#basil rake

Atlas doesn't find school easy much less the prospect of becoming a doctor. He feels like a disappointment to his parents who are both doctors themselves and have dreams of setting up a family owned medical center once their kids finish school.

Ivy on the other hand has no problem with school and can't wait until she finishes medical school to join the family business. She's the apple of her parents eyes.

Basil is a spoiled only child who is just realizing being the mayor's son doesn't exempt him from paying the consequences of his actions.

The first chapter of The Art of Being Yourself is available on my WP Blog if you want to read it now otherwise it'll be queued and posted later.

Kaia was made by @reverieinsimlish

For the first time in months Ivy let herself relax. Her medical books and notebooks were in a half moon shape around her next of pillows on the floor. Each subject had a specific color assigned to it matching the notebook. She had a specific pen to match. She seldom had the freedom to set her study area the way she liked it at the dorms. The one time she did she nearly died of embarrassment. For weeks after she’d been the subject of whispers and jokes. 

Frowning her thoughts transported her backwards in time. She could hear several girls giggling as they walked through the room where she was studying. One of the girls, a stunning blond, stopped and picked up favorite pens that had a fancy purple feather attached to it. Ivy knew she’d always remember the condescending tone and sneering mask Priscilla Whatley wore that day as she said “I suppose you’re going to have feathers on your scalpels too?” The other girls all howled at her comment. 

For the first time Ivy wondered if this was why her brother didn’t want to be a doctor? Shaking her head Ivy sighed dismissing any and all intrusive thoughts. She came home to study in peace, the way she liked. She didn’t come home to psychoanalyze herself or her brother. Besides she’d never cared what others thought of her anyway.

But….that traitorous word floated through her head filling her with trepidation. Priscilla was all a med student and all the teachers doted on her. Priscilla hadn’t just made comments in the dormitory but in class as well. So much so Ivy felt like she had been put under a microscope. Every little thing she did or didn’t do was microanalyzed. One of her professors had even called her frivolous because of her color coded notes and pens and that was after she had replaced all the feathered ones she’d loved.

She hated all the self-doubts that had begun to fill her thoughts. Maybe she wasn’t as good as she thought. Maybe she wasn’t supposed to be a doctor. Maybe she’d make a terrible mistake. What if she killed someone or got sued or …. 

“Stop,” she muttered to herself reaching for the first book “I’m here to study, not obsess over what if scenarios.” 

A couple of hours later a soft knock startled her from her quiet reflection on her notes. “Sorry for interrupting,” her mom said as her head popped into view “but you have a visitor.”

Without lifting her face from her notes Ivy said “tell whoever it is to go away.”

“It’ll only take a moment,” her mother said “besides you need a break.”

Looking up Ivy said “what I need is to study.”

Crossing the room, Temperance stood over her daughter, “is something wrong?”

“Mom,” Ivy rolled her eyes, “I just need to study.”

“Are you sure?” Temperance pressed “You seem a little off. Are you feeling alright?”

Ivy pulled back as her mom tried to press a hand to her forehead “I’m fine. Just a little tired.” She could see her mom wasn’t convinced. Putting her pen inside her book to mark her place she stood up “I’ll take a break, okay?”

“Good,” Temperance smiled. “Your visitor is waiting on the back porch for you.”

“My what?” she asked, blinking up at her mother.

“Your visitor,” Temperance repeated, smiling at her before she left the room.

Surveying her study nest, Ivy let out a frustrated sigh. For a moment she thought about just staying in her room and letting her mom deal with her unexpected visitor. Groaning, she uncurled herself and stood up knowing she couldn’t ignore her unwanted visitor any longer.

Reluctantly, she left her room. As she approached the door to the back porch, her eyes scanned the area wondering who had come to see her. At first she didn’t see anyone and wondered hopefully that they had given up and left. 

Resisting the urge to go back to her room, she stepped onto the porch and there he was, standing with his back towards her.  She should have retreated back to her room but her annoyance at him prevailed. 

“What are you doing here?” She demanded, giving him the full benefit of her scowl.

Turning he gave her an amused smirk, the one he knew annoyed his mother most. He chuckled to himself when Ivy’s eyes lit up with fire. 

Ivy narrowed her eyes at the young man, “I have better things to do then stand here and be laughed at; especially by you.”

He admired the way her chin jutted out and her nose pointed upwards as if telling anyone watching that she disapproved of the situation she was in. It wasn’t her fault she was being subjected to his presence. Like she was above him and she was right, the thought both amused and angered him. 

“Don’t go away with your panties in a twist,” he chuckled at the way her head whipped around to face him, her nostrils flared as her chest heaved from the anger he could see bubbling just beneath the surface causing him to wonder what she’d be like in bed.

“You sir will never have an effect on my panties.”

He stared down at her upturned face, his eyes lingered on her lips before saying “challenge accepted.”

Her eyes widened making her look like a startled deer. “What do you want? She demanded enunciating each word.

Grinning, bowing slightly he kissed the top of her hand. “To ask you out. You did, I recall, win a date with me.”

Her skin tingled where his lips touched and her heart seemed to flutter. Shaking her head as she pulled her hand away from his grasp she said “you’ll have to do better than the debonair act. I’m no damsel in distress. I don’t swoon so easily. “

“But you will go out with me.” It was a statement of fact and he noticed the slight beginnings of a nod before she could stop it.

Noting the flash of triumph in his eyes she took a step backwards increasing the space between them. “I’ll keep my agreement with your mom.” She had some degree of satisfaction at the irritation he tried to disguise in the arch of his brows. “But not now. I have to study”

Storing the fliers on the passenger seat Ivy slammed her car door shut. She glanced up at her brother’s bedroom window knowing he was up there sulking while she had to do this stupid errand for her mom when she could be doing other things. More worthwhile things like driving by the soup kitchen to see if Fox was working today. 

She stopped in front of the mayor’s house hoping she’ll get in and out in a relatively short time. Unlike her mom, she didn’t have to reminisce about the ‘good’ old days. 

The door opened and a young man hurried from the house. “Hi,” Ivy called, recognizing him as the Mayor’s son. He was a few years older than her but she knew who he was. “Could you help me with these fliers?” 

“Do I look like a delivery man?” he snapped, hardly looking in her direction. “Now move your junk heap so that I can get out.”

“Hmm,” she made a production of thinking about his demand before opening the passenger door and pulling out the fliers. “I’ll move it just as soon as I deliver these to your mothers.”

“I’m in a hurry,” he growled, watching her struggle with the unbalanced stack.

Ignoring him she carefully moved towards the front door. She could feel his eyes on her but she wasn’t about to move her car even if he paid her. He could wait. “Hey Mrs Rake,” she said with a relieved sigh “mom asked me to drop these fliers off. She said you needed them today.”

“Blair was just on his way to your house to pick them up,” Aubrey said, holding the door open for her young guest.

“I guess I saved him a trip,” Ivy said tersely, stepping inside.

Aubrey closed the door after her, saying “you can set them on that table over there. I’ll move them later.”

“Ok,” she said, glad she didn’t have to carry them very far. The layer toppled over and onto the floor. She started gathering them up. The thudding of the door made her jump but she refused to acknowledge Basil’s presence.

“Mom, that girl’s piece of shit is blocking me in,” he said.

“It doesn’t matter,” Aubrey said, “you don’t have to go out. She brought the fliers with her.”

“Oh,” he mumbled before stomping off.

Dusting off her knees Ivy stood placing the fliers she’d picked up back onto the table. “If that’s everything I’ll be going.”

“Thank you for bringing the fliers,” Aubrey said “they’re for the carnival next month. Are you going?”

“We go every year,” she said even though she was hoping to skip it this year. It was the same old rides she’d been riding since she was ten.

“We’re going to have some interesting carnival shows this year,” Aubrey launched into what sounded like a well rehearsed spiel about everything the carnival was going to have in it. “We’re still looking for volunteers to man the ticket booths and…”

“I really have to go Mrs Rake but I’ll think about it,” Ivy said, trying to inch her way to the door.

“I’d really appreciate it,” Aubrey enthused, “even for a couple of hours would be a tremendous help.”

“Yeah sure, a couple of hours on Sunday,” Ivy said, groaning inside.

“Great,” Aubrey said “let me get you on the schedule. It’ll just take a sec.”

Tapping her toes Ivy tried to keep from groaning out loud as Aubrey ruffled through what looked like a mountain of papers. 

Turning “have you gotten your raffle tickets yet?” Aubrey asked.

“Uh,” she tried to think what the tickets were for “um not yet.” She said lamely hoping to forestall another lengthy spiel about all the good things the raffle money would go towards. 

“I’ll save you a trip and you can buy them from me,” Aubrey said “how many would you like?”

“Five,” Ivy said, pulling out her wallet.

“Great,” Aubrey grinned, “you don’t know how much this will help families in need.”

Basil comes clean to Aubrey why he stole money from the town treasury. Will Aubrey be able to convince Ivy to go on the date she won with Basil. Only time will tell if Ivy becomes the positive influence Aubrey feels she will be on Basil. If you want to read the chapter now just go to my WP Blog or it'll be added to the queue and posted later.

“Mrs Rake,” Ivy said holding the door open “were my parents expecting you?”

“No,” Aubrey glanced over the young woman’s shoulder “I actually came by to talk to you.”

“Why? You have more raffle tickets to sell me,” Ivy asked as the door closed a few inches, Good manners keeping her from closing the door in the face of one of her parents oldest friends.

“Yeah about that,” Aubrey sighed “look I’m sorry. I know it was a rotten thing for me to do.”

“It was,” she agreed.

“Can we talk? Inside,” Aubrey said, stepping forward.

Short of pushing the older woman out Ivy had no other option but to step aside and let her in. “Alright but I want you to know that I’m not going on a date with him.”

Aubrey nodded as she walked past the girl towards the living room. 

Following her into the living room Ivy crossed her arms “I mean it. I’m not dating him.”

“I heard you,” Aubrey said, crossing her legs “and it’s just one date.”

“Whatever,” Ivy mumbled, rolling her eyes. 

“Sit,” Aubrey invited, waving a hand towards an empty seat.

“Look I don’t want to be rude,” Ivy said “but I have things to do.”

“I’m just asking for ten minutes,” Aubrey said unfazed by the girl.

“Fine,” Ivy moved towards a chair and sat down.

“I’m sorry for manipulating you into buying those raffle tickets,” Aubrey said.

“I knew it,” Ivy sat up. “I knew it was rigged.”

“I hope you can forgive me,” Aubrey said, picking at nonexistent lint. 

“Why’d you do it,” Ivy asked “Basil doesn’t seem like the kind of guy who needs help dating.”

“It’s not the dating part I was hoping to help him with,” Aubrey said, meeting the girl’s eyes. “I was hoping if he dated someone like you who had their life together then…” 

“Then what? I’d rub off on him,” Ivy couldn’t help but laugh “sorry but I don’t think that’s how it works. If it was, Atlas would be a lot more like me than he is and my parents would be ecstatic.”

“I know dear,” Aubrey said “and that’s not exactly what I meant. I just hoped that it’d give my son a reason to change. A kind of nudge in the right direction.”

Ivy raised an eyebrow “just how much trouble is he in?”

“I didn’t say he was,” but her frustration was obvious.

“Uh huh,” Ivy had heard some of her parents’ conversations and she’d heard enough to know part of their concern for her brother was their fear he’d become like Basil. 

Getting up “never mind dear, I can see now that it was a bad idea.”

Following Aubrey to the door Ivy surprised herself by saying “I’ll do it.”

“Do what,” Aubrey asked, pausing by the door.

“Go on a date with Basil,” Ivy said “I won’t promise more than one though.” She didn’t add that she was curious.

“If you’re sure,” Aubrey said, trying not to show her excitement.

“As long as he asks me,” she amended.

“I’ll have to see what he wants,” Aubrey said “he wasn’t very happy about the whole raffle thing.”

“No, I don’t imagine he was,” Ivy agreed, recalling the murderous look he was giving everyone when the raffle winner was announced.

Aubrey was humming softly to herself when she entered her house. Not even the sullen face of her son could bring her spirits down. 

“I want to talk to you,” Aubrey said, coming to sit down close to her son.

“Didn’t you say enough this morning?” 

“No,” she said softly.

Basil’s face softened; he hated it when Aubrey gave him that look. The look that said she loved him even though he disappointed her. It was easier to defy Kaia; especially when she had her mayor’s face on. Which she usually did whenever he was in her presence. “I can’t just date some girl I don’t even know,” he grumbled.

“When did that ever stop you?” she asked her eyes saying she knew more about his exploits then she cared to admit.

He looked away, “she’s not my type.”

The room filled with her soft laughter. “That never stopped you either. So why don’t you tell me the real reason you don’t want to go on this date.”

He squirmed in his chair, shrugging “I can’t afford to.”

“That’s easily remedied,” she reached for her purse.

“No Mom,” he gently touched her hand. “That won’t be enough.”

“How expensive do you think a first date should be,” she asked. She saw a glint of what she could only describe as a flash of fear in his eyes. Clasping her purse close to her “why don’t you tell me what’s really going on.”

Basil shook his head “you’ll tell mother and I don’t need her yelling at me right now.”

“How much do you owe?” 

Staring at his hands in his lap “what makes you think I owe anything?”

“Basil I’m not stupid,” she rubbed the ache beginning to throb behind her temples. “You stole money from the town treasury. It must be a lot.”

“I thought it would be enough,” he said “but with interest…”

“Interest,” she repeated, “don’t tell me you owe money to loan sharks.”

“I needed the money…”

“Baso;, how much do you owe,” she demanded, fear creeping into her voice as images of large men with baseball bats battering down her front door in the middle of the night to beat her son up came to mind.

“Enough,” he mumbled, “enough that I don’t want to be seen around town on a date.”

“You told us you stopped gambling,” her voice quivered with emotion.

“I did but,” he leaned forward resting his head in his hands “but I still owe a lot of money.”

“Which is why you moved back home,” she said.

“I sold everything I had,” he said “it bought me some time but they sent some guys.”

Nodding “which is why you stole the money.”

“I was desperate,” he said, lifting his eyes “I’m sorry.”

“Save the sorry for later,” Aubrey said “What you need to do now is tell me everything you owe before you wake up in the hospital.”

“What about Mother,” he said, “she said she was done.”

“That was before she knew a bunch of loan sharks were after her son,” Aubrey said. “Do you really think she’s going to let anything bad happen to you?”

Basil came skipping into the kitchen expecting to have the house to himself. He came to a screeching halt when he came face to face with his parents. “Shit,” he mumbled when he saw his plans for the day going up in smoke.

“Good morning to you too,” Aubrey dead panned, squeezing her wife’s hand.

Kaia’s hand jerked within the vice grip hold. Frowning “are you planning on sleeping your life away?”

“Is that an option?” Basil demanded returning her frown with one of his own.

“There’s pancakes and I can make some coffee,” Aubrey offered, moving to get up.

“You’re not his maid,” Kaia said, holding onto her hand. “He can make his own coffee.”

“Pfft,” he rolled his eyes, “it’s a little late for the tough love act.”

“You know something,” Kaia said standing up “you’re right. It is too late.”

He blinked at her, shock stealing the smart ass words he might have said.

“That’s right,” Kaia said, facing her son “the next time you do something stupid we’re not going to come to the rescue. You can sit in jail for all I care.”

“Yeah right,” he scoffed.

“I mean it,” she said.

Basil’s eyes moved between his parents. He could see shock in Aubrey’s eyes but there was a resolute firmness in Kaia’s. “I’ll pay you back,” he said “you don’t have to go all Rambo on me.”

“I’ve heard that before,” Kaia said, her anger draining away “and each time you skip out on your responsibilities. Break your promises.”

“I will,” he said firmly even though he could see the doubt in both his parents eyes “this time I will.”

Shaking her head Kaia said “forgive me if I don’t believe you.”

“Is this because I don’t want to go on that date you set up,” he demanded.

“I’m done,” Kaia said walking from the room. 

Aubrey stared after her wife, her face twisting as her conflicting emotions warred inside her. “You’re impossible,” she said glaring at her son.

“I’m never going to be the perfect son,” he said, ready to launch into the same old argument.

“She doesn’t expect perfection,” she said.

“Whatever,” he mumbled, shoving pancakes into his mouth.

“You have to start taking things seriously,” she said, trying to figure out a way to get through to him.

“I do take things seriously,” he said.

“You don’t,” she said. “You quit everything you start. You steal. You …”

“Yeah yeah I’m a serious screw up,” he said.

“Then what are you going to do about it,” she demanded.

“Nothing,” he said “I’m not the one who has a problem with it. You do. So I guess that makes it a, you problem.”

Kaia looked up when her office door opened and Aubrey’s curly blond head came into view. “Did you talk to him?”

“I got no further than you did,” Aubrey sighed, perching on the side of one of the chairs. “What are we going to do?”

“There’s nothing we can do,” Kaia said. “It’s time we let him suffer the consequences of his actions.”

“But…”

Kaia shook her head “we’ve shielded him for far too long as it is. We’re only enabling him now.”

“He’s not a bad kid,” Aubrey said.

Leaning her head back “I never said he was.”

“We can’t just give up on him,” Aubrey sniffed.

Opening her eyes Kaia sighed “I didn’t say that either.”

“Then what are we going to do?” Aubrey asked.

“I don’t know,” Kaia said. “I’m the mayor of an entire town. Everyone comes to me when there’s a problem and I don’t know what to do about my own son. I’ve never been at a complete loss for anything, not even when we had those brush fires last year.”

“And we’ll figure this out too,” Aubrey asserted with the same positivity she had when she was a cheerleader cheering on the team even when they were trailing behind by twenty points.

“You’re right,” Kaia agreed, “but we can’t force him to honor the terms of the raffle.”

“But Ivy would be so good for him,” Aubrey said.

“Ivy’s too smart to be interested in our smart ass son,” Kaia said.

“You know what they say,” Aubrey said with a grin spreading across her face.

“Aubrey no,” she shook her head but couldn’t help but chuckle a little at her wife’s contagious optimism.

“Opposites attract,” Aubrey said “she just needs a little encouragement.”

“I don’t think we can count on our friendship with her parents to sway her,” Kaia said “Ivy has a mind of her own.”

“I know,” Aubrey said “but I have to try.”

Frowning “I think you should take it, afterall you haven’t been on a date, ever.”

Shrugging “doesn’t mean I want one.”

Blinking “is something wrong with you?”

“This isn’t about me,” Atlas frowned.

“Why don’t you date,” she asked, frowning at the winning raffle ticket as if it had the answer.

“I’ve dated,” he mumbled, looking away, not wanting to get into a discussion about how uncomfortable dates always made him. The expectations that he always failed to meet. 

“In the past,” she pointed out, like it was a defect in his design.

“I’m still not going to take that raffle ticket,” he said “you can keep that pleasure.”

“I already know he doesn’t like me,” she cried. “Please take the raffle ticket.”

“Nope you bought it,” he shook his head. “Besides I thought you said the mayor’s son was hot.”

“He is,” she sighed knowing she was defeated “it doesn’t mean I want to date him.”

“It’s one date,” Atlas said “it’s not a proposal.”

Basil couldn’t decide which was worse, the way Ivy stalled to come forward to claim her prize or the way his parents grinned like the cat who ate the cheese. 

The polite applause and the disappointed groans of some in the audience did little to appease his ego. He glanced towards his mother, the mayor of Appaloosa Plains as she rambled on about how the proceeds of the raffle would go to the community garden and the food shelter. His parents were all about worthy causes, unfortunately for Blair he had the uncomfortable feeling he was counted among those causes. 

“This wasn’t my idea,” he mumbled low enough for only Ivy to hear.

Rolling her eyes, Ivy bit her tongue. 

“You don’t like me much, do you?”

She cocked her chin upwards, studying him. “Not much,” she conceded.

His laughter rumbled over his mother’s concluding words earning him a glare. “The feelings are mutual.”

“Good to know,” Ivy muttered as he moved stiffly away, her chin up as if declaring to everyone how much above she was the unpleasant situation she found herself in.

Striding across the stage, Kaia demanded “are you proud of yourself?”

He stared at his mother for a split second before, shrugging and looking away. “This was humiliating.”

“It’s for a good cause,” she said, launching into all the good things they would be able to do with the money raised.

Rolling his head in a disgusted circle “spare me the details.”

“If you didn’t want to do this you should have said so,” she said, her voice a mixture of disappointment and anger.

“You didn’t say you were going to auction me off like cattle,” he complained.

“We told you,” Aubrey said, coming to a stop beside her wife.

“No you didn’t,” Basil contradicted.

“We did,” Kaia said, “as usual you weren’t listening.”

“I think I’d have listened if you had told me I was the prize,” he insisted.

Aubrey sighed “you agreed to do this.”

“When,” he demanded belligerently as usual.

“When we caught you stealing from the city treasury,” Kaia said, looking around to make sure they were alone. 

“Oh,” he said deflating beneath his parent’s disapproving gazes.

Temperance exchanged glances with her husband when they heard their daughter calling for them before the door even closed behind her. “You’re home early,” she said as her daughter stomped into the room.

Stopping Ivy stood with her hands on hips, glaring at her parents. “You did this, didn’t you?”

Will shook his head, setting his reading glasses on the end table. “I haven’t got the foggiest idea what you’re talking about.” Turning to his wife “do you?”

“No,” Temperance set her medical journal on her lap. “Maybe you should explain.”

“It’s all your fault,” Ivy raged at Atlas who chuckled incautiously behind her. “They couldn’t control you so they think they can manipulate me.”

“We’re not manipulating anyone,” Temperance snapped.

“Oh really,” Ivy huffed, “then what do you call this?” She waved her ‘prize’ in the air.

“Oh you won the raffle,” Temperance said smiling.

“As if you didn’t know,” Ivy huffed “you and the mayor rigged it so I’d win.”

“Why would I do that,” Temperance asked, her smile fading beneath the heat of her daughter’s laser-like glare.

Rolling her eyes “because you and the mayor are friends. Because you’ve been after me to have a little fun.” She flung her hands in the air “why else would you have sent me over to their house but to have Aubrey force me into buying those raffle tickets.”

“That doesn’t mean it was rigged,” her dad pointed out reasonably.

“Yeah right,” she shook her head “that’s just a little too convenient.”

“It’s the truth,” Temperance said “we’d never set you up with someone.”

Some of her anger drained from her “you’re sure you didn’t know?”

“Of course we didn’t know,” Temperance said. Turning to her husband “I wonder what they would have done if someone’s grandma had won?”

“Well I’m not doing it,” Ivy announced.

“Why not?” Temperance asked, “it’s just one date.”

“Because Basil is an insufferable snob,” Ivy said.

“You don’t even know him,” Will said.

“I know I don’t like him,” she said walking from the room, ending the discussion.