A Witch Like No Other
Page 32
“Remember when James said hi I and I bolted upstairs?” Marlon nodded. “Well… he gave me his number that night, when you came back from wherever. He wanted to help me.”
Marlon’s memory was all too clear. He remembered James telling him to help Pandora while they were out too… they discussed it in the car…
“But I didn’t talk to him, I swear,” Pandora said, pleading in her eyes. “You have to believe me- I tried to destroy his number with my box.”
“And it didn’t work?” She said no. “Why the hell not?”
“Mum,” said Pandora softly, looking at the kitchen door. “She wouldn’t let the paper vanish- it was still there the next day. I had a feeling she was alive, but I didn’t have any proof.”
“Mmm,” Marlon answered. “So… when did you talk to him, then?”
“When you blew his nose off. Seriously,” she said, when he gaped at her. “I’m not denying I had a crush on him, because I really did. But I didn’t use his number at all, or talk to him until his nose got blown off.”
Marlon remembered Pandora’s behaviour towards his friend.
“So that’s why you was so cold to him- you liked him.”
“What, did you think I’d act all giggly or something?”
“Most girls do,” said Marlon, smiling, then his face fell. “‘Dora-”
“It’s ok,” said Pandora quickly, knowing he was about to apologise. “Don’t worry about it.”
“Just act normal around each other when you’re around me,” Marlon said. “Please.”
“Isn’t that what we’ve been doing?” said Pandora, amused. “If it wasn’t for the kiss you never would’ve guessed we were going out.”
“True,” he said grudgingly, then he moved closer to her. Reaching out, he pulled her into a hug and kissed her on the forehead. Pandora smiled as he held her, mumbling “I’m sorry I acted like a jerk today.”
“It’s all right.”
“No it isn’t,” he said firmly. “Tomorrow, when we get back home, I’m going to call James and say sorry for trying to break his nose.”
“Why don’t you go visit him? He lives in the area now.”
“Yeah. Yeah, I think I will.”
* * *
“This feels nice,” murmured Dreamer, as Ted massaged her shoulders downstairs in the living room. Miriam glanced up from her book, amused.
“The massage?”
“No. Yes,” she said, as Ted prodded her in the back. “Yes it does, but I’m talking about the children. They all went to bed smiling… happy.”
“Looks like Marlon and ‘Dora made up,” Ted said, adding pressure to his hands. Dreamer was unsuccessful in stifling her moan, Ted smirking as Miriam glanced up again. Dreamer bit her lip, apologising.
“Maybe we should go to bed,” suggested Miriam, but Dreamer and Ted both said no. They didn’t feel tired one bit. Miriam pouted, feeling like she was the mother and they were her naughty teenage children.
“Bed,” she said firmly. “Ted, you’ve got work in the morning- and so have I. Dreamer, you have to be properly awake when Baby Julian gets up- and if you stay up any later you wont be. Let’s all have a hot drink, and then get ready for bed.”
Ted and Dreamer sighed, Ted’s hands falling to his sides as Dreamer said “Yes Mama,” in the sweetest voice imaginable.
Miriam smiled at them, saying “Good.”
Ted and Dreamer smiled back.
* * *
“Dreamer… Dreamer…”
Dreamer clapped a hand to her mouth, ushering Miriam inside her bedroom and pointing at Ted. He was fast asleep, but his mouth was certainly awake.
“Yes, Dreamer- yes…”
Miriam’s jaw dropped, and she hissed “Is he serious?”
Dreamer nodded, laughing she whispered “Oh, Teddy.”
“Dreamer…”
“Teddy Bear…”
“Dreamer…”
“Yes,” whispered Dreamer, and Ted whispered “Don’t stop, Dream…”
Dreamer pulled Miriam forwards, whispering “Stay there.”
“Dreamer, I cant!”
“Shh! Ted, baby,” she whispered.
Ted smiled in his sleep. “You’re so beautiful.”
“Open your eyes and look at how beautiful I am, baby.”
Ted squirmed in his sleep, lifting a hand to his brow as he obeyed. Everything was out of focus. Was he dreaming?
“Look at me,” whispered Dreamer, and he blinked.
When Miriam slid into view, he opened his mouth and screamed.
“Aaaaargh!!”
Dreamer collapsed, laughing her head off as Ted scrambled away from his lover’s best friend, tumbling off the other side of the bed.
The crash made Baby Julian snap awake, looking around fearfully. Pulling his tiny thumb out of his mouth, he asked “Mummy?”
Miriam tried not to, but soon she was laughing as much as Dreamer, who was using her as a shield to stop Ted from reaching her.
“Teddy, it wasn’t my fault! You started it, talking in your sleep-”
“I was dreaming!” he said, outraged. “You took advantage of the dream!”
“I didn’t mean to frighten you, Ted-” Dreamer struggled to stop laughing. “I was only joking with you. Your face!”
Miriam burst out laughing as well. She’d never seen Ted look so horrified in all the time she’d known him.
“I’d pay big money to see that again,” she told Ted, who glared at her.
“Miriam, don’t mention this to anyone at work, especially your boss.”
“Tony would find it ever so funny- ok,” she said amusedly, when Ted made throttling movements. “But when everyone asks me why I keep cracking up when there’s nothing amusing happening-”
“Tell them you suffer from mental health or something.”
Dreamer and Miriam burst out laughing again, Dreamer saying “What a wake up call, right Teddy?” Ted scowled at her. “It’s soon seven o clock. Get your shower while I wake Marlon and Pandora. If you leave at eight you’ll be back home at around nine, nine thirty.”
Ted’s face fell. “Do we have to go?”
“Yes,” smiled Dreamer. “You and Miriam start work at eleven, and Marlon and Pandora need to go and see James.”
“Right,” he said glumly, as Baby Julian called “Mummy!”
“He’s awake,” smiled Dreamer, and Miriam said “The noise must have woken him up.”
“Mummy, Mummy!”
“Coming sweetie,” called Dreamer, and they heard him giggle.
“I’ll go to him,” Miriam offered, but Dreamer shook her head.
“It’s ok, I’ll go. Get yourself sorted out.”
“Ok.”
* * *
“I need some sticks,” Pandora said, slumped on the sofa with her rucksack. Marlon looked at her.
“What for?”
“To hold my eyelids up,” she answered, and he smiled.
Ted jogged down the stairs, looking flash in his business suit. Dreamer smiled at him as he entered the kitchen, Baby Julian waving excitedly.
“Hello!”
“Hey, little man. Did you eat all of your breakfast?”
“Yep!”
“Yes,” Dreamer corrected gently, and Baby Julian said “Yeees.”
Ted smiled, saying “You remember my name, don’t you?”
“Yep! Yeees,” he said, when Dreamer raised her eyebrow at him. “Ted!”
“Good boy,” smiled Ted, and Baby Julian giggled.
“Where you go?”
“To work.”
“Ohhh. Where Marlon and Dorwa go?”
“Home.”
“To you house?”
“Yep.”
“Yes,” Baby Julian said shyly, and Ted and Dreamer laughed.
“Teddy, how am I supposed to teach him to talk properly if you’re saying exactly what he’s saying?”
“Sorry Dreamer. I forgot,” smiled Ted, while the baby asked “Teddy?”
Miriam made sure she had everything before she came downstairs, jingling her keys.
“Ready to go?”
“Ready,” called Ted, Marlon nodding. Pandora didn’t react.
Ted straightened his collar, checking himself over.
“You look brilliant,” Dreamer said softly, and Ted smiled at her.
“Thanks, Dream. Um… I’ll call you at lunch, ok?”
“I go too,” said Baby Julian, eyes filling. “Mummy, I go too!”
“You cant, honey. Ted’s got a lot of work to do.”
Baby Julian’s face crumpled. Feeling his heart wrench at the sight of him weeping, Ted said “I can take him with me if you want-”
“He hasn’t known you long enough to trust you, Ted.” Dreamer smiled at him. “If you get as far as the door with him I’ll be surprised.”
Ted did get as far as the door. As soon as it opened Baby Julian twisted in his arms, screaming for his mother.
“Mummy!!”
Dreamer burst out laughing. “Don’t you want to go, baby?”
“No!”
“Told you,” Pandora said to Marlon. “You owe me two pounds.”
Marlon handed the money over without a fuss, his mind full of what he was going to say to James when he saw him later on today.
Ted handed the baby back over, chucking his chin. Baby Julian giggled, Ted saying “See you soon, little man.”
“Bye Teddy!”
* * *
Dreamer lay curled up on her bed, fast asleep. Baby Julian slept in her arms, snuggled comfortably against her chest.
Paul Black appeared at the foot of Dreamer’s giant bed, looking at them thoughtfully.
“Spitting images of each other,” he murmured, sitting down in Dreamer’s armchair and smiling at his only child, and his youngest grandchild. “Spitting images.”
* * *
James walked up the path nervously, spotting Marlon and Pandora talking further up. He stopped, sticking his hands in his pockets. Why should he talk to them? To get another punch in the nose?
Pandora watched him over Marlon’s shoulder, James avoiding her eye.
“He’s here,” she told Marlon flatly, and Marlon looked around.
James stepped backwards, Marlon opening his mouth to tell him not to be such an idiot. Realising James was suddenly nervous of him, he looked at Pandora before saying “Call him, ‘Dora.”
“James,” called Pandora, and Marlon cringed at how soft her voice was. “Come here- don’t act like he’s going to kill you.”
“He wants to, though,” James answered. “You can tell.”
“Glad you can,” Marlon said, and Pandora glared at him. Marlon quickly took a minute to take a breath, controlling his temper. “Listen bro, just come. I need to talk to you about… all of this.”
James looked at Pandora, and Marlon snapped “How long have you known me, idiot? Suddenly you don’t know if you can trust me?”
“I can,” James said, offended as he walked over. He winced, holding his side. “You know I had to go to casualty, right?”
“What for?” demanded Marlon: Pandora bit the words back.
“You bruised my ribs when you slammed your size nines into them.”
“I had every right,” said Marlon, though he felt guilty. “Er… sorry.”
“Sorry?” James repeated. “Thanks to you, I’ll have to sit in the stands while the team goes head to head with Hertfordshire! I cant play football until everything’s better again- but yeah, you can!”
“I wont play,” Marlon said firmly. “They’ll have to get another guy.”
James shook his head, saying “No.”
“No what?”
“You have to play. You know you’re one of the best in the team.”
“I’m one of the best because I know you’ve got my back!”
“Er, sorry to interrupt,” Pandora said flatly, looking from her brother to James and back. “But I didn’t come here to hear you discuss ball, or wonder if you guys really are gay. Can we get back on the subject?”
“We’re not gay,” Marlon and James said together, and Pandora smirked.
“You said that too quickly.”
“Ignore her,” Marlon said to James, face growing hot. “Basically, I’ve decided to give you my blessings.”
James burst out laughing. “Isn’t your dad supposed to give the blessings?”
“Fine, I’ll make this quick then.” Marlon held his hand up, and started counting off his fingers. “One. Act normal around me and other people. Nobody needs to know you’re hitting on my sister. She doesn’t take publicity well.” James nodded. “Two: I don’t want to hear you go on about each other when you cant be together. That’s just weird.”
Pandora smiled, agreeing with that.
“Three: if you have an argument, don’t talk to me about it. I was against this relationship from the start. Number four… I’m not a mentor. I don’t want to listen to any problems you might be having. You want to talk, go find Miriam or-”
“Alice!” said James, smiling broadly as she neared them. “Hi!”
“Who’s the guy?” muttered Marlon, and Pandora smirked.
“Her father, you idiot.”
“Daddy, this is James Henbit,” Alice said, beaming at her father. “He’s one of my friends.”
Tony nodded, shaking James’ hand.
“And this is Marlon, Pandora’s brother.”
Tony smiled, clasping Marlon’s hand as he said “I haven’t seen you since you first came to the clinic. Good to see you, Marlon.”
“You too,” Marlon offered, and Tony’s smile grew as he looked at Pandora.
“Pandora Black, you’ve got Miss Hughes very upset.”
“Good,” Pandora answered, and Tony laughed.
Suddenly he sobered up as he asked “How is… your mother?”
“Still with my father,” Pandora said amusedly, and Tony pouted.
“Tell her that I’d like to call a meeting with her, if you please.”
“You mean her, me and my father.”
“No, I mean her alone.”
“Daddy,” said Alice warningly, as Marlon demanded “For what?”
“To speak about Pandora. Your father will be at work,” Tony said, a little smugly. “And you shall be in college. Give this letter to Miss Black.”
Pandora took the envelope, looking at it curiously.
“It’s only to discuss whether you still need to be under the care of Miss Hughes,” Tony said reassuringly, and Pandora said “No I don’t.”
“You cant be sure of that though,” Tony said reasonably. “You’re both steamed up, aren’t you? While you both say you don’t want anything to do with each other, in a week’s time you could make up.”
Alice frowned as Pandora and Marlon nodded, unsure if her father was up to something. She knew he desired Dreamer.
“And your mother knows Miriam better than Ted,” Tony said, a little desperately as Pandora watched him. “It’s better that she come.”
“Fine. She’ll have to bring my baby brother along,” Pandora said with a shrug of her shoulder, and Tony nodded.
Anything to have her alone with me.
“What?” said Marlon sharply, and everyone looking at him. “What did you say?”
Everyone frowned at him. “He didn’t say anything, Marlon.”
“I swear he did,” Marlon said, but they shook their heads.
“Daddy didn’t say anything,” Alice said, but Pandora looked her brother right in the eye, silent.
What did he say, Marlon? What was he thinking?
Marlon shot Tony a filthy look before answering, as silent as his sister.
He thought anything to have her alone with him. She cant go.
Yes she can. Let him try it on, Mum’ll let him hav
e it.
Are you sure?
Pandora nodded, Tony unnerved by the silence.
James grinned, asking “Are you doing some kind of telepathy?”
They didn’t answer, Marlon repeating himself.
Are you sure, Pandora?
Yes.
But what if it backfires? What if Mum decides she wants him?
That’s her business. As long as she comes clean with Dad so it doesn’t hurt too much.
I thought you wanted Mum and Dad together?
I just want Mum happy. Don’t you?
Mum’s already happy, Marlon replied. You know she is.
“We’d better get going,” Tony said, freaked out by the silence. Were they talking to each other in their heads?
Mum’s unsure of herself right now. All she’s sure of is Baby Julian.
What about us??
And us, I think. I don’t think she’d go with Tony.
What if she does? The thought terrified Marlon. He didn’t know life with Ted and Dreamer separate. Neither did Pandora, not much. ‘Dora!
I don’t know, ok? We’ll have to wait and see what happens.
But Alice is my girlfriend. I don’t want her as a step-sister!
Don’t think of her as any kind of relative, because she isn’t. She’s your girlfriend, leave it at that.