Monica was an orphan, or so she’d been told. “But I have a feeling my parents abandoned me because of what I was—because of what I am,” she told them. “Some people carry the witch gene, but do not possess any powers. They can pass it along to their offspring, though, did you know that?”
“I did,” said Gilbert, then he blushed and looked down at the table. “Well … I read it somewhere, I think. Excuse me, ma’am. Please continue.”
Deegie and Zach exchanged a knowing glance and laced their fingers together under the table. Gilbert had definitely changed since his harrowing experience with the lust sin-ghost.
Monica smiled at Gilbert. “Anyway,” she went on, “I was taken in by an older couple when I was about twelve or so. They were devoutly religious, so I hid my true self from them, afraid that they, too, would cast me out if they found out what I really was. I practiced my magic deep in the forest where hardly anyone went. Just little things to keep myself entertained between Bible readings and church visits.” She paused to take a sip of water. The hand holding the glass trembled minutely.
“Mom,” Tamara said softly, “you don’t have to do this …”
“I do, sweetheart.” Monica trailed her fingertips down Tamara’s dirt smudged cheek. “I do have to do this. I’ve been keeping this secret for a long time now. It feels good to let the truth out.” She took another sip from her glass and went on.
“One day when I was about Tamara’s age, I met the most beautiful man, and I fell in love immediately. I was ecstatic when David asked me out, and it wasn’t long before he told me he loved me, too. His family was even more religious than my adoptive parents, and I knew I had to deny what I really was, or I would lose him forever.
“I stopped my little rituals in the woods. I read the Bible every single day without fail, and I upped my church visits to three times a week. I prayed to God several times a day. I did everything I could to bury my true self. When David asked me to marry him, I thought I’d die from happiness.
“We were married soon after. I wore my adoptive mother’s wedding gown. Not long after that, I became pregnant with Tamara. It as an easy birth, and she was a beautiful baby, but inside I was scared to death that I had passed the witch gene on to her. When Tamara grew old enough to talk, I told her every day how she should always keep God in her heart. At night I read her Bible passages instead of bedtime stories, and she went to Sunday school as soon as she could walk.
“When her brother was born, I gave him the same treatment, just in case I’d passed the curse on to him. I remember the day when he wanted to watch that movie about the witchcraft school on TV. I sent him to his room for the rest of the day. That was so awful of me. I realize that now, but I was so afraid something might happen, that one of you would suddenly …” Monica’s eyes misted over, and she dabbed at them with a napkin that had been lying on the table before she continued.
“Everything was wonderful for a long time, in spite of all the worrying I did. That is, until one day last summer. I was cooking something in the kitchen, and—oh Lord, this sounds so ridiculous—a fly was annoying me. Such a simple thing, right? It happens to people every day. I waved my hand at it to shoo it away, and … I zapped it.”
“Zapped it?” asked Nix. “You mean like this?” She snapped her fingers and produced a bright blue spark.
Monica nodded. “Yes,” she said. “Just like that. And David saw it.”
“Daddy left because you zapped a fly?” Tamara asked incredulously.
“Yes. I tried to deny it, tried to tell him he was seeing things, but it didn’t do any good. He called me evil, said I should be burned at the stake. He said such awful things. Then he left. He just … left. I never told him that you kids might be carrying the gene; he probably would have disowned you if he thought that you and Todd were like me. I don’t think Todd was affected, but you … after I saw what you did in Deegie’s shop, I knew that … that you … oh, Tamara, I’m so sorry!”
Monica lowered her head and sobbed into her hands.
Deegie could hardly believe what she had just heard. Monica’s entire married life had been a fraud. Tamara had been force-fed religious values that her mother didn’t even believe in. She was never given the opportunity to choose her own path, and all because her selfish mother didn’t want to lose a man who wasn’t right for her in the first place.
Brief anger flared up in Deegie’s heart, but it died down just as quickly. Getting mad at the woman wouldn’t help things now, and Monica had certainly been punished enough.
After a few minutes, Monica’s sobbing subsided. She raised her head, wiped her red, swollen eyes and tried to smile. “What do I do now?” she asked, looking at Deegie. “What do I tell my son when he comes home? What do I tell my friends from the church? I feel utterly lost now.”
“I can’t make that decision for you,” Deegie replied as gently as she could. “Whatever path you choose is entirely up to you, and I can’t help you with that. I hope you understand.”
“I understand.” Monica’s words were touched with a sigh, and she lowered her eyes to the table again.
“You need to do the same, Tamara.” Deegie reached over and took the girl’s hand. “Worship whatever deities you choose, but never deny what you really are. Otherwise, there’s a good chance this could happen again.”
She glanced at Gilbert, who sat placidly next to Nix, his hand resting on her knee. “Right, Gil?” she asked.
“I think you’re right, Deegie,” he said. “I couldn’t have said it better myself.”
They left the Biggs household feeling exhausted and drained, but with the satisfaction of knowing that the ordeal of the seven deadly ghosts was finally over. After dropping Gilbert and Nix off, Deegie and Zach continued on to Deegie’s house.
“Flower will be relieved to know this mess has finally been cleared up,” Deegie said as they pulled into her driveway. “I sure hope she’s feeling better. I’ve been a little worried about her. She didn’t look good earlier.”
“I’m sure she’s fine. She’s a tough old gal. She’ll probably outlive all of us.” Zach parked the mud-encrusted Jeep next to Deegie’s van. “Stay right there,” he said. He got out and went around the front of the Jeep to open the door for Deegie.
“What a gentleman you are,” she snickered as she got out. She found a clean spot on his face and kissed him there. “I don’t know about you, but I’m starving,” she said as they walked toward the front door. “I’ll make us some sandwiches. Maybe Flower will feel like eating with us.”
It wasn’t normal for Lisbet to meet Deegie at the door; usually the shy little ghost came drifting down the stairs after Deegie had been home for a while and sometimes not even then. They found Lisbet hovering in the foyer when they entered the house, and it was clear that she was highly distraught. Her misty form shimmered, and she uttered a distressed whimper.
“Lisbet, what’s the matter?” Deegie asked in alarm.
Oh, Miss … oh, Miss … come see … Lisbet whispered, and she floated backwards down the hall, beckoning them with her good hand.
Zach and Deegie followed Lisbet into the living room, where Flower lay on one of the couches. Bast was curled on her chest, purring while he snoozed.
Lisbet swirled around them in a dust-colored nimbus. You help now, she said. Nice lady … so nice … Then she down the hall to the cats’ bedroom, singing softly to herself.
Zach stepped forward cautiously and squatted down beside the couch. “Flower? Are you awake? We’re back.”
The old woman opened her eyes to slits, then smiled when she saw who was in the room with her. “Well, hello Zach. Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes …” She looked both of them over, taking in their muddy clothes and bedraggled appearance. “What in the world have you two kids been doing? Rooting with the pigs?”
Deegie knelt on the floor beside Zach. “We did it, Flower!” she said. “We got the last sin-ghost! Well, technically it was Tiger who ended its career, but everything’s okay now!”
“There, you see? I knew you could do it.” Flower closed her eyes again. Her hand trembled as she stoked Bast’s ebony fur. “What a lovely houseguest you have staying with you. Lisbet and I have had such a nice conversation …”
Deegie’s smile faded. A conversation? It was difficult to make sense out of most of Lisbet’s words, let alone have a conversation with her. “Lisbet is a sweetheart,” Deegie said. “I’m glad she appeared to you. She usually hides. She’s very shy.”
“Nonsense,” Flower whispered. “She’s quite friendly … offered to let me live here forever …”
“What?” Deegie blurted. “She did?” Alarm quickened her breath, and she looked sharply at Zach.
“She’s still half asleep,” Zach whispered into Deegie’s ear. “She was probably dreaming.”
Flower reached over and gave Zach’s hand a smack. “I heard that, young man!” she scolded. “Just for that you have to go and fetch me some tea and a couple of cookies.” Her lips fluttered into a smile, and she gave him a sly wink. “You two need to help me with the wedding plans,” she added. “You shouldn’t be out gallivanting in the mud. I can’t do this all by myself, you know.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Zach said. “Let’s go make her some tea, Deeg. I could use a snack myself.”
In the kitchen, Zach held Deegie in his arms while they waited for the water to boil. She sagged against him, grateful for his presence, his warmth, and the soothing quality of his voice. “Everything’s all right now, babe,” he murmured as he kissed her cheek. “Flower’s okay.” His beard tickled, and she shivered a little.
“Okay …” she nodded against his chest. “Okay. I’m so tired. I’ve had just about enough of these creepy adventures. All I want to do is have a normal life.”
Zach chuckled. “You’re far from normal, Deeg,” he said. “Besides, normal is highly overrated.” He took her left hand and studied the ring on her finger. It glimmered in the last of the sunlight that came in through the kitchen window. “Flower’s right, you know: We have a wedding to plan.”
Deegie sighed happily and tightened her arms around him. “Yes, we sure do. I can’t wait to get started. I just hope we don’t get any supernatural wedding-crashers!”
They shared a brief laugh, and Zach kissed her again. “So,” he said, “does this mean I can move in with you now?”
“Yes. I’d like that. I think Gilbert can handle things on his own now. Nix will keep him in line.”
The teakettle whistled and Deegie took it off the stove. “I’ll take care of Flower’s tea,” she said. “Can you cut up some of that chicken in the fridge? There’s a fresh loaf of bread in the pantry. I’ll be right back.” She put a cup of herbal tea and a few cookies on a tray for Flower and carried it out to the living room.
Bast was still curled in a warm ball on Flower’s chest when Deegie entered the room, and she could hear his lusty purr from the doorway. Flower’s hand lay on his head, as if she’d fallen asleep petting him.
“Here’s your tea, Flower,” Deegie called out softly. “I only have oatmeal raisin cookies; I hope that’s okay.”
Flower didn’t respond. Her fingers were motionless in Bast’s fur.
“Flower …?” Still holding the tray, Deegie stepped closer to the couch and looked down at her friend. Her face was alabaster pale, and there was no steady rise and fall of her chest. Her lovely brown eyes were partly open, and their mischievous, go-to-hell gleam had been extinguished.
The tray slipped from Deegie’s hands, and it crashed to the floor as she screamed for Zach.