* * *
“I miss you so much sometimes.”
“I feel the same,” Dreamer admitted softly as she held her cup. “But at least we’re together.”
“Can you share my bed, Dream?” Ted asked quietly. “I want to hold you close to me. That’s another thing I miss about us living together.”
“Well, why don’t you come with Marlon and Pandora on the weekends?” suggested Dreamer. “Instead of you staying here alone?”
“You wouldn’t mind?”
“Of course not.”
Ted smiled at her, relieved. “All right then.”
They sipped in silence, Ted holding Dreamer’s hand.
After a while Dreamer said “And yes, I will share your bed.”
Ted smiled at her. “Let’s go up, then.”
* * *
Ted held Dreamer close to him as they lay in bed, deep in thought.
“Dream?”
“Mmm?”
“You know Christmas is coming up. I really want us all to be together, to have a magical Christmas, all of us. Agnes and Paul too.”
“That sounds wonderful,” Dreamer said softly, and Ted smiled.
“If you don’t want to come here for Christmas, we can come to yours. Anywhere you feel comfortable.”
Dreamer nodded, snuggling closer to him. “I’d prefer having us at mine.”
“Great. I’ll buy the tree and decorations and the presents.” Ted kissed her on the forehead. “You just relax and let your man do the work.”
Dreamer thought about Antonio and her parents, and decided to forget testing Ted. They were at a place in their relationship they’d never been before, and she loved it. She would never do anything to betray him again.
Never.
* * *
Ted woke up to Baby Julian’s giggles as he said “Teddy!”
Ted smiled, muttering “Hey, little man. You ok?”
Dreamer looked at Julian, who shyly said “Yes.”
“Good boy, baby.” Dreamer kissed Baby Julian. “Ready for breakfast?”
“Yes Mummy. Teddy come too?”
“Of course.”
Ted smiled and got out of bed, asking “What time is it, Dream?”
“Just gone ten. Marlon and Pandora are waiting for us at the table.”
“Give me ten minutes. I’ll be there.”
Dreamer smiled at him. “I don’t think they’re going to wait another minute to eat their breakfast, Ted. But ok. I’ll tell them.”
“Bye Teddy!” said Julian happily, and Ted smiled at him.
“See you in a bit.”
* * *
Dreamer sat at the table with Julian in her lap, saying “Your father’ll be ten minutes, but if you’re really hungry you can start eating your food.”
Pandora picked up her fork immediately, making Marlon burst out laughing.
“Pandora, seriously- cant you wait ten minutes?”
“No,” she replied flatly, and Dreamer smiled amusedly as Marlon laughed again. “I’m starving.”
“So am I, but I still want to wait for Dad.”
“You do that.” Pandora forked a sausage and took a bite. “Usually you scoff your food before anyone anyway.”
“Yeah, but I don’t want to look like a pig in front of my baby brother.”
“He’ll find out you’re a pig real soon,” Pandora replied amusedly, making Dreamer laugh. “It’s something you realise.”
“All right, fine. I’ll eat mine,” said Marlon, picking up his fork, and Baby Julian said “I eat too!”
Marlon and Pandora laughed as Ted came into the kitchen, pouting.
“So none of my kids want to wait for their Dad to come before they eat?”
“No,” Marlon and Pandora said amusedly, and Baby Julian beamed at Ted, a big smile on his tiny face.
Everyone froze, staring at the baby.
He looked just like Ted as he smiled at him- just like him! Dreamer stared at Julian as well, mind already whirring like Ted’s was.
“Take… um… Pandora, take Julian while I talk to your father in the living room.”
Pandora knew what they were going to discuss and so did Marlon. She reached for Julian, gently taking him from their mother.
Julian squirmed in her arms as his eyes filled over, and she said “It’s ok, Julian. Mummy needs to talk to Teddy, ok?”
“Ok,” he said, and she gently wiped his tears away.
Dreamer pulled Ted’s kitchen doors closed behind her, heart racing as she turned to Ted, who said “Dreamer, think hard. Could Julian be mine?”
Before Dreamer could answer Agnes and Paul appeared, Dreamer scared as she said “Papa? What do you know?”
“As much as you, little one.” Paul was unnerved as well. “It’s a possibility Baby Julian could be Ted’s son. But I am not sure.”
“So there’s a possibility.” Ted exhaled as he looked at Dreamer. “Dream, think about the dates. He could be my son.”
“He could be,” Dreamer admitted quietly, and Ted’s eyes filled over.
“That small time I spent hating Julian when he could be mine- I cant forgive myself-”
Dreamer placed a finger on his lips, shushing him gently. “Don’t worry about it.”
“But-”
“We’ll get a DNA test for you and Julian, at the hospital.”
“Bear in mind it will take a week for the results to come,” Agnes said grimly. “It will be a gruelling week for all of us.”
“Let’s go now,” Ted said, and they looked at him. “I have to know as soon as possible- we cant delay the test. Please, Dreamer. Let’s go now.”
Dreamer nodded. “Papa, Mama- please stay with Pandora and Marlon until we get back.”
Agnes and Paul nodded. “Of course.”
Dreamer took a deep breath before she went back into the kitchen, saying “Come, baby.”
Julian reached for her happily, and Dreamer gently took him from Pandora.
“We’re going out with Teddy, ok?”
“Ok,” Julian said happily, and Pandora said “Mum?”
“It’s fine,” Dreamer said softly. “Everything will be ok.”
“What if the baby’s Dad’s?” Pandora asked quietly. “Will it be ok?”
“Of course it will.”
“And what if he isn’t?” Marlon asked as quietly as his sister had. “Will it still be ok?”
“Of course,” Dreamer repeated. “Everything has been fine so far even though we all thought Julian wasn’t Ted’s. We put it behind us, remember?”
Marlon and Pandora nodded, then Pandora said “Good luck.”
“Thank you sweetie.”
Dreamer gently put on Julian’s tiny puff coat and shoes, then his little hat.
“Don’t you look cute.”
Julian beamed up at his mother, and she kissed him on the forehead.
“Ready, Ted?”
“I’m ready,” Ted replied hoarsely, and she realised how nervous he was as he said “Dreamer- me and you- I mean if the test is negative… will we-”
“Don’t worry,” she said softly. “No matter what happens, I promise me and you will be ok.”
Ted breathed out, relieved as Julian fidgeted in Dreamer’s arms. Then he said “Let’s go.”
* * *
Five days later…
Ted couldn’t stop pacing the living room. The hospital had told him and Dreamer the results would take five to seven working days to be received.
However, the letter would be sent to Dreamer’s home, not his.
Pandora and Marlon came home from college with James and Alice, Alice saying “Hi Mr. Stone!”
“Hello Alice,” Ted said, distracted for a split second as they all put their bags down. Then, remembering that James was Pandora’s boyfriend and Alice was Marlon’s girlfriend, he said “No switching with James when you go to Pandora’s room, Alice. If I check on you and find James in there instead-”
“That wont happen sir, I promise
,” smiled Alice. “Come on Pandora.”
Ted took to pacing his living room again as they all went upstairs.
* * *
“So he could be Ted’s,” whispered Miriam, Denise awestruck as Dreamer held the envelope. “Open it, Dreamer!”
“I cant.” Dreamer shook her head. “Not without Ted being here.”
“Do you want me to call him?”
“Yes please.”
Denise pulled out her mobile quickly before Miriam had a chance and called Ted, saying “Ted? It’s Denise. Come to Dreamer’s as soon as you can, and bring Pandora and Marlon. No, nothing’s happened- well, something has. Dreamer needs you here with her.”
“Both of you need to go,” Dreamer said, as Denise ended the call. “I’ll call you both in a few days and we’ll definitely see each other.”
“You promise?” said Miriam, and Dreamer nodded.
“I promise.”
* * *
“Dad, slow down!”
Ted didn’t slow the car until he pulled up outside Dreamer’s house, leaping out of the car and hurrying up to her front door.
Pandora and Marlon ran after him as Dreamer opened it, Ted taking a moment to breathe. As calmly as he could, he said “Did the results come?”
“Yes,” she said quietly. “Come inside, all of you. It’s freezing.”
Baby Julian shrieked happily when he saw his big brother and sister.
“Dorwa!” he ran to Pandora, who scooped him up and cuddled him, then handed him to Marlon. “Hello Marlon!”
“Hey Julian. You ok?”
“Yep! Yes,” he said shyly as Dreamer smiled at him, and everyone laughed. “Teddy!”
Baby Julian reached for Ted, who smiled and took him from Marlon.
“Hey, little man. Did you miss us?”
“Don’t know,” said Julian shyly, and everyone laughed again, Dreamer saying “Pandora, Marlon, take Julian upstairs to the play room. He has a lot of toys in there and there’s a television you can watch, just while I talk to your father.”
Pandora and Marlon nodded, leaving the room with Julian, who cried “Mummy!”
“I’ll be up soon, baby. I just need to talk to Teddy, ok?”
“Ok,” Julian said, eyes filling, and Dreamer blew him a kiss. “Soon?”
“Soon,” Dreamer promised. “I’ll be up soon.”
“Dreamer,” said Ted quietly, and she joined him in the living area. “I haven’t thought of anything else all week. I haven’t even been able to sleep properly- I kept waking up in the night and then I couldn’t sleep until dawn. And then I had work, where I couldn’t concentrate-”
Dreamer snapped her fingers and the envelope sailed through the air towards her.
“Do you want to do it, Ted?”
“No,” he admitted. “I’m scared, Dream. Scared stiff.”
“There’s nothing to be scared of,” Dreamer said softly. “Things wont change if Julian isn’t your son.”
“And if he is my son, that changes everything,” Ted said just as softly. “I wont miss out on spending time with him, Dreamer. I love him.”
Dreamer nodded, then she slowly opened the letter and pulled out the paper, eyes scanning the page fast. Ted waited with bated breath, then he gathered the worst as her eyes filled over.
“Dream?” She looked at him. “What does it say?”
Dreamer swallowed as tears trailed down her face, then she placed the letter on the coffee table before she took a deep breath, Ted saying “Dreamer, talk to me. I’m not the father, am I? It’s all right, you can say it- I promise I don’t mind-”
Paul and Agnes appeared in a flash of blue light, and Ted was startled to see tears sliding down Agnes’s face too.
“Little one,” said Paul firmly as he looked at Dreamer. “Pull yourself together and talk to your lover.” He looked at his wife, then he said “You too, Agnes. Pull yourself together.”
Ted knew they knew what the results were. “Is it bad news? I’m not the father, am I?”
“It’s good news,” whispered Agnes, Paul saying “Pretty excellent news.”
Ted looked at Dreamer, hardly daring to believe it. “Dreamer?”
“Look at the letter,” she whispered, and Ted obeyed, reading fast.
His heart began pounding as he gasped “I don’t believe it!”
“Ninety nine point nine percent,” whispered Dreamer, and Paul wiped her tears away as he said “He’s yours, Ted.”
“He’s mine?” Ted repeated amazedly, and they nodded.
“He’s your son.”
Ted let out a big cheer, Paul as well as Agnes kissed Dreamer, Pandora and Marlon charging down the stairs with Julian.
“What’s going on?” demanded Pandora, and Ted said “He’s mine, ‘Dora! Julian- he’s my son!”
“Seriously?” said Pandora amazedly, when Marlon punched the air with joy. “He’s our full brother?”
“Yes,” Dreamer said softly, taking Baby Julian from Pandora.
“Hey little man,” Ted said softly, looking at Julian, and Julian said “Hello Teddy!”
“Not Teddy, baby.” Dreamer smiled at her youngest son. “Daddy.”
“Daddy?” Julian repeated curiously, and Dreamer nodded.
“He’s your Daddy.”
“Teddy my Daddy?” asked Julian, and Dreamer softly said yes.
“Come give Daddy a hug,” Ted said as his eyes filled over, and Julian reached for him, beaming. Tears trailed down Ted’s face as he held Julian to him, stroking his curly hair.
Pandora and Marlon’s eyes filled as well as they watched the moving sight, Ted holding out an arm to Dreamer. She came closer, and he pulled her close, kissing her forehead.
“So we’re definitely going to be all together for Christmas?”
“Of course,” she said softly. “I promise.”
Marlon cheered again, Pandora smiling as Ted put Julian down so he could kiss their mother properly. She couldn’t help saying “This is brilliant.”
“Super brilliant,” smiled Paul. “We will leave you now, little one, to spend time with your family. You’ll see us at the weekend.”
“Yes Papa,” Dreamer said as she broke the kiss, and Paul and Agnes vanished.
Ted exhaled, feeling like he would burst with joy as Baby Julian reached for one of his toys.
“This is amazing.”
Dreamer smiled as well, Marlon beaming as he asked “So are we going to live together now? There’s no reason for us not to.”
“That’s totally up to your mother,” Ted replied as he put his arm around Dreamer. “Whenever she’s ready, we will.”
Baby Julian was making his toy horse ride around the carpet by itself, beaming as Dreamer said “Are you still against magic, Ted? Baby Julian is too little to control his power, and I cant stop being a witch.”
“Of course I’m not against it,” Ted said warmly. “After that fiasco with the police and the stadium, how could I be? I love you for what you are, Dreamer, and I’d never wish that you’d change.”
Dreamer smiled at him. “I love you, Ted Stone.”
“And I love you, Dreamer Black.”
“Don’t get all mushy,” Pandora said, scowling as Ted smiled at her mother dreamily. “You’ll make me chuck up.”
Dreamer and Ted burst out laughing, Marlon saying “I’m hungry. What’s for dinner, Mum?”
“What do you fancy, darling?”
“Spicy chicken and rice,” Pandora said before Marlon could reply, and Ted said “Sounds great. You want me to make it, Dream?”
“If you’d like,” Dreamer replied, taking a deep breath. She felt so relieved about the DNA results and so happy as well. Now she could truly put the memory of Damon Stile behind her, properly. They all could.
* * *
Ted gently stroked Dreamer’s hair as she slept, smiling happily.
“I love you,” he whispered, and Dreamer smiled as she murmured “I love you more.”
“Well I counte
r that with an I love you double more.”
Dreamer opened her eyes to look at him, then she said “Triple.”
“Quadruple,” Ted said instantly, and he laughed as she pouted. “You cant win this, Dreamer. I love you more than you’ll ever know.”
A Witch Like No Other Page 35