A Charming Cure (15 page)

A
slew of nurses came running, filling the room. All of them shuffled around.
They must’ve been doing a lot of poking and prodding because I could hear the
clicking of a lot of buttons.

“Stand
back!” I heard the male voice demand the nurses to move. He shouted, “Clear!”

Thump,
thump
.
The bed bounced up and down with each shock of the paddles the doctor had
placed on Faith.

“Clear!”
He screamed again.

Beep,
beep, beep, beep.

“Wait.”
He ordered. All the shoes that were lined up around the bed took a step back.
Everyone made an audible, deep gasp. “This is a miracle. I need to know exactly
what happened leading up to her cardiac arrest.”

The
nurses gave a brief overview of how everything played out, only they left out
the little bit of magic they didn’t know about. . .which was just fine with me!
The less anyone knew the better for me.

“Well,
it just goes to show how the body reacts. She seems to be responding to the respirator
again.” The doctor seemed proud of himself. “Let’s check her stats.”

Beep,
beep, blip, blip, beep, beep.
There was some inconsistency to the
machine’s noises.

“Doctor,
I think she’s breathing on her own.” The nurse’s shoes were a little too close to
the edge of the bed. Granted, the life support machine was right up against the
wall, just inches from my head.

I
tilted my head to the side to make sure the toe of the nurse’s shoe didn’t
accidently hit me.

“I
think you are right.” The doctor shuffled over
. 1, 2, 3, 4. . .
I counted
the shoes. There were a few clicks. “There are some irregular breathing
patterns.”

My
heart nearly leapt out of my chest when I felt someone’s hand wrap around my
mouth and it wasn’t a fury paw.

“Nice.”
Gus whispered in my ear. My heart eased a little when I realized it was him. “I
think the potion did it.”

“You
freaked me out.” I mouthed and put my finger up to my mouth to shush him. Mr.
Prince Charming even knew better than to purr.

“Let’s
go ahead and shut off the machine and see if she picks up on her own.” The
doctor’s voice broke with huskiness. There was a little apprehension in his
tone.

“Are
you sure, doctor?” The nurse questioned his actions.

“We
have to try. If she doesn’t pick up in fifteen seconds, we will turn the
machine back on.” The doctor wasn’t leaving much room for Faith’s body to
respond. “Ready?”

The
nurse must’ve gestured yes, because the next thing that was heard was the
flat-line of the machine.

Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep.

I
squeezed my eyes shut. I couldn’t bear to hear the beep. I put my fingers in my
ears to keep the noise out, but the doctor made me put my hands back to my
side.

“1,
2, 3, 4, 5.” He slowly counted, “6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. Let’s turn
the machine. . .” The doctor stopped in mid-sentence.

Beep,
beep, beep, beep.
The steady heartbeat, Faith’s steady heartbeat picked up, creating the nurses
and doctor to cheer.

“Amazing.”
The doctor’s toes were pointed under the bed. He looked like he was checking
out all her vital signs. “Everything looks great. Just keep a close eye on her.
I’ll go inform Dean Heal and the University Police.”

The
doctor walked out of the room.

“I’ve
never seen anything like it.” One nurse said to the other. “I’ll go ahead and
take the tubes out, while you clean up the tape marks.”

I
glanced over at Gus and he was gone.

“Let’s
go get a new set of pajamas for her.” The nurses rushed out of the room,
leaving Mr. Prince Charming and me alone.

Mr.
Prince Charming ran out from under the bed and I rolled out, only to find Gus
standing over Faith’s bed.

“Wow,
now that’s magic.” Gus leaned forward and lowered his voice, “You are
good
.
Better than your Aunt.”

My
gentle laugh rippled throughout the air.

“Don’t
tell her I said that.” He smiled. “Can I tell Faith I was a part of this?”

Faith’s
chest rose up and down with each breath she took. Her natural color was coming
back to her face. The dark circles under her eyes had lightened up to a light
shade of gray.

“Why,
Gus, are you in love with Faith Mortimer?” Not only did I notice the
love-struck look on his face, but my intuition told me he was pining over her.
“You know I have a cure for that.” I winked.

“Isn’t
she the loveliest spiritualist you have ever seen?” He reached out and touched
her.

“Come
on, we have to go before Aunt Helen gets here.” I pulled his sleeve. Before I
could let go, he was gone.

Quietly
Mr. Prince Charming and I slipped out exactly the way we had gotten in. . .
unseen.

Chapter Nineteen

There
was a flurry of activity going on outside the hospital. Word had already gotten
around that Faith was breathing on her own. Too bad I couldn’t take the credit
for it.

“June?”
Aunt Helena lowered her gaze in confusion. “What are you doing here?”

Hiss,
hiss.
Mr. Prince Charming batted at her, and then darted off toward the cottage dorm.

“Stupid
cat.” She scowled. “I asked you a question.”

“I.
. .”

“She
came to meet me for a drink.” Gus stood next to me and pointed to Black Magic
Café. “She has to have some social life while she’s here.”

“Good.
I’m glad to see you getting out.” She clenched her mouth tighter. “Carry on.”
She glided into the hospital. The automatic doors shut behind her.

Almost
immediately the police had the door blocked off, not letting anyone in.

“What
about that drink?” I reminded Gus of the promise he made Aunt Helena. “You
might not be able to have a real drink, but I can and I need it.”

Hopefully
the café wouldn’t be crowded, since everyone seemed to be gathered around the
hospital, waiting on some news from Helena on Faith’s condition.

“Fine.”
Gus walked down the street toward the café and I followed.

Black
Magic Café was very intriguing with picnic tables throughout the green
clapboard house scattered around to create seating. The wall behind the counter
was made of chalkboard with all the items from the menu written on it.

“Hey,
Gus.” The young man behind the counter stuck his hand over the display case of
cupcakes and they did some sort of guy handshake. “Want your usual?”

“You
know it.” Gus flipped his hair to the side. “This is June Heal.”

The
guy tipped his head back as if he was saying hi. Politely I smiled. My
intuition told me that he already knew who I was. If not, The few customers
that were in the café stared at me, and then followed by a few whispers.

“Make
it two.” Gus held up two fingers. “I always get the red velvet cupcake and tall
glass of milk.”

“Fine.”
It did sound good, but a real adult cocktail sounded better with a Ding Dong.

While
Gus waited at the counter, I took a seat at the closest picnic table that
wasn’t taken.

“Well,
well, well.” The voice was firm. “If it’s not the little goody niece.”

“Get
out of the way.” Gus shoved past the girl who was the cashier from Wands,
Potions, and Beyond.

“Shut
up, Gus.” She glared at him with her hands planted on her hips. “You would
befriend her.”

He
sat the plates on the table before going back to get the milk.

“Ignore
Tilly. She’s bitter that
she
didn’t get the internship.” He laughed in
her face.

“Whatever.
Ignore him, Tilly.” Raven appeared behind Tilly and put her hand on Tilly’s
shoulder. “Let’s grab that table over there.”

“Why
aren’t you at the hospital with your dear friend Faith?” My eyes clung to hers,
analyzing her reaction.

“What
are you talking about?”

“Faith
is supposedly breathing on her own.”

“I
don’t believe you.”

“Of
course you don’t want to believe me because the little spell you put on her
isn’t working.” I stood up and came nose to nose with the Dark-Sider.

“Are
you accusing me of something?” She shoved me and I fell backwards onto the
picnic table.

“Girls!”
Aunt Helena appeared out of nowhere. “Stop it this instance. The University
does not tolerate violence of any kind.”

“Or
potion making either.” The girl from Wand, Potions and Beyond stepped in
between Raven and me. “That is exactly what she’s doing, Dean Heal.”

“What?”
Aunt Helena’s eyes were sharp and assessing. “Don’t tell me you broke a rule
and have been making potions in your room.”

“Dean.”
Gus tried to interrupt. “Dean… June. . .”

“Yes!”
The girl screamed and pointed. “She has bought all sorts of non-related ingredients
and a cauldron over the past twenty-four hours.”

“June,
is this correct?” Helena held her hands out to stop Gus from talking. The café
fell silent, even the background music had been turned off. Everyone’s eyes
were on me. “Well?”

“Yes.”
There was no reason to lie. If I did, she’d only go to my room in the cottage
dorm and find all the stuff. “But she broke into my room.” I pointed to Raven
hoping to get her in a little bit of trouble.

Raven
stared with her mouth open.

“Did
you not realize I knew it was you when you left your little bottle of this
behind?” I took the bottle out of my bag and held the Cimicifuga in the palm of
my hand.

“Where
did you get that?” She set her chin in a stubborn line.

“June,
Raven reported her homework missing earlier.” Lines of confusion deepened along
Helena’s brows and under her eyes. “June Heal, I hereby expel you from Hidden
Hall A Spiritualist University until further notice, not only for making
potions that aren’t school related, but stealing another student’s homework.”

Raven
grabbed the bottle from my palms, scrapping a little of my skin off with it.

“But
I didn’t steal it! I found it under my bed after my room had been ransacked.” I
protested, but it was too late. A couple of Hidden Hall police officers grabbed
me and escorted me out before I could prove my innocence.

Chapter Twenty

“Now
what?” I slumped down on the bed and rubbed my hand down Mr. Prince Charming’s
back. I was very aware of the policemen standing outside of my room waiting to
escort me back to the wheat field.

I
was not only a disgrace to my Aunt Helena; I hadn’t discovered who had poisoned
Faith or any closer to finding Eloise.

Meow,
Meow.
Mr. Prince Charming jumped off the bed and did figure eights around my ankles.
He was right; everything was going to be okay.

Maybe
it wasn’t a bad thing that I wasn’t going to be finishing up my last couple of
days at Hidden Hall. After all, I could work on a potion for Faith and get some
help from my friends in Whispering Falls.

The
suitcase was a little heavier since I had packed the extra things I had bought
from Wands, Potions, and Beyond. With my purse over my shoulder and Madame
Torres snug at the bottom, Mr. Prince Charming and I shut the door to our room.

“Goodbye.”
I said to each retired professor that was framed on the wall. Even though they
couldn’t talk, they still followed me with their eyes. Or did they? Their eyes
darted back and forth between the ends of the hall as if they were trying to
tell me something. Each had a deep-set fear. They were trying to tell me
something, but what? “I’m sorry. I don’t know what you are trying to tell me.”

“Go!”
The policeman stood behind me ordering me down the steps. “Your days of trying
to solve crimes are over. Leave it up to the police, Ms. Heal.”

Whatever.
With
no thanks to them, I heaved the suitcase down the stairs. All the girls, who
were never home before, were home now. They didn’t turn their accusing eyes
away from me.

I
tucked my hair behind my ears and with my head held high, I stepped out into the
street and headed toward Whispering Falls. The girls in the cottage dorm
weren’t the only ones with curious eyes. What felt like the entire University
population stood on the side of the road staring at me and Mr. Prince Charming
as we made our walk of expelled shame, only it wasn’t the shame that made me
pause and turn around to look. It was my intuition telling me that I was
missing something to help free Eloise.

The
sky turned gray above the library, which was always sunny.

A
hushed silenced blanketed the crowd as we watched the gray sky form clouds in
the shape of a cleaning bottle.