Page 26 of Home Is Where the Witch Is
Maggie’s brows lifted, showing how impressed she was. “Can these people see the ghosts?”
“Sometimes.” Ivy started cutting up her pancakes. “But mostly they’re mundanes who just happen to be a little bit more open than your average Joe. So I go through the space and ask the ghosts to move on.”
“Like an exorcism?” Gabe was listening intently, but trying to play it off like he wasn’t. His question only drove his step-sister to a new height of interest, and two pairs of eyes landed expectantly on Ivy, who nodded.
“Yeah! Only most of the time it’s not as dramatic as all that.”
“But sometimes it is?” Gabe persisted.
“Sometimes.”
“Tell us about one!” Maggie said, enthralled.
Talking about ghosts was one thing, but talking up straight-out exorcisms was another. Rosie took a break from her own breakfast to give the kids The Look. They both looked a little sheepish in response.
“Ivy, Declan and I have to go and talk to the Council,” Rosie said, “and y’all are goin’ over to Tammy’s to hang out for the day. Remember?”
“Oh yeah.” Maggie straightened, puffing out her chest importantly. “Aunt Tammy needs my help to paint the mural in her nursery,”
“And my friend Matt just got this new gaming console for his birthday, so we’re gonna try that out,” Gabe said, back to being Mr. Cool.
“That all soundswaycooler than what we’ll be doing,” Ivy promised.
The kids seemed to be satisfied with that. For now.
A short while later,everyone was loaded into the car and heading around the corner to Tammy's and Myles’. The kids ran ahead like wild animals, both of them eager to be out of the house and in a new environment for a few hours. Gabe had been amazing with babysitting Maggie while Rosie and Declan had been caught up with the election, but he deserved some fun and down time too. Tammy had appeared on the top porch step by the time Rosie had waddled up the path to it, and the two woman smiled brightly at each other.
“Fancy seein’ you here,” Rosie teased.
“Likewise.” Tammy stretched her back, one hand supporting her belly. “How’re you feeling?”
The question had become something of a ritual between the two friends in recent weeks, seeing as both of them felt miserable ninety percent of the time.
“Same. You?”
“Same,” Tammy replied, completing the spell. Both ladies rolled their eyes sheepishly, each glad to be pregnant but looking forward tonotbeing pregnant anymore one day soon. “Lookin’ forward to some answers on Friday.”
Tammy was scheduled for a scan to check on what was going on with this baby, and to see whether she might need to be induced. Rosie’d offered to go with her.
“I’ll bet. Be good to know what’s going on,” she agreed. “Thanks again for taking the kids. We appreciate it.” Rosie nodded her head back at Declan, who was waiting in the car with Ivy.
“Oh, it's our pleasure,” Tammy assured her. “They’re all good here. If you need them to stay the night, just let me know.”
Rosie laughed. “That’s real sweet of you, and I’m sure they’d be thrilled, but you’ll be exhausted by 4pm, and that’s when I plan on bein’ here to take them off your hands.”
“Oh, you can plan on it, but I know what Council business is like by now.” Tammy smiled.
“Don’t curse me,” Rosie groaned playfully, moving her belly to the side of Tammy’s so they could hug briefly. “See you later.”
“Later!”
“We all knowwhy we’re here,” Chaoxiang said somberly, glancing around at his fellow Council members. They were all gathered back in the foreman’s office at the Mill, seated around the rickety wooden table as though they were in a high-rise board room. Rosie could barely pull her chair in to the table, so she was seated a little further back than everyone else. One chair at the far end of the table was vacant, but it wouldn’t be that way for long.
Chaoxiang inclined his head. “Thank you for being here Ivy, and at such short notice. The Council will ensure you’re compensated accordingly.”
“Thanks,” Ivy said, inclining her head respectfully. “I appreciate it.”
“Before we go any further,” Emperia said, “please tell us what you have managed to glean from our restless spirit.”
