Yesterday's Magic (35 page)

“Does he know that you’re a witch?”

“He knows. I’m not sure he understands. But
he says it doesn’t make a difference.”

Her father studied her. “He loves you?”

She nodded.

“And do you love him?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

Her father smiled. “That’s not what I asked.
Do you love him, Bella?”

“More than anything. I can’t imagine what my
life is going to be like without him. I don’t know how I’m going to
go on.”

Her father let out a big huff of air. “I
guess I always knew this day would come. I just wasn’t thinking it
would happen quite like this. What are you planning to do about
this?”

Bella shook her head. Her father was acting
as if there really was something she could do about it. “Daddy,
what are you saying?”

“I’m not sure what I’m saying. I must be
crazy to be trying to talk you into this because it means that you
won’t be my little girl any longer. But what I know, Bella, is that
true love doesn’t happen for most people. It happened for me.
That’s what I had with your mother. I loved her and she loved me.
It’s what I want for you. It’s what she would have wanted for
you.”

She started to sob.

“What, Bella?” Her father looked unsure.

Could she do it? Could she tell him the truth
after all this time?

“Daddy, I need to tell you something.
Something I should have told you a long time ago.”

“What’s that, Bella?”

“On the day that mom died, she was really
angry with me. I wanted to stay all night at a friend’s house and
she’d said no—that I’d been gone a lot and I needed to catch up on
my sleep. I told her that she was ruining my life. I said horrible
things to her before I ran to my room and locked the door. She
knocked on my door but I wouldn’t answer her. Then later, I heard
the car start and I knew she was leaving to go pick up Averil. I
still didn’t come out.”

“Oh, Bella.”

“She died, Daddy. Before I could ever tell
her that I was sorry. She always hated it when we fought. She was
distracted when she was driving and that’s why she got in the
accident. It’s my fault that Averil lost her mother, that you lost
your wife, the love of your life. It’s all my fault.”

He gathered her in his arms. “Bella, Bella.
It’s not your fault. It wasn’t my fault. It was the fault of the
man who was driving drunk. Your mother loved you. Very much.”

She let him hold her and rock her back and
forth. When she felt that she could speak again, she lifted her
head. “I’m scared, Daddy.”

“Why?”

“If I stay, I have to give up my magic. It’s
the one thing that I’m really good at.”

Her father smiled. “Bella, you’ve
under-estimated yourself for a long time. And maybe tonight, I’ve
finally realized why. I wish I’d known the burden that you
carried.” He brushed tears off her cheeks. “You are beautiful and
smart and so full of life. None of that has anything to do with you
being a witch. But you’re right. You’ve a choice to make. I can’t
help you make it.”

Love or magic. It wasn’t really a difficult
choice after all. She kissed her father soundly on the mouth.
“Thank you. I don’t want to lose you and Averil.”

“You won’t. You may have lost your magic but
we’ve still got ours. Go,” he said. “Go find that man of yours and
tell him that you love him. Tell him that you’re staying.”

Bella was halfway back to the Sheriff’s
Office when she saw Jed leave the hotel and start to cross the
street. His head was down and his hands were in his coat pockets.
He walked slowly, as if he was an old man.

“Jed,” she whispered.

He could not have heard her.

“Jed,” she yelled.

His head snapped up and he put his hand to
his chest. He didn’t move for several seconds. Then he spread his
arms wide and turned in a circle. “I. Love. Bella.”

The men who were loading Toomay’s body into a
wagon turned and stared.

He kept turning. “That’s right,” he yelled.
“I love Bella. I love her.”

People drifted out of the saloon. There was
just enough light that she could see that most of the men were
slapping each other on the backs and Delilah had a big grin on her
face.

Yancy stood off to the side, shaking his
head. “So, what are you going to do about it, Jedidiah McNeil?” he
asked.

“I’m going to marry her if she’ll have
me.”

He was risking everything. Her heart swelled
in her chest and she wondered if it really could burst with
love.

“Come on, Bella,” Delilah yelled. “Make an
honest man out of him.”

Bella ran to him and he swept her up in his
arms. “You crazy guy, what were you thinking?” she demanded.

He kissed her. Soundly. Bella heard clapping.
“I don’t know,” he whispered. He smiled at her, as if he was a
young boy. “When I saw you and realized you weren’t gone and that
maybe there was still a chance for us, I wanted the world to know
that I can’t live without you. I didn’t care if they all thought I
was a fool.”

She rested her cheek against his chest.
“You’re
my
fool.”

He kissed her again. “Nobody else’s,
darling.”

THE END

Like many writers, my love affair with books
began at an early age. I was a frequent visitor to the library in
my little town and while I read many types of books, I was drawn to
those featuring feisty heroines in dangerous situations.

While I was content to borrow some books,
there were others that were worthy of my hard-earned allowance
money. Trixie Belden. Nancy Drew. I couldn’t wait to see what kind
of trouble those girls were getting into and how they were going to
solve the mystery.

A few years later, when I was in high school,
I discovered romance novels and I was hooked.

For a few years, my pleasure reading was
curtailed as I got married, raised two daughters, worked full time,
and finished graduate school.

Now, I’m thrilled to be writing my own
stories that have exciting characters, complex situations, and
satisfying endings! I hope you enjoy!

Web Site: http://www.BeverlyLong.com

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