“I gotta get back to work,” says Lee. "After I take a long shower. You two going to be okay?”
“We’ll be good. I’d kiss you, but I’m covered in bird shit.”
“As you wish, Mistress.”
* * *
Evoker Geoffrey is the first to arrive at the scene. He seems disappointed to learn that we killed the creature, but relieved the body is still intact. And not deep-fried. After giving him a full report, Houston and I head home.
Even though it is cold outside, we drive home with the windows down and the heat off. I still feel nauseous by the time I walk in the door. I spend an hour in the bathroom trying to get the stink off of me. I decide to just throw away the clothes I was wearing. I don’t want to even put them in the washing machine.
I find Houston in the kitchen. He’s holding the invoice for Harlan’s medical care in his hand. “I guess he won’t be back, will he?”
“He’ll get another assignment. He’s almost completely recovered from what happened. He’s going to be fine, Houston.”
“We should send him something. Fruit basket or flowers or whatever you send brownies?”
“The Agency doesn’t give out employee addresses. I did ask. They passed on our well-wishes.”
“Doesn’t seem like enough. He almost died.”
“It’s over.”
“I know.” He drops the invoice back onto the table. “I know.”
“Houston?”
“It was a year ago tomorrow that April, that Vivika’s body, died. Aunt Ruth still doesn’t know.”
“She can never know. It would be devastating to her.”
“I know that. God, I would never tell her. No good comes of it. There is no good way to tell someone, ‘By the way, your evil sister possessed your infant’s body in a mad quest for immortality.’ It’s just…she wants to go visit the grave and…I don’t want to go. If I tell her I don’t want to go she’ll get upset. The holidays were bad last year. April. My accident. I don't want to cause her stress, but I'm stressed."
“Funerals are for the living, and so are graves. Go with your aunt for her. It has nothing to do with Vivika. Be there for her knowing that Vivika will never hurt anyone again, and that is because of you.”
“You’re right. You should have been a family counselor.”
“You are such a smart ass.”
Houston finally smiles. “I have a reputation to keep up.” He sighs and looks down at the invoice. “These holidays are just going to suck.”
“Do you guys have plans for Thanksgiving?”
"Aunt Ruth said she's cooking, but her heart’s not in it. My cousin Terri is going with her parents down to North Carolina to visit family down there.”
“Why don’t you all come here?”
“Here? You want my aunt and uncle to have Thanksgiving off of paper plates?”
“They’re nice plates. I think it would be good for you all to be around other people and not fixate on the past. And if I do end up inviting Laurie’s parents, having your aunt and uncle here will be one more reason for Darlene to keep her mouth shut about magic. So bonus.”
“I’ll ask them. You might be right. But can I make a request?”
“What?”
“Can we not have turkey?”
New to the series?
Get caught up with Nancy Werlock’s Diary: Season One and Nancy Werlock’s Diary: Season Two, available in digital and print formats and most online retailers.
And visit WitchNet for an arcane glossary, list of characters, episode summaries, and more information about the setting.
nancy werlocks diary s02e14 Page 4