"Hey, Bree," called Seth Moore. He loped up to us, his baggy pants long around his ankles.
"Hi," said Bree, making that one word sound like a promise. "Why didn't you call me last night?"
"Didn't know I was supposed to," he said. "Tell you what— I'll call you twice tonight." He looked jubilant at this clear sign of approval and shifted his feet, looking at Bree.
"It's a date," she said in a smarmy, come-hither voice that anyone with two brain cells to rub together would see right through.
"Knock it off, Bree," Robbie said suddenly. Everyone else seemed surprised, but I remembered the look I'd seen on his face that day in the gym.
"Whaaat?" Bree looked at him with wide eyes.
"Knock it off," he said, sounding bored and angry. "It's not a date. Seth, take a hike. You won't be calling her."
We were all staring at Robbie, whose face was set and stiff with dislike.
Seth met his stare. "Who the hell are you?" he asked belligerently. "Her dad?"
Robbie shrugged, and I realized how tall he was, how heavy. He looked pretty formidable and made Seth seem slim and young. "Whatever," he said. "Forget about her."
"Robbie!" Bree snapped, her hands on her hips. "Who do you think you are? I can go out with anyone I want! God, you're worse than Chris!"
Robbie looked down at her. "Stop it, Bree," he said more quietly. "You don't want him." He held her gaze for a long time. I glanced at Jenna, and she raised an eyebrow.
Bree opened her mouth as if to speak, but no words came out. She seemed almost mesmerized.
"Hey!" said Seth. "You don't own her! You can't tell her who she wants!"
Slowly Robbie raised his eyes and looked at Seth like he was an insect. "Whatever," he said again, then he turned and walked into the school building as the bell rang.
For one startled moment Bree watched him leave, then she quickly looked at me, and it was like old times when we could pass a wealth of information in one second. Then she turned, and Raven snickered, and the two of them walked away. Seth stood there, looking dumb, and finally turned and headed off, muttering under his breath.
"She sure can pick them," Sharon said brightly. Cal took my hand.
"Yeah," I said, wondering exactly what we had just witnessed. "And they can pick her, too."
CHAPTER 19
Sky and Hunter
March 11, 1984
We have conceived a child. We were not trying to, but it happened, anyway. For the last two weeks I have been trying to find the strength to have an abortion so this child will never know the pain that we have seen in this life. But I cannot. I am not strong enough. So the child rests in my womb, and I will give birth sometime in November.
It will be a girl, and she will be a witch, but I will not teach her the craft. It is no longer a part of my life, nor will it be a part of my child's. We will name her Morgan, for Angus's mother. It is a strong name.
— M.R.
On Friday night Cal and I had a date. We were going to a movie with Jenna, Matt, Sharon, and Ethan.
Sharon picked me up—we were meeting Cal at his house. At seven o'clock she pulled her Mercedes into my driveway and honked the horn.
"Bye!" I yelled, slamming the door behind me.
When I got to the car, I saw that Ethan was in the front seat, so I climbed into the back. Sharon roared out of my driveway and hung a fast left onto Riverdale.
"Do you have to drive like a crazy person?" Ethan said, lighting a cigarette.
"Don't you dare make my car smell like an ashtray!" Sharon said, spinning the wheel and stepping on the gas.
Ethan cracked the window and expertly blew out smoke.
"Um, Ethan?" I said. "It's freezing back here."
Ethan sighed and tossed his cigarette out the window, where it hit the street with a thousand tiny orange sparks.
"Now you litter," Sharon said. "Very nice."
"Morgan's cold," Ethan said, rolling up his window. "Turn on her automatic butt warmer back there."
"Morgan?" Sharon asked, looking in the rearview mirror. "So you want the seat warmer?"
"No, thanks," I said, trying not to laugh.
"How about the vibrator?" Ethan asked. "Hey, watch it! You were two inches away from that truck!"
"I was fine" Sharon said, rolling her eyes. "And there's no vibrator in this car."
"You left it at home?" Ethan asked innocently, and I cracked up while Sharon tried to punch Ethan as hard as she could without having an accident. I wished they would just start going out, but I wasn't sure Sharon had even realized how much she liked Ethan yet.
Amazingly, we made it to Cal's in one piece and saw Matt's Jeep already parked in the driveway, along with at least twelve other cars.
"Cal's mom must be having a circle," Sharon said.
I hadn't seen Selene Belltower since the night she had helped calm my fears, and I wanted to thank her again. Cal let us in, kissing me hello, and took us back to the kitchen, where Matt was drinking a seltzer and Jenna was on the phone to the theater.
"What time?" she asked, making notes.
Cal leaned against the counter, pulling me against him.
Jenna hung up the phone. "Okay. It starts at eight-fifteen, so we should leave here around seven forty-five."
"Cool," said Matt
"So we've got some time. You guys want something to drink?" asked Cal. He looked apologetic. "We have to keep the noise down because my mom's having a circle in a while."
"What time do they usually start?" I asked.
"Not till ten or so," he answered. "But people come early, hang out and talk, get caught up on their weeks."
"I wanted to tell your mom thanks again," I said.
"Oh, well, come on, then," he said, taking my hand. "You can see her. We'll be right back," he told the others.
"Did you take the last Coke?" Sharon accused Ethan as we left the kitchen.
"I'll split it with you," was his muffled reply.
Cal and I shared a grin as we walked through the foyer and then through the formal living room and the more casual great room. "There is definitely something happening there," he said, and I nodded.
"It'll be fun when they get together. Sparks will fly."
Cal gave two quick taps on the tall wooden door that led to the huge room Selene used for her circles. Then he opened it, and we walked in. It was quite different tonight than it had been the night I'd arrived here alone, shaken and upset. Now it was aglow with the light of at least a hundred candles. The air was scented with incense, and there were people, both men and women, standing around chatting.
"Morgan, dear, how nice to see you." Turning, I saw Alyce, from Practical Magick. She was wearing a long, purple, batik robe, and her silver hair was loose and hanging around her shoulders.
"Hi," I said. I'd forgotten she belonged to Starlocket Quickly. I searched for David, the clerk who made me nervous. He saw me and smiled, and I gave a tentative smile back.
"How are you?" Alyce asked, seeming to mean it as more than just a polite question.
I thought. "Up and down," I said honestly.
She nodded as if she understood.
Cal had left my side for a moment, and now he returned with his mother. She was also wearing a long, loose robe, but hers was a brilliant red and painted with gold moons and stars and suns. It was stunning.
"Hello, Morgan," she said in her rich, beautiful voice. She took both my hands in hers and kissed both of my cheeks, European style. I felt like royalty. She looked into my eyes and then placed a hand on my cheek. After a few moments she nodded. "It's been difficult," she murmured. "I'm afraid it will be more difficult still. But you're very strong…"