“N-no- let me go!”
He was dangling high off the ground- Paul was so tall!
“You’re going to pay for what you did to my daughter, Damon. Every night, when you close your eyes, you’ll see the stone face of Dave Brown staring at you. Every time you misbehave, you’ll pass his statue. You’ll be sorry you ever touched my child and grandchild, believe me.”
“I already am sorry,” said Damon pleadingly. “I’m sorry, Paul!”
“I know,” smirked Paul, “But now you’ll be even more sorry.”
He vanished, Damon dropping to the ground.
He didn’t move from where he was, even when officers called his name one floor down. His name and Brown’s… and only Damon answered.
* * *
“Mummy, I want cook-cook peas.”
Dreamer smiled at him as he sat in his high chair.
“You didn’t even eat all of your oatmeal, sweetie.”
“I no like oaty. I want cook-cook!” Baby Julian giggled, adding “Peas.”
“Breakfast first, cookies after.”
Dreamer flipped the pancake in the air, catching it in the skillet again. Julian clapped excitedly, saying “Again, Mummy!”
Dreamer was about to flip the pancake again for her son when she stopped, staring through the glass wall into her backyard at a black box- with a lens. She put the skillet down, the baby’s smile fading.
“Mummy?”
“Eat up, baby.” Dreamer spoke softly, staring right through the lens into the man’s eyes. The baby recoiled, not liking her expression one bit.
Cruise gasped, daring to take a few more photos. He pressed stop on the recording button and gathered his things as he heard Baby Julian start wailing- he sounded like a choir boy hitting the high note.
Distracted, Dreamer looked at him.
“What’s wrong, sweetie?”
“I no want oaty!” wailed Baby Julian, eyes filling. “I want cook-cook!”
“Shh,” she said gently. “Take a few more bites for Mummy, baby.”
“Will I get cook-cook?”
“Three,” Dreamer promised with a smile. “Breakfast first, ok honey?”
* * *
Ted stared at Cruise’s broad smile, saying “Done already?”
“Sir, I did say all I needed was one week.” Cruise placed his DVD on the kitchen table, along with a few sheets of paper. “I’m done.”
“Cool,” said Marlon, but Cruise ignored him as he handed Ted the papers.
“That’s Dreamer Black’s address. I had a feeling she wasn’t far away- and here’s the name and address of everybody who went into her house- except her parents, of course.”
Cruise shivered as he remembered bolting as fast as he could the minute he saw Paul Black and his wife enter the kitchen, which faced the back garden. He’d read about what happened to the other spy, who went missing and was never found. Cruise was not going to be next.
Ted read the names slowly, his jaw dropping as Pandora smiled at Marlon.
“Miriam?” he said incredulously. “Miriam knew about this?”
“Yes sir, she did.” Cruise smirked, pleased with himself. He took it upon himself to follow Miriam home, finding out everything. “It turns out that Miriam Hughes is the er… mystery lady.”
“What!” Pandora burst out, Marlon as well. “Miriam?”
“I’ve got all the evidence on this disk-”
“I don’t believe this,” Ted said weakly, as Pandora let out a stream of curses, Marlon with her.
“After I just got back from the office, after she asked me if I heard anything about my Mum! I’ll kill her, Dad!”
“We’ll do it together,” said Marlon furiously. “With a shotgun, right?”
“I’d rather axe the little-”
“Marlon! Pandora!” said Ted sharply, looking at them. “Stop that talk.”
Pandora and Marlon closed their mouths and simply looked at each other, no doubt carrying the conversation on inside their heads.
“What about this… baby thing?” Ted asked nervously, and Cruise hesitated. Then he said “It wasn’t a joke, Mr Stone- the baby’s real.”
“You’re kidding,” said Pandora blankly. “It- it’s not hers, though.”
“Well, actually…” Cruise dithered before saying “It is hers.”
“It cant be,” said Ted, looking at him confusedly. “I mean, she hasn’t had time to have a baby. This is the ninth month she’s been back, almost tenth. She’s been the same the whole time, so how-”
“I don’t know how, but it’s hers,” Cruise said, head starting to hurt. “It’s time to look at this DVD- I took the last photos this morning.”
* * *
Pandora and Marlon stared at the screen, mouths hanging open. The baby was laughing as Dreamer tickled him, his face mirroring hers.
“They look just like each other,” Cruise said nervously, looking at Ted. “He even has her eyes, Mr Stone. Dark green, like Christmas trees.”
Ted said nothing, deep in shock. Cruise licked his lips before flicking through the photos one by one, Ted’s eyes growing wider and wider. Dreamer cuddling the baby as he cried. Dreamer playing with the baby, laughing as he frowned at her stack of bricks being higher than his tiny body. Dreamer singing a lullaby as the baby fell asleep in her arms. Dreamer holding the baby in one arm as she spoke to Miriam. Miriam cooking happily for Dreamer while Dreamer fed the baby. Agnes, Paul and Dreamer seated at the kitchen table having lunch while the baby mashed his food with his little spoon, up in his high chair.
Cruise stopped, worried Ted’s eyes would leave his head.
“Mr Stone?”
“Go on,” Ted said hoarsely, looking at him. “Was that the last one?”
“There’s only one more-”
“Show it,” said Pandora, Marlon as well. Cruise obeyed, all of them staring at the photo of Miriam pulling a blanket over Dreamer as she slept, on the sofa. Dreamer looked real drained in that photo.
“What happened to her?” Ted demanded worriedly, Cruise quickly saying “The baby didn’t sleep all night- so neither did she. She had to call her friend over because she had a terrible headache, and she was worried about her baby.”
“It’s not hers,” spat Pandora, and Marlon nodded. “It cant be.”
“It’s not mine either,” Ted said quietly, and they looked at him.
Deciding the silence was way too intense, Cruise went back to the main menu, saying “Here’s the videos of the baby if you’d like to-”
“We don’t want to see them,” said Pandora, but Ted said “Play them.”
Cruise obeyed.
“Mummy, I want cook-cook peas.”
Pandora’s stomach tightened as Dreamer smiled at him. Judging by the awkward movements of her father and brother, they felt jealous too. Anyone could tell Dreamer adored the baby, whatever his name was.
“You didn’t even eat all of your oatmeal, sweetie.”
“I no like oaty. I want cook-cook!” the baby giggled, adding “Peas.”
“Breakfast first, cookies after.”
Ted saw red as the baby beamed at the love of his life.
“Turn it off,” he said quietly, and Cruise looked at him.
“Don’t you want proof that Miriam is the mystery lady?”
“I said turn it off! Now!”
Cruise obeyed quickly, Ted’s face in his hands.
“I think you should see for yourself that Miriam Hughes-”
“We’ll take your word for it,” Pandora said, joining her father. Marlon was staring at the screen as if something was still on there.
Cruise straightened his collar as he said “I’ll leave the DVD with you.”
Ted took a deep breath, shoulders shaking. Cruise immediately felt pain as if he was somehow involved in this matter- it hurt to see a man cry.
“How much do you want for your work?” Ted asked, head bowed so he wouldn’t have to look at him. “I’ll write you a cheque.”
Cruise opened his mouth, then he shook his head.
“Keep the money. I don’t need it.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah. I uh… I hope you sort everything out between you, Mr Stone.”
Ted nodded as Cruise turned to leave, Marlon walking him to the door. After it shut forcefully, after Marlon came back into the living room, Ted said “I don’t know what to say, you two.”
“That is not her baby,” hissed Pandora, as Marlon spat the same words out. “She must have adopted him, and then changed his eye colour.”
Ted stared at her.
“Well it’s possible,” she said crossly, folding her arms. “Right?”
“It’s hers, ‘Dora.” Ted’s mind was spinning, his heart racing to keep up with it. He repeated himself as Marlon yelled it isn’t. “It’s hers.”
“Dad, it cant be!” said Pandora frustratedly. “It takes nine months to-”
“I know, it’s hurting my head. I cant work it out,” said Ted miserably. “I really cant.”
“Call Grandma Agnes and Paul,” Marlon said, eyes filling. “Now, Dad!”
* * *
Ted made Agnes repeat the whole incredulous story three times before his world went black.
Pandora sat in a corner, unable to move as she stared at her father’s lifeless body. Damon Stile? How? When? If that was his baby, and Dreamer was a month pregnant before she died, that meant she had an affair with Damon. But she died, so how could the baby be alive? Pandora’s eyes filled as she tried to make sense of everything. Did Dreamer know what Damon was doing to her all along? Maybe she laughed with him about it, maybe-
“Stop!” screeched Agnes, appearing in a flash of red light with Paul. “Don’t you dare think of my child in disgusting ways like that, Pandora! She didn’t know for sure until the day she died!”
“For sure?” Pandora repeated, hurt. “So she thought he did stuff?”
“She dreamt,” said Agnes furiously, as Paul knelt beside Ted. “Dreamt, child, do you hear me? She didn’t know if they were just nightmares or something real, she was as confused as I was!”
“She didn’t know until the day she died,” Marlon said quietly, looking at his sister. “Trust me ‘Dora, Mum would never have-”
“What about that baby?” Pandora said, biting the words out. Already she hated the beaming little brat. Marlon’s expression became dark too. Agnes chose not to answer her, knowing that her words might somehow influence them to do something terrible to her baby grandson.
Ted groaned on the carpet, opening his eyes slowly.
“What happened?”
“You passed out,” Paul said, hauling him up gently. “Hello again, Ted.”
“Paul,” Ted said weakly, then he remembered everything. “Tell me I was just dreaming, Paul- Agnes. Everything… it was just a dream.”
“Now isn’t the time for denial,” Paul said curtly. “We’re going to stay here with you until your anger wears out. Agnes will help calm you.”
“You’re going to stay with… no. No!” said Ted angrily. “You’re the one who saved that baby in the first place-”
“You’re telling me you would have let him die?”
“Yes!” said Ted frustratedly. “It was nothing. Just… nothing!”
“I agree, Ted.” Paul spoke calmly. “But I knew it would become something- my youngest grandchild. I’m not surprised at you being angry with me, but surely, you cant possibly wish I left Julian to die.”
“That’s his name?” spat Pandora from her corner. “Julian?”
“He’s a lovely baby boy,” said Agnes lovingly. “Your brother.”
Marlon exploded furiously, shouting “That brat is not our brother!”
“He’s nothing where we’re concerned!” said Pandora angrily. “Nothing!”
Ted was just as angry.
“He’s nothing to me either!”
“Obviously,” snapped Paul, temper rising. “Because he isn’t yours!”
“We’re going to stay with you, Ted.” Agnes was the only one who was still tranquil. “You, Marlon and Pandora need to calm down. We’ve foreseen the things that will happen while you’re angry. We’re going to wait until you are at peace again, and then take it from there.”
“We’re not going to college,” Marlon said, glaring at Agnes. “We wont.”
“Suit yourselves,” Agnes answered. “Now, get showered and dressed for bed, the pair of you. Come downstairs for a last mug of hot chocolate, and then off to bed you go.”
“Yes Grandma,” muttered Pandora, suddenly feeling small. “Come on, camel mouth.”
Paul watched them go, rubbing his chin.
“Camel mouth, Ted?”
“They call each other names when the mood suits them,” Ted explained, head throbbing. He must have landed hard. “For Pandora, Marlon is camel mouth and for Marlon, Pandora is hermit.”
“Very amusing,” Paul said with a small smile. “Do you feel calmer?”
“No,” Ted confessed. He looked ok, but inside he was raging with hurt, anger and fear. With that baby suddenly on the scene, where did that leave him and Dreamer?
Upstairs, Pandora called Alice while Marlon dialled James’ number.
Alice didn’t know what to say, for the first time ever. Neither did James.
Pandora and Marlon both hung up frustratedly, tossing their mobiles on their beds and leaving their rooms.
“James is a prat,” Marlon said, looking at his sister. “He didn’t-”
“Make it better, I know. Neither did Alice,” Pandora said bitterly. “I’m taking time off college. I don’t care if I get thrown off the course.”
“Ditto.”
“Marlon, Pandora,” called Agnes. “Come and have your tea, darlings.”
Pandora’s eyes filled as she looked at her brother.
“Mum always makes us a nice tea. With muffins and stuff.”
Marlon’s heart panged as he nodded. “Yeah, I know.”
“I want to see her,” Pandora said. “We’ll get Paul to take us.”
“Ask Paul to take you,” Agnes scolded, at the foot of the stairs. “And call your mother first, to see if she’s up for seeing you.”
Ted looked at her hopefully. “What’s her number, Agnes?”
* * *
Baby Julian jumped in Dreamer’s arms, eyes snapping open as the house phone rang.
“Mummy!”
Annoyed at whoever was calling so late, Dreamer kissed him before laying him down properly in her bed, whispering “Sleep, honey.”
Julian laid down obediently, Dreamer pulling the duvet over him. She took her time, hoping the caller would hang up, but they didn’t.
“Hello, good night. Dreamer speaking.”
The person inhaled sharply, Dreamer frowning.
“Hello?”
Silence.
“You’ve woken my son up just after I put him to sleep,” she said coldly, looking at Baby Julian as he fidgeted under the duvet. “He mightn’t go back to sleep for a long time, thanks to you. I suggest you talk, or I’m going to send a charge of electricity down the line.”
Paul burst out laughing. “Go it, little one!”
“Papa!” she said, surprised. “What’s the matter? Why are you calling?”
“I’m not,” Paul said, chuckling. “My former son-in-law is calling-”
“Ted??”
“With your children and mother at his house.”
“Oh,” said Dreamer, suddenly realising everything. “Um…”
“Dreamer, you didn’t tell me you was pregnant,” croaked Ted. “Why?”
“I thought- I thought- Papa, Mama, please bring my family to me.”
Paul clasped Ted’s arm while Agnes took Marlon’s hand in one of hers and Pandora’s hand in the other.
“We’re on our way.”
* * *
Dreamer pulled her hair back into a ponytail as Baby Julian hung onto her leg, scared.
“Knock-knock co
ming, Mummy. Big knock-knock.”
“Don’t be afraid, baby. Mummy wont let them do anything to you.”
She could already feel the negative energy issuing from Ted, Marlon and Pandora- and they weren’t even there yet. And Baby Julian could sense it too, the forceful knock which Ted would give-
BANG!!
Ted slammed his fist onto the door, Baby Julian screaming and bursting into tears.
“Mummy!”
Outside, Agnes slapped Ted hard across the face.
“Stop that, Ted! You’ve frightened the baby!”
Baby Julian was wailing with no intention of stopping, lights going on across the road. Barbara peeked out of her window, eyes widening at the sight of Agnes and Paul Black, with some other people.
“Who cares about the stupid baby?” spat Pandora, though she cringed as Julian discovered a new octave. “Cant Mum get him to shut up?”
Inside, Dreamer was trying to calm him down as she walked to the door.
“No!” yelled Baby Julian, tears falling. “No, Mummy! No open it!”
“It’s Mama and Papa out there, honey. Don’t you want to see them?”
A Witch Like No Other Page 26