PANDORA

by Rebecca Hamilton

  "Like that's sooo not going to happen," Sara said.

  Ruth and Martin exchanged another concerned look.

  In the back yard, Antoinette walked over to a plastic work table on the patio, plucked a pair of garden shears out of a Folgers coffee can sitting on the bottom shelf, and pulled a small wicker basket off the top shelf. She put on a pair of garden gloves, and then strutted toward the rose bushes, tools in hand.

  "I think I'll just wait right here," Martin said, hovering over the grass at the edge of the patio, his arms folded around his chest.

  "Godblessyeroverlyconcernedsoul, come along, dear. Granny clearly wants a word, and 'er bein' a necromancer and all; if she wants a word, best it be 'ere instead of the inside of a salt circle, Martin."

  "You aren't gonna like this," Sara sang.

  Martin inhaled deeply. "Can you elaborate on that, honey?

  "We're screwed! Did you know that Necro-Granny can-"

  "That will be enough, Sara," Antoinette said over her shoulder. "I don't have the time for your erroneous attempt at explanations." Antoinette gave them a glance as she cut a russet rose off the bush, placing it into the basket.

  "You're not the boss of me!" Sara growled, hands fisted, eyes hooded.

  "Oh, but I am," Antoinette said, making another snip on the rose bush. "And I think I've proved that, young lady. So take a back seat, Sara, and bring your friends over here."

  They reluctantly floated over, Ruth in the lead, Sara huffing, and Martin bringing up the rear.

  Antoinette acknowledged their arrival by glaring at Ruth and Martin. "Do either of you have any powers other than the ability to observe?"

  Ruth made an attempt to smooth her apron, but her hands fell somewhere inside her skirt. "No, other than influencin' other spirits and the occasional ability t', well, create some air movement, dear, I-"

  "And you?" Antoinette interrupted her, eyes on Martin as she placed another russet rose in the basket.

  "Must you be so unfriendly?" Martin asked; one eyebrow reaching, head joggling. "We're stuck here unless we do something about Bartholomew, and I would think his intentions for your granddaughter would-"

  "I asked you a question. Do you have any special powers, Martin?" Antoinette demanded. She moved over to a yellow rose bush and clipped off two flowers, adding them to the basket.

  "No," Martin answered curtly.

  "Good, because I do, and one of my powers is the ability to utilize spirits," Antoinette said with a malicious grin, clipping another rose. "And do you know-"

  "So what!" Sara snapped. "Big deal! What if we don't want you to use us, huh, then what?"

  Antoinette laid down the gardening shears and began to chant, her words incoherent, her eyes locked on Ruth's.

  Ruth yelped and shook violently, with her eyes bulging out of their sockets.

  "Give it a rest, Gran!" Sara yelled, swirling around Ruth. "She didn't do anything to you! Stop it!"

  Ruth shuddered, relaxed, and then smiled weakly at Antoinette. "That was, well, quite uncomfortable, dear, and I also feel it was quite unnecessary, I do."

  Antoinette smiled, and then turned to Martin. Her lips moved as her fingers waggled in the air in front of her.

  Martin gulped in a deep breath and shot ten feet into the air, turning circles, and screaming like a contestant on The Price is Right.

  "What the hell? What are you trying to prove, Gran?" Sara sucked in a breath as she watched Martin fall to the ground in a heap of smoke.

  "Ruth Wellington and Martin Perkins, nice to meet you," Antoinette said with a smile. "Now that I have your birth names, do you know what that means?"

  Ruth's eyes widened.

  "That's correct, Ruth. I can now summon you at will, take control of your spirits—as I just did—and even confine you if I wish. Do I have your attention now?"

  "Go on!" Sara said. "Just by knowing their names?"

  "I'm afraid so, dear," Ruth said, looking a bit tense.

  "I feel so violated," Martin sputtered, reforming as he floated back about six feet, his hand over his mouth.

  "Godhelpyershrewdlittlesoul, ya'ave made yer point, dear, y'did. And since y'ave so improperly made our acquaintance, I'm thinkin' we should discuss Bartholomew, we should. We only mean t'help, we do. Are y'aware 'e's abusing a young man named Paul t'find out about Toni? And 'e's used 'im t'kill yer granddaughter, dear, and I'm thinkin' maybe 'e should be stopped."

  Antoinette smiled at Ruth, picked up the shears, and began to clip a few more russet roses. "I have plans for Paul and Bartholomew, and it would be in both of your best interests if you stay out of those plans from this point onward. Do I make myself clear?"

  "You're such a self-centered witch, Gran," Sara said, hands inside of her hips. "It's all about passing on this gift and we don't even know if Toni wants it."

  "Let's not be rude, dear," Ruth said nervously.

  Martin shot Sara an 'I think you better shut up' look, and then put his fingers together in front of his face with an apologetic expression. "Antoinette, sweetie, would it be too much to ask that we work together here? See, we also have an interest in Bartholomew. I mean, we really don't want to float around here forever, ya know? So can't we make a deal? We help you, you use him for a while, then you send him to Hell where he belongs?" Martin scrunched up his face. "Please."

  Antoinette raised an eyebrow. "I don't need your help and have no intentions of sending Bartholomew anywhere." She pointedly looked at Ruth. "I assume you both have been to my condominium?"

  "Blessyernecromancingsoul, we 'ave, dear; quite interestin', it was. Y'seem t'ave-"

  "Then you saw the book I left opened for you?" Antoinette asked in a condescending voice. "And I'm sure you read the rules of acceptance?"

  "Do you want me to go over them with you, Gran?" Martin injected, his head to the side, fingers still making a steeple in front of his face. "I would be happy-"

  "If any of those rules are broken, by anyone, you will all be held accountable." Antoinette turned to Sara with a sweet, old-granny grin. "You can address the punishment I have in mind for them later, Sara. Maybe Ruth will enlighten you on spirits trapped and confused, unhappy spirits, and what it would be like to spend an eternity with them."

  Ruth sucked in a breath. "Oh dear."

  Antoinette picked up the basket and headed for the back patio. "Let's go, Sara. We have a viewing to attend tonight, and I'm looking forward to speaking with Toni before lunch."

  "Do you mind if we tag along?" Martin asked. "I mean, I'd just like to be kept in the loop."

  Ruth exchanged a forewarning look with Martin.

  Antoinette put the shears back in the coffee can and headed to the French doors without a glance.

  Sara bolted for the patio. "They're my friends and I need them. Especially now! Gran, please don't make them leave," Sara whimpered.

  Antoinette, her hand on the doorknob, turned back with a smile. "The more the merrier; just don't interfere or there will be consequences."

  She opened the door, walked into the living room, placed the basket on the coffee table in front of a floral, puffy couch, picked out the yellow roses, and then headed for the stairs, calling over her shoulder, "Belle, I'm going up to unpack, give me about twenty minutes, okay?"

  "No problem, Mom," Belle's voice rang from the kitchen. "I whipped up one of those Bisquick quiches that you like. Spinach and cheddar; it should be ready in about thirty minutes."

  Outside the French doors, Ruth and Martin passed an apprehensive expression.

  "This is so not going to happen!" Sara said. "I mean, come on, Gran doesn't have a chance in hell! Toni's not going to buy this Bartholomew shit. I know my sister. And even if Gran can make Paul dream about sex with her; she's not jumping in the sack with Paul anytime soon, either."

  "What do you mean, make Paul dream of Toni?" Martin asked.

  "She says she can influence Paul in his dreams. And she intends to make sure he doesn't come on to her until she's eighteen. Doesn
't that break some of those rules?"

  "Bless'ercreativemind, dreams are different, dear, they are. Just a moving image in yer head. Not actually tellin' anything, it's not. Besides, if I read the rules correctly, no one can tell Toni what she is before she receives the gift, but it said nothin'bout putting fantasies in a suitor's mind, it didn't."

  "Well, Toni still has to buy it, and she won't," Sara huffed.

  "And this comes from the girl whose libido is always on overdrive?" Martin queried, an eyebrow reaching for his hairline.

  "So not true!" Sara spat.

  "Sexual stimulation is a powerful drug, it is," Ruth said, looking not at all happy with this new development.

  "Dammit, and I can't do shit. Gran threatened to put me inside of Rufus if I try. I'd be hacking up more than hairballs every time the stupid cat licks his-"

  "Y'need not go on, dear. Why, blessyerirreverent'eart, y'make feline cleanliness sound vulgar, y'do."

  Chapter Twelve

  From the guest room window, Toni watched her grandmother talking to herself as she clipped roses, tossing them in a basket on the ground. I bet she's talking to Sara. "This is so hard," she said aloud, a sad smile on her face. But we'll get through it together, Gran.

  Her grandmother turned, frowned, and wiggled her fingers, her lips moved as though she were angry.

  "Don't be mad at her, Gran," Toni whispered. "It wasn't her fault."

  When the old woman headed for the back patio, Toni turned from the window, pulled the suitcase up onto the bed, unzipped it, and began to unload the clothes. She was down to the last layer, stacking them in nice, neat piles, when Antoinette walked into the bedroom.

  "You can stop unpacking, Toni," Antoinette said with a concerned look, eyeing a spell book peeking out from under her cosmetic case.

  "I don't mind, Gran," Toni said, lifting a dress and holding it in front of her. "Are you wearing this to the funeral? It's lovely." Toni shook out the burgundy silk dress and walked toward the closet.

  "Thank you, sweetie. Now come over here and sit on the bed next to me." Antoinette closed the lid on the suitcase and sat beside it. "I want to hear all about this young man your mother has mentioned."

  How sweet, she's trying to take my mind off of Sara. I just love you, Gran. Toni pulled a hanger out, hung the dress in the closet, and turned to face her grandmother. "I feel so guilty, Gran, but he's really helped me talk about Sara, and I have all these new feelings when I'm around him. I start shaking the minute I hear his voice, act stupid around him—it's scary—and I don't know why."

  "Have you ever dated, sweetheart?"

  "You know I've never been interested in boys—that was Sara's thing—but Paul's different. I can't explain it. It's weird."

  "It's called attraction, and you have nothing to be guilty about. I'm sure your sister is smiling up there somewhere, knowing you finally found someone who makes you all fuzzy inside." Antoinette chuckled. "It's about time."

  Toni shuddered. "But that's just it, Gran. I don't know if it's attraction. Sure he makes my heart beat fast, but to think of kissing him, and... Ohmigod-"

  "You're entering the unknown. Of course you're scared to take the next step. All these feelings are new to you. And there's nothing wrong with moving slow for a while. Your mother said this boy is older than you. How old is he?"

  "He'll be a senior at Ferris University this year. Probably around twenty-one or two; I didn't ask."

  "Then he's not a minor. You are," Gran said, raising an eyebrow.

  Toni blushed bright red. She's talking about sex. Sex before I'm legal—before I'm married. Oh God, so not cool. Like I would ever. "Gran, I'm not going to do something stupid. I'm not like . . . " I almost said, like Sara; oh hell, this guy is making me stupid. I was about to chastise my dead sister, for God's sake.

  Gran smiled. "Sweetheart, come here and sit down by me." Antoinette patted the bed.

  Toni slunk over, head down, hands looking for a place to hide as she sat on the bed. "I almost said... Gran, I'm gonna burn in Hell." Oh, I am so going to have to go to confession for that one. I just wanna puke.

  Antoinette hugged her close, kissed the top of her head, and then cupped Toni's chin with her palm, raising her face. She gave her chin a little shake and smiled when Toni opened her eyes, a tear rolling down her cheek.

  "You're human, Toni. Feeling an attraction is exciting and as uncontrollable as a sneeze, even with everything that's going on—more so in fact. It's normal to look for comfort from someone your own age. It's healthy, and certainly not a sin."

  "I'm just so confused. I don't know what I'm feeling. And I miss my sister," Toni said through a choked sob.

  "Me too. Even if she was a pain in the butt most of the time," Antoinette said with a wicked smile.

  Toni started laughing, brushing tears from her cheeks. "I love you, Gran. You always make things better."

  "That's because I love you, too." Antoinette hugged her, eyes on the closed suitcase. "Now go see if your mother needs help in the kitchen while I finish unpacking."

  Toni stood and looked at the clothes on the bed. "You sure you don't want me to help you?"

  "Nope, I can put those away and finish in here. Besides, you should be thinking about what you're wearing tonight. I'm looking forward to meeting your fellow, and I want you to look your best." She slapped Toni on the butt. "Now scoot, young lady."

  He is cute, and so sweet. And I don't have to feel guilty about noticing. But I'm still going to confession. Just in case. "Thanks, Gran. I'm so glad you're here," Toni said, walking toward the door. "How long are you staying?"

  "I think maybe I'll stick around for a few weeks longer than I anticipated. I'm going to call the vet where I boarded Rufus and see if he can make arrangements to send the cat up here. I know your mother will be thrilled to have him underfoot." Antoinette laughed.

  Toni grinned. "You make me smile."

  "Well, your mother won't be smiling."

  "We'll stop at the drugstore and get her some Claritin." Toni laughed. "And maybe a few more boxes of Kleenex."

  "We're so bad," Antoinette said.

  Toni walked out the door and right through Sara, Ruth and Martin as they floated in. She stopped and shuddered. "God, I swear I just smelled Sara's perfume."

  "Maybe she's letting you know she approves of your new relationship." Antoinette smiled at Sara, hovering by Toni.

  "The hell I am!" Sara spat, whizzing around the room.

  "You think so?" Toni asked over her shoulder, totally unaware of her sister's hissy-fit.

  "Definitely," Antoinette answered.

  "I hope so, Gran," Toni said from the head of the stairs.

  Antoinette closed the bedroom door and turned, facing the three ghosts. "Are you ready for tonight, Sara?"

  Sara stood with her hands balled at her hips, eyes hooded. "What's your next move, Gran?"

  The air around Ruth and Martin wavered and they exchanged an apprehensive look.

  "I'm going to have lunch with my daughter and granddaughter, take a little nap, and then get ready for your viewing," Antoinette said with a look of warning.

  "You know what I mean," Sara said through vaporous lips. "What's the plan?"

  "I told you to stay out of this, young lady. And just to make sure you do, I'm having Rufus sent up. So unless you wish to spend the next few weeks trapped inside my cat, I suggest you be a good girl." Antoinette opened her suitcase, plucked out the cosmetic case, and walked it over to the dresser.

  "Godhelpyervindictive'eart, we'll try t'keep Sara from doin' anythin' irresponsible, we will, but I'm thinkin' the girl just wants t'be clued-up, bless'erinquisitivelittlesoul, and maybe makin' yer actions known t' 'er—after all she is part o'this family—would pacify 'er intrusive nature a wee bit, it would." Ruth's eyes played over the spell book in the suitcase.

  "It would also make her aware of what not to screw up," Martin added absentmindedly as he studied the dÉcor of the bedroom. He wrinkled his nose at the l
ace curtains, shook his head at the flowered bedspread, and clucked his tongue at a rocker with a fluffy, flowered, seat cover. When he studied the pineapples on the posts, atop the cherry-wood bed frame, he took in an exaggerated breath, while shaking his head. "Lovely, effeminate room," he said with disgust, rolling his eyes at Sara.

  Ruth shot him a warning glance.

  Antoinette sighed. "All right, Sara, if you must know, and purely to keep you from playing Nancy Drew, I intend to summon Bartholomew to request his intentions, and make sure he knows his place."

  "Wow. And he can't be inside of Paul while you do that?" Sara looked pointedly at Ruth, and her expression showed her mind was scheming.

  Ruth sucked in a breath, got Martin's attention, and nodded at the spell book.

  Martin looked at the suitcase and his eyes became big and round.

  Antoinette didn't notice their silent communication as she went on, "Not if I wish to assure the gift will be passed on. I'll need to detain Bartholomew in order to invade Paul's dreams, encourage his sexual need for Toni while planting ramifications for bedding her before she turns eighteen."

  "That is so not grandmotherly in an 'Over the River and through the Woods' kinda way," Sara said, quivering.

  "More like a 'what big teeth you have, grandmother' kinda way?" Martin mumbled.

  When Antoinette tipped a glance and clacked her dentures, Martin mewed until the old woman turned back to Sara. "And I don't bake chocolate brownies, either, Sara. I'm a necromancer who lives in a beachfront condo, in Florida. Get over it."

  "Yeah, okay, so how long are you gonna detain sucky seer?" Sara wanted to know.

  Martin saw an opportunity. He swung his arm at Sara, and shook his head into a mass of smoke. "You don't intend on creating another scene like the one in the hospital with Jessica, do you, Missy?"

  Antoinette ignored Martin's attempt and addressed Sara. "Bartholomew might have to wait inside Rufus unless I need the cat for someone else. But either way, you won't be entering Paul's body." Antoinette locked eyes with her spirited granddaughter until the meaning sunk in, and Sara pouted. "I intend on monitoring all of you closely, including the seer ghost, until the family gift has passed on."