A Witch Like No Other (21 page)

“
There,” he
said furiously. “She can listen, but she cant see a
thing.”

“
Let go of me,”
sobbed Dreamer. “Please!”

“
No! Tell me
what you feel, and be honest about it!”

Dreamer couldn
’
t breathe anymore.

“
Talk to me,
Dreamer!”

“
I
cant!”

“
Yes you can!
How can you do this to me? I gave you my all, damn it- I gave you
my heart! Why are you doing this to me?!”

Staring down at her in shock, Ted backed two steps. Then he
decided she deserved it: “You deserve to be treated this way,
Dreamer. You
’
re right: I
’
m not your husband. You are definitely not my
wife.”

Dreamer shook her head, sobbing. She
didn
’
t
answer him.

“
I hate you,
Dreamer!” His voice cracked. “You hurt me so much!”

They both cried their hearts on the kitchen floor, Ted
shaking his head. Dreamer didn
’
t love him. She
didn
’
t
deserve him anyway.

Pandora listened to their sobs, confused. She
didn
’
t
understand why they turned on each other like that-
didn
’
t
know why.

She sat on the carpet with her back to the kitchen door,
listening. Dreamer
’
s wand sparkled on the chair she sat in, but Pandora
didn
’
t
dare touch it. Hugging her knees to her chest, she listened and
listened and listened until she fell asleep. Then she snapped awake
and quickly went back to bed before one of them found her
there.

At
six in the morning, Ted woke up. It was dark in the kitchen- and
cold. He shivered, remembering he had no shirt on. Dreamer lay
motionless across from him, sleeping. Ted
’
s anger at her vanished:
she looked so innocent when she was sleeping. Innocent and
beautiful.

Ted got to his feet quietly, unlocking the kitchen doors
and pulling them apart. They didn
’
t make a sound. Ted
turned to stare down at Dreamer, eyes filling immediately. Was it
over between them?

Reaching down, he gently lifted her into his arms. She was
freezing. Pandora peeked out of her bedroom door just in time to
see Ted walk past with Dreamer in his arms- she smiled.
They
’
d
make it up.

“
Believe it or
not, I’
m not angry,” Ted
whispered back. “I love you.”

“
I love you
too…”

Dreamer closed her eyes and went back to sleep. Ted stood
there, smiling broadly. Did she say what he thought she said? Did
she mean it? Yes to the first question, probably no to the second.
Still, he didn
’
t care. Ted slipped under the duvet after removing his
work trousers, cautiously moving closer to her. Dreamer opened her
eyes to look at him: Ted stared back.

She remembered last night. She had meant to stay strong,
tell him like it is, and then get the hell out of the house without
looking back. But she didn
’
t. She
couldn
’
t, because it wasn
’
t what she
wanted.

She was still unsure about how she felt about Ted, but at
this moment she didn
’
t care. Bravely moving closer, she wrapped her
arms around him and laid her head on his warm chest. Ted held her
tightly, whispering the sweetest words imaginable, knowing by
evening Dreamer would be head over heels in love with him again if
he played his cards right. Dreamer listened to him, eyes filling
over. He loved her so much.

At
eleven they woke up, still in each other
’
s arms.

“
I’
m sorry,” they
whispered together, Ted saying “Forget about it.”

Dreamer shook her head. “I
’
ll leave as soon as I
talk to Pandora.”

“
You’
re not going
anywhere,” he said firmly, holding her tighter, afraid if he let go
of her she
’
d get up and go.

“
Ted, if I stay
I’
ll only hurt you even
more-”

“
I
don’
t care, Dreamer.
I
’
m
not losing you.”

“
Ted-”

That
’
s more like it, Ted thought. He knew which buttons to
press. Dreamer pressed every inch of her body against his, suddenly
fired up. Ted broke the kiss reluctantly, panting “Is this what you
want?”

Dreamer didn
’
t bother answering him, pulling him closer. Their
lips met again as their bedroom door opened, but they
didn
’
t
notice.

“
Breakfast in
bed,” she said meekly, and they smiled at her.

Miriam knew that if she didn
’
t get to the house
quickly Dreamer would be tricked into staying by
Ted
’
s
side. She didn
’
t know what she wanted, and that made her vulnerable.
If Miriam had her way Dreamer would leave with her, and stay with
her at her bungalow.

Ted massaged Dreamer with skill and ease, feeling her tense
muscles relax. Dreamer kept her eyes on the mirror in front of the
bed, simply watching him work. Pandora sat on the carpet with
Shadow, reading aloud from one of Dreamer
’
s favourite
books.

“
And she
scowled at him, answering ‘
This is your way of winning my heart, Kane? With gold and
not love?
’
Kane laughed at her, lowering the sack of gold
coins.
‘
Erica, you are too sentimental. I look not for a woman to
love, but a woman to promote my image.
’
‘
You disgust me, Kane.
’
Erica shook her head.
‘
I am not the
woman for you.
’”

“
Tell him like
it is,” mumbled Dreamer, making Ted and Pandora smile.

“
Kane could
feel his temper rising. He-”

The doorbell rang, making her stop reading. Ted
didn
’
t
stop his massage, though he smiled at her.

“
Get the door,
Pandora.”

“
But- but- I
cant- oh, all right then,” she said huffily, getting up.
“You’
re taking the Mick now,
making me do all this weird stuff. I
’
m still not used to
socialising, Dad! And touchy huggy stuff unless
it
’
s
Mum, and…”

“
She’
ll be fine in two
weeks,” Dreamer said musingly, Ted nodding as he ran his hands down
her back. Then he leant down and kissed her shoulder, whispering
“Are we all right now, Dreamer?”

“
I
don’
t know. I think
so.”

Ted sighed, then he smiled. “That
’
s better than
‘
I
don
’
t
think so.
’”

“
Exactly.”

“
Alice!”

“
Hi Pandora!”
she said breathlessly. “I’
m
sorry I didn
’
t call or anything-”

“
How’
ve you been,
Alice?”

“
I’
ve been great! Is Miss
Black here?”

“
Call me
Dreamer,” Dreamer called, and Alice giggled.

“
Dreamer.
I’
m glad
you
’
re
home!”

“
I’
m glad you came,”
Dreamer replied, Alice taking off her coat and shoes. Pandora took
them and put them in the closet for her like a good chauffer would,
Alice beaming at her so brightly it unnerved her.

“
Um… would you
like a drink or something?”

“
No thanks,”
Alice replied happily. “I’
ve
just had lunch with Daddy.”

“
Ok,
let’
s go up.”

“
I hope you
don’
t leave now,” she told
Dreamer ruefully. “Dad
’
s the best guy in the whole wide world. You cant
give him up, Mum.”

Dreamer smiled at her child, choosing not to answer. That
was Pandora, eighteen with the mind of a thirteen year old. Ted
grinned at her, mouthing
“Thank
you.”

“
What part are
we at now?”

“
Erica calls
the guards on Kane,” Dreamer said before Alice could answer.
Pandora took the book off Alice, saying “My turn.”

“
Go it,
‘
Dora,” smiled Ted, sitting
down next to Dreamer and flexing his fingers. Smiling at her, he
said “You
’
re all nice and soft now.”

“
I feel it,”
Dreamer answered with a smile. “‘
Dora?”

“
Kane let the
guards pull him away, knowing it wasn’
t the end.” Pandora paused for effect, everyone smiling at
her. “Erica watched him thoughtfully, thinking he did and said the
things he did for show. She was sure Kane was kind underneath, sure
of it. As if he knew what she was thinking, Kane looked back and
smiled at her, saying
‘
You will be mine, Erica!
’
Erica shook her head
and went inside.
’”

“
She loves him
really,” Alice said, intrigued by the tale. Ted nodded, surprised
at himself. He should be downstairs watching football, not hanging
out with the girls listening to love stories. Before Pandora could
continue Dreamer’
s mobile went
off, Dreamer reaching for it.

“
Dreamer
talking.”

“
Dreamer,” said
Miriam in a choked voice. “Is everything ok?”

“
Everything’
s fine,” said
Dreamer, Ted laying next to her and resting his head on her back.
“Ted- get off me, I
’
m on the phone.”

Images flashed before Miriam
’
s eyes,
unwanted.

“
He’
s on top of
you?”

“
I
didn’
t mean-
he
’
s
got his head on my back.”

“
I need to talk
to you,” Miriam said quietly, and Dreamer said ok.

“
Are you all
right?”

“
No! I thought
you was going to leave him last night, Dreamer!”