Page 69 of Extra Witchy

“So, basically, you’re asking us to side with you when the council might be coming for your mundane husband,” Kerry said.

Priya shot her partner a look, but the other witch merely shrugged. The others wore varying expressions. Danica seemed the most sympathetic, likely because Titus and Trev were close, and if things had gone differently, it could be her in this situation instead of Leanne. Clem and Margie both wore neutral looks, while Priya seemed mildly vexed with Kerry.

Ethel broke out into unexpected laughter, aiming at Leanne with dual finger guns. “If you’d asked me to put money on who’d ask me to rebel, I wouldn’t have wagered on you. Yet here we are.”

“Well?” Leanne prompted. “Who’s with me?”

A long silence followed, and she half expected some of the coven to walk out. Only none of them did. One by one, they started unpacking their spell components, setting up the supplies necessary to craft protective charms. Leanne’s eyes filled with tears, and she tried to blink them away before they fell.

She failed. “Thank you all so much.”

The rest of the witches surrounded her, hugging her from all sides, then Vanessa spoke. “We’re with you. Let’s save your husband.”

***

Spending the night at Dante’s place turned out to be fun as hell.

His friend lived in a two-bedroom apartment on the first floor. That was a good decision so neighbors didn’t hear his kid running around. The place was decorated in early bachelor chic with rummage sale finds and strange, amateur watercolors Dante’s various aunties had painted. Soon after they got back, Bettina, Dante’s ex, dropped his daughter, Evonnie, off for the weekend, and she was a bundle of energy; she had just turned eight. She liked video games as much as Trev. The three of them playedCrash Team Racinguntil well past her bedtime, then Trev listened from the front room as Dante read the kid a story.

It was sweet and wholesome, but a pang of sorrow went through him that Dante couldn’t work it out with Evonnie’s mother and that he seemed to be going nowhere with Margie as well. Sometimes people’s scars made it tough for others to get close.

He sent Leanne a message to let her know where he was, not because he had to, but he didn’t want her to worry.

At Dante’s place tonight. His daughter is here. Cute kid.

He wanted to ask her stance on children but couldn’t bring himself to do it since he wasn’t even sure if they were in an actual relationship. She’d recruited him more than proposed, laying out the ways in which she’d find him useful. And he’d done his best to meet those terms and conditions, yet he stayed anxious that, at any moment, she’d say,And scene! That’s a wrap, we’re good. The husband role is being eliminated, but thanks for playing. You get a hearty handshake and a waffle iron.

Sitting on the couch at Dante’s house, bad thoughts rushed at him like a freight train. He tried to use techniques his therapist had taught him to head off the spiral, but he still couldn’t embrace the idea that he was worthwhile, despite months of trying. Too much self-doubt, fed and watered by his family until those seeds grew into a monstrous plant. Like the one inLittle Shop of Horrors, it would devour him if he let it.

Eventually, Dante joined him in the living room and put a game on the TV. From what he recalled, Dante was into the Chicago Bulls, and sure enough, that was what they ended up watching. Trev paid scant attention to the players as his friend pointed at the TV and got really involved in all the calls and plays.

Titus texted later that night.Bored. Doing anything fun?

Trev:Hanging out with Dante.

Titus:What, seriously? Why didn’t you invite me?

Since he’d kind of been avoiding Titus since Sarah’s revelation, he had chosen to hang with Dante because their relationship was simple. It wasn’t like he had been trying to hurt Titus’s feelings, though, just busy processing his own. And it had been so long since he had more than one friend that he’d forgotten there could be complexities to navigate.

Sighing, he waited for a commercial break to say, “So I might have started something without meaning to.”

“Viva la revolución,” Dante said.

“Inourgroup.”

“Uh-oh. Lay it on me.”

“Titus just asked why he wasn’t invited to hang out with us tonight. He asked what I’m doing, probably because Danica’s with Leanne at book club.”

Dante nodded. “You don’t have to tell me. Margie’s there too. Though I wouldn’t be seeing her this weekend anyway. We don’t hook up when I have Evonnie.”

“How often—never mind. It’s not my business.” Trev changed his mind about digging into his friend’s relationship, if it could be called that.

I can’t even sort my own shit out.

“I know what you were about to ask, and…once a month, if that. Usually when Chris has something on and Evonnie is with her mom.”

“But Titus?”

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