Life's a Witch (3 page)

Aunt Tillie rolled her eyes. She wasn’t afraid of my mother. Well, she wasn’t afraid of my mother most of the time. My mom is terrifying in her own right when she wants to dig in her heels. Aunt Tillie suddenly becomes judicious in picking her battles when that happens. I had a feeling she was going to pick this battle to win.

“What’s going on?” Thistle asked, popping through the open doorway with her boyfriend Marcus close on her heels, the sun glinting off her purple hair. “What did Aunt Tillie do now?”

“Listen, fresh mouth, this has nothing to do with you, so you’d better shut it,” Aunt Tillie snapped.

Thistle made a face. “Who slipped meth in your Cheerios this morning?”

“Aunt Tillie just found out that Aunt Willa and Rosemary are coming for a visit,” I explained, leaning into Landon as he slipped an arm over my shoulders. He couldn’t fathom why everyone was freaking out, but he knew when the Winchester witches were about to run off the rails and he was already preparing himself. “They’re going to be here for ten days.”

“Oh, gross,” Thistle said. “Well, I take back what I just said. I’m with Aunt Tillie on this one.”

Mom scowled. “Since when are you on Aunt Tillie’s side? After she cursed you into the book, you vowed never to be on her side again.”

“Things change,” Thistle replied dryly. “I can’t stand Rosemary. She’s a righteous little snot.”

“She’s not a kid anymore,” I reminded her. “She’s probably a righteous big snot now.”

“Who is Rosemary and why does that name sound familiar?” Marcus asked, his handsome face devoid of the horror infiltrating the rest of us.

“She’s our second-cousin,” Thistle explained. “Her mother, Nettie, is our mothers’ cousin. Her grandmother is Aunt Tillie’s sister. They’re all real jerks. Aunt Tillie turned them into villains in her fairy tale world.”

“Ah. Now I remember.”

“Now, Thistle, we don’t know that they’re still jerks,” Mom chided. “We haven’t seen Rosemary since she was a girl.”

“Yeah, at the summer camp from hell,” Thistle said. “Do you remember what happened at that summer camp?”

“Yes, and we’re not speaking about it,” Mom hissed. “You’re not helping matters.”

“I remember what happened,” Aunt Tillie said. “I told my sister I never wanted to see her stupid face again. In fact, I’ve told her that so many times I’ve lost count. Still, I was really firm that time. How dare she come back here!”

“You also cursed Rosemary with a spell that made her break out,” Thistle said, smiling at the memory. “I loved that spell.”

“Well, we’ll do something worse this time,” Aunt Tillie said, huffily climbing the steps. “I cannot believe you invited that woman into my house. Don’t you remember what she tried to do?”

“I do remember,” Mom said, choosing her words carefully. “I know you’ve never gotten along with Aunt Willa – and I don’t blame you for hating her – but she’s still family. Have you ever considered the possibility that she might want to make amends?”

“You’re so naïve.”

“Aunt Tillie, I’m sorry you’re upset,” Mom said, changing tactics. “We’re adults now, though. Aunt Willa can’t warp us to her way of thinking. I know you were worried about that back then.

“No matter what – not then or now – could Aunt Willa make us stop loving you,” she continued. “You were always there for us. We’re loyal to you.”

“If you were loyal to me you wouldn’t have invited that hag into my house,” Aunt Tillie shot back. “Don’t kid yourself. She’s not coming back here to get to know you and your girls. I’m sure that’s what she told you, but it’s not true.”

Mom bit her lip and I could tell that Aunt Tillie hit that particular nail on the head with a sledgehammer.

“She’s not coming back because she cares about any of you,” Aunt Tillie seethed. “She’s coming back because she wants something.”

“What?” Landon asked.

“To drive me crazy!” Aunt Tillie flounced into the inn, a little thought bubble filled with mayhem practically dancing over her head.

Landon glanced at me. “I think that’s going to be a short trip.”

“I think you’re right,” I muttered.

“SO,
do you want to tell me what all the hoopla is about?”

Landon held my hand as we leisurely strolled back to the guesthouse after an uncomfortable dinner. Since most of the newly arrived guests heard all about Winchester dinner theater from earlier guests, they thought Aunt Tillie’s attitude was part of the show. That was the only bright spot of an otherwise dismal meal.

“It’s kind of a long story.”

“We have all night, Bay,” Landon replied. “I would like to know what I’m in for since these people are arriving before dinner tomorrow. I have a feeling they’re going to ruin my weekend.”

I frowned. That was another bombshell my mother dropped right before we left The Overlook. We were expected to be at the inn before breakfast the following morning to discuss how to welcome Aunt Willa and Rosemary with fake open arms. Apparently my mother and aunts were going all out to make them feel welcome.

“I don’t really know Aunt Willa,” I admitted. “I think I’ve seen her three times my entire life – and not one of those visits was pretty. She and Aunt Tillie truly hate each other. It’s not like when Clove, Thistle and I swear that the others are dead to us when we’re upset. This is true hate – actual malevolence.”

“Is Willa older or younger?”

“She’s the youngest in the family,” I replied. “If you believe Aunt Tillie, that’s why Aunt Willa acts entitled and is altogether unbearable.”

“Do you believe that?”

I shrugged. “I don’t remember her being nice,” I answered. “She’s kind of one of those relatives who lives in memory shadows. I remember her face … and I remember her being cold … but I really don’t have distinctive memories of her.”

“Why does Aunt Tillie hate her so much?”

“There are a lot of rumors regarding that,” I said. “According to Aunt Tillie, her sister came out of the womb warped and depraved. Apparently Aunt Tillie and Aunt Willa always fought, and my grandmother was the buffer between them.”

“I was under the impression that your grandmother and Aunt Tillie were close.”

“They were,” I said, stopping along the path that led to the guesthouse to stare at the sky. It was a beautiful night, even if the humidity from earlier remained. “My grandmother was the middle child, so she was kind of the peacekeeper. She and Aunt Tillie were close. I guess she refused to completely cut Aunt Willa out of her life like Aunt Tillie did, though. She was convinced that one day they would all be one happy family.”

“That doesn’t sound likely given what I’ve heard about Willa,” Landon said. “When did things really go sour?”

“If you believe the family gossip – which I kind of do in this case – Aunt Willa went after Uncle Calvin when Aunt Tillie was dating him,” I explained. “Apparently she threw herself at him, and Aunt Tillie caught her.”

“And she’s still alive?”

“I think it got ugly,” I replied. “Aunt Willa left Walkerville – which is what Hemlock Cove used to be known as – right after graduation. She met some guy and married him. To this day I’ve never met him. She had one daughter named Nettie, and she spent most of her time south of us.

“When we were growing up, Aunt Tillie would tell us horrible stories about Aunt Willa,” I continued. “We thought she was some sort of boogeyman until Mom set us straight and told us she was just a really terrible person and not some magical monster as Aunt Tillie painted her.”

Landon snorted. “Aunt Tillie does have a way of making people see what she wants them to see.”

“I think the real problem was that Aunt Willa showed up and tried to take Mom, Marnie and Twila away from Aunt Tillie after my grandmother died,” I said. “Mom was already an adult and Marnie was really close to adulthood. When Aunt Willa realized she could never get her hands on them, she threatened to go after Twila.”

Landon was taken aback. “She wanted to separate them right after their mother died?”

I nodded. “She threatened to take the matter to court, but Aunt Tillie warned her that Grandma tied up all of their inheritance in trusts that no one could touch. They didn’t get the money until they were twenty-five.

“Aunt Willa thought Aunt Tillie was getting money for taking them in,” I continued. “When she found out Aunt Tillie got the property instead and planned to use her own money to take care of everyone, she immediately backed down and left Twila with Aunt Tillie.”

“So she just wanted the money?”

“That’s what it seems like,” I replied. “Through the years we saw Aunt Willa a few times. Aunt Tillie banished her from town the day she tried to take Twila. When she did show up, it was always uncomfortable.”

“I’m surprised Aunt Tillie didn’t curse her back then,” Landon mused. “I don’t understand why this woman would want to come back, knowing how everyone here feels about her.”

“I’m sure she has an ulterior motive,” I said. “We just have to watch her and see what it is.”

“Tell me about Rosemary,” Landon prodded. “You seem to really dislike her.”

“I’ve only met her a few times, too,” I answered. “She was a complete and total brat. We saw her at a few family reunions that were held away from the inn, and then Aunt Willa forced her on us one summer at camp.”

“I went to summer camp once,” Landon said. “I don’t remember it being much fun even without horrible cousins to complicate things. All I remember are mosquitoes and sleeping in really dirty cabins.”

“Rosemary teamed up with Lila,” I explained. “They … went after me because I was always such an easy target back then. I could see ghosts, and they thought I was being weird.”

Landon brushed a stray strand of hair from my face. “I like that you’re weird. You don’t have anything to be ashamed about there. Stop worrying about stuff like that.”

“Well, Aunt Willa doesn’t like weird things and she certainly doesn’t like any talk about us being witches,” I supplied. “Aunt Tillie is going to be at her witchy worst, because she knows it will drive Aunt Willa crazy.”

“I’m fine with that,” Landon said, this thumb grazing my cheek as he studied me. “I hate to say it – and I’ll probably deny it if you ever tell anyone – but I’m with Aunt Tillie. Why would your mother let these people come to the inn, knowing how everyone feels about them?”

“I don’t know. I think … I think my mother doesn’t want to admit that some people are truly evil,” I replied. “In her mind she probably thinks she can do the one thing my grandmother always wanted to do.”

“Reunite her sisters?”

I nodded.

“Bay, sometimes people don’t want to change,” Landon said. “It sounds as if your Aunt Willa is one of those people. You need to be careful. If she really is up to something … .”

“I know,” I said, filling in the silence. “I wouldn’t worry too much about Aunt Willa trying to pull a fast one, though. Aunt Tillie will be on her faster than you attack the plate of bacon at breakfast every morning.”

Landon smirked. “Speaking of that … .”

“Yes, Mom is cooking bacon tomorrow morning,” I said. “Your weekend can start off with a cholesterol-fueled bang.”

“That’s good to know.” Landon grabbed my chin and planted a huge kiss on me, taking me by surprise. “I missed you, my little witch. Let’s go and enjoy the rest of the night together before Armageddon hits, shall we?”

His grin was too cute for words. “What did you have in mind?”

Landon slung an arm over my shoulder as we returned to our walk. “I’m so glad you asked. I’ve been dying to talk about how much I missed you for hours. I’m ready to show you.”

Sometimes he’s really good for my ego, and tonight was one of those times.

Three

“I smell bacon,” Landon said, grinning as we walked into The Overlook’s kitchen the next morning.

“I’m just relieved it’s not me,” I muttered, my mind wandering back to one of Aunt Tillie’s curses.

“Not me,” Landon said, tickling my ribs. “That was the curse of my dreams.”

It wasn’t the curse of my dreams, but I couldn’t help but giggle. He has a weird way of being able to make me smile – even if I’m expecting the world as I know it to end in a few hours.

“You two look happy,” Mom said, lifting her eyes from the hissing frying pan and smiling at us. She’s grown fond of Landon, mostly because she believes he’s her only shot at marrying me off and possibly getting grandchildren one day. “I’m glad to see someone smiling.”

“I’m just excited for bacon,” Landon said, sneaking his hand under Marnie’s elbow and grabbing a slice from the plate in front of her. Marnie swatted at him, but she didn’t put a lot of effort into it. “Bacon makes everything better.”

“I’m going to get you a slab of bacon for Christmas and call it a holiday,” Mom grumbled, turning to me. “Are you going to give me crap today?”

I widened my eyes. “What did I do? You were just saying how happy I looked.”

“I know you,” Mom replied. “Rosemary terrorized you when you were a kid. You can’t be happy about seeing her.”

“No one is happy about seeing her,” Landon supplied, reaching for another slice of bacon. This time Marnie caught him before he could steal his intended bounty. “I’ll tell you right now, though, if she’s mean to Bay I’m going to be mean to her.”

Mom studied Landon, her face unreadable. After a moment, she shuffled closer to Marnie, grabbed two slices of bacon from the plate, and wordlessly handed them to Landon. “I’m pretty happy you’re the one who stole my daughter’s heart,” she said. “Even when you argue with me, you always have her back. I like that about you.”

Landon took the bacon and bowed. “You could reward me with a chocolate cake tomorrow if you really feel that way.”

Mom smirked. “You have a way about you,” she said, shaking her head. “Fine. We’ll have chocolate cake tomorrow.”

Landon winked at me, content in his victory. “Did you hear that? Your mom is making me cake.”

“You’re going to need that cake to put up with Aunt Willa and Rosemary,” I said, breaking an end off one of his bacon slices and popping it into my mouth.

“I will share just about anything with you,” Landon said, shooting me a look. “I draw the line at bacon.”