Page 92 of The Neighborhood Witch

“I’m always right,” her reflection replied. “Always.”

“Debatable,” Alice said, staring off into the black canopy above.

Chapter 23

The Ring

Alice pinched the brim of her hat and adjusted it a few times before settling on the right position. She turned her attention upstairs and tapped the railing. Her eyes focused on the winding staircase, waiting for Hugo to emerge from the bedroom. Alice dreaded this day, the one-year anniversary of Elizabeth’s death, for Hugo’s sake.

“Everything okay? It’s getting late,” she yelled up. “We should get going.”

“Yeah,” Hugo replied. “I’ll be right down.”

A concerned Galahad brushed up against Alice in the entryway as she pulled on her black and purple tailcoat.

“It’s okay, Gally,” Alice said as she secured the last buttons. “You need to stay upstairs until we get back, okay?”

Galahad met Alice face-to-face. It did small bobs up and down, expressing its own separation anxiety about Alice leaving without it.

“Don’t give me that look,” she said as she brushed down the slant of the broomstick handle. “When we get back, I’ll take you for a ride. Okay?”

Galahad weaved back and forth in excitement before begrudgingly heading up the stairs past Hugo coming down. It shut the bedroom door.

Hugo jogged down the steps. He was dressed in all black; dress pants and a long sleeve button up shirt complemented his black leather jacket and boots. He dressed like he was going to a funeral or at least reliving one.

“I think I’ve delayed long enough. Max is up there in her cage. Max and Gally can keep each other company.” Hugo adjusted his jacket while walking past Alice. “Your reflection was not happy we were leaving Max up there with her. Something about the noise from her barking.”

“Ignore her. She complains all the time,” Alice replied. “Are you driving or do you want me to?”

“I’ll drive,” Hugo replied as he frantically searched the console table, moving items and then putting them back. “Have you seen my keys?”

“Where’s the last place you put them?”

“I don’t know. That’s why I’m looking for them.”

“Do you want me to drive?”

“No. I want to drive. I need to. I just need to find these stupid keys.” Hugo went into the living room. “You didn’t move them, did you?”

“Why would I move them?”

“I don’t know. I can’t find them.” He rearranged things in a futile attempt to locate them.

Alice rolled her eyes. If there was one thing she disliked the most in the world, that was her things being rearranged from their perfect spots. She thought for a moment and then went into the kitchen. There, hanging by the back door, was Max’s leash. She removed the leash to find the keys dangling underneath.

“Found them!” she shouted.

Hugo rushed into the hallway. “Where were they?”

She emerged from the kitchen. “The last place you put them. Hanging beneath Max’s leash.” She handed the keys to Hugo. “Do you need to talk about something?”

“No. I’m fine.” He stuffed the keys into his pants pocket. “I’m fine.”

“Don’t you use that ‘I’m fine’ with me,” Alice scolded Hugo. “We don’t do fine.”

Hugo brushed his hair back a few times. “I’m fine, really.”

“Are you sure?”

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