WORTHWHILE

Chapter 5

Years before all of this, when Ivy was just ten, she was still living with Aunt Stella in the city. Life was far from easy, she scrubbed the floor, washed the dishes, and arranged the clothes - both a toddler’s and a set of adult ones. It had been almost three years since she left her hometown for the city.

“Ivy!”

“Yes, Ma?” she called back.

“Come and take care of this child. I want to rest for a while.”

“I’m coming, Ma.” Ivy left the room and went to take the child from Aunt Stella.

“Hey, Gen! Do you want to play with your toys?” the toddler screamed excitedly.

Ivy sighed. “I guess that’s a no then,” she muttered.

“Let me get you your tablet,” she said, leading the little girl to the living room. She handed over the device, something she herself was never allowed to use when the child wasn’t around. Together, Ivy and Genesis sat and watched kids’ shows and nursery rhymes.

Genesis was a handful, always throwing tantrums, and Ivy was the one left to manage them.

Aunt Stella seemed to think it was Ivy’s job to care for another child. And whenever they went out - to the park, the garden, or a picnic - Ivy was left alone to “take care of the house.” She didn’t like it, but over time, she had learned to cope. Anxiety had made her withdrawn, and she felt uncomfortable around new faces. Yet she still felt the sting of being left out: she rarely got what the other children received willingly. Sometimes, she took things herself, though she refused to call it stealing.

Ivy assumed it was because she wasn’t their real child. Over the years, she had learned to accept it - as best she could.

It was school session again. Ivy prepared the kids’ bags for the day. There was a new addition to the household: Duke. The girl didn’t know how he had come about - she could barely comprehend pregnancy - but he arrived earlier than she had expected.

“Aren’t you done with those bags?” Aunt Stella called. Ivy no longer wanted to think of her as “Aunt Stella.” “Ma’am” seemed more fitting.

“I’m done, Ma,” Ivy replied.

“Then take them to the car so their dad can drop them at school before work. If he leaves, you’ll have to take them yourself.”

“Okay, Ma.” Ivy struggled with the two school bags and lunch boxes while waiting for Genesis and Duke to finish eating.

Once the kids left for school, Aunt Stella’s voice came again: “Make sure to scrub the living room and kitchen before you leave.” Ivy glanced at the wall clock - it was already 7:30 a.m.

“Yes, Ma,” she muttered. Aunt Stella went inside to prepare for work.

By the time Ivy finished her hasty cleaning, the clock read 8:10 a.m. She rushed to the bathroom for a quick bath. Being late had become a daily occurrence, and she had learned to accept it. After her bath, she hastily ate what little was left for her and set off for school. Her school - a government institution -was a twenty-minute walk. If she hurried, she might make it by nine o’clock.

“Here we go again,” she muttered.

“Hey, you! Why are you coming to school this time?” a senior’s voice called.

“She’s always late. Let her join the other two students and go wash the toilets during break time. Write her name down,” another senior replied.

“What’s your name?” the first voice demanded.

“Ivy" she mumbled, eyes downcast.

"Ivy who? Einstein?" the voice teased

"Ivy Richards" she said, more audibly this time.

“Go to your class. During recess, wash the toilets. Don’t make me come remind you.” another senior beside the one who asked for her name said.

She nodded and walked to her classroom. A teacher was already inside, beginning the lesson.

“Good morning, Sir. May I come in?” she mumbled.

The teacher and the class stared at her. Ivy fidgeted with her clothes, face down, hoping no one would notice her nervousness. After a long pause, the teacher signalled for her to sit. She obeyed, keeping her head low, and opened her books-though she knew she wouldn’t understand much. Ivy had always struggled to grasp lessons if she missed even a minute at the start.

She wasn’t dull, nor exceptionally smart. She could pass through secondary school without failing, but she was far from an A-student.

The class grew noisy, and Ivy finally snapped out of her thoughts. She asked a classmate for notes and started writing, trying to make sense of the lesson until the next teacher arrived.