Chapter Four
Sipping my second cup of steaming hot, hazelnut coffee, I watched as my mom bounced on her heels while talking on her cell phone. She balanced her phone between her ear and shoulder as she tried to balance the conversation while fixing her own cup of coffee. I tried to ignore the majority of the conversation as I checked my social media accounts and savored my delicious coffee. I'd woken up early to go for a morning run before the sun appeared and the air was still crisp and cool. I loved to run in the morning; it was my favorite part of the day. As my mom’s excitement grew, I began to watch her, curious as to what could possibly make her that excited at seven thirty in the morning.
Standing, I maneuvered around my mom, made my way to our pantry, and found a box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal. I grabbed a bowl, spoon, and milk and walked around my mom and then back to the kitchen table. She was pacing the small space now, seemingly oblivious to her surroundings, forcing me to nearly dance around her as she focused her attention on the person on the other end of the phone.
"I think that's a wonderful idea. Sadie will be thrilled to hear the news!" my mom practically screamed as she ended her phone call.
I sat at the table, continuing to watch her as if she'd just lost her mind. She was beaming from ear to ear as she turned and smiled at me.
"Are you okay, Mom?" I asked, taking a spoonful of my Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal.
Mom walked over to sit in the chair next to mine and gave me a wicked smile as she watched me closely.
"Sadie, your Aunt Morgan just came up with a brilliant idea," she said. "Since it's summer, a few of her steady workers have requested vacation time, and she suggested you invite Noah and Lucy to go with you to her farm." She paused, allowing me to put the puzzle pieces together.
The light bulb suddenly went off. "Wait, didn’t you already say that Noah and Lucy could come?" I asked, raising my eyebrows as I looked at her.
Mom smiled coyly, tilted her head slightly, and laughed. "Yes, well, I didn’t want to come right out and ask her, just in case she didn’t like the idea, so I sort of brought up how sad you were going to be to have to leave your friends behind. Morgan thinks this was all her idea, that she's saving you this summer." She paused and laughed again before continuing. "She'll pay all three of you to work part time on the farm, and you'll be able to spend your free time with your friends." She paused, beaming at me as she held the phone tightly against her chest.
My mind raced as I took in the new information. This could make both my trip and summer vacation amazing. I jumped out of my chair, almost knocking over my bowl of cinnamon milk, and threw my arms around my mom’s neck, incredibly happy that everything was coming together. Aunt Morgan loved the idea of having all of us at the farm with her, and my mom was getting her vacation. Summer wasn’t looking so bad after all.
"I love this idea!" I exclaimed. "I can’t wait to tell Noah and Lucy." I gave her one last squeeze, ran up to my room, grabbed my cell phone, and began to punch in their numbers. I created a group text, telling them my aunt’s idea to have them visit Kentucky with me, pausing for a moment before sending it.
I'd hated the idea only moments ago. Would they want to go with me?
Would they want to spend their summer far away from home, with someone they didn’t know, in a small farm town?
I mustered the courage to finally hit send and held my breath, anticipating their answers.
Me: Hey, my Aunt Morgan said you all can come to Kentucky with me this summer! We don’t have to be apart!
Lucy: Awesome! Let me ask my parents!
Noah: That sounds cool, but I have to finish working at the docks before I go. I'll ask off for a few weeks, so I can join you all!
After waiting ten excruciatingly long minutes to hear back from them both, their replies came in all at once.
Lucy: My parents said I could go, but they need to talk to your mom and your aunt first. They're calling your mom now! I'm going to start packing.
Lucy: Wait, what do people wear in Kentucky? Noah: I got cleared to take two weeks vacation!
Giddy up and yee haw, we're going to Kentucky!
Me: Awesome! I'm so excited to spend the summer with you both, but maybe not in Kentucky.
After reading over their responses a million times, I allowed the idea to sink in. Honestly, I didn’t believe it was true at first. I mean, I don’t really have good luck, but when I realized I hadn't imagined their responses, I got excited.
My summer wasn’t going to suck, after all. Then I realized that I'd been so depressed about the idea of leaving, I hadn’t even begun to pack for the trip. I guess a part of me had hoped that if I didn’t take any steps to prepare for my leave, I wouldn’t actually have to go.
I sat on my bed, carefully observing my open closet. When I got up, I had to step over the few dirty towels scattered on my bedroom floor, before sorting through my attire. My hand was on a cute sundress, but then I realized it wouldn’t be acceptable to wear while doing manual labor, and pushed it aside. I sorted through a few vintage tops and my favorite jeans. After an hour of mentally preparing outfits suitable for working on a farm, I decided I had nothing to wear, nor did I know what exactly my job would entail.
"Mom," I yelled, opening my empty suitcase, "we need to go shopping." I sighed and slammed the suitcase closed. "What, exactly, am I going to do be doing at Aunt Morgan’s?"
My mom poked her head into my room and sighed. "Sadie, you're being a little overly dramatic," she stated when she saw how I'd thrown myself across my bed.
"I am not being dramatic," I cried before realizing that I sounded like a whiny toddler. "I just don’t know what to pack. Will I be shoveling horse manure or plowing a field?"
My mom laughed and then threw her head back, her curls bouncing against her shoulders. "Sadie, I know you think going to Kentucky is some sort of punishment, but you're not going to be forced into hard labor. You'll do a bit of work in the farm office, and maybe help out with some of the animals."
"Look, Mom, I need some new clothes. I really haven’t asked for any new clothes in a while, but since we've already transitioned from California to Salem, I think I could use a new outfit to reflect my transition from Salem to Kentucky," I argued, trying to sound hopeful and strong.
My mom's lips curved into a smile, forming a look that told me she understood. Even though I may have been acting a tad bit dramatic, I knew I'd proven my point. My mom was someone who loved her clothes, and she'd understand a desire for wanting a change.
"I knew you were going to say that," she said. "All right, let me get ready and we'll go right away."
I kicked the empty suitcase out of the way. "Did Lucy's parents call you?" I said, stopping my mom before she was able to get too far down the hall. I walked over to my desk under the window and took in the sight of the golden yellow sun shining brightly in the cloudless sky.
Mom came walking back to my room. She sat on my desk chair and shifted my books and notebooks around. "I got off the phone with them right before you yelled for me. They agreed to let Lucy go with you, but she has to check in twice a day. Noah’s mom called, too. He'll be able to go too, but only for a few weeks. I think it'll be fun for you all to get out of Salem and experience a different way of life. Kentucky is much slower, calmer. It's nothing like California or Salem."
"I know I hated the idea at first," I began, "but the thought of going somewhere completely different sounds almost fun."
Mom nodded her head in agreement, stood, and gave me a hug before turning to leave my room. She looked serene, like the idea of my spending the summer with my friends was calming. I knew she and my dad were worried about my transition‒I guess I wasn’t as understanding as they'd hoped. Now that they knew I'd be happy away from them, they'd be able to relax and enjoy their vacation.
I went down the hall toward my parents' room and heard her tell my dad the news.
Back in my room, I ran a brush through my shoulder length hair and put
on a pair of ripped jean shorts and a flowing, coral t-shirt.
I smiled as I looked at myself in the mirror. The old Sadie would have been angry and resented my parents for sending me away while they went on a wonderful European vacation, but the new Sadie was open to new things. I finally had friends who accepted me, I had an amazing boyfriend, and my messenger job was getting easier to handle.
Looking back now, the calmness I felt should have been the first sign that something was terribly wrong.
Chapter Five
We arrived in town around midnight, just in time for the witching hour to begin.
I rolled down my window to let the sweet, humid, Kentucky night air sweep over me. Lucy, who was snoring loudly next to me in the back seat of the taxi, tried to stay awake the whole fifteen-minute drive from the airport to my aunt’s house, but she'd fallen asleep as soon as she'd buckled her seatbelt. My parents had agreed to pay for both Noah and Lucy’s plane tickets to get us to Kentucky. They were thrilled that I'd be joined by my friends and wouldn't be alone that summer. As far as they were concerned, I needed an army around me to keep me out of trouble. Truthfully, I’m not sure even that would be enough.
"I’m glad we get to spend the summer together," Noah whispered, trying not to wake Lucy.
His sparkling, beautiful, hazel eyes were the only thing I could make out in the darkness of the car. We were almost to my Aunt Morgan’s house, which was secluded off a dark, winding road with no street lights, and only stars to provide us with light as we followed the long, country road. I smiled to myself, knowing he couldn’t see me. Noah and I had spent every day together since we'd met in August. I loved him, but I hoped he'd let me have some time to myself.
"Where are you kids from?" the taxi driver asked as he tried to fill the awkward silence. He didn’t take his eyes off the road as he spoke. Thankfully, there were several taxis lined up outside the parking lot when our plane had landed, because we'd told my aunt not to worry about picking us up from the airport. After two delays, we weren’t sure what time our plane would land.
"Salem, Massachusetts," I replied.
The man chuckled and turned his head slightly toward us. "I've never been there, but I hear it’s haunted. Are all the stories true? Do people still see ghosts there?" he asked, almost mockingly.
I laughed and turned my head toward the window. "Oh, sure–I talk to ghosts all the time."
The man laughed and shook his head, not realizing I was actually telling the truth, that my time in Salem and the years leading up to it had been spent talking to the dead. For normal people, ghosts were nothing more than plotlines in horror movies and myths, but it was just ordinary life for me.
I noticed the car slow and looked up to see Aunt Morgan’s house come into view. The large, two- story brick house shone in the bright moonlight. Large oak trees lined the long, gravel drive leading to the wraparound front porch. The barn was farther back, so we couldn't see it, especially at this time of night.
"We're here," I shouted, pointing to the house and waking Lucy from her sleep-like coma.
Lucy grumbled something unintelligible as she stirred and rubbed her eyes. "How long have I been asleep?" she asked when she noticed the black night surrounding us.
"The entire car ride," I replied, reaching for the door handle. "You passed out as soon as we got into the car"
"Sorry, guys," she replied, offering a slight
smile.
We all stared at the large, two-story, brick home in front of us. Only a small amount of light shone through the dark haze that seemed to surround the house. Suddenly, the front door sprung open, and a tall, blonde-haired woman came rushing toward us. Behind her, a large, white, and obviously overfed Boxer waddled slowly. Both Noah and Lucy jumped and turned to me wearing shocked expressions on their tired faces.
I jumped out of the car, slammed the door behind me, and shouted, "That's Aunt Morgan!" and I ran to her.
Her thin, long arms enveloped me in a tight hug. I always loved visiting with my aunt Morgan when I was much younger, but as I grew into a teenager and my family’s lives grew more hectic, I had less and less time to visit her. Now, as I stood only feet away from where Aunt Morgan was, I felt a glimmer of excitement run through me. It had been almost three years since I'd last seen her, and I was happy to find that she still looked the same, like a younger version of my mom.
"I see you haven’t changed," I laughed pointing out her tight jeans and even tighter black tank top. My aunt may work on a horse farm, but she looked more like a supermodel than a farmer.
I looked down to see that the dog had walked over to me and was standing patiently, waiting for an introduction, so I reached down to place my hand on his head and stroke his soft fur.
"Who is this?" I asked, leaning down to hug the plump dog.
"This is Max; he's our dog. Your uncle had him when we got married, and I guess you could say I kind of adopted him. He's such a great dog, he sleeps all day and cuddles with you at night."
My uncle, who had been standing nearby watching our exchange, smiled down at the dog. Uncle Johnny was dressed the same as always, in a pair of dirty jeans and a plain, white shirt.
I let the dog give me a big slobbery kiss before I turned to look at my friends who had stepped out of the car and were just standing there, watching the exchange between us.
I motioned for them to follow us, grabbing Noah’s hand and pulling him closer. "Aunt Morgan, this is my boyfriend, Noah, and my best friend, Lucy."
"Oh, cool! They have a dog," Noah announced as he practically threw his luggage to the ground and began to play with the dog. When he noticed me glaring at him, he stood and walked over to my aunt who rushed forward to sweep him up into a tight hug.
"Here, in Kentucky, we hug." Noah’s face quickly turned from startled to calm as Aunt Morgan squeezed him and then went on to squeeze Lucy, too. "Now, you all follow me; I’ve already got your rooms ready."
We took our luggage from the trunk, paid the driver, and the three of us–as well as Max–followed Aunt Morgan and Uncle Johnny up the stone walkway and onto the large, wraparound porch. I'd always loved spending summers at Aunt Morgan’s when I was a kid. We'd sit out on this porch until the sun came up most nights, talking and giggling while sipping sweet tea. Aunt Morgan’s husband, Johnny, helped run the farm. He bred race horses and was constantly traveling around the country buying and selling horses because of it. I was glad he was able to be there when we arrived. Usually, Aunt Morgan stayed back at the farm, but I guess with us here, she might find the time to travel with him. The thought of running a horse farm exhausted me, and I couldn't think about what my new summer job might entail, no matter how hard I tried. Right then, I wanted nothing more than to find a nice, comfortable bed, and sleep for hours.
We followed Aunt Morgan into the large living room and past the kitchen to where the guest rooms were located. The house was over one hundred years old and the floors creaked under every step we took, but I didn’t care. I loved the house, anyway. Once Lucy, Noah, and I had found our rooms, we said our goodnights.
Aunt Morgan stopped outside of my door and grabbed my arm before allowing me to enter. "Sadie, after you put your luggage down, can I talk to you out on the porch?" My body ached, and I could barely keep my eyes from closing, but I couldn’t say no to my Aunt Morgan, the woman who had agreed to allow me and my friends to stay with her for the summer and work on her farm.
"Sure," I replied, "I'll be right out."
I tossed my luggage on the bed and took a moment to catch my bearings in her quaint home. Aunt Morgan had purchased the home several years ago. She'd said that the fact it had been built back in the early 1600s gave it character, but as far as I was concerned, it just made it old. Unfortunately, I'd had plenty of experiences with old houses.
On my way out to the front porch, I glanced over family portraits of my aunt and mother as children. Aunt Morgan was rocking slowly on one of her white rocking chairs. She motioned for me
to sit next to her.
"I'm so glad you kids came to visit," she stated, offering me a warm smile. "It gets lonely around here and I know that I won’t have as many opportunities to visit with you once you go off to college."
I smiled back and reached over to grab her hand. "I'm glad we came, too."
Crickets chirped around us, and the twinkling stars provided just enough light for me to make out Aunt Morgan’s face in the dark. The smell of honeysuckle in the Southern heat pervaded my senses. Memories of being a child and catching fireflies in Mason jars made me smile to myself.
She started talking and I heard a glimpse of sadness in her voice. "You know, things around here just haven’t been the same lately."
I leaned forward to get a better view of her face, and to try to lend some emotional support. "What do you mean?"
She took a long sip of sweet tea and laughed nervously. "Oh, nothing, I suppose. I think I just get lonely while your uncle Johnny's away." She kept her head down while she spoke, gave a nervous laugh, and patted my arm before continuing. "This house is old and full of happy memories and I guess some of the spirits like to hang around." Her tone suggested she was joking, but I didn’t think it was funny. I'd just traveled sixteen hours to escape a life in Salem full of spirits and ghosts. What had I gotten myself into?
The next morning, I was awakened by a stream of golden yellow sunlight pouring in through my tiny, bedroom window. I tried to cover my head with the lightweight quilt I was wrapped in like a burrito, but the light penetrated through and fought to keep me awake.
I tried to stretch, my legs were met by a soft barrier–Max was curled up on top of my covers at the end of my bed, still in a deep sleep. Not wanting to wake him, I slid my feet slowly away from him and batted my eyes to try to blink the light away.
I moaned, rolled out of bed, and pulled on a pair of jeans and a black tank top I found in my suitcase. The smell of hot bacon grease filled the air, and I fancied I'd heard bacon crackling in a frying pan from the kitchen. I followed the sounds and smells to find myself in the kitchen amidst a frenzy of activity.
Wicked Lies Page 4
