A Witch Like No Other (17 page)

“
Sorry for
what?” asked Ted curiously. “Dreamer?”

“
It’
s over with, Ted. It
doesn
’
t matter anymore.”

“
Good girl,”
said Ted, smiling broadly as Alice nodded.

“
This is all
because of you.”

“
What
is?”

“
You know, her
socialising a bit more. She would never have asked Alice to see her
room if you didn’
t come
back.”

“
Don’
t count on
it.”

“
That’
s
Dreamer
’
s box?”

“
My
box,” Pandora said, though she
wasn
’
t
really annoyed. “Yep.”

“
Oh no- I
forgot to feed him!” said Pandora, stricken. “I need
bread-”

“
Bread?” said
Alice, puzzled. “What for?”

“
Remember
he’
s really a bird,” Pandora
told her. “He just looks like a rabbit. Birds like bread,
remember?”

“
No wonder
Barclays didn’
t eat his
vegetables!”

“
Cool.”

“
And where is
Pandora going with that hard dough bread?” said Dreamer amusedly,
not even looking at her. Pandora laughed at herself for thinking
she could sneak past without her mother knowing.

“
I’
m going to feed Shadow.
He hasn
’
t eaten since this morning.”

“
Ok.”

Pandora looked around. “Where
’
s Dad gone?”

“
He’
s in the bathroom,”
said Dreamer, just about focusing on her child. Pandora wanted to
ask if she was ok, but she didn
’
t want to hold Shadow
up. She ran and kissed Dreamer on the cheek before rushing
upstairs.

“
Enough,
greedy!” said Pandora, amazed. “Jeez!”

Shadow pushed her finger with his tiny paws, squeaking in
protest as she handed the other half of the bread to Alice, who put
it back it it
’
s bag and tied it tightly.

“
Leave it in
the corner for tomorrow,” Pandora said, Alice obeying.

“
I’
ll come with Daddy to
the clinic if you want, and we can go to the park and hang out
after your meeting.”

“
Ok.”

“
What time is
your appointment?” asked Alice, picking up her jacket.

“
Four o
clock.”

“
Ok then,
I’
ll see you
there.”

“
Thanks for
having me,” Alice returned shyly, and Pandora smiled.

“
Damon?”

“
Yeah?”

“
You
sleeping?”

“
No.”

“
Me
either.”

“
I
figured.”

“
Do you think
she’
ll come back?”

“
Yes.”

“
When?”

“
I
don’
t know,” sighed Damon,
rolling over. “I don
’
t know, ok George?”

“
Yep.
She’
s in your head for life,
mate.”

“
Oh.
Ok.”

“
Dreamer?”

“
Yes
Ted?”

“
I’
ve been thinking.
It
’
ll
be great for us to get away sometime.”

“
I’
m not sure about that,”
Dreamer said slowly. “I
’
ll be going soon, Ted.”

“
Going
where?”

“
Away for a
while. Don’
t worry,
I
’
ll
come back.”

Damon Stile
’
s boyish face slowly materialised in front of
Dreamer
’
s eyes. Little did she know he was the first thing Ted
thought of.

“
Damon.”

“
What did you
say?” said Dreamer, startled as she turned to look at him. It was
dark in the bedroom, so she turned on the bedside lamp to get a
good look at him. Ted stared at her, face revealing
nothing.

“
Damon,
Dreamer. You heard what I said.”

“
What about
him?”

“
Are you still
attracted to him?”

“
Ted-”

“
Just answer
the question.”

“
No.”

It
wasn
’
t
exactly a lie. And it wasn
’
t exactly the truth,
Dreamer thought as Ted surveyed her in silence. He knew it
wasn
’
t
the truth.

“
We
didn’
t exactly talk about you
cheating on me, Dreamer.”

“
I
don’
t want to discuss it,
Ted.”

“
Are you
leaving for a bit to see Damon?”

“
No.
I’
m leaving to check on
Mama.”

“
You’
ve just come from
her, though.”

“
Well… I miss
her so I’
m going to see her
for a few days.”

“
Why
don’
t you take Pandora with
you then,” Ted said lightly, annoying her. “She
hasn
’
t
seen Agnes for three years.”

“
I’
d rather take Pandora
with Marlon,” Dreamer countered. “Yes?”

“
Fine. I know
it’
s Damon you want- I can
tell.”

“
It might be
Damon I’
m thinking of,”
Dreamer answered, “But trust me when I say all I want is
you.”

Dreamer quickly turned off the lamp so he
couldn
’
t see her smirk. Laying down, she said “Goodnight
Ted.”

“
Night.”

“
I’
m sorry for yesterday,”
Pandora said, looking at her knees. She looked like she was a six
year old being severely told off. Miriam sat across from her,
wondering if she meant it.

“
Let’
s forget about it,
love. How was dinner with Alice?”

“
Nice,” said
Pandora truthfully. “I liked having her over.”

“
Pretty soon
she’
ll have you over, and so
on and so forth.”

“
Mmm.”

Pandora
’
s mind was elsewhere. Miriam saw that.

“
What are you
thinking of, Pandora?”

“
College.”

“
You definitely
want to go to Forest Academy?”

“
Yes. Can we
look at the courses?”

“
Of
course.”

“
Hi Pandora,”
said Alice happily, leaving her father’
s office. Pandora struggled not to smile back as she
said hi.

“
What are we
doing again?” she said, though she knew already.

“
Walk in the
park,” Alice said brightly. “I’
ve got Barclays with me.”

“
Atchoo!
Atchoo! Alice, is Pandora out yet?”

“
Yes
Daddy!”

“
Then get this-
atchoo!- rodent out of my office!”

“
Barclays
isn’
t a rodent,” said Pandora,
when Alice looked hurt.

“
I’
m allergic,” sniffed
Tony, rubbing his neck. “Hello Pandora.”

“
Hi
Tony.”

“
How is er…
your mother?”

Alice scowled at him but said nothing, simply going into
her father
’
s office to retrieve her precious rabbit.

“
She’
s fine,” said Pandora
tonelessly. “Why?”

“
I was just
inquiring because she’
s the
reason you
’
ve been coming here…” Tony trailed off as Miriam looked at
him, amused. She knew what he was thinking. “And
I
’
ve
decided we need to talk.”

“
Talk to my
father,” Pandora answered. “Ready, Alice?”

“
Yep! Bye Miss
Hughes,” said Alice, walking through the door with Pandora. Then
she ran back to smile at her father. “Shame, Daddy.”

Shadow the rabbit stared at Barclays haughtily, not leaving
Pandora
’
s side. Barclays squeaked merrily, running around in
circles.

“
I guess they
represent us,” Pandora said. “You’
re happy and full of life, while I
’
m withdrawn and
don
’
t
trust easily. What do you think?”

“
Very true,”
said Alice, amazed as she looked from Shadow to Barclays and back.
“We’
re the rabbits. I mean…
you know.”

“
Sure,” said
Pandora, picking up Shadow. “And when I start trusting you a
little, I’
m more open and I
communicate more.”

She placed Shadow in front of Barclays as she spoke.
Barclays stopped his play and tottered over, Shadow backing into
Pandora
’
s arms.

“
Well obviously
he’
s not ready for
friendship,” said Pandora, amused. “But he could do with the fresh
air, right Shadow?”

“
I’
m glad
I
’
ve
got Shadow. He
’
s something I can care for, and love.”

“
That’
s real sweet,” Alice
said. “Ditto Barclays.”

“
Shadow
probably would’
ve been my only
friend, if I didn
’
t meet you.”

“
You’
re in a real strange
mood, aren
’
t you?” said Alice jokingly, and Pandora smiled at her as
she nodded.

“
I’
m glad we met. I might
have been a loner for life.”

“
How’
s Ted?” Denise asked,
chewing gum. “Still the same?”

“
Fine, Denise.
Just fine.”

“
Uh oh. Come
come come,” said Denise eagerly, ushering Dreamer through the
restaurant and into a private parlour. “Sit sit sit!”

Dreamer sat, looking around. “It
’
s beautiful,
isn
’
t
it?”

“
The
restaurant?” said Denise, uninterested. “Sure, sure. Now
talk!”

“
I love Ted,”
Dreamer said carefully. “But I’
ve been thinking about-”

“
A table for
one again, sir?”

“
Yes please.
I’
ll have the usual- you
already know what that is.”

“
Yes I do
sir.”

“
Who’
s that?” demanded
Dreamer, Denise turning and looking at the wall behind
her.

“
It’
s Mr Concrete,
darling. You noticed we had the parlours done over?”

“
No- that man
in the suit. Who is he?”

“
Probably
Antonio. He’
s always in a
suit.”

“
Antonio?”
Dreamer repeated. “Is he a regular?”

“
He’
s in everyday around
this time,” Denise said uninterestedly. “And don
’
t even bother with him:
all he cares about is making money.”