she lives the poetry she cannot write

 Bom wasn't sure if she was listening correctly. Maybe it was lost in translation. Ivy was back with Dan?

She went to turn on the electric kettle and rummaged about the kitchen while little Keanu showed Ivy his legos and cars. He had Ivy all to himself. Baby Hope was with Dan.

"You left Jay?" Bom finally said.

Ivy didn't smile about it. It was as if the guy didn't even know. He was at work. 

Bom sighed, thinking it might be her own doing or was it just fate after all. She remembered how she'd felt sorry for Jay when Brian's sister left him. She remembered how sketchy that situation was and he hadn't changed all that much when he got mixed up with that bad crowd after he got together with Ivy.

But still. Bom wanted to say he was trying. Maybe he'd changed. She hoped. Of course, Brian wouldn't have anything to do with his old friend. That meant Bom couldn't either.

Ivy acted as if it was over.

"You two really need to talk," Bom knew she said this all the time. Ivy had said he wouldn't talk to her. She hated the silent treatment. She wanted him to yell at her so she could yell at him.

"I sent him a text." She was so solemn. 

"Did he reply?"

She shook her head, no.

"Well, he can't stay at your mother's." Bom knew that was a bad idea.

"I don't care where he goes." Ivy snapped as she got up and went to the dining table while Bom went to make tea.

Bom didn't want to care, but she did. She remembered talking to Jay a long time ago. He'd never really had anyone for the long haul. His mom was rather iffy and she'd always had boyfriends that treated him the worst. How was he supposed to know how he should be? But she couldn't let it slip. She wouldn't bother. What was done was done.

"And you and Dan are OK?" Bom didn't really know him, but she knew he was distant too. Was Ivy really ready to be with someone like that?

Ivy nodded. 

"What if he stops talking to you too?" Bom looked at her as if she needed a plan.

Ivy only sighed and played around with the teabag in her tea.

"I really think things would have been different with Jay and me, but he just can't figure out a way to be on the up and up. He always wants a quick way of doing things. And sometimes, that's against the law." She made him sound like a bank robber or a thief of some sort.

"But, he is trying." Bom reminded her.

"I don't care." She was adamant. She didn't even care if he paid child support or not.

Bom rolled her eyes at that. She knew Ivy expected Brian to pay but since Keanu was with him..Ivy hadn't paid a cent. Of course, Bom wouldn't dare mention it. They were all friends. She did her best to keep the peace between them.

"Well, you'll be close by now. You can see Keanu often," Bom smiled as if it was all good news. Still, in her heart she felt a little sad for Jay, but not enough to call him. Besides, she didn't have his phone number.