A Witch Like No Other

by Makala Thomas

  The conversation ended there, the siblings breaking free of their little spell.

  “What was you saying?”

  “That we need to get going,” Tony said, Alice nodding.

  “I’ll call you guys later.”

  James stuck his thumbs in his pockets, asking “So… we’re cool now?”

  “What? Oh- yeah,” said Marlon, nodding. “Yeah, we’re cool.”

  “I’m going home,” Pandora said, walking away. They looked at her in surprise, Marlon calling “What’re you going home for?”

  Pandora smirked as she looked back.

  “To stay in my bedroom and pretend I don’t exist.”

  Marlon and James burst out laughing as she smiled, continuing her walk.

  “Those days are long gone, Pandora!”

  Pandora waved a hand in reply.

  * * *

  Dreamer cuddled her son as he sat on her lap, watching a children’s show.

  Her eyes were on the screen, but she saw nothing.

  Baby Julian giggled, Dreamer stroking his hair absent mindedly.

  She needed her mother. She had no clue what she wanted anymore.

  Agnes appeared, smiling gently. “Dreamer.”

  Dreamer shook her head, the baby sticking his thumb in his mouth.

  “Is it nap time for Julian?” Agnes asked gently, and Dreamer nodded.

  Half an hour later, when she came back downstairs, Paul appeared.

  “Little one,” he said gently, looking at her. “I did say you should have stayed with us a little longer. You’re still very muddled up.”

  “Do you think it’s the curse of the flames?” Dreamer asked, but Paul shook his head. Agnes sat down on the sofa, saying “It’s not the curse of the flames, darling. It’s the curse of your fear.”

  Dreamer was confused. “My fear?”

  “What are you afraid of, little one?” Paul asked. “Ted?”

  “I give my all to him, when I never have before.” Dreamer sighed as she spoke. “When he came that night and we shared a kiss, I felt a tremendous change in our relationship. Yet…”

  Agnes and Paul leant forwards. “Yet?”

  “Yet I see myself hurting him one more time,” Dreamer whispered. “One last time. And I cant avoid it happening.”

  “Why ever not?”

  “Because… I want it to happen,” Dreamer confessed. “I want to know if he has felt the change too. If he can forgive me anything like I can now forgive him anything.”

  Agnes and Paul thought about this, Dreamer continuing “I want to know if he loves me as much as I love him, if he wears his heart on his sleeve like I wear mine.”

  Paul rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “It is a test.”

  Dreamer nodded, Agnes saying “Well, it takes two. Why should you have all the fun, little one? Ted is always challenged by other beauties.”

  Dreamer nodded. “I know. I wonder, even though he promises I am his moon and stars, if he has ever been intimate with any.”

  * * *

  “Mr. Stone?”

  Ted looked up from his laptop, quickly minimizing Dreamer’s photograph and opening up his notes on a client.

  “Yes Brandy? What can I do for you?”

  “I brought your coffee, sir. Along with a sandwich and cake.”

  Ted smiled at her. “Excellent. I only wanted a coffee, you know.”

  “I know, but I heard your stomach growl.” Ted’s PA, Brandy Shakes, walked over holding a tray with two of everything. “There you go.”

  “Thanks, Brandy. Is that your lunch?” She nodded. “Where will you eat?”

  “In the cafeteria, sir. It’s not so crowded around this time.”

  “Why don’t you join me,” Ted said, eyes on his laptop screen. “You’ll have to come back up here anyway. It saves time.”

  Brandy’s smile was so sweet it was difficult for Ted not to smile back.

  “I’d like that very much, sir.”

  Ted nodded, Brandy sitting in front of him at his desk, watching him.

  Ted, used to this behaviour from other women, ignored the sight.

  But what a sight it was. And the memories!

  Brandy smirked, thinking the same. “How is the lovely Dreamer Black?”

  Ted shrugged. “She’s fine.”

  He picked up his coffee as Brandy did, their hands brushing against each other. Ted refused to acknowledge her soft fingers.

  Brandy tried to be innocent as ever. “Are you… back together?”

  “Yes. I think so. Actually, yes we are.”

  Brandy sipped her coffee, watching him as he frowned in thought.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Why do you ask?” Ted answered, his voice as calm as he could get it.

  “I just wanted to know if she knows about… our affair.”

  “It wasn’t an affair,” Ted said, heat rising. “She was dead. Damon Stile murdered her- she wasn’t there. She was dead and gone.”

  Brandy shrugged. “She wasn’t dead in the three months you couldn’t find her.”

  Ted slammed his laptop down, making her jump. Then she smiled.

  “I love your temper, Mr. Stone.”

  “Brandy, you cant keep doing this to me.” Ted rubbed his brow, leaning back in his chair. “Everything we agree to forget you bring back up. Why do you do it?”

  “Because I love you, Mr. Stone.”

  * * *

  “Whoa,” said James, Pandora behind him.

  Marlon stared at the crystal ball disbelievingly. Ted had a girl on the side?

  “You don’t love me,” Ted said wearily. “You love the fact that you scored with a powerful man.”

  Brandy leant forwards. “Up to four weeks ago.”

  “Brandy!”

  “Yes Mr. Stone?” she said sweetly, and Ted scowled at her.

  “Stop this. All of it- it stops today.”

  Brandy smiled, reaching for a sandwich as Ted took deep breaths.

  “So you’ll just forget what we had?”

  “Yes.”

  “For how long.” Brandy used her long nails to slice the hardened plastic as she spoke. “Until Dreamer vanishes again?”

  “She’s not going anywhere,” Ted said angrily.

  “Until you have an argument, then? Over the baby who isn’t even yours?”

  Ted didn’t answer her.

  “She knows our business,” Marlon said furiously. “Why did he tell her?”

  “He was probably frustrated because nobody told him anything,” Pandora answered. “He had to let off some steam.”

  “To her?” said Marlon disgustedly. “Why mess with her of all the girls?”

  “She is pretty fine,” James admitted, and both Pandora and Marlon turned to glare at him. “Well… not as fine as Dreamer, anyway.”

  Pandora raised an eyebrow, James quickly saying “Or Pandora.”

  “Shut up,” Pandora answered, and Marlon burst out laughing.

  * * *

  Ted arrived home in dampened spirits. Brandy refused to let him go.

  “A kiss is just a kiss,” he muttered to himself, sticking his key in the lock.

  “Dad’s home!” hissed Marlon, placing a hand on the crystal ball.

  The image of Brandy Shakes, now talking to another woman, was replaced by swirling white mist.

  “Kids?” called Ted, and Pandora and Marlon called “Upstairs, Dad!”

  “With James!” James called. “Hello Mister Stone!”

  “Hello James,” Ted answered wearily. “Is everything ok now?”

  “Yes sir!”

  “Good. Be down for dinner in an hour, all of you.”

  * * *

  Dreamer ate her food slowly, Agnes adding another spoon of rice to her plate as she said “Eat up, Dreamer.”

  Paul sliced his steak, deep in thought. Dreamer looked up at him as Agnes finally sat down after adding some tiny pieces of chicken to Baby Julian’s bowl.

  “Say ta, baby,” Dreamer said wi
thout taking her eyes off her father, and Baby Julian said “Ta, Nana!”

  “You’re welcome, darling. Dreamer, why do you watch your father?”

  “Papa looks as if he’s having a vision,” Dreamer replied. “Papa?”

  “It’s your lover, little one,” Paul replied. “Ted.”

  “What about him?”

  “He has indeed been intimate… with a certain Brandy Shakes?”

  Dreamer’s jaw dropped. “His personal assistant?”

  “His very personal assistant,” Paul said, eyes glinting with malice. “It seems as if she was his lover after you were murdered. His secret lover.”

  Dreamer felt her stomach contract with anger. “Secret?”

  “Well, nobody sensed the woman’s tactics. Not even you.”

  “How could she?” Agnes said angrily. “She was weak when she returned! Her power gradually returned, gradually!”

  Paul ignored his wife, addressing his daughter only. “He went back to her when you left after returning, to stay with your mother once again. During the fiasco with Miriam.”

  Dreamer started to feel sick. “Papa, I really don’t want to hear this-”

  “And when you took Baby Julian home,” Paul continued. “During the two to three months he couldn’t find you, Brandy was there to comfort him. To act as if she understood exactly what he was feeling.”

  Paul looked Dreamer right in the eye. “To bed him.”

  Dreamer slid back from the table on her chair, Agnes standing up.

  “Paul, that’s enough.”

  “I’m not finished,” Paul said curtly. “Only two hours ago she captured his lips, little one. What are you going to do about it?”

  “Nothing,” Dreamer said quietly, then she thought. “Pay him a visit.”

  “The children will be delighted to see you,” Agnes said firmly, reminding her daughter that her children were there and would most likely witness a showdown.

  Paul waved his hand, a beautiful face appearing above the kitchen table. A woman’s face.

  Dreamer stared at her pale skin and rosy cheeks, her big blue eyes, her blonde hair. Her lips were blood red, her smile confident.

  Baby Julian whimpered, scared. He jumped as Ted’s voice boomed around the kitchen.

  “Why do you do it?”

  Brandy’s expression changed, her eyes clouding over with lust. Dreamer watched her face, sickened as her lips parted.

  “Because I love you, Mr. Stone.”

  “You don’t love me. You love the fact that you scored with a powerful man.”

  The face of Brandy smirked. “Up to four weeks ago.”

  “Brandy!”

  “Yes Mr. Stone?” she said sweetly, and Dreamer cringed.

  “Papa, I don’t want to see or hear this.”

  Paul looked at her, then he snapped his fingers. Ted spoke again.

  “Stop this. All of it- it stops today.”

  Brandy smiled. “So you’ll just forget what we had?”

  Dreamer backed from the table, Baby Julian twisting in his high chair to look at her.

  “Mummy!”

  “Papa, please-”

  “Paul,” said Agnes warningly, but Paul paid her no attention as he made Brandy repeat the line like a parrot.

  “So you’ll just forget what we had?”

  “Yes.”

  “Papa, turn it off- take it away,” begged Dreamer. “Papa!”

  The face of Brandy seemed to stare right at her.

  “For how long. Until Dreamer vanishes again?”

  “She’s not going anywhere,” Ted said, anger evident in his voice.

  Brandy rolled her eyes. “Until you have an argument, then? Over the baby who isn’t even yours?”

  Dreamer half hoped Ted would say Baby Julian was as good as, but he didn’t answer. He shouldn’t have to anyway.

  The woman- his lover or whoever she was- she was right.

  Baby Julian wasn’t his child. He didn’t even know Ted for starters. Dreamer fought the tears back as Barbara’s face faded.

  Paul stared at his daughter, silently daring her to cry.

  Dreamer swallowed, then she took a deep breath. “I wont.”

  “Indeed you wont,” Paul replied, snapping his fingers.

  The table cleared itself, Agnes pouting at him.

  “I wanted to do it.”

  Paul chuckled. “You’ll have many chances, Agnes, to clear a table.”

  Agnes smiled back.

  Dreamer sighed, starting to feel depressed for no reason. Then she remembered Baby Julian. Just looking at her son made her smile, warmth spreading from the top of her head all the way to her toes.

  “Whatever happens at least I still have you, right baby?” she said as she smiled at him, and the baby nodded.

  * * *

  “Dad, we know.”

  Ted glanced up at his kids. “Know what?”

  “About you and your PA,” Marlon said. “Why didn’t you tell us?”

  “She was a mistake,” Ted said, and Pandora scowled at him.

  “Yeah right. She was a mistake- that’s why you secretly went out with her after Mum died, and you went back with her when Mum came back-”

  * * *

  “And he went courted her when Dreamer came to me for a week, and when she moved away with Julian,” Agnes said angrily. “Paul, he isn’t the angel we thought he was.”

  “Well, it’s fair to say that he didn’t know Dreamer would come back from the dead.” Paul rubbed his chin as he spoke. “He had every right to try moving on, even if he felt like he betrayed Dreamer afterwards.”

  “Humph,” said Agnes huffily. “And what about the other times?”

  “Well… one could say he was still trying to move on.”

  “Paul!”

  “Oh, fine, he had no right to kiss the woman today, but he did the other times. Ted and Dreamer were separate then, do you agree?”

  “Yes,” grumbled Agnes. “So it’s only today he was wrong to do anything with that… that woman?”

  “Well… I’m not certain,” Paul confessed. “It depends on if he and Dreamer indeed patched things up and were courting once again.”

  “And if they wasn’t?”

  “Then Ted is in the clear.”

  * * *

  Baby Julian snuggled up to his mother as she slept, sucking his thumb. He could hear Nana and Paul-Paul talking downstairs, but nothing made sense to him. All he understood was that if he called they would come.

  Dreamer frowned in her sleep, her mouth parting as she whispered something. Her baby boy looked at her curiously.

  “Mummy?”

  Dreamer didn’t answer, back in her dream. Baby Julian rolled over and pushed himself into a sitting position with his tiny hands. His tiny breaths could be heard quite clearly as he touched Dreamer’s cheek.

  The baby jumped as emotions coursed through him like water down a drain, images flashing before his innocent little eyes.

  “AAAHHH!!!!”

  Paul leapt up, teleporting upstairs right away. Agnes was right behind him.

  “Dreamer!”

  “Paul-Paul!” yelled Baby Julian, blue light swirling around him and his mother. “Nana- Paul-Paul!”

  Paul ran to the bedside and grabbed the baby- ZZZTT!!

  The baby screamed again, Paul thrown backwards.

  “Agnes, what is this?!”

  Agnes pulled out her wand. “We must awaken Dreamer before she kills her son!”

  “With pleasure!” spat Paul, leaping up and aiming his wand at his daughter’s torso. “Quantalamera!!”

  BANG!!

  Dreamer snapped awake, gasping for breath. The swirling lights vanished as she sat up, Baby Julian’s tiny hand sliding off her face.

  “What happened?”

  Paul was angry enough to shake the life out of her, the baby trembling as he marched over to the bed.

  “Why don’t you tell us that, little one! What did you dream of?”

 
; “A duel,” Dreamer said truthfully. “Between myself and Brandy Shakes.”

  “Did you cast a spell?” asked Agnes, and Dreamer nodded.

  “It was very vivid.”

  “So vivid it almost came to life!” snapped Paul. “Julian lived the dream with you- he felt the impact of the spell!”

  “What!”

  Dreamer turned to look at her baby, who was crying quietly.

  “Oh honey, I’m sorry,” she said gently, as Baby Julian lifted his arms to her. She picked him up, cradling him. “Did I scare you?”