‘Dead,’ replied Georgia. Olivia could see her personal assistant, David, in the background, smoothing cushions on a chaise longue. Clearly, it was nearly time for the star journalist’s afternoon nap.
‘Will you do it, darlings?’ she asked, as she climbed on to the chaise longue and David arranged an eye mask over her face.
‘We’d love to!’ the girls said together. Georgia gave a smile of acknowledgement and the window vanished from the screen.
‘I feel like bats are fluttering inside my tummy,’ Ivy murmured. Olivia knew this might be her sister’s big break into the journalism world. ‘Ivy Vega reporting from Transylvania . . .’ Ivy turned to stare at Olivia, her eyes wide. ‘I like the sound of that!’
‘It gets even better,’ said Ivy. ‘Olivia and I actually get to work together. Olivia’s going to take the photos and advise me on all the names of the dresses and things.’ She had her elbows propped on a table at the Meat and Greet diner, leaning in as she relayed every detail of her conversation with Georgia to Sophia and Brendan. ‘Isn’t that the most A-positive thing to happen?’
Brendan smiled, though Ivy noticed that it didn’t quite reach his eyes. He glanced away and Ivy paused while Sophia slipped out of the booth for some fresh napkins.
‘Everything’s OK, isn’t it?’ she asked him, once Sophia was out of earshot. ‘You’re sure you’re OK with me going?’
Brendan brushed a lock of hair from her eyes. ‘Of course I’m sure. I encouraged you, didn’t I? It’s just . . . I’d hoped this would be the most A-positive thing to happen to you.’
He drew a small velvet box from the back pocket of his jeans and put it down on the table between Ivy and himself. ‘It’s a little going-away gift.’
‘Oh, Brendan, you shouldn’t have . . .’ Ivy said.
‘Well, in that case!’ Brendan started to take the box back, but Ivy snatched it up before he had the chance. They both laughed.
‘Open it,’ Brendan said softly.
The hinges creaked as Ivy prised back the satin-lined lid. Inside was a small jewelled brooch in the shape of the letter ‘I’ in swirly lettering.
‘It’s perfect,’ Ivy breathed. She wasn’t obsessed with jewellery in the way Olivia was, but this was understated and personal. She couldn’t have asked for anything more.
‘I’d tell you you’re the perfect boyfriend, but I don’t want your head to get too big,’ Ivy said, as she pinned the brooch to her top. Sophia arrived back at their table, her eyes wide.
‘Brendan – did you buy Ivy the perfect gift?’ Ivy grinned as Sophia sat back down.
‘You sure you want to go?’ she asked Ivy, nodding at Brendan. ‘You’re really going to leave this guy behind?’
Brendan placed a hand over Ivy’s. ‘I wouldn’t have it any other way. Me and royal weddings . . . I can take them or leave them. Ivy and Olivia will have a riot without me.’
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.