by M. E. Eadie
***
Downstairs, waiting at the table with Melissa and Ofelia, was an emotionless, stony-faced Grizzelda. There was no sign of the Marcus doll. They sat in silence, avoiding eye contact with each other, as though gripped in the awkward aftermath of an unpleasant argument. (Colin and Spike knew better than to ask about the caravans outside.) Suddenly, Grizzelda’s dark eyes looked up from the silver creamer she was attempting to bore a hole through, and trained them on Colin and Spike. They felt a desperate need to back out of the room, but her tractor-beam eyes held them fast. The boys felt her will force them into their seats.
“I’m so glad you have deigned to grace us with your presence,” she said, a coating of thick frost causing her words to hang heavy in the air.
By the way Spike inhaled, Colin could tell he was getting ready to make some smart retort that would inevitably make trouble for him. “Don’t say anything,” whispered Colin, as Spike pulled up his chair.
They looked down at their plates. The eggs and sausage had been arranged into a sad face. It stared up at them, two yellow eyes and a down-turned, sausage mouth. Colin was about to pick up his fork and knife to begin when he saw the others still sitting in their chairs motionless. He put his utensils back down onto the black tablecloth.
Grizzelda nodded. “As you know,” she fixed Ofelia with a withering glare, “over the last little while, we have been looking for a tutor. I have, up until this point, been,” a word seemed to catch in her throat and she had to clear it, “unsuccessful. Ofelia has graciously provided me with a name. This tutor is the only one who has condescended to teach you. It is a temporary solution to our problem. Unfortunately,” she looked as though she was about to choke, “as you most assuredly have noticed by now, this tutor does not come by himself. You are NOT in any circumstances to make yourself a bother to our guests. They will be gone, as soon as I can find a suitable full-time teacher. Is that clear?”
“You could always just send us to school,” said Spike with feigned meekness, slouching down in his chair, prepared to duck if anything was thrown at him.
Uncharacteristically, she ignored his comment, as though she hadn’t heard it. She stood up, causing her chair to scrape the floor ominously. As she was leaving the room she paused, turned and smiled. “You will never, as long as I am alive, be permitted to go to any school in this town.” She looked as though she was about to cry or yell, and then she was gone.
“What’s her problem?” asked Spike chewing hungrily on his food. “I mean, Principal Devonish is just a bag of bluster, mean as a coven of foul butter tarts, but nothing we can’t handle, eh?”
“I think she just doesn’t want us in any school that Rhea’s mom wants us in,” offered Colin looking over at Ofelia who avoided looking at him. She knew about the caravan, about their new tutor, and more importantly, she had somehow forced Grizzelda to agree to it. Suddenly, Ofelia seemed to be much, much more than just a housekeeper.
“What’s up with the caravan outside?” asked Spike continuing to chew.
Melissa was poking at her food; she looked up as though she wanted to say something, but of course remained silent.
Ofelia continued to sit in silence, then without saying a word, got up and went to the kitchen. A moment later she returned with a pitcher of orange juice in her hand. She smiled offering it to them. Her hand shook as she poured Colin a glass, spilling a little. She let out a tiny cry of distress, sitting down.
“Are you all right, Ofelia?” he asked.
She nodded and wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. “I’m fine,” she said smiling. “You know, it takes a lot of strength to stand up to your aunt. She is a very, very, powerful woman.”
“Well, how did you do it?” asked Spike a little too enthusiastically. “I mean if I knew how, then maybe I could do it too. It’d be great!”
Melissa glanced at her brother disapprovingly.
“She means well. There is a part of her that just wants to protect you,” said Ofelia.
“It’s the other part that I’m nervous about,” responded Spike.
“Protect us from what?” asked Colin. “I know the Nixes can be a problem, but…”
“You have no idea how dangerous they are,” said Ofelia intensely, “and there are other threats. That’s why I had to get hold of the only person that can train you. Remember, I told you that I traveled with a circus for many years?” She nodded toward the front door. “It’s here in the front yard.”
“Yeah, but there are no animals! Isn’t a circus supposed to have animals?” said Spike plaintively.
“Maestro doesn’t like using animals. He believes that the creations of the mind are much more -- entertaining,” said Ofelia rising out of her seat, and instead of looking shaky, she seemed to have been fortified by her talk.
“Maestro will be the one teaching us?” asked Colin.
Ofelia nodded.
“What’s its name, I mean the circus?” said Spike. “All circuses have to have a name don’t they?”
Ofelia’s eyes seemed to get rounder, brighter as she nodded her head. Oh, they have a name. They are The Circus of the Moon.”
