A Witch Like No Other (14 page)

“
You’
re fired,” joked
Pandora, and Ted smiled at her before taking the phone and saying
“Morning John.”

“
Ted, this
paperwork is extraordinary! Where did you find the time
to…”

Ted
’
s eyes widened as he listened to his boss rant and rave
excitedly.

“
We thought
we’
d have to let our client
down, but Ted, you really went for the kill,
didn
’
t
you!”

“
John,
I-”

“
It’
s amazing stuff!
We
’
ll
give it to Darius to use in court-”

“
But-”

“
The best
I’
ve seen this summer by far,
no joke about it!”

“
Thank you
John, but I didn’
t-”

“
You’
ve earned yourself a
few days off for your hard work, Ted-”

“
Thanks again,
but I’
m trying to tell you
I-”

“
We might just
use this as an example for the trainees too-”

“
John, will you
listen to me for a-”

“
How is the
family, by the way?”

“
Never been
better John. About that paperwork-”

“
Sorry Ted,
I’
ve got another call. Thanks
for the hard work!”

“
Wait!”

“
But… I
didn’
t do any paperwork. I
didn
’
t
even hand it in-”

“
Whoa,” said
Pandora, Marlon as well. “That’
s really cool!”

“
Don’
t ever do that
again,” Ted told Dreamer sulkily. “I wanted to do it.”

“
Even if you
did do the paperwork it’
d
never be as good as mine, Ted. You know that,” Dreamer said smugly,
and Ted scowled at her.

“
Hi Pandora.”
Pandora didn’
t react.
“Where
’
s Marlon?”

“
Leave her
alone, she’
s crazy,” another
boy advised his friend. “Did you know she has to go see a
shrink?”

“
A
shrink??”

Pandora tried her best to pretend they
weren
’
t there, but it was hard.

“
A shrink and
she’
s eighteen, can you
believe that?”

“
Well I
don’
t know why
she
’
s
going- shrinks are for losers and-”

“
Mad people.
Yeah, we know.”

Pandora got to her feet, the idiots smirking at her. They
only wanted to rile her because she
’
d blown each and every
one of them off at her house, going up to her room when they tried
to make conversation. This was their way of payback.

“
You
should’
ve come with me when I
said, Pandora.”

“
Never mind
him,” another guy interjected. “When I tried talking to you, you
shunned me off. You shun off everybody.”

“
Because
she’
s mad,” chorused the other
five. “Right Pandora?”

“
We’
ll stop by later,
Pandora!”

“
Can I tempt
you with yet another tea?” the waiter asked, smiling at her. Miriam
smiled back, saying “Make it two this time please.”

“
Expecting
company?”

“
That’
s right,” she said,
turning to look out the window.

“
Miriam,” a
voice said softly, and she looked at the speaker.

“
Dreamer!”

“
That was
weird,” mumbled Pandora, holding her mother’
s hand. Both were seated at Miriam
’
s table. Pandora was in
some black jeans and a black t-shirt, already looking bored to
death. She didn
’
t acknowledge Miriam
’
s presence,
didn
’
t
even say hi. Miriam masked the hurt she felt.

“
Hello
Pandora.”

“
Don’
t be ridiculous,”
said Dreamer, reading her mind. “You look fine.”

“
Everyone’
s looking at
you,” mumbled Miriam, and Dreamer shrugged.

“
Ignore them.
How have you been?”

“
I’
ve been… ok. Pandora
made up for what wasn
’
t.”

“
About
Pandora,” started Dreamer, and Miriam blurted
“Don’
t! I know what
you
’
re
going to say, I know it! You
’
ll keep her away like
before!”

Dreamer pretended to gaze out the window, oblivious to
Miriam
’
s voice. Pandora smirked as she finally realised how much
Miriam cared for her.

“
I
didn’
t know you cared so much,
Miss Hughes.”

“
Pandora, of
course I care for you, I’
m
your godmother- Miss Hughes??”

“
That’
s your name,
isn
’
t
it?”

Everyone looked over- only at Miriam. Miriam suddenly
realised she must look demented, as if she was talking to herself
or something. The waiter nervously came and set the two cups of tea
down, asking “Anything else you
’
d like?”

“
No thank you,”
said Dreamer, smiling at him. “We’
re fine.”

Feeling jealous as the waiter blushed, Miriam said
“I
’
m
hungry, actually.”

Dreamer
’
s green eyes locked on hers.

“
Are
you?”

“
Yes I am.
I’
m very hungry.”

“
In that case
bring my friend your lunchtime special,” Dreamer said coolly to the
waiter. “That would be your steak and kidney pie with fries,
right?” The waiter nodded. “Please give her baked beans on the side
and salad as well, and a large glass of cranberry juice. And a
slice of your chocolate cake for dessert if
there’
s any left when
she
’
s
finished.”

“
Yes
Ma’
am.”

“
Why did you do
that?” hissed Miriam, and Dreamer smirked at her.

“
What kind of
friend would I be if I let you starve, Miriam?”

Pandora laughed quietly. “Mum, you
’
re wicked.”

“
Thank you
darling.”

Very hot in the face, Miriam said “I
wouldn
’
t have starved, Dreamer-”

“
You said you
were very hungry.”

“
I was
only-”

“
Be
quiet.”

“
Good
girl.”

“
This
isn’
t like before, Dreamer!”
said Miriam angrily. “I
’
m not tailing you like a lost puppy anymore like
I did at school and college, doing everything you said-”

“
Did I make
you, Miriam?”

“
No, but
I’
m letting you know things
have changed!”

“
I’
ve been gone for three
years,” Dreamer answered. “Obviously things have changed, Miriam.
You
’
re
stating the very obvious.”

“
Hey Pandora,
it’
s Alice!”

“
Hi Alice,” she
said tonelessly. “I didn’
t
expect you to call so soon.”

Pandora shrugged, saying “I
’
m not used to
callers.”

“
Was that
Dreamer Black?” said Alice excitedly, and Pandora said
yes.

“
How come
you’
re calling me,
Alice?”

“
Well… I
thought we were friends.”

“
Pandora’
s feeling very
under the weather,” she said gently. “She
’
s just about to have her
lunch, Alice, so maybe you
’
d like to call
back?”

“
Ok then. Yes
Miss,” said Alice humbly. “Welcome back.”

“
Thank you,”
said Dreamer, warming up to Alice instantly. She sensed Alice would
be a good friend to Pandora, felt good vibes.

“
Would you like
to come over for dinner, maybe six o clock?”

“
Yes
please!”

As
Dreamer and Alice conversed Miriam and Pandora stared at each
other, Pandora
’
s expression ice cold. Frightened by the look on her
face, Miriam whispered “What have I done, Pandora?”

“
I
don’
t want to see you anymore.
I don
’
t need you.”

“
Why is that,
Pandora?” she asked as calmly as she could. “Because
Dreamer’
s back in your life,
you want to kick me to the curb?”

“
Exactly. I
only needed the counselling because she was gone.”

“
What was that,
Pandora?”

“
I
don’
t need her,” said Pandora,
looking at her mother. “Not anymore.”

“
Darling,
she’
s your
godmother.”

“
I
don’
t care, and besides,”
sniffed Pandora, “It
’
s not like I actually need her. More like the
other way round.”

Miriam
’
s mouth hung open: this wasn
’
t Pandora
speaking.

“
What happened
to her, Dreamer?”

“
I’
m not sure,” Dreamer
replied, frowning at her child. “Pandora?”

Pandora
’
s eyes filled over. “It was Marlon
’
s friends.”

“
What about
them?” asked Dreamer, concerned.

“
They said
I’
m mad because I have to see
a shrink.”

“
When was
this?”

“
When I went
for a walk in the park after breakfast.”

“
Really,” said
Dreamer, while Miriam said “Did you tell Marlon?”

“
No.”

“
Why
don’
t we forget them for now,”
she said gently. “Pandora?”

“
Good girl,”
said Dreamer, as a large plate was set down on the table. “Now
then, let’
s see if Miriam eats
all of this food.”

“
I- I cant
eat-”

“
You said you
were hungry,” Dreamer cut across, smile gone now. “So eat, Miriam.
Or are you going to waste my money and upset me?”

Miriam didn
’
t want to upset Dreamer at all. It felt so good being
with her again, and apart from that she
’
d been on the receiving
end of Dreamer
’
s hexes when she was in a very bad mood for as long as
she could remember. Sighing, she picked up her fork.