wicked witches 08.6 - a witch in time (14 page)

– Aunt Tillie to Bay after a bullying incident

Twelve

^“
I  wish Aunt Tillie would stop telling kids about ‘The Man,’” Landon lamented as he dusted off his jeans a few moments later. It was probably a wasted effort because we weren’t really here, but it seemed the right thing to do, so I joined him in wiping off my own clothes. “Kids shouldn’t be afraid of law enforcement. It’s wrong.”

“I wouldn’t get worked up about it,” I said, glancing around. “Hey, we’re not at the inn.”

“You’re so observant for a reporter,” Landon teased, pressing his finger against my chin. “I can’t believe how cute you were as a kid.”

“You’re just excited because young me was in love with you the second she saw you,” I said, gripping his finger. “It was love at first sight.”

“Why wasn’t it love at first sight for big Bay?”

I frowned. “You need to think of a different way to phrase that,” I instructed. “Big Bay makes it sound as if I’m about to start taking on water.”

Landon chuckled as he offered me a kiss. “I don’t think old Bay is much better.”

“Definitely not.”

“How about … perfect Bay?” Landon was in full charm mode.

“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

“I liked seeing you as a little kid, and seeing you born was … something I’ll never forget,” Landon answered. “I like memories like the one we were just in. It gives me a chance to see you when you were younger.”

“Why is that so important to you?”

“Because it makes me feel closer to you,” Landon replied.

“If we were any closer, they’d have to sew us together.”

“Ha, ha,” Landon intoned. “It’s just … when anyone brings up your childhood you get a funny look on your face. It’s not that you didn’t have a happy childhood, because I can see you did, but I think you let bad memories overshadow the good ones because things were hard for you.

“I get it,” he continued. “You were labeled the weird girl who talked to herself because people didn’t understand you could see ghosts. That doesn’t bother me. I like that you’re different. I only wish you would embrace the good memories and let go of the bad ones.”

“I think that’s easier said than done,” I said. “It’s hard when you grow up in a tiny town where everyone knows everyone else’s business and people go after you.”

“By people do you mean Lila Stevens?” Landon asked.

I frowned. “Did you have to bring her up?”

“I did,” Landon said, nodding.

“Why?”

“Because I’m pretty sure that’s her over there.” Landon pointed to a spot over my left shoulder, causing me to swivel. I scowled when I saw Lila flouncing across the town square. She clearly had a purpose, and when my eyes landed on the three girls eating ice cream on a bench under the willow tree, I couldn’t hide my disgust.

“How did you even recognize her?”

“She looks like a ferret as an adult,” Landon answered. “That right there is a ferret if I ever saw one. It looks like she’s heading toward Bay. I mean it looks like she’s heading toward you. I mean … you know what I mean.”

“I know what you mean,” I agreed, blowing out a heavy sigh. “Crap. I’m sure she’s about to do something evil.”

“I was under the impression that’s all she did,” Landon said, moving closer to me. “Let’s follow her.”

“Why? I don’t want to see her.”

“I think this is going to be an interactive one,” Landon said. “There’s no way Aunt Tillie would force you to see this if you couldn’t be mean to that little troll. Come on. Haven’t you always wanted to torture Lila the same way she tortured you?”

I let Landon lead me toward the imminent showdown, my mind busy. “I can’t be mean to her,” I said finally. “I’m an adult.”

“And this isn’t real, as you’ve told me three million times,” Landon pointed out. “You can be as mean as you want. Don’t you want to save young Bay from that tyrant?”

“Oh, admit it. You only want to see if this Bay falls for you, too.”

“Oh, she’s going to be putty in my hand, sweetie,” Landon said. “I can feel it.”

“That’s borderline gross.”

“I guess I’m a pervert, huh?” Landon’s grin was lopsided. “Come on. I want to see Thistle and Clove, too. How old do you think you are here?”

I tilted my head to the side, considering. “I look about fourteen,” I answered. “That means Clove and Thistle are thirteen and twelve.”

“I can just imagine Thistle at this age,” Landon muttered. “All those hormones and not knowing what to do with them probably made her a monster.”

“She was a monster before the hormones,” I said. “Let’s just watch for a second.” I tugged on Landon’s arm to slow him. “Lila might walk right past us.”

“You’re so naïve,” Landon said as he slung an arm over my shoulders. “Don’t worry. If she gets out of control I’ll be mean to her. I’m looking forward to it, in fact.”

“Look who it is,” Lila sang out, skipping closer to Bay, Clove and Thistle, and causing them to direct their attention to the oncoming enemy. “It’s Babbling Bay and her smelly cohorts.”

Landon frowned. “That was the worst insult ever.”

“Go away, Lila,” Bay said. “Leave us alone.”

“Yeah, leave us alone,” Clove echoed. She had ice cream on her face, which made me wonder whether Aunt Tillie had been busy casting eating curses.

“Wipe your mouth, Clove,” Lila shot back. “You eat like a cow.”

“You smell like a cow,” Thistle retorted. “Don’t come over here. We don’t want to see you.”

“It’s a free country,” Lila said, dancing around. She was careful not to get too close. Even then she worried about Thistle, who was three inches shorter and twenty pounds lighter than her. “I can do whatever I want.”

“So, what?” Thistle asked. “Are you pretending to be a horse’s ass today? Is that how you’re using your freedom?”

Landon snickered. “Okay, I kind of like mouthy teenage Thistle. Don’t ever tell her I said that.”

“Your secret is safe with me,” I said, leaning my head against his shoulder. “I’m not sure I want to watch this.”

“Why?” Landon asked, his eyes locking with mine. “What’s about to happen? Is she going to do something to you?”

“She always did something to me,” I answered. “I don’t remember this specific day, though.”

“Bay … .” Landon didn’t get a chance to finish his statement because Aunt Tillie picked that moment to make her appearance. She detached from the shadow of the nearby bakery and moved in Lila’s direction. I watched her for a moment before sliding my gaze back to Bay, Clove and Thistle. They clearly didn’t see her. “I think that’s their Aunt Tillie.”

“Is she going to do something to Lila?” Landon asked.

“Probably.”

“So Aunt Tillie didn’t have a problem battling it out with a fourteen-year-old girl to protect her family,” Landon mused. “That’s one of the things I like best about her.”

“Me, too,” I admitted.

“You need to shut your mouth, Thistle Whistle,” Lila said. “No one is talking to you.”

“You have got to come up with better names for us,” Thistle said. “Your nicknames are bleeding tragic, just like your stupid nose.”

“You shut up!” Lila’s hands landed on her narrow hips. “My mother says I’m going to grow into my nose.”

“Your mother hasn’t grown into her nose, so how long are you expected to wait?” Thistle asked. “If I were you, I’d put a bag over my head and hide in a hole until graduation. That’s where you belong … with all the other snakes.”

“Yeah, in a hole,” Clove said.

Landon chuckled. “I’m guessing Clove wasn’t the one you wanted on your side during an insult competition, huh?”

“No,” I replied. “She was too sweet.”

“And what about you?” Landon asked, focusing on Bay. “You look as if you want to crawl into a hole of your own.”

“Lila always made me feel that way.”

“Well, Lila is in jail awaiting trial, and you have me,” Landon pointed out. “I think you won.”

“Because I have you?”

“Yup,” Landon said, kissing my cheek. “Truthfully, Bay, this isn’t so bad. She’s a terrible kid, but I think this is normal teasing.”

“Wait for it.”

“I’m going to tell my mother if you don’t leave me alone,” Lila threatened. “She’ll go to the principal and have you guys kicked out of school. She said if you were mean to me one more time … .”

“Oh, stuff it,” Thistle said.

Aunt Tillie stayed behind a parked car, listening to the exchange but otherwise remaining still. I couldn’t help but wonder why she was waiting.

Lila narrowed her eyes as she decided whether she wanted to keep lobbing insults at Thistle. Ultimately she turned her attention to Bay. “So, Bay, I heard you were caught talking to yourself in the cemetery the other day. The principal called your mother in. The secretary told my mother that they’re demanding you talk to a psychiatrist because you’re troubled. How come you’re such a loser?”

Landon frowned. “She is an evil little twit.”

“Leave me alone, Lila,” Bay said, dumping her half-eaten ice cream cone in the garbage.

“What are you doing?” Clove asked. “You’ve been whining about ice cream all day.”

“I lost my appetite,” Bay said. “Let’s go home. Mom said Aunt Tillie is going to let us help her in the basement. You know what that means.”

“Wine,” Clove said. “That’s always fun.”

“Oh, well, great,” Landon grumbled. “Little you is going off to do something illegal. I’m thrilled I got to see this.”

Clove and Bay moved to leave but Thistle remained seated on the bench. She didn’t look happy.

“Where are you running off to, Bay?” Lila asked. “Are you going to go home and cry to your mom and dad? Wait, you only have a mom. Your dad didn’t want to hang around because he knew you were a loser too.”

Bay lowered her eyes and stared at her feet. “Come on, Thistle.”

“Okay, I officially hate little Lila,” Landon said. “I hated her before, but … .”

“Everyone knows they’re going to lock you up in the loony bin, Bay,” Lila called out. “ You’re crazy and you shouldn’t be on the street. You’re ugly, too. You’re so ugly your father took one look at you and ran away when you were born.”

“That did it,” Landon said, releasing my hand and moving toward Lila. “I’ve had just about enough of her.”

“The whole world has had just about enough of her, son.” Chief Terry moved into Landon’s path, taking us by surprise. I was stunned to see him. He looked younger – and definitely had more hair – but his kind smile was in place. “You can’t get involved in this. You can’t fix it.”

“Do you know who we are?” I asked, surprised.

“I could never forget you,” Chief Terry said, winking in my direction. “Don’t look so sad, Bay. This is just Lila being Lila. You were always better than her.”

“What are you doing here?” Landon asked. “Why are you stopping me? This isn’t real. I can run that kid over with a car, back over her again for good measure, and drop her in the lake, and nothing will happen because it’s a memory.”

“I know that,” Chief Terry said. “If you think I’m happy about being the bully police in a memory, you’re wrong. That’s not why you’re here, though. As much as you’d like to pop that kid – and I would, too – you’re here for another purpose.”

“Which is?” Landon prodded.

“Just watch,” Chief Terry said, reaching over to squeeze my shoulder. “You grew up just as I knew you would. Sadly, I knew you’d end up with a guy like this, too.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Landon asked, offended. “You like me.”

“You have long hair,” I said, smirking. “Chief Terry always warned me about guys with long hair.”

“Because we’re so handsome?”

“Because you’re sex fiends,” Chief Terry answered for me. “Now stop talking about stuff that’s going to make me want to thump you, and watch Lila.”

“I don’t remember this,” I admitted.

“That’s because you left early,” Chief Terry replied. “Not everyone left.”

I fixed my eyes on Thistle, who watched Lila with what could only be described as murderous intent. “She’s not going to beat her up, is she?”

“Thistle doesn’t need fists to get revenge,” Chief Terry answered. “Granted, she’s not above using them, but she has other ways of making Lila Stevens pay.”

“She also has help,” Landon said, inclining his head in Aunt Tillie’s direction. “What are these two about to do?”

“Show Bay they love her the only way they know how,” Chief Terry replied.

“And how is that?”

“They’re about to be really mean.”

“How come you’re not running away like Bay the Baby?” Lila asked, locking gazes with Thistle. “Are you going to tell me I’m a big meanie and punch me like you usually do? Don’t forget what the principal said. If you touch me again you’re going to be expelled.”

“That’s at school,” Thistle said, clutching her ice cream cone tightly and standing. “It’s spring break. I can do whatever I want to you off school grounds.”

Lila’s smile slipped. “No, that’s not true.”

“Of course it’s true,” Thistle scoffed. “The principal can’t do anything away from school grounds.”

“Then I’ll tell Deputy Terry,” Lila said. “He’s standing right over there watching.”

“Deputy?” Landon glanced at Chief Terry. “I guess that makes sense. I’ve only ever known you as the chief. That’s kind of weird.”

“I’m still the boss,” Chief Terry said. “Don’t forget it.”

“Deputy Terry,” Lila sang out. “Thistle is threatening me.”

“Good,” Deputy Terry replied. “I hope she kicks the crap out of you.”

Lila’s mouth dropped open. “What? You can’t say that.”

“I can say whatever I want,” Deputy Terry shot back. “I’m the law around here, and as such, I can do whatever I want.”

“You’ve been dying to dust that one off, haven’t you?” Landon said, laughing.

“But … Thistle is going to hurt me,” Lila said. “That’s against the law.”

“So is being a bully.”

“I’m not a bully,” Lila shrieked. “Bay Winchester is the bully. She’s mean … and she’s weird … and she’s … ow!”

I jerked my head up, frowning as Lila grabbed her jaw as if she’d been punched. Thistle was still five feet away from her. I risked a glance at Aunt Tillie and found her smiling.