Page 45 of The Accidental Witch

As they began to walk toward the car, Nina looped her hand through Robbie’s arm. “You really okay, kiddo?”

“I am. I know it’s selfish, but seeing him made me feel better. He’s okay. He’s safe. That’s all I can ask for.”

“Glad for ya,” Nina murmured with a pat to her hand.

Nina’s sudden warmth gave her the courage to ask, “You really like Tottington, don’t you? What’s up with that? Rumor has it you don’t like anyone.”

Instead of getting angry, as Robbie had anticipated, Nina shrugged. “He reminds me of my fifth-grade Science teacher. He was from across the pond, too. One day, he noticed I didn’t have any lunch, hadn’t had any in a week. I’m pretty sure he knew my mom was a druggie, even though he never said shit about it. She never was sober enough to make me fucking lunch, and I didn’t have any money, nothin’ in the fridge. Anyway, Mr. Davies saw that, and every day from then until the end of fifth grade, he brought me a sandwich and a bottle of juice. After all this time, I still think about Mr. Davies.”

“I had no idea,” Robbie whispered as they neared the SUV where everyone waited. Her heart ached for little Nina.

“I’m not much of a fucking sharer. The past is the past, but if you really wanna know…because Tater Tot makes me think of Mr. Davies, I don’t know if I ever fucking thanked him enough for what he did—or even at all. Not properly, anyway. Sometimes, it was the only meal I had all day, until Gramma Lou came and moved me in with her. I guess in some weird fucking way, being nice to Tater Tot is my way of saying thank you to Mr. Davies. I dunno. I’ll leave the psychology of it up to you to pick apart. I just like him.”

Tears stung Robbie’s eyes again as she stopped walking and pulled Nina into a hug. “You’re the strangest, most violent, most wonderful person I’ve ever met, Nina Statleon. I don’t understand you, but I’m glad you’re my new friend.”

They stopped at the SUV with Greer snickering behind them. “I never said shit about being your friend, but I’m gonna miss the fuck outta Totts when he’s gone.”

Robbie didn’t want to think about the time when these people wouldn’t be in her life every day, but she knew that time was coming soon. What would she do when she went back to her pathetic apartment and her going-nowhere job? A job she’d probably lose after calling in a family emergency every single day sine this had happened.

She’d survive. That’s what she’d do. When it was just her and Tottington and her cats again, she’d survive and find a way to thrive.

But she would allow herself to be a little sad for a bit. Because she reallywasgoing to miss this nutty bunch of coconuts.

Wanda greeted her with a smile and a hug. “If it isn’t the world’s best witch! How’d it go, honey?”

Robbie gave her a squeeze back. “Well, I managed to hold the spell. So that’s something, right?”

Greer knocked her shoulder with his. “She’s being humble. She was amazing.”

Marty and Darnell gave her quick hugs. “Yay, you!” Marty praised, holding up her phone. “Now, listen up, lovelies, I have a text from January that made me pause. Get in the car before I freeze my false eyelashes off and I’ll read it to you.”

They all piled in, where Hervé slid next to her, snuggling up against her side. She draped her arm around his handle and pulled him close. “You okay, buddy?”

They’d formed a bond over the last couple of weeks, one of trust when she rode him, one of friendship created by accident, but becoming dearer each day.

“Hervé is good. Is my Robbieee good?”

She chuckled. “She’s good. Her heart is full.”

As Nina began to pull out of the parking lot, Marty shushed them. “Listen to this. January says she’s been hearing some weird things about Greer’s coven.”

Greer sat up straight in the backseat, his face filled with concern. “Like?”

“Liiike, she has a therapist friend, who has a friend who’s part of your coven, and her friend says she hasn’t heard from her in days. They were due to have lunch a couple of weeks ago.”

“But wait,” Nina said. “Why did I get the impression your coven didn’t fuck with other covens, Cover Model?”

Greer shook his head. “That’s not necessarily true. It’s not as of it isn’t allowed. People make friends outside of the coven all the time. With humans as well as other paranormals and witches. Is this therapist’s friend a witch, too?”

Marty held up a finger to quiet them as she typed on her phone and waited.

Robbie held her breath until Marty spoke.

“The friend is a witch, they meet for lunch in the outside world all the time and, according to January, she says this is very unlike her not to be in touch. Especially after blowing her off. She never called, and she’s left her several messages. ”

Greer stiffened beside her. “Does she know this missing witch’s name?”

Marty typed in the question then held up the answer. “Soledad. She says it’s Soledad.”

---