Damned and Cursed (Book 2): Witch's Kurse (37 page)

"Okay, here you go.
 
I put some medicine in there.
 
Just take a good drink."

One drink was all it took.
 
Kevin watched as the bruise vanished, her cheeks rosy once again.
 
Her eye opened completely.
 
Jenny looked confused at first, and the sensation was enough to make her bring a hand to her face.

"Oh, wow.
 
I feel a lot better!"

"I'm sure you do."

"Kevin!" Tiffany shouted.
 
"The pizza's all okay.
 
But there's a small one with anchovies on it.
 
It's nasty."

"That's mine.
 
Then pay the man, and let's eat."

The girls brought the pizza to the bar, and various degrees of astonished sounds and words escaped when they saw Jenny's face.

"Your face is all better!" Tiffany said.

"It doesn't even hurt," Jenny said, smiling.

Kevin put the water away.
 
"Yeah, it wasn't even really that bad.
 
I think the light over there was just playing some weird tricks."

"But her face had a huge bruise on it."

"You were wrong.
 
It's okay, it happens.
 
Little girls are wrong a lot of times."

"No we're not!
 
Boys are wrong more than girls."

Children were so easy to misdirect.
 
He laughed as he picked anchovies from the one pizza and shoved them in a plastic bag.
 
He only wanted them for a magic potion he wanted to try later.

"Why did you get a pizza like that if you don't like what's on it?"

"I collect anchovies."

"You're weird."

"I've been called worse.
 
Hand me a slice of that pepperoni."

He waited for the order to go to another room.
 
Upstairs, or down to the basement.
 
It never came.
 
The girls actually let him eat dinner with them.
 
Even Tiffany seemed less moody than usual.
 
He had to remember that trick.
 
Food, especially pizza, was capable of magic all by itself, no witchcraft required.

Kevin cleaned up after dinner.
 
The girls all sat in various positions on the couch, one even upside down, as they debated on a movie to watch.
 
He was halfway to the basement when the girls noticed him.

"Where you going?
 
Watch a movie with us."

He stopped.
 
His spell-book was downstairs, and he planned on spending the evening reading it.
 
It was Tiffany's earnest expression that changed his mind.

"Watch something with us.
 
Please," she said.

It was the first time she looked at him without disdain.

"Eh, alright.
 
Just don't put anything dumb on."

"Let's watch a horror movie!"

"I don't like horror movies," Tiffany said.
 
"Anything but that."

Kevin had no idea what movie they put on.
 
It was animated, with talking animals fighting to save a forest.
 
It was torturous, at first, but then he actually enjoyed himself.
 
The girls all had soda, and he had one more slice of pizza.
 
He managed to forget about the rough week he had, and Leese being angry with him.
 
He laughed at the girls' antics, and they were all eager to show off for each other.

He had fun.
 
Even Oscar joined them and sat on Kevin's lap.

The movie ended, and the girls were restless once again.
 
They debated on another movie to watch, or another game to play.

"Kevin!" Jenny shouted, her fall a distant memory.
 
"What can we do that's fun?"

He shrugged as he grabbed a soda from the fridge.
 
"You girls do whatever you want.
 
I'm out now.
 
I've got some things to do."

"What?
 
No, you have to play with us.
 
It's more fun with you."

He rolled his eyes.
 
He was part of the elementary school gang.
 
Life was complete.

An idea did cross his mind.
 
Simple and safe, it would definitely be an experience they would never forget.

"I've got something."

The girls all watched him as he dug inside his coat.
 
He pulled out the second of his magical feathers.
 
One feather let him float, as long as he held it in his grasp.
 
The second feather let objects he held float.

Those objects could also be people.

"Okay Tiffany, let's start with you.
 
Stand up on the couch."

The little girl did so, now all smiles.
 
Kevin clutched the feather in one hand while grabbing her wrist with the other.
 
Nothing happened, and the girls looked at each other, one even going so far as to put her hands on her hips and frown.

"Well?
 
What's going on?"

Tiffany squealed as her feet slowly lifted from the couch.
 
She reached out and grabbed Kevin's arm with her other hand.
 
The girls jumped, their faces terrified, before the smiles took over.
 
They laughed and pointed.
 
Jenny stuck her head under Tiffany as her body turned parallel to the floor.
 
She continued to float, her feet touching the ceiling.
 
Her hair hung around her face.
 
She laughed, and he caught a glimpse of her upside down smile.

"Okay, now for the fun part."

Kevin let go.
 
Tiffany fell straight down and landed on the couch.
 
The girls laughed and grabbed Tiffany, trying to see if she felt different.
 
They argued about who was next.

Perhaps it wasn't the best idea to demonstrate magic, as basic as it was, to a group of young girls.
 
But their laughter was energetic, and it was good to finally see Tiffany smiling.
 
Besides, no one would believe them.

"I'm next!" Jenny shouted.

"You're so much fun, Kevin."

He flashed a sarcastic thumbs-up.
 
"Yeah.
 
I'm the life of the party."

*****

It wasn't exactly the most restful sleep.
 
It wasn't so much the couch.
 
Kevin slept on the couch a good chunk of his life.
 
Oscar was curled into a ball on the last cushion, cutting into his leg room.
 
There was also the constant small footsteps upstairs as girl after girl needed to use the bathroom.

But he'd finally managed to fall asleep, even if it was listless.
 
He was in between awake and dream when he was aware of movement, and a shadow hovering over him.
 
He opened his eyes to see a figure next to the couch, standing completely still.
 
Bathed in silhouette, long hair past the shoulders.

Kevin shot upright.
 
Oscar dove to the floor and sprinted away, vanishing somewhere in the kitchen.
 
The figure laughed, and Kevin could see the shoulders shaking.

"Tiffany," he said.
 
"You gave me a heart attack."

"Sorry."

He ran his hands through his hair, trying to shake the cobwebs.
 
He looked at her apprehensively, irritated that he couldn't see her face.
 
All the horror movies he'd seen, and experienced, rushed to him.
 
A little girl creeping around in the shadows was never a good thing.

"What's the problem?"

"I can't sleep.
 
Jenny snores."

He laughed, and swung his legs to the floor.
 
Tiffany sat next to him, and he could finally see her face in the moonlight.
 
Sadness touched her eyes.

"Well, not trying to be mean, but I'm not sleeping on the floor.
 
So, I'm not sure what you're thinking—"

"I'm really sorry for how I've been acting to you."

Kevin studied her, and could see she was very serious.
 
But there was something else there.
 
She bordered on tears.

"Don't worry about it.
 
I can see not liking a babysitter.
 
My sister used to watch me, and I hated it, too."

"But I do like you.
 
I was lying when I said Alex was cuter than you.
 
If Robbie wasn't my boyfriend, and Leese wasn't your girlfriend, I would be your girlfriend.
 
Even though you're old."

He wasn't sure whether Tiffany was being adorable or very creepy.

"Uh, thanks, Tiffany."

"I miss my Dad," she said, wiping a tear from her eye.
 
"I miss Jack.
 
I'm mad that he's gone, and that's why I've been so mean to you."

"Hey, no hard feelings.
 
But Jack, you know, he's just on a business trip.
 
He has to do that sometimes.
 
Go to meetings, make money, all that fun stuff."

She looked Kevin straight in the eye.

"He's not
really
on a business trip."

The cobwebs from Kevin's sleep were gone.
 
It was like he never slept at all.
 
Tiffany had his complete attention.

"Uh, he's not?
 
What's he doing?"

"He's out fighting monsters."

Kevin's jaw dropped, and he was speechless.
 
The only thing he could think to do was leave the couch and go to the bottom of the stairs.
 
He listened for any eavesdroppers, but could only hear Jenny's quiet snoring.

He joined Tiffany back on the couch.

"What do you mean?"

"He's never talked about it, but I know.
 
He's a superhero."

Kevin laughed.
 
He didn't mean to, but the thought of Jack and superhero going together was too much.

"He is!" she insisted, crossing her arms.
 
"He goes around and protects people, beating up monsters.
 
The last time he did it, he sent me with a bunch of nice people in Paris."
 
She hesitated.
 
"You're all superheroes."

"What are you talking about?"

"Dad, Aunt Victoria, Alex, and you.
 
You're superheroes."

He said nothing.
 
He didn't know what to say.
 
Apprehension gripped him.
 
This was a conversation he knew he shouldn't be having with young Tiffany, Jack's daughter.

"Dad and Aunt Victoria are like Batman.
 
Alex and you are like Robin."

"Ah, thanks.
 
I get to be the sidekick."

Tiffany brought a hand to her chin.

"Actually, Alex is like Batman, too, since he has wings.
 
So you're Robin."

He shook his head and held up a hand.
 
"Wait.
 
You're telling me there's four of us, and I'm Robin.
 
Are you kidding?"

"Well, Robin is cute."

Kevin smiled, despite the conversation.
 
Tiffany pulled her legs on the couch and wrapped up in Kevin's blanket.
 
As she sat there, he suddenly felt terrible.
 
Tiffany had some knowledge.
 
She knew things no nine-year-old should know.

He once offered to wipe her memory after she'd witnessed a demon attack.
 
Jack refused.
 
Was that the best decision?

"Tiffany, look, you haven't told anyone about this, right?
 
Like your friends?"

"No.
 
They wouldn't believe me, anyway."

"Okay, first of all, what you just told me, you can't tell anyone else.
 
And Jack, whatever he's out there doing, just know that he's coming back.
 
Nothing will ever stop him from coming back to you.
 
Until he gets back, I'll keep an eye on you, and we'll have fun."

She nodded.
 
"Andee usually watches me, but you're my favorite babysitter."

It was hard to believe she was the same person from earlier in the week.

"And you're my favorite person to babysit."

Tiffany giggled.
 
"Can I sleep down here?
 
I have bad dreams."

He sighed.
 
So much for a relaxing night on the couch.

"Sure.
 
You take the couch.
 
I'll be right here on the floor."

He was genuinely moved when she surprised him with a hug.
 
He hugged her back, and she wrapped up in a cocoon with the blanket.
 
Kevin tucked her in and stretched out on the hardwood.

Marie sighed as stepped into the apartment and tossed her keys on the couch.
 
Home was supposed to be safe, a sanctuary from all the bad things that happened in the world.
 
A bad day at work, getting cut off in traffic, a group of jerks whistling while walking by, that was all supposed to go away after walking through the front door.

She closed the door and leaned against it, not bothering to move.
 
Closing her eyes, she tried to shake her terrible mood, but it hovered over her like a cloud, even following her home.
 
The problem was she wasn't even sure if a run through the woods would lift her spirits.

She'd spent the day going through the heartbreaking process of putting her bar on the market.
 
The agent told her it would probably be a long shot for a sale.
 
Not many people wanted to buy burnt buildings.
 
To his credit, he tried to give her hope.
 
Someone may buy it, he said.
 
The structure itself was still solid, and could be used for a lot of purposes.