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Authors: Allison M. Dickson
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Nanny Lily had her fire and Oleander had her potions, but Aster could make even the even the saddest flowers stand up tall and beautiful with a little bit of coaxing and love. Somet imes, on the way to the market, she w ould run her hands along the drooping hedges bordering people’s yards, singing life back into them.
It was never much. Her abilities as a witch would not be fully explored until after she had her child and passed on the Old Magic, for it wasn’t until then that she would know what sort of abilities she would even still have. The only ones who didn’t follow this custom were Oleander and Holly. As far as Aster knew, neither of the women had ever been pregnant, and had never been expected to be. Her one attempt to get more information on this from Nanny Lily had resulted in a stern tongue lashing. Dahlia had also been about as talkative on the subject as a brick wall.
“I could do with some gardening, ” Aster said, trying to sound casual about it.
“You’ll be right at home here, farm girl. You can turn around now. I’m decent.”
She rolled over to face Ruby, who sat cross-legged on her bed in a pair of flannel pants and a sleeveless black top that clung tightly to her breasts. Aster didn’t know if she would get used to showing the world her body that way. It was almost as if every young girl over here was in the constant act of trying to attract a mate, even if they didn’t realize it. “I’ve spent a lot of time in gardens,” said Aster. “It’s a favorite hobby of mine back home.”
“Good, because I fucking hate it.” Ruby studied Aster’s face for a minute. “I want to warn you that I kinda have bad dreams at night. Talk in my sleep. Sometimes scream out. It’s one of the reasons I sleep up here. So I don’t disturb the other girls. Sometimes Ivy comes up and talks me through it. She has a way of calming down almost everyone she touches. It’s like magic.”
Aster remembered her ride over here . “I noticed that about her. Don’t worry, though. My mother also sleeps poorly sometimes, but she taught me an easy herbal tonic for it. Maybe I can mix one up for you tomorrow.”
“You make it sound like she’s your best bud. What did you do, just decide to run away this morning or something? You some spoiled rich kid whose daddy didn’t get you a Beemer for her Sweet Sixteen?”
Aster suddenly felt like she was on unsure ground. Ruby’s voice wasn’t angry, but it wa s challenging nonetheless, and if Aster got one word wrong, it could ruin her time here . “No, that isn’t what I meant. It’s… complicated.”
“All our lives are complicated. You’re not that special here, believe me.”
Aster wished with all her heart that was true, but she found some relief in someone else thinking she was ordinary. “I love my mother. She’s not really the problem. There are so many other things.”
Ruby’s face lit up. “I get it now! Your mom married an abusive drunk prick, right? And he knocked her and you around a few too many times, and you tried to get your mom to leave him, but she’s a co-dependent who doesn’t think anything’s wrong, so you just ran away in the hopes that you could get her to dump the guy?”
Aster gaped, not just because of the sad story, but also because of how easily it fell out of the other gir l’s mouth. It sounded like something she’d seen a lot of, and that was very sad indeed. “How did you come up with that?”
“It’s the most common story you’ll hear among the girls here. The first thing you’ll learn during your stay here is that men are assholes. So tell me about these herbs your mom gave you. ” She smacked her lips and winked. “ Sounds tasty. I’ll try anything once.”
Aster smiled. “I’ll tell you more tomorrow.”
“The suspense is killin g me.” She reached over and turned off the lamp. “G’night, Pinkie.”
Aster snorted laughter and the two girls giggled until sleep took them both.
-7-
Early the
It was never much. Her abilities as a witch would not be fully explored until after she had her child and passed on the Old Magic, for it wasn’t until then that she would know what sort of abilities she would even still have. The only ones who didn’t follow this custom were Oleander and Holly. As far as Aster knew, neither of the women had ever been pregnant, and had never been expected to be. Her one attempt to get more information on this from Nanny Lily had resulted in a stern tongue lashing. Dahlia had also been about as talkative on the subject as a brick wall.
“I could do with some gardening, ” Aster said, trying to sound casual about it.
“You’ll be right at home here, farm girl. You can turn around now. I’m decent.”
She rolled over to face Ruby, who sat cross-legged on her bed in a pair of flannel pants and a sleeveless black top that clung tightly to her breasts. Aster didn’t know if she would get used to showing the world her body that way. It was almost as if every young girl over here was in the constant act of trying to attract a mate, even if they didn’t realize it. “I’ve spent a lot of time in gardens,” said Aster. “It’s a favorite hobby of mine back home.”
“Good, because I fucking hate it.” Ruby studied Aster’s face for a minute. “I want to warn you that I kinda have bad dreams at night. Talk in my sleep. Sometimes scream out. It’s one of the reasons I sleep up here. So I don’t disturb the other girls. Sometimes Ivy comes up and talks me through it. She has a way of calming down almost everyone she touches. It’s like magic.”
Aster remembered her ride over here . “I noticed that about her. Don’t worry, though. My mother also sleeps poorly sometimes, but she taught me an easy herbal tonic for it. Maybe I can mix one up for you tomorrow.”
“You make it sound like she’s your best bud. What did you do, just decide to run away this morning or something? You some spoiled rich kid whose daddy didn’t get you a Beemer for her Sweet Sixteen?”
Aster suddenly felt like she was on unsure ground. Ruby’s voice wasn’t angry, but it wa s challenging nonetheless, and if Aster got one word wrong, it could ruin her time here . “No, that isn’t what I meant. It’s… complicated.”
“All our lives are complicated. You’re not that special here, believe me.”
Aster wished with all her heart that was true, but she found some relief in someone else thinking she was ordinary. “I love my mother. She’s not really the problem. There are so many other things.”
Ruby’s face lit up. “I get it now! Your mom married an abusive drunk prick, right? And he knocked her and you around a few too many times, and you tried to get your mom to leave him, but she’s a co-dependent who doesn’t think anything’s wrong, so you just ran away in the hopes that you could get her to dump the guy?”
Aster gaped, not just because of the sad story, but also because of how easily it fell out of the other gir l’s mouth. It sounded like something she’d seen a lot of, and that was very sad indeed. “How did you come up with that?”
“It’s the most common story you’ll hear among the girls here. The first thing you’ll learn during your stay here is that men are assholes. So tell me about these herbs your mom gave you. ” She smacked her lips and winked. “ Sounds tasty. I’ll try anything once.”
Aster smiled. “I’ll tell you more tomorrow.”
“The suspense is killin g me.” She reached over and turned off the lamp. “G’night, Pinkie.”
Aster snorted laughter and the two girls giggled until sleep took them both.
-7-
Early the
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