A Witch Like No Other Read online

  “Night Dad.”

  “Night,” Ted said vaguely, Pandora stopping to look at him properly. Ted stood slowly and smiled at her, but his eyes were troubled.

  “Dad? What’s the matter?”

  Dreamer looked up as she spoke to Miriam, seeing her daughter’s concerned face as she looked at her father.

  Ted shook his head, saying “Nothing’s wrong, ‘Dora.”

  “Don’t believe you.”

  “Trust me, it’s nothing. But I’d really like a goodnight hug.”

  Pandora put Shadow down and ran and gave him a hug. Surprised, shocked and amazed all at once, Ted hugged her back.

  “Only because you looked so down,” Pandora mumbled into his shoulder. “Tomorrow night I’m not hugging you.”

  “I’d better be down tomorrow night then,” said Ted amusedly, making her giggle as she let him go.

  “See you tomorrow, Dad. Have you got work?”

  “I’ve still got two days off,” Ted said, smiling at her. “Remember?”

  “Yep. Night!”

  “Night.”

  “What happened just then?” Miriam asked Dreamer, who answered “Pandora just gave Ted a hug goodnight.”

  “No.”

  “Yes.”

  “That’s excellent!” Miriam exclaimed happily, and Dreamer nodded. Then, remembering Miriam couldn’t see her, she said “Yes it is.”

  “You don’t sound too pleased.”

  “I am, honestly. I’m just tired, and-” Dreamer broke off as she noticed Ted leaning against the doorframe, watching her talk. Noticed his shirt was undone, showing his sculpted chest; smooth and brown. “And…”

  Miriam waited, but Dreamer said zilch as she stared at him.

  “And what?” probed Miriam, after minutes of silence. “Dreamer?”

  Ted cocked his head to one side, a smirk playing on his face. He knew Dreamer couldn’t resist him, whether she loved him or not.

  Swallowing, Dreamer whispered “What are you doing?”

  “Watching you. Is that a crime?”

  “Yes, because I’m on the phone and you’re… looking like that.”

  “You don’t like the shirt? I’ll take it off then.”

  “No!”

  But Ted already pulled his shirt off, revealing his beautiful muscled arms and broad shoulders. Dreamer almost dropped the phone. Ted grinned.

  “Bet you missed this body while you was with Agnes.”

  “I- I…”

  On the other end of the line, Miriam was furious.

  “He’s doing it on purpose to win you over, Dreamer! Ignore him!”

  Dreamer nodded, shaking herself as she said “You cant win me over with your body, Ted. I’m going out.”

  “Scared of being alone with me now?” Ted asked, smirking at her.

  “I don’t need this right now: I’m tired. My bones ache.”

  “Tell him you’ll sleep in the guest room,” whispered Miriam, and Dreamer said “Exactly: I’m sleeping in the guest room, Ted.”

  “Why?”

  “Because that’s all I am here: a guest.”

  Ted’s eyes flashed just like before: he wasn’t in the mood for her games.

  “I’m your husband, Dreamer.”

  “You are not my husband,” Dreamer said coldly, pleasing Miriam.

  Ted shrugged, turning to leave- but he couldn’t. Not yet. Looking back at Dreamer, he said “You don’t love me anymore, do you?”

  “I do, just not in the same way.”

  “What the hell does that mean?” he exploded, startling her. “It’s a straight question, so give me a straight answer. Yes or no?”

  “Tell him like it is, Dreamer. Don’t let him intimidate you.”

  Ted moved closer, Dreamer stepping backwards.

  “Tell me, Dreamer, and I’ll know where I stand. Yes or no?”

  “Say no,” said Miriam firmly, but Dreamer was frozen. “Dreamer!”

  “I- I need fresh air!” she said to both Ted and Miriam, but neither of them was having any of it. Ted grabbed her arm while Miriam said “Tell him!”

  “Tell me,” he said firmly. “Don’t leave me hanging in the kitchen.”

  “Ted, let go of me,” Dreamer said, cursing herself when she realised she left her wand in the living room. “Let go!”

  “Give me an answer, Dreamer!”

  “I cant give you a yes or no!”

  “Why not?!”

  * * *

  Pandora heard shouting in the kitchen, getting up.

  Ted shook Dreamer angrily, now holding her with both hands.

  “Tell me how you feel, Dreamer!”

  “Ted, let me go,” sobbed Dreamer. “Let go of me!”

  “Why did you come back? What was the point of it?!”

  “Let go of me!”

  “Answer me!”

  Miriam was shouting down the phone at him, but Dreamer’s mobile was on the kitchen floor by now. Pandora crept downstairs slowly, listening.

  “Do you love me or not?! ANSWER THE QUESTION!!”

  “I cant!” cried Dreamer, tears falling. “Ted, please- Pandora-”

  “What about her?”

  “She’s coming down the stairs- let me go-”

  Ted moved to close the kitchen doors, pulling Dreamer with him. Pulling them shut, he used the key hanging on one door to lock them.

  “There,” he said furiously. “She can listen, but she cant see a thing.”

  “Let go of me,” sobbed Dreamer. “Please!”

  “No! Tell me what you feel, and be honest about it!”

  Dreamer couldn’t breathe anymore.

  “Talk to me, Dreamer!”

  “I cant!”

  “Yes you can! How can you do this to me? I gave you my all, damn it- I gave you my heart! Why are you doing this to me?!”

  Without realising it, he pushed her with such force she lost her balance. Dreamer slammed onto the kitchen floor, crying still.

  Staring down at her in shock, Ted backed two steps. Then he decided she deserved it: “You deserve to be treated this way, Dreamer. You’re right: I’m not your husband. You are definitely not my wife.”

  Dreamer shook her head, sobbing. She didn’t answer him.

  Ted dropped to his knees a few feet away from her, head in his hands. Without caring that Pandora was outside the door, he said “I hate you.”

  Dreamer flinched, tears falling. Ted looked at her, eyes filling over.

  “I hate you, Dreamer!” His voice cracked. “You hurt me so much!”

  They both cried their hearts on the kitchen floor, Ted shaking his head. Dreamer didn’t love him. She didn’t deserve him anyway.

  Pandora listened to their sobs, confused. She didn’t understand why they turned on each other like that- didn’t know why.

  She sat on the carpet with her back to the kitchen door, listening. Dreamer’s wand sparkled on the chair she sat in, but Pandora didn’t dare touch it. Hugging her knees to her chest, she listened and listened and listened until she fell asleep. Then she snapped awake and quickly went back to bed before one of them found her there.

  * * *

  At six in the morning, Ted woke up. It was dark in the kitchen- and cold. He shivered, remembering he had no shirt on. Dreamer lay motionless across from him, sleeping. Ted’s anger at her vanished: she looked so innocent when she was sleeping. Innocent and beautiful.

  Ted got to his feet quietly, unlocking the kitchen doors and pulling them apart. They didn’t make a sound. Ted turned to stare down at Dreamer, eyes filling immediately. Was it over between them?

  Reaching down, he gently lifted her into his arms. She was freezing. Pandora peeked out of her bedroom door just in time to see Ted walk past with Dreamer in his arms- she smiled. They’d make it up.

  Now she could go back to sleep after worrying about them all night.

  Ted laid Dreamer down, then he lifted her up. She was not sleeping in the guest room, not in this stupid little double bed. She was st
aying with him. Once inside his room, he held her in one arm and used to other to remove her gown. Not thinking anything except he needed her to be comfy, he let the gown drop to the floor and lifted her out of it. Then he carried her to his wardrobe, opened it, selected one of his t-shirts and took extra care pulling it over her head, pulling each arm through the sides. There. That was her done. Dreamer stirred as he laid her under the duvet, whispering “What are you doing?”

  “Believe it or not, I’m not angry,” Ted whispered back. “I love you.”

  “I love you too…”

  Dreamer closed her eyes and went back to sleep. Ted stood there, smiling broadly. Did she say what he thought she said? Did she mean it? Yes to the first question, probably no to the second. Still, he didn’t care. Ted slipped under the duvet after removing his work trousers, cautiously moving closer to her. Dreamer opened her eyes to look at him: Ted stared back.

  She remembered last night. She had meant to stay strong, tell him like it is, and then get the hell out of the house without looking back. But she didn’t. She couldn’t, because it wasn’t what she wanted.

  She was still unsure about how she felt about Ted, but at this moment she didn’t care. Bravely moving closer, she wrapped her arms around him and laid her head on his warm chest. Ted held her tightly, whispering the sweetest words imaginable, knowing by evening Dreamer would be head over heels in love with him again if he played his cards right. Dreamer listened to him, eyes filling over. He loved her so much.

  * * *

  At eleven they woke up, still in each other’s arms.

  “I’m sorry,” they whispered together, Ted saying “Forget about it.”

  Dreamer shook her head. “I’ll leave as soon as I talk to Pandora.”

  “You’re not going anywhere,” he said firmly, holding her tighter, afraid if he let go of her she’d get up and go.

  “Ted, if I stay I’ll only hurt you even more-”

  “I don’t care, Dreamer. I’m not losing you.”

  “Ted-”

  He pressed his mouth to hers desperately, not wanting to hear it. Dreamer responded slowly, as if unsure where she wanted this to lead. Ted gripped her hair hungrily, making her hand shoot up and grab the back of his neck, pulling him closer as she kissed him passionately.

  That’s more like it, Ted thought. He knew which buttons to press. Dreamer pressed every inch of her body against his, suddenly fired up. Ted broke the kiss reluctantly, panting “Is this what you want?”

  Dreamer didn’t bother answering him, pulling him closer. Their lips met again as their bedroom door opened, but they didn’t notice.

  Pandora coughed loudly, making them break apart and look round.

  “Breakfast in bed,” she said meekly, and they smiled at her.

  * * *

  Miriam knew that if she didn’t get to the house quickly Dreamer would be tricked into staying by Ted’s side. She didn’t know what she wanted, and that made her vulnerable. If Miriam had her way Dreamer would leave with her, and stay with her at her bungalow.

  * * *

  Ted massaged Dreamer with skill and ease, feeling her tense muscles relax. Dreamer kept her eyes on the mirror in front of the bed, simply watching him work. Pandora sat on the carpet with Shadow, reading aloud from one of Dreamer’s favourite books.

  “And she scowled at him, answering ‘This is your way of winning my heart, Kane? With gold and not love?’ Kane laughed at her, lowering the sack of gold coins. ‘Erica, you are too sentimental. I look not for a woman to love, but a woman to promote my image.’ ‘You disgust me, Kane.’ Erica shook her head. ‘I am not the woman for you.’”

  “Tell him like it is,” mumbled Dreamer, making Ted and Pandora smile.

  “Kane could feel his temper rising. He-”

  The doorbell rang, making her stop reading. Ted didn’t stop his massage, though he smiled at her.

  “Get the door, Pandora.”

  “But- but- I cant- oh, all right then,” she said huffily, getting up. “You’re taking the Mick now, making me do all this weird stuff. I’m still not used to socialising, Dad! And touchy huggy stuff unless it’s Mum, and…”

  Ted and Dreamer laughed as she grumbled to herself, jogging downstairs.

  “She’ll be fine in two weeks,” Dreamer said musingly, Ted nodding as he ran his hands down her back. Then he leant down and kissed her shoulder, whispering “Are we all right now, Dreamer?”

  Dreamer shook her head, then she nodded. Then she shrugged.

  “I don’t know. I think so.”

  Ted sighed, then he smiled. “That’s better than ‘I don’t think so.’”

  “Exactly.”

  Pandora took a deep breath, then pulled open the door.

  “Alice!”

  “Hi Pandora!” she said breathlessly. “I’m sorry I didn’t call or anything-”

  Pandora smiled and pulled her inside, surprising her.

  “How’ve you been, Alice?”

  “I’ve been great! Is Miss Black here?”

  “Call me Dreamer,” Dreamer called, and Alice giggled.

  “Dreamer. I’m glad you’re home!”

  “I’m glad you came,” Dreamer replied, Alice taking off her coat and shoes. Pandora took them and put them in the closet for her like a good chauffer would, Alice beaming at her so brightly it unnerved her.

  “Um… would you like a drink or something?”

  “No thanks,” Alice replied happily. “I’ve just had lunch with Daddy.”

  “Ok, let’s go up.”

  * * *

  Alice took over reading while Pandora brought Dreamer hot chocolate and marshmallows with two cupcakes.

  “I hope you don’t leave now,” she told Dreamer ruefully. “Dad’s the best guy in the whole wide world. You cant give him up, Mum.”

  Dreamer smiled at her child, choosing not to answer. That was Pandora, eighteen with the mind of a thirteen year old. Ted grinned at her, mouthing “Thank you.”

  Pandora winked before sitting down next to Alice on the carpet.

  “What part are we at now?”

  “Erica calls the guards on Kane,” Dreamer said before Alice could answer. Pandora took the book off Alice, saying “My turn.”

  “Go it, ‘Dora,” smiled Ted, sitting down next to Dreamer and flexing his fingers. Smiling at her, he said “You’re all nice and soft now.”

  “I feel it,” Dreamer answered with a smile. “‘Dora?”

  “Kane let the guards pull him away, knowing it wasn’t the end.” Pandora paused for effect, everyone smiling at her. “Erica watched him thoughtfully, thinking he did and said the things he did for show. She was sure Kane was kind underneath, sure of it. As if he knew what she was thinking, Kane looked back and smiled at her, saying ‘You will be mine, Erica!’ Erica shook her head and went inside.’”

  “She loves him really,” Alice said, intrigued by the tale. Ted nodded, surprised at himself. He should be downstairs watching football, not hanging out with the girls listening to love stories. Before Pandora could continue Dreamer’s mobile went off, Dreamer reaching for it.

  “Dreamer talking.”

  “Dreamer,” said Miriam in a choked voice. “Is everything ok?”

  “Everything’s fine,” said Dreamer, Ted laying next to her and resting his head on her back. “Ted- get off me, I’m on the phone.”

  * * *

  Images flashed before Miriam’s eyes, unwanted.

  “He’s on top of you?”

  “I didn’t mean- he’s got his head on my back.”

  “I need to talk to you,” Miriam said quietly, and Dreamer said ok.

  “Are you all right?”

  “No! I thought you was going to leave him last night, Dreamer!”

  “I was going to!”

  “No you wasn’t! You said everything for show, didn’t you?”

  “That’s not true, ok?”

  Dreamer rolled off the bed and got up as Miriam rose from her sofa.

&
nbsp; “And even if you couldn’t go, you could have told him you don’t love him, Dreamer!”

  “I couldn’t do that to him!”

  Ted glanced at her sharply, realising he was the subject on the line.

  “You’ve done worse to me in your time, haven’t you?”

  “I was upset! How could I go anywhere when-”

  Pandora and Ted leapt up at the same time, startling Alice.

  “Come now,” Miriam said firmly. “Tell him you have to go.”

  “But-”

  “Now, Dreamer!”

  “Ted, I- I… my friend needs to see me,” she said, turning to look at him, then she took a step backwards in alarm. His face was murderous. “Ted?”

  “That’s the person who was speaking to you last night, isn’t it?”

  “Yes. I- no. Fine, yes.”

  “They was telling you what to say, wasn’t they Dreamer?”

  Dreamer opened her mouth to say no, then she nodded. Ted shook his head in disbelief: someone wanted him and Dreamer apart. Dreamer probably did love him- now he was sure she did. Pandora thought so too.

  Ted looked Dreamer right in the eyes, saying “Who are they?”