Doorways to Infinity (25 page)

They each carried plastic grocery bags. Terry held one of them toward Jamie and said, “Where you want these? It’s potato salad and stuff from the Kroger deli.”

Jamie pointed out the tables nearby, already laden with food, and then he noticed Eric’s attire. He wore faded blue jeans with cowboy boots and a gray zippered sweatshirt over a blue flannel shirt. Jamie had never seen the stiff agent in anything but dark slacks and a white dress shirt. “Hey, Nova,” Jamie called. “Check this out.”

Nova, who was pulling a soda out of a nearby ice chest, looked up and regarded Eric, and widened her eyes appreciatively. “Nice, Agent Eric. Is your geek uniform dirty or something? You got real clothes on for a change.”

Eric gave a small shrug. “Seemed appropriate.”

“Well, cool. Now I can say I partied with the CIA.”

“I’m not partying,” he said with a straight face. “I’m on assignment.”

Nova creased her brow. “You are?”

“Nah.” The corners of his mouth turned up, barely. “It’s a joke. I’m here to relax.”

“Terry, have you ever seen him dress like this before?”

She didn’t answer. She began walking toward the children, who were running around in the field.

“Where’s she going, Eric?” Jamie asked.

“Probably to play with those kids. She likes to do that.”

Jamie watched her go for a moment and turned back to Eric. “Hey, something I’ve been meaning to ask. Why doesn’t she like to talk about her daughter?”

Eric’s expression became thoughtful, as if he were carefully weighing his response. “You need to ask her, because she’s kind of private about things like that. She’s a self-reliant woman. Stubbornly so.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, she put herself through school, working at night while taking a full load of classes, with no financial aid from anybody. After that, she joined the CIA and married another agent, but he got killed in a training accident. She was pregnant but stayed in the program anyway.”

“That must’ve been hard,” Nova said.

“I’m sure it was. Fortunately, her mother moved to Langley to help with the baby so that Terry could stay in the agency, and now she takes care of Stacey when Terry and I are out of town.”

“Bet Terry misses her daughter.”

“They video chat almost every night. I know it bothers Terry to be away from her, but she would never admit it.”

“Maybe we can help her,” Jamie said.

“Doubt she’d accept your offer. She’s too independent, and hardheaded, if you ask me.”

Jamie watched Terry as she greeted Sammi’s group of friends, then he said, “You miss your kids?”

“All the time.” Eric glanced across the field to where other children were playing dodgeball with a few of the boys from the track team. “They’d love to be at this party right now, even though they’re young.”

“Maybe they can come. I can make a doorway for them.”
Boy, there I go again
. Jamie dug his fingernails into both palms.
Offering to tell more people about the magic
.

“I think it would be too much for them and my wife right now. Thanks, though.”

“Are you going to be able to see them over Christmas?”

“If we can get Phillip Cage to take a vacation, I can. Otherwise, I’ve got to stay on assignment.”

“Maybe there’s something we can do to get him to take a vacation,” Bryce said. “Send him tickets for a free cruise or something.”

“Yeah. Disney Cruise Lines, complete with Mickey Mouse ears.” Eric smiled wryly. “I wish.”

“Jamie?” Carl said from the grill. “Food’s about ready, if you want to let everybody know. Might be a good time to start the bonfire, since it’s almost dark. We could use some more light around here, too, if you want to make a few of your magic suns.”

Jamie took a couple of steps toward the huge pile of wood, but Bryce said, “Hold on, Jamie, let’s do this right.”

“What do you mean, right?”

“It needs to be dramatic and…you know….” He spread his arms wide. “Big.” Bryce cupped his hands to his mouth and called for Rollie, who was still playing touch football.

Rollie paused for a second and looked their way, then jogged toward them. When he reached them, Bryce said, “We need you to announce the lighting of the fire.”

“Oh yeah. Of course.” Rollie headed toward the area where the PA was set up and said to Jamie, “You’re gonna make this real showy, aren’t you?”

“I wasn’t planning to.”

“Dude. These people love a big show. You can’t just like, throw a match on it and say you’re done. You gotta make it entertaining. You know how to do that, right? So let’s give ’em what they want.”

“Uh, sure, I guess.” Jamie watched Rollie say something to Cody and Ivan, who were still picking and strumming their instruments, sitting behind the suitcase-sized speaker cabinets. Rollie grabbed a microphone, tapped the end of it to make sure that it was on, and called for everyone’s attention, his amplified voice carrying across the school grounds. He waited a few seconds for the talking to subside. Then he said with his typical, wide grin, “Welcome, everybody, to the first annual Rivershire School picnic!”

Jamie furrowed his brow.
First Annual? There’s going to be another one?

“I’ve been told that the food is about ready,” Rollie continued, “but before we eat, we need to have the ceremonial lighting of the bonfire. So now, without further ado, I bring you Jamie the Sorcerer, the most powerful wizard in the known universe.” Rollie gestured with one hand toward Jamie. “Who will now use his incomparable magic to ignite the pyre.”

I suppose I should make this theatrical
. The crowd grew completely silent, all eyes on Jamie as he took another step closer to the pile of branches. He stopped, slowly raised his arms from his side, and spread his fingers, his head tilted down slightly, eyes narrowed. He took two deep breaths while he considered an appropriate Latin word for the spell, something that sounded magical, even though it wasn’t necessary.
Something dramatic. I think I know a good one that Melanie taught me
. Then he lifted his shoulders, held them there for a long moment, and suddenly thrust his hands forward and shouted, “Incendia!”

The wood ignited all at once with an incredible
whoosh
, and he cringed when the rapid outflow of hot air blew past him, nearly burning his skin.
Shoulda put up my shield
. The crowd cheered, and most rose to their feet.

Rollie grabbed the microphone again and said, “Let’s eat!”

“Jamie, don’t forget the lights!” Carl said from behind him.

“I’m on it.” Jamie opened up his hands and summoned his will again, then called up the spell for a glowing sphere.
Poof
. It appeared before him, a beachball-sized sun, and he floated it twenty feet above his head and positioned it over the party area.

“We’re going to need more than that,” Carl said.

“Sure.” Jamie created another and levitated it near the first one, then looked over his shoulder at his father, who shook his head. “More?” Jamie asked, and Carl nodded, so Jamie made eight additional spheres and placed them strategically over the entire field, bathing it in yellowish-white light.

Jamie put his hands on his hips while he admired his work. Then he heard an older man’s voice behind him say, “Nicely done, Magic Man.” Jamie turned to see Uncle Charlie standing with his daughter, who carried a picnic basket in one hand and an old blanket over her other arm.

“When did you get here?” Jamie asked.

“Just a few minutes ago,” Uncle Charlie said. “We came through the portal in your grandfather’s warehouse. He invited us yesterday. Are Momma Sue and Mrs. Malley here?”

“No. I think they’re busy.”

Annie smiled excitedly, the fire’s reflection dancing in her dark eyes. “This place is
incredible
, Jamie, absolutely incredible. I’ve heard my father describe it many times, but it’s really more amazing when you see it in person. Did I really just walk through a warehouse to another world?”

“It might not seem like it right now, but when the moon comes up, you’ll really be able to tell.”

“It is a beautiful moon,” Uncle Charlie said with a serene smile.

“I need to come earlier in the day so that I can see the town,” Annie said. “And ride your horse. Is she here tonight?”

Jamie pointed across the field to where several of the animals had gathered to graze. “She’s the golden brown mare with the pale mane and tale. Probably can’t ride her tonight because I don’t think Aiven brought her saddle. Unless you want to ride bareback.”

“I’m a modern woman. I prefer saddles.” Then she laughed and said, “There’s too much going on now, anyway. I’d rather do it some other day when I can take my time and see the countryside. Dad says it’s wonderful here.”

“It’s a special place,” Uncle Charlie said. “Speaking of special, I heard you got the firewood from the same place that we got your walking stick. Good choice.”

“Why?”

“It’s special wood. Something good will happen tonight when you burn it, I think.”

“Oh, Dad.” Annie frowned at Uncle Charlie. “Don’t be mysterious. It’s annoying.”

He shrugged innocently. “Watch and see. Remarkable things can happen on a world full of magic.”

Jamie waited for him to elaborate, but when he didn’t, Jamie said, “Well, find a spot and have some dinner. I’m going to check in on everybody and see how they’re doing.”

Evelyn invited Dr. Tindall and her grad students to eat with the Hendersonville crowd. They sat on blankets while they enjoyed the chicken, potato salad, cake, fruit, and other food. Mrs. Tully joined them, and Aiven stayed for a few minutes before going back to the broad field to play with the other kids under the light of the glowing spheres that Jamie had created. Uncle Charlie and Annie sat with Evelyn for a while, but as soon as they finished eating, they went across the grounds to pet Sugar. Ray, Connie, and Darla were talking to some of the school kids’ parents, and Pete was over with Jamie’s teammates, chatting them up in his typical way, shaking hands and patting them on the back as if they were old friends, or a politician glad-handing potential voters.

Evelyn glanced around and said, “Where did Yvonne and Alan go?”

“They’re around here somewhere, meeting some of the locals,” Dr. Tindall said. “I talked to Leora’s parents for a few minutes, and they didn’t seem all that surprised when I mentioned that I might be related to them.”

“They probably know about Fred’s family and Shira Coy’s.”

Dr. Tindall nodded thoughtfully. “Nobody here seems surprised about any of this,” —she cast one arm through the air — “wild stuff. Magic doorways, and Jamie lighting the bonfire like that. Crazy! It’s astounding to me, but the locals just take it all in stride.”

Mrs. Tully leaned back on her hands and stretched her legs straight out toward the bonfire, which still burned brightly. “We have had wizards and witches here for as long as anyone can remember. Their magic may seem amazing to you, but it is normal for us.”

Dr. Tindall glanced at the clinic and said, “Why does Jamie do all of this? The school and everything? I’ve known kids who’ve gone off to South America or Malaysia to set up medical facilities and schools or whatever, but not anything like this.”

“Jamie’s talking about starting a fire department and a dental clinic here,” Evelyn said.

“I’m not surprised.” Dr. Tindall leaned back on her hands, too. “He’s an extraordinary young man. I can honestly say I’ve never known anyone like him. But I still can’t help but wonder how he got to be this way.” She touched Evelyn lightly on her arm. “I mean, besides the terrific job you and his parents did of raising him.”

Evelyn looked at her lap while she collected her thoughts, then she turned to Dr. Tindall and said, “You’re aware of the fact that Jamie has the memories of Eddan the Sorcerer, aren’t you? Well, not all of those memories are pleasant. The worst ones are from the time when a plague swept through this area.”

Mrs. Tully shook her head solemnly. “’Twas a most terrible calamity. Many people died. I was but a young girl then, but I remember it well. The town was not as clean, then, and we had many rats, which caused the plague, I believe.”

“The worst of it was that Eddan could’ve stopped it,” Evelyn continued, “but he didn’t, even after a couple of the elders from town went to see him and begged for his help. Eddan refused, saying he was too busy.” Evelyn sighed. “That memory used to give Jamie nightmares. He’s not the kind of person who would say no to something like that, and it bothers him terribly that Eddan did. So, I think that this clinic and school are his way of compensating for Eddan’s callous inaction, to atone for it, in a way. I know he’s been sleeping better lately, because we talk about it sometimes.”

“I am glad that he’s the way that he is,” Mrs. Tully said, “because now I have a fine school for my son, and I still have employment. Jobs are not easy to come by for women my age, and he is a fine master to work for.”

“Jamie is not your master!” Evelyn said. “How many times do I have to tell you that?”

“’Tis a matter of—”

“I know what you’re going to say. It’s a matter of respect.”

“’Tis,” she said with a nod.

“We’re just happy that you take care of the house. That’s how we look at it.”

“Mrs. Tully?” Dr. Tindall said. “Are you sure you don’t mind if I stay there? I feel like it will make extra work for you.”

“I told you, Aiven and I are looking forward to it.”

“All right then. I’ll see you a week from Monday.”

The musicians stopped for dinner and Rollie, at the urging of the boys from the track team, took Rufus, his ventriloquist dummy, to do some of his routine, and he used the PA system. Jamie hadn’t seen him perform in a long time, and had almost forgotten how funny Rollie was in front of a crowd, but it only took a few seconds to remember. Jamie was laughing at the end of Rollie’s first joke.

The Rivershire people laughed, too, especially the kids, who sat on the grass in front of Rollie while he did his act.

They were entranced.

Jamie couldn’t help thinking that they figured he was just using magic to make his dummy talk, and they didn’t really understand the skill required to do ventriloquism, but Jamie knew. It was hard, and Rollie had practiced for many hours in front of a mirror to master the technique. Now, he was a seasoned, relaxed performer, and the audience loved him. Rollie had a special magic — his natural good humor and broad smile — that shone through like a polished gold coin in a handful of dull nickels.