by Dani Corlee
Lucille frowned, her good mood turning sour again, also remembering she had been addressed as “an old witch behaving like a teen.” She moved her hands and Kim reappeared, with an embarrassed gaze. She was upset she still couldn't master magic despite her efforts, but there were so many spells to be learned, and so many abilities that it would probably take her whole life to learn half of them.
“Did you hear? She's so insolent and bullying. She always has been.”
“Yep, especially that time when you...” Lucille was stopped by the nasty look Isidora gave her and sat down without a word.
“Is she the great-grandmother of that man we met the other day?”
Isidora rolled her eyes. “That's what I feared. It was you, not Hylee. My granddaughter can defend herself from those side problems. You are still too weak to face her. But you know,” she continued toward Lucille, “she is right.” She snorted and continued, “I'm afraid to have to admit she is right. In a way, she deserves the powers much more than many other witches who aren't totally aware of the miracle of their lives. Her ancestors were very powerful. She had always been aware she has witches’ blood in her since during her childhood. She studied all the historical information about her family and all she could about magic. She did her best to regain the powers, but obviously she couldn't. She missed a single piece of the puzzle, and when she found it out, it was too late for her.”
“I don't understand.” Kim intervened. “What do you mean?”
“Nothing, my dear. Nothing that should worry you now. I remember her great-grandson as a child. He was quite cute if I'm not mistaken. Now he must be in his thirties and he's probably a handsome guy.”
“Handsome?” Lucille popped her gum. “He's the hottest guy in town! Believe me, I would be more than happy to take a ride or two with him,” and she giggled.
“A ride? Do you mean at the vet's place? Oh...” Kim opened her eyes wide, feeling stupid, then laughed. “No, obviously you didn't mean riding a horse!”
Lucille laughed aloud then stopped and made a face, looking at Kim, realizing Isidora wasn't appreciating her humor.
CHAPTER 16
This was the day!
Many witches had knocked at Kim's mind, asking her if she was happy or nervous about the imminent ceremony, thus increasing her anxiety. She had tried not to think about it. The more she thought about being at the center of attention, the more her stomach churned.
She wiped her sweaty hands on her jeans and swallowed. Lucille would be there soon to help her and Aurora to get prepared.
“Mom? Mom! Can you listen to me?” Aurora quickly tugged her shirt repetitively to get her attention.
“Sorry, my love. I was lost in thought.”
“My hair! I still have to get my hair done!”
Kim looked at Aurora and couldn't help a burst of laughter. “Oh my goodness, Aurora, what have you done?”
Aurora had tried to pull her hair up but ended with a lopsided bun. Half her face was covered with red lipstick, which she had tried to use on her lips but she’d missed the outlines and looked like a mad clown. She was wearing plastic earrings, and the overall look was too funny not to laugh out loud.
She reacted a little offended, pouting and turning away from her mom, who grabbed her and smothered her with kisses, thus covering her face with lipstick too.
“You'll take a shower now, my little love!” Kim exclaimed.
“No!” she replied but giggled happily with all those endearments.
In Kim's room their party dresses were hanging on the closet. She had done nothing the whole day but stare at her own. It was simply wonderful. She had refused to wear a fairy-tale princess-like dress, one of those ball gown dresses that would have made her more embarrassed than she was already. After many suggestions and tries, she had imposed a simple, strapless sweetheart chiffon dress, with the only concession to the witches who wanted her to look like a real queen being a short sweep train. The color was aqua, which complemented her skin tone, still golden from a suntan. They told her the dress had been prepared using stardust and she wondered if they really meant it.
Aurora's dress was enchanting too. It was a ball gown: an ankle-length, flowery dress in a delicate pink with little flowers scattered all over it. Aurora had chosen it after visioning hundreds of them and had been very determined about it. She had also pointed out that she was going to have all the others too, soon.
The afternoon went on quickly. Lucille arrived to help them and in the early evening they were ready. Aurora kept on looking at her reflection in the mirror, enchanted by the dress and the beautiful hairstyle she was wearing. Her straight blonde hair had been tied up and was embellished with the same little flowers of her dress. She hadn't had the permission to wear the plastic earrings but was proudly wearing a little tiara that sparkled as if made of real diamonds.
“Did you understand? Aurora, listen to me.” Lucille waved at Aurora to get her attention. Lucille, too, was very elegant, in a scarlet siren dress, with a wide belt and a matching sash around her neck.
“We will teleport together, then I'll leave you and rush in because you have to make your entrance by yourselves.” Aurora nodded, excited.
“Can you tell me once and for all where the coronation will take place?” Kim had asked that question many a time, but nobody had wanted to answer her.
“Nope, Isidora was been clear. We gonna obey. We all have worked on it a lot and it is a surprise. I tell you, you will not be disappointed. Ya'll will love it!”
Lucille whispered goodbye in her ear, and Kim slowly opened her eyes at Aurora's scream after the teleportation. She smiled in anticipation, enjoying the scenery that was forming in front of her.
Her smile turned into a surprised look at soon as she saw what was in front of them.
The castle was huge and fairylike. It was shining against the pale twilight sky, the flags on top of the many slim towers slowly moving in the breeze.
It looked like a huge piece of candy floss with sparkling diamonds scattered all over, echoed by the few stars which were appearing high in the sky.
No wonder Aurora had been shouting from happiness and giggling since they arrived.
The front door was huge, with a big staircase shaped like an ancient marble one. Sounds were coming from the door, muffled by the distance. There was soft music, and voices speaking unrecognizable words mixed with steps and laughter.
Kim felt Aurora's hand tightening around hers and trying to pull her to speed up their walking, but Kim kept her slow pace, walking one step at a time.
“Like Cinderella, Mom! Or Sleeping Beauty's castle. Mom... Will we find a Prince?” she whispered, overwhelmed by the experience.
Kim couldn't help feeling happy for Aurora, who was living a fairy tale. How many kids could say the same?
“You are a princess, Aurora. Princess Aurora, just like in the tale.” She smiled at her daughter, who was still looking in front of her with an incredulous stare, her mouth falling open. “You have always been my princess,” she added in a whisper.
“Mom, look!” Aurora pointed at her mom's dress, which now held the delicate shades of the sky near the setting sun, while small diamonds started to twinkle here and there.
Their astonishment increased as soon as they realized Mr. Stevenson was sitting on the top of the stairs, his tail quickly moving from one side to the other.
“How did he get here? And why?” Kim asked, unable to hide her bewilderment. Her heartbeat gathered speed and her stomach churned. What was wrong, and why was she feeling so anxious?
“He is a magic cat,” Aurora replied quickly.
Kim frowned and turned to her daughter. “Is he?”
Aurora nodded and sighed. The staircase was long, and the steps were too high for her size: she was starting to feel tired and overwhelmed by the situation.
“Are you OK, my love? Do you want me to pick you up into my arms?” She stooped at her height and soon she realized Aurora had changed her ex
pression to a fearful one. She turned, following her glance, only to see a black furry thing flying over her. Mr. Stevenson! she thought. In a split second, she pulled Aurora against her legs to protect her and couldn't help closing her eyes.
CHAPTER 17
The awful sensation Kim was experiencing increased. Only a few fractions of a second, but she knew something was terribly wrong. She was in the water. Deep in water. She felt she was falling deeper and deeper and her survival instinct made her move her legs and arms to oppose the force which was pulling her down. Her lips tightened; she opened her eyes, turning around to look into the darkness, her hair floating around her face. Not sensing the top and the bottom, she kept on turning her head in the semi-transparent water, searching for the light till she saw it. Her lungs longing for oxygen, she swam quickly towards the air. Only few swimming strokes, because she wasn't deep as she thought, yet those few strokes seemed never-ending, enough to scare her and wear her out.
She nearly flew out of the water into the warm air and breathed deeply, inhaling air and water spurts, coughing and spitting, finally feeling safe.
“What's the matter with you?” A strong hand caught her arm and pulled her out of the sea.
“Hey, Kim. Kiiimm!”
Yes, it's me, she thought. Yes, I'm Kim.
“Kim, what happened, are you alright?”
She nodded, not able to answer.
Two strong arms lifted her. Her eyes closed, the smell of a man's body, a slight salty perfume mixed with coconut sunscreen. Those arms gently placed her down on a soft chenille mat she could sense with her skin.
“Ouh! Kim, please, open your eyes!” Gentle slaps hit her cheeks while her shoulder was shaken. She slowly opened her eyes, still confused and scared. She could barely see the man standing over her; her soaking-wet eyelashes were creating tricks of light, making everything around her evanescent and magic.
Magic? Magic, she repeated. This reminded her something she couldn't totally recall. It was something familiar, but still distant. She sat up with some difficulty, those male hands still helping her.
“Mom!” A tiny bomb jumped on her and hugged her strongly. “Mom, what happened?” another voice asked her, his owner trying to hug her too.
Mom? Yes, mom. She knew it. But why couldn't she remember anything? She felt dizzy and still confused. This could be a dream, where everything feels so strange and false, yet extremely real. Or even a nightmare. Was she dreaming? The squeezing little one was hurting her: she definitely wasn't dreaming. But she would have liked a lot to be left alone to dream. No, to sleep.
She pushed the little bodies a little, to have a look at them. Yes, it was her. Maryann. The name sounded familiar, yet so alien. The funny, sullen face looked at her, her dark curls helplessly fastened up into two messy buns.
“Why did you freak us out, Mom?” the boy asked. Kim looked at him, at his perfect features and his militare-cut hair. Andrew. Yes, Andrew.
“OK, kids, let Mom breath. Don't stay so close. Go back and play. And you be careful too! You've just seen what a big wave can do! Go, now. Go.”
She followed the deep, commanding voice and looked up at its owner.
“Are you OK now?” The fiery coal-black eyes scrutinizing her were darting, but full of concern, and amorous.
Kim felt love and warmth but was still puzzled a little. Everything felt strange, as if there was something wrong.
“I'm fine, sorry,” she replied, attempting a smile.
“You freak me out.” He laughed and his deep voice sounded like a roar.
He took her face in his big palm and gently caressed her lips with his mouth. Then he kissed her and the kiss became more and more passionate. She felt melting and although her breath was still difficult, she didn't want that moment to end.
“Sorry,” he said and laughed again. “I couldn't help it. You need to rest now. But please, next time listen to me. I told you to be careful, the waves are too big today and in your condition you shouldn't expose yourself to any peril.”
“My... my condition?” She risked the question. Risked? Why should I think I'm risking the question?
He smiled and touched her belly. “I'd better check those two rascals. Relax now. Or do you prefer to go back home? The kids won't be happy, though. I can stay here and call Richard to come and take you back.”
“Richard?”
“Yes. Richard. Kim? Hello? Richard, our butler. Kim, are you sure you are OK?”
“Yes, sorry, I just... I feel a little confused, I was really scared in the water. For a while I've lost memory of everything... I didn't know who I was and where I was. I'm fine now.” She nodded. “Yes, I'm perfectly fine now. I think I'll rest for a while.”
It was late afternoon when Kim woke up from her nap, under a big beach umbrella, lying on the soft mat dirty with the golden sand. She sat up and looked around, a gentle breeze making her hair dance in front of her eyes. She took her band to tie up her hair in a quick ponytail. The sky was as clear as the water, the waves coming in only a few yards from her. The beach was long, scattered with a few bathers here and there catching the last of the sunshine; you couldn't see its beginning nor the end, they were both lost in a light sea mist. She covered her eyes with her hand and spotted her kids playing with her husband in the distance. The warm air was bringing with it their laughs and shouts. Little Maryann wore her pink water wings and was jumping against the waves, spraying water all over while Andrew threw a ball to his dad, without losing sight of his little sister.
The sun was going down, turning the landscape golden. She took her bag and rummaged through it, searching for her branded sunglasses. Where are they? I remember I wore them when we went out this morning.
Again she protected her eyes with her hand and looked around. She could remember what she had done in the morning, before going to the seaside. Mark and she awakened, she had a shower, prepared the kids—Maryann didn't want to bathe and she had to fight a little with her. They had breakfast and then went to the beach. They were a nice family. A very nice family. Yet... looking at her kids and her husband she felt a pang in her heart as if in reality she didn't care much about them. It was like she didn't really know them. She felt there was something extremely wrong, but she couldn't understand what. She felt she wasn't in the right place, as if all this wasn't hers. Who was she? What was she doing in her life? What had she done the previous month, the previous year, and even before? She couldn't quite remember. Everything was blurred, with only memory hints she couldn't totally grab.
Mark run towards her, followed by the kids. He jumped down on the sand, smiling and smacked a kiss on her cheek. “You woke up at last! How are you?”
“Fine. I'm fine, I think. Still a little confused, actually.” She gave a hint of a smile.
Kim didn't know how to explain her feelings. But then, would she really tell this man she wasn't sure she loved him? That she didn't remember much about him?
“I feel strange, just like if...”
Mark frowned, giving her a pained gaze. “Shall we call the doctor?” Without waiting for an answer he quickly continued, “Mind, if he says you must be brought to the hospital, you have to go. Do you really want them to hospitalize you?” He got up without waiting for an answer and, acting like nothing had happened, he collected his items to go.
Kim looked at him, puzzled. “Go figure! Certainly, I don't want to go to the hospital.”
“Good. Let's not talk about it anymore.”
Kim stood up too and called her kids who ran near her, complaining. “Can we stay more? Just a little bit!”
“We must go. Come on! Look what a mess you made of your hair!” She managed to grab Maryann and tried to fix her pigtails, but her hair, dirty with sand and salt, was totally unmanageable. She lingered to touch it. It was thick, rough to the touch. And so dark! She had a flash of the sensation of silk among her fingers, golden silk shining under the sun. She was amazed at the thought, which left her with a feeling of emptiness.
With difficulty, Kim managed to take her off her damp swimsuit and after dabbing her skin with a soft towel, she made her wear dry underwear and a nice cotton dress. Maryann fidgeted all the time. Kneeling at her height, Kim took a careful look at that pretty little face smiling at her and she realized she didn't remember how old she was. Two? Maybe three? She was struck by panic. If she couldn't remember something so important, probably she was ready to be recovered in a hospital or worse in a nuthouse! What had happened? Probably when she was drowning the blood didn't reach her brain even only for few seconds. Whom could she ask unless checking with a doctor? She didn't understand anything about this sort of thing!
She looked at Andrew, who was trying to get dressed by himself. He must have been six years old. She could remember the day he was born, his first uncertain steps, his first day at the kindergarten. The time he had measles. Last Christmas.
