this means nothing to you Ivette” Ted said, “But I am so sorry for the grief I caused Payton and you, especially Payton. I wish I got to tell him, even before I was about to throw him down the well.” Suddenly, Ivy’s mind snapped like a twig, all rational thought gone. She put a hand to her mouth and said, raising her voice a bit now, “What did you say?” Asking her very self the very question she already knew the answer to, being afraid of the rest he was yet to say. In a little bit louder tone, she continued, “What did you say?” She repeated wanting to hit Ted. “You tried to kill Payton? You tried to kill our own son? You tried to kill our little boy? (In a brief pause) Ted, what on earth were you thinking? You – you – get out, just get out!” Ted disappeared. Ivy bawled, like a baby.

Now Ivy definitely could not sleep. She poured herself a cup of coffee and in her robe sat quietly with blank expressions at the kitchen table. “What has he done? What have I done?” She asked herself out loud. Millennia started to cry and Ivy made her way to her crib. “Do not worry honey, I am here” she reassured her. She lifted her baby girl up and looked admiringly at her, “I am here sweetie do not worry Mom will not let you go.” Ivy just thought of her absent days with Payton; she knew what she must do. She picked up the phone when daylight approached and called Brenda. “Ivy?” Brenda asked in surprise. Ivy answered sounding as if she was trembling. “Brenda we need to talk.” “Ivy, what is it? I need to run.” Brenda sounded almost a bit impatient hesitant to talk to her. “Sam is taking Ceci, Payton, and me on a camping trip. We need to get away for a while, clear our heads.” “Brenda” Ivy finally spoke up, “Ted came to me last night. I know that sounds weird, but he told me something, something perhaps you could clarify.” Brenda silently gasped almost holding her hand to her mouth, Ivy went on, “He attempted to kill his son. He felt remorse for how he treated Payton and me, but I snapped. I thought after I left Ted and Payton, that was that, we all could move on, but I just … I just do not know, Brenda, I do not know what to say, I do not know what to think. Is Payton there? Is he safe?” Brenda reassured her, “He is here and he is safe.” “Can I please speak to him?” Ivy asked. “Ivy, I do not think that is a good idea.” “Please” Ivy begged, “fine” Brenda gave in.

Payton walked into the kitchen with his tablet. “Payton please put that down and come here for a second” Brenda told him, “Someone is on the phone.” “Who” Payton asked, “Come here and find out” Brenda said. She did not want to give him the phone knowing how hurt he would be, but decided to do so. She slowly gave him the phone. Payton put his ear to the phone and said, “Hello.” “Payton” Ivy asked. “It is Mommy.” Payton wanted to faint; he was so shocked, finally getting to hear from his mother, wondering whether or not he was dreaming. “Mom” he asked almost shaking. “Is that actually you?” “Yes, sweetie, it is.” She replied. “What do you need Mom? Want to brag about your first born?” Payton said almost in a ridiculing tone, “As if I do not even matter” he went on almost flipping out; Brenda put her hand on his shoulder and looked at him sympathetically, putting a finger to her mouth and softly mouthed “let her speak.” Ivy let out a heavy sigh. “Sweetie, I should not have said that, you should not have heard that, but please, darling boy, stop. I have not been there for you, I know, nothing can excuse that. I have been a terrible mother. I cannot give you all those horrible absent days back, but please, you are on the line. I am here. Let us at least make an effort to do this.” “Alright Mom” Payton replied giving in to he does not know what. “Tell Mom something honey” Ivy said softly but demanding. “Your father visited me last night” – “he has” Payton interrupted. “Do not interrupt Mom, Payton” Ivy softly chided. “He told me how sorry he was for how he treated you and me. I did not know if I was going to forgive him, but he then told me something that actually unsettled me.” Ivy paused for a bit not wanting to ask it but did anyway, “Did he try to throw you down the well, yes or no?” Payton did not know how to respond to that question if he even should, but said yes. Ivy deeply sighed. “Tell me everything, everything Payton, do not leave out anything” Ivy ordered. Payton started crying. Ivy silently shook her hand in a fist against the wall hating the sound of his obvious pain not realizing she would not ever respond like this not knowing he would. “Honey, please – do not cry, Mommy’s here, Mommy’s here. I wish I could be there in person, I really do, I wish I could give you all the hugs and kisses in the world.” She almost wanted to cry herself, “But you have to be strong for Mommy, I know you are afraid. I know you are angry and upset, you have every right to be, but you are my son and that is not ever going to change. Tell me everything that happened”, so Payton did and left nothing out. Brenda just stood there with both a sad and scared look on her face, “no” she softly uttered.