by Meg Ripley
“No. I think she probably would have liked to do more, but something was holding her back. I couldn’t say what, and I’m not sure there’s a point in speculating, but I can handle one tiny little blurb about the fact that Autumn and I are witches. After all, we tell anyone who wants to know.”
Xander was relieved that she was taking this so well. “So, you don’t think it will affect business at all?”
Summer rolled her eyes up to the ceiling as she thought. “You know, I think it might have the opposite effect of what Joanna intended. Most people know about The Enchanted Elm, even if they haven’t been there before. If they read her blog and find out that we’re ‘real witches,’ we might have more customers coming to us for help than before.”
It occurred to him that she had asked what life was like for him as a shifter, but he had not inquired much about her own background. Being in her shop wasn’t the same thing as understanding what it meant to her. “Since you asked first, what’s it like to be a witch?”
She seemed pleasantly surprised at this, and she sat back a little in the booth with a smile on her face. “Well, I’ve always been one. Our parents raised my sister and I this way, and we’ve never felt any resistance against it. There’s a sense of peace that comes from it, and I don’t think I would trade that for anything.”
He had vivid memories still of the witches he had known back on Charok. Xander cleared his throat, trying to decide how to phrase his next question. “What kind of magic do you do?”
Their conversation was interrupted by Nora, who had wrinkled up her paper menu and dumped her crayons on the floor. She fussed at them in gibberish and wiggled in her seat, clearly unsettled by being left out of the discussion.
“It’s alright, honey. Our food will come soon.”
Nora looked at him, and if she were an adult, she would have shrugged him off. She was clearly displeased by being stuck in her booster seat, and coloring wasn’t keeping her occupied any longer. Xander wished he had brought some small toys in her diaper bag, but he’d been in such a rush to get out of the house that he’d completely forgotten. “Hungry.”
“Like I said, you’ll get your chicken nuggets in just a few minutes. We have to be patient, remember?”
Most of the time, Xander could reason with his daughter and get through to her, but it just wasn’t going to be enough today. She’d only had a short nap that afternoon, she was hungry, and she wasn’t pleased. Nora gripped one of the crayons in her little fist, widened her eyes, gritted her teeth, and screeched.
“Nora, that’s not how a young lady behaves.”
But suddenly, Nora was a young lady no more. The thin skin around her eyes separated into small pieces, each of them flipping up on their ends before turning over to reveal the scales underneath. A thick tail with a pointy end sprouted from underneath the skirt of her dress, slapping at the back of the booth. Her face elongated and her arms thickened. Nora had completely shifted in the middle of the restaurant. She was no longer a frustrated toddler, but a small, dark emerald green dragon in a blue dress.
Xander froze, his mouth agape, as he took in the sight of his daughter. Very rarely had Nora shifted from her human form since she had hatched. It had happened maybe once or twice when she was very young, but that had been in the privacy of his own apartment. Now she had morphed out in public, and he wasn’t sure what to do about it. “Holy shit! This isn’t good.”
Summer stood up, making Xander’s stomach twist into knots. His relationship with her had already been a tenuous one, and now Nora had completely scared her off. She was going to leave him there with a reptilian child.
But when he looked up, he realized she had moved to stand right across the table from Nora, blocking the view from any other diners seeing her. “What do we need to do to get her to change back?” she whispered urgently. “I don’t know how this works.”
Sweat gathered in beads on Xander’s forehead. “She’s pissed, and she’s having a reaction to it. This hasn’t really happened before; not like this.”
Summer nodded. “Alright, then.” She squinted her eyes slightly as she made gentle swirling motions in the air with her fingers. It was subtle, but Xander could feel a change in the air like the crackling of electricity just before lightning struck. It pulled at his chest, or maybe that was just because he was afraid someone would notice Nora, but it was an interesting feeling. Summer looked over her shoulder, then pointed her finger at the table in front of Xander, and his fork stood up. It waddled on its tines over to Nora’s place at the table, where it began dancing back and forth.
Nora watched it closely, her long scaly snout moving down toward the surface of the table to watch the hopping utensil. Her pupils, dark slits in a viridescent setting, expanded as she studied this new wonder. Finally, she reached forward with a clawed hand to snatch at it. The fork danced away, following the commands of Summer’s finger. Nora squealed with delight and clapped her claws.
The fork continued its gyrations, leaping over the napkins and twirling around their cups. Slowly, Nora began to return to her human form. Her snout pushed in to create the little button nose that Xander was used to seeing. Her vertical pupils rounded, her fingers lost their claws, and the long tail disappeared under her dress.
Summer let the little girl catch the fork this time and sat down.
Xander looked at her with wonder. “I guess that tells me a little bit about how your magic works.”
Just then, the waitress came to their table, balancing a large tray on her hand. “Sorry about the wait, but thanks for being so patient,” she beamed as she set the plates down. “Is there anything else you need? Any sauces or seasonings?”
“No. No, thanks. I think we’re fine for now.” He really didn’t know if they needed anything, but he just wanted the waitress to leave. Nora was fine at the moment, but there was no reason to push the issue.
“Okay! Well, you guys enjoy and just shout for me if you need anything.” She picked up the tray and headed off across the floor, stopping to check on another table.
Xander eyed Nora as he broke her chicken nuggets into bite-sized pieces and handed her one of them. She gobbled it up and grinned at him as though nothing had happened. “That was a close call. I can’t thank you enough. I’m not sure what I would have done if someone had seen her.”
Summer smiled and shook her head. “It was my pleasure. I’ll admit that I don’t usually do those sorts of things outside the comfort of my own home, but I know how tough it is when people stare at you. I can pass as a regular person, but I don’t think anyone would believe Nora was just wearing a Halloween costume.”
He knew that he should have been the one to take action and help Nora calm down. It made him feel somewhat ashamed but also very excited that Summer had stepped up. It meant that she really did care for Nora as much as she seemed to. It warmed up that pit of flames inside him, but in a very pleasant way. “You could just as easily have walked away,” Xander said quietly.
“I wouldn’t have. I think you know that.”
Xander did. Maybe he knew her better than either one of them had realized. “Yes, but I don’t think you realize what an amazing woman you are.”
She blushed. “It wasn’t that amazing. Just a little parlor trick, really.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about—well, not just that, anyway. Your magic is impressive, and it’s definitely something I’d like to learn more about. But the fact that you would do that for us says a lot as well.”
“I don’t mind at all, really. And don’t go proclaiming me a hero. I didn’t think I was really all that interested in children until Nora came along. She’s so adorable; I can’t help but want to spend time with her.” Summer smiled at the little girl as she reached across the table to wipe a little piece of chicken off the corner of Nora’s mouth. “Does she have a bib? I’d hate to see her ruin that pretty dress.”
“Oh! Of course.” Nora’s transformation had left the after-effects of adrenaline
coursing through his system, and he had completely forgotten. Xander whipped a bib out of the bag and fastened it around Nora’s neck. “Don’t forget to eat your mashed potatoes, Nora.”
The tot shook her head emphatically. “No taters. Nuggies.”
Xander pressed his lips together. If they were at home, and if circumstances were normal, he would have pressed the issue. After all, he was her father and it was his job to make sure she ate well-balanced meals. But considering the reaction Nora had just had when she’d gotten bored and tired, he was concerned. It dawned on him that his daughter’s ability to shift could truly backfire on him as she got older and she could threaten to turn dragon if she didn’t get her way. Xander had read that teenagers liked to rebel, which was not unlike the way things had been back on Charok. But there, no one would accept a dragon sitting at the table.
“Please?” he asked.
Nora pointedly put a bite of the chicken nugget in her mouth.
“You know, when I was younger, I would babysit my cousin sometimes,” Summer said, one slim eyebrow raised in thought. “Nora is a bit older than he was at the time, but she might still enjoy this.” Her fingers began moving again.
Xander glanced around the restaurant, making sure no one was looking their way and the waitress wasn’t coming back to check on them. Somehow, Summer using her magic in public didn’t make him quite as nervous as the potential for Nora to shift.
This time, the spoon lifted from the table and scooped up a bite of potatoes, swerving through the air in front of Nora. “Here comes the airplane!” Summer announced as she guided it with only the twitch of her finger toward the tot’s mouth. “It’s got cargo to deliver! Open wide!”
Fascinated, Nora did as she was told. She gobbled up the bite of white fluffy stuff and instantly began looking for more.
Xander couldn’t help but laugh. He had never seen his daughter quite so happy with her food, even though she’d never been a particularly picky eater. She abandoned her chicken nuggets and eagerly ate every bit of her potatoes. When they were gone, she happily started in on her green beans herself.
“If I recall correctly, you told me just a few days ago that you don’t really know anything about children. I think you underestimate yourself.” Xander smiled lovingly across the table. He knew this was supposed to just be a dinner as friends, but there was no one more perfect in the world than Summer. She made his body burn, but even if he hadn’t had that reaction to her, he would have been trying to find an excuse to proclaim her as the one. Never had he met a woman so gentle, sweet, and smart.
Summer dabbed at the corner of her mouth and set down her salad fork. “No, I really did mean it. I watched my cousin a couple of times, but I’m no expert. I think Nora just makes me want to try. I’ve never met a kid who grabbed at my heart so readily, and I have to commend you for that. I know it must be hard for you to raise her in such a strange world, one that’s even difficult for the natives. But you’ve done a good job with her, and it really shows.”
“Even when she turns into a different being at the dinner table?”
“Yes,” Summer laughed. “Even then. I know children are far from perfect. You should have seen my sister and I when we were younger. We had a touch of natural magical talent about us even before we were officially taught, and of course the fact that we’re twins just made things worse. We always knew what the other was thinking, and we could act on our plans without discussing them. We caused all sorts of trouble, and I’m sure my mother didn’t appreciate it at all. But in the end, I’d like to think we turned out alright.”
“I think so, too.”
The waitress brought their check and Xander automatically took it.
Summer picked up her purse. “What’s my share?”
“Zero dollars and zero cents,” he replied as he attached his debit card to the little clip board. “This is on me.”
Her face narrowed. “Xander, I thought we agreed that this was just as friends.”
“And a guy can’t buy his friend dinner?” he countered. He knew what she was getting at. Things had been changing slightly over the past few decades, according to his research, but the check wasn’t normally split if a couple was out on a date. Still, he understood why Earth men always insisted on paying. The gesture made him feel as though he was taking care of Summer, and he didn’t want that to be taken away from him.
“Not if he’s doing it without honorable intentions.”
The fire lit in his chest again, but it wasn’t a pleasant one. He felt attacked, and his body was instantly ready to fight back. “I’ve had nothing less than honorable intentions with you, Summer. I’m not just trying to get you in the sack, here.”
She shook her head and waved her hand in the air. “I don’t mean it like that. I’m sorry, because I can see now how it came out. What I meant was that you agreed to go out to dinner as friends, but if you’re picking up the check, then you clearly mean it as more than that. It’s not fair to me, Xander.”
“Alright then you can pick up the check the next time we go out.” He grinned. He knew the game he was playing, even though he didn’t want to be playing games with her. But Xander had to keep trying with her, whatever it took.
“Nice try. Xander, I thought things were going well between us, and I admit that I had a small spark of hope that you might be right. The idea of two people being destined for each other is incredibly romantic. But I’m still not sure I’m the right person.” She looked sad as she spoke to him, as though she truly regretted what she was saying.
“But I know you are.” He barely moved his lips as he said the words. His body was fighting him once again. It had relaxed a little as they had interacted over dinner and he was able to fool himself in believing that they were heading the right direction. But now that she was threatening to slip off into the night and never see him again, he wasn’t sure he could move a muscle without instantly shifting. And it would be a lot more noticeable than when Nora had done it.
“And I need you to understand that I need to know that, too. It can’t just be all about you, Xander. I know that you’ve dedicated your life to Nora and to finding a mother for her, but you don’t really want me to agree to such a thing if I don’t know that I can be happy, do you?” She reached across the table and touched his hand, pleading for him to understand.
“No,” he gritted out. The touch of her hand was almost more than he could bear. His body and his mind were in such conflict, and he felt like he might explode at any moment. “But don’t you see what this would mean for you as well? I’m not just asking you to be my partner and Nora’s mother. I’m promising that I will love and protect you from now until the end of time.” He was sweating now, trying his damnedest to get the words out. If they had been at her house or his apartment, then it might have been different. He could have let his claws or his wings out to just release a little bit of the tension, and it would have made things so much easier. But not there. “And it’s not just that. I would do anything for you, Summer. You are the one person on this planet—no, in the universe—that can make me feel this way. It’s how I know that as terrible as the reasons were for us leaving Charok, we were meant to do so. You and Nora are absolutely everything to me.”
Tears welled in Summer’s eyes. “That’s very sweet, Xander. It really is. I like you, but I don’t know that I’m ready for something like that. I’ve tried to tell you, but it seems that what I need only comes secondary to what you say you need. I’m an open person, and that’s why I was willing to give this a try, but I just need more time to think things through.” She picked up her purse and stood up.
“Summer, please don’t go. We can go somewhere private and talk this out. I know this is going to take some time to get used to, and I meant it when I said I would do anything you ask.” He reached for her hand. Xander knew that it was dangerous for him to do so; the chemistry he could feel between the two of them was almost too much to bear.
She didn’t pull her h
and away from his, but she turned her sad green eyes on him. “Xander, all I’m asking of you right now is to please give me some space.”
She waved goodbye to Nora and was gone in an instant.
8
Summer felt numb as she hailed a cab and took it to the edge of town. She had truly hoped that their dinner would go well, and for the most part, it had. Nora, despite her little reptilian fit, had absolutely enchanted her. Summer had felt the panic from Xander when she had shifted, and she wanted nothing more than to help. She didn’t even mind using her powers in front of a man she hardly knew, because the time they’d spent together at The Enchanted Elm had made her feel as though she could be comfortable around him. He had been patient and kind, and those were qualities she looked for in any person.
She felt her heart was finally beginning to open itself to him, but the way he had acted right at the end of the meal had made her realize that she’d let her hope get ahead of her head. He was fun to talk to and spend time with, but Xander still wanted far more from her than she was ready to give.
“Right here is fine.”
The cabbie pulled over as they reached the edge of town, where the houses had become more scattered and the lights of downtown were nothing more than a glow on the horizon. “You sure? This is the middle of nowhere.”
“Yes, this is it. Thank you.” She paid him, tipping generously as she always did, and got out. Summer was grateful that she wasn’t one for high heels, or else the long walk to the end of her driveway would have been an uncomfortable one. As it was, she tried to use the time to realign her energies with the earth. Summer tipped her head up at the stars, studying the bits of flame in the sky, wondering just where out there the mysterious planet of Charok was located. She knew that she would never be able to see it, but that only made it harder to understand. Xander and his friends had traveled across the universe to find a safe haven where they could raise their children. How did it make any sense that she could be the one for him? If he had been able to stay on his home planet, would he eventually have found a female dragon who would have made him feel the same way he claimed to feel about Summer? There were so many things to think about.