Witches of Three_Seraphina

by Temple Hogan

  Jack closed his phone and looked at the older woman. “Who are you?”

  “I’m…Tim’s ex-wife,” Gwen said. “He’s held me hostage in my home for nearly a year now. I’ve been afraid he would kill me at any moment.”

  “Are you the only one living here?” Jack asked.

  “My daughter, Beth. She’s at school,” Gwen muttered. “I was afraid he would harm her as well.”

  The door opened, and a young man stepped inside.

  “What have you got here?” he asked, looking around.

  “Eugene, meet Mannie Somner,” Jack said.

  “We got our man!” Eugene exclaimed elatedly.

  “We got our man,” Jack repeated. “He should come around pretty soon. Get some cuffs on him and on this woman here.” He indicated Gwen.

  “I’m not part of this,” she protested. “I was held captive in my own home.”

  “You could have escaped anytime you wanted,” Sera spoke up.

  “You bitch,” Gwen screamed. “You little goody two-shoes. I know what you’ve been doing with this man for weeks now. Wait until I tell people in the neighborhood about you. They won’t think so highly of you then.”

  “I’m afraid you won’t be telling anyone anything, except our agents,” Jack told her. “You’re under arrest as an accomplice to fraud, swindling and a whole host of other charges.”

  “I had nothing to do with his crimes,” she protested.

  Shepherd raised his head and stared groggily at his ex-wife. “She was part of the whole thing,” he said snidely.

  She squawked a protest, but Hurley clipped on the handcuffs and herded her out the door to two waiting vehicles. Jack pulled his prisoner to his feet and followed. As he went out the door, he looked back at Sera.

  “It’s going to get real busy around here for a while, but I’ll be back,” he said, his dark gaze softening for a moment before he disappeared through the door.

  “All’s well that ends well,” Owen said and got to his feet.

  He was a little wobbly, and Sera was tempted to leave him to his own devices, but he was her father, and she wanted to hear what he had to say for himself.

  * * * *

  “I can’t believe it,” Charlie said. “Your neighbor was a confidence man, another Bernie Maddox, and he was going to kill you.”

  “And his ex-wife and partner in crime,” Sera reminded her guests.

  Nick, Beck and Phil were sprawled on her living room couches, sipping cocktails while they waited for Mums to arrive. Jack was running late and had hurried to take a quick shower. Sera divided her time between her guests and putting the finishing touches to food for her buffet table.

  “Oh, I think the soufflé is ready,” she said when the timer went off.

  “Can I help?” Phil offered.

  “Sure. I still have to make the salad.”

  Phil followed her out to the kitchen. “You said you have a surprise to tell us. Are you and Jack getting married?”

  “I can’t tell you what the surprise is until Mums gets here. Now make the salad.”

  “It’s done.” Phil sipped from her margarita glass and grinned. A colorful display of dark greens, tomatoes and other vegetables filled the salad bowl, and Phil chuckled. “You didn’t really think I came out here to make a salad, did you?” her older sister asked. “Now talk.”

  Sera was saved from answering when Charlie swept into the room.

  “Wait for me before you say anything,” she squealed, rushing forward. “Now give. What’s going on? What’s the big secret? I’ll bet you and Jack are going to announce your engagement.”

  “Actually, that’s not why we asked you all over,” Sera said deliberately vague.

  “Then what?” Phil and Charlie crowded closer. “Come on, Pet, tell us. You know you want to. You could never keep a secret.”

  “I want you to meet someone,” Sera said evasively and carried the salad to the buffet table. To her relief, the doorbell rang.

  “That must be Mums,” she said to halt any more coercion from her sisters. “Why don’t you go greet her?”

  “The guys are doing a good enough job.” Charlie said, eyes narrowing. “Sera, look at me.”

  “Stop the silly games,” Sera said sharply. “You really can’t read my mind. You just think you can.” Just in case she was wrong, she concentrated on Jack in the shower, soaping himself all over, his muscles gleaming under the water, his dark head thrown back as he shampooed his hair. She thought of how his skin smelled after a shower, and how she’d like to suck his cock.

  “Umm, I’m going to tell Mums,” Charlie teased, and Sera looked at her in surprise.

  Okay, so Charlie could read her mind, and Phil could wheedle almost any information out of her, but this time, she was sticking to her guns. She switched her thoughts to two very pregnant sisters bent over their toilet bowls.

  “Bitch,” Charlie said good-naturedly and turned toward the living room.

  “What?” Phil asked, following after her.

  Her mother relaxed on the couch with a salt-rimmed glass of margaritas, and Jack, newly showered and spectacularly sexy, chatted with Beck and Nick. Everyone was here. She said a final prayer that her plans would work out.

  She glanced out the window anxiously and relaxed when she saw Owen crossing the lawn to the back deck. He looked quite distinguished in his dark suit with his hair brushed and his shoes polished. She hurried to let him in and guided him to the living room where everyone seemed to be chattering at the same time. It took a moment for people to notice the newcomer and fall silent. Her mother was the first to speak.

  “Owen?” she said tentatively, her face pale.

  She rose from her seat and took a step toward him then hesitated, swaying as if she might fall. Jack stepped forward and took hold of her arm.

  “Hello, Claire,” Owen Prescott said softly. He glanced around the room. “Charlie, Phil.” He acknowledged them. For once, her two sisters were speechless.

  “How have you been?” her mother asked politely, her gaze still pinned on her errant husband.

  “Not as well as I could have been if I hadn’t left. I missed you, Claire. You’re even more beautiful than I remember.”

  “Why?” her mother hesitated. “Why did you leave us like that?”

  “I don’t know,” Owen said. “Fear, a feeling of unworthiness, just plain cowardice. I’m not sure now, but it seemed like a good idea at the time. Once I left, I couldn’t come back. I couldn’t face what I’d done.”

  “You left us all,” Charlie cried. “You left Mums to raise three little girls by herself, just because you couldn’t take it that we were witches.”

  “Witches?” Jack said, his face registering shock.

  “I’ve told you time and again,” Sera said. “You just didn’t believe me.”

  “No, I…I thought you were just…”

  “What? Pretending?”

  “Well, you thought I was an Incubus and…” He looked around the room in consternation. “Are you all witches?”

  “Just us girls, not Mums,” Phil said. She’d been silent so far, but now she looked at her father. “Didn’t you love us?”

  “Yes, I did, with all my heart, but…” He shrugged. “The truth, I wasn’t man enough to handle being a father to three little girls who were different. I was afraid of you and for you. When I saw you do things that other children couldn’t, I felt inadequate to take care of you. I didn’t know how to guide you or even if I should try. I heard Claire talking to you one day, admonishing you to not practice your witchcraft because it might drive me away, and I realized I was useless with you. I’m not saying that was a right way to handle things. I’m just saying that was my thinking at the moment.” He drew a deep breath.

  “I want to come back, to be part of your lives, if you’ll let me.” He looked at Claire beseechingly. “Under whatever terms you dictate. I won’t run out on you again. I promise.”

  Everyone was silent, but Sera saw te
ars roll down her mother’s cheeks. Shocked, she realized Claire had always remained faithful to her husband’s memory. She still loved him despite his abandonment.

  “Claire?” he whispered, and walked toward her slowly. “I’ve never stopped loving you.” He held out his hand to her, but she didn’t take it. Instead, she gave way to the sobs that welled from her throat.

  “Leave her alone,” Charlie cried out. “She doesn’t want you anymore. None of us do.”

  “I do,” Sera said sharply. She couldn’t bear to think that her father might be sent away after he’d finally come home to them.

  “I do too,” Phil said and spoke to Owen. “I was old enough to remember you all those years ago. How laughter seemed to fill the house the moment you entered. But you changed. You seemed so sad all the time, and you’d look at us with tears in your eyes. I remember the last time I saw you. I’d had a bad dream, and you came in and hugged me and reassured me there was nothing to fear. You said you’d always be there to protect me, then you went away.”

  “I’m sorry, little Philomena, my princess, and Charlene, my little beauty, and baby Sera. I’ve thought of you every minute of every day.”

  No one spoke, and the silence stretched into long minutes.

  “I understand. You can’t forgive me. I don’t blame you,” he said, and with bowed head, turned toward the door.

  “Daddy,” Sera cried and ran to him, throwing her arms around him. “Don’t go. I want you to stay. I forgive you for leaving us.” She turned back to her sisters. “Phil? You said you cared. Charlie? He’s our father. He’s come back to us.”

  She waited, and slowly, Claire made her way across the room to her husband. They stared at each other for what seemed an eternity, then Claire stepped into his embrace. They stood rocking each other, and finally turned to look at their daughters.

  “Charlie? Phil?” Claire said, and Owen opened his arms.

  His daughters moved to join them. It was a beginning, and Sera felt her heart swell. There was a lot of hurt to overcome, but they’d made their first step. Tearful hugs were followed by exclamations as husbands were introduced. Beck and Nick shook hands with their father-in-law. When the excitement died down a little, Owen looked at Jack.

  “It’s good to see you again,” he said, holding out his hand. “That was some excitement we had the other day.”

  “Yes, sir. I’d like to thank you for your help in calling me about the danger Sera was in.”

  “Well, I guess she wasn’t in as much danger as I imagined. She’s pretty good at taking care of herself.” Owen’s voice had gained a new authority as he spoke to Jack. “She could still be hurt.”

  “Not by me, sir. You can rest assured I’ll take good care of her.”

  “What’s this?” Sera demanded.

  “I was reassuring your father that you’ll be in good hands with me,” Jack said.

  “So you are engaged,” Phil said. “I knew you were holding something back.”

  “He hasn’t really asked me yet,” Sera protested, looking at Jack.

  He was beaming. “It’s kind of hard to get a word in edgewise around here,” he said. “I’ve been meaning to propose to you all day so we could tell your family tonight, but…” He shrugged.

  “You’ll get used to it,” Beck said, and Nick nodded his head, but both men were chuckling.

  “So we’re all complete again,” Claire said tremulously. “I’m so happy.”

  They were all silent. No one seemed to know what to say or do.

  “Hey, the food’s getting cold,” Jack said. “Owen, lead the way.”

  With relieved laughter, they turned to the dining room and the laden buffet dinner. The past hour had been fraught with old emotional wounds. They were grateful to return to some semblance of normalcy. Sera and Jack were the last to get in line.

  “You didn’t say whether or not you’d marry me,” he said softly.

  “You know I will.”

  “I just like to hear it,” he teased and drew her into his arms.

  From the dining room, they could hear sounds of merriment and the clink of silverware against china, but all was quiet there in the living room.

  “Do you think we could slip away for a little while?” Jack asked, his eyes glinting with that special light.

  “Not without being noticed by our absence. I could freeze time for a while if you like.”

  “You can do that?”

  “I’m a witch.” She sighed. “I’d better not. I think Charlie could break the spell, and then I’d never hear the end of it. You don’t want them involved in our personal lives. Later.”

  “Okay,” Jack said reluctantly and turned toward the dining room. “I feel married already,” he groused.

  About the Author

  Temple Hogan is the author of over forty books, some hard cover, under the name of Peggy Hanchar and Peggy Roberts. She lives on an inland lake in Michigan with her husband, three cats and one naughty Shitz Tzu named Gizz. Her hobbies are cooking, gardening, acrylic painting and reading detective stories. She’s currently at work on her next book.

  Temple loves to talk to her readers and can be found at TempleHogan.blogspot.com.

  Also Available from

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