Bewitching Belle

by Debra Kristi

  “But working together,” Jeanna says. “Combining our power and energy, there’s something to that. If we can recruit enough people to stand against the guy, we might have a chance at besting him.”

  James and I exchange looks and nod. It is a possibility. But just how many would we need to pull our strength greater than his?

  “His power comes from some place dark.” Luna raises her gaze. “You don’t want to try and match the strength of a dark one. You don’t want to let that kind of sickness into your own aura.”

  “We wouldn’t be letting him in,” I start.

  “No, no, no. We’d be like the white knight. Gathering our forces of good to outshine the army of darkness.” James leans forward, his hands working feverishly in his delivery.

  A soft rap turns our attention toward the door. It swings open and an older couple step into the room. Luna leaps to her feet.

  “Grandma. Grandpa. How did you know?” Luna rushes forward, stops short.

  “Exactly,” Luna’s grandmother says. “How did we know? You would have thought our sweet granddaughter would have called us as soon as her mother ended up in the hospital.”

  “You would have thought,” her grandfather repeats.

  “But no. We had to receive word from an outside source.” Her grandmother’s gaze narrows on Luna.

  “I’m sorry.” Luna droops her shoulders. “I’ve just been so overwhelmed.”

  “That’s understandable, darling.” Both grandparents wrap their arms around Luna, squeezing her between their care.

  “Who called you?” Luna asks, a clear press of curiosity folding the lines of her forehead.

  “It doesn’t really matter.” Her grandmother waves the question away. “The important thing is that we are here now, and there is no need for all these extra, unfamiliar bodies.” She glances over James, Jeanna, and me.

  “These are my friends, and I asked them to be here with me,” Luna protests.

  “But there is no longer a need for them. We’re here for you darling.” She pinches Luna’s cheek.

  “Yeah, you know what.” Jeanna tugs on James’s sleeve. “We need to check in with my mom downstairs. We’ll catch up with you guys later.” She pulls him toward the door. Grabs my hand in passing and pauses. Leans close. “We’ve got the gist of what we need to do,” she whispers. “We’ll start drafting a game plan.”

  “Thanks.” Our hold drags, pulls long, and releases.

  “Catch ya later, doll.” James kisses my cheek and follows Jeanna from the room.

  Luna’s wild stare finds me and refuses to release my attention. Don’t leave me her gaze silently screams. Her hand reaches out, searching for mine. Our fingers connect. Hold tight.

  “Belle is providing me emotional support,” Luna says. “I want her to stay.”

  “This girl?” Her grandfather swings a lazy jab in my direction. “She disrupted your father’s service.”

  “She did.” Luna straightens and stands tall. “And rightly so.”

  Her grandparents scoff. “Your father deserves more respect than that.”

  “My father deserved a lot better than he got in countless areas. Including your treatment of him.” She releases my fingers and grabs hold of my arm. “I think I am beginning to understand why you were never a very large presence in my life.”

  Her grandmother gasps. Her grandfather’s forehead presses tight with tension.

  “Did you know that those men leading dad’s service were going to resurrect him into a life of servitude?” Her grandparents exchange a not-so-surprised glance. “You did, didn’t you?”

  My gaze bounces back and forth between Luna and her grandparents. My feet, my legs, are growing ever heavy, the air thicker. And I’d swear, the scent of bleach, blood, and urine, stronger. I bite my lip.

  “There are many things in this life that you don’t understand.” Her grandfather steps forward and places his hand on Luna’s shoulder. She shrugs him off. Steps back.

  “These people that you allow into your world… accept into your life… they killed my dad and did this to my mom.” She swings a flat palm toward her mother.

  “Oh.” Her grandmother shakes her head. “I don’t think he did this—”

  “He did.” Luna cuts her off. “I know he did. This happened to her right after she visited him.”

  Her grandparents exchange another loaded gaze. I detect frustration, irritation, resignation.

  “Whatever has happened, we will get to the bottom of it. Get it sorted.” Her grandmother tightens her clutch on the handle of her purse.

  “I sure will.” Luna punches her fists into her hips. “And without your help. I want you to go.” She jabs a pointed finger toward the door.

  “But Luna, your mother is ill. Who will watch over you?” her grandmother says.

  Her grandfather wraps his arm around her grandmother. “That’s right. You’ll be coming home with us until your mother is better.”

  Luna’s mouth drops open. “I will not!” He reaches for her, and she jerks away. “I’m staying here in the hospital, with my mom. I was told I could.”

  “This is no place for a young girl to sleep.” Her grandmother frowns and lowers a woeful gaze on Luna.

  “I don’t care what you think,” Luna blurts. “I am not going home with you. And if you try to force me, I’ll run away.” She shifts around the outskirts of the room. Maneuvering herself between her grandparents and the door.

  “Luna,” they both say in unison. “We only want what’s best for you,” her grandmother adds. They turn, following her movements through the room. They remind me of tigers, watching and waiting to pounce on their prey.

  Luna raises a pointed finger in the air. “I’ll run away.”

  “Hey. What’s happening here?” Luna’s uncle swings into the room. Luna spins toward him, then dashes out the door.

  I’m left alone with her father’s family and her ill mother. I chew on my lip. Wiggle my foot left then right. Step to the side. “Sorry,” I mumble and speed walk out of the room and down the hallway, moving in the direction I know Luna went.

  I turn the corner and find her pressed against the wall, dropped to her butt on the floor. She’s pulled her knees into her chest, and she hugs them so tight it’s like she is attempting to flatten herself into the wall.

  I crouch before her and place my hands on her knees. Say not a word.

  “I won’t go with them,” she whimpers. “I won’t. I won’t. I won’t.”

  “Okay,” I say matter-of-factly. “Then don’t. I won’t make you. In fact, I’ll help you avoid them if that’s what you want.”

  She lurches for my hand. “Yes. Please. Would you do that?” She raises her tear-stricken gaze to mine.

  “Of course.” A sound in the hallway pulls my attention, and I glance around the corner. Luna’s family has abandoned the hospital room and is walking our way. “Here they come.” I gesture for her to crawl around the back of the nurse’s station and she does.

  We hunker on the backside, pressed out of sight, listening and waiting for her father’s family to disappear. She holds my hand tightly, pressing it to her chest. Her family’s footfalls and chatter grow ever louder. They round the corner and walk past the other side of the station behind which we hide. The ping of an elevator button signals their intent.

  “I don’t like this,” her grandmother says. “We shouldn’t allow her to get her way.”

  “And what would you have us do?” her uncle responds. Scrapes and shuffles move across the counter above us. We both jolt and press deeper into the barrier. Luna throws her hand over her mouth.

  “What are you doing?” her grandfather grumbles.

  “Just writing myself a note,” Her uncle says. “A reminder of something I need to do.”

  “What do you have to do?” The elevator door rattles open and the motion of footsteps follow. “Hurry up, the door wants to close.”

  Something slides across the surface above. I envision his
hand scraping the countertop. With the squeal of sneakers on linoleum flooring, her uncle spins and dashes across the hall, into the elevator. And a slip of paper floats from above, into Luna’s lap.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Feeling less than safe hanging in or around Mrs. Flores’ hospital room, Luna and I make our way to the cafeteria. Luna clutches the piece of paper in her hand, staring at the scribble of handwriting running across the page. The message is short and simple and clearly intended for her.

  Call me. 9:30 tomorrow. There’s something I must tell you.

  ~ Uncle Andy

  At the bottom of the slip is a local phone number, including area code.

  Luna rubs the page between her finger and thumb, as if needing to prove to herself time and time again that the note is real.

  “What could he possibly have to tell me?” She murmurs.

  “No idea. He’s your uncle. You honestly don’t have a clue?” We cross the cafeteria and peruse the edible options.

  “Not really.” She grabs a cup and pops it in the auto dispenser, filling the drink to full. “Like I told you before, I never had a lot of interaction with my dad’s side of the family. I always got the impression there was some sort of bad blood between them. I’m guessing now, I was right.”

  I, too, grab a drink and, also, a bag of chips. Luna selects a fruit bowl and suggests we share both the fruit and the chips. We pay and take a seat, eat, and speculate. Check on her mom and speculate some more.

  It is decided that her dad’s family knows a lot more about the bokor and the voodoo religion than she was ever led to believe. They may hold the answer to my mom’s possession issue, only Luna doesn’t feel comfortable talking to them. Not after what happened earlier, with them attempting to take her into their care.

  “What if they were to hand me over to the bokor, as he originally requested?” she says.

  “I’m not going to let that happen.” I curl my hand into a firm fist. Thump it against the windowsill.

  “And how would you stop it? We’re less than half the opposition’s age, and even less knowledgeable.” She crosses her arms and frowns. Glances at her mom, sleeping in the bed beside us.

  “Opposition,” I repeat and giggle. She giggles with me. “I like that better than bad guy or evil bokor,” I say. We both giggle and my head swoons. I may be drunk on lack of sleep or a proper meal.

  We slide to a seat upon the ground, the far wall at our back, and the hospital bed between us and the door. Our hope, our presence goes undetected to any quick peeks into the room. I lean against her and close my eyes. Lose time.

  “There are better places to sleep than on the hospital floor.”

  My eyes blink to a lazy open. I tilt my head back and stare up at my brother, wipe away the drool at the edge of my lip. He towers over Luna and me, a humorous grin pinned to his lips. He offers me his hand. I accept and he hauls me to a stand. Does the same for Luna.

  “Miri asked me to retrieve your sorry butt. But I don’t know…” He rubs the back of his head. “Maybe you’d rather sleep here tonight than in a comfy bed.”

  “Ha. Ha.” I tease. Smirk.

  “The chair in the corner there reclines.” Luna points to the one and only chair. “If Belle chooses to stay with me, I’ll let her take that, and I’ll squeeze along the edge of my mom’s bed.”

  Michael’s head jerks back, and he folds his arms across his chest. “You’re kidding, right?”

  “Not really.” Her voice is quiet, fueled with nerves. “I hate to admit it, but I’m slightly afraid to spend the night here alone.”

  “Why would you?” Michael says. “This place is not conducive to a good night’s sleep.”

  “Well…” She swings her upper body back and forth. “My mom is here and there’s no one back at my house. So, this seems like the place where I ought to be.”

  “What about family?” he asks. I shake my head, letting him know her family is not an option. “Well then.” His face relaxes into firm resolve. “Looks like Grams will have to deal with another houseguest for a day…” He shifts and glances at Mrs. Flores. “Or more.”

  “Really?” Luna asks. “I don’t want to put anyone out.”

  “It’s settled. Don’t bother arguing. Grams is a sucker for young girls in need of mothering. Come on.” He waves us to follow, and he walks out of the room.

  Luna kisses her mom goodnight, we toss our remaining trash in the bin, and we dash after Michael.

  Within twenty minutes, my brother deposits us on Grandma’s front lawn.

  “I’m sorry I can’t stay,” he says. “I’ve got school business that requires my attention.” He delivers a sharp wave and then drives away.

  “I don’t even have any of my stuff,” Luna says, staring after Michael’s departing car. We climb the steps to the front porch.

  “It’s fine. Between me and Miri, we’ll get you set up.” I push open the front door. Usher her inside. “I’m sure we have a new toothbrush stashed somewhere for occasions such as this.”

  At the sound of our entry, Grandma descends the stairs. “Oh, sweet girl.” She rushes to Luna and pulls her into an embrace. Hugs her long and hard. “You must be in need of serious comfort and loving.”

  “I’m doing alright,” Luna says, stepping back from my grandma.

  “Of course, you are.” Grandma smiles and squeezes Luna’s upper arm. “You’re a strong soul. But even strong souls need time to cradle their wounds.” Grandma hugs Luna once again. “Can I make you some soup, or warm tea?”

  “Soup sounds good. Thank you.” Luna bows her head ever slightly.

  “Can Luna stay here tonight?” I ask and offer to take Luna’s jacket. I take both hers and mine and toss them over the back of the nearby sofa.

  “Of course, she can. No child shall be left in the cold.” She smiles in a grandmotherly, I’m-going-to-make-everything-alright kind of way, then heads for the kitchen. I assume, to pour Luna’s soup.

  We enjoy warm soup and a little chatter. Between Grandma, Miri, and me, we find night clothes and a toothbrush for Luna. Due to the limited space, the sofa is made up with a sheet and pillow to serve as Luna’s bed. I opt to take the other sofa and sleep downstairs with her, rather than in the bed with Miri.

  It’s Luna’s first night in a strange place, and she has temporarily lost one parent and maybe lost the other for good. I don’t want her to feel exiled from everything and everyone else. Grandma relents and allows my choice to bunk downstairs.

  I introduce Luna to my mom so that she knows, firsthand, what we are dealing with.

  “I can get you your mother back,” Caleb promises, using my mom as a conduit. “Your father too. I can get them both back where they belong. You need only do one thing.”

  “Don’t listen to him.” I step between my mom and Luna. “He can’t be trusted and whatever deal he tries to offer, even if he can come good on his promises, they will somehow twist in a horribly negative way for you.”

  “Just like the bokor,” she says. “deceitful and evil.”

  “Pretty much.”

  We crash in front of the television, and even though it isn’t all that late, I find it difficult to keep my eyes open.

  “It’s because of all the energy exerted through the stress and anxiety of today’s events. You may not have been terribly active physically,” Miri says. “But you spent a ton of mental and emotional energy. That can really take it out of a person.”

  “Thank you for your wisdom, older sister.” I drop my head on my pillow. Stretch out across the sofa.

  “Anytime young one.” She smirks and turns to Luna. “If you need anything, I’m up on the third floor.” Luna thanks her. She also relaxes across her makeshift bed.

  Miri circles past the kitchen and heads up the stairs to the second level. “Got the flowers all sorted, by the way,” she calls back. “We’ll be going with simple, white roses.”

  “Elegant,” Luna mumbles.

  I suffer a somewhat
restless sleep, and notice Luna experiences the same. She rests with her hand curled under her pillow and her gaze trained across the wide open space, staring at me.

  “Sleep doesn’t want to come,” she says.

  “Same,” I reply. A moment of silence passes.

  “Your presence brings me peace, but right now you seem so far away,” she continues. I merely peer back, unsure how to respond. “Do you think we could rearrange the furniture? Just for tonight?”

  I sit up. “What do you want to do?”

  “Can we move the two sofas closer?”

  I blink and stare at her, then shake my senses straight and stand. “Let’s do it.”

  Together, we move the coffee table to the side of the room and shift the two sofas so that they are facing one another with a tiny gap between them. When we crawl back into our sleeping position, we are able to stretch our arms across the gap and hold hands. Her warmth washes through me by way of our touch, and my restlessness settles. Sleep finds me.

  Come morning, I am groggy and anxious for a good dose of vitamin C and vitamin D. I drink the C and step outside to soak up the D.

  Any sunshine will be fleeting. Rain and thunderstorms are in the forecast for tomorrow.

  When nine thirty arrives, Luna and I take a seat at the table, and she dials the number her uncle provided. She holds the receiver between us so that I can hear everything that transpires. The phone is answered on the first ring.

  “Luna?” a man says.

  “Uncle Andy,” she whispers, her hand wrapped over the receiver to muffle any sound. She removes her hand. “Yeah, it’s me,” she says. “What is it you want to tell me?”

  Rolls and bangs sound in the background of Uncle Andy’s call, making it sound like he’s in the midst of a busy worksite.

  “I wanted to apologize to you for the situation your parents have found themselves in.”

  Bang. Grumble. Thump.

  Luna’s gaze flickers from the phone to me. Her expression says everything I am thinking. What the heck? It’s hard to concentrate with all the loud noise in the background.

  “Where are you?” Luna asks. “The noise is seriously distracting.”