The Rose Necklace

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Aster? How many of my headache tonics did you say you needed?" Ivy asked.

"Three should do. Many of the people I asked still had some left," Adam's mother replied. They were sitting inside chatting while Adam and Lilly ran around outside, enjoying the warm summer sun. Aster saw them dash past the window, playing some sort of new game. They were both getting so big; Adam had just turned eleven, and dear Lilly was nine. Aster could not believe how quickly time had passed.

"And how are you feeling?" Ivy asked Aster sternly.

Knowing any attempt to lie to Ivy wouldn't work, Aster admitted that she ached. The past few months, she hadn't felt well. She had not yet told Adam, despite Potter and Ivy's insistence that she should. She didn't want to worry the boy over nothing. Adam was so sensitive, he would immediately jump to the direst conclusions. No, it was better to allow him to stay carefree. If it became a true problem, she would tell him.

Trying to divert the attention from herself, Aster turned the conversation back to Lilly and Adam. "Lilly is getting so big! And such a little lady too! I've never seen a girl her age who can have impeccable manners one minute, and yet run through mud without a second thought the next. Such a unique girl. Tell me, how did she ever come to live with you?"

Ivy looked a bit uncomfortable as she answered. "Well, she was in trouble, you see. Her parents came to me for help; the problem was a bit more serious than I first thought, and quite chronic. Eventually, they felt it would be best for her to move with me so I would be readily available to help them at all times."

"Them?"

"What?" Ivy asked sharply. "What do you mean, 'them'? I said her!"

Aster was surprised by the sudden change in Ivy's countenance. "I meant nothing by it, I was simply confused. Surely you meant Lilly and her parents, did you not?"

"Yes. Yes, of course. Who else could I possibly mean?" The way she said that made Aster wonder if there was someone else she could mean. What an odd little thing for Ivy to get upset about.

"Well, either way, you must be grateful that Lilly is here. She is such a bright and happy little girl; so sweet too! I imagine it must have been lonely here by yourself."

"Yes, I'm very grateful she's here." There was a peculiar tone in Ivy's voice as she said it. Aster became more curious by the minute, wondering what was wrong.

"After losing your daughter, Lilly must be especially wonderful to have around," Aster commented. It was common knowledge among the older members of the village that Ivy had lost a daughter years ago; and not long afterward, her husband had perished too, of a broken heart. Having miscarried a child before Adam, Aster was well aware of the pain a mother felt after losing a baby. What surprised her now was Ivy's reaction to Aster's words.

"How dare you! Lilly is in no way a replacement for my daughter. My daughter was the single most important person in my life, and I will do anything to help her!" Ivy told Aster severely, taking the younger woman completely off guard.

"I'm terribly sorry. It's just that, well, I lost a child too. I know what it's like-"

"You have no idea what I go through to help my baby! Do not sit there and act as if you do!"

At this point, Aster didn't even bother pointing out that Ivy was talking in the present tense. She was just hoping to not upset her anymore. During the years Aster had known Ivy, she had begun to count her as a friend. She did her best to quell rumors about the older woman, telling the townspeople to be grateful for all that Ivy did for them instead of spreading useless gossip. Never once had she believed the stories that Ivy had gone insane after dealing in dark magic, but now Aster wasn't so sure. The woman standing in front of her with a manic look in her eyes looked pretty insane indeed. She reminded Aster of the villains in stories; the ones everyone hated because they were evil but pretended to be good. The ones that fooled you until the end of the story, and were more despicable than an outright villain.

"I-" Aster began, but she never got to finish. At that moment, Adam and Lilly burst through the door, panting from the heat and asking for something to drink. As if an internal switch had been flipped, Ivy was the maternal and caring person they had come to know. She got the children drinks and asked about their time outside. Never once did she show any indication that she had been shouting at Aster only moments earlier.

Aster did her best to pull herself together as well. "Adam, we're just about finished in here. Get ready to leave." She couldn't quite manage the same calm that Ivy had adopted, and her voice shook slightly. Neither of the children seemed to notice, for they were too caught up in regaling Ivy with their adventures. Ivy was the perfect listener too; only once did Aster notice her looking at Lilly's neck with the same crazed gleam as before.

Silent the entire walk home, she thought over the strange encounter with Ivy. Growing up in a small, safe village, Aster was always secure in the community around her; she never had a reason to fear the people in her life. But for the first time, Aster was afraid of Ivy.