A Witch Like No Other (45 page)
Read A Witch Like No Other Online
Authors: Makala Thomas
Tags: #love story, #romance novel, #sorceror, #fantasy novel, #fantasy about magic, #fantasy about a witch, #romance 2014, #a witch like no other, #makala thomas
running for the phone. She knew it was Dreamer calling.
“
Dreamer, is
everything all right? Is Julian ok?”
“
Everything’
s fine,” Ted
said, surprising her. “We need to talk.”
“
What
are
you
doing there, Ted? Where
’
s Dreamer?”
“
Right next to
me.”
later, all smiles.
She replayed Ted
’
s soothing voice in her
mind over and over, hardly able to believe it.
“
Believe me,
if you had just talked to me about this, it would have been sorted
ages ago. I never knew you felt this way, Miriam. Trust me, Dreamer
didn’
t say a thing all those
years back. I just thought you was a distant friend in America she
fell out with. And I had to hire a private detective, who found out
you was the one corrupting her mind. But never mind that now-
what
’
s done is done. Dreamer
’
s like a sister to
you, right? Think of me as your brother-in-law.
You
’
re a part of this family, all right? You
’
re a part of us. I
want you to come out with us for dinner tonight, if you
don
’
t mind.”
Miriam had said
she
didn’t mind, asking what dinner was for.
“
We’
re celebrating a new
beginning with and for you, Baby Julian, Paul and Dreamer.
I
’
ll
take you to a church if I have to, Miriam. You
’
re in this family now.
You don
’
t only have Dreamer and Agnes, but me too now. We are one,
do you hear me? We
’
re all going to stick together.”
afraid to let her go for fear all of this was just a dream. He
would wake up to a house with no Dreamer, two depressed kids, and
still in his position as a regular lawyer at work.
Ted looked down at the love of his life,
looking so innocent and perfect as she dreamt of something that was
making her mouth curve into a smile. Ted hoped it was him in her
dream making her smile like that.
Unable to stop himself, he kissed her soft
lips.
The effect worked better than any alarm
clock Dreamer ever owned.
She smiled, running her hands through his
curly hair as he lowered his head to kiss her neck.
“
Don’
t you ever sleep,
Teddy?”
“
Sure,” he
mumbled against her skin, “Just not right now.”
already giggling.
“
Mummy,” he
called. “Mummy, Mummy!”
Julian scratched his head, confused. Mummy
always
came when he woke up calling her. The baby took a tiny
breath, then he called her again.
“
Mummy!”
was just silence.
Baby Julian screamed blue murder when he realised Mummy
wasn
’
t
in the house.
“
Mummy!!”
“
Coming!” she
called, but he couldn’
t hear
her through the closed door.
Pandora stirred, opening her eyes as Marlon groaned “Go to
him,
‘
Dora!”
“
I’
m going,
idiot!”
“
Mummy,” sobbed
Julian, hugging his teddy bear. “Mummy!”
Pandora took a deep breath, wondering if she was mad. She
didn
’
t
like little kids. Especially when they were crying that hard. Then
she reasoned that this was her baby brother, and she needed to
comfort him. She immediately felt guilty as she remembered what she
thought of him seconds before he gave her a piece of his chocolate
muffin.
“
Mummy,” wailed
Julian, as Dreamer dressed as quickly as she could. Pandora took
another deep breath before turning into the
baby’
s room.
her.
Pandora approached him slowly, asking “You
ok?”
“
Dorwa,” he
wept, reaching out to her. “I want Mummy!”
out of the crib.
“
Is he all
right?”
“
Marlon,” Baby
Julian said, eyes filling over. Marlon smiled at him.
“
What’
s up, baby brother.
You all right?”
“
No!”
“
What’
s wrong?” asked
Marlon, and Pandora rolled her eyes.
“
Didn’
t you hear what he
was saying?”
“
Yeah, but…
he’
s so cute when he talks in
that baby voice.”
“
He is a baby,
idiot.”
“
What’
s wrong Julian?”
asked Marlon gently, and the baby sniffed before saying “I want
Mummy.”
Downstairs, Ted was waltzing around the kitchen making a
spectacular breakfast. He couldn
’
t hear a thing over the
sizzling of the frying pan.
Dreamer pulled her robe on over her gown as Baby Julian
whimpered, then burst into tears again. He didn
’
t know Marlon and
Pandora well enough to feel comfortable with them.
“
Mummy!”
“
I’
m right here, baby.”
She turned into the room, Baby Julian shrieking happily as she took
him off Pandora. “Are you ok?”
“
Mummy!” he
squealed, suddenly beaming. “Mummy!”
curly hair as he giggled.
“
Mum, I…
I’
m sorry for-”
“
It’
s ok, sweetie.”
Dreamer smiled at her. “Get your showers, both of you.
I
’
ll
bathe Baby Julian in my room.”
“
I’
ll iron his clothes,”
Marlon offered quickly. “Where are they?”
“
In his drawer,
but you don’
t have
to-”
“
It’
s ok Mum, I want to.”
Marlon kissed her on the cheek. “I want to.”
“
I can make his
breakfast,” Pandora said. “What does he like?”
“
Oatmeal,”
Dreamer said, but Julian said “Cook-cook!”
“
Or
Weetabix-”
“
Cook-cook!”
“
Or even Rice
Krispies if he doesn’
t make a
mess-”
“
Cook-cook!”
“
And if
I’
m making pancakes then-”
Dreamer stopped, wondering what that delicious smell was.
“Where
’
s Ted, honey?”
“
I’
m not sure.
Downstairs?” suggested Pandora, Marlon shrugging.
was later.
“
Come on baby,
it’
s time to get your
bath.”
and put him down, he ran into the kitchen where Pandora, Marlon and
Ted was waiting.
The three of them couldn
’
t help cooing at him
lovingly, because he looked adorable in his tiny dungarees and blue
t-shirt underneath. Dreamer followed slowly, Ted saying
“He
’
s
so cute, Dreamer.”
“
Thank you.
Wow,” she said, as she looked at the table. “Did you-?”
“
Yep,” Ted said
proudly. “I can cook, you know. Have a seat.”
high chair, smiling as his face crumpled.
“
Don’
t worry sweetie,
you
’
ll
come down after you eat.”
“
Oaty?” asked
Baby Julian, and Pandora smiled at him.
“
Oaty with
cook-cook chips and jam and sprinkles, look!”
colourful breakfast she set in front of him.
“
Mummy, look!
Dorwa done it!”
“
Beats ironing
clothes,” Pandora said smugly, and Marlon pouted at her.
“
No arguing,”
warned Ted, bringing the plates over. “Not today, kids.”
it to her baby.
“
Mmm!” said
Julian happily, and Dreamer smiled at him.
“
Say ta to
‘
Dora, sweetie.”
“
Ta, Dorwa!
Ta!”
“
Mum, please
let us stay,” begged Pandora, but Dreamer shook her
head.
“
You wanted to
stay off college because things were rocky, honey. Everything is
sorted now, so there’
s no
reason why you cant go.”
which opened slowly.
Marlon and Pandora pouted as two rucksacks
appeared, no doubt bearing everything they needed for college.
Pandora sighed, picking up her black
rucksack. She was dressed head to foot in black: a black sweater,
black jeans, black socks under black boots, a black combat jacket
with a matching black hat, scarf and gloves.
“
Don’
t know why
it
’
s
freezing like this in October,” she muttered, kissing Dreamer
goodbye. “Come on, Marlon.”
“
You both go to
Forest Academy?” Dreamer said interestedly, and they nodded, Marlon
kissing his mother on the cheek.
“
Bye,
Mum.”
“
Bye
honey.”
“
Those children
really love their mother,” Barbara said from across the road to her
husband. Hugh smiled and nodded.
“
Morning
Dreamer!” he called, and Dreamer waved.
“
Morning
Hugh.”
“
How’
s Baby
Julian?”
“
He’
s fine.”
“
Dreamer, why
don’
t you pop over for lunch?”
Barbara called from her front door, as Hugh got in his car. “Bring
the baby along!”
“
I’
ll see what
I
’
m
doing at lunch,” Dreamer said, averting her gaze.
“
All right
then.” Barbara wondered why Dreamer was still so withdrawn.
“I’
ll be in all day, so pop
over whenever you
’
re ready.”
Hugh rolled down his window, asking
“Where
’
s the big kids going to?”
“
College,”
Dreamer said, looking at him. “Forest Academy.”
“
I can give
them a lift if they’
d like,”
Hugh offered, and Dreamer looked at Pandora and Marlon.
Pandora
’
s face remained blank, but Marlon
’
s was hopeful. Dreamer
nodded, saying “Ok then. Thank you.”
“
Come on in,”
Hugh called, as Baby Julian’
s
tiny feet pattered.
“
Mummy, where
Dorwa and Marlon go?”
“
College,
sweetie.” Dreamer picked him up. “Say bye.”
“
Bye Dorwa!”
called Baby Julian, beaming at her back. “Bye Marlon!”
coming back over to kiss his soft cheek while Marlon kissed the top
of his head. Julian giggled, slightly overwhelmed by the affection
he was receiving.
“
Be a good
baby, ok?” Pandora said, and he nodded.
too.
Ted came to the door as well, saying “Be good, ok you two?
I don
’
t want another phone call from your principal for the rest
of the week.”
Pandora and Marlon smirked at each other and got in
Hugh
’
s
car.
“
I mean it,”
Ted called. “I’
ll be calling
in to check on you. And if I don
’
t get a good response
you can forget going out on Halloween.”
Pandora and Marlon scowled at him, Pandora slamming the
door behind her. She specifically told her father she was going to
a graveyard on her own on Halloween, and he reluctantly agreed.
Marlon was going to a party. Dreamer leant back against him as the
car pulled away, asking “They
’
ve been misbehaving at
college?”
“
Only because
you wasn’
t around. They missed
you,” Ted said, not remotely bothered about that anymore. “They was
depressed.”
