"You know, one crackpot after another." I was laughing a bit remembering the numerous "loves" of my mother's life. "My Auntie says that my mom never found a good man until she stopped dabbling. It's true too. I didn't want to like my step-dad, but he's growing on me. He's not like the others she's trailed in and out our doors for so many years."
"What about your real dad?"
"I don't even know who he is." I hadn't said that out loud in a long time. "My mom has never said and my Auntie won't break that silence." I shrugged and turned around, putting the book back down on the dresser. "I've always thought if it was that hard for them to talk about, that he probably wasn't worth my time." I noticed a couple pictures that were up around the mirror on the dresser and one in particular caught my eye. "Umm, is that Stephen?" I had the picture in my hand before I realized what I had done.
"Yeah," Tina replied with a twinge of sadness in her voice. "Don't laugh. I was so in love with him! I tried a couple spells, but he was never interested in me."
"Do you think it was because of the magic?" I asked.
"No, I don't think he was ever judgmental about it. I heard him tell Adrianna before to stop tormenting me about the witch stuff."
"Oh," I said. It was all I could manage. I sat there staring at the picture of Stephen in my hand, missing him. It had been weeks since I last saw him and the hurting hadn't stopped. I wondered and worried every day about him.
"I didn't realize you knew him," Tina said quietly. It broke me out of my reverie enough that I was able to save the photo from the onslaught of tears that had sprung themselves free.
"I didn't know him that well, it's just... it's sad to think he was gone long before he needed to be." I couldn't very well tell her that I met Stephen after he died and I couldn't seem to go on living my own life without the constant reminders of him. "Were you guys close then?"
Tina's cheeks turned a bit red, her dark hair and pale skin making it all the more obvious that she was blushing. I nearly laughed because for a split second I thought, 'she matches her room now.' "No," she said, I just had the biggest crush on Stephen, but he was always looking at someone else." Tina threw a glance my way that I could have sworn was almost a glare, and then she turned from me so I couldn't see anymore. I decided it was best if I put the picture back at that point, although there was a part of me that wanted to pocket it, because I had no pictures of Stephen.
"So, you said at school that you had a lot of mishaps with your kind of magic. Have you ever wanted to try a different kind to see if maybe you were better at it?"
I wasn't sure if this was a jab at me or if she was trying to be helpful. "I've never really thought about other kinds of magic before. My family has been practicing voodoo for generations. It never even occurred to me to think about anything else."
"Yeah, I can understand that." She was back over at the dresser now, fiddling with her book, her Grimoire. "Do you want to try something anyway?"
"Like what?"
"I don't know, you seem lonely a lot, maybe a love spell would be just the thing. I know a spell to help you find your one true love. I used it on my aunt two years ago, and, well... I told you we had to move out so they could have her house all to themselves. We could put a love hex on Trevor instead. I thought you two were going to get together when he first got here and then...."
"And then he became the jerk who torments me. Yeah, I seem to recall something like that happening. No, I don't do love spells or hexes at all. You do remember what I told you about my mom, right?"
"Oh, sorry, I forgot. I just meant..."
"I know what you meant," I said to her. In a way, I wish a love spell could fix my feelings. I was in love with two impossible to love boys. One was dead and was my biggest tormentor at school now. "yeah, I guess my life does get lonely sometimes, but it's always interesting."
"I bet, with all the zombie raising and voodoo doll stuff." Tina perked up a bit. "Hey, have you ever used one?" At my quizzical, arched-brow expression she continued, "you know a poppit - a voodoo doll."
"No, I haven't. I mean, they have their uses, and not all of them bad, but I just never saw a need for such a personal spell."
"Oh, too bad. I was hoping maybe you had one for Mr. O'Brian. He is such a douche-bag."
I had to laugh. Mr. O'Brian was indeed a douche-bag of the highest order. We talked a while, Tina lit some candles and we said an incantation to give us luck on our tests tomorrow. She also shared the most amazing brownies in the world with me. Before I knew it, time had flown by, the moon had replaced the sun, and my cell phone was ringing with a very worried mother on the other end wondering what I had gotten up to now.
"No, mom. It's okay, I will be home soon. I met someone at school today, I've been at her house talking. We just lost track of time. No. No, mom. I swear... sorry. I... Yeah, I'll be there shortly. Sorry."
"Forgot to tell your mom, huh?" Tina had a very sympathetic expression plastered across her face. "Been there!" She grabbed her purse and keys from the bed, where she had flung them when we came in, "come on, I'll get you home."
"Thanks," I managed as I stuffed my cell back in my pocket and grabbed my bag. As I tossed my bag across my shoulder I felt the uniquely painful sensation of my hair being ripped from my head. "Ow! Damn!" I pulled the rest of my unruly curls out from underneath my book bag and looked back at Tina. "I swear, some days, I really think about cutting all the curls off my head and going bald."
Tina was laughing, right behind me as we walked out her bedroom door. "Don't do that. You just have to remember that you have so much hair." She was stuffing one hand in her jeans pocket and closing her bedroom door with the other. “Let’s get you home, before your mom freaks out any more.”
***
Errands and Coincidence
I walked into the drug store, headed to the back to pick up my mom's prescription. My mind was in a million different places all at once, so it didn't surprise me when I ran straight into someone as I turned the corner of the aisle. What did surprise me was who I happened to run into.
"Are you a stalker now along with voodoo princess?"
Trevor was standing there with that grin plastered across his face. It was that same grin I had begun to love when we first met. Now, it was a sign of my great torment.
"I'm picking something up," I mumbled as I tried to move past him.
"More herbs for your spells?" He grabbed a bottle of St. John's Wart from the shelf and tossed it at me. "Hey, look, it's on sale too." The grin never left his face, but it wasn't the same one I remembered from our first meeting. The playfulness I had seen in those eyes was long gone, replaced by a cruel new look. This was not the Trevor I remembered. "I think they use this stuff for crazy people. You know, the kind who talk to themselves and whatnot." He looked around, as if searching for something and then added in a conspiratorial whisper, "I don't think you'll find a live chicken to sacrifice here though."
I tossed the St. John's Wart back to him, "I think you need this more than I do." I said and continued walking back to the prescription counter. I tried putting the whole scene with Trevor out of mind, but I couldn't. The tears came and threatened to betray me.
"Are you alright, dear?" The blond woman behind the counter was smiling at me as she asked. She was quite a bit older than my mom with the most startling blue gray eyes I had ever seen. She reminded me of someone, and I tried to place where I had seen her before when she asked again. "Are you okay? What can I help you with?"
I stumbled over my words a bit. "Sorry, I just need," I stopped to wipe the tears away from my eyes, "I need to pick up a prescription for my mom." I handed the woman behind the counter the slip of paper my mom had give me. When she turned to go get what I had asked for I noticed some movement out of the corner of my eye. "Stephen?" I called out, without thinking. I could have sworn it was him.
"I'm sorry, what did you say?" The woman behind the counter had blanched and was now looking almost as traumatized as I felt. It was
then that I connected why she looked so familiar.
"Oh, no. I'm sorry. I just, I thought you looked familiar and it just hit me. Are you Stephen's mom?" I asked as gently as I could, but I could see the pain spread across her face. "I'm sorry," I all but whispered to her.
"No, it's okay. It's just still...hard." She smiled at me now and asked, "did you know Stephen well?"
"We had French class together," I admitted. Obviously, I couldn't tell her I didn't know her son when he was still alive, but that I spoke to him at length after his death. I also couldn't tell her about how he helped me save the world from a zombie apocalypse. My life was getting more and more complicated by the day. "I miss him." The words were out of my mouth before I could pull them back.
"Me too," she said. "Every day." Stephen's mom handed me the prescription for my own mom, I paid, and we said our good-byes. Stephen watched me leave without a word. I was at least a little happy that he had finally been with his family. It didn't stop me from missing him though. It took every bit of strength in my heart to walk out of that pharmacy and to my car.
~...~
I walked in my house and put the prescriptions on the counter in the kitchen. "Hey, Seraphine!" My mom called from her bedroom. I walked back towards her room and poked my head in the door. Roger was massaging my mom's shoulder for her, trying to get the kinks out. In between wincing at what he was doing and trying to ease her aching shoulder away from his hands, she looked up at me. "I left some money on the counter, can you run by Kastello's and grab a pizza for dinner? I just don't have it in me to cook anything tonight."
"Sure mom." I walked back out of her room and grabbed up the money that was sitting on the counter.
"Sera, use what's left for your gas tank."
One look at the twenty dollar bill in my hand told me it wouldn't mean that much to my gas tank. "Okay, anything else?"
"No, I think that's it," my mom called and then I heard her say, "Ow! That's enough, this hurts worse than before."
By the time I got to Kastello's for pizza I was worn out and fighting off a headache. Just as I reached for the door it swung out to greet me, barely missing my nose. I jumped back, and to my surprise, was greeted by that grin - the one I used to look forward to seeing. Trevor was there, pizza box in hand, holding the door for none other than Simone, the girl from my English class who liked to date other people's boyfriends behind their backs.
"I'm beginning to think you really are stalking me." Trevor said as he started checking himself over. "I don't see any pin holes. You left the voodoo doll at home this time?"
Simone began laughing, and sounded like a braying donkey as she did. When I turned my eyebrows up and gave Simone the "what the hell was that" look, Trevor looked her way too, frustrated that his date was less than perfect in the face of the first girl he had asked out.
"Maybe not," I heard a familiar voice from behind the door. I couldn't help it, that voice brought a smile to my face. Trevor looked at me, annoyance gripping him in a vice, as he walked around me.
"You can't blame THAT on a voodoo doll." I said as I nodded my head toward Simone.
"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked as Trevor grabbed hold of her arm and half drug her off to his car.
"Never mind," was all he said to her.
"I've been following him around, trying to figure out what exactly you saw in him." Stephen was talking to me as I walked to the counter, I didn't say a word. I had learned my lesson about talking openly to ghosts in public. "When he's by himself, he's not so bad. I think this is all bravado with him trying to fit in at a new school."
I paid for my pizza and thanked the guy behind the counter. It wasn't until I got to my car that I was able to speak to Stephen again. "I wish I wasn't the object of his bravado."
"I'm sorry, Seraphine."
"What do you have to be sorry for?"
"You know. I'm the reason you're being picked on at school now."
"Picked on? Come on, what are we five again?" I laughed half-heartedly and then the tears were there, threatening to spill over, once again. "I missed you," I whispered as I started the car and drove off toward my house.
"I know," Stephen said, "I missed you too."
I wiped away my tears and remembered seeing him at the pharmacy earlier, "you went to see your mom."
"I was following Trevor. When he stopped there, I had to go see her." We sat in silence the rest of the way to my house. I was beaming inside because Stephen was back. It's funny how just having him around gave me that feeling of contentment. "He really likes you still, you know." The sudden outburst from Stephen startled me as much as his words confused me.
"What are you talking about?"
"Trevor."
"Yeah, well I think you missed the part in school where he mocks me with hand drawn voodoo dolls and laughs about it with the rest of the class." I put the car in park and grabbed the pizza, ready to just take it in the house and be done with this crazy day.
"I'm serious, Seraphine. I told you, I was following him. He talks to himself a lot."
"Well, his kindergarten approach to things isn't getting him anywhere is it?" I said as I got out of the car. "Are you coming in? My mom's been worried about you too, you know."
"Sure. I can come in for a while."
I smiled. I couldn't help myself. I had Stephen back. Even if Trevor wanted to continue treating me like a pariah, I had my best friend. "Mom, we have company for dinner." I shouted as I walked through the house. My mom came out of her room with Roger in tow. She smiled brightly at Stephen, while Roger just looked around quizzically.
"I thought you said we had company, Seraphine?" Stephen walked over to Roger and held his hand up close to Roger's face. We all watched as Roger shivered visibly and backed a step away. "Oh! That kind of guest." Roger said, his face going a little pale.
"Don't worry, it's Stephen. He's just showing off." Stephen turned his grinning face toward me, his hair cascading down across his eyes as he did.
"So, you two have worked out whatever drama kept you apart then?" My mom was never one to be subtle. She winced as she reached for pizza, but waited for a reply from either of us.
"We did," I said.
"What's wrong, Angelique?" Stephen asked.
"Oh, nothing, I just pulled a muscle or something in my shoulder." She took her pizza over to the table and sat down gingerly, turning at the waist to look back at us, since she couldn't move her neck much without it hurting. Stephen walked over to her and placed his hand up over her neck and then down across her shoulder. My mom's stiff stature appeared to flow away and a look of complete and utter relief washed over her. "Stephen!" She looked up at him, then over to me. "I felt tingling and then it was all gone, the pain and stiffness are gone completely."
"I don't know if it's permanent or just temporary, like a spirit aspirin or something. I noticed it worked on my mom's headache the other day." Stephen shrugged.
"Wow," I said as I watched my mom and Stephen, awestruck.
"Wow - what? What did I miss?" Roger was asking. My mom explained to him what had just happened while I got my food and sat down.
***
The Accidental Spell
I went to school the next day as usual. Stephen had other things to do and bowed out. I could understand. If I didn't have to sit through another day of Mr. Maybach's droning on and on about the classics and how today's literature was crap in comparison - I wouldn't either.
"Psst" I heard as I sat down in my seat. I ignored it, thinking maybe it was another volley of torment about to be hurdled my way by my Neanderthal classmates. "Psst, hey, Sera..." It was Tina. I turned to look at her as she clamored closer to my desk, sitting in the seat behind me that Trevor used to occupy. "Hey, has anything strange been happening to you lately?"
"My whole life is strange. You might want to be a little more specific," I whispered back to her.
"Have you been running into anyone in particular since you left my house the other da
y?"
I turned and looked at her as I responded, "I ran into Trevor several times yesterday and..." I stopped myself short before mentioning Stephen's name and then I noticed the gleam in Tina's eye, and knew she was up to no good."Oh, no! What did you do, Tina?"
"I just..."
"Ladies, if you don't mind, I'd like to start class now." Mr Maybach was not in a great mood today. "I have some important things to go over with you."
"After class," I whispered back to Tina, who simply nodded in affirmation.
Mr. Mayback continued on from his desk, "I have some tragic news, actually. Many of you know Mr. Daniels, umm," he conferred with his note and then added, "Trevor." Mr. Maybach now had my full attention. "He was in an accident yesterday and is in the hospital in critical condition. His family asks that you all respect their privacy at this time, and they will let you know when he is well enough to accept visitors." Mr Maybach seemed uncomfortable delivering the news, he fidgeted with the paper in his hands and then added, "I have also been told to inform you that counselors are available in the office, should anyone have a hard time with this news." He put the paper down, and I watched as he pulled out the book we were supposed to be starting today. I stared at him in utter silence and shock as the rumblings of conversation began to spring up all around me. The tapping on my shoulder, from Tina was a bit unexpected, making me jump up in my seat.
"Sorry," she whispered. "Are you alright?"
"Why wouldn't I be?"
"Seraphine, he's the one you kept running into. You just said it yourself. I cast a spell..."
"You did what?"
"I know you didn't want me to, but I... well... I thought if it worked you would... I don't know, be happy. It was just a spell to find your true love. It was harmless. It just makes you bump into the person repeatedly, so that you both begin to realize..."
"Stop." I was turned fully around in my seat, ignoring the warnings being shouted from the front of the class that we must quiet down and get to work.
VooDoo Follies Page 9
