A Witch Like No Other (54 page)

Dreamer didn
’
t answer, back in her dream. Baby Julian rolled
over and pushed himself into a sitting position with his tiny
hands. His tiny breaths could be heard quite clearly as he touched
Dreamer
’
s cheek.

“
AAAHHH!!!!”

“
Dreamer!”

“
Paul-Paul!”
yelled Baby Julian, blue light swirling around him and his mother.
“Nana- Paul-Paul!”

“
Agnes, what is
this?!”

“
With
pleasure!” spat Paul, leaping up and aiming his wand at his
daughter’
s torso.
“Quantalamera!!”

Dreamer snapped awake, gasping for breath. The swirling
lights vanished as she sat up, Baby Julian
’
s tiny hand sliding off
her face.

“
What
happened?”

“
Why
don’
t you tell
us
that, little one! What did you dream of?”

“
A duel,”
Dreamer said truthfully. “Between myself and Brandy
Shakes.”

“
Did you cast a
spell?” asked Agnes, and Dreamer nodded.

“
It was very
vivid.”

“
So vivid it
almost came to life!” snapped Paul. “Julian
lived the dream with you- he felt the impact of the
spell!”

“
What!”

“
Oh honey,
I’
m sorry,” she said gently,
as Baby Julian lifted his arms to her. She picked him up, cradling
him. “Did I scare you?”

“
And why were
you asleep when the child was awake?” demanded Paul, and Dreamer
scowled at him.

“
Papa, Baby
Julian fell asleep before I did. He must have woken as soon as he
realised I wasn’
t speaking
anymore.”

“
Hmm,” Paul
said. “Well, I think you should call Ted and find out
what’
s going on with him and
his assistant. Why did he kiss her today?”

“
Let him call
me,” Dreamer answered. “If he’
s the man I think he is, he
’
ll call and explain
everything.”

“
Hello, good
morning.”

“
Dream?”

“
Dreamer,
please,” Ted said desperately. “I need to talk to you.”

“
There’
s nothing to talk
about,” Dreamer said coolly. “Or is there?”

“
Well… if
you’
ve forgotten it I
don
’
t
need to bring it up again.”

“
Yes,
I’
ve forgotten it.
I
’
ve
already forgiven you and forgotten it.”

“
Good. Can I
see you?”

“
Sure, drive up
when you’
re ready.”

“
I
cant,” said Ted. He could just about stand up.
“I
’
m
not up to driving.”

“
Then…
I’
ll teleport with the
baby.”

“
Ok.”

“
See you in
half an hour.”

“
Bye.”

Dreamer appeared in the living room, expecting to see Ted
on the sofa. He wasn
’
t there.

“
Ted?”

“
Mummy, where
we is?”

“
Ted’
s house, baby. Ted,”
called Dreamer, and a quiet voice said “I
’
m in the
kitchen.”

“
Stay here,
baby. Play with Bear.”

“
Have you been
up all night?”

“
Yes.” His
voice was ragged. “I’
ve been
up all night receiving calls from Brandy Shakes, worrying about how
I
’
d
tell you about her, wondering how far she
’
ll go to make me hers,
and scared stiff she
’
ll ruin our relationship.”

Dreamer didn
’
t know what to say. She thought at first
she
’
d
attack him left, right and centre to ventilate her anger at his
weakness. His weakening at the first woman who dared move to him
when she knew very well who and what Dreamer was, but she hated
seeing him like that.

“
She wont ruin
our relationship,” she said gently. “I promise.”

“
What am I
going to do? I cant face her everyday.”

“
I know,” said
Dreamer
mischievously. “Where
would you like her to go, Teddy? What do you wish happen to her
when you go to work?”

“
I’
d rather she move to
another office,” sighed Ted. “It
’
s better
she
’
s
Caroline
’
s assistant- they hate each other. I wish that was
possible-”

“
Your wish is
my command.”

“
Don
’
t go,” Ted mumbled against his pillow, as Dreamer pulled
his duvet over his shoulders. “I want to see you when I wake
up…”

“
You will,” she
assured him, Baby Julian giggling in her arms.

“
Night-night,
Teddy!”

“
Day-day,
Julian,” yawned Ted, and Dreamer laughed.

“
For moi?” she said amusedly, picking up the
envelope.

Pandora
’
s hands have been on it… Dreamer inhaled her
child
’
s strong feelings for James Henbit. Her love for her
family. Her not-so-sure feelings towards Baby Julian and his
arriving practically out of nowhere, changing things. And another
person
’
s emotions… a stranger
’
s.

A
male stranger
’
s.

Dreamer frowned, looking at the envelope. He
wasn
’
t
a person who was just sending her a regular appointment. The
envelope reeked of lust aimed directly at her, lust which began
before she was murdered and grew stronger over the years. Lust so
strong it made her eyes water.

“
Goodness,
” she murmured. “Who is
this man?”

Baby Julian shivered in his sleep, Dreamer conjuring his
baby blanket and spreading it over him as he dreamt on
Ted
’
s
sofa.

“
James, put me
down!”

“
Say I can come
to yours,” James replied, laughing
. “Your Dad wont mind me coming.”

“
You wear Dad
out- he
didn
’
t sleep well last night. If you come over-”

“
I wont even
speak to him. I’
ll just go up
to your room.”

“
You’
re not allowed in my
room,” said Pandora breathlessly, and James smiled at
her.

“
Fine,
I’
ll pretend
I
’
m
going up to Marlon
’
s room, and slip in yours.”

“
Well… Marlon
wont appreciate you coming in my room either.”

“
I
didn’
t mean to,
I
’
m
just saying that they
’
ve got boundaries.”

“
Like I
don’
t know
already.”

“
Don’
t look like that,
Pan. I didn
’
t mean to get grouchy.”

Pandora shrugged. “It
’
s ok.”

“
You
don’
t always have to pretend
you don
’
t care, you know.” James took her hand. “Sometimes you
should let your feelings out.”

“
Not always.”

“
Why
not?”

“
Because
sometimes you have to keep things to yourself.”

“
You can tell
me anything, Pandora.”

“
Fine,” she
said amusedly. “You look like an idiot wearing your hat back to
front all the time, and I hate it when you stare at my mother like
she’
s the only one in the
frickin
’
room. You stink like a sewer after you play football, and I
don
’
t
bother coming near you until late, because at least I know
you
’
ve
showered by then. I always wonder if you
’
re bisexual, because
you
’
re
amazing with me but the way you act with my brother is a bit
worrying. And-”

“
All right, I
get it,” grumbled James, and she burst out laughing.

“
So I do keep
it to myself. Can I have a kiss?”

“
No.”

Still, he lowered his mouth to hers,
Pandora
’
s arms curving around his neck.

“
No go, Mummy.”
Julian looked up at her. “Peas?”

Dreamer nodded, saying “We
’
ll call Miriam out,
then.”

“
Damn it,
Miriam! Watch where you’
re
going!” he said angrily, staring down at the coffee stain on his
crisp white shirt.

“
How have you
been, Dreamer? It’
s been
ages!”

“
Only a month,”
smiled Dreamer, and Miriam’
s
smile grew.

“
Is everything
all right now? The living arrangements, I mean.”

Dreamer nodded, smiling. “Marlon and Pandora are with me
and Julian every second weekend, and I may go to theirs in the
first if I feel like it.
”

“
Excellent,”
beamed Miriam. “So I’
m sure
Pandora truly doesn
’
t need to come back to the clinic?”