“I’m afraid not. I’m sorry.” She rested her hand on his knee.
When he looked up, she had a soft, sad expression on her face. It wasn’t pity—not exactly.Empathy.That’s what it was. He knew she had a kind heart, but there was more to it than just that. She was a nurturer. Much like his daughter, Merry, the pediatric nurse. An innate healer.
“Pardon my curiothity, but…the makeover? Are you dating?”
Her face colored. “I—well, no. I wouldn’t mind meeting someone, but it’s just not in me to go out to bars or anything.”
“Thumthing tellth me you wouldn’t meet the right kind of guy there anyway. Have you tried the Internet?”
“Not yet.” She hesitated as if there was more to say, but instead, placed her hands on her knees and pushed herself up to a standing position. “Well, I’ll go whip up that poultice. You try to relax.”
On the second floor, Merry extended her arms to allow for her expanding pregnant belly and embraced her best friend Roz, trying not to cry. Tears brimmed in her eyes anyway.
“I’m going to miss you like crazy. I wish you two could stay.”
Konrad stepped out of his apartment with a plastic milk crate full of books and smiled. “Newton isn’t that far, Merry, and you’re welcome any time. You can even take public transportation. The school is within walking distance.”
“I know.” She sighed. “But it won’t be the same as having you right downstairs. Why are you taking stuff to Roz’s apartment the night before you’re leaving, by the way?”
Roz smiled up at him. “He doesn’t want the movers to have to carry heavy things down an extra flight, so he’s putting all the boxes of books in my apartment for tonight, and I’ll sleep at his place. Isn’t he thoughtful?”
Merry let go of her friend. “Yup. He’s always been that way. You got yourself a keeper, Roz.”
Weird soulful sounds drifted into the hallway from her right. “What the heck is that?”
Roz gravitated toward her fiancé and put her arm around his waist. “I think it’s one of those nature CDs with whale calls.”
Merry listened for a few moments. That was indeed what it sounded like. “I don’t know our new superintendent very well. Is he the new-agey kind? Maybe he and one of the witches will hit it off?”
Roz placed a fist on her hip. “What are you doing? Opening a matchmaker service?”
Merry laughed. “No. Like I said, I don’t even know him. I guess I’m just so happy that I want everyone else to be happy too.”
As soon as she said that a door upstairs opened. They all waited to see who’d be coming down the stairs. When Sly came into view, Merry’s jaw dropped.
“Sly? Who were you…Oh, sorry. Never mind. It’s none of my business.”
He smiled briefly but didn’t say anything. She noticed something a little odd about his face but couldn’t put a finger on what was different.
As she was wondering about it, Morgaine leaned over the banister upstairs.
“Oh, Sly? I forgot to ask you to come back tomorrow…”
She had apparently noticed the others in the hallway, because she hesitated a moment. “I—uh, I should check your—thing.” She blushed. “I mean...You know what I mean. Make sure everything’s okay.”
He was looking up at her with a silly grin on his face.That’swhat was different. Before, he seemed to be trying not to smile and show his fangs. But looking up at Morgaine, he didn’t seem able to stop smiling, fangs and all.
“I’ll be there.”
Morgaine grinned, nodded briefly, and went back to her apartment. As soon as they heard her door shut, Sly said, “Hi Merry,” and gave her a kiss on the cheek, then winced.
“Are you okay?”
“I will be. Morgaine ith taking care of me. I had an accthident to my gumth.”
Konrad chuckled. “I guess you can’t see a dentist for obvious reasons.”
“Yup. Thank goodneth for Morgaine. Theeth a natural healer. How are you feeling, Merry? Ith the baby letting you keep your food down?”
