Ivy never got this excited unless it was something big.
‘What is it?’ Olivia asked.
‘This.’ Ivy held up a dirty plastic bag that smelled like mud.
‘Uh …’ Olivia had no idea what it could be.
‘Look!’ Ivy thrust it closer to her face and Olivia actually did bump into the drawers.
But then she saw what had Ivy hopping about like a cricket.
There were initials on the cover of the book inside the bag. ‘S.K.’
‘Is that what I think it is?’ Olivia whispered.
‘I think so,’ Ivy whispered back. ‘It was hidden in the porch and it looks old.’
‘More than thirteen years old,’ Olivia agreed.
‘I waited for you to look at it, but …’ Ivy hesitated. ‘I didn’t want to show it to Aunt Rebecca just yet. I think this might be too big to share before we really know what it is.’
Olivia nodded. Her heart was racing like she’d just landed a back flip. ‘We can show it to her tomorrow.’
‘Can we …?’ Ivy said at the same time as Olivia started, ‘Should we …?’
They both wanted to read it. They had to read it … to see if it really was their mom’s.
‘You do it,’ Olivia offered. ‘You’re the one who found it.’
Ivy gingerly peeled the plastic back and pulled out the notebook. Around the initials, there was a faded pattern of ivy embossed on the brown leather.
‘Ivy,’ Olivia whispered.
Ivy carried the journal ceremoniously over to the bed. Olivia sat down on the quilt beside her and Ivy opened the first page. It was filled with line after line of scribbly, narrow lettering:
First day at the ranch. Twenty-two days until I’m fourteen.
Ivy and Olivia looked at each other. The last time they found a journal from their family past, it revealed the secret of who their real parents were. Olivia knew she wouldn’t find out anything as dramatic, but it would be a precious glimpse of their mom.
This is so awesome! Mom gave me this new journal when we arrived. I’ve decided to keep this just for the farm and go back to my comp books when we go home. I’ve never had a leather journal before. It’s gooorgeous!
Rebecca got a new set of paints. She said she wasn’t going to have time for painting – I bet she won’t. She’s already in the stables.
‘This is the best thing ever,’ Olivia declared.
Ivy’s eyes shone. ‘I am going to read this cover to cover – but maybe not all at once.’
‘We should do it together,’ Olivia said and Ivy nodded.
‘Let’s go through the rest of this entry,’ Ivy said.
We’re here for six weeks, but I’ve only brought four books. I’ll make Mom take me to the library. We’re going to have lunch soon, I think. Burgers on the BBQ and corn on the cob – yum!
Corn on the cob wasn’t exactly deep motherly wisdom, but Olivia felt like her mom was right there speaking – and that was practically a miracle.
The next morning, during their breakfast of just-laid farm eggs and freshly baked bread, Ivy produced the journal. The girls had decided before they went to sleep that they would tell Aunt Rebecca about it.
‘Oh my goodness,’ Rebecca said, reaching out to touch the soft cover. ‘Is this …?’
Olivia and Ivy nodded at the same time.
‘Where did you find it?’ she breathed, pushing aside her half-eaten omelette.
‘Under a floorboard by the porch swing,’ Ivy said, her scrambled eggs forgotten.
‘Susannah was always writing in journals in that swing.’ Rebecca’s hand lingered over the cover but then pulled away. ‘I am so tempted to read it, but I never knew what she wrote in there – and no one wants their sister reading her journal.’ She sat back in her chair. ‘But you two should; daughters are definitely allowed.’
Ivy and Olivia shared a guilty look.
‘And if there’s anything you want to ask me about, I’ll try to help as much as I can.’
‘Thanks,’ Ivy said. ‘We want to know as much about our mom as there is to know.’ Finally Ivy felt like there was a reason she was supposed to have come here.
Rebecca cleared her throat. ‘Girls, I hope you don’t think it’s too much – and I hope your parents will agree – but I’d really like you to come back again.’
‘Me too,’ Olivia said, without hesitation.
‘If we left the journal here,’ Ivy said slowly, ‘we could come back again next weekend to read it.’
‘That would be perfect,’ Rebecca said, smiling. ‘And to make the journey worth your while, Ivy, I’m going to get you up on a horse.’
‘I don’t know about that,’ Ivy replied, turning her attention back to the food. She broke open a freshly baked roll and steam rose up from the soft middle.
‘Trust me,’ Rebecca said with a smile. ‘There’s never been a person that I couldn’t match with a horse.’
Ivy forced a smile. Yeah, but how many vampires do you know?
Ivy was just throwing her toothbrush in her bag when Aunt Rebecca flew in the door. ‘Your dad is coming up the driveway!’
‘Whoops!’ Ivy said. ‘I’m not ready yet.’
Olivia and Rebecca had spent the morning with the horses and after that, once they’d started reading their mom’s journal, Ivy had lost track of time.
The entries they read were about taking care of the chickens and the goats, a crush that she’d had on an older guy at school and how one of the horses – which would turn out to be Lucky’s mom – was pregnant.
Ivy tossed in a pair of socks that was lying on the floor, zipped up her bag and followed Rebecca down the steps with Olivia just behind.
They managed to make it to the porch by the time Mr Vega stepped out of the car, against the backdrop of the sunset.
‘Didn’t you say seven?’ Rebecca asked, brushing her hair out of her face.
‘I definitely said six,’ Mr Vega replied.
‘I could have sworn you said seven.’ Rebecca picked up Olivia’s bag and took it over to the car.
Mr Vega cleared his throat and then went over to get Ivy’s bag. Once the luggage was stowed in the boot, he said, ‘I’m sure you’ll see the girls again soon.’