“Oh like, 'Hey Red, want to see me bring back an animal from the dead' kind of really exciting? Is that what you plan to do?”
“Now you're just being plain difficult, you are. And to think I was fixing you up on a date and all.” Rhian huffed and turned her back, walking away. “Sometimes I don't know why I bother.”
May ran after her and grabbed her arm. “What do you mean? I thought I was just coming along for a free meal. A date with who?”
“Red has a friend who is coming to dinner on Tuesday. You're invited if you can keep a civil tongue in your mouth. That's if you want to come, of course.”
“Tell me more about this 'friend' first.”
“‘T is Red's friend since high school. He has his own mechanical shop and is mad keen on anything with a motor I hear. So keen in fact if you purr he's bound to be more interested, he’d be thinking you have something mechanical with you. Think about it and let me know.” She walked into her surgery and took her instruments from the sterilizer ready for her first patient. She hooked her stethoscope around her neck and smiled at May. “That sounds like our first patient now. Can you be a love and show them in please.”
For the rest of the day Rhian could feel May’s gaze on her. She knew May would be tossing up the idea of a date against the need to reprimand her for failing to inform Red about herself. She had made the decision not to say too much to him and for good reason. At least in her mind it was good enough. He needed to be guided into her world. If she threw it all at him at once he would run a mile and there would be no chance of getting him back. She wouldn’t risk it.
No, this was the only way. She would play her cards slowly and ease him into it.
Tuesday she managed to close the surgery early. She passed on Red's address to May who raced home to tart herself up. Rhian had a soothing soak in the bathtub with her favorite oils and let them soak into her skin. She chose her dress carefully, knowing Red liked her in soft flowing dresses. Especially ones that slid off her shoulders and made her body accessible in a hurry and this one didn’t require a bra, another bonus.
She packed an overnight bag because she had no intention of coming home to sleep in her own bed alone. Saying goodnight to Nero, she closed the door behind her.
Rhian pulled up in the driveway behind his big red motorbike and looked up to check her face in the mirror. Red was at her door before she could open it herself. She eased out of her seat into his arms. He swung her around before pulling her in for a long, sensual kiss.
“Hmm, you smell good.”
“Why thank you, kind sir. You sure are a sight for sore eyes.” She ran her finger along the collar of his casual white shirt and tapped a nail on his chest. Leaning up, she kissed him again. A delicate cough made her pull away from his lips and look behind her.
“May, did you walk over? I could have given you a lift, you silly thing.”
Rhian looked at her friend who was standing by the back of her car, her handbag draped over her shoulder. “It was a nice walk. Hi Red, thanks for the invite.” She held out her hand to him and he let go of Rhian to shake the offered hand.
“It was good you could come. Just in time too. Here comes the rev head himself.” He nodded at the car coming up the road. The grumble of the motor split the quiet night. Jake parked on the road, giving one last rev of the engine before he killed the switch.
“Holy crap. Is that a Corvette?” May's face lit up like she had suddenly found heaven.
“Yeah, a Stingray to be exact, Jake’s pride and joy. Hey, man.” He waved at the guy limping out of the car heading his way.
“Yo, bro.” He grasped hands with Red and shook quickly. Looking at both of the girls he asked. “So which one is Rhian?”
Red put his arm over her shoulder and introduced her to Jake. “And this is May, her friend. May, I’d like you to meet Jake.”
“Oh Jake, how nice to meet you. I love your car. Can I sit in it?” May spewed out the words and headed toward the vehicle before he had a chance to answer her. He looked over at Red and Rhian, shrugged his shoulders, and followed her.
“I didn't know she had a thing about those old cars.” Rhian looked up at him confused.
“It's amazing how things can change when the little sharp arrow heads your way. And you have to admit, it is one hot car.”
She watched her friend drooling over the car and the man. Shaking her head, she walked inside with Red and he gave her a tour of his house. It was very bare compared to hers. There were very few plants and only a couple of pieces of art on the walls. Family photos covered a sideboard in the lounge room and she got a quick glimpse of the young Red and his parents.
He led her to the kitchen. On the table was a package wrapped in red paper with a white bow. Red handed it to her. “I was going to leave it until Valentine’s Day but I thought you should have it now.”
Her eyes filled with tears and she held it in her hands. “Oh Red, thank you so much.” Taking the box, she undid the bow and folded it neatly before placing it on the table. She slid her finger under the tape and lifted it from the paper. When it was free she folded it and placed it with the bow. She picked up the box and lifted the lid. Rhian gazed up at Red and pulled the tissue paper from the top.
“You sweet man, you.” She jumped up and down like a little kid and pulled the red frog from its nest of tissue. Holding it on her hand she ran her finger down its long stretched out leg tracing the tiny gold toes. She leaned up and kissed him on the lips, sliding her tongue between his teeth. She could feel what she was doing to his body and he pressed against her, pushing her into the edge of the table.
“Did you want us to leave you two alone for a bit?” Jake hobbled into the kitchen, his eyebrow raised at them. “Or you could always get a room and we can have a drink while you do it.”
Red laughed and squeezed her again. “I can catch up, bro. We have all night and she’s not going anywhere. Let me get you a beer.” Red let her go and crossed to the fridge. He took out a couple of beers and then a tray of raw vegetables with a small bowl of dip. “Enid left enough to feed an army.”
“She knew I was coming over, so she should.” Jake laughed and took the beer.
“What can I get you ladies to drink?” Red asked looking at them both in turn.
“Can I have a beer?” May asked.
“Wine for me if you have it, thanks,” Rhian said. She wrapped her frog up in the tissue, placing it carefully back in the box.
Red passed them their drinks and led the way out to the back veranda where a barbeque was set up in one corner. A table and chairs were placed under an umbrella and little lights were set into the wooden edging of the floor.
“This is lovely, Red.” Rhian sat beside him, clasping his hand in hers.
“It is. I don't get to use it too much though.”
“That might have to change, my man,” Jake said taking a handful of vegetable sticks.
“If it will get you away from your workshop once in a while, why not?”
“Just organize the company and the food and tell me the time and day. It might pay to check where I am work wise just in case but I'm in.” Jake looked over at May and Rhian saw him winking at her, and she blushed and smiled.
“Sounds like a plan. I should get you and Rhian to organize it. You know what I’m like when I get my head stuck into work.” He reached over and grabbed her hand, twining his fingers through hers.
“I’m game for that.”
“Rhian. Are you the vet around the corner from here?” Jake asked looking at her.
“Yes.”
“The one in the big yellow house the witch used to live in?”
Her head spun and she knew the color drained from her face. Red pulled his hand from hers and May sat up straight, fear crossing her face.
“Yes. That was my grandmother.” She looked at Red. He was staring at her, his face blank.
“I thought that was you. My old man used to talk about her. She had a way with the animals.
She used her magic to heal many who would have been put down otherwise.” He took a slug of his beer, oblivious to the tension he had caused. “Can you do it too, you know the magic stuff?”
The air was being sucked from her lungs and her heart thumped in panic. May was looking at her with a silent message on her face but Rhian was too shocked to make sense of it.
“Yes, yes I can. Why do you ask?” She wiped her palms on her dress. They were moist yet burning.
“I just wondered if you had any luck with spells on humans. I figure if you can do it on animals you can do it on people too. I was just curious.”
“It is possible, yes. But I have to be careful what I ask for. If it's not for the right reason it won't happen.”
Like asking for Red's eyes to be healed because I want him to like himself more than he does right now, so we have a decent chance of love, she thought.
Red excused himself and walked inside. Rhian looked at Jake and May. Clenching her teeth, she followed him. He turned on her as soon as she walked into the kitchen.
“Are you for real?”
“Yes. I'm sorry. I know you don't believe in magic but I am a witch. It's a family thing as you have probably figured out from that conversation.”
“So even though I don't believe you, because I don’t, were you going to tell me or were you planning on it being a nice dinner surprise like this tonight?”
“If you cast your mind back, Red, you will remember I have tried to tell you. You just wouldn't listen.” She stood at the table, her hand grasping the back of the chair to hold her up.
“No. Wrong. You asked me if I believe in fairy tales. Not if I believed you could be a witch. That's a bit different in my eyes.” He moved away from her and leaned against the kitchen counter, his arms crossed in front of his chest like a shield.
“You don't believe me and you're pissed off with me. How is that possible, Red? Hmm, tell me.”
“Honesty, Rhian. I'm sure you remember that conversation. You know the one where you promised me you would be honest with me before you fucked my brains out. This isn't being honest. Even if I don't believe in the shit you do, you could have told me the truth. Given me a chance to see if I wanted to be in a relationship with you being all fruity and all.”
“Fruity,” she yelled at him, her insides burning in fury. “Fruity, you jerk. I'm not fruity, I'm a bloody witch for God's sake. Not some fucking hippy who throws around colored crystals and pretends to weave magic spells. I'm not some sideshow alley freak.” She was breathing hard and ready to slap him.
Red took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. He put them on the bench and rubbed his eyes. “This is giving me a headache. I'm sorry, Rhian, if I called you a freak. But shit, this is just a little bit much isn't it? I'm a scientist. I don't believe in witches.”
“What will it take, Red? Do you want me to show you what I can do, would that do it for you?” She lifted her hand and flicked her fingers. The lights went out. A shout from outside reached her ears and she turned the lights back on again. She looked across the room into his pale face.
He stood staring at her his lips drawn tight. It wasn’t enough obviously. She would have to bring out the big stuff.
“Okay, hang onto your hat, buddy.” The next minute they were standing in her lounge room. Red looked around the familiar room, his eyes were huge in his face.
“No, no. This isn't possible.” He looked at her shaking his head. “Tell me that this is just a bad dream, please tell me.”
“Nope, not even close Red. Have a good look around. Everything seem nice and clear to you. No dream like fuzzies happening at all? Great.” She took a step closer to him. “Well here is the kicker, Red.” She took a deep breath. “Do you realize you aren't wearing your glasses right now?” He reached up for them and then looked at her in confusion.
“You don't need those ugly glasses any more, Red. Never again, okay. It went against my code to do it but I did it convincing myself I was doing it for you, not for me. You see, I can't do things that benefit me, only those around me. Even witches have a code.” She laughed bitterly. “When I met you, you seemed so unsure of your own appeal and I put it down to those bloody glasses and your job. Nothing I could do about the job and I honestly didn't want to. It was you, your life and I don't have a problem with that. I even think being nerdy kind of suited you. But you hated your glasses and I understood that. I could do something about it so I did.”
Rhian walked away from him and looked over the bay, keeping her back to him as she continued. “May had a fit because at the end of the day it would benefit me and I had done something to you without asking for your permission, a big no no in magic circles. I couldn't convince her otherwise and she was well and truly pissed with me. I wasn't even sure it would work to start with but now we both know it has.”
“You had no right.” He stood glaring at her, his fists clenched by his side.
“I know that. But I did it for you. If nothing else you can look at yourself in the mirror and know you won't be judged again for your looks. You can have anyone you want without being prejudged.” She turned back to him, her heart breaking at the look he was giving her.
“I wanted you. Why wasn't that enough for both of us?”
“I'm sorry. It's like my Da says. I jump before I think. I don't care what you look like, I never did. I love you for yourself and the person you are. I wanted you to be happy with how you were. I should have asked first, I know that.”
“You spring this on me and take over my life at the same time. Thanks, Rhian. That makes you no better than Eleanor.” His eyes darkened as he spat the words at her.
Her temper fired and she looked up at him. “Never, ever make the mistake of putting me in the same sentence as her. At least I had your best interests at heart. She was only looking out for herself.”
* * * *
Rhian stood, her shoulders sagging in defeat. She had totally stuffed up any chance they had of having a normal relationship by taking it upon herself to change his life. Falling to the floor she wrapped her arms around her knees and cried.
May reached down and hugged her. “Oh honey, I'm so sorry. He is in a foul mood. Even Jake can't get him to settle down.”
“I overstepped the boundaries. I know that but I want him back May. I so want him back and I'll do anything I have to.” Rhian cried on her friend’s shoulder. Eventually May went and made her a cup of coffee and settled her down enough to leave her.
When May arrived for work the next day Rhian was still sitting on the couch where she’d been the night before. May pulled her to her feet and sent her into the bathroom for a shower. When Rhian walked out with a towel wrapped around her, May pushed her toward the closet with orders to get dressed and come out to the kitchen.
She dressed but was still miserable when she went to the kitchen. She sat and ate what May put in front of her and then went to work. She didn't hear from Red that day or the next. By the weekend she was certain he would never call her again and she didn't even feel like going to her cottage.
She stayed home, ignoring the phone that rang constantly. She could see it wasn’t his number and didn’t want to talk to anybody else. Wandering her house, she dreamed of what might have been and how stupid she’d been taking matters into her own hands without asking his permission. Her ego had taken over, thinking she knew better than he did about what he wanted. About what was good for him.
The following week dragged along the same. Valentine’s Day came and she spent it alone. Fingering the invitation Red had given her only reduced her to a new bout of tears. She was looking forward to starting a family tradition like his mother had. She took the invitation and placed it in a keepsake box in her bedroom. Her tears stained the envelope as she cried over it.
She tried to talk herself into going to see him but decided any contact had to come from him. He had to be the one to forgive her and the chances were getting slimmer as the days went by. The way he’d looked
at her when he found out she was a witch burned into her brain. She doubted she would be welcome anywhere near him ever again.
The following weekend she decided to go to the cottage. If only to get away from town and clear her mind. It was worth the trip. She missed her garden and the solitude of her tiny cottage. The break would do her good and May encouraged her to leave town. She had seen Jake and reported Red was not returning his phone calls either. She had really pissed him off and Jake was worried about him. Apparently he had gone into this kind of reclusive state when Eleanor had dumped him too.
One more thing to blame herself for.
She had hurt him badly and she would never forgive herself.
Loading her car early on Saturday morning, she set off as the sun came up over the Bay. The stress of the last week and a half eased slightly as she drove down the motorway. When she turned into the driveway, the tears fell. This was her sanctuary, her happy place. This was where she felt most at home and able to let her feelings show.
Nero jumped from the car and walked around the garden, brushing against the day bed where she and Red had made love the last time they had been here. She ran her fingers through the bright flowers lining the pathway.
When she opened the front door, the tears fell again. Rhian curled up in a lounge chair as she cried her heart out. She promised herself this would be the end of it. After this weekend, no more tears. She had to move on with her life.
* * * *
Red slammed the door to his office. His team had broken yet another milestone with this vaccine and he didn’t have Rhian to share his news with. She had become so much a part of his everyday thoughts it hurt.
A witch, how was that fucking possible?
Nothing he understood could explain what she was. His father would have laughed if he’d told him but Red had seen the proof. He knew it was true. Looking in the mirror was evidence enough. His glasses were thrown in the bin, useless now she had cast her magic on him. Sure he had been pissed to start with but that was because she had held it back.
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