<link href="css/style.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"/> <link href="css/media.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"/> <meta content="urn:uuid:e5dcee8a-6a2a-476b-8d79-ca5349c3c352" name="Adept.expected.resource"/> </head> <body> <div class="element chapter" id="chapter010"> <div class="heading heading-with-title heading-without-image" id="chapter010-heading"> <div class="chapter-title-subtitle-block chapter-title-block-title-is-chapter-number"> <div class="chapter-number-block"> </div> <div class="title-block"> <h1 class="title">10</h1> </div> </div> </div> <div class="text text-main" id="chapter010-text"> <p class="first first-in-chapter"><span class="first-phrase"><span class="first-letter first-letter-t"><span class="first-letter-alpha">T</span></span>he coven</span> of witches had called the police and reported that Carolyn had tried to kill Kayla and stabbed Richard, who had then wrestled the knife away from her and stabbed her in self-defense. The detective had seemed a little suspicious, but after a small dose of Gus's fairy dust, he agreed with the sequence of events and left them alone. </p> <p class="subsq">Kayla sat at the table, drinking a mug of very strong coffee while David held her hand and tried to comfort her.</p> <p class="subsq">Once all the police technicians left the house, all with a little fairy dust on their cheeks, the coven of witches came and sat at the table offering their condolences to Kayla.</p> <p class="subsq">"We need to talk about what you did, Kayla," Doc said, trying to get down to business.</p> <p class="subsq">"What did I do?" Kayla asked, bewildered.</p> <p class="subsq">"Your magic, dear," Joy answered in a motherly tone.</p> <p class="subsq">"Oh, that." She turned to David and grinned half-heartedly.</p> <p class="subsq">"Can you be married to a bona-fide witch?" she asked, secretly afraid of his answer. </p> <p class="subsq">"I think I can manage it, with a little help from our friends." He smiled reassuringly and kissed her cheek.</p> <p class="subsq">She rested her forehead on his shoulder and wept quietly.</p> <p class="subsq">"I love you, David." She sat up and wiped her eyes, trying to get serious. </p> <p class="subsq">"All right, Doc. What do I need to know?"</p> <p class="subsq">"Nothing, right now," Doc said, softening. </p> <p class="subsq">"Does this mean that we get to plan a wedding?" Daisy asked excitedly.</p> <p class="subsq">"Yes, it does," Kayla replied, infected with Daisy's excitement.</p> <p class="subsq">"Oh, goody!" she said, clapping her hands together.</p> <p class="subsq">Kayla rested her head on David's shoulder again, but this time, she smiled at the new family she had acquired from these tragic events.</p> <p class="ornamental-break"><img alt="" class="inline-ornamental-break" src="images/break-section-side.svg"/></p> <p class="first first-in-section"><span class="first-phrase"><span class="first-letter first-letter-o"><span class="first-letter-alpha">O</span></span>ver the last few months</span>, Kayla had become quite adept at using her magic. She found Joy was right, she was a natural witch, her powers boosted greatly by having two magical parents. She had no real need for potions or ceremonies, other than those thanking the God and Goddess; her magic was strong in her mind and flowed through her body.</p> <p class="subsq">After she had buried her father, she found she was still able to communicate with him sometimes in her dreams. He was happy, and that was all she needed to know.</p> <p class="subsq">David was supportive of her while she learned how to control her new powers, even though she had broken more than one lamp trying to get a handle on them. She was actually getting pretty good at it now, she thought proudly. </p> <p class="subsq">She had sat locked in a kennel in the backyard during the last full moon, waiting to change. When nothing happened, everyone breathed a sigh of relief that the effects of Lou's scratch had worn off. </p> <p class="subsq">Carolyn's house had been cleansed of evil by the coven and then sold for well below market value to a nice non-magical couple named the Colliers. Kayla had collected the proceeds from her father's insurance policy and purchased a new home for her and David to live in. She had also splurged on a new Corvette Stingray for herself. </p> <p class="subsq">She was looking out the bedroom window of Doc's home when Joy, Daisy, and Violet burst into the room in their matching bridesmaids dresses.</p> <p class="subsq">"Get your dress on! It's almost time!" Daisy said frantically.</p> <p class="subsq">Kayla got up and unzipped the bag containing her beautiful wedding dress. She turned around and looked at the bridesmaids as tears of happiness threatened to ruin her make-up.</p> <p class="subsq">"Don't you say anything. You'll ruin all of our mascara!" Joy said in a mock stern voice with her trademark smile betraying her seriousness. "Just get ready." </p> <p class="subsq">The three ladies helped Kayla step into her dress. She turned to look in the mirror and make sure everything was in place. Inside the glass, the reflection of her father stared back at her.</p> <p class="subsq">"Daddy?" she asked, trying to hold back her tears without much success.</p> <p class="subsq">"I just wanted to see you and tell you how proud I am, and how much I love you. Blessed be, Munchkin." With that, Richard's visage faded away.</p> <p class="subsq">Kayla turned to see the three women crying. She looked at Joy, who nodded her head, silently saying she had seen him, too. Kayla dried her eyes carefully and headed out the door to the courtyard. As the bluebirds she had enchanted brought her bouquet and dropped flower petals on the guests waiting for her arrival, she smiled and stepped out into her new happily ever after. </p> </div> </div> </body> </html>