“Answer it. Tell him you stopped by to talk about the yard work.”
Jared nods and answers the phone. Gemma motions for me to follow her into the laundry room.
“You told him?” She sets her basket down.
“Should I not have? I’m so clueless with teaching this kid. But all the lies are getting complicated, and the less to remember the better.”
“I’m glad you did. You know I’m proud to call myself a witch, and after what he went through with the ghost, I’m sure he’s had an inkling of an idea you had some sort of magical powers.”
“Yeah. I know he’s dying for answers. I’m not the best teacher, but I’m hoping if I guide him then I’ll keep him on the right path.”
“Good thinking. Do you think he could be a witch? Well, a wizard as they’re technically called.”
“I have no idea. How do you know? Hell, I had powers my whole life and didn’t know.”
Gemma smiles. “Think of what it would have been like to have had someone like you there to guide you when you were his age.”
“God, everything could be different. And I mean everything. My parents…they might still be alive if I were raised as a witch.”
“You don’t know for sure if your mom was a witch or not, right?”
“Right. I think it’s safe to say my aunt knew, but as to why she never reached out to my mom…” I shake my head. “I’m getting off track here. He knows we’re witches and thinks that Jacques is my boyfriend and the others are just my friends. And he doesn’t know who they are.”
“Best keep it that way.”
I nod. “Right.” I go back into the kitchen. Jared is still on the phone with his dad, arguing about something.
“Dad, stop. I’m at Detective Bisset’s house, I swear. Here, ask her if you don’t believe me.” Jared thrusts the phone at me. “You told me to answer,” he mouths.
I give him a lopsided smile and take the phone. “Hi, Roger.”
“Detective?”
“Yes, but please call me Ace. Jared stopped by to discuss doing yard work. He says he’s feeling up to it.”
“Oh, well, okay.” Roger obviously didn’t trust Jared to be here and is flustered. He was ready to yell at Jared and has nothing now. “Is he bothering you?”
“No, not at all. He’s a good kid. I’ll send him on his way in a bit. I just pulled cookies out of the oven and promised him a few. Take care.” I hang up and hand Jared his phone back.
“Cookies? Really? Like a fucking kid.” Jared puts his phone back in his pocket.
“Youarea fucking kid. And everyone loves cookies.”
“I want cookies now,” Gemma says, coming back into the kitchen. “I think I’ll make some.”
“With magic?” Jared asks excitedly.
“No.” Gemma raises her eyebrows. “The normal way.”
“Oh,” he says, disappointed. A few seconds of silence fall before he fires off another question. “So the people who attacked downtown,” he starts.
I hold up my hand. “No, they weren’t people, but that’s not something I can talk about. Not yet at least.”
I expect a little bit of a protest from him. The kid always protests and has something snarky to say. But this time he just nods. Maybe I should have told him I was a witch sooner.
“I think that’s enough for today,” I tell him gently. “That’s a lot to process. And obviously, don’t say anything to anyone.”
Gemma turns around. “Because then we will have to kill you.”
“Oh, we will,” I say seriously, and hold Jared’s gaze. He laughs nervously, looking back and forth from me to Gemma, waiting for one of us to crack and laugh first.
“I swear I won’t tell.”
“Good.” I give him a wink and set my cup of water down. “Text me tomorrow and we can see if there’s time to talk more.”
“Thanks, Ace,” he says sincerely. “Thanks for telling me the truth and thanks for believing in me. No one else did.”
I smile, and I know I did the right thing.
