A Witch Like No Other (20 page)

“
There you go,
‘
Dora.”

“
Thanks,
Dad.”

“
What?”

“
Nothing,”
smiled Ted. “Nothing at all.”

“
Hello
sweetheart,” said Dreamer warmly, as Pandora squeezed her tightly.
“Did you have a good day?”

“
It was ok. I
missed you,” Pandora replied, standing on tiptoe to give her a
kiss. “Where’
ve you been?
You
’
re
always out these days.”

“
These days?”
Dreamer repeated, amused. “I’
ve only just got back.”

“
You know what
I mean,” pouted Pandora, sitting back down. Shadow scampered up to
Dreamer happily, looking up and twitching his nose.

“
Aren’
t you a cute little
bunny-wunny?” said Dreamer adoringly, reaching down and picking him
up. “Yes you are. You
’
re gorgeous!”

Ted smiled as Dreamer snuggled Shadow, then suddenly he
felt jealous. Dreamer was giving the rabbit more affection than
him. She hadn
’
t even acknowledged his presence. Trying not to sulk, he
drank his tea as he looked at his daughter. Pandora was gazing at
her mother as she sat, holding her mug. Shyly, she said “Do you
want him, Mum?”

“
Hmm? No
darling, he’
s yours.” Dreamer
smiled at her. “Keep him.”

“
You can have
him you like him so much.”

“
Keep him,”
Dreamer repeated gently, putting Shadow down and walking into the
kitchen. “I need something to eat.”

Shadow squeaked, running after Dreamer happily. Ted watched
the woman he thought of as his. Her gown was beautiful, he
remarked. Black silk, clinging to her body as if it was part of
her. Dreamer
’
s brown skin shone as she moved around the kitchen, making
Ted
’
s
mouth water. She was his, definitely. His own Galaxy
chocolate.

“
What’
s so
funny?”

“
Your mother,”
Ted answered, hoping Dreamer would look up, but she
didn’
t. Her back was toward
them as she made a sandwich. Pandora waited curiously, and Ted said
“Never you mind,
‘
Dora.”

“
Fine.”

Inside the kitchen, Dreamer smiled to herself. In the
living room, Ted
’
s face fell. How in the world was he going to win her
heart again?

“
You eat it,”
explained Pandora, and Ted and Dreamer burst out laughing as they
looked at her serious face.

“‘
Dora, she knows what to do with it,” chortled Ted, and
Pandora pouted.

“
I’
m only trying to help.
What
’
s
in that sandwich, Mum?”

“
Cheese and
ham, but… I don’
t want it
cold,” Dreamer replied thoughtfully, then she smiled and pulled out
her wand. Pandora nearly dropped her mug, eager to see her mother
perform a trick.

“
A cheese and
ham toasty is much better.”

“
Dad,
isn’
t she great?” said Pandora
happily, and Ted nodded.

Dreamer bit into her toasty slowly, thinking of Miriam now.
She really was cruel to her in the past, wasn
’
t she?

Shadow was tired. He wandered about the living room looking
for a place to sleep, finally settling on Ted
’
s feet.

“
Are you sure
Shadow’
s a boy?” Ted said
jokingly, making her laugh again. “Because a lot of girls like your
old man
’
s feet,
‘
Dora.”

“
Not me,”
Pandora said, smiling at him. “Never your feet, Dad.”

Dreamer didn
’
t take part in the conversation, her mind on
Miriam. Remembering she had to call, she quickly finished her food
and got up. The plate slid off her lap and hung suspended in the
air, Pandora wowing again. Even Ted seemed impressed, though he
tried to hide it. The plate followed Dreamer into the kitchen as
she dialled on her mobile.

“
Hello?”

“
I’
m home,” Dreamer said,
making Miriam smile.

“
I
didn’
t think
you
’
d
really call.”

“
Well I did,
and-” Dreamer paused, saying “Miriam says hello,
Pandora.”

“
Tell her I
said hello back,” Pandora said in the background, Dreamer saying
“She says hello back, Miriam. What are you doing now?”

“
I’
m curled up on the sofa
with hot chocolate and a bag of cookies.”

“
Isn’
t that
nice.”

“
Yes it is,
Queen of Sarcasm. What’
s wrong
with that?”

“
Nothing, I
just wish I could relax like that sometimes.”

“
Well, you can
always come over one day- maybe stay over.”

“
Really?”

“
Yes,” said
Miriam, amazed. “Dreamer, what’
s the matter?”

Pandora mouthed
goodnight
to her
mother, who smiled and held an arm out. Pandora rushed into her
warm embrace happily, Dreamer kissing the top of her
head.

“
Sweet dreams,”
she whispered, Pandora nodding with a smile as she left the
kitchen. Stopping by Ted, she reached down and picked Shadow
up.

“
Night
Dad.”

“
Night,” Ted
said vaguely, Pandora stopping to look at him properly. Ted stood
slowly and smiled at her, but his eyes were troubled.

“
Dad?
What’
s the matter?”

Dreamer looked up as she spoke to Miriam, seeing her
daughter
’
s concerned face as she looked at her father.

Ted shook his head, saying “Nothing
’
s wrong,
‘
Dora.”

“
Don’
t believe
you.”

“
Trust me,
it’
s nothing. But
I
’
d
really like a goodnight hug.”

“
Only because
you looked so down,” Pandora mumbled into his shoulder. “Tomorrow
night I’
m not hugging
you.”

“
I’
d better be down
tomorrow night then,” said Ted amusedly, making her giggle as she
let him go.

“
See you
tomorrow, Dad. Have you got work?”

“
I’
ve still got two days
off,” Ted said, smiling at her. “Remember?”

“
Yep.
Night!”

“
Night.”

“
What happened
just then?” Miriam asked Dreamer, who answered “Pandora just gave
Ted a hug goodnight.”

“
No.”

“
Yes.”

“
That’
s excellent!” Miriam
exclaimed happily, and Dreamer nodded. Then, remembering Miriam
couldn
’
t see her, she said “Yes it is.”

“
You
don’
t sound too
pleased.”

“
I am,
honestly. I’
m just tired,
and-” Dreamer broke off as she noticed Ted leaning against the
doorframe, watching her talk. Noticed his shirt was undone, showing
his sculpted chest; smooth and brown. “And…”

“
And what?”
probed Miriam, after minutes of silence. “Dreamer?”

Ted cocked his head to one side, a smirk playing on his
face. He knew Dreamer couldn
’
t resist him, whether
she loved him or not.

“
Watching you.
Is that a crime?”

“
Yes, because
I’
m on the phone and
you
’
re… looking like that.”

“
You
don’
t like the shirt?
I
’
ll
take it off then.”

“
No!”

“
Bet you missed
this body while you was with Agnes.”

“
I-
I…”

“
He’
s doing it on purpose
to win you over, Dreamer! Ignore him!”

Dreamer nodded, shaking herself as she said “You cant win
me over with your body, Ted. I
’
m going out.”

“
Scared of
being alone with me now?” Ted asked, smirking at her.

“
I
don’
t need this right now:
I
’
m
tired. My bones ache.”

“
Tell him
you’
ll sleep in the guest
room,” whispered Miriam, and Dreamer said “Exactly:
I
’
m
sleeping in the guest room, Ted.”

“
Why?”

“
Because
that’
s all I am here: a
guest.”

Ted
’
s eyes flashed just like before: he wasn
’
t in the mood for her
games.

“
I’
m your husband,
Dreamer.”

“
You are not my
husband,” Dreamer said coldly, pleasing Miriam.

Ted shrugged, turning to leave- but he
couldn
’
t. Not yet. Looking back at Dreamer, he said “You
don
’
t
love me anymore, do you?”

“
I do, just not
in the same way.”

“
What
the
hell
does that mean?” he exploded, startling her.
“It
’
s
a straight question, so give me a straight answer. Yes or
no?”

“
Tell him like
it is, Dreamer. Don’
t let him
intimidate you.”

“
Tell me,
Dreamer, and I’
ll know where I
stand. Yes or no?”

“
Say no,” said
Miriam firmly, but Dreamer was frozen. “Dreamer!”

“
I- I need
fresh air!” she said to both Ted and Miriam, but neither of them
was having any of it. Ted grabbed her arm while Miriam said “Tell
him!”

“
Tell me,” he
said firmly. “Don’
t leave me
hanging in the kitchen.”

“
Ted, let go of
me,” Dreamer said, cursing herself when she realised she left her
wand in the living room. “Let go!”

“
Give me an
answer, Dreamer!”

“
I cant give
you a yes or no!”

“
Why
not?!”

“
Tell me how
you feel, Dreamer!”

“
Ted, let me
go,” sobbed Dreamer. “Let go of me!”

“
Why did you
come back? What was the point of it?!”

“
Let go of
me!”

“
Answer
me!”

Miriam was shouting down the phone at him, but
Dreamer
’
s mobile was on the kitchen floor by now. Pandora crept
downstairs slowly, listening.

“
Do you love me
or not?! ANSWER THE QUESTION!!”

“
I cant!” cried
Dreamer, tears falling. “Ted, please- Pandora-”

“
What about
her?”

“
She’
s coming down the
stairs- let me go-”