“Maybe I should fix the cheerleaders today,” I said, heading for the door.
“Sounds great, but think about what the consequences will be. Yesterday evening you healed all those football players and you couldn’t help Melissa last night because you burned out. You’ve already healed the rest of the football players today. If you do a few cheerleaders tonight and burn out and make them wait longer, will that be the best course of action?”
“Melissa is throwing a slumber party for her birthday at her house. It would be the perfect opportunity to at least help a few.”
“I won’t stop you, but if you start to feel bad, promise you’ll call me,” she said giving me the mom stare.
“I promise,” I said. I didn’t add I might never go back to school again if I had to live down getting sick at a party and having to call my mom to take me home.
She nodded. “Good. Why don’t you think about it while we finish Melissa’s cake? I had to have your father keep her out of the kitchen while I was mixing the ingredients and as annoying as the agents were, it gave me a handy excuse to continue to keep her out of there. It finished baking while you were in your room and it should be cool now, so let’s go frost it before she gets home. Do you know how much longer she’s going to be?” my mom asked as she pushed me in the direction of the kitchen.
“Her parents suck,” I grumbled while I got the mixer ready.
“Well, we can at least make this day a little better with cake,” she said. I nodded and we got to frosting.
Mom had just finished when Melissa pulled up.
I opened the door as she got out of my car. “You ready to go?” she asked as she came in.
My dad and Charlie ran past us toward the kitchen, wearing dorky grins and looking incredibly suspicious. Melissa opened her mouth and looked like she was about to ask us what was up when my mom stuck her head and said, “We’re ready.”
I waved for Melissa to follow me. Someone had turned off the overhead lights in the kitchen and the room was bathed in soft candlelight. In the dim light, the white frosting looked like it was glowing, making the cake appear both beautiful and magical. My dad and Charlie stood behind it. A small smile crawled across Melissa’s face as she looked at all of us.
My mom wrapped Melissa in a hug. “Happy Birthday, honey. I hope you have a much better year. And you can come here whenever you want.”
“Thanks. I think I will.” She edged closer to the cake.
My dad elbowed Charlie. “Yeah, happy birthday,” he said, his eyes never leaving the cake.
“Now, I’m sure it’s not as fancy as what your parents buy, but it’s Lilly’s favorite.” My mom glanced back at me.
I nodded and hugged Melissa too.
My dad joined in the group hug. Charlie took the chance to lick some frosting that had fallen on the plate.
“Sorry I didn’t have time to get you anything. Maybe after all this craziness is fixed, I can figure something out,” I said.
“You don’t have to.” She leaned over the cake.
“Blow it out.” My mom patted her on the back.
The room filled with smoke and went dark. The moment felt close to my life right now. I had this flickering gift with the ability to bring joy or burn someone. With one move, it turned to smoke that tainted everything it touched.
I flipped the light on and waited for my mom to cut the cake. One bite reminded me why this was my favorite. Melissa’s piece disappeared almost as fast as my own, and we both went for more. My mom laughed. Charlie and my dad took a second piece and left.
I had a brief moment where I wished Caitlyn were there. My heart squeezed at the prospect of her being gone for my birthday. I still hoped we’d figure this out before it rolled around again.
Not long after, Melissa and I walked out to my car to drive over to slumber party. “What are you going to do?” she asked as we got in.
“I don’t know. Maybe I can be a fortune teller that uses magic water,” I said, before I started the car. After all, I could see into their future a little bit, and it involved a large jug of water.
Chapter Seventeen
Bethany, one of the cheerleaders, was ringing the doorbell as we walked up. The chime was some fancy classical song that made my doorbell sound like a boy band trying to play a cover of an 80s pop song. I held the bleach bottle further behind my back and looked down. When had I smeared chocolate across my shirt? For that matter, why did her paisley doormat have to look nicer than what I was wearing?
Melissa gave Bethany a quick hug, opened the door and waved us in. Most of Melissa’s friend were already inside and didn’t look as bad as the football players, but makeup will cover a lot. Jayne, a red-haired pixie-sized cheerleader who was always at the top of the pyramid because of her slight frame, glared at me. She looked close to launching off the balcony, as if I’d single-handedly caused the manufacturer of her favorite nail polish to discontinue her favorite color.
I rolled my shoulders back and forced myself to think I could take you as I met her stare for stare. She inched forward and I swallowed. Maybe not.
“Hey, so Lilly’s grandmother was psychic, and she agreed as a special favor to me to come and tell fortunes. She’s going to set up in the den, and we’ll all go in one by one and get ours done. When you come back, you are welcome to share or not, but that way if she says something private, we won’t be embarrassed. Who wants to go first?”
“I do,” Tiffany said, raising a perfectly manicured hand. Bubblegum pink was the best way to describe her perfectly fitted pajamas. Was there some poor dressmaker out there who had to tailor all her nightclothes?
“Come with me,” I said as I walked into the den. It was a good sign that Melissa didn’t have to bully her into following me.
“So, is it Michael,” she said as she slapped her hand on mine before I was even seated.
“What?” I asked, trying to follow her logic.
“Michael. Am I going to marry Michael? I mean, he’s not that smart, but he does have a big trust fund.”
I leaned over her hand to cover my smirk. “I wouldn’t bank on Michael. If you go with him, you’ll be unhappy the rest of your life. No, I see a Wall Street banker in your future. Madison Avenue and old money.”
“I knew it. I just knew it. What else?” she asked, leaning forward.
“I see sorrow, Tiffany. Great sadness.” I didn’t have to force a frown on my face.
“How did you know?” she whispered. Her voice hitched on the last word and she pulled her hand back.
“I can help you with the sorrow and lead you back on the path you need to go. It might be hard, but I want you to get that banker,” I said, reaching under the coffee table and taking out the bottle of bleach.
She shrank away and started to get up.
“It’s just water. It’s been blessed by the nuns at St. Jane of the Church of Austen. The saint who helps with sorrow and romance.”
She paused her retreat.
“And getting the guy at the end.”
“From nuns. I thought they couldn’t date.” She eyed it warily but sank back down.
“From nuns. Cost me a pretty penny, and I don’t want someone to drink it accidently, so I hide it in here.” I unscrewed the cap and held my hand out again.
“Are you trying to get money out of me? Because I’m sure Melissa already paid you good money for this.”
I bit my lip to keep from snapping a reply and took a deep breath. “No, no charge. But I only use it for people who really need it, for friends. So, want me to help?”
“This better not be a prank.” She rested her hand back in mine.
I stuck my fingers in the water and reached out to make a connection. Now came the fun part.
Her perfectly shaped eyebrows raised as she watched me. “Are you going to pour water on my hand?”
“No, the water stays in the container. Now we talk. We talk about your sister. How she makes fun of you. Says you’re a disappointment to the fami
ly and will never get married.”
“We’re done,” she said, trying to yank her hand out of mine.
I grasped her wrist and didn’t let go. “Tiffany, she’s wrong. I’m telling you she’s wrong. She’s just threatened by you.”
Tiffany started to sniff.
“It doesn’t mean you are better than her, but it does mean you aren’t worse. Tiffany, you are important no matter what she or anyone in your family thinks. You will end up okay no matter what anyone says. Do you understand me? Unless you can believe me and let this go, she will win. And Tiffany, you are better than that.”
The roots of the sorrow shriveled a bit and I yanked on its connection to Tiffany. She gasped and curled up. Had I not been holding her, she might have gone into a ball like a rolly-polly. I shoved the emotion into the water and snapped the cap back on before reaching for tissues. “Here, so you can wipe your eyes before you go back up. How do you feel?”
“I would pay you for that,” she whispered, looking around as if searching for her purse.
“It’s free because it’s true. Can you send down the next girl?” She nodded and left the room, three tissues still clutched in her hand.
I had gone through about five girls when someone knocked on the front door. I waited until my last girl went up before going to open it. I thought everyone was here, but maybe I had heard Melissa wrong.
“Someone else is here,” I yelled up.
“Let them in,” she shouted down.
“Now I’m a doorman,” I grumbled as I opened the door.
Agents Patterson and King stood outside. “Well, hello again, Lilly. We’ve come to talk to Melissa.” He stepped in without an invite. I stumbled back in an effort not to touch him again.
One of Melissa’s friends, Susan, bounded down the stairs with the energy of someone who had just consumed five Monster drinks and interrupted me by saying, “Bethany said you were amazing. Like, that you should be a shrink and she feels a million times better. Like a new person. I can’t wait.” She took in the agents’ clothes and wrinkled her nose. They must have been found wanting. “Who are they?”
“They are here for Melissa. Could you go up and grab her?” I wanted to be a coward and run upstairs myself, but I also wasn’t sure what else would come out of Susan’s mouth.
“She feels better? So what’s going on here?”
“Just a girl’s night, for Melissa’s birthday.” I edged back toward the den’s door. Maybe I could hide in there until Melissa came down.
“Is that a crystal ball?” He pointed toward the paperweight I’d stolen from the office desk. I followed his gaze and blanched. Forget the paperweight. Right beside it was the bleach bottle.
“Paperweight.” I took another couple of steps, squashing down the urge to run.
He stepped beside me as if he meant to follow. “Paperweight?”
“We’re just playing a game. You know, and Melissa thought it’d be funny if we used the paperweight as a crystal ball.” I glanced toward the stairs. Hurry. TV taught me nothing good could come of this.
“Hmm, I’m not familiar with a game involving a paperweight and life-changing practices. Why don’t you tell me about it?”
“She’s totally a psychic. It’s real,” Tiffany said from the top of the stairs. “Melissa’s in the bathroom and Susan said she wants to come down now.”
I tried not to roll my eyes. “Just as soon as Melissa comes to talk to them.”
“Psychic?” His steel blue gaze stared too intently at me. It reminded me of a show I’d seen on the nature channel, right before the cheetah takes down a gazelle. I shivered and looked away first.
“We’re just pretending. You know: You’ll marry a rich husband and have two-point-five kids. Live the posh life.” I tried to laugh, but it came out forced and flat.
“Tell me, what was Bethany’s fortune?” He stepped close enough that I could feel his body heat. I swallowed and wished I could run away.
“Hey, what do you need?” Melissa asked. I released a huge sigh and rushed into the den, leaving the door open just a crack so I could peek out.
“We wanted to confirm the person you mentioned to Lilly.” Agent King behind him flipped open her notepad and stepped closer.
“My parents aren’t here,” she said with a glare that would make my blood curl. They didn’t seem fazed.
“I don’t see any need for them to be here. We are just confirming what you already said.” He headed toward the stairs. I let out an audible sigh and he glanced back, his gaze laser focused on me again.
Melissa started down the stairs. “Either way, they aren’t here and I’m a minor. So you’ll need to wait until they come back from vacation, or I’d be happy to talk to you in the presence of my lawyer. Otherwise, I’m in the middle of my birthday party, and I’d like to get back to it.” She held up her cell phone. “Or should I call my parent’s lawyer now and let him know I’m being harassed without any adults around?”
The man held his hands up and stepped back. I continued to peek out, praying the threat would work even though it was bringing more attention to us than necessary.
“We’ll go. We don’t want to interrupt your party.” He turned to go, “We have one more question. Why does your friend have our property? Property that was taken from our car earlier today.”
I closed the door the rest of the way and glanced around the room, looking for anything I could find. My eyes rested on a scotch bottle. I prayed she could stall them long enough.
He had moved on to threatening a search warrant when I opened the door again. “I don’t think this is yours, but if you’re really that hung up about it, you can have mine.” I held out the bleach bottle.
He yanked it from me so hard, it felt like he had pulled my arm out of its socket in the process. I rubbed my shoulder and stepped back. He strode toward the door, and I was surprised he wasn’t saying something like, “We’ll be back.”
“And sir, I wouldn’t use that for bleach,” I said before the door shut behind him.
“And what would you use it for?” In the dim porch light, I saw him unscrewing the bottle.
I clenched my hands together behind my back. “I plead the Fifth.”
He held it up and sniffed. “Drinking? You’ve been storing liquor in a bleach bottle. Of all the stupid,” he stopped and took a deep breath. “I’m not condoning underage drinking, but next time you get the bright idea to smuggle alcohol to a party, do not put it in a bleach bottle.”
“But I rinsed it out.” I tried to look sheepish.
“I don’t care how many times you tried to rinse it out. It’s not safe. Promise me.” He met my eyes again.
“Yes,” I mumbled.
“And Melissa, we’ll be back later.” He shut the door.
“Stupid kids,” I heard from outside and sighed.
Melissa hurried down the stairs to my side but waited until we heard the car driving away to speak. “What did you do? That’s my father’s favorite decanter. It was an anniversary gift from mother. We’ll have to destroy it, and he’ll notice that.”
“It’s not in your dad’s liquor bottle. Although we’ll need to replace the scotch because I poured it all into the bleach bottle.”
“So where is it?” She pushed past me and surveyed the room.
“It’s in the vase with the plastic flowers. I figured no one would look in there, or ever drink from a vase.” I folded my arms and waited for her response. She grinned.
“Can I come down now?” Susan shouted from upstairs.
“Yes,” both Melissa and I yelled back. I pulled the vase off the shelf and carried it to the table.
“I’m going to say they needed the bottle. You come up with exactly why in case anyone compares notes. And could you call my mom to smuggle over something else for us to put this in? I think your mom might notice if a vase this fancy went missing.”
Mom stopped by the store and brought over another bleach bottle. By the time she came in, all th
e girls were back upstairs in Melissa’s room. I hugged her tightly when she walked in.
“Everything’s okay. What happened? How did you lose a bleach bottle? Melissa was pretty vague, but I guess it was because of company.”
“Yeah, the government guys showed up again and took it.”
“What?” Her face went pale.
“It’s okay. I switched it for the scotch and poured the real stuff into a vase. A lot stronger than scotch, right?”
“Honey, my goodness, I almost hate to ask what happened next.”
“Well, at least they cared about us enough to tell us never to drink liquor from an empty bleach bottle.” I said as I followed her to the bathroom.
She poured the bleach into the toilet and flushed. “I’ll run back to the store and get some cheap scotch to put in the decanter. Her dad will know something was up, but at least it won’t be as obvious as an empty container.”
“Thanks, Mom,” I said I hugged her from behind.
“And, honey, don’t let me ever catch you drinking from a bleach bottle.” I nodded, not trusting myself to crack another joke.
.o0o.
I finished the rest of the cheerleaders while mom ran to the store and came back with the scotch, then poured everything in the vase into the new bleach bottle. I might have just imagined it, but it felt like there was a dark black sedan following me home. I took a few extra turns to see if I could catch them but I was no secret, and I soon gave up. If I were pretending I had nothing to hide, I wouldn’t be trying to shake them.
There had to be some way to get rid of all this without hurting someone. Even hidden in this bottle, I didn’t trust them not to come back and search my room. I stared at my ceiling and hoped it would reveal an answer, a suggestion from the universe. I couldn’t keep pulling this sickening thing out of people, and with all the new sorrows added into the original one, I wasn’t sure how many more I could fix if it got out again. It was a plague of its own. I’d have to bury it somewhere. My first thought was the backyard, but if someone was watching me, they could put two and two together pretty fast.
A Touch of Water (Touch of Magic Book 1) Page 13
