A Witch Like No Other

by Makala Thomas

  “So… what are you saying? You want me to leave with the kids?”

  “I say we wait until they come home, and then sort it all out.”

  Ted nodded, saying “Fine. But for now, can we enjoy our day?”

  “Our day?”

  “Celebrate us getting back together. Because,” he said as he looked her right in the eyes, “Whether we live together or not, we are together.”

  Dreamer smiled.

  “I’ll accept that.”

  * * *

  Pandora walked into class slowly, everyone looking at her.

  “Hey Pandora!”

  She didn’t answer, dropping in her seat next to Alice.

  “You hung up on me,” Alice said sulkily, and Pandora looked at her.

  “Good morning to you too, Alice. Jeez, lighten up. It’s a nice day.”

  “Oh, I should lighten up? Why don’t you enlighten me on your baby-”

  “Shh! Break time.”

  * * *

  “Can I come home with you?” begged Alice, but Pandora said no.

  “Unless you’re talking about my dad’s house- and it’s still no because I’m not going there. I’m going back to Mum’s with Marlon-”

  She broke off, noticing James talking to her brother. They hadn’t spoken since she left him in the park two and a half months ago, and after Pandora repeatedly rejected James’s calls, he stopped calling.

  Alice nudged her, saying “Go make up with him.”

  “It’s not me he needs to make up with, it’s my mother.”

  James watched Pandora over Marlon’s shoulder, suddenly oblivious to whatever Marlon was saying to him.

  “We’ve got to practice for the game, so forget about the Halloween party.”

  “Mmm,” James answered, as Pandora walked off, Alice in her wake.

  “It doesn’t matter anyway, there’s still Christmas parties and stuff, right?”

  “Uh-huh.”

  Pandora turned a corner, then she was gone. Alice looked back and smiled sympathetically, then she was gone too. James scowled. Did she feel sorry for him or something? What did Pandora tell her?

  “And we need to work on our essays for the coach too- I cant believe there’s a writing side to sports-” Marlon stopped, looking at him. “Bro, are you even listening?”

  “What? Oh- yeah,” lied James. “Yeah, I’m listening.”

  “Good, so you can tell Derek we’re not going to the party.”

  “What?!” spluttered James. “Why not?”

  “Because we’re already behind on work,” Marlon answered. “We need to catch up before we get kicked off the course.”

  James pouted.

  * * *

  “Make sure you make notes,” their lecturer said firmly, staring right at Pandora. “Some of you don’t seem to be taking Creative Studies seriously.”

  Pandora rolled her eyes as the lights went out, the film starting.

  “Pandora, why don’t you take him home?” Alice whispered in the dark. “I mean, that way you’ll be ok again and-”

  “We are ok,” Pandora whispered back. “I’m just holding off talking to him until he apologises to my mother for being such a coward.”

  “And when he does?”

  “Then we’ll be back on track.”

  “Pandora!” barked Mr Works. “Stop talking and start working!”

  Pandora glared at him, picking up her pen. She wrote down the title of the film, and the date. Alice followed suit, Pandora scowling at her.

  Funny how she’s the one who always whispers and copies my notes but I’m the one who gets shouted at.

  Turning her paper over, Alice scribbled ‘Shall I talk to him for you?’

  Pandora read her words slowly, remembering all too well when she saw James hug Alice outside her door at home. Her gut clenched.

  ‘No, I’ll talk to him myself.’

  Alice nodded.

  * * *

  “Nap time, baby.”

  Baby Julian’s eyes filled over as he looked at his toys, then at Dreamer.

  “I no want nap, Mummy. Peas no nap?”

  “Please yes nap, and play some more when you wake up.”

  Baby Julian thought about this, scratching his curly head. Then he reached up to his Mummy, Dreamer bending and picking him up.

  “Good boy.”

  Ted wanted to follow, but he forced himself to stay put on the sofa. Dreamer stopped at the door and smiled at him, making his stomach flutter as she said “I wont be long.”

  Ted nodded. “Ok.”

  Baby Julian looked up at Dreamer curiously, then he looked at Ted.

  Ted smiled, saying “I think he’s onto something.”

  “Mummy, look!” The baby placed his hands on Dreamer’s chest, then his little ear. “Boom, Mummy! Boom boom! What that boom, Mummy?”

  “It’s my heart, baby.”

  “It fast,” said Baby Julian, transfixed. “It go fast, Mummy!”

  Ted smirked, knowing her heart would be racing if he was around. Embarrassed, Dreamer said “I… let’s get you to bed.”

  She left quickly, nearly running up the stairs.

  Ted waited for a good ten minutes before laughing his head off. Dreamer descended the stairs slowly, her hand on her slender hip.

  “You think that’s funny, do you?”

  “It’s hilarious,” Ted answered, grinning at her. “Wow, Dreamer. You looked so relaxed and normal, but then Baby Julian gave you away.”

  “He picks up on everything,” said Dreamer lovingly, then she pouted. “I’m not sure that’s a good thing.”

  Ted burst out laughing again, Dreamer smiling grudgingly.

  “Come here, you.” Ted pulled her into his arms. “Get ready for lunch.”

  “Lunch?”

  “With Barbara, remember?”

  “Oh Ted, I don’t want to- I cant leave you by yourself-”

  “Dreamer, the woman looked real disappointed when you tried shunning her off.” Ted caressed her cheek with the back of his hand. “Go to her.”

  “I cant. Baby Julian’s asleep now- I’m not waking him up just for-”

  “Baby, I’m perfectly capable of babysitting for you.”

  Dreamer bit her lip. “I’ve never left him alone with a stranger before.”

  “I’m not a stranger, though.”

  “To him you are- Ted, stop it-”

  “Say you’ll go to lunch,” Ted said, eyes sparkling as he pulled her closer. “Or else I’ll torture you in the sweetest way possible.”

  Dreamer inclined her head with a slow, seductive smile.

  “I think I’ll prefer the torture, to be honest with you.”

  “Oh yeah?”

  “Yes.”

  “Ok, how about I torture you and then you go to lunch?”

  “How about you come with me?” Dreamer countered. “I’ll call Miriam to come over and watch the baby, and I’ll call Barbara and let her know I’m coming in an hour.”

  “Ok,” Ted said. “You know, Marlon and Pandora finish at half three.”

  “They should be here by half four then,” Dreamer answered as she picked up the house phone. “By that time everyone should be relaxed. We can watch a film together before we go out to dinner.”

  “Dinner?”

  “Dinner,” Dreamer said, looking at him. “Remember Ted, in the early hours of this morning, you went dramatic on me.”

  “Dramatic?” Ted thought back to when Dreamer couldn’t get enough of him, at sunrise. Remembering the expression on her face, he smirked at her. “I thought you liked it when I-”

  “Ted!” Dreamer put the house phone down as he started laughing. “Stop being so- I’m talking about when you called Miriam!”

  “Oh!” Ted slapped a hand to his forehead. “I totally forgot.”

  “Right, so I’ll call Miriam quickly and then Barbara, then-”

  “How long will it take for Miriam to get here?” Ted cut across, smirking.

  “Thre
e quarters of an hour minimum. Why?”

  “That’s all I need to deal with you, my lovely.”

  “No,” Dreamer said flatly, but Ted ignored her as he walked towards her. “No, Ted!”

  “Yes, Dreamer.”

  * * *

  Baby Julian woke up to Mummy shrieking with laughter, Ted as well.

  “Ted, stop it! We’ve got to go.”

  “I don’t want to go anymore.”

  The doorbell rang.

  “See, that’s Miriam- let go of me.” Dreamer pushed him away, laughing as she went and opened the front door to her friend. “Hello Miriam.”

  “Dreamer,” Miriam said, beaming at her. “How have you been?”

  “Fine, fine- come inside.”

  Miriam noted that Dreamer was out of breath.

  “Are you ok?”

  “What? Oh- I’m fine.”

  “You’re all out of breath, though.”

  “Because of Ted!” said Dreamer, laughing as Ted popped his head around the door of the living room with a sly grin on his face.

  “Hey Miriam. All set for dinner later on?”

  “Um… yes, I brought a change of clothes in the car.” Miriam smiled nervously, then she looked at Dreamer. “Is Baby Julian asleep?”

  “Yes,” Dreamer said, as the baby called “Mummy!”

  “Well, he was,” Dreamer said grudgingly, as Julian called again.

  “Mummy!”

  “I’ll go and get him,” Miriam offered, and Dreamer nodded.

  Dreamer listened as she picked up her wand, Julian shrieking happily.

  “Minnyam!”

  “Yep, he’s in good hands,” Ted said thoughtfully. “Ready?”

  Dreamer nodded, placing her wand on her side and letting go. It slowly slid out of sight, vanishing into thin air. Ted frowned at her.

  “Where’d it go?”

  “It’s in an invisible pocket,” Dreamer replied. “Shall we?”

  “Yep.”

  Ted offered his arm, Dreamer taking it as she called “Bye, Miriam!”

  “Have a nice time!” Miriam called, at the foot of the stairs with Baby Julian in one arm. He sensed Mummy was going… with the stranger.

  “Mummy, where you go?”

  “Across the road, sweetie. To Barbara’s house.”

  Baby Julian reached to her, mouth trembling. Dreamer’s heart melted, and she felt like cancelling lunch and staying with her baby. Stepping closer, she took him off Miriam as tears trailed down his cheeks.

  “Don’t cry, baby. I’ll be back soon.”

  “Soon?” he repeated, not knowing what that meant. “What soon mean?”

  “I wont be long. Don’t cry honey, you’ll make Mummy cry too.”

  Baby Julian wiped his tears away, but his eyes filled again.

  “Why don’t we take him with us?” Ted suggested. “Miriam can let in Pandora and Marlon- if she doesn’t want to come too?” he added hastily, when Dreamer glared at him. Miriam smiled and shook her head.

  “I’ll let in Pandora and Marlon for you. It’s already a quarter to three.”

  “This is a very late lunch, then,” Dreamer said, conjuring a tiny pair of trainers for Baby Julian. His tiny puff coat sailed out of his wardrobe, out of his room and downstairs, Dreamer catching it easily.

  “Are you sure he needs that?” Ted asked. “I mean, it’s only across the-”

  “I cant risk him getting a cold, Ted.”

  Miriam took the trainers quickly, wanting to do it for her.

  “Honestly Dreamer, you worry so much over him,” she murmured, as Baby Julian giggled, squirming at her gentle touch on his feet.

  Ted watched him with a small smile, marvelling at how much he looked like his mother.

  “I bet you looked just like Julian when you was a baby, Dream.”

  Miriam looked at him as Dreamer said “I probably did. All done?”

  “Yep,” said Miriam, while she wondered if Ted had always called Dreamer ‘Dream’, just how she had always called him Teddy.

  Baby Julian clung to Dreamer happily, Dreamer wiping his mouth.

  “You shouldn’t be drooling like that,” she said, shaking her head at him as a dummy appeared. Baby Julian grabbed it happily, Dreamer looking into the eyes that mirrored her own. “No running around at Barbara’s, ok honey? You can take your teddy with you.”

  “Back soon,” Ted added to Miriam, who nodded.

  “Mummy, what those?” asked Baby Julian, reaching for Dreamer’s earrings. Dreamer caught his hand gently, saying “My jewellery, baby.”

  “Oh,” he said, gazing at them. “They nice, Mummy.”

  “Thank you sweetie.”

  Miriam smiled, hugging herself as she watched Dreamer cross the road with her child in her arms, her lover at her side. Barbara opened the front door before Ted could even press the bell, eagerly ushering them inside. Miriam closed the door gently, smiling.

  She couldn’t wait to see Pandora again.

  * * *

  Pandora felt a little miserable as Alice linked arms with her. Though it hadn’t been as if she’d been speaking to him constantly for ages, she kept remembering when her and James had been inseparable in primary school. And a bit of secondary school.

  And that night they shared together on her sofa too, it filled the long gap of separation they experienced when they both fell apart.

  “Pandora, are you even listening to me?” demanded Alice, pouting.

  “I miss him,” Pandora mumbled, and her face softened.

  “Shall we go to the Sports Building? He should be finishing now.”

  “But I cant talk to him, can I, because Marlon’s going to be there.”

  “I’ll distract Marlon,” Alice said quickly, and Pandora raised an eyebrow. Alice smiled, saying “What? I’m not even going to lie to you-”

  “You like my brother.”

  “I think he’s cute,” Alice said, shrugging. “That’s all.”

  “You know, normally I’d be mad at you, but I guess that’s being a bit of a hypocrite,” Pandora said. “I like his friend, he likes my friend-”

  “Marlon cant stand me,” Alice answered, and Pandora smirked.

  “He acts like it because he doesn’t want to get rejected. I can tell he likes you, he used to look at Janice the same way before I clocked.”

  “Mmm,” Alice answered. “So is it ok to tell Marlon about you and-”

  “No! He’ll kill James,” Pandora said, quickly filling her in about Marlon and his accurate crystal ball. “I had to scarper real quick.”

  “I get that, but up a tree?” Alice couldn’t believe what she just heard. “Boy, you must be quick on your feet.”

  “I am,” Pandora answered. “So… should we go to the Sports Building?”

  “Yes, lets.”

  * * *

  “Marlon, tell her I’m not interested!” James said angrily, as Cindy smirked at him. “We broke up ages ago-”

  Marlon was confused. “But when I asked about her, you said-”

  “I lied, ok bro? We broke up at least six months ago!”

  “No wonder I haven’t seen you,” Marlon said to Cindy, smiling broadly as Alice and Pandora turned the corner. “Don’t listen to him, he’s been missing you. He told me he missed you about three days ago.”

  “I know he misses me, because I miss him too.”

  “Aaaah,” said Marlon, amused as James smiled a little. “See, he’s smiling! Cindy, how about we go out at the weekend?”

  “Ok, sure. Marlon, aren’t you going to grow?” Cindy laughed as she looked up at him. “You’ve been the same since high school!”

  “Don’t start on me!” Marlon said, making her laugh again. “Focus on your man, and slap him for staring at your- hey ‘Dora!”

  James whipped round as Cindy wrapped her arms around him.

  “Pandora! What are you doing here?”

  “Waiting for Marlon like I always do,” Pandora said smoothly, Marlon saying “You reme
mber Cindy, don’t you ‘Dora? James’s girl!”

  It’s a wonder Cindy kept smiling, James thought nervously. The look Pandora gave her was so cold he swore the temperature went down.

  “Hi.”

  “Hey Pandora!” said Cindy, smiling at her. “I haven’t seen you in ages!”

  Pandora shrugged. “I don’t really speak to anyone from high school anymore.” Including you! “How come you’re here at Forest?”

  “I just came to talk to my man,” Cindy answered as she kissed James’s neck. “He’s been missing me, haven’t you Jamie?”

  Pandora raised an eyebrow at the nickname, James struggling to prise Cindy off him. She was pretty strong for someone under five feet. Cindy let him go, walking up to Pandora happily. James and Marlon frowned, looking at each other. Was Pandora really that tall?

  “Wow, you’re nearly as tall as James!” exclaimed Cindy, Pandora countering “You’re nearly as small as-”

  James coughed loudly, saying “Cindy! Let’s go, ok?”