Miss Spelled (22 page)

‘Oh, and by the way, you should really go and visit Hunter in hospital. There’s something in that room that will interest you.’

‘And what’s that?’ he asks.

‘Geneva.’

* * *

After my shower and spa, I check my phone messages. The five missed calls aren’t from Hunter – well, three were, but he can go to Hell. The other two were from the Department of Education. A teaching position has become available, ironically at my old school, teaching Grade Two, and is available from when school starts back after the holidays. Of course I take it straight away.

I also ring the hospital to see if Hunter has died from lactose poisoning, but he hasn’t. He actually has kidney stones and has spent all of today passing them. Apparently they are as painful as giving birth. It was a relief to know that my lactose poisoning wasn’t the cause of his illness.

That night I go for a drive to my little cottage. It’s still run down. Whoever lives in it now clearly doesn’t love it. Perhaps it will come back to me, just like my teaching job did. Unlike my fiancé.

That night I allow myself to eat an entire one litre tub of gourmet double-choc-chip ice cream and cry myself to sleep.

Between the small amount of sleep finally achieved last night and the excessive crying that took place, my face is a right mess. Red-rimmed, puffy eyes that look as though a boxer has used them as a punching bag, a complexion so pale it would inspire envy in an emo, and nasal passages so blocked with snot it appears a small mucus factory has taken up residence.

Today is the last day Aiden will be single. Actually, there are only three hours left until he is married at Geneva’s grandparents’ city residence in Toorak. Judging from the photos on the internet, it could be mistaken for a small hospital and probably has as many staff.

‘Aw, love. You look terrible. Have you come down with a bug?’ Mum asks.

Don’t you love how everyone feels compelled to comment on just how awful you look during the phases of misery and heartbreak? Shouldn’t they be trying to inspire some sort of miraculous recovery instead of plunging you further into the depths of woe?

‘It’s the love bug,’ Mel says as she sits next to me and eats her Vegemite toast.

‘What? Who are you in love with, darls?’ Mum can barely contain her excitement.

‘It’s a long story, Mum and not one with a happy ending,’ I say.

Mum’s excitement deflates quicker than a punctured balloon.

‘Did someone break your heart, Lou?’ Mum asks. She bends down and hugs me close.

‘Sort of.’
It was me. I broke my own heart. Idiot
. ‘On the positive side though, I am taking a posting as a teacher at Mel’s school. It’s only filling in for a maternity leave position, but they may love me enough to keep me on after that year.’

‘Oh Lou!’ Mum shrieks. ‘I’m so proud of you, darls!’ She runs out into the backyard.

‘Rodney! Rodney, Lou’s gone back to teaching, darls!’

Mel throws her arms around me. ‘See, it’s falling back into place!’

‘Not all of it,’ I say. ‘I’m going to have Majique cast the memory deletion spell on me, so I can forget Aiden.’

‘But he’ll be divorced as soon as Geneva’s grandad dies. Then you can meet him again and win him back. Don’t delete him, Lou!’

‘That could be years away, and if he wasn’t interested in me in the last week, why on Earth would that change after his marriage falls to bits? I can’t hang on to that hope, otherwise I’ll be in a holding-stalking pattern for the rest of my life. No, a new start is the only way. It’s over, just accept it and move on.’

‘But Lou…’ Mel says.

‘Shh. When I cast the spell I used the words, ‘Please make everything turn out the way it’s meant to for Aiden and I’. Perhaps this is really the way it was meant to work out. His family were never going to accept me and that would only have resulted in a strained relationship between them and Aiden.’

‘Cressida doesn’t strike me as the overly motherly type.’

‘No, she’s not. But she is still his mother and he loves her. Even if he doesn’t like her sometimes.’

Mel takes my hand in hers. ‘I feel awful, Lou. If it wasn’t for the rest of us you would have reversed the spell and be about to marry Aiden. But instead you’re…’ Tears well up in her eyes.

‘Don’t you dare start to cry!’ I say. ‘Because you know I’ll start too, and there’s been too many tears already.’

She nods, sniffs and wipes away her tears.

‘You have nothing to feel bad about. This was all my doing. But you and Ben are happy, and Mum and Dad are healthy and enjoying life, so it’s not all bad. I’ll build up my career, save up and buy a house again, and be completely honest with my next boyfriend.’

Mel hugs me close. ‘You really are the best friend I could ever ask for,’ she says.

‘Well, at least you didn’t forget who I was.’

‘There are just some people in life who are unforgettable, Lou Mercer. And you are one of them.’

* * *

The enormous cast iron gates that shut off the Toorak mansion to the rest of the world are not only securely shut, but guarded by armed security officers. The media throng out the front of the gates and fence is huge. You’d think Tom Cruise was getting married again.

I park my car three streets over and walk the distance to the gates. I just have to see for myself that it’s actually going ahead. That it’s real. Then my drive home will consist of me crying my heart out and listening to heart-wrenching songs about loves lost and growing old alone. Then Majique will cast her spell, which will mark the commencement of my new life. The one without Aiden.

Yet again, my small stature comes in handy, allowing me to duck and weave, push and slip my way to the front of the gates. The grounds, which put the Royal Botanical Gardens to shame, are decked out with a huge white marquee, connected to the main house by a long walkway lined by hundreds of white rose bushes. Classical music wafts out. Although it’s impossible to see anyone, the event sounds as though it’s getting underway if the murmur of guests’ voices is anything to go by.

We wait, us media groupies, for a good 30 minutes, until the music changes to the bridal waltz. Suddenly, 12 little flower girls come walking along the pathway, sprinkling flower petals in their wake. Following them are eight bridesmaids. Finally, the bride herself, Geneva, takes the arm of her father and begins her journey into the marquee.

She’s dressed in a white dress too hard to see without a telephoto lens. It takes only a minute for her to reach the marquee and be out of sight.

My stomach rolls like a tumble dryer, there’s an ache in the back of my throat and tears well in my eyes. This is it. The last moment has arrived. Within minutes, it will all be over. Mrs Geneva St. James will have caught and married my fiancé.

I wait, just in case Aiden changes his mind and comes running out of the marquee and makes a bid for freedom, but 30 minutes later, the bells in the front centre tower of the mansion come to life as they chime in the beginning of a new marriage.

The media throng almost climb over each other, trying to get photos, which makes my journey away from the gate that little bit more challenging. Eventually, I fight my way to the street and resume the walk back to my car.

Tears stream down my face and huge, raw sobs escape me. If people are looking at me and wondering what’s wrong with that emotionally unstable woman, I don’t care. I just don’t care. He’s gone. It’s over.

* * *

‘Yes, I’m sure,’ I say to Majique. ‘Charge me for it and let’s get it over and done with. What do I need?’
Apart from another $700
.

‘The same as before, but a photo of yourself instead. I’ve emailed you the spell, which you can cast yourself.’

‘So it will work, definitely? I won’t spend the rest of my life pining over Aiden?’

‘He will be gone from your memory completely. I will cast a special spell for you to ensure that. Are you really sure this is what you want?’ she asks.

‘Without a doubt.’

‘Alright then, there is no charge for this one, Lou. This spell is on me. You won’t even remember you cast a spell. It will be as if this new life has been yours all along. You won’t remember the relationship with Hunter, working at the bank, your teaching career prior to the spell, your cottage or Aiden. Good luck, sweet girl. May the white magic protect and bless you.’

Mel walks into my bedroom just after we finish our phone conversation.

‘I’m going to do it,’ I say.

‘Are you sure?’

‘Yep, it’s the only way.’

‘But what if something goes wrong and you’re turned into a different person or you can’t remember anything afterwards?’

‘Majique said the current moon is a safe one, that the only reason the other spell went awry is because of the Black Moon. It’s going to be okay,’ I say, trying to allay her fears.

‘I don’t know, Lou. It’s a big risk if something goes wrong, you know?’

I hold her hand. ‘Nothing will go wrong. And even if it does, I won’t remember it!’

She gives me a ‘not funny’ look.

‘Joking!’ I say. ‘It’s dark outside now, I’m going to do it and go to bed. Not sure about you but my energy has run out!’

‘It’s been a busy week, for sure. Do you need me to do anything?’

‘Other than for you to never mention Aiden, my previous life, Hunter or this entire fiasco again, no thanks.’

‘Not ever?’

‘Nope. Majique is casting a special spell to wipe the entire incident from my memory, as a backup. She’s doing it tonight. This last week will be gone in my mind.’

‘What about when he gets divorced, or if we bump into him in the street? Can I mention him then?’

‘Nope, whatever will be will be. My days of interfering with fate end tonight.’

‘I guess that’s a good move,’ she says.

‘Do you want to know about what happens with the bank merger?’

‘No. I’ve done my best to bring Amelia down to take over so Aiden can put his plan forward, but whatever happens after that is beyond my control. I’ve let it go.’

‘Sounds like you’ve really thought this through. I can’t say anything to change your mind?’

‘No, this is the best thing for me to do.’

‘I’m sorry, Lou. If the spell was my idea then I am to blame for this, not you,’ she says as tears start to roll down her face.

I move closer to Mel and take her hand in mine. ‘Mel, you brought the spell to my attention, but I am the one who chose to go ahead with it. I am the one who didn’t tell her fiancé the truth. You have nothing to be sorry for.’

She wipes her tears and gives a tiny smile.

‘Besides, you are the bestest friend I could ever ask for. The bestest sister in-law! I couldn’t be happier that you married my brother, because now we really are sisters.’

‘We always were sisters,’ she says, more tears falling.

We hug and both have a little cry.

‘I love you and am so grateful to have you as my best friend,’ I say.

She smiles and springs more tears.

‘I just wanted to tell you that in case I slip into the world in-between worlds tonight and you never hear from me again.’

‘Lou!’ she cries, hitting me on the arm. ‘Don’t say that!’

‘Just joking,’ I laugh. ‘Now, off to bed you go. My brother is probably missing you, seeing as I’ve monopolised all your attention this week.’

‘You don’t need me to help you cast the spell?’

‘I have to do the casting so that the energies aren’t mixed. You go back out to Ben, enjoy your night and I’ll see you in the morning, a brand-new me!’

‘A brand-new you,’ she says with a tear in her eye. ‘I so wish this had worked out differently for you, Lou. It doesn’t seem fair.’

‘Yeah, me too. Love doesn’t value social standing or money, or whether someone else thinks you are good enough to be loved. It only values purity and sincerity. I won’t make that mistake again.’

‘I won’t let you. You’re a Mudder, remember!’

We laugh, hug and say our goodnights.

* * *

An hour later, it’s near midnight. Everyone’s asleep and all images of Aiden have been cleared from my computer. There’s nothing to remind me of him, or raise any questions as to why there is a photo of such a honey on my laptop. Nothing. Zilch. The only place he exists for me now is in my mind. But that won’t be for long.

Out on the back patio, I set up the spell stuff. There is no breeze tonight and the stars are out in their glory, shining and twinkling away as though they don’t have a care in the world. The air is mild, summer is around the corner and the nights are not so chilly any more. All in all, it’s a gorgeous night for a spell.

There’s one last little cry over Aiden and all that has been lost, and a little smile at everything I’ve gained— Mel and Ben’s marriage, and Mum and Dad’s good health and happiness in their retirement. I am truly happy that, for my family, life is great. Mine will be great again too, starting tomorrow with no memory of Aiden, or my colossal stuff-up.

I rewind the clock and hold it against my chest.

I rewind the clock back further.

I rewind the clock back even further

Once again, I open my palms to the stars, ‘Please, please, let me forget the past and find true love again.’

Minutes later, in the comfort of my bed, in the dark, sleep overtakes me. The night is filled with vivid dreams, mostly about when Aiden and I met at the fun run. This time, though, he didn’t come back to help me across the finishing line, we didn’t fall in love or get engaged. This time, I finished the race by myself, and went home alone.

One year later…