Wicked Dreams

by Lily Harper Hart

  The girl nodded.

  When Ivy returned a few minutes later, she found Nicodemus rubbing himself against the girl’s chest, purring as he encouraged her to stroke him. For her part, the girl seemed mesmerized by his green eyes and soft fur.

  “That’s Nicodemus.”

  “He’s sweet.”

  “He’s spoiled,” Ivy countered, purposely keeping her approach slow and her movements exaggerated as she sat back down on the couch.

  “How long have you had him?”

  “I found him in a Dumpster in town five years ago,” Ivy said. “Someone threw him in there when he was too young to fend for himself. I bottle-fed him for weeks. I was going to try and find a home for him, but I got too attached and I couldn’t give him up when it was time.”

  “He’s lucky you’re the one who found him.”

  “I think we were both lucky,” Ivy said, squeezing a dollop of cream into her hand and transferring it over to the girl’s arm. “Do you want to tell me your name?”

  The girl stiffened, causing Ivy to backtrack.

  “You don’t have to tell me your name,” Ivy said. “If you don’t want to tell me, that’s perfectly okay. I do need something to call you, though. Do you have a favorite name?”

  “You want me to make up a name for myself?”

  “I want you to tell me what you want me to call you,” Ivy clarified. “I would prefer your real name, but if you’re not comfortable with that, I can call you whatever you want. I’ve always liked the name Iris. How about that?”

  The girl wrinkled her nose. “Iris?”

  “I like plant names,” Ivy said, not missing a beat. “I can’t tell you why. It might be because I work in a nursery. If you don’t like Iris, though, there are a lot of other options. We could try Rose? No? Okay. How about Pansy? Lily?”

  The girl shot down every suggestion with a shake of her head.

  “Okay,” Ivy said, giving up. “It’s your turn to tell me what you want me to call you.”

  The girl licked her lips, shifting her gaze to the small fireplace at the edge of the room before glancing back at Ivy. “My name is Kelly Sisto.”

  Ivy wanted to crow, but she tempered her enthusiasm instead. “Kelly is a nice name.”

  “I like your name,” Kelly said, smiling ruefully. “It … fits you.”

  “Most people agree,” Ivy said, shifting her attention to Kelly’s other arm.

  “Are you an only child?”

  “No. I have a brother. His name is Max. We grew up in this house together, though. It used to belong to my parents, but now it’s mine.”

  “Did they die?”

  It was pointed question, and Ivy couldn’t help but think there was something more behind it. “No. They just moved to a house that wasn’t so isolated. They’re a little older now, and they spend their winters in Florida. They knew how much I loved this house, though, so they sold it to me a few years ago.”

  “That’s nice,” Kelly said. “I like your house. It’s … homey.”

  “It is,” Ivy said. “What is your house like?”

  “I don’t want to talk about that.”

  “Okay,” Ivy said. “What do you want to talk about?”

  “I … tell me about growing up in this house,” Kelly said. “I’ll bet it was magical.”

  Ivy decided the best way to get Kelly to open up was to do it herself. So, without a second thought, she delved into the story of her childhood, and she didn’t stop until Kelly was done asking questions.

  It took two hours, but Kelly was comfortable with Ivy by the time they were done. Just when Ivy was about to broach the subject of Kelly’s past, though, the sound of a vehicle door slamming in the driveway caught her attention.

  Kelly jumped to her feet, terror flitting across her face. “Who’s here? Did he find me?”

  Ivy raised her hand to soothe her. “No. I promise no one will get you here.” She glanced out to the driveway, making a face when she saw who was striding up her front walk. “Don’t worry. They’re not here for you.”

  “Who is it?”

  “Well, you wanted to know more about my family,” Ivy said, smiling ruefully. “You’re about to get your wish.”

  Four

  “You can’t come in.”

  Luna Morgan met her daughter’s plaintive gaze with a blank one of her own. “What do you mean we can’t come in?”

  “I have a guest,” Ivy said.

  “Is he naked?” Max asked, wrinkling his nose.

  “Who?”

  “Your guest,” Max said.

  “It’s not a man,” Ivy said, rolling her eyes. “Get your mind out of the gutter.”

  “We know it’s not a man,” Luna said, patting Ivy’s arm. “As much as we’d like it to be Jack, we ran into him downtown when we were heading into the diner for dinner. We know you kept the girl you found in the greenhouse.”

  “Jack has a big mouth,” Ivy grumbled.

  “He was worried,” Max said. “As much as he likes to pretend he doesn’t have feelings for you, he’s already a goner. Brian was trying to cheer him up with pie, and Maisie was trying to cheer him up with her boobs, but he was fighting both of their efforts.”

  “I … .” Ivy broke off, narrowing her eyes. “What do you mean Maisie was trying to cheer him up with her boobs?”

  In addition to being the town librarian, Maisie Washington was also Shadow Lake’s resident harlot. She’d never met a single man she didn’t want to seduce … and the marital status of her target didn’t often stand in her way. She was willing to take on husbands, too.

  Max smirked. “Don’t worry. Jack doesn’t want to see anyone’s boobs but yours.”

  Michael cuffed his son. “Don’t say things like that. She’s your sister.”

  “She knows she has boobs,” Max replied, nonplussed.

  “Yes, and brothers aren’t supposed to comment on them,” Luna said. “They only do that in certain families, and we’re not one of them.”

  Max’s face colored. “That’s not what I meant.”

  “We know,” Michael said. “We like to embarrass you anyway.” He turned to Ivy and lifted the bag he was carrying. “We brought food.”

  That was convenient since Kelly was still making noises about being hungry. Still … . “Thank you for the food,” Ivy said, grabbing the bag. “I’ll talk to you guys tomorrow.”

  “Don’t you want to invite us in?” Luna prodded.

  “No.”

  “Ivy,” Michael said, keeping his voice low. “We’re coming in.”

  “We promise not to be too loud,” Luna said, putting her hand on Ivy’s wrist and cutting her off before she could argue. “We just want to see her. We want to help you if we can. We’re a family, and if you’re taking this girl on as part of your family, that means she’s part of our family, too.”

  “It’s going to be okay,” Max said. “I promise.”

  “Fine,” Ivy said, cursing under her breath. “She’s skittish, though. Her name is Kelly. She hasn’t opened up about her past and she’s not ready yet, so don’t press her on it. She also seems scared of men, so Dad and Max, you need to give her a wide berth.”

  Everyone nodded solemnly.

  “There will be no sudden movements,” Ivy said. “There will be no wrestling. Max, I’m talking to you. No noogies. No putting anyone’s head in your armpit. No wedgies.”

  “No offense, Ivy, but I haven’t tried to give you a wedgie since you started wearing the same kind of underwear my dates did,” Max said, making a face. “I’m scarred for life from that last one. Here I was thinking you were still playing with Barbie dolls and instead you were dressing like one. Ugh.”

  Ivy pinched the bridge of her nose. “Max, there will be no talking about anything like that either.”

  “Ivy, I’ve got it,” Max said, shooting her a charming grin. “I promise to be on my best behavior. I won’t do anything bad. I’m not an idiot.”

  As annoying as she found her
brother, Ivy knew Max had a good heart. He would never go out of his way to purposely hurt someone. She felt guilty about suggesting otherwise. “Okay,” she said. “We’re just a normal family hanging out with greasy diner food and a runaway teenage girl.”

  Ivy knew that wasn’t the truth, but she wasn’t above deluding herself when the opportunity arose.

  “DO you like hamburgers, Kelly?” Luna asked, unpacking the bag of goodies on the kitchen table and fixing the timid girl with a wide smile. “We got a little of everything because we didn’t know what you would like.”

  “I’ll … eat anything,” Kelly replied, her voice low and breathy. “You didn’t have to get all of this food for me.”

  “We got it for everyone,” Michael said, winking from his spot in the armchair at the edge of Ivy’s living room. He’d taken Ivy’s words to heart, sitting almost immediately and keeping his movements small. His normally booming voice was muted, but his words were kind and his eyes retained their infamous twinkle.

  Max was another story. “Ivy is a vegetarian,” he said, handing Kelly a container. “She only eats vegetables and crap. Don’t get me wrong, she’s an excellent cook, but she’s never embraced the joys of eating a good steak.”

  Kelly hesitantly took the container from Max. “You’re not a vegetarian?”

  “We tried to indoctrinate him into the family vegetarian fold,” Luna said. “He broke free when he was in elementary school, although he still pretended until he got into middle school.”

  “And I never looked back,” Max said jovially. “Don’t worry. If you like meat, I’ll make sure to keep you in it while you’re staying with Ivy. I would hate to think of you going without just because Ivy eats carrots instead of jerky.”

  Kelly shifted her green eyes to Ivy worriedly. “I don’t have to eat meat.”

  “Go ahead,” Ivy said. “It’s fine. I’m not one of those vegetarians who tells everyone else what to eat. I only care about what I eat.”

  “She’s lying,” Max whispered. “She tried to convince me that soy bacon was the same as regular bacon last week. Just a hint: It’s not.”

  Kelly pressed her lips together, her eyes wide as she took in Max at his charming best. Ivy couldn’t be sure, but she thought she saw a hint of a crush forming there. If that was the case, and Kelly could so easily accept him in her presence, Ivy was hopeful her initial fears were wrong. Kelly had clearly been abused, but if that abuse stopped short of being sexual, she would be forever thankful.

  “I’ll have you know that soy bacon tastes just like real bacon,” Ivy said.

  “You’ve never had real bacon,” Max shot back. “You can’t make that claim.”

  “You’ve never had real bacon?” Kelly asked, surprised.

  “Mom and Dad are vegetarians,” Ivy explained. “I’ve never had meat.”

  “How come you eat meat if your family doesn’t?” Kelly asked, turning to Max.

  “Because I hung around with carnivores when I was a kid,” Max replied, not missing a beat. “You know how some kids sneak other kids cookies in elementary school because some parents think sugar is evil? Well, my friends snuck me bologna sandwiches. They saved me from a life of broccoli and asparagus burgers.”

  “Huh,” Kelly mused. “I never had anyone sneak me cookies. I didn’t know people did that.”

  Ivy’s heart rolled and when she risked a glance at her mother she saw Luna was feeling the same rush of empathy.

  “You can have as many cookies as you want here,” Luna said. “We never had meat in the house, but we always had Oreos.”

  “Thank you,” Kelly murmured, studying her feet as her cheeks colored. She’d obviously revealed more than she wanted. That’s when it hit Ivy: Her family’s interference was a good thing. They were helping Kelly open up before she had time to think how to respond in a way that would help her remain hidden.

  “Eat,” Ivy instructed, tapping the edge of the girl’s food container. “Eat as much as you want. I’ll have Max go to the grocery store and get you some food that doesn’t taste like broccoli and asparagus hamburgers, which I never made for him, by the way.”

  Kelly smiled thankfully. “Okay.”

  “MAX is good for her,” Ivy said, watching from the front porch as her brother showed Kelly where the resident raccoon was hiding behind the garbage cans along the side of the house.

  “She doesn’t seem scared of him,” Luna mused, reclining on one of Ivy’s front chairs.

  “She’s still leery around Dad, though,” Ivy said. “Did you notice that?”

  “And that’s why I stayed sitting in the chair,” Michael said. “I think … I think whoever hurt her was older.”

  “Like her father?” Ivy asked, tension building her in shoulders.

  “Maybe,” Michael said. “She seems comfortable with your mother and Max, and she’s obviously already attached to you.”

  “I wouldn’t go that far,” Ivy said.

  “I would,” Michael said. “You might not have noticed, but she looked to you a couple of times for reassurance. Don’t worry, Ivy. You gave it without even realizing what you were doing. It’s instinctual with you.”

  “Your father is right,” Luna said. “You were very good with her.”

  “Why do I sense a but coming on?” Ivy asked, her shoulders stiffening.

  “Don’t get your panties in a bunch,” Luna warned.

  “That’s not what I’m doing … and I hate that saying.”

  “Then don’t make me use it,” Luna said, unruffled. “Before you work yourself up, your father and I are not asking you to abandon this girl or stay away from her. If you think that’s what we’re doing, then hop off that crazy train right now.”

  “What are you suggesting?”

  “She’s not a pet,” Luna said.

  “I never said she was.” Ivy was horrified. Was that what they thought of her?

  “Ivy, one of the things I love most about you is your capacity to love,” Michael said, his face somber. “You love with your whole heart and soul. That’s why when you found Nicodemus in the Dumpster, there was no way you could ever let him go.

  “Kelly isn’t an abandoned kitten, though,” he continued. “She’s a teenager who has been through … something. We don’t know what yet, but if those bruises on her arms are any indication, it was something truly terrible.”

  “I know,” Ivy said, furrowing her brow. “Why do you think I insisted that she stay here?”

  “Because you want to help her,” Luna said. “Your greatest gift – other than your insistence on being who you are without any reservations or compromises – is that big heart you have, Ivy.”

  “I don’t understand what you’re saying,” Ivy said.

  “We’re saying that you can’t get too attached to her,” Michael said. “No one is asking you not to care. No one is asking you to throw her out, or turn away from her and let the professionals do their job.”

  “You can’t fix everything, though,” Luna said. “This girl needs help that you might not be able to give her.”

  “What do you want me to do?” Ivy asked, her voice cracking.

  “Be you,” Michael said. “Don’t be afraid to ask for help, though. I’m here. Your mother is here. Max is here.”

  “Jack is here, too,” Luna said.

  “Oh, I’m so sick of hearing about Jack,” Ivy grumbled.

  “You’re sick of hearing about him because you know we’re right,” Luna said. “That’s also one of your … gifts. You’re stubborn.”

  “Like a mule,” Michael added.

  “Well, thank you so much for that,” Ivy deadpanned.

  “Just be careful with your heart, Ivy,” Luna said. “Life is full of obstacles. The ones Kelly is going to be facing over the next few days are going to be significant. You can’t give her all of you because there will be nothing left to sustain yourself.”

  “I’m going to do what I have to do,” Ivy said.

  “I guess we can’
t ask more of you than that, can we?” Luna said, gripping Ivy’s hand tightly. “Just keep your eyes open and your mind clear. If you’re not careful, and you’re not paying attention, something very important could slip by you.”

  “We’ll be here to make sure that doesn’t happen,” Michael said. “We’re here to help.”

  Her parents’ words were sobering, and as Ivy watched Max and Kelly cavort with the raccoon she couldn’t help but wonder if they were right.

  Was she in over her head?

  Five

  “Are you sure you want to do this?” Ivy asked outside of the greenhouse door the next morning. “You can stay back at the house if you want. If you’re scared to stay there alone, I can find someone to cover for me and stay there with you.”

  After a good night’s sleep, Kelly looked better. The dark circles under her eyes were present, but fading. She was still too thin, but Ivy pumped her full of eggs and potatoes for breakfast in an effort to combat that. She was also still skittish, and when Ivy suggested she could work in the greenhouse all afternoon – away from prying eyes – she jumped at the chance.

  “I’m sure,” Kelly said, following Ivy into the greenhouse. “I want to do … something.”

  “Okay,” Ivy said. “I’m always looking for someone who is willing to work for food.” She winked at Kelly to let her know it was a joke.

  After Max and her parents left the previous evening, Ivy tried to get Kelly to open up, but the girl was reluctant. Finally, Ivy let her be and tucked her in on the couch before retiring for the night. She was relieved to find Kelly still there in the morning. She didn’t think the girl had anywhere to run, but when terror takes over, she knew there was no telling what a frightened soul would do.

  “How did you get into plants?” Kelly asked, watching as Ivy gathered a handful of tools from the bench and directed her toward a stack of pots across the way.

  “I don’t know,” Ivy said. “When I was a kid, I always knew that I liked the outdoors. I spent a lot of time in the woods with Max. We’d play games and run around. I liked to pick flowers, and I’d always bring them to my mother and she’d make a big deal about the gift. She acted like I brought her a gold necklace or something.