A Witch Like No Other

by Makala Thomas

  Dreamer did looked a bit scared.

  “Tell me what, Mama? What is it?”

  “Sit down,” Paul instructed, Agnes obeying. “Dreamer, you mustn’t… freak out. I need you to stay calm for Ju- for our sake.”

  “Yes Papa,” she said, looking at him. Paul smiled at her, then he looked at Agnes. She seemed a little more in control now. He didn’t want to continue if she was going to weep. It would makes matters worse.

  “When I said we had issues to sort out-”

  “You weren’t joking?” asked Dreamer, and Paul shook his head.

  “No.”

  * * *

  Dreamer dropped her mug of tea in shock, Paul raising a hand. The mug hung suspended in mid air, a bit like the silence.

  Paul had told everything, Agnes helping here and there. He’d told Dreamer everything, not leaving anything out. First he’d made sure she knew how wrong it was to get rid of a child, which went nicely with the story he told next. But now it was silent.

  “Dreamer, talk,” urged Agnes, looking at her. “Say something.”

  Dreamer’s head was spinning. The baby she heard this morning… Paul watched her, nodding. Dreamer took that as a yes. It was real. Swallowing hard, she finally managed to whisper “Where is my baby?”

  “Asleep,” Paul said, rising to his feet. “Come.”

  * * *

  Dreamer didn’t scream, like Agnes would have. She stared at the child as if she was looking in a mirror, her face expressionless. This was her child. Baby Julian Black looked like a little angel, innocent… and so small. Dreamer stepped closer to the crib as Paul and Agnes retreated, her eyes filling over. Reaching down, she touched the baby’s tiny hand.

  Baby Julian coughed, his finger’s closing around one of Dreamer’s. Dreamer smiled as her tears fell, then she looked at her parents.

  “He’s quite strong for a baby who’s asleep.”

  Paul and Agnes smiled, Agnes asking “Would you like to be alone?”

  “I… yes. Yes please.”

  “We’ll give you some space. Come, Paul.”

  Paul looked like she’d told him to jump off a cliff, Agnes glaring at him.

  “You’ve been with the child for two years, Paul! Dreamer needs to bond with her son!”

  “Yes, but they’ve just met! Both of them might start screaming or-”

  “Don’t be ridiculous, Paul!”

  “I’m not being ridiculous!”

  Dreamer looked as if she couldn’t hear a word, already in love with her baby boy. The baby tightened his grip on Dreamer’s finger, eyes opening at the sound of raised voices. Dreamer gasped softly, staring at him.

  “He has my eyes,” she said, looking at her squabbling parents, who immediately fell silent. “You didn’t tell me he had my eyes, Papa.”

  Baby Julian let Dreamer’s finger go as he rolled over, using his hands to push himself into a sitting position. He was gorgeous, with his jet black curly hair and green eyes, outlined with long black lashes. Baby Julian scratched his head as he looked at Dreamer curiously, wondering why there was a stranger standing where Paul normally was.

  “He’s used to me being there.” Paul spoke from the doorway, Julian looking around at the sound of his voice. “Don’t be upset if he-”

  Baby Julian suddenly giggled, stopping him short. He smiled shyly at Dreamer, saying “Hello. Where Paul-Paul?”

  Dreamer reached down slowly, Julian lifting his arms. She picked up the infant, staring at his face. Baby Julian stuck his thumb in his mouth, staring back at her. They were both taking in each other’s image, making sure they never forgot what the other looked like. The baby lifted a hand to Dreamer’s long ringlets, which fell past her shoulders. Then he spotted Paul, shrieking happily.

  “Paul-Paul!”

  “Hello son.” Paul’s smile was ravishing. “Know who that is?”

  The baby looked back at Dreamer, who smiled at him. Baby Julian giggled, saying “She my Mummy, Paul-Paul. See?”

  Dreamer held him close to her as her tears fell, kissing him gently.

  “How could I have decided to rid of you?” she wept, Paul and Agnes moving closer. Puzzled, the baby said “No cry, Mummy.”

  He placed his tiny hands on her cheeks, wiping her tears away.

  “Paul-Paul, Mummy cry! Why Mummy cry, Paul-Paul?”

  “He’s beautiful,” Agnes said softly, as Paul moved to take the baby.

  Dreamer held on to him for a moment, then she let him go.

  Paul held Baby Julian in one arm, then he said “Dreamer, you realise Ted isn’t going to be able to deal with this.” Dreamer didn’t answer. “I have foreseen all of it, little one. He may try to harm the child if his anger gets the better of him. The same goes for his children. You cant go back to that house, do you hear me? Dreamer.”

  Dreamer closed her eyes, images flashing before them. Ted with a gun. Pandora with a knife. Marlon scheming on paper. They thought if they got rid of the baby things would go back to normal…

  “Dreamer,” Agnes said softly. “Dreamer, open your eyes?”

  Dreamer obeyed slowly, looking at them. Then she said “I understand, Papa. Please let me call Miriam, and stay a while longer.”

  Paul nodded. “Of course.”

  “At the end of the week I will leave with Baby Julian. Mama, I want you to stay here with Papa. You have catching up to do.”

  Agnes nodded while Paul frowned, wondering if he missed something. She was going to call Miriam, he understood that. And she was going to stay for a while. Where did leaving in four days come from??

  “So… a while longer.” Paul’s voice trembled as he tried to stay calm. “Your idea of a while longer is four days?”

  “Papa, I cant let anything happen to my baby.”

  “If you stay here nothing will happen, Dreamer!”

  “I know that, Papa.”

  Paul was confused now. “You know- and you still want to go?”

  “I have to fight my demons someday,” Dreamer said quietly, and Paul shook his head furiously.

  “You want to fight them little one, fight them. Without Baby Julian!”

  “I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, Papa.” Dreamer spoke calmly. “But he is my baby and I intend to look after him the way I should have the minute I found I was carrying him. Ted will never forgive me, and neither will Marlon and Pandora- but it’s fine. I’ll deal with it. Please don’t make this any harder than it has to be- please.”

  Agnes’s eyes filled as she looked at her husband. “Paul?”

  Paul hated feeling angry at his child. He wasn’t going to give her a reason to be angry at him. Sighing, he nodded.

  “Thank you.”

  “I hungry,” said Julian, eyes filling. “Mummy, I hungry!”

  “Mummy will feed you, sweetie.”

  Dreamer reached for her son, Paul handing him over slowly. As they left the room, he turned to look at his wife.

  “Don’t say one word,” said Agnes firmly. “She knows exactly what she’s doing.”

  “You really think so?”

  “Yes. Come, I want to watch her feed my baby grandson.”

  * * *

  Miriam’s eyes nearly left her head.

  “This is a joke. You- you’re lying!”

  “Julian, say hello to Miriam.”

  The tiny voice on the other end of the line made Miriam scream.

  “Hello Minnyam!”

  Dreamer gently took the mobile out of his hands as she lifted his spoon. Baby Julian opened his mouth, Dreamer feeding him slowly as she spoke.

  “Satisfied?”

  “Dreamer,” was all Miriam could get out. “Dreamer!”

  “Yes, I know my name. I’m going to move two towns after yours, Miriam. That way I’m not so close, but not so far either.”

  “Of- of course, but if Ted does something to Baby Julian-”

  “He may try,” Dreamer answered thoughtfully. “But if he manages to hurt one hair on his head then
so help me….”

  Miriam swallowed while Agnes and Paul smiled, Paul saying “That’s my girl right there. It’s about time she started using the spells we taught her.”

  “Mummy, can I have ‘nana?”

  “Please,” Paul said firmly, and Baby Julian giggled.

  “Peas.”

  “He’s so cute,” murmured Dreamer, using her wand to peel the banana. She cut the banana into thin slices, the baby clapping as the pieces rose in the air and landed in one on his little bowls. Baby Julian reached for it eagerly, Dreamer smiling at his earnest little face.

  “Say ta, baby.”

  “Ta, Mummy! Ta! See? I say two tas!”

  Dreamer burst out laughing with Paul and Agnes, and Miriam on the other line.

  “He sounds so sweet, Dreamer!”

  “He is,” Dreamer said lovingly, stroking the baby’s curly hair. “He is.”

  “I’d love to meet him.”

  “You will, Miriam. Just not for now.”

  “When you come back?”

  “Not then either- maybe in a few months.”

  “Oh, but- maybe I could visit you? I could help with Baby Julian.”

  Dreamer hesitated, already protective of her baby boy.

  “I’ll visit you instead, how about that?”

  Miriam sighed. “Dreamer, stop being so difficult.”

  “I’m not, I just don’t want anyone to know where I’m living yet.”

  “Two towns after me, I know already!”

  “Calm down,” Dreamer said firmly. “Me coming to yours with my baby is better than you not seeing me or him at all.”

  Miriam closed her mouth. That was true.

  “All right, you win. When can I see you?”

  “In a few months.”

  “Make it one.”

  “One and two weeks.”

  “Deal.”

  * * *

  Denise Jessica’s eyes widened, Miriam nodding.

  “It’s true.”

  “I knew she was pregnant, but… wow. How is she dealing with it?”

  “She loves him, and who wouldn’t.” Miriam smiled. “He’s only two, Denise- he sounds so cute. She’ll be back in Europe by evening.”

  “Dreamer,” said Denise, as if Dreamer would answer her. “Wow.”

  “Excuse me Miss Jessica, we’ve run out of ice cream.” A waitress popped her head around the door meekly. “What shall I tell the customer?”

  “Apologise for the inconvenience and ask them to choose another dessert, then offer them a free slice of cheesecake as part of the apology.”

  “Yes Miss Jessica.”

  “You’re really good at this,” Miriam said impressively, Denise nodding.

  “I have to be. The Prime Minister’s coming for a meal next week, and so are the critics and followers. I have to be the best I can be.”

  “Don’t stress yourself out, though.”

  “Are you kidding? Stress comes with the slightest thing. Cutlery out of place even- I’m not joking,” Denise added, when Miriam’s jaw dropped. “Last week the waiters set the tables like this: fork first, then spoon, then knife. It was chaos- the queue outside was getting so long and we had at least a hundred tables to fix- it was hell, Miriam.”

  Miriam laughed, saying “Good thing I’m a mentor.”

  Denise nodded. “One of us has to be a good listener.”

  “And advisor. I’m going to call Dreamer. Do you want to talk?”

  “Course! I want her to tell me all the juicy details.”

  Miriam rolled her eyes. “I’ve just told you them.”

  “You can never hear a good story just the one time,” Denise said with a smirk, and Miriam burst out laughing again.

  “You’re right. I’ll put her on speakerphone.”

  Denise waited eagerly, but Dreamer’s mobile went straight to voicemail.

  “That means she doesn’t want any calls,” Miriam said amusedly, and Denise pouted.

  * * *

  “Paul-Paul want you, Mummy.” Baby Julian stacked his bricks carefully, frowning in concentration. Dreamer looked at him curiously, and he giggled at her. “Paul-Paul call you now.”

  “Dreamer!”

  Agnes clapped her hands, impressed. “He’s definitely a Black.”

  “Good boy, baby.” Dreamer rose to her feet, calling “Yes Papa?”

  “Are you sure you’ve thought this through?” Paul asked, turning into the living area. “I don’t want to take you all the way to England just to bring you all the way back. Make sure you’ve thought about this properly.”

  “Yes Papa, I have. The baby’s things are packed and ready to go.”

  “What about his bricks?” demanded Paul, and Dreamer sighed.

  “Baby Julian, it’s time to put the bricks away.”

  “Mummy, I not finished!” he said, eyes filling. “Look!”

  He still had about five more bricks to stack.

  “Well, Papa says they need to be packed away for when we leave.”

  “We no leave yet,” Baby Julian said smartly, making Dreamer laugh. Paul’s eyes narrowed as the child giggled.

  “He’s been real cocky since you’ve come, Dreamer. I don’t want you spoiling him, do you understand? If he comes back here on a visit throwing tantrums and all sorts, I’ll-”

  “Don’t be so silly, Paul.” Agnes laughed at him. “Pandora and Marlon was never spoilt. Dreamer knows what she’s doing, yes? And Baby Julian is just showing off for his Mummy.”

  “Hmm. Well son, are you ready to go to your new house?”

  Baby Julian nodded, his tiny tongue sticking out of his mouth in concentration. He finally placed the last brick on top of the stack, then he beamed at Paul, Dreamer and Agnes.

  “Paul-Paul, look! I finish! See Mummy? See Nanny?”

  They nodded, Dreamer flicking her wand. A tiny pair of shoes appeared with a miniscule puff coat, and a small teddy bear.

  “Come and put these on, sweetie.”

  “Yes Mummy.” The baby obediently got to his feet. “I coming.”

  Dreamer knelt in front of her tiny son, lifting him onto the sofa so his feet were at a decent level. While she put his shoes and coat on Paul said “I think you should stay for a few more days, little one. Just a few.”

  “Papa, I cant.” Dreamer sighed as she said it. “If I stay a few more days I’ll never want to leave- I don’t want to leave even. But I have to.”

  “It’s too soon!” Paul said desperately, but Agnes laid a hand on his arm.

  “Don’t, Paul. You’ve done wonderfully with the baby, but-”

  “Agnes, it’s not about Dreamer taking the child with her. It’s about Dreamer going full stop. Five days with her isn’t enough. There’s so many things I want to talk about- we need to catch up properly.”

  “Papa, you can visit every day if you have to.” Dreamer picked up her son, handing him the teddy bear. “There you go, sweetie.”

  “Ta, Mummy.”

  “I’m not leaving never to return,” Dreamer said, eyes filling. “We can come and stay every other weekend and you can stay with Mama at mine on the first ones. We’ll see each other all the time.”

  Paul looked like he was thinking up another excuse, Agnes shooting him an angry look as she said “I’ll take you instead, Dreamer. Papa’s acting like a madman.”

  “We’ll go to Golders Green in London city,” Dreamer said, holding her son close to her chest. Agnes frowned, saying “But you live outside of the city, why would you-”

  “I want to take Baby Julian home on a coach,” Dreamer said with a shy smile. “It will be very nice, for me as well as for him.”

  Paul chuckled, saying “You were always a dreamer, Dreamer.”

  “Hence my name,” smiled Dreamer, as he held his arms out.

  “Come here, little one.”

  Agnes took the baby as Dreamer walked to her father, falling into his arms and hugging him fiercely. Paul kissed the top of her head, saying “Just remember
, if there’s an emergency call my name. Like you did at the stadium, little one. You know Papa will always be there for you.”

  “Yes Papa,” she whispered, the baby puzzled at the sight of them.

  “That goes for me as well,” Agnes added, and Dreamer nodded.

  “Don’t cry,” Paul said firmly, wiping her tears away. “I raised you better than to cry at every emotional situation. What happened to you?”

  “I weakened when you left,” mumbled Dreamer, and Paul laughed.

  “Well now I’m back, so toughen up. Julian, my boy!”

  “Paul-Paul!” squealed Julian, reaching for him excitedly. “Paul-Paul!”

  Holding him in one arm, Paul kissed his soft cheek.

  “Now you be a good little boy for Mummy, yes? Or Paul-Paul’s going to come down and let you have it.”

  Baby Julian giggled, saying “I be very very good.”

  “I hope you keep your word, son. Ready to go on a coach?”

  “Yep!”

  “Yes,” Dreamer corrected softly, and he giggled.

  “Yeees.”

  “Call as soon as you reach,” Agnes said as she kissed her daughter. “Don’t stay up too late with the baby. Make sure he has a good night’s sleep, and don’t forget to give him warm milk before bedtime. And one day take him shopping in that mortal shop, Mothercare World. They’ve got some nice little outfits in there for Baby Julian.”