Bittersweet Sixteen (A Dodie Jenks Novel)

by Lexi Witcher

  Yeah. I’m sure it would since Oscar had protected it, but she didn’t know that. I trudged upstairs and got into my nightgown and crawled into bed, not really minding the thought of taking a nap. I just hoped I felt better once I woke up.

  I must have already fallen asleep when my mom brought the tray up because when I opened my eyes I found it sitting on my desk and Sasha hanging her things in my closet.

  “Hi.” She smiled. “I hope I didn’t wake you?”

  “No. What time is it?”

  “A little after six. They warned that you were running a slight temp so if I need to bunk on the couch downstairs tonight I don’t mind.”

  “No. I’m sure that won’t be necessary. I feel fine now. Though I’m starving.”

  She hurried to my desk and brought the tray over, peeking under the plate cover to see what was there. “Yum. Chicken salad with grapes and pecans on a croissant, but it has been sitting there for a while. I’m a stickler about mayo going bad. Let me go down and get you a fresh sandwich.”

  “Thanks, Sasha.”

  “No problem. We don’t need you getting food poisoning and missing your party.”

  While she was gone I got out of bed and went into the bathroom, deciding a quick shower wouldn’t hurt. I felt one hundred percent better which meant all that was left was for me to get ready for the big event. My hair still looked like it did when we came back from the salon so Oscar’s spell was working.

  Getting out of the shower, I dried off and slipped my silk robe on before going back into my bedroom. Sasha was coming into the room with my tray.

  “Change in menu. The caterer sent you up something special. A sampling of what will be served tonight in case you don’t get a chance to eat. She even put two berry tarts on here for you. Though I’m told there will be birthday cake at midnight.”

  “Yummy,” I said, surveying the neatly organized plate of food. “You want any of this?”

  “Brody and I grabbed a burger on the way over. I’ll wait until the party.”

  I took the tray over to the bed and ate every morsel of the savory meat bites and raw veggies and dip, finishing it off with the berry tarts. A knock came at my door and Sasha ran over to open it.

  “You can’t come in here. She isn’t dressed.”

  “I need to give her this to drink.” I heard Leopold, but couldn’t see him because she was standing in the doorway.

  “What is this? It smells awesome.” She said and started to take a drink, but he grabbed the glass away from her.

  “It’s for Dodie and I’ll give it to her if you don’t mind.” His voice was stern and she backed away, allowing him to enter the room.

  Sasha stood there with her back to us in a frozen state like she was under a trance. It reminded me of when Leopold broke that glass in the living room and time stood still.

  I made sure the belt to my robe was securely tied and got up off the bed. “Hey.”

  “Are you feeling okay?” he asked.

  I nodded. “What do you have that I need to drink? I already had my juice this morning.”

  “I know, but this is something to keep you calm. I know how you tend to panic.”

  I took the glass and smelled the liquid immediately. Sasha had been right. I took a drink and the flavor was so rich and powerful that my tongue tingled. Licking my lips to make sure I drank every last drop, I handed him the glass back. “That was good. Passion fruit, honey, and lime?”

  He smiled. “Excellent. Your taste buds can’t be fooled.”

  I pulled him to me and kissed him. “You left out the cinnamon.”

  “No I didn’t. It was there.”

  “Hmmm. Are you going back downstairs?” I asked, walking back to the bed.

  He nodded.

  “Then will you take this with you.” I pick up the tray, handing it to him. “And don’t forget poor Sasha.”

  “She’ll not even know I was here.” He winked, disappearing out the door before closing it. I heard him snap his fingers.

  Sasha pivoted and tilted her head as she looked at me. “Strange. What were we talking about?”

  “Nothing. I was eating and you were putting your clothes in the closet.”

  She frowned. “Then why am I over here?”

  “There was a noise at the door, it sounded like a knock, but when you opened it no one was there.”

  “Brody’s messing with us,” she said. “He’s been in a teasing mood all day. I swear I’m going to clobber him before the night is over.”

  I smiled. Poor Brody will deserve ever lick he gets from her too. “I’m going to go brush my teeth. Will you help me with my makeup?”

  “Sure. I brought a few shades of blue eye shadow that I thought would go great with your dress. Has Leopold seen you in it yet?”

  I had a mouth full of toothpaste suds since I was brushing so I walked to the door and shook my head from side to side.

  “He’s gonna flip when he sees you tonight.”

  I nodded up and down and then went back to the sink to spit. I rinsed my toothbrush and then sloshed water in my mouth, feeling all minty clean. I took my makeup supplies into the bedroom and put them on my desk, sitting down in the chair to wait for Sasha to do her magic.

  “I also brought a little something to make you sparkle tonight.” She showed me the spray bottle of body glitter. “You can use it if you want, but if you don’t, no biggie.”

  “I think I’ll pass, but thanks for the offer.” The last thing I wanted was to be a sparkling corpse if I should die. The thought struck me funny and I began to snicker.

  “What’s so funny?” Sasha asked.

  “A sparkling corpse. Can you imagine? Would one sparkle in the moonlight? Whereas vampires sparkle in the daylight, according to Stephanie Meyers.”

  Sasha rolled her eyes. “What made you think of that?”

  I shrugged and laughed out loud then I began to hiccup. I bent over, and put my head between my knees, holding my breath.

  “What are you doing?” she asked.

  I looked up at her. “Trying to get rid of the hiccups.”

  Now she began to laugh and I followed suit, laughing and hiccupping until my mom came in to find out what was going on.

  I tried to explain, but I was having trouble catching my breath between hiccups. And it took Sasha a bit to sober up to where she could tell my mom what happened.

  “Ah, sweetie, it’s your nerves. I’m sure you’re a bundle of excited mess right now thinking about the party.”

  “That has to be it.”

  “I’ll get you some water,” Sasha said, running from the room.

  Mom, being a mom, immediately put her hand to my forehead to check for a fever. “All better. You must have just needed some sleep.”

  “Yeah, I guess so.”

  “Can I help you do anything to get dressed?”

  “Should I go barelegged or wear pantyhose?” I asked.

  “Good question. What do your shoes look like?”

  I went into the closet to get my shoes as another hiccup came and I giggled, hiccupping again. I wondered if this was a side effect of what Leopold gave me to drink. If they didn’t stop soon I was going to go hunt him down and find out. I couldn’t continue like this all night.

  Mom looked down at my manicured toes and at my strappy shoes. “I believe I’d go barelegged. You are going to be in the house and it’d be a shame to cover up that cute bling on your big toes.

  “What?” I looked down and sure enough, the nail technician had added bling to my large toenails too without me even noticing. So it was settled. I would go au natural. I sat my shoes on the floor and went back into my closet to get my dress. Mom hadn’t seen it yet so I took off my robe and stepped into it, holding it up in place before going back out for her to lace up the back.

  “Oh Dodie, you look so grown up!” she cried as I turned around.

  “Will you do the back for me?” I asked, trying not to get all misty eyed over this moment. If I sta
rted I might not be able to stop and it would not do for me to be red-eyed tonight at my party.

  “Sure,” she said, stepping forward and taking ahold of the dress. “I got the back in place, now make sure you lift up so the bra is supporting you.”

  “Okay.”

  While she was lacing the back, Sasha returned without the water. “Leopold said you need to hold your breath for five seconds and exhale slowly through your nose. Repeat that until they stop. He said the hiccup is a side effect and that you’d understand.”

  “Gotcha.”

  “Do you mind explaining what it is a side effect of?” Sasha asked.

  “Something I drank earlier.”

  She frowned. “You had water with the food I brought you.”

  “There,” Mom announced, turning me around to face her. “Perfect. You look absolutely perfect. And your hair has stayed in place beautifully. All you need now is jewelry.”

  “Grandma said something about a family heirloom. Do you know what it is?”

  “No, I don’t, but I’ll go find out. Sasha, you better hurry up and change.”

  “Yes, Mrs. Jenks,” Sasha said. “Dodie, sit down so I can do your makeup.”

  “Keep it light. I don’t wear a lot.” I returned to my desk chair and let her work her magic with the cosmetics. When she was finished she handed me a mirror to check out her work. I was pleased to find I looked very natural in the make-up. “Wow.”

  “Is that a good wow or a bad one?”

  “Good. Definitely good.”

  “Excellent. Now I gotta run and dress.” She was across the room in two strides, but stopped and turned back to me. “Leopold said he’d be up in a few to bring you something special.”

  “Okay.” I slowly got up and went to get my shoes and put them on. A light tap at the door and I was back across the room to open the door.

  “Hi.”

  Leopold stood there staring at me speechless. He looked me up and down a few times before he stepped back and stared at me a few moments more.

  I felt a little apprehensive because he didn’t speak, but it was clear he was floored by my appearance. But he looked awesome in his black suit, which looked like it could pass for a tuxedo.

  “This isn’t the dress I expected you to be wearing,” he finally said.

  “No. They had a new shipment of dresses when Grandma and I went back and I found this one. Do you like?”

  I knew it was a silly question by the way he had reacted, but sometimes a girl needs to fish for the verbal answer she wants to hear.

  “I more than like it. I love it. I love you in it.”

  “Thank you.” I looked toward the closed bathroom door and back to Leopold. “Sasha is in the bathroom getting ready. I think I better come out into the hallway with you. I’d hate for her to come out undressed.”

  “Yeah. You and me too.” He reached up and adjusted his tie at the collar. “Let’s walk down to the window at the end of the hall.

  I closed the door behind me and followed him. “She mentioned you had a surprise for me?”

  He nodded. “I actually have two.”

  “Oh?”

  We stopped at the window and he picked up a plastic container that was waiting for us there on the ledge. “It’s a custom to bring your date a corsage for a dance like this.” He opened the container and pulled out the flower and slipped the wrist band over my hand.

  I brought my wrist to my face and smelled the white rose’s fragrance. “I thought you said you didn’t know what I was wearing. Yet the corsage has blue ribbon and netting.”

  “I didn’t know, but Cherie did tell me you were wearing blue.”

  “Leave it to Grandma.”

  “I also have something very special I’d like you to wear tonight. It belonged to my mother.” He reached into his jacket pocket and brought out a black velvet box. When he opened it up I saw what looked like a tiny apothecary jar that couldn’t have been more than two inches in length with a tiny cork stopper in the top. A small hook stuck out of the cork and a silver chain ran through it.

  “It’s lovely, Leopold, what’s inside it? Is that blue water?”

  “It’s water from the Lake of Dreams in China. May I put it on you?”

  “Of course.” I lifted my hair off my neck to make it easier for him to put the chain on me.

  When he finished he trailed his finger from my neck along my collarbone to my shoulder. Then he kissed my neck, sending shivers down my spine. “Dodie, there’s so much I need to tell you about tonight. So much I wish I could explain, but there isn’t enough time. All I can tell you is that no matter what happens know that I’m here fighting for you.”

  I turned around and faced him. “What do you mean fighting for me?”

  “This will be a fight between me and the descendant to see which one will be victorious. I’m trying to prevent the curse from claiming another life. The descendant will be trying to keep me from succeeding. The problem is I do not know who the descendant is; I only suspect who it is, but I could be wrong. That black cat jumped onto the Grimoire and knocked it into the flames before I got a clear vision.”

  I reached for his hand and held it tight. “I have faith in you.” I leaned forward and kissed him, letting go of his hand so I could wrap my arms around him. “Together we can do this.”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Music began to play downstairs and I heard Brody and my father discussing the proper volume level. My brother wanted it louder, but in the end my dad won. I smiled at Leopold.

  “When do you suppose the guests will begin to arrive?”

  “Cherie said any time after seven, but that you are to stay up here until everyone has arrived so you can make a grand entrance.”

  I nodded, taking a deep breath. I had nervous energy that I needed to shake off so I paced the hallway.

  “I see my attempt at keeping you relaxed didn’t help.”

  “Sorry.”

  “It’s okay. Let’s go exploring. I haven’t seen much of upstairs. Show me around.”

  “Well there isn’t much to show you. As far as I know all the space up here is used as bedrooms. Grandma’s room is at the other end of the hall. I haven’t really ventured into them so I couldn’t tell you much about them.”

  “So you don’t know what is in this room?” he stopped walking as we reached a closed door.

  I shook my head.

  He turned the knob and the door opened into an empty room. He flipped on the light and we walked inside. I felt a chill as soon as we crossed the threshold. The hardwood floor gleamed and provided a perfect dance space, but we’d be dancing later, so I didn’t mention it as a possibility of a way for us to pass the time. Instead, I went exploring, opening up doors, finding the closet and the bathroom and everything about the room looked similar to my own, except for the fireplace. I wondered why this room wasn’t furnished and if there was a reason Grandma kept it empty.

  Leopold stuck out his hand for me to take and I did, walking toward him and he placed his other hand at the small of my back. “I assume you do know how to waltz?”

  I giggled. “No. Should I?’

  “Probably not. We didn’t pick out that kind of music for the party playlist.” He moved us in a square once, twice and then a third time. “You do well for someone who claims not to know how to waltz.

  I shrugged. “I’ve watched Dancing with the Stars a couple of times and I must have a good partner.”

  The volume of the music downstairs increased and I had a feeling my dad had left the room and Brody was adjusting it.

  “What are you thinking?” Leopold asked.

  His question caught me off guard because I wasn’t shielding my thoughts from him. “I thought you could read my mind?”

  “Not anymore. The spell I performed earlier has closed your mind off to me and anyone who tries to get in there. It’s for your protection.”

  A slow song came on downstairs and I stepped closer to him, wrapping my arms arou
nd his neck and he wrapped his around my waist and we began to sway. “I guess that is for the best, but wouldn’t it be safer for you to be the only one who can read my mind?”

  “Spells don’t work that way. At least at this level. I have to assume that the descendant is a powerful witch with my skill level; otherwise I’d be underestimating my opponent.”

  I laid my head on his shoulder and thought about that. I knew I wasn’t truly prepared for what might happen tonight. How could I be? I had no idea what was going to transpire. And if I found it hard, then I knew Leopold had to be even more worried.

  “What if I never see you again?” I murmured.

  “You won’t die tonight, Dodie. I’ve made sure of that.”

  “Then what will happen to me?” I asked, taking a step away from him so I could look him in the eye.

  “I can’t tell you. You’ll just have to trust me on this.”

  “B—”

  The door to the room opened and Sasha walked in dressed and ready to go down to the party.

  “Finally. I could hear your voices out in the hallway, but I couldn’t figure out what room you were in.” She rubbed her hands together with excitement on her face, smiling like it was her party instead of mine. “It’s almost time. Listen closely to the music. Brody will play Katy Perry’s Dark Horse for you to make your entrance.”

  As quickly as she entered the room she was gone again.

  “Dark horse?” I looked at Leopold who just grinned back at me.

  “I think it is fitting.”

  “You do?”

  He nodded and the song began to play so he offered me his arm. “Shall we?”

  I took it, but couldn’t imagine why he thought that song was fitting. We walked out the door and down the hall to the top of the stairs. “Do you care to explain? I don’t see the relevance.”

  “We’re playing with magic. And it’s going to be a perfect storm tonight.”

  I laughed and we took the first step down the stairs pausing a second before taking the next until we reached where all the guests were waiting. I saw Callie and Lisa standing with Callie’s parents, Anson and a few of the teens from church as well as some of the adults including Father Branum and his wife, Mary Margaret, Brody and Sasha, my parents, Grandma and Oscar. I did a double take when I saw Ambrielle in the crowd. For a second I thought I was seeing things, but she smiled at me and gave a nod as if she approved. That was a total one eighty from the last time I saw her.