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snarkwriteswrasslin · 4 years

Text

what ifs; adam page [six]

Notes:

Okay, so the angst is not over but.. I bring you guys a small break from it. And again, I swear. I fully intend to update this as soon as possible. I’m having too much fun writing this and I have way too many plans. [ part five ] if you missed it.

Summary:

Fluffy little moment in the kitchen here.. if you squint. But the angst is not over yet. Just giving you guys a small break. Adam and Ivy bake together and have a few laughs.. Maybe they can rebuild a friendship.

Pairings:

Adam Hangman Page x OFC, Ivy Barlow

Warnings:

alcohol tw, angst, slow burn, mentions of exotic dancing... did I mention angst? because yeah.

Images from google. Header made by me. If you didn’t make it, don’t take it.

“What’s this I hear about you running off to West Virginia permanently? Do you not know how to pick up a phone anymore, Ivy?” Irene paced her living room and waited on her daughter to give her some kind of reason for just uprooting herself and not even bothering to say anything about it.

They’d lost touch, yes, but Irene had always just assumed that Ivy was on her side of things. She hadn’t ever said anything contrary to that.

Ivy rolled her eyes and for a split second, she heavily considered hanging up the phone.Her mother hadn’t even bothered with the formality of a hello. She didn’t even bother to ask how her former husband was. Ivy grumbled because if it weren’t already painfully clear just how self - absorbed the woman was and how little she cared about anything beyond having total control over everything, this would really have driven that point home. Instead, she took a few deep breaths and as she parked the car outside the hospital, she rubbed the bridge of her nose.

It wasn’t even 11 am and she was already completely and totally done with today.

“You do realize that Hello is also a polite way to start a conversation, right? You could also try asking how everyone is… you know, make sure we’re all okay here?” Ivy’s tone was clipped and harsh and almost immediately after she realized it, she muttered a hasty apology. Sure her mom was selfish and controlling and had no sense of anything beyond how a situation affected her. But she is still my mother and I know better, Ivy reprimanded herself mentally, taking a few long and deep breaths to try and neutralize herself before things got out of hand.

“Don’t you take that tone with me. Your father will be fine.” Irene grumbled impatiently. When Ivy sighed and muttered something about their conversations being ‘business as usual’, Irene snorted and reminded her casually, “I’m not the one who stopped calling or coming by, Ivy Jane.”

“Maybe there’s a valid reason for that, Mom.” Ivy shut the door to her car with her hip and locked it, staring intently at the hospital as she thought to herself God I hope I get good news in here, at least. I don’t think I can handle any more bad news, and she took a few steps towards the double doors leading into the lobby. Her mother hadn’t said anything yet and Ivy was getting increasingly impatient. It was kind of obvious by now that she’d called just to pick a fight.

If that is the case, Ivy thought to herself, I really wish she’d just get it over with so I can hang up on her and get inside to Dad.

“ You haven’t answered my question.” Irene stated, waiting on her daughter to answer. She just didn’t understand why Ivy had to do this, why Ivy would even want to go back there. “What if I needed you, huh?”

She thought that might at least make Ivy feel a little guilty for her hasty decision, but to her shock, Ivy gave a snort of laughter and for a few seconds, the conversation got so quiet that Irene almost thought Ivy might have hung up on her again like the last time they’d talked.

Finally, Ivy answered.

“You’ll be fine, Mom. You don’t need me, you’ve never needed anyone. As far as why I left and if it’s true? I left because Ty is a selfish asshole who doesn’t understand my family comes first. And yeah, Mom.. I’m moving here permanently.” Ivy bit her lip and grimaced. It was better this way, best to just rip that bandage off all at once. And then totally cut contact. Because she’d already let her mom have entirely too much input in her life to begin with. This was the first time she’d actively stood up to her mother and damn, it felt good.

She pushed open the doors to the lobby and stepped inside the hospital while she waited on her mother to have some kind of reaction, to start her patent method of guilt tripping her. And true to form, that’s exactly what her mother did.

“First Constance and now you. I see how it is. I get it. You love your father more.” Irene bit her lip, sighing and shaking her head sadly. Neither one of the two of them were grateful at all that she took them out, that they got to see the world. That she worked her ass off to make sure they didn’t just fall into the whole small town trap like she nearly had. Not that Dalton was ever a bad man I just… needed more, wanted more… Wanted to see the world. I never would’ve stuck around or gotten married as young as I did if I hadn’t gotten pregnant with any of the three of them, the thought came and Irene frowned at it, shaking her head.

As a mother, it made her feel horrible every time that thought surfaced, but she couldn’t help it.. She’d had her entire life planned out and then along came a cowboy who fancied himself a rancher with his big brown bedroom eyes and his smooth talk and his truck and his simple ways… She’d thought she could be happy, that in time she’d learn to love it…She’d gotten trapped before she ever realized it and now.. Now… Everything ended with a fight where two of her girls were concerned. Her second oldest seemed to be the only one of her girls who was happy, who had a good relationship with her now. It hurt like hell. Irene didn’t know how to go about fixing it. Sometimes she wondered why she bothered trying because it seemed as if everything she said or did where Constance and Ivy were concerned was all wrong.

Why keep forcing herself on the two of them if they didn’t want her as part of their lives? Despite that, Irene kept trying.

Because they were her daughters and despite what they seemed to think, she did love them.

“No, I didn’t say that. I’ve never said that. You’re not going to make me feel guilty about this. If that’s all you called to do, I need to go. I’m meeting with Dad’s nurse.” Ivy caught herself tapping her foot, rolling her eyes at the phone and almost tempted to just go ahead and skip several minutes ahead in this whole thing they’d done lately, get to the part where she got fed up and rather than say something angry and hurtful, she just took the more passive route and hung up.

“I’m not trying to make you feel guilty, I’m just trying to understand, Ivy. I thought you loved Ty. I thought you were happy in Florida.”

“No, Mom. You’ve got it in your head that my life is all wrong unless I’m living it your way. I never wanted your way. I hated Florida.” Ivy wasn’t even sure what made her say it or why she was so irrationally angry at her mother’s calm tone, but she was and before she could stop herself, the words were out and she felt horrible for saying them. “I’m sorry, Mom, I just…I can’t do this with you right now, okay? There are way bigger things going on right now. I don’t have time to fight with you.”

Ivy hung up and settled into a chair in the waiting room, rubbing her forehead, shaking her head and taking a few deep breaths. She’d call back later and at least apologize. She honestly hadn’t ever intended to say it out loud.

Irene wiped at her eyes, taking a few deep breaths as she sat the phone down on the kitchen counter. “Well then. Guess I just got my answer. Tried to do something to make sure they didn’t end up like I almost did and now apparently, two of my three hate me for it.”

It hurt like hell, because all she wanted was to be part of all her daughters’ lives. All of them, not just one. She had two grandchildren she was totally missing out on being a grandmother to. And Ivy, if Ivy ever settled down and had kids… Irene’s stomach churned and she poured herself a glass of tea, taking a long sip. All she wanted was everyone to be happy. And now she was discovering that apparently, she’d been all wrong to do the things she had back then.

For the first time in a long time, she found herself wondering if maybe she hadn’t been wrong to just uproot all three of them and make them feel like they didn’t have a choice. Even suspecting it might have been the wrong decision and that every one she’d made since then hadn’t really helped any didn’t sit well with her at all.

As soon as visiting hours began, Ivy stood and made her way to her father’s room, shutting the door lightly behind her and taking a seat next to his bed, laughing when she realized that apparently, teaching him how to work a laptop had been a good idea, because he was watching Netflix, some original series called The Ranch.

“Darlin.. Everything okay?” Dalton paused the show and pushed away the rolling table with her old laptop sitting on top and fixed his gaze on her intently.

“Yeah. Everything is fine.” Ivy leaned in to hug her father, squeezing just a little.

Dalton eyed his youngest daughter suspiciously and Ivy admitted, “Just arguin with Mama. Got reminded why I never bothered.” as she sighed and shook her head, quick to slap a smile on. “I heard you’re gettin out of here tomorrow.”

“Thank God. If I gotta eat one more salad, I think I’m gonna lose my damn mind.”

“I hate to tell you, daddy.. But seein as me and Connie and the kids want you around a real long time, old man, you’d better just learn to love vegetables and fruit.”

“A man is not made t’ eat that shit. We need meat.. Potatoes.” Dalton protested, grumbling when his daughter fluffed his hair and shook her head. “Christ. Startin to wish I would have just hid instead of gettin dragged here.”

“Daddy..”

“I’ve made it this damn long living life my way. No sense in changing now, darlin.” Dalton insisted.

Ivy bit her lip and laughed, shaking her head at him. “You’re going to have to at least try to make some of the changes they gave you… For us? Please?”

“Okay, alright, fine. Shit. How’s the farm? Page ain’t let that dumb fuck hand of his touch any of my tools, right?”

“No, thankfully, Adam’s been the one handling them the most.” Ivy bit her lip as she tried to will away all the images of Adam in varying states of undress making repairs out in the barn that she’d walked in on and had been burned into her brain.

“Oh? Page’s boy come home, huh? Did you hear he went off and got all famous on us? Still the same guy though. He was always one hell of a kid.”

“Yeah, he’s a good man.” Ivy didn’t bother hesitating as she said it.

“You two talk about anythin’?” Dalton made it a point to ask his daughter that question and when her jaw set and she shook her head, he reached out, fluffing her hair as he chuckled. “Ya get the stubborn side honest, darlin.”

“Hey! He does too!” Ivy pointed it out with a soft laugh as she shook her head. After a few seconds, she shrugged. “It’s all water under the bridge now anyway. I’d settle for just being friends again.”

“And who says you can’t, huh?”

“I guess I could try?” Ivy bit her lip as she mulled it over. Her father nodded and pointed out, “Friends is better than nothing.”

“It is.”

XXX

The house was in a frenzy when Adam peeked in and he chuckled. Ivy was swearing, fanning at smoke and opening the windows and Constance was laughing about it. “I told you we could’ve just bought a cake. Nooooo… you just had to try to play Betty Crocker, today of all days.”

“I used to be better at baking. Anyway, speak for yourself Ms. I charbroiled the chicken.” Ivy poked out her tongue at her older sister as she wrinkled her nose and grabbed the cake plate, hurrying towards the trash with it.

Adam chuckled and cleared his throat as he stepped in, waving his hands, snickering harder when Constance hurried past with the burnt remnants of the chicken she’d been baking and stopped long enough to offer an apologetic smile.

“Ya’ll need any help in here, or?” Adam asked both women with Ivy blurting “Yes” and Connie insisting that they had it under control and he’d done enough. Adam eyed Ivy and he gave a teasing wink, opting to listen to her answer.

Connie looked from Adam to Ivy and muttered with a soft laugh, “I’m gonna just run into town.. Maybe buy some more chicken and some other stuff.”

“And a cake.” Ivy laughed out after her sister before turning her attention to Adam.

“You don’t have to stay…” Ivy shook her head, tensing a little as that tension between them came right back in, lingering heavily.

“It’s fine. Not like I had anywhere else to be.” Adam shrugged, taking the bowl with dry flour sitting out on the island and dumping the little bit of flour left in the bowl into the garbage. He turned around and found himself body to body with Ivy, who was apparently trying to put a bowl into the sink nearby.

Adam found himself staring down at her intently, maybe migrating a little closer. “ I really make you that nervous?” he questioned, swallowing hard when she shook her head and made no move to back away like he figured she would.

“No, you don’t.”

Adam bit his lip, clenching and unclenching his hand at his side, fighting the urge to rest it against her hip as he nodded to the destruction of the kitchen all around them. “What were ya’ll doing anyway?”

“Well, the hospital is lettin dad come home tomorrow. And the twins birthdays are coming up, so we were gonna celebrate earlier than usual, invite everybody over tomorrow but have it all ready to go.. Which, as you can see, went off the rails.”

“Not entirely.” Adam chuckled, rubbing his chin in thought.

“Have you looked around? There’s flour on the ceiling beam, Adam.”

Adam chuckled and reached out, before he could stop himself, rubbing his thumb over flour smeared across the bridge of her nose. “ I thought you used to love bakin.. You were always makin me things.”

“Guess I just haven’t done it in a while. And anyway, that was a new recipe I found!”

“Okay, look.. All the other stuff can wait ‘til tomorrow. But if you really wanna make this cake of yours.. I don’t mind helpin.” Adam’s body brushed against hers and Ivy’s breath caught in her throat. Before she could stop herself, she was nodding yes and gathering up everything they might need.

It was a good distraction. It got her moving, it kept her from doing what she longed to do most at that point in time, hugging herself against him, burying her face in his chest and just letting her earlier talk with her mother out because she’d always felt like she could tell him anything.

She just missed that so much. She missed him and yes, it was driving her crazy, the strain between them.

Adam pouted as she stepped away, busying herself with gathering up all her ingredients and starting to measure them out. Taking another one of his beer cans out of the fridge, he popped the top and took a long sip. “Why not just make that chocolate one you always used to make?”

Ivy stopped and dragged her fingers through wild waves, staring up at him and smiling as she gave a slow nod. “That’s actually not a bad idea.”

“I get half, right?” Adam teased, making her give a soft laugh and she shrugged. “I mean.. I could make you a smaller one. Can you even still eat things like chocolate cake?” Ivy teased gently, stopping in front of him again as she stared up, “Being on tv and all that jazz?”

“Do I look like I care one way or the other, darlin?” Adam’s voice came out huskier and he leaned down, fingertips just barely brushing against her side. He almost wanted to smirk a little when he felt her shiver ever so slightly.

Maybe there’s still somethin’ there after all. Adam thought to himself as he cleared his throat and clapped his hands together, mostly to distract himself.

“I believe we were about to try sharin a kitchen again.”

“I believe we were.” Ivy pouted, praying he didn’t notice it as she met his gaze and plastered on a little smile. “We should… probably get this started, hm?”

“Yeah.” Adam swallowed hard as her fingertips momentarily trailed over the front of his black tee shirt… When she wiped flour onto his nose, he grumbled and poked out his tongue. “Haha. Real funny, darlin.”

“I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist it.” Ivy giggled, trying to dart out of his reach as he tried to catch her…

#adam hangman page fanfiction #adam hangman page fanfic #adam hangman page fic #adam hangman page imagines #adam hangman page imagine #part 6 of ?#// alcohol tw #// angst #// slow burn #// exotic dancer ofc #// maaaybe a hint of happy here.

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