Second Chances (112 page)

“I just wanted to tell you that it was a pleasure getting to know you,” Evan said sincerely. 

Sarah looked at him suspiciously.  She had learned long ago that Evan probably couldn’t be trusted.  If she gave him an in then he took advantage of it.  She could never be comfortable with him, never fully trust him.  “Thank you, Evan,” she said warily.

“So, do you have any big plans for the rest of the summer?”  He tried to seem as though he were making small talk, and not doing the reconnaissance that he really was.

“As a matter of fact, I do.”  She met his gaze, and knew he wanted to delve further into her plans.  She also knew that it would only take him a moment to press further.  She wasn’t worried, she saw Brian weaving his way through the group over to them.

“So, are you ready to go?”  Brian asked as he drew within a few feet of them.

Sarah nodded.  “Enjoy the rest of your summer, Evan,” she called as she met up with Brian and they walked briskly toward his car.

He waited until the car doors closed and they had started pulling away from the parking lot before speaking.  “What was that all about?”  He queried.  Brian seemed more than a bit concerned.

“It was nothing,” she said dismissing his apprehension.  “Evan just wanted to know what I was doing this summer.”

Brian thought for a moment.  “I’m sure there was more to it.  I don’t trust him.”  He seemed to be brooding.

I know.
  Sarah soothed.  She sank into his seat, closed her eyes, and held his right hand between both of hers.

Anna and Chloe were waiting for them on the porch of Sarah’s house as they pulled up the driveway.  Brian glanced at her for a reaction.  “Run,” she mumbled.  “Don’t even stop.  I’ll pick up the clothes tomorrow.  I have extra toiletries.  I’ll just tuck and roll out onto my grassy lawn.”

Brian reached over and squeezed her hand.  “It’ll be fine,” he declared without giving his reassurance a thought.  The moment he began to ponder the reality of the situation was the instant the panic set in.  Sarah was a witch.  Her mother was a witch.  Talking to her over the phone for a few brief moments was a far cry from meeting her in person.  “On second thought, do you think you could make it unscathed?”  His brow furrowed.

“Hello,” Anna called, walking toward the slow moving vehicle.  Apparently she had sensed the turmoil within.

“Gee, it’s like she read our minds,” Sarah mumbled sarcastically.

Brian reluctantly put the vehicle in park and they emerged together.  “Hello again Mrs…
”  His voice trailed off.  He realized that they had never been formally introduced and he had no idea what her married name was.

“Please, call me Anna.  And you must be Brian.”  Her eyes bore into him, but her look seemed pleasant enough.  “Well, I’d ask you two how the field trip went, but it’s obvious that your plans were interrupted.”

“Mother!”  Sarah exclaimed in shock and embarrassment. 

“Oh, please, Sarah,” Anna began seriously.  “I’m a widow now but I was a woman once, and I’ve been a witch my whole life, although it wouldn’t take magic to read your emotions.  You two seem…disappointed, and it can’t just be from my presence alone.”  She feebly attempted to make a joke.  “Let’s go inside and chat.  I made some iced tea.”  The adults headed into the kitchen while Chloe made for the sandbox.

In an instant Anna had taken over and was the hostess in her daughter’s home.  “So, I take it Josh had to go into work early,” Sarah commented in an effort to distract her mother from the conversation Anna really wanted to have over the drinks.

“Sarah,” her mother began, “I’m disappointed in you.  I know what you’re doing, so I’ll humor you.”  She sighed before continuing.  “Josh
claimed
he had some errands to run before work.  I volunteered to come over and stay with Chloe so you wouldn’t have to drive over and get her after all the time you’ve spent on the road already today.”  The explanation made sense, but Sarah knew that her motives were anything but purely altruistic.

“Oh, and I thought you just wanted to meet Brian and weren’t willing to wait for me to initiate the encounter.”  Sarah folded her arms across her chest, a satisfied look on her face.  Two could play that game.

Her mother smirked.  “That’s my girl.  Now, about the other…
”  Her voice trailed off for a moment as she tried to decide how to approach this very delicate subject.

Brian sat on his chair quietly observing the interactions taking place.  Even though he seemed to be the center of the conversation, he had somehow been able to maintain impartial observer status.  He hadn’t been addressed directly, and he in turn had addressed no one.  Instead he was able to sit back in his chair, on two legs, the dangerous habit a remnant from his youth, and watch the drama unfold while he sipped iced tea.  This was better than Broadway.  And he could think of no other way he would rather get to know Anna and explore the dynamics of their mother-daughter relationship.

Anna started again.  “Sarah, you were upset at one time because you felt that your life would have been different if you had only known you had magical abilities.  You thought it might have changed the course of your relationship with Josh, or even prevented it all together.  Now you have an opportunity to begin anew, start fresh with someone who knows all about you and your abilities, a trait you both have in common.  I want to help.  I can help.  Don’t you agree, Brian?”

The mention of his name and the four eyes instantly upon him threw him off balance, literally and figuratively.  At once, the two remaining legs snuck out from under him and Brian collapsed onto the floor.  His hand shot straight up in the air with his iced tea, demonstrating that he had somehow managed to not lose a drop of liquid.  The women looked at the hand, looked at each other, and burst out laughing, continuing so long and so hard that they nearly joined him on the floor, and attracted Chloe’s attention.

Glancing around the room, Chloe seemed completely unmoved.  Now that she was in the kitchen she had one concern on her mind.  “What’s for dinner?”

Naturally, Brian left soon after his fall.  He made as graceful an exit as possible, but his embarrassment was evident.  As soon as dinner was finished, Chloe had a quick bath and went to her room to read books.  Sarah knew that now, buffer
free, the inevitable was about to happen.  Her mother was going to initiate “the talk.”  She sat back on the porch swing and waited.

“I like him,” Anna announced.

Sarah sighed.  “I was worried.  I’ve never seen him more clumsy.  Actually, I’ve never seen him clumsy at all.”  She thought for a moment.  “And mom, he’s so intelligent, and caring, and thoughtful, and…”  She was prepared to rattle off a grocery list of all of his best qualities when her mother interrupted her.

“Who are you trying to convince?”  Anna asked.  “I already told you I like him.  And I know you like him.”  She studied Sarah a moment, focusing on her eyes.  “Or, dare I say you love him?”

Sarah blushed immediately.  She opened her mouth to respond but was abruptly cut off.

“I’m glad to see you thinking with your heart and your head, Sarah.  You may have found your soul mate in him.  He’s perfect for you.”  Sarah smiled shyly.  Anna grasped her daughter’s hands.  “Now listen to me.”  She gazed deeply into Sarah’s eyes.  “Don’t mistake being perfect for you with being perfect.  He has his flaws, honey, but his strengths far outweigh them.  He will never intentionally hurt you.  This isn’t to say that there won’t be hurts.  Hurts remind us of how deeply we care about the person.  By opening ourselves up to others, our hearts and souls, we also open ourselves up to being hurt.  Just know that you can trust him, Sarah.  And trust in the love you share.  I fear it will be put to the test all too soon.”

They leaned back on the swing, rocking silently together.  Words were no longer necessary.  Nor did they need to speak with their minds.  For now their hearts had spoken all the words that needed to be uttered.  Sarah had to merely mull over the combination of advice and prophecy that her mother had relayed during their talk. 
Trust in the love you share,
she reminded herself.

Later that evening as Sarah lay snuggled in bed with a good book
, the phone rang.  She didn’t need Caller ID to know that it was Brian on the other end.  “Hello, lover,” she said in a sultry voice.

He laughed, but Sarah could tell something was wrong.  “So, um, how did everything go?”  He queried as casually as he could muster.  He was unaccustomed to meeting his girlfriend’s family, mostly because he was unaccustomed to having a girlfriend.  Did he really just call Sarah his girlfriend?  He did a mental head slap.  Regardless, up until now he had only dated casually. 

Mustering her best southern accent, Sarah teased, “Why my darling Brian, if I didn’t know better, I’d say you were nervous.” 

“Yeah, about that.”  He was silent.

Sarah wondered if she had stepped over the line.  Obviously, her mother’s opinion truly mattered to him.  “She loved you,” she said quietly.  “You have nothing to worry about.”

Brian let out his breath slowly.  “Good.”  He sounded slightly more confident.

“If you were here, I’d give you a big hug.”  Sarah tried to ease his concerns.

“How big?”  He asked playfully.

“Huge.”  She waited for a response.

“See you soon,” he announced.

Sarah held the phone to her heart for several seconds after hearing the click.  She knew what this meant.  She placed the book that had been resting in her lap during their conversation on the night stand after marking her page.  The light was quickly flicked off, the covers pulled up around her as her anticipation rose.  She glanced about the room expectantly and wasn’t disappointed.  It seemed that each time he came to her in the dark of night his luminescent features grew more distinct.  Sarah raised her chin eagerly awaiting the kiss that he gladly bestowed upon her soft full lips.  Warmth radiated through her body, yet still she shivered.

“I love you,” she murmured as he enveloped her.  She closed her eyes, a smile playing on her lips, and fell quickly asleep.