“Alright,” Ellen began as Mitchell and Brandon were getting chicken from the bucket. “I believe you, and I won’t hold those two months against you.”
“Okay,” Mitchell said with an expression on his face as if there was more to the story than what he had said.
Ellen saw his expression and asked, “It was only two months, right?”
“Right,” Mitchell confirmed as if he didn’t want to elaborate.
“Okay, then what aren’t you telling me that you think I would care about?” Ellen prompted.
Mitchell sighed before saying, “Six months after I had broken up with Cheryl, I had run into her again… and she was six months pregnant.”
“I could have another brother or sister out there?” Ellen asked with a renewed interest.
“Cheryl had a son, and she says ‘no’, but I suspect that he… that Kyle could be your brother,” Mitchell said.
“Did you sense Kyle as we sense each other?” Ellen quickly asked.
“I had never met him,” Mitchell said. “I asked about him today though when I ran into Cheryl at the store…”
“Is Kyle in Kansas City?” Ellen interrupted with.
Mitchell shook his head with a grin before saying, “He’s currently stationed overseas.”
“Stationed?!” Ellen echoed. “He’s in the service?”
“He’s in the Army,” Mitchell replied.
“Of course,” Ellen uttered sullenly.
“Anyway, getting back to your comment about you paying half,” Mitchell began. “You’re the daughter, and I won’t accept money from you.”
Ellen rolled her eyes and slightly shook her head before taking a bite of her chicken.
When Harris saw that Ellen wasn’t going to verbally respond, he told Mitchell, “We could use your help selling off the furniture.”
“What all are you selling?” Mitchell quickly asked.
“Except for Ellen’s bedroom furniture, the laptops and maybe a few selected items everything has to be sold, and for your help you can keep a percentage of what we get,” Harris told him.
“I’ll help you sell off the furniture, but instead of taking cash I would like to have the couch, the chairs and the end-tables,” Mitchell countered.
“Consider them yours,” Harris told him.
Mitchell nodded while saying, “Great.” He then took a bite of chicken.
When things became quiet, Allyson began a casual conversation.
After lunch Shannon coordinated the incantation set-up for Gloria’s Legacy volumes to be copied.
The living room was a large enough room for the incantation, but to make the room work, the furniture was moved to one side.
Once they had cleared a space on the floor, the forty Legacy volumes were placed on the floor with the back-cover touching the floor and with only one inch spacing between each volume.
The paper covering the reams were removed and discarded. Each of the forty reams was then wrapped in a brown-leather skin as if it was a book with pages at the right side, the topside and the bottom side being exposed.
Each of the forty reams wrapped in leather was then placed on each of the forty Legacy volumes, followed by one fountain pen refill being placed on top of each of the leather skins.
Shannon finished the incantation’s layout by setting up the twelve candles and displaying the proper symbols that the incantation had called for.
Shannon created the symbols by properly arranging small gemstones and filling in the cracks between gemstones with a powder-mixture.
The symbols were being created on the carpet and when Shannon began, Mitchell facetiously told Ellen, “And you were worried about me marking up the carpet with the dolly.”
Ellen shot Mitchell a smirk just as Shannon said, “Everything I put down can be easily vacuumed. In fact, I carry a small battery operated vacuum for this reason.”
“And this reason alone,” Avery added. Except for Shannon, everyone shot Avery a curious look. “I made the mistake of using it to clean up a mess a couple of years ago and I’m recently not being reminded of it when she packs it.”
“Do you cast incantations often?” Brandon asked.
“Not often,” Shannon said as she worked on creating the symbols, “but enough to regret not carrying a mini-vacuum when I travel.”
“Just wondering,” Brandon told her. Shannon just shot Brandon a grin.
Minutes later, once Shannon was done creating the symbols, she turned towards her group and explained, “Okay, once I light the candles and begin the ritual, the plastic cartridges holding the ink to the fountain pen refills are going to melt and the ink is going to appear as though it’s making a mess. I assure you that, that’s perfectly normal, and I’m telling everyone this now so nobody will shout at me that something has gone horribly wrong and interrupt the incantation.”
Ellen gave Shannon the thumbs-up sign while saying, “No shouting over the false appearance of something going horribly wrong—check.”
Shannon shot Ellen an amused grin before saying, “Yes, well, this incantation works best when recited from memory, and it’s actually a long one. If I get interrupted before I finish, the incantation to finish from the interruption point is longer and more complicated, and I don’t know that incantation very well.”
“I’ll be quiet as a mouse,” Ellen vowed.
“I’ll also be quiet as a mouse,” Mitchell said.
“The same,” Brandon added.
Shannon nodded with a grin before facing the Legacy volumes and reciting a short incantation that lit the twelve candles simultaneously. Once the candles were lit, she closed her eyes and concentrated on the words for a moment, and as she kept her eyes closed she recited the words to the incantation.
After a few verses were recited, the forty plastic cartridges that were holding the ink liquefied.
Everyone saw the mess that Shannon had warned about, and although they gave each other worried glances, not one person had said a word.
Once a few more verses were recited, the ink was magically drawn into the blank pages, but to everyone other than Shannon, it appeared that the ink was evaporating.
Several more verses were recited before the appearance of each ream wrapped in leather transmogrified itself at a snail’s pace to look like the book that each one was setting on top of.
Shannon recited verses throughout the minutes that it took for the transmogrification to complete, and once it was over, Shannon stopped speaking and opened her eyes.
Shannon glanced around her before resting her eyes on Ellen and saying, “It’s done.”
Ellen gestured towards the books while requesting, “Can I look?”
“It’s ‘May I look?’ and yes, you may,” Shannon told her.
An amused expression came across Ellen’s face before she and the others stepped up to the volumes. They each picked up a newly created copy and thumbed through it.
The final shade of the copies’ front and back covers was slightly lighter than the originals, but the material content between the two covers was an exact duplicate.
“This is better than Xeroxing,” Brandon commented.
“Ten minutes ago these were raw material and now…” Allyson began. “It’s actually hard to believe how professionally done that these look.”
Shannon grinned as Ellen asked, “Shannon, how did our ancestors do this before reams of paper were being sold by office supply stores?”
“Our ancestors had used the longer and the more complicated incantation,” Shannon told her. “The set-up for that one requires all the printed material—such as miscellaneous papers, catalogs or any paper with print—that a wizard or a sorceress can get his or her hands on that will equal the sum of the pages of all the volumes combine.”
“That sounds difficult just to collect enough material,” Ellen thought aloud.
“If one doesn’t properly prepare ahead of time, it can be,” Shannon told her.
“How would one properly pre
pare?” Mitchell asked.
“Papers would never get thrown away in the home of a wizard’s family,” Shannon explained. “They would get stored and saved.”
“That’s a nice tidbit to know,” Ellen said.
Shannon grinned as Harris said, “Of course collecting papers was easy when your family had owned a gazette.”
“Your family had owned a gazette?” Ellen quickly questioned.
“Prior to the 1900’s they did,” Shannon said. “However, the facility was destroyed by a fire, and as to how available catalogs had become, they didn’t see the need to rebuild.”
“That explains why journalism is big with your family,” Ellen commented.
Shannon grinned before saying, “We’re through here, so the volumes can be put up.”
“Brandon and I will start carrying the copies to the truck… and I guess we’ll go after that,” Mitchell told everyone.
Ellen thought for a second before saying, “I can help carry the volumes to your truck.”
“You’re not volunteering to get rid of me sooner are you?” Mitchell playfully questioned with a grin.
Ellen grinned before shaking her head and saying, “I’m just trying to be nice.”
Mitchell nodded before a serious expression came across his face. “You and Sonya are moving to Savannah, Georgia in a week or so, and… and I don’t want your last day in Kansas City to be the last time I speak to you or even see you.”
Ellen took a deep breath before saying, “I’ll jot down my Email address for you and we can keep in touch that way.”
Mitchell nodded before saying sullenly, “Okay.”
“Mitchell. Brandon. We are going to the hospital in an hour from now—to check on Sonya,” Harris informed. “You two are welcome to come with us or meet us there.”
When Mitchell and Brandon glanced at Ellen, Ellen said, “You two are welcome.” She then gestured towards the next room. “I’ll go write out my Email address for you.”
When Mitchell nodded, Ellen walked away. Mitchell then gestured towards the volumes while telling the others, “Well, we might as well get these to my truck.”
“It’s supposed to rain again tonight,” Allyson informed as everyone went to collect the volumes. “So you should get them out of your truck as soon as possible.”
“I’ll go straight home with them, and once they’re out of my truck, Brandon and I will meet everyone at the hospital,” Mitchell told Allyson. Allyson just nodded.
The dolly was outside the front door by a few feet, and while Ellen was busy writing out her Email address, the others were neatly stacking the Legacy volumes on the dolly’s lip.
The volumes being placed on the dolly was finished first, and once Ellen was done writing, she followed everyone outside. She then handed the paper to Mitchell.
As Mitchell tucked the paper into his pocket, he asked, “You will respond when I Email you, won’t you?”
Ellen rolled her eyes with a grin before saying, “I wouldn’t have given you my Email address if I had planned not to respond. Although if you choose to Email me each and every day or multiple times a day, I’m not promising you, you’ll get a response to all of them.”
Mitchell grinned before saying,” Fair enough.” He then slightly hesitated to continue, “Brandon and I will get these volumes home and then we’ll meet everyone later at the hospital.”
“Okay; bye for now,” Ellen said.
Mitchell grinned while saying, “Bye.”
“Bye,” the others echoed before Mitchell and Brandon turned towards the truck. Brandon was the one to push the dolly.
As Mitchell and Brandon were walking away, the others walked back into the house.
Early Monday morning, Ellen, Harris, Allyson, Shannon and Avery had gotten up and ate breakfast.
Harris, Shannon and Avery were to escort Tanya’s body back to London that morning, so once their breakfast was over, Allyson drove everyone to the airport.
Once at the airport, Ellen and Allyson had exchanged their temporary ‘goodbyes’ with Harris and their ‘until we meet again’ with Shannon and Avery.
After Allyson and Ellen left the airport they went straight to Ellen’s school to start the procedure to have Ellen transferred to a high school in Savannah, Georgia.
Ellen’s move wasn’t supposed to happen for another week, and for Ellen not to get too far behind in her classes, Ellen’s principle had convinced her to attend classes until the time came for her to leave.
Ellen had missed her first class and was running ten minutes late for her second class as she and Allyson were speaking with the principle.
When Ellen stepped into her second class—second year Spanish—with her proper books, everyone stopped at what he or she was doing and stared at her.
“I’m sorry I’m late, Mr. Rodriquez,” Ellen told her teacher while ignoring the stares from her classmates.
“It’s fine, Ellen,” Mr. Rodriquez assured her. “I heard about your brother and sister-in-law. I’m sorry for your loss.”
Ellen gave Mr. Rodriquez a nod before saying, “Thanks.”
Ellen gestured towards her seat, but before she was able to say or do anything, one of her male classmates asked, “How are you holding up?”
Ellen looked towards him, and after a slight hesitation she announced, “I miss my brother and my sister-in-law; I don’t see that changing anytime soon. In fact, I still miss my mom.” Ellen’s eyes teared up. “Anyway, before my sister-in-law had died, the doctor delivered her unborn daughter. I’m an aunt and I will get through it… with my niece’s help.” Ellen wiped her eyes before she continued to say, “That’s all I have to say.”
“Welcome back,” one of her female classmates told her.
“Thanks,” Ellen said as she moved towards her seat. “I’m only back for this week though.”
“You’re not dropping out of school?” Mr. Rodriquez asked curiously.
Ellen shot Mr. Rodriquez a grin before saying, “My niece and I are moving in with my sister-in-law’s brother and his wife. The two live in Savannah, Georgia. So I’ll be finishing out my high school there.”
“Okay, well, good luck in Georgia and I’m certain that you’ll be missed here,” Mr. Rodriquez told her as she was reaching her seat.
“Thanks,” Ellen said before taking her seat.
“Now let’s get back to our lesson,” Mr. Rodriquez informed.
At lunchtime, the multiple conversations that were taking place in the crowded lunchroom sounded like radio static to anyone outside a particular conversation, and as long as a group talked at a normal volume, a group didn’t fear the threat of eavesdroppers listening in.
Just before Ellen stepped into the food-line, she saw that Billie, Marcie, Ray-ray and Jeanie were sitting at the same table with the remaining seats open around them. After she stepped out of the food-line with her lunch she joined them.
When Billie, Marcie, Ray-ray and Jeanie gave Ellen serious looks without saying a word, Ellen shot them a curious look while uttering, “What?!”
Marcie, Ray-ray and Jeanie just shook their heads; however, Billie informed, “I—and I expect them too—don’t know how to react around you.”
“What?!” Ellen uttered. “Why?”
“You’re leaving the city for good,” Billie began. “This time next week you’ll be in Georgia. You’ll make new friends…”
“We have each other’s Email addresses,” Ellen interrupted with. “Harris had given everyone his landline number last Tuesday. We’ll keep in touch… and I’ll come back to visit when I’m able to. We’re friends and I don’t want that to change regardless to where I live.”
“Okay,” Billie said with a slight grin.
“Besides, I want to stay updated with the drama around here,” Ellen added.
“You’ll have to keep us updated with what’s happening with you as well,” Ray-ray said.
Ellen slightly hesitated before saying timidly, “I will.”
“You
will keep us informed?” Jeanie questioned. “Right?”
“Yes, of course,” Ellen claimed as she picked up her fork and poked at her food.
“Then why am I getting the feeling that you won’t be?” Jeanie questioned.
“I’m getting the feeling that you’re holding out on us now,” Marcie added.
Ellen slightly hesitated before sighing and saying, “I learned something new about my ancestors during the past week that I’m not ready to share. Other than that, I’ll keep you four updated with my life—I promise.”
“Fair enough,” Billie said.
Marcie glanced at Billie before asking, “You can’t tell us anything?”
Ellen thought for a second before saying, “I learned within the past week that my ancestors kept journals known as Legacy volumes. And from these Legacy volumes, I learned that Merlin is my X number of ‘greats’ grandfather.”
“Merlin? The magician? He’s an ancestor of yours?” Billie asked incredulously.
“According to the journals he is,” Ellen confirmed.
“That’s so cool,” Ray-ray uttered.
Marcie glanced at Ray-ray while saying, “According to the legends, Merlin was a powerful wizard. Would that make you a powerful wizard too?”
Marcie was only joking, but she, Billie, Ray-ray and Jeanie saw the ‘caught red-handed’ expression on Ellen’s face as she stared into Marcie’s eyes and hesitated timidly, “I… I can honestly say that I’m no wizard.”
“Okay, whatever a female version of a wizard is then,” Marcie corrected.
Ellen amusingly grinned before saying, “I’m not a female version of a wizard either.”
“Then why did you look as if you were caught red-handed when I asked about you being a wizard?” Marcie questioned.
“This subject is the very subject that I didn’t want to discuss,” Ellen replied. “And I see now that, that telling everyone here about Merlin being one of my direct ancestors was the wrong thing to do.”
Billie grabbed Ellen’s hand—which slightly startled Ellen—while saying, “Ellen, you are an excellent friend to us and a caring person. Now I don’t believe in witchcraft or sorcery, but if it turns out that you are a witch or a sorceress then I’ll just start calling you Glinda, the Good Witch of the North. Because a good witch is what you would be, and by you being a witch wouldn’t hurt our friendship.”
Legacy Page 18
