Upheaval!

by Deborah Martin

  “Expect him in the office this afternoon. The healers can’t really do much for him because they’re magic and he’s not. I’ll bet you a shiny new nickel he’s awake, feeling like crap but thinking it’s a hangover and will be calling Gregory to come get him shortly. He won’t remember that he hasn’t had any booze in almost three weeks.”

  Just then, I heard the introductory notes of “Danse Macabre”. That was Gregory’s ringtone for Ev.

  “You’re right! I can tell he’s calling Gregory right now. How did you know?”

  Omar barked out a laugh. “Known him for over a hundred years. Stubborn doesn’t even begin to describe him. Plus, he’s been out of the office for over two weeks, is going to want every single detail of what’s happened in his absence and then will go back to doing what he does best – talk to people. That’ll be the best medicine for him anyways. It’ll keep him distracted and not thinking about the broad. You’re sure she’s locked up?”

  “Gregory says she is and I believe him. He knows more about all this legal stuff than I do.”

  “Gregory’s a good man and well-connected. If he says you’re good to go, you are. Tell Ev to call me when he gets a chance.” Omar hung up.

  “Ev wants to come into the office,” Gregory said as he poked his head in my door. “I tried to talk him out of it but he insists. So I’m on my way to get him. I got his office looking normal but only Sally’s desk. He’s going to have a fit when he sees the chairs and coffee table.”

  I walked out into the reception area. Sally’s desk was back to normal (which meant a duplicate of mine) but she was sitting in one of those flimsy arm chairs. She grimaced at Gregory. “Can’t you do my chair before you leave? It’s a real pain when I can’t just turn from the desk over to the computer.”

  Gregory sighed. “He knows exactly how long it takes me to get there. We’ve made the trip often enough. But I believe once he sees the rest of it, he will forgive the extra few minutes. Get up.”

  Sally rose and moved over to stand by me. It was a pleasure to watch a master work – for me, at any rate. I watched as Gregory enveloped her chair in a web of his energy. It revealed another web underneath it in shades of gray and pale yellow. Rather sickly looking, actually. As I watched, Gregory’s red energy systematically unwove the other spell, sort of like taking knitting apart. It took a couple of minutes but when the sparkles faded, Sally’s normal office chair replaced the Louis XIV chair.

  “That is so cool. Teach me?” I gushed while Sally said a heartfelt “thank you” and sat back down.

  “It’s not a spell you will be able to do for awhile but yes, when you’re ready, I will show it to you. Now, I have to go. I will see you two in a bit.”

  Sally and I spent the rest of the morning on the phone – her answering and forwarding worried calls to me. It seemed never-ending. I said as little as possible but apparently, just the fact that they’d called the office and were talking to me was enough to assuage most fears. I knew once Ev got in and was able to talk to folks himself that things would quickly get back to normal.

  Cassandra, the sweetheart that she is, brought up beef stew and homemade bread for both of our lunches, along with some minced raw beef for Fudge. “You’re eating what was supposed to be my dinner but since I know things are hectic up here, I’ll eat leftovers tonight,” she told me with a grin. “I do expect that phone call after dinner. I want to hear everything, including today. Ev’s reaction to the furnishings is going to be interesting.”

  “You’ll probably hear it downstairs,” I said around mouthfuls. “It’s really too bad he couldn’t wait until tomorrow to come in. Gregory would’ve had it put back to rights by then.”

  “Do you want me to call Tommy? He can probably finish what Gregory started.”

  Nice though it was, I declined the offer. “They’ll be here shortly so I doubt Tommy would be able to finish it off in time. Besides, I’m kind of looking forward to it. We had a talk about his taste in women. I want him to see the collateral damage.”

  She grinned. “In that case, I’m off. Just like you, I have paperwork to do. Talk to you tonight.”

  I looked down at my cat, who was just finishing off his lunch. “You’re being awfully quiet. Is everything okay?”

  “Of course it is. I was just contemplating whether I should continue shadowing you. You seem to have everything under control. Although, what Cassandra gives me is much tastier than the commercial food you buy. Can we have pizza tonight?”

  He was right. I was doing very well at controlling my temper, if I did say so myself. On the other hand, I rather liked having him in the office. It seemed more…comfortable. On the other hand, Ev probably wouldn’t like it. An office mascot wasn’t his style. On the other hand…

  I heard a roar and then “What the hell is this crap?” from the reception area, followed by Sally’s laugh and Gregory’s explanation.

  “Get this shit back to normal, will ya?” I knew Ev was talking to Gregory. “Amy, my office, now!”

  Oh yes. Things were back to normal. But working for an ogre, I knew normality would probably be short-lived.

  About the Author

  A semi-retired accountant, Master Herbalist, author and witch, Deborah J. “DJ” Martin is the author of non-fiction books about herbs as well as this fiction series.

  She abandoned frozen Minnesota many moons ago and now lives in the woods of the southern Appalachian Mountains with her husband, four cats, and numerous woodland creatures. If you can’t find DJ in the garden or visiting her grandchildren, check Facebook http://www.facebook.com/authordjmartin, Twitter @authordjmartin, or her website http://www.authordjmartin.com.

  A personal note to the reader:

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