A Witch Like No Other (49 page)

James nodded determinedly. “Don
’
t worry, I
will.”

Dreamer walked slowly, spotting James
’
s car easily. Marlon
straightened up, opening the car door swiftly.

“‘
Dora, Mum
’
s-”

Further down the road, Dreamer sighed. She
wasn
’
t
in the mood for drama.

Marlon stared at his sister as if he was only seeing her
for the first time. Pandora didn
’
t know what to say.
Neither did James.

“
You and him?”
said Marlon, heat rising. “My best mate?”

“
Marlon,
wait!”

“
Go to Hell,
Pandora!”

“
I’
m sorry ok?”

“
Yeah right!
Trying to mess with my flipping head, acting like the crystal ball
was lying to me, and- and- lying flat out in my face!” he spat,
wheeling round as James left the car too. “He was with his girl two
seconds ago or whatever the hell you said- I knew it, I flipping
knew it!”

“
Bro, calm
down!” said James, diverting Marlon’
s attention. “It
’
s not-”

Marlon
’
s fist collided with his face before he could finish,
James knocked off his feet.

“
Marlon,
don’
t!” cried Pandora, as
James held his nose in pain. “Stop!”

“
Get the hell
back, Pandora!” spat Marlon as he kicked out, James doubling over,
winded. “What was you thinking?”

“
Marlon,
don’
t hurt him!”

“
He wont hurt
after he’
s
unconscious-”

“
Enough,” said
Dreamer smoothly, her voice magically magnified as she walked
towards them. “Get away from him, Marlon. You too,
Pandora.”

“
Are you all
right, James?”

“
Don’
t talk to him,”
Marlon said angrily, but Dreamer ignored him.

“
I’
m fine,” James said
weakly, holding his side. “I- Dreamer, I
’
m sorry for running off
when Paul came. I should
’
ve stood my
ground.”

“
Everybody’
s afraid of my
father,” Dreamer answered, smiling at him. “I
wasn
’
t
surprised- in fact, I wasn
’
t thinking of you at the
time.”

“
Good,” James
said, a hand still over his nose. “And- and my mother-”

“
It’
s fine, honey.
Don
’
t
worry about it.”

“
Don’
t worry.” Turning to
her children, she held her hands out. Pandora and Marlon took one
each, closing their eyes as Dreamer teleported.

“
Where Mummy?”
asked Baby Julian, perplexed as he looked up at Ted. Miriam picked
him up lovingly, saying “Sh
e
’
ll be home soon.”

“
What’
s
she
doing here?” spat Marlon, Pandora as well.

Dreamer
’
s face mirrored theirs as she said “Sit
down.”

“
But-”

“
Now,” she said
coldly, and all three of her children recoiled. Remembering the
baby,
Dreamer took a deep
breath before saying “Miriam, take Baby Julian upstairs
please.”

“
Mummy’
s right here baby,”
Dreamer said, rubbing her neck as she smiled at him. “Let Miriam
read you a story while I talk to Marlon and
‘
Dora, ok
sweetie?”

Baby Julian hadn
’
t even acknowledged the
presence of his siblings until Mummy said their names. He shook his
tiny head, face crumpling as he wailed “I want Mummy
now!”

Ted
’
s eyes averted to the carpet. He knew he should say
something, but he didn
’
t know what. Dreamer
’
s head was starting to
hurt as Miriam said “Let
’
s show Mummy we can be
brave, love. Are you a brave boy?”

“
Then
let’
s go upstairs and show her
we can be brave, ok?”

“
Ok,” he wept,
Dreamer exhaling with relief.

“
Thank you,
Miriam.”

“
Anytime,”
Miriam replied, glad to get away from the horrid glares Marlon and
Pandora were giving her as they sat on the sofa.

“
Mum, I
didn’t
mean to hit him,”
Marlon said, heat rising as he looked at his sister. Dreamer raised
an eyebrow, Marlon recoiling.

“
Well, I did
mean to- but for a good reason, Mum! Him and Pandora
was kissing in the car-
he
’
s
my best mate- she
’
s my sister-”

“
I
don’
t ever want to witness you
physically harming someone ever again,” Dreamer replied, looking at
her eldest child. “I understand that you
’
re angry, Marlon. But
fighting isn
’
t going to solve anything. Did Pandora attack Janice when
she caught you kissing her?”

“
And did she
hurt Alice when she came to find you today?”

“
No.”

“
So what makes
you think you have the right to hurt James?”

“
Mum, I- I
didn’t
think-”

“
I know,”
Dreamer said, tone softening. “Marlon, violence isn’t
the key to any
problem.
”

“
But Mum, James
is my best friend-”

“
Honey, you
’
re being a hypocrite.” Dreamer was amused now, and the
small smile on her face showed it. “Janice was and Alice is
Pandora
’
s best friend. What you feel now is exactly how she felt.
Not nice, is it?”

“
But…
but-”

“
You need to
talk with James,” Dreamer told him, Pandora looking at her knees.
Marlon shook his head angrily.

“
I’
m not speaking to that
back-stabber ever again.”

“
Then talk to
your sister,” Ted said, wanting to be involved even though he knew
Dreamer was perfectly capable of handling their
children.

“
I
don’
t want anything to do with
him!”

“
For how long?”
Dreamer said, and Marlon didn’
t answer.

“
Marlon, I…
I’
m sorry-”

“
Don’
t talk to me,
Pandora. Go celebrate socialising once again.”

Pandora
’
s eyes filled over, Marlon refusing to look at her as
she got up and left the room.

Dreamer sighed, saying “I
’
m not going out to
dinner while they
’
re like this. It
’
s supposed to be a happy
occasion- and I don
’
t feel very happy.”

“
Dad,
it’
s not my fault- blame
Pandora, not me-”

I
’
m blaming both of you!

“
Don
’
t you have homework to do, Marlon?” Ted asked icily, and
Marlon nodded. “Then go in the kitchen and start working on
it.”

“
Mummy!”

“
Bring him down
Miriam,” called Dreamer, and Miriam obeyed.

“
Everything was
fine. Why did I have to be greedy and kiss him again?”

“
Well, at least
Marlon knows now,” Alice said gently. “I mean,
it’
s better he knows. Besides,
I didn
’
t like lying to him either.”

“
You’
re just saying that
because you
’
re going out,” wept Pandora. “What should I say to him,
Alice? He looked at me like he hated me!”

“
Marlon
doesn’
t hate you,” Alice
answered, then a voice said “Alice, end the call in five minutes.
I
’
m
expecting a call at five thirty.”

“
Yes Daddy,”
said Alice politely, then she continued her talk. “He
doesn’
t hate you,
he
’
s
just angry and upset right now. At least you know where
he
’
s
coming from, right? You
’
ve been through what he
’
s going
through.”

“
You sound like
my godmother,” Pandora said, smiling through her tears.

“
Well,
I’
ve been around the clinic
enough times to get the hang of it.”

“
Mummy!” yelled
Baby Julian, making Pandora and Miriam jump.

“
Were you
listening to my conversation?”

“
I just wanted
to see if you was all right,” Miriam said feebly, backing two steps
as Pandora stepped forwards. “I wanted to help if I-”

“
I
don’
t need your help,” spat
Pandora.
“Not after everything
you’
ve done.”

“
Pandora, you
don’
t under-”

“
I understand
just fine, Miriam! You’
re a
lesbian!”

“
You take that
back, Pandora!” cried Miriam, hurt. “I’
m no such thing!”

“
Well sniffing
around my mother like a dog says something else!”

“
I’
m not
sniffing!”

“
Yes you are!
What the hell are you doing here?”

“
Mummy,” wailed
Julian, tears falling as he looked from Miriam to Pandora and back.
He was scared. “Mummy!”

“
Well we
don’
t want you here, not after
what you put my Dad through!”

“
Your- Pandora,
Ted’
s a grown man! And he
doesn
’
t mind me here-”

“
This
isn’
t his house anyway! I
don
’
t
know how you can even look at us knowing what you did-”

“
Ted,” murmured
Dreamer, eyes closed as she laid on the sofa. “Please go and get
Baby Julian for me
.”

“
Ok,” Ted
answered, taking her hand and kissing it. “Are you ok?”

“
Not really,
no. Marlon? Honey, are you ok?”

“
Yes Mum,”
called Marlon from the kitchen, trying to sound cheerful. His voice
was anything but. “I’
m
fine.”

Pandora and Miriam
’
s voices grew louder at
the top of the staircase, Baby Julian sobbing harder and harder.
Ted reluctantly left his beloved to stop the argument, and take the
baby out of the angry atmosphere.

“
Break it up,”
he called, clapping his hands as he walked up the stairs. Miriam
and Pandora fell silent, but Baby Julian continued to
cry.

“
I want Mummy,”
he wept, and Miriam realised her shirt was damp.