And afterwards? Ivy thought. What if she didn’t come back? She shook herself. Some things weren’t worth thinking about on days as happy as this.
The Meat and Greet was busy. Near the counter Olivia was standing with her best friend, Camilla Edmunson, who was adjusting her purple beret and yelling ‘Cut!’ Camilla was in the middle of making a short film that had become a full-on summer project. Olivia and Ivy had been offered acting roles, but the Transylvania trip had interfered. Not that Ivy minded; Olivia was more the thespian of the family. Much more! Ivy was not exactly natural on stage or in front of the camera. She remembered Camilla using the words ‘wooden’ and ‘painful’ when she’d given her feedback after her last acting experience.
Ivy watched the scene, which seemed to involve a brightly costumed alien girl and a robo-boy on a date. Ivy hoped it wouldn’t remind Olivia of her performance opposite Jackson in Romezog and Julietron – also a Camilla Edmunson production.
‘Oh, X3219,’ said the alien girl in a strange, high-pitched voice. ‘I’m going to miss you!’
Robo-boy attempted to wrap alien girl in a stiff-armed hug, but couldn’t seem to figure out how to embrace her while keeping his elbows bent at right angles.
‘Cut! Cut!’ Camilla yelled, before putting the actors back into their original places. ‘Try that part again.’
Back at the table, Brendan was busy building a fort out of French fries and Ivy couldn’t help but wonder: Is Brendan really not bothered that I’m so excited to go to Transylvania? Even a little bit? Surely he knew how much she’d miss him. If only Ivy could promise that she’d be back soon. But the truth was, she had no idea if she’d be returning to Franklin Grove. Maybe it would be best if I don’t talk about it quite so much, just in case.
Then, she did something very un-Ivy. Reaching for Brendan’s hand under the table, she wove her fingers through his and gave his hand a squeeze. Fortunately, he’d already wiped his hands on a napkin so that his fingers weren’t covered in salt and grease from the fries.
‘I’m going to miss you,’ she murmured, forcing herself not to blush.
‘I’m so jealous!’ A voice from across the table made the couple jump apart, before Brendan had a chance to answer. Sophia had caught the Transylvania bug and madly wanted to be catching a plane there herself. There goes not talking about it, Ivy thought. ‘I would love the chance to go to your home country. All the history, the great shopping, plus vamp boys everywhere!’
That is so not helping! Ivy kicked Sophia’s shins under the table. ‘Ouch!’ she yelped, reaching down to rub her leg. But at least she had the sense to change topic.
‘You know where else I want to go? Paris! I’d love to go to Paris!’
‘Oui, oui ! Me too! Hey, nice brooch!’ said a familiar voice. Looking round, Ivy saw Olivia approaching the table.
Sophia started ticking places off on her fingers. ‘And Rome and London and . . .’ She threw up her hands. ‘It’s not fair! You get to go to Transylvania for the second time. And I can’t so much as go on Twitter without seeing another update from some fabulous film set in Europe that Jackson has posted.’
Ivy sucked in her breath, not daring to look at the expression on her sister’s face. Even though it was jam-packed, the Meat and Greet suddenly felt still and silent as the grave.
Sophia obviously hasn’t received the memo about the J-word, Ivy thought. Doesn’t she know Olivia can’t even talk to her boyfriend, never mind about him!
Chapter Two
She said the J-word!
Olivia took a long gulp of lemonade, trying desperately to keep her face neutral. She stared out of the window so Sophia wouldn’t see her eyes becoming glassy. Wrong move. The first thing she spotted was a boy and girl about her age. They were walking down the street, holding hands and gazing at each other as if the rest of the world didn’t exist. Just like Jackson and I used to, she thought, a pain starting in her chest. When we were together. When we actually talked. Look away, look away! No problem, she would just keep her eyes in the Meat and Greet. That should be simple enough. After all, there were plenty of people to distract her.
She turned her face back towards the people inside, trying to focus on the restaurant and its familiar red and black decor. Another bad move. Behind Brendan, Olivia saw an older couple sharing a milkshake out of two straws. She inched to the left, so that Brendan’s head would block her view, but now Camilla’s alien-robot couple was in full sight and the two actors were in the middle of an awkward, but sweet, alien-robot kiss.
‘What is this, Couples Day?’ Olivia muttered under her breath. It seemed that everyone in the world was happy except for her. Not that she would deny anyone else their romantic moment, but why did she have to be so obviously alone ?
‘Um, Olivia?’ she heard Sophia saying. Olivia’s head jerked up as she realised that the other three people at the table had stopped talking and were staring at her.
‘Er . . .’ They’d obviously picked up on her unhappiness. Oh no! I didn’t mean to invite everyone to my pity party! She forced herself to grin and smoothed her hair. ‘What?’ she asked, sitting up straight. ‘I’m fine!’ Ivy eyed her from across the table. ‘I am.’ Olivia nodded vigorously. ‘Jackson’s busy working and I’m totally happy for him. He made the right choice. He has to look after his career. I’m fine. One-hundred-and-ten per cent fine.’ She wanted to crawl under the table. Note to self: People who are fine don’t say they’re fine three times!
‘Brendan, are there any souvenirs you want from Transylvania?’ asked Ivy, switching topics. Olivia really did have the best twin on the planet.
Brendan rumpled his dark hair. ‘I don’t know,’ he mumbled. ‘Whatever you think I’ll like. Surprise me!’ Olivia noticed that he seemed distracted.
‘I know!’ Olivia bounced up from the booth. ‘How about I buy a round of ice cream for everyone? It’ll be a parting gift. My treat! Brendan, can you help me carry them back?’ She gestured for him to follow her up to the counter.
Brendan loped alongside her, taking a spot in line behind the boy playing the blue robot. Nearby, Camilla knelt with her bulky camera on one shoulder, shooting the lens up towards the actor-robot. ‘Just act naturally,’ she directed. ‘You’re a robot in need of some oil. Feel the creakiness in your joints. Need the oilcan. Action!’
The robot stepped up to the cashier, his words coming out short and choppy. ‘Ex-cuse me,’ said robo-boy, trying to sound electronic. ‘But may I have some oil to mend my wound-ed heart valve?’ Robo-boy pressed a rigid hand to his chest.
The cashier looked around the robot to Brendan and Olivia. She screwed up her face and twirled one finger at the side of her head. ‘Loopy!’
Olivia pretended she hadn’t heard, and instead eyed the menu above the cashier’s head and the vamp-tastic names of the ice creams: Count Cherry Chocula; Batty Blackberry; Crypt’s Coconut. She elbowed Brendan as they waited for their turn to be served. ‘Are you OK with Ivy going away?’ she asked. ‘You can be honest with me, you know.’
Brendan rubbed his ribs. ‘Ouch! Sure, I’m OK. Whatever’s good for Ivy is good for me.’
Olivia rolled her eyes. Brendan was a vampire. He probably hadn’t even felt her jab. ‘If you’re trying to make a big show of being “cool” with this trip, you don’t have to, you know. It’s OK to be a bit sad!’
Brendan stared at his black shoelaces. ‘Let’s just take it one step at a time.’
‘Brendan Daniels, don’t give me the brave face.’
Brendan dug the toe of one trainer into the ground. ‘I’m just trying to do what’s best.’
Olivia stepped in front of Brendan, turning her back to the ice-cream counter and facing towards robo-boy, who was still busy fumbling with his lines. ‘Give it more passion !’ she heard Camilla tell him. ‘Really commit to the part.’
‘Brendan, I may be small – and a bunny – but if this ever gets too much for you, I want you to know you can confide in me. You can confide in Ivy! She
cares a lot for you and would only want you to be honest about how you’re feeling.’
Brendan took a step back. ‘Thanks, Olivia.’ He swept his hand through his hair, suddenly looking a little worried. ‘But please don’t say anything to Ivy, OK?’
Olivia’s eyes flitted quickly in her sister’s direction. Ivy was staring at the pair of them with her head cocked. She was clearly getting the sense that something was up.
Olivia smiled sweetly, as if to say, Everything’s fine. Then she turned back to Brendan. ‘I promise. We’ll look out for each other whilst she’s away.’ She held out her pinky.
Brendan stared. ‘I’m not pinky swearing, Olivia. I’m a dude!’
Olivia lifted her eyebrows and jutted her chin, waiting.
‘Fine,’ said Brendan, letting his head hang in defeat. He locked pinkies with her and shook. ‘I promise too. Happy?’
‘Very.’ Olivia stepped up to the front of the line and rested her hand on the cool metal of the Meat and Greet counter, where a pale goth girl with a black apron was waiting with a pen and pad. ‘Two Dark Chocolate Delights and two Scrumptious Strawberry ice-cream cones, please.’
The girl smiled through dark-red lips and Olivia could just make out where the cashier’s dazzling white fangs had been filed. ‘Four cones, coming right up!’
While they waited, Olivia waved to Camilla, who was letting her actors ‘take five’. ‘It looks like the shoot’s going well,’ Olivia said, as her friend approached.
Camilla tucked a clipboard under her arm. ‘It is.’ She lowered her voice. ‘But it would be so much better with you and . . .’ Olivia felt her heart do a back-flip – and not a happy one. Not the J-word, not the J-word. Camilla opened her mouth and then closed it. ‘Um, yeah . . .’ Camilla cleared her throat, ‘with you in it.’
Olivia quickly fixed a big smile on her face. As if on cue, the cashier handed over four cones. Brendan took two, Olivia the other two. As she reached for them, she smiled at Camilla. ‘I hope the rest of the filming goes well,’ said Olivia, refusing to let her smile slip. ‘Sorry I can’t be here for it.’ I’m fine, she repeated. Totally fine.
If I keep telling myself that, perhaps one day I’ll believe it.
Ivy just did not get Chinese orchestral music. The low-pitched strings and relentless drums were anything but relaxing. Unfortunately that was what Olivia’s adoptive dad, Mr Abbott, insisted on listening to as he drove Olivia and Ivy to the airport before their long flight to Transylvania.
Mr Abbott hummed along with the CD. ‘It’s very Zen, don’t you think?’
More like very annoying, thought Ivy.
Horatio, her grandparents’ hulking butler, was squished between the girls in the back seat, his knees pulled up to his chest. His sleek black tuxedo jacket was stretched tight across his back and his suit trousers were hiked high above his ankles, revealing bright-red socks. Ivy’s grandparents had been summoned back to Transylvania to help prepare for the wedding, but they’d left Horatio behind to help the girls pack. ‘You really ought to have let one of us sit in the middle,’ said Olivia, her knees squashed against the door.
Horatio peered down his nose. ‘I would not hear of it, Miss Olivia. I am here, as always, to serve.’ Ivy snorted. Right now, Horatio was only serving to block the air conditioning!
Charles Vega, the twins’ bio-dad, was sitting up front next to Mr Abbott. ‘It’s very kind of you to drive us to the airport,’ he said. ‘We won’t forget this.’
Horatio shifted his weight in the back seat, hands fidgeting. He had repeatedly asked Olivia’s dad if he could drive, but Mr Abbott wouldn’t hear a word of it. Horatio hated anyone else being the chauffeur.
He hated anyone else doing any work.
‘Don’t be silly,’ said Mr Abbott, tapping the wheel in time to the drumbeats. ‘You all are extended family. And you know what they say: the strength of a nation derives from the integrity of the home.’ In the reflection of the rear-view mirror Ivy saw Mr Abbott’s eyebrows lift. ‘Can anyone name that quote?’
The twins looked at each other blankly.
‘Confucius,’ said Charles and Horatio in unison.
Mr Abbott nodded. ‘Impressive.’
Great. The next thing Ivy knew, her dad would be practising yoga on the front lawn too. She leaned forwards, trying to get Olivia’s attention – someone who could share her pain – but Olivia’s chin rested on her fist as she stared intently out of the window. Ivy chewed her lip. It wasn’t like Olivia to bottle things up. Dark and stormy is usually more my style. The twins were becoming more and more like each other and Ivy wasn’t sure that was entirely a good thing. Olivia was supposed to be the perky one – the Yin to Ivy’s Yang.
Ivy’s phone pinged from inside her black studded bag – a text! She plunged her hands inside, digging through the mess of lipstick, movie stubs, and spare tubes of Pale Beauty, hoping it was a message from Brendan. She pulled the phone out and thumbed the touch screen.
Hope you have a safe flight! V-Love, Sophia.
Ivy’s heart sank. Not that it wasn’t a nice text; it just wasn’t the one she wanted. She clicked out of the message without responding and looked at her phone’s wallpaper screen – a picture of her and Brendan making silly faces. Brendan had his cheeks puffed out and he was scratching his head like a chimpanzee, and she had sucked her cheeks into a ridiculous fish-face. We look so happy. She stroked the brooch that she was wearing on her top. I hope we’re still that happy when I get back.
Ivy shoved the phone back into her bag, trying not to think about how fine he had seemed at the Meat and Greet. How unconcerned about the time they would be spending apart. Ivy knew Brendan well enough to understand that it was probably just his way of coping, but she couldn’t help feeling a little hurt. Of course, she had wanted him to be OK with her trip to Transylvania – but there was such a thing as being too OK with being separated from your girlfriend for a week or two. Maybe longer.
As the wheels of the car edged up to the kerb at the airport, Ivy frowned to herself. Brendan Daniels was not supposed to behave like a dumb guy from a stupid teen bunny show.
Ivy’s boyfriend was supposed to be different.
Charles shut the boot of Mr Abbott’s car. He surveyed the luggage piled on the pavement as a plane roared overhead. ‘I think that’s everything.’
‘Literally,’ Ivy muttered, her eyebrows raised. Leave it to Olivia to pack our entire wardrobes!
Olivia smiled sheepishly. ‘Hey, a girl’s got to have options.’
Police officers were directing traffic and luggage wheels slid across the pavement with regular thuds. The terminal was a hub of activity.
Mr Abbott extended his hand to Horatio, who looked at it, blinking. Ivy stifled a giggle. Horatio’s giant hand daintily gripped Mr Abbott’s fingers and he gave them a gentle shake. Poor Horatio really did not know how to handle being treated like an equal.
‘Well then,’ Mr Abbott said. ‘I wouldn’t want you all to miss your flight.’
Olivia reached up to give her adoptive dad a long hug. ‘I’ll miss you. Take care of Mom, OK?’
Mr Abbott kissed her on top of the head. ‘Would you like me to come in with you?’ he asked.
Olivia shook her head. ‘That’s OK. Horatio can help us.’ Ivy thought she saw Horatio perk up with that comment. The Lazar family butler took the phrase ‘aim to please’ to a whole new level!
‘Right, well . . . In that case, I might just make my tai chi class.’ He started to smile, then threw his arms wide. ‘Oh, who am I kidding? Who cares about tai chi? Come here and give me a hug!’ He swooped the twins up in his arms, crushing them tight to his chest. Eventually, he pulled away, his face red. ‘I know I shouldn’t get emotional. It’s only for a week.’
‘Not to worry.’ Charles cleared his throat and shook Mr Abbott’s hand. ‘Horatio is anxious to lend a helping hand, I’m sure.’ The already massive butler straightened up – so tall, Ivy feared a plane might fly into his head. Even by vam
p standards, Horatio was pretty freaky.
Mr Abbott had recovered his composure. He put his palms together as if praying and bowed. ‘In that case, I bid you, yī lù shùn fēng.’
‘Xiè xiè,’ replied Horatio, bowing in return.
‘Bye, Dad!’ Olivia turned to wave one last time to Mr Abbott and then the four of them trooped through the whooshing sliding glass doors and into the airport.
‘Horatio, I didn’t know you spoke Chinese,’ Charles remarked.
He bowed slightly, with a faint smile. ‘There is a lot you do not know about me, Master Karl. Now if you’ll excuse me . . .’ He took Ivy and Olivia’s duffel bags. ‘I want to make myself useful at last.’
All around them, passengers were bustling about, dragging suitcases and sprinting to gates. Ticket personnel were calling for the next person in line. Departure and arrival times scrolled down the monitors. Ivy’s chest squeezed as she saw a young couple kissing goodbye at the entrance to the security line. She would have felt much better if Brendan had given her one last kiss before she’d left, but it was too late now. She would have to wait until she got back – whenever that was.
She trailed behind her father. ‘The Lazar family, checking in,’ Ivy heard him say at the ticket desk, but she was hardly paying attention. Olivia handed her a boarding pass with her name stamped on it. The check-in, the walk through the giant metal detectors at security, the approach to the terminal – they all passed in one muffled blur as if everything was happening at a distance.
‘Ivy?’ Lillian tapped her shoulder, her gold-and-blue eyes searching Ivy’s face. ‘Are you looking forward to the trip?’
Whoa, where did Lillian come from? Ivy hadn’t even noticed her joining up with them at the gate.
Ivy blinked and channelled her best Olivia impression. ‘Absolutely!’ she replied, a peppy smile plastered on her lips.
Actually, Ivy was pleased that Lillian was coming along as her father’s date. She and Olivia agreed that the two vamps made a perfect pair. Plus, Lillian always let Ivy borrow her most on-trend vamp make-up. As a Hollywood insider, Lillian had Midnight Marauder eyeshadow months before it was out in the shops!
10 Date with Destiny - My Sister the Vampire Page 2