CHOCOLATE BOMBES

 

I take a box of brownie mix from our grocery bags. Tansy grabs the other, puts our chocolate ice cream in the fridge. She excitedly takes a mixing bowl out of the cupboard and finds a smaller cereal bowl that fits inside of it.

"I've seen my mom do this so many times I can do it in my sleep," Tansy comments. She grabs a separate mixing bowl and starts on the brownie batter. This is the most I've seen her smile all weekend.

It's our last day at the beach house before we head back to Portland bright and early tomorrow morning. Kaime is in the hospital along with Presley. Kara left for home early judging by her missing car when we made it out of the woods. The cops are on the lookout for her. Already suspicious because of my dropped call, an officer was sent to check on the house. Evie saw him when she ran back, searching for cell reception to call Kaime an ambulance. Her burns weren't too horrible, but she definitely seemed traumatized by the whole thing. She barely uttered a word.

"So we bake the brownies first?" I ask. "Then we cut them and form a brownie layer inside the bowl?"

"Yep." Tansy nods. "And then we add the soft chocolate ice cream, and the smaller cereal bowl. Then we freeze it, and add the vanilla ice cream."

"Then freeze it," I chime in.

"And then…magic." Tansy greases a baking pan and prepares the brownies batter to be baked. "It'll be ready for tonight's binge."

"Nothing like a brownie bombe on a quiet Sunday afternoon," Evie chimes in. She narrows her eyes. "I'm still mad at you, you know." Since we made it out of the woods Evie hasn't been her usual talkative self. She could hardly sleep either. Her tossing and turning kept me up too.

"I told you," Tansy says. "When Kaime started talking about Covens and love spells I never thought she was serious."

"And when she tried to get you to drug Presley so she could steal a lock of his hair?"

"I was in too deep." Tansy shrugs. "Evie, I'm really sorry."

Evie forces a half-smile.

"I can't believe Kara drank it instead," Evie comments.

"So she isn't the brightest star in the sky." Tansy preheats the oven. "After Kara passed out while dancing and hit her head, I thought Kaime was going to put some kind of hex on me. Who knows? Maybe she did?"

"And the underwear?" Evie continues. "Was that really necessary?"

"Not my idea, but she needed a personal item from each of you. I drew the line at collecting any blood."

"You owe me a bra," Evie responds. She takes a deep breath. "And how am I the woman unseen? What was that about?" She presses her lips together.

"I guess because Presley never hit on you?" Tansy studies Evie as she paces the kitchen—her eyes darting from the tile counter to the window.

"The spell was lame." I throw the thought out there to lighten the mood.

"She said…" Tansy's voice quivers like she's expecting Kaime to appear out of nowhere and boss her like she usually did. "Um…she said she bought it from a gypsy lady who did her nails once."

"A gypsy at a nail spa?" I point out.

"The woman must have had lots of bracelets on or something," Tansy replies slyly.

Tansy cracks up laughing, and Evie can't resist anymore. I smile, watching them chuckle away their disappointment. The two of them giggle so hard that tears run down Evie's cheeks.

"That was one wicked mani-pedi," Evie blurts out in between bouts of laughter. "And the dumbest part was…" She wipes away a few tears. "She thought the spell actually worked. I mean, she thought that cutting off a chunk of Presley's hair would make him like her!"

The kitchen is so loud that I barely hear the knock at the door.

"I'll get it," I shout. I laugh to myself and leave the two of them with our chocolaty dessert. They continue laughing when I open the front door. I take a sudden breath when I see Presley waiting on the other side. He looks back to normal in a clean T-shirt and jeans, and his hair is gelled to the side to hide his missing lock of hair.

"Hi," he says. When I look into his eyes I swear I see sparkles.

"Hi."

"I, uh…" He peeks inside. "I came to say thank you."

"Oh," I reply.

"What's going on in there?"

"Evie and Tansy are making amends." I glance over my shoulder toward the kitchen.

"Right," he continues. "Um…they sort of told me what happened before I was discharged, but I don't remember much. I know you helped me though so thanks."

"You're welcome."

"And I was wondering…" He scratches his head. "I was wondering if I can call you sometime? You'll be in Portland for the summer, right?"

I nod, thinking about my dream I never finished.

"Of course." I smile. Maybe I will get the chance to kiss an Oregon Duck after all?

"Okay," he replies. He takes a step back toward his car. "I have to get going, but I'll see you soon?"

"Looking forward to it."

"Bye, Poppy." Presley grins, and accidently drops his car keys. His defined cheeks look rosy against his tan skin. He quickly picks up his keys and waves as he hops in the driver's seat and pulls away. Evie and Tansy join me just in time to wave back as he speeds down the street.

"He has the hots for you, Poppy," Evie comments.

"I guess the spell didn't work," Tansy adds.

"Of course it didn't work." Evie rolls her eyes.

"Because there's no such thing as magic," I recite. "Yada, yada. We all know you're a realist."

"No," Evie jokes, "it didn't work because technically the polka-dotted bra wasn't mine." She chuckles, placing a hand on her stomach. "I took it from my sister."