This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons (living or dead) events or locations is entirely coincidental.

ISBN: 9781623093440

Copyright © 2012 by Geof Johnson

Printed and bound in the United States of America.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review.

Cover design: Deborah Smith

Photo credits:

Wizard’s staff © Jamie Steidl | Dreamstime.com

:Lbw:01:

Chapter 1

In the dim candlelight, the unhealing wound on Eddan’s chest looked like a red star, or a tomato that had been dropped from a high building. He remembered doing that once, long ago, in one of his experiments. Splat. Squashed tomato.

The old sorcerer fingered the scab, but the real damage wasn’t to his skin — it was inside, his heart. It was a mystery how his adversary had managed to penetrate Eddan’s shield and wound him: whatever spell he’d used was slowly killing Eddan and none of the counter-spells or potions the old wizard tried had reversed the damage.

That reminds me. He eyed the flask on the bench beside him. Maybe one more sip. He picked it up, held the foul liquid to his lips and swallowed a quick gulp. Ugh. He grimaced and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Hope it helps. Just give me three or four more weeks. That should be enough. I can hold out that long.

In their two previous encounters, Eddan had been more than a match for this upstart rival, this nuisance, this slightly insane, over ambitious… magician. That imposter couldn’t possibly qualify as a real wizard, not in so short of a time, not in just a few decades. But something had changed. He had gained some significant advantage and he was dangerous. He had systematically killed the other master sorcerers in the realm until only two remained. And if Eddan’s heart gave out soon, there would be only one.

Instead of donning his familiar robe, Eddan reached for a stack of clothes — Earth clothes, American clothes — and pulled on the long-sleeved shirt and slacks. Slacks. How strange. He was still trying to get used to them. And dress shoes? So uncomfortable. Not like my old soft leather boots.

He appraised himself in the cracked mirror. Not bad. The haircut — he couldn’t remember his last — was passable. The woman in the village had cut his long gray hair above his collar and trimmed his flowing beard so that he looked presentable, he hoped, by American standards. At least no one will think I’m a homeless man. He’d seen plenty of them on his previous trips to Earth.

He made one final look around the cave, his last sanctuary, the only one not discovered and destroyed by his adversary. The enormous stack of books — those he would miss terribly. He poured the remaining lamp oil over them and ignited the pile with three quick blasts from his finger. Better to burn them than allow them to fall into wicked hands. As the flames spread, he outlined the glowing shape of a door in mid-air, picked up his satchel of clothes and another full of gold, and stepped through without looking back. The door winked out behind him and he vanished.

* * *

“We bought a house! We bought a house! Woooo!”

“Carl, roll up the window, you’re embarrassing me,” Rachel said. “And you’re letting all the hot air in.”

“Ah, come on, Honey, let’s celebrate. We bought a house!” He stuck his head out of the car again, grinning in the North Carolina sunshine. “Woooo!”

“Stop!” But she was laughing.

“I’ll stop when you do it, too.”

“No, I can’t.”

“Then I’m gonna keep doing it.” He turned his head away.

“Okay, okay. Before you get us killed.” She rolled down her passenger window. “We bought a house.”

“Louder.”

She looked at Carl. He turned again and said, “I’m gonna yell.”

“Okay! We bought a house!” She looked back at Carl. “Satisfied?”

“That’s more like it. Let’s go out to dinner tonight and really celebrate.”

“Honey, we’re broke. We spent everything we have on the down payment today.”

“Let’s put it on the credit card. It’s not every day that we buy a house.”

“Okay…I want to celebrate, too.” She chewed a fingernail. “Today’s Wednesday. Do you think we can be ready to move by Saturday?”

“Oh sure.” Carl nodded. “I’ll get a couple of my buddies to help that morning. It’s not like we have a lot of stuff.”

“Yeah. It’s going to be strange, going from that little one-bedroom apartment to a big house.” She sighed and looked at the scenery rolling by. “Do you believe the real estate agent? About the old man selling us the house cheap because he wanted a nice couple to buy it?”

“I don’t know, but the house is worth a lot more than we’re paying, that’s for sure. The yard alone makes it worth a ton. It’s a kid’s paradise.”

“It sure is.” She put her hand on Carl’s arm. “How long do you think it’s going to be before we have enough money to adopt a baby?”

“Two years, maybe. We still have to buy furniture for the dining room and spare bedroom.” He tapped the steering wheel and worked his jaw. “I’ll probably regret doing it, but I’ll talk to my parents and see if they still want to help. They really want grandkids.”

“It’s too bad we wasted so much money on the fertility treatments. We could’ve adopted by now.”

“Well, you know what they say about hindsight. But we bought a house, right?” Carl rolled his window down again and glanced at his wife. “One more time? Let’s do it together.”

She looked at him dubiously for a moment before rolling down her window. “Okay.” Together they yelled, “We bought a house!”

* * *

Eddan stood in the backyard and inspected his handiwork. The numbers on the flat stone were clearly readable, so he willed the surface of it to harden again. He especially liked the map of Switzerland he had carved beside the numbers. Not bad, for a pocket knife and a little will power. Satisfied, he flicked his finger and the stone flew from his hand and buried itself in the ground.

I’ve got a good feeling about that young couple. I think I made the right choice. He chuckled and shook his head. They sure were excited at closing today. I can see why they called it a kid’s paradise, though. It’s beautiful here.

The afternoon sun filtering through the tall trees created dappled patterns on the lush grass. Dark green camellia bushes lined both sides of the yard, and the deck on the back of the house offered a commanding view. The spacious lawn gradually rolled off into a wooded, natural area with a creek. The creek was the prize. With minnows, frogs, and snakes, it promised adventure for any young boy or girl. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, holding it for a moment before slowly releasing it. Even though summer was nearly over, he smelled sweet flowers blooming nearby.

He took a final look around and thought, Okay. I’m ready.

He lay flat on the grass, arms and legs spread wide, and slowly melted his essence into the ground, until nothing remained but his clothes.

* * *

Renn the Sorcerer held the dragon’s head staff before him, slowly probing the recesses of the cave with the red beams that radiated from the dragon’s stone eyes. A few tell-tale sparkles of after-magic glittered in the air. He said, “What do you think, Rovann? How long ago was he here?”

The staff didn’t answer. It never did.

“I feel his magic, faintly. He used it here, I’m sure. But where did the old man go?”

He toed the pile of burned debris. “He has found another hidey-hole, but was in a hurry, if he left behind his beloved books.”

He extinguished the glow from the staff. “But no matter. We’ll find the old has-been, and he can join the others on the list of the dead.”

His purple cloak twirled on the dusty floor as he stamped the staff on the floor and vanished.

* * *

Kindergarten kids are loud, sticky, and stinky. Rachel Sikes knew this from personal experience because she taught them. They were especially loud this early in the year, October, when they were still babies. By the end of the year they would be so different you’d hardly know it was the same bunch. They would be almost first graders, all grown up.

They could be sweet and wonderful, too, which is why she loved teaching them instead of slightly sour older kids. Elementary kids started out as M & Ms and ended up, by fifth grade, as lemon drops. Rachel taught third graders for one year, and found them to be in between — more like Sweet Tarts.

That morning, Wesley Bowden had wet himself, again, and Rachel had to take him to the bathroom to change clothes while her aide watched the class. She held his hand gently as they walked down the hall, though she was mad enough to throttle him. Then he looked up at her with his sweet face and said, “Mrs. Sikes, when I grow up, I’m gonna be a teacher so I can work here and be with you every day.” She cried a little while he changed pants in the boys’ bathroom.

Later, there was a fire drill, Jenny Wallace threw up, two kids forgot their backpacks, everybody needed to have their shoes tied, and on and on. All she wanted to do when she got to her car was go straight home and crash on the sofa in front of the TV, but she needed to stop at the drugstore first.

* * *

Carl stood in the empty dining room after work, hands on his hips. I can probably build furniture for in here cheaper than we can buy it, but I’ve got to talk Rachel into letting me buy some tools, first.

He walked through the kitchen and hung his gun holster on a chair, then he found Rachel in the family room, horizontal on the couch, watching television.

“How was your day?” he said.

“Tiring, same as always. How was yours?”

“Fine.” Maybe this is a good time to ask. “You know how we’ve been talking about getting furniture for the dining room?”

“Mmm hmm.”

“Wouldn’t it be a great idea if I built some?”

“Can you do that?”

“Sure, but I’d need a couple of new tools, first.”

“Such as?”

“A planer/jointer, and probably a lathe.”

“How much would those cost?”

“Four thousand, maybe less.”

Rachel held up a white plastic stick. “We might want to hold off on that for awhile.”

“What’s that?” he asked.

“A home pregnancy test.”

“A what?” Carl heard her, but it hadn’t registered.

“A home pregnancy test.”

Carl stood open mouthed, stunned. When he got his wits back, he said, “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

“Yes.”

“You’re sure?”

“I did it three times.”

“You’re pregnant.”

“I’m pregnant.”

Carl pumped both fists in the air, spun around and said, “Yes! Yes! Yes!”

Rachel stood and put her arms around her gyrating husband.

“How can that be?” he said. “No, it’s wonderful. It’s incredible! But I thought you couldn’t, the doctors said…you know….”

“I guess they were wrong.”

“But how did you know? It’s not like you missed your period or something. You hardly ever have one.”

“I’m not sure.” She put her hands on his waist and looked up at him. “Something just made me…I don’t know. I don’t really feel different. It was like I just knew.” She pulled her face tight to his chest. “I’ll make an appointment with my doctor tomorrow and we’ll find out for sure. But I think I am…we are…you know what I mean.”

He stroked his wife’s head. “This is the second best day of my life.”

“And what was the first?”

“The day we got married.”

“Good answer.”

Chapter 2

“Carl, are you awake?” Rachel asked.

“No.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“I had another weird dream.”

“What time is it?”

“Almost seven.”

“You’re not going to let me go back to sleep, are you?”

“It was about the old man again.”

“I guess that means no.”

“You know, the man who sold us the house, only his hair and beard were longer.”

Carl pretended to snore. It didn’t do any good.

Rachel patted his shoulder. “Isn’t that strange? That’s about the third or fourth time I’ve dreamed about him.”

“Okay, I give up. What was he doing?”

“Mostly just smiling.”

“You woke me up to tell me that?”

“Well, it was more than that. He seemed…happy. Or grateful. Like he was really glad about something.”

“That guy was a weirdo.”

“He was just eccentric. I thought he was nice.”

“Don’t you think it’s strange that he left his clothes in the backyard?”

“We don’t know those were his.”

“They’re the same ones he wore at the closing. I notice things like that. I’m a detective.”

“You know, it was odd that they were laid out like that, like a scarecrow minus the stuffing.”

“Yeah, shoes and all.” Carl rolled onto his side and faced the wall. “Goodnight.”

“We need to get up. We’ve got to clean the house before your parents get here.”

“Dang, I forgot,” he said. “Are we going to tell them about the baby?”

“I want to. I’m about eleven weeks along, and everything still looks good.”

“When are you going to tell your mom?”

“I’ll call her today. If we tell your parents, we should tell her, too. She’ll never forgive me if I don’t.”

* * *

Carl and his father, Pete, looked around the empty dining room.

“When do you plan to put some furniture in here?” Pete asked.

“Money’s kinda tight right now.”

“If you had gone into the medical supply business with me, that wouldn’t be a problem.”

Carl ground his teeth. His father never missed a chance to get that dig in.

“Oh, I forgot — you want to catch the bad guys, and all that,” Pete said.

Carl walked away from his father back before he said something he might regret.

* * *

Carl’s mother, Darla, and Rachel were sitting at the small kitchen table when the two men walked in. Pete sat down and said, “I was just asking Carl about the dining room furniture. If you can’t afford it right now, we’d be glad to help you out.”

Carl scowled. “We don’t want your —”

“Carl, I think that’s a great idea,” Darla said. “We haven’t bought you a house warming gift yet. That would be perfect, don’t you think?”

“That’s very generous of you,” Rachel said, “but we have something else we need more than dining room furniture.”

“Are you going to tell them?” Carl said. “You got to tell your mother. It’s my turn.”

“Tell us what?” Darla asked.

“We’re going to have a baby,” Carl said. “Rachel’s pregnant.”

Darla put her hands to her face with delight as her husband clapped his hands. “That’s wonderful!” she said. “But how? When are you due?”

“We did it the old fashioned way,” Carl said. “The doctor said it’s a miracle.”

“And the baby’s due in late June or early July,” Rachel added.

“In that case, we can buy nursery furniture and dining room furniture.” Pete nodded.

“Yes, it can be our house warming gift and baby gift.” Darla squeezed Rachel’s hand and smiled, her perfect teeth were dazzling white.

Carl started to object, but Rachel shot him a glance that said, “This is no time for stubborn pride.”

She looked back at her in-laws. “Thank you. That would be wonderful of you to do that.”

“Then it’s settled,” Darla said. “I’ll pick you up next Saturday and we can go to Pete’s cousin’s store.” Carl’s father had more cousins than a mutt has fleas.

“Yeah, he’ll give us a good discount,” Pete said.

Great, Carl thought. Now the whole town will think I have to sponge off my parents just to furnish my house.

* * *

Evelyn Wallace put down her Bible. She was too distracted to read, too excited about the news. Her first grandchild! God had answered her prayers, because this was surely a miracle. The doctors had told Rachel that she couldn’t get pregnant, but Evelyn had kept the faith and now she would be rewarded with a treasure beyond imagining.

Evelyn looked around her small living room. Rachel and Carl had driven the three hours from Hendersonville to help her move into the condominium after Rachel’s father died. She’d love to live closer to her daughter, but she couldn’t quite get herself to leave Greensboro, though if Rachel asked for her help when the baby came, she’d be there in a heartbeat. A mother-in-law suite couldn’t be much smaller than her tiny condo, and she’d be there with her grandchild. Plus, she was sure she could get Rachel and Carl to start going to church again.

Evelyn picked up her Bible and hummed one of her favorite hymns.

* * *

Most kindergarten kids love babies. And by springtime, when her belly was huge, all of Rachel’s kindergarteners wanted to feel hers. When it got to be too much, she decided to make it a privilege. If you had a good day, you got to feel the baby. Classroom behavior improved dramatically. She did find an occasion to make an exception to her rule, though.

Mary Elizabeth had at least two or three meltdowns a week, and one day when she was completely inconsolable, Rachel tried something out of desperation. She put her arms around the little girl and let her put both hands on the bulge where the baby lay. Within seconds, Mary Elizabeth stopped crying and looked at Rachel’s abdomen with wonder, then looked into her eyes and smiled.

Rachel told Carl about it over dinner that night. “It was like magic.”

Chapter 3

Rachel looked out of the passenger window. “These houses sure are big. I wouldn’t want to clean them.”

“Most of these people don’t.” Carl steered the car around a black Mercedes parked in the street. “They hire maids, like my parents do.”

“What has your mom been doing lately?”

“Same old stuff. Playing a little golf or tennis, shopping, having lunch with friends.”

“Working hard at playing.”

“Speaking of work, if my dad says anything about my job, we’re leaving, okay? I’m tired of hearing about it.”

“Why does he give you such a hard time about it?”

“You know he always wanted me to be a money grubber like him. I doubt he would’ve paid for me to get my criminology degree if I hadn’t told him it was good for pre-law.”

“I’m glad you’re not a lawyer. I don’t think I could’ve married you.”

* * *

Most of the table conversation that night centered on Rachel and the baby. Though she enjoyed being the center of attention once in a while, she was uncomfortable. Her mother had raised her on the phrase “every sentence need not start with I or me,” but no matter how hard she tried to change the subject, it always came back to her and the baby.

“You’re really getting big,” Darla said. “Do you have enough maternity clothes?”

“Some of my friends at work loaned me some outfits. I have enough.”

“We can’t have you walking around in secondhand clothes. Let me take you shopping for some new ones.”

Rachel saw Carl’s fist tighten. He pounded his thigh under the table. She reached over and put her hand over his. “Relax,” she whispered. She forced a smile and looked at her mother-in-law. “That would be nice, Darla. I’ll call you one day this weekend.”

“How’s the cop business?” Pete asked Carl. “Did you catch any bad guys this week?”

She felt Carl’s muscles in his leg tense and knew he was getting ready to walk out. She grabbed his thigh and squeezed as hard as she could. Carl stayed in his seat.

“It’s good,” Rachel said as evenly as she could. “Carl helped bust a meth lab this week. Isn’t that right, Honey?”

Carl didn’t reply. Darla said, “Really? Where was it?”

“Near downtown,” Carl muttered into his plate. “It was in the warehouse where that trucking company used to be.”

“Were they Mexicans?” Pete asked.

That was ugly, Rachel thought. I wish he weren’t such a racist.

“No, they were homegrown boys.” Rachel nudged Carl’s leg to continue. He said, “They were the same kind of guys who would’ve been moonshiners back in the day.”

“Moonshine.” Pete smiled. “That brings back memories. When I was young, we used to buy it off this kid from school. His daddy made it. Tasted terrible, worse than kerosene.”

“You’ve tasted kerosene?” Rachel said, trying to lighten things up.

“No, but you know what I mean.” He took a sip of water as if recalling the experience. “But we didn’t drink it for the taste. We drank it ’cause we thought we were getting away with something.”

“You mean, because it was forbidden,” Carl said. “Just like kids nowadays smoking pot and doing meth and other stuff.”

“But you never did any of that, did you?” Pete said.

“Damn sure didn’t. Drank a few beers with my friends, that’s all.” Carl stared at his father defiantly.

Rachel closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Carl, I’m starting to feel really tired. Can you take me home now, please?”

She knew his fuse had shortened and the powder keg was full.

* * *

On the ride home, Carl was a pot about to boil over. Rachel knew there was nothing she could say to soothe him, so she tried the only thing she could think of. She took his right hand off the steering wheel and placed it on her belly.

“He was just kicking a second ago.” Come on Baby, do your magic. When she saw the muscles in Carl’s jaw loosen and felt the tension in his arm relax, she thought, Thank you, Baby, Thank you.

* * *

When they went to bed that night, Carl said, “Rachel, let’s not ever take another handout from my parents again, okay?”

“That’s fine. We don’t really need that much. We’re doing okay on our own.” Rachel shivered. “Oooh, the baby’s kicking again. Give me your hand, quick.”

They spent the next twenty minutes enjoying the prenatal gymnastics.

The Monday night Lamaze class was at the hospital where Rachel was planning to have her baby. Rachel and Carl walked in and saw a bunch of uncomfortably pregnant women and clueless, well-meaning men. Rachel found an open spot to lay out their blanket while Carl excused himself to the restroom.

Rachel noticed the couple closest to her: a woman who laughed while her husband helped her unpack her bag. The husband had the brightest red hair she’d ever seen. It looked like it had its own power supply.

“Do you need some help?” Rachel said.

“I think I’ve got it, finally.” The woman let out a little giggle. “Have you had this class before?”

“No. I don’t think anyone here has.”

“I guess that’s right.” She put her hand on the small of her back and grimaced. “If you’ve already had a baby, you know how it’s done.” She chuckled as if she had made a joke and stuck out her hand. “I’m Lisa Callahan, and this is my husband, Larry.”

Rachel introduced herself and shook their hands. “How far along are you?”

“Almost seven months, but it feels like thirty.” She laughed again. “How ’bout you?”

“The same.” Rachel put her hand on her belly. “Oh. Baby’s kicking.”

Lisa had her hand on her belly, too. “So is mine. Maybe my baby wants to meet your baby.”

Rachel’s baby kicked again, harder. “I think mine’s playing soccer in there.”

Lisa laughed. “I think mine’s trying to kick her way out. She’s never kicked this hard.” She walked closer to Rachel. “Do you mind if I feel yours? I’ve only felt mine. I wonder if it’s different.”

Why not? Rachel thought. “Okay. Let’s both do it.” As they touched each other’s abdomens, they both said “Oh!” simultaneously. Rachel’s baby kicked hard, making her stumble toward Lisa. As she did, their bulging bellies touched briefly. Rachel felt something. Something warm and pleasant. A tingling. Her baby stopped kicking for a moment.

Lisa looked at Rachel with her eyes wide. “Did you feel that?”

“Yes! Let’s try it again.”

* * *

When Carl came back in the room, he saw his wife standing abdomen-to-abdomen with another woman as an astonished-looking red-haired man stood nearby.

“Rachel, what’s going on?” Carl asked.

“I think our baby just made a friend.”

* * *

The following night, Carl sat on his deck, sipping a cold beer and savoring the moment. Rachel, too worn out to keep her eyes open, had already gone to bed. Carl had taken the afternoon off to go to the doctor with Rachel, and the news they’ gotten was beyond sweet: They were going to have a boy — the image on the ultrasound was unmistakable — and Carl was ecstatic.

A boy.

He considered how much their lives had changed. Just one short year ago, they were a childless couple in an apartment. Now they had this wonderful house with the best backyard ever, and a little boy on the way who was going to play in it. Maybe his mother-in-law’s relentless praying had paid off after all.

Carl eyes swept across the moonlit yard. He was already planning the project he’d build for his boy back there. Not a playhouse, not a tree house, but a clubhouse — the king of clubhouses, the mother of all clubhouses. It’s gonna be the envy of clubhouses everywhere. Carl would start with something simple when the boy was young — a frame for swings and a slide — and expand it as the child grew older and more adventurous. Probably something with multiple levels and a screened in part for back yard camp outs. He could see it in his mind. And a fire pole for quick escapes. He’d seen those at the hardware store.

He would never have to worry about where his son was because he’d always be in the backyard with his friends. And with the clubhouse Carl was planning, he’d have lots of friends.

* * *

Renn stood over the smoldering body. “I know, Rovann, he’s not the one we seek,” he said to the carved dragon atop his staff. “But a wizard just the same, though a minor one. Very weak.” He turned the staff so that he was eye to eye with the dragon carving. “But we couldn’t allow him to grow into a strong one, could we?”

Turning away from the body he said, “Now all he will grow is maggots.”

He stamped his staff and vanished.

* * *

When school finally ended in early June, Rachel was so big, she could barely move, so she spent most of her time sprawled on the couch. Unfortunately for Carl, it gave her more time to work on her campaign to move the Iron Lady in with them. Carl was steadily losing ground.

“But Carl,” Rachel said, “we’ve been over our finances a dozen times, and no matter how we slice it, the only child care we’ll be able to afford is one of the really bad ones.”

“What do you mean, ‘really bad’?”

“You know, the kind where the teachers aren’t really teachers, they’re just losers who can’t get a better job and don’t want to work at McDonald’s. And your child gets sick all the time because parents send their kids to school when they’re contagious.”

Carl’s defenses had taken a direct hit.

“Maybe not,” he said. “We might be able to find a lady who takes in a few kids at her house.” A weak counterattack.

“What happens when she gets sick? Are you going to stay home from work and look after our son?”

Another hit.

“No, I can’t.” He put both hands on top of his head. “I just don’t know if I want your mother raising our child.”

“She raised me, didn’t she? Do you think I turned out okay?”

Carl had to be careful. This was some kind of flanking maneuver. He looked at her for a moment before saying, “Yeah. Of course I —”

“You took your sweet time answering that.”

Carl had made a tactical error, despite intelligence reports that indicated pregnant women could be overly emotional and needed to be handled with care. “Sorry, I was just thinking. You know you turned out fine because I never would’ve married you otherwise.” Not much for return fire, but he was defending low ground.

“I’m anxious about my mother living all alone. If she lived here, I wouldn’t worry about her.”

“She’s been doing all right so far.”

“And don’t forget you’re going to that training conference in Raleigh in two weeks. That’s only a week before I’m due.” She gave him her most serious look. “I could easily go into labor then. Who’s going to take me to the hospital?” Rachel pulled out the heavy artillery. “What happens if I’m all alone when the baby comes?”

Carl’s defenses were completely destroyed. He had no choice but to surrender and ask for terms. “Okay, okay. But when would she move in?”

“The weekend before your conference.”

“How is she going to get her stuff here?”

“She doesn’t have that much. We can drive to Greensboro in your truck, and I can drive her car back.”

“And she rides with you, not me. Right?”

“Of course.” A small concession.

“Doesn’t she need to bring her bedroom furniture? We don’t have any for her.”

“She’ll buy some when she gets here.”

“I don’t want handouts from her, either.”

“It’s not a handout. Her niece is starting college this fall in Greensboro and wants to rent her condo. Mom will use the rent money to pay for the furniture. It’s a win-win situation.”

Not for me. “You two have this all thought out, don’t you?” He threw his hands up in surrender. “Okay, fine. I’ll make sure I’m off that weekend. Anything else?”

“Yes. I want to have the Callahans over for a cookout next weekend. Can you build a picnic table by then?”

Finally, something I’ll actually enjoy. Building something. The Callahans aren’t too bad, either — Larry’s a goofball but he’s kinda funny.

* * *

Lisa and Rachel were sprawled like beached whales on Rachel’s couch, each drinking a wine cooler. They were far enough along that they could drink one without harming their babies.

“I’ll sure be glad when this baby comes so I can drink my wine again.” Lisa took a sip and laughed. “And from what I hear, I’m going to need it.”

“I don’t drink that much,” Rachel said. “Neither does Carl. And when my mother gets here, we might not drink at all.”

“That’s right, your mom is moving in.” She waved her hand. “You’re so lucky. You have somebody who can help you like that.”

“Carl doesn’t think so.”

“Oh, Sugar, my husband hates my mother. I don’t think I’d want her living with us, anyway. She drinks too much. We’d have to hide the booze to keep her from drinking it all.”

“And we’ll have to hide ours from my mom to keep her from throwing it out.”

The two women squealed with laughter.

* * *

Carl and Larry stood on the deck, watching the grill and drinking beer.

“You’ve got a heck of a yard here, Carl. If I were a kid, I know where I’d be. I’d be down in that creek with my friends.”

“Yeah, me too,” Carl said. “I’ve got plans for it. As soon as my boy is old enough, I’m building him a clubhouse.” He told Larry about his intentions.

“To heck with the kids. I think I’d like to play in that.” He pointed to the grill and said. “Hey, what do you get when you cook a doll on the grill?”

Carl shrugged.

“A Barbie-Q.”

Carl groaned.

* * *

The two couples sat on the deck at the new picnic table after dinner.

“We just love your yard,” Lisa said. “Are all the yards in this neighborhood this big?”

“I don’t think so,” Carl said. “I think we’re just lucky.”

“Well, Larry and I love this neighborhood, too. Don’t we, Hon?” She touched Larry’s arm.

“We really do. I heard this is a good school district.”

“Oh, it is,” Rachel said. “I teach at the elementary school. I like it a lot.”

“Will you be able to teach your son?”

“No, they discourage us from teaching our own kids.”

“But if we lived here, you could teach our daughter. Wouldn’t that be something?”

“That would be great,” Larry said. “If any of these houses go on the market, call us, will you?”

“Yeah, our little apartment is going to get really crowded soon.”

Chapter 4

The following Saturday, Rachel and Carl drove to Greensboro to pick up Rachel’s mother. The drive back was painfully slow, because Evelyn nagged Rachel to drive 55 mph the whole way, even when the speed limit was 65.

After they unloaded her mother’s things, Rachel said, “We bought an air mattress. We want you to sleep in our bed tonight.”

“Out of the question,” Evelyn said. “In your condition, you need to be sleeping in a bed.”

“Well, then Carl can sleep on the air mattress and you can sleep in the bed with me.”

“No, a wife needs to be sleeping with her husband. I’ll sleep on the air mattress. I’ll be perfectly fine.”

Rachel knew her mother too well to press. “Okay, sure, whatever. Then we’ll go tomorrow and pick out your furniture.”

“Tomorrow is the Sabbath. The stores will be closed.”

“Mom, they won’t. And I’m pretty sure the stores in Greensboro are open on Sundays, too.”

“I wouldn’t know. I never shop on Sundays.” She put her hands on her hips. “We’ll go after church, then. What church do you attend?”

“Umm, St. Paul’s Methodist.” That’s not exactly a lie. We went this past Easter.

“Good. As long as it’s a Methodist church. Now help me set up the air mattress, please.”

* * *

In the middle of the afternoon on July 6, Larry called to say that Lisa had given birth that morning to a healthy baby girl, Grace Mary. A few hours later, Rachel’s water broke, and at 3:33 on the morning of July 7, James Evan Sikes was born.

Carl brought his wife and baby home the next day, and was grudgingly grateful to have his mother-in-law there. She had gone grocery shopping, done laundry, cleaned the house, and made dinner. She wouldn’t let Rachel lift a finger except to breast feed the baby and change his diaper. Carl got the honor of changing a couple himself.

On the baby’s first night home, he slept in a bassinet in the same room as his parents. The next morning, they were admiring their sleeping son when Carl said, “Well, he’s still alive.”

“Yeah, I guess we’re off to a good start,” Rachel said.

* * *

The next two weeks saw the family settling into their new roles and routines. Carl went to work, and Rachel took care of the baby while her mother cooked and cleaned. And cleaned. And cleaned some more. Carl thought his wife was a good housekeeper, but her mother obviously didn’t think so. She got down on her hands and knees and scoured the corners of the kitchen floor with a little wire brush. She scrubbed the garbage cans. One Saturday, she insisted that Carl and Rachel take the baby to the park. When they returned, she had washed the kitchen walls with bleach. She even dusted the underside of furniture. Within a week, there wasn’t a molecule of dirt remaining in the house.

Then she turned her attention to nagging Carl.

Rachel thought he tolerated it okay until her mother insisted on buying a new kitchen table for them so that she could use the old one for sewing. “We don’t need another handout!” he’d complained to Rachel in private. When Carl’s temper neared the boiling point, Rachel pulled her mother aside and had a long talk with her.

The next morning, Carl’s mother-in-law said, “Carl, do you think you could build something for me?”

“Probably. What is it?”

“A gazebo.”

“Here?”

“Of course, where else?”

“We don’t have the money right now.”

“I want to pay for it.”

“I’d rather you didn’t,” he said tersely.

“I would really appreciate it. I’ve always wanted one, but my husband didn’t have the skills to build one.” She looked sadly at Carl. “I couldn’t have one at my condo. If you don’t build me one here, I’ll never have one.”

Carl inhaled deeply before saying, “What do you want one for?”

“The weather will be turning nice soon, and I would love to be able to read my Bible outside.”

“Why can’t you read on the deck?”

“The deck gets too much sun. It’s bad for my skin.” She clasped her hands. “Please? It’s always been a dream of mine. Will you do that for me?”

Please. She had used the magic word. It made all the difference. Carl scratched his chin. “How big do you want it?”

The next weekend, Carl was the happiest man in Hendersonville, as he and a friend from work built the gazebo. It was finished and painted by Monday night.

That evening, while Carl bathed the baby, Rachel and her mother stood in the gazebo, admiring Carl’s work.

“Rachel, can you take me to get a rocking chair for it tomorrow?”

“I think we should buy two.”

“Yes, I think it does need two.” She turned slowly and gestured at the building. “Carl does good work, doesn’t he?”

You do, too, Mom.

* * *

That Friday, Carl came home from work to find his wife sitting at the kitchen table with the phone in her hand, sad.

“Lisa just called,” she said. “Larry’s been transferred to New Jersey.”

“New Jersey’s cold,” Carl said.

“That’s what Lisa said.”

“When are they moving?”

“In two weeks. But it might only be for five years. Then they might be able to move back.”

“Two years is like ten to a Southerner.”

“That’s what Larry said.”

* * *

During Jamie’s one month checkup, the pediatrician suggested that it might be time to move him from the bassinet to sleeping in the crib in the nursery. She suggested that Rachel start him off with naps in his new room before making the full transition.

That afternoon, she put Jamie in the crib for the first time. Clamped to the headboard was a windup mobile, with little suns, moons and stars that slowly rotated while the music box played a song. She wound it up, and as it spun, she gently caressed Jamie and smiled at her little miracle. After about five minutes, the mobile stopped, so she wound it up again and tiptoed out of the room.

She went downstairs and sat on the couch, put the baby monitor beside her and tried to read a magazine. The next thing she knew, her mother was shaking her.

“Have you checked on the baby?” her mother asked. “He’s been down for almost two hours.”

“No.” Rachel rubbed her eyes. “I must have fallen asleep.” She heard tinkling music from the baby monitor. “Did you check on him?”

“No, I’ve been reading in the gazebo.”

“Well, somebody must’ve. I hear the mobile.”

Rachel went into the nursery and saw the mobile still spinning. Jamie was wide awake, fascinated by the solar system moving above him.

“You good little boy.” She picked him up. “Just being so quiet by yourself.”

When she went downstairs and told her mother about it. Evelyn said, “That’s odd. How did the mobile spin that long?”

Rachel shrugged. “What’s even odder is that he was focusing on the mobile. I mean, really looking at it. He was entranced. He’s too young to focus like that.”

“I guess our little boy is gifted.”

“Yes, he certainly is.”

* * *

One of Carl’s self-appointed tasks was bathing Jamie. Every night, right before bedtime, Carl took the boy to the upstairs bathroom and began their little ritual. Rachel liked to stand in the doorway and watch the show.

Carl put the baby bath in the big bath tub and ran some water in it while he took off Jamie’s clothes and diaper. Then he checked the water temperature, put the baby in, and sang.

“Splish splash baby’s taking a bath, on a about a…what night is it? Oh, a Tuesday night.

Rub-a-dub, there’s a baby in the tub, gonna get a washin’ just right.”

Rachel laughed. “Those aren’t the right words.”

“They are now,” Carl said. He continued his song. “Gonna wash him on his head, and a’ wash him on his nose, wash all his fingers, and wash all his toes, and then a splish splash. We’re done with the bath. Time to put the diaper back on. Yeahhh!”

Carl busted a dance move. “Look, he’s smiling!” he said.

“That’s just gas, Carl. He’s too young.”

“No, he’s smiling, I tell you.”

“He’s not the only one.”

Evelyn stood just outside the door, smiling.

“Do you have gas, too, Mrs. Wallace?” Carl said.

* * *

The next morning, Rachel was carrying Jamie to the kitchen when she heard a scratch at the door. She opened it and found a dog sitting on its haunches on the front porch.

“Hello, pup. You look like you’ve got a little bit of collie in you.”

The long-haired animal wagged its tail and whined.

“Whose doggie are you?” She leaned over, reaching for its tag. It stood up and tried to sniff Jamie.

“No, bad pup. You might hurt him.”

The dog sat and wagged again, tongue out, smiling the dog smile.

Rachel tried to grab the tag while holding Jamie safely away but it was too hard. Then the dog rolled over onto its back and put its paws in the air. Rachel was able to grab the tag. “It says your name is Sassy. There’s a phone number…can’t quite read it….” The dog rolled back upright and sat on its haunches again.

“Well, I can’t call your owner if you won’t let me read your tag, Sassy.”

Sassy whined again. Rachel glanced at Jamie and noticed he was looking at the dog and trying to reach for it.

“You want to see the pup?”

She carefully leaned forward, ready to pull back in a flash, but Sassy wasn’t making any aggressive moves. As she eased Jamie toward the dog, he had one clumsy arm extended toward it. Sassy licked Jamie’s hand.

“Oh!” Rachel said. Jamie smiled. She held him close again and the dog licked him full in the face. He made an awkward effort to wipe his face, but obviously enjoyed it. The dog’s tail wagged full tilt.

“Do you like the doggie, Jamie?” She looked and saw a woman running up the driveway.

“Sassy, you bad girl!” the woman said. “I’m so sorry.” She grabbed the dog’s collar. “She got out of the back gate.”

“It’s okay,” Rachel said. “No harm done.”

“I’m Jenny Stone. We live four houses down that way.” She motioned with her head.

Rachel introduced herself. “Stop by sometime. I think my boy likes your dog.”

“And vice-versa.” Jenny laughed, looking at her wagging dog.

* * *

That afternoon, Rachel was breast feeding Jamie in the nursery when the doorbell rang. After getting the baby down for his nap, she went downstairs and found a box by the front door.

Her mother called from the laundry room, “UPS man came.”

“Oh good,” Rachel said. “This must be the materials for the new reading curriculum. I’ve got to review it before I go back to school.” She tried to pick it up. “Oof. It’s heavy.”

“Wait, let me help,” her mother said as she came through the hall.

They picked it up and Rachel said, “Let’s take it to the family room. I can unpack it there and start studying tonight.”

When they got to the family room, the phone rang. Rachel said, “Let’s just put it here by the porta crib for now.” Rachel answered the phone and forgot about the box.

* * *

Rachel helped her mother clean up after dinner while Carl got ready to bathe the baby, who was in the porta crib.

“Okay, big guy. Time for the tub.” Carl picked up his son and walked toward the stairs, but as he did, the unthinkable happened. Rachel turned just in time to see Carl’s foot catch on the heavy box by the crib. The whole event seemed to unfold in slow motion. As Carl fell, he lost his grip on Jamie, who went air born. Carl extended one arm to break his fall and the other toward his flying son, who was already too far away for Carl to have any hope of catching him. Rachel watched in horror as Jamie flew. And flew. And continued flying, in almost a straight line, like a production of Peter Pan, a wire tied to his waist and disappearing into the rafters, all the way to the couch, which was over ten feet away. He landed on the cushion and bounced.

“Jamie!” Rachel screamed, running to her baby. When she got to the couch, she reached for her son, but stopped momentarily. He was wiggling and smiling. She put her hands on her hips and said, “Did you enjoy that, young man?”

“Is he all right?” her mother said from behind her.

“How about me?” Carl said, picking himself up from the floor and shaking his wrist.

“Carl, you should be more careful!” Evelyn said. “He could’ve been hurt.”

“It’s not my fault. I didn’t see the box.”

“It’s my fault.” Rachel hugged her son. “I forgot we left it there.”

Carl felt his wrist and grimaced. “Well, he seemed to have a good time. I thought you said he was too young to smile like that.”

“He is,” Rachel said. “He’s too young to fly, too.”

Chapter 5

Rachel’s first day back at school was awful. Though she knew her mother would do an excellent job caring for her son, it pained her terribly to be away from him, so much so that she cried a little in the morning. And her new crop of kindergarten kids were not far removed from being babies themselves. They screamed, cried, messed up, messed themselves, and bounced around like pinballs.

They couldn’t sit still for instruction and couldn’t form a line if their lives depended on it. The worst came when the principal admonished her class for being noisy while walking back from lunch. It was humiliating.

All Rachel wanted to do when she got home was hold her little boy, but when she walked in the door, her mother told her he’d had just gone down for a nap. She rocked in the gazebo until he woke up, trying to forget her stressful day.

* * *

Two nights later, Carl came home late from work to find Rachel still up, sitting at the kitchen table with a pile of papers and a glass of wine in front of her.

Carl kissed her. “What are you still doing up? It’s almost eleven.”

“I have to look through this stuff. I have to schedule some field trips for kindergarten.”

“Again? You did that last year. Can’t someone else do it?”

“Apparently not.”

“Yes they can. They know that you won’t say no, so they stuck you with it.” He stroked her back. “I bet you’re the only teacher with a baby, too. Right?”

“Yes.”

“And even though you missed the first four weeks with maternity leave, they let this sit around and wait for you because they knew they could get away with it.”

“Well, I guess so, but it doesn’t sound good when you put it that way.”

“But that’s the way I see it.” He crossed his arms. “Honey, you need to learn to say no.”

“I can say no.”

“I’ll believe it when I see it.” He decided to test her. He reached for her glass. “Can I have the rest of your wine?”

“Sure.”

“See, Rachel? That’s what I’m talking about.”

“In that case, no.”

“Would you like to come to bed?” He held out his hand.

“Yes.”

* * *

Carl loved sports. He played football and baseball in high school, and loved to watch sports on television. He especially loved to watch Tar Heel sports. Although he’d gotten his degree at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, he was a Tar Heel born, a Tar Heel bred, and when he died he’d be Tar Heel dead. The big game in October was UNC at NC State, and it was going to be on television, Saturday at noon.

The only problem was that Carl had been up until dawn working a stakeout and had only gotten a couple of hours sleep, but that wasn’t going to stop him from watching his team. He’d love to watch it on the big TV in the family room, but he’d have to endure the reproachful glare of his mother-in-law, so he settled for the basement instead.

The basement, though nicely finished, wasn’t nicely furnished. It was bare except for an old, ugly couch and a small TV. He had a cardboard box for an end table and a bean bag to prop his feet on, but that was good enough for him.

Carl believed that is was his sacred duty as a father to indoctrinate his son in the culture of sports, so he figured that college football was the perfect place to start. By kickoff, Carl had everything he needed: his Carolina blue tee shirt, a bag of chips with dip, a large soda, and his son, sitting on his lap ready for the big game. Carl turned on the television and sat back for the action.

* * *

It’s two o’clock, Rachel thought. Haven’t heard a peep out of Carl for a while. I miss my little boy, too. She decided to check on them and see if they needed anything. When she got downstairs, she found Carl, horizontal on the couch, snoring, with Jamie asleep on his chest, television blaring. She kissed her two boys, turned the television off, and went back upstairs.

* * *

One of the most exciting things for Rachel about babyhood was Jamie’s first word. She knew it was probably going to be mama, since it is most babies’ first word. In nearly every language around the world, the word for mother starts with the letter M. It’s easy for babies to say, so she’d been told, but nothing could prepare her for the feeling she got when she heard her baby say it for the first time.

She was changing his diaper one day, listening to his endless stream of babble, when, mixed in with the gobbledygook, she heard it — mama. She almost dropped the baby powder.

“Did you say mama?”

He said it again.

“Mom! Jamie said mama!”

She picked him up and squeezed him as tightly as she could without hurting him. It was the most beautiful word she’d ever heard — mama — a symphony packed into two syllables. She would never forget that moment.

She told Carl about it that night, and he was as excited as she had been, though he spent the next two weeks trying to get him to say dada. He seemed to take it personally.

“It’s okay, Carl,” Rachel said. “Most babies say mama first.”

He looked at her and then back at the baby. “Jamie, say dada.”

“Mama,” Jamie said.

“Dada,” Carl said.

“Mama mama mama mama mama.”

“I give up.”

“Dada,” Jamie said.

Carl did the victory dance.

* * *

Jamie was crawling before Thanksgiving, and it made life more complicated at the Sikes’ house. Carl had to install baby gates at the stairs, top and bottom, put latches on the kitchen cabinets, move all cleaning products out of reach, and put outlet covers up. The little boy was surprisingly fast and he got into everything. If you turned your back for a second, he’d be gone, off to investigate the bathroom waste basket or something else messy.

When it came time to decide where to have Thanksgiving dinner — Carl and Rachel’s house or Carl’s parents’ — Rachel put her foot down. No way was her baby going to Pete and Darla’s. Right before school started, Rachel had taken Jamie to see them, and she came back reporting that they had made no effort to baby-proof their house. They called right before Thanksgiving to assure that they had, but Carl stopped by, just a casual visit, he said, and came home with the same news. There were no baby gates anywhere, poisons were still under the sink, no outlet covers, and plenty of breakable knick knacks.

Evelyn was proud of her daughter. She was usually the first to give in, always anxious to appease and avoid confrontation, but when it came to her baby, she had a backbone of steel. Evelyn noticed Carl almost always deferred to his wife whenever there was any discussion about the baby. He was a wise man. Never cross a young mother.

* * *

A baby’s first Christmas is an exciting time, even though the baby has no idea what’s going on. Jamie apparently knew what he liked: the Christmas tree. Rachel and Carl put it in the living room but had to block the doorway off with baby gates after Jamie first encounter with the tree.

Rachel brought Jamie in to admire the tree, but when she set him down, he was on it in an instant. He reached up one little hand and grabbed the lowest strand of lights, which seemed to swell with brilliance and then went out with a loud pop. Every light on the tree had either exploded or burned out. Carl replaced the lights and put up the gates, but a few days later, they found Jamie next to the tree and the lights were gone again. Zapped.

Carl replaced the lights once more, and they solved the problem by not turning them on unless they had a firm grip on the baby. Jamie spent the rest of the holiday slobbering on ornaments next to an unlit tree.

Chapter 6

For Jamie’s first birthday, Rachel and Carl decided to have a cookout and invite Carl’s parents. They set up a long folding table in the gazebo, and Carl cooked hamburgers on the deck. It was a hot July day but comfortable under the gazebo’s ceiling fan.

During lunch, Darla said, “Rachel, when do you plan on putting Jamie in preschool?”

“We’re not. He’s going to stay home with my mom.”

“Why?” Pete said. “Can’t you afford it?”

Evelyn looked at Carl to watch his reaction.

He gave his father a steady look before answering. “Probably, but why should we? We have the best caregiver we could possibly want living right here.” He gestured toward Evelyn but continued to stare at his father.

Rachel broke the tension by saying, “Who wants cake?”

After dessert, Jamie opened his presents. Like most babies, he was more interested in the wrapping paper and the boxes.

“I almost forgot.” Rachel said. “We bought furniture for Jamie’s new room. Grissom’s had a big sale, and we already set it up. It’s so cute. We’re moving him out of the nursery and he’s going to sleep in a big boy bed soon.”

“I’d love to see it,” Darla said.

“Rachel,” Evelyn said, “why don’t you take them upstairs and show them? Pete and I will clean up this mess.”

Pete frowned. “I want to see his room, too.”

“You can after you help me.”

He stayed behind as the others went inside.

Evelyn stuffed some paper plates in a garbage bag. “So, how do you like their house?”

“It’s nice.” Pete said. “They got a bargain, that’s for sure.”

“Tell me, when Carl was born, did you live in a big house?”

“Oh no, we lived in a little two bedroom rental way out, just off the Asheville Highway.”

“So Carl’s first house is bigger than yours was?”

“Oh yeah, by a mile. It’s nicer, too.”

“And yet, you constantly belittle his financial standing.”

Pete’s mouth opened but no words came out.

She gave him a stern look. “You know, they say that the measure of a man is not how much he’s worth but how much he’s worth to others. By that standard, I find you lacking. You are a shallow, frivolous man whose only claim is that he can make money. And your shallow wife is only interested in spending it.”

“What are you — ”

“I’m not finished.” It wasn’t polite to interrupt the Iron Lady. “Yet somehow, you two managed to raise a fine young man. He’s a loving husband and father and a wonderful son-in-law, a man who’s cares deeply about justice and fairness, and he has decided to dedicate his life to serving his community. And still you criticize him as if he’s a disappointment.”

“But —”

She held up a finger to stop him. “If I were you, I’d seriously reevaluate your opinion of Carl’s decisions about his life, and if you can’t accept them, then keep it to yourself.” She put her fists on her hips for emphasis. “Because if you don’t, you’re going to drive a wedge between the two of you that you’ll never be able to pull out.”

Pete stared back, speechless.

“Now, help me take this stuff inside, please.” She turned and headed toward the house without looking back.

* * *

Rachel came downstairs ahead of the others as her father-in-law angrily swept past her and slammed the front door behind him.

She found her mother in the kitchen and asked, “What was that all about?”

“I had a few words with your father-in-law. He needed a little enlightenment.”

Rachel knew all about enlightenment. Her mother had enlightened her a few times.

* * *

An unconscious man floated in the air. Renn stood next to him, concentrating intently, his splayed hand inches from the floating man’s face.

“This one knows nothing!” Renn said angrily, pulling away. The floating man fell to the ground with a heavy thud. Renn pointed his finger and sent a bolt of energy into the inert body, incinerating it instantly.

“Where is that old fool?” he said to his dragon’s head staff. “Someone must know. He can’t hide forever.” He straightened his purple robe. “Come, Rovann. The hunt continues.” He stamped his staff on the ground and disappeared.

He reappeared next to a low stone house beside a shallow river. He entered without knocking. “Hello, Mother,” he said to an old crone sitting at a wooden table, cutting vegetables. She wasn’t his mother, but she might as well have been.

“I see you made it back in time for dinner,” she rasped.

“I wouldn’t miss it for all the gold in the world.”

“If you found another to cook for you, you’d never come see me.”

“You know that’s not true.” He smiled warmly.

“I don’t know that! You’re off all day gallivanting around the countryside doing heaven knows what, then you pop in here just in time for dinner, and then you disappear in your room for the rest of the night with your books.”

“I’m sorry, Mother. Tomorrow I’ll stay and help you. It looks like you could use more fire wood.”

“While you’re at it, you can fix the roof.”

“Anything for you.” He stroked her gray hair. “How are you feeling today?”

“The same. My hip hurts so badly that I can barely walk, my hands ache and my eyes are getting worse every day.”

“How is your energy? Do you feel any stronger?”

“A little, since that last potion you gave me.”

“I’ll mix another tomorrow. I’m trying to find something to make your hip better.” He would have found it already, he was sure, if the old sorcerer had not burned his books before disappearing. Curse that old fool.

“I’ve heard of a healer who lives near the coast,” he said. “She is supposed to be very skilled. I will go to her and find something that can help you.” Renn’s enormous ego made it hard for him to accept that he couldn’t help Mother, but what people said must be true: a healer is born, not made.

She closed her eyes. “Why don’t you just stop and let an old lady die in peace? I’m tired. It’s past time for me to join the list of the dead.”

“No! You have a whole lifetime ahead of you. You are no more than a child.”

“I was a child a long lifetime ago. Let me go, Renn.” She still called him Renn. No one did but her.

“If you die, I’ll have no one,” he said.

“Find a girl. A nice girl. One who can cook and keep you home. Then I can die.”

“Never, Mother.” He put his arms around her neck. “Never.”

* * *

At 3:00 AM, the Sikes household was quiet. Carl had just come home from work, and instead of winding down with a beer in front of the TV, he sat in the rocker in Jamie’s new room. Looking at his beautiful sleeping boy in the soft glow of the night light was more relaxing, anyway.

Carl’s name had been in the paper that morning; just a brief mention of a commendation he got for solving a string of break-ins in a neighborhood of expensive homes.

If it had been poor people’s homes, no one would’ve noticed, Carl thought. But his father had called him at work to congratulate him, saying he was proud of him. Carl couldn’t remember ever hearing him say that before.

* * *

Jamie’s backyard was a whole world to explore. Cleared of the summertime humidity, the autumn air sparkled in the sunlight. The colorful leaves drifted from the branches to settle on the grass below, turning it into a patchwork quilt of yellow, orange and brown. Squirrels scurried everywhere, securing acorns for the coming winter. And they were not afraid of Jamie.

Whenever Evelyn took her toddling grandson into the backyard to enjoy the sunshine, the squirrels would approach him like their cousins in the park who were accustomed to handouts. But these wild animals would only allow Jamie to get near them. If Evelyn came close, they scattered.

They were definitely afraid of Sassy. That dog had some sixth sense about when Jamie was out in the yard, and she’d escape and come to the Sikes’s house to play with him. One of her self-appointed duties was to keep squirrels as far away from him as possible.

Her other duty, assigned by Evelyn, was to keep the boy out of the creek. It didn’t take Jamie long to hear the siren call of the water, and he would scurry toward it with jail-break speed whenever he thought his grandmother wasn’t looking. Finally, after scolding him for the umpteenth time, Evelyn had a talk with Sassy about keeping him away from the creek. The dog sat and listened intently, tilting her furry head to catch the meaning of every word. From then on, whenever the boy bolted for the water, Sassy would break in front of him and bark until he retreated.

With Sassy on guard duty, Evelyn sat in the gazebo without fear of having a muddy grandson, and Jamie searched the fallen leaves until he found the perfect one, then he hurried to Evelyn to show her. Then he toddled off to find the next one. After about an hour, she had an impressive collection of toddler-approved leaves, which meant it was time to take Jamie inside for lunch and call Jenny Stone to come fetch Sassy.

* * *

Toddlers are far more difficult to care for than infants, and Jamie was doing his best to remind his grandmother of that every day. Though they both need to be fed and changed, babies stay where you put them, toddlers don’t. A toddler is a perpetual motion machine, always on the go, one step away from disaster. Jamie’s favorite disaster was pulling all of the children’s books off the shelf in the family room, strewing them about in order to find his favorite, which he would take to his grandmother and say, “Read? Read book.”

And whenever possible, she would. He was hard to deny. One of her favorite memories of caring for her grandson was sitting in the rocker, paging through one of his favorite books while he pointed to the pictures and named the objects on the page. His vocabulary was growing incredibly fast, faster than anyone in the family expected. He was always curious, always looking at her with an expression that said, What is this? Tell me. I want to know.

Surely this boy is gifted, she thought.

* * *

“What are all these leaves on the table,” Rachel asked as she set her purse and keys on the counter.

“Those are Jamie’s special collection,” Evelyn replied. “He found those today. He insisted I bring them inside. He’s very proud of them.”

“Well, he should be,” Rachel said, hugging her son. He was sitting on the floor with a book. “These are probably the best leaves ever, right Jamie?”

He ignored her. The book had his full attention.

“Carl called,” Evelyn said. “He’ll be home soon.”

“Do I have time for a quick shower before dinner?”

“If you hurry. I’m going to pull the roast out in a few minutes, but it still needs to rest.”

“I’ll be quick.” Rachel dashed for the stairs. She called back over her shoulder, “Jamie, be good for Gramma.”

* * *

Evelyn heard Rachel start the upstairs shower and took a quick glance at Jamie to make sure he was staying put.

Good, she thought. I’ve got time to check on the roast.

But as she fumbled in the kitchen drawer for the meat thermometer, she didn’t hear Jamie get up and waddle into the family room.

“Book,” he said. “Read book.”

She pressed the thermometer into the center of the roast as Jamie approached the bookshelf. She watched the needle climb steadily to one hundred forty degrees, done. She picked up her oven mitts as Jamie put one foot on the bottom of the shelf and stretched for a book. She picked up the large roast and carried it toward the counter as Jamie tried to pull himself up to the second shelf.

This smells good. They’ll love this. She congratulated herself.

But when she heard the crash, her heart sank to the floor.

* * *

Carl ran up and found his mother-in-law in the waiting area of the emergency room. Her face was ashen and her eyes were red.

“What happened?” he asked, panting. “Where’s Jamie?”

“He’s in X ray. Rachel’s with him.” She wiped her eyes. “The shelf fell on him.”

“Is he going to be okay?”

“They think he broke his arm,” she said, her voice quivering.

“Any head injuries?”

“No.”

“How about his ribs? Any internal injuries?”

“Just his arm.” She shuddered. “It’s all my fault! I turned my back for a second, and he got hurt.”

“Okay, calm down.” He put a hand on her shoulder. “How did it happen?”

“I was pulling the roast out of the oven, and he must’ve gone to get a book. He somehow pulled the shelf on top of himself.”

“Where was Rachel?”

“In the shower.”

“He’s a quick little bugger. I can see him doing that.”

“I should’ve been more careful.”

“Stuff happens. He’s a boy.” He gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze and sat next to her to wait.

* * *

By the time they got home from the hospital, Jamie was sound asleep. Carl carried his wounded son upstairs. Evelyn and Rachel followed.

As Carl laid him in his bed, Evelyn said, “I’m sleeping in here tonight.”

“Mom, you don’t have to,” Rachel said. “He’s going to sleep through the night. That’s what the doctor said, after he gave him the pain medication.”

But the look her mother gave her said, Don’t bother arguing.

“Okay, fine,” Rachel said. “I’ll get the comforter so we can make you a pallet.”

* * *

Evelyn woke at dawn, groggy and confused. When she remembered where she was, she sat up and looked at Jamie in the dim light. She saw the cast on his left arm and felt a painful stab of guilt. She covered her face with her hands and sighed deeply.

I won’t be able to go back to sleep. She put on her robe and slippers and went downstairs. She was surprised to find Carl already up, sitting at the kitchen table.

* * *

Carl could tell from his mother-in-law’s face that she hadn’t slept well. He knew she was torturing herself over the accident. But he had a plan.

She sat down as he went to the counter and poured her a cup of coffee. He sat across from her and handed her the cup.

“I feel terrible about what happened,” she said.

“Me, too. I should’ve seen this coming. This is all my fault.”

“What do you mean?”

“I knew this could happen. It happened to one of the guys at work.” That’s a lie, but she doesn’t know it. “Only his kid pulled a dresser over.” He took a sip of coffee. “He told me I needed to bolt all of the dressers and shelves to the wall, but I somehow never got around to it.”

“Carl, you should know better.” Her eyes flashed. “He could’ve been killed!”

“Yes ma’am, I know. I just got lazy, that’s all.”

“Well, you’re going to take care of that chore today, aren’t you?”

“Yes ma’am, first thing, soon as the hardware store opens.”

“Good,” she said firmly. “I hope we all learned a valuable lesson from this.”

“Oh, I think we did.” He stood and walked away. “I’m going to check on Jamie.”

He smiled to himself as he walked upstairs.

* * *

Jamie was cranky and whiny for most of the day, but by Sunday morning, he was back to his old self, his cast a minor inconvenience to his busy toddler lifestyle.

“I’m going to keep Jamie home from church today,” Rachel said. “You two go on without me.”

“No, I’ll stay,” Evelyn said. “You and Carl go.”

Rachel looked at her mother in shock. “Mom, you never miss church.” Evelyn Wallace had never missed a day of church in her life. Not for sickness or snowstorms. Not for birthday parties, Superbowls, or anything else. It was a given that she went to church every Sunday. But not this one. This was the day to break her perfect record. She wanted to stay home with her injured grandson.

“It’s fine,” Evelyn said. “Pick up something for lunch, please. I feel lazy today.”

After Rachel and Carl left, Evelyn said, “Well, Jamie, what would you like to do this morning?”

“Read book, Gramma.”

“Of course.

So she spent the rest of the morning in her own personal heaven, her beautiful grandson in her lap, reading books together.

Chapter 7

On a Saturday, two weeks before Jamie’s second birthday, Carl decided it was time to start building the frame for the swing, the first phase of the clubhouse to end all clubhouses.

He chose the spot carefully. At the back of the level part of their yard, just past where the grass ended and before the ground started rolling down to the creek, was a shady area with space between the trees. It was big enough for the final project, to be completed as Jamie grew older, and close enough to the house where they could easily see it from the kitchen window.

He worked most of the day, and after church on Sunday, he got Rachel to help him mount the cross beam. When the beam was in place, he bolted the chains of a baby swing to it and they stepped back to admire his work.

“It’s perfect, Carl.” Rachel said. “He’s going to love it.”

“I hope so. Look here.” He pointed to the beam. “I’ve got more holes drilled. When he gets old enough, we’ll install two big-boy swings. When he outgrows that, we’ll put up a bench swing for us.” Then he pointed at the end of the frame. “And this is where I’ll build a platform to put the slide and fire pole.”

“Let’s go wake him up from his nap and see how he likes it,” she said.

“Your mom will kill us.”

“Oh, right. Well, just as soon as he wakes up.”

* * *

After Jamie’s nap, the family gathered around the swing. Jamie laughed with delight as his mother pushed him.

“I think he likes it,” Evelyn said.

“Carl, why don’t you show Mom what you plan to do next?” Rachel said.

“Sure.” He pulled a piece of paper from his back pocket. “I drew it out. It’s going to be awesome.”

He unfolded the paper and showed his mother-in-law the plans for the clubhouse. As he went into more detail, Rachel turned away from Jamie so that she could see, and let the boy’s momentum carry him for a few swings. Carl became more animated in his description of the future project and the two women grew excited, pointing to the paper and asking questions. Jamie was forgotten for the moment.

For a kid, swinging is almost like flying. On the upward arc, right at the point where forward momentum is nullified by gravity, they’re weightless, just for an instant. Then it’s back down in a rushing curve and up again on the backswing, to the other null point. Back and forth — weightless, the rush of gravity, weightless again. Jamie loved it. Strapped into the blue plastic seat, he grinned and squealed with glee. But without Rachel’s steady hand behind him, and unable to pump his legs yet, gravity threatened to stop the fun.

But if the adults had been paying attention, they would have noticed that Jamie continued to swing merrily away, even though no one was pushing.

* * *

The family celebrated Jamie second birthday in the backyard again, only this time without the drama.

“Rachel,” Darla asked, “when do you plan to get that boy’s hair cut? People are going to start mistaking him for a girl, with those long blonde curls.”

“I don’t think so,” Pete said. “He’s got Carl’s jaw.”

Carl had a man’s jaw. He had grown a beard for a short time, but shaved it after the guys at the police station started calling him G.I. Joe. He wasn’t tall, but with his short hair, broad shoulders, and blue-grey eyes, he could be downright intimidating when he got mad, especially when he thrust his G.I. Joe jaw out.

“Yes, but he’s got Rachel’s eyes,” Darla said. “Girls love blue eyes. He’s going to break a lot of hearts.”

“Rachel had blonde hair when she was little,” Evelyn said. “It didn’t get dark until she was in elementary school. She looked like a little angel.”

Rachel felt herself blush and tried to change the subject. “So….” She looked around the table and finally settled on her in-laws. “What have you two been up to lately?”

“I’ve been volunteering at the food bank,” Darla said.

“You? Volunteering?” Carl raised his eyebrows.

Darla laughed. “I know, that doesn’t sound like me, does it? But my friend talked me into it and I like it. They have trouble getting people to work there, but I don’t know why. It’s not bad at all.”

“What do you do there?” Evelyn asked.

“We distribute bags of food to poor people, mostly canned goods and stuff that people donate.”

“I bet it’s mostly Mexicans that come,” Pete said.

Not now, Pete, Rachel thought. Don’t be ugly on Jamie’s birthday.

“There are some, but there are a lot of poor white folks around here, more than you’d think. And they’re really grateful for the food. I think that’s why I like doing it.”

“When do you go?” Evelyn asked.

“The first Saturday of the month. Just in the morning.”

“That’s next week. Do you need more volunteers?”

“We need all the help we can get.”

“I’d like to come.”

Rachel looked at her mother in surprise.

“I’ll see you next Saturday,” Evelyn said.

* * *

A couple of days later, Rachel and Jamie held hands and walked barefoot across the backyard on a hot July afternoon. Jamie wore his bathing suit; Rachel had on shorts.

“Creek, Mommy,” Jamie said. “Going to the creek.” He pulled his mother along.

“Slow down Jamie. The creek isn’t going anywhere.”

“Hurry, Mommy. Go to the creek.” His vocabulary was growing fast.

“Okay, remember what Mommy said. No going in the water. It’s not for swimming.” Not that it was big enough or deep enough. It was only three or four feet across and just inches deep, except for a few pools here and there.

When they got to the end of the lawn, Jamie pulled with all his might. Rachel finally picked him up and carried him the last thirty yards.

“How about right here?” she said, setting him down by one of the pools where minnows and the occasional crayfish could be found. There was a large rock where they could squat and look into the creek without getting muddy.

Jamie went right to the edge of the water and pointed with one finger. “Fishies!” He laughed excitedly.

“That’s right. Those are little fishies. They’re called minnows.”

“Fishies!” He squatted and smacked the water with one hand, scattering the minnows.

“Be careful. If you’re still and quiet, they might come back.”

Jamie continued squatting on the rock, but didn’t splash. He held his hand over the water, inches above the surface.

“You’re going to scare them.”

But the fish returned. They swarmed by the dozens underneath his hand as if he were feeding them.

“Huh?” Rachel said. She reached toward the fish, but they scattered. She pulled her hand away, but Jamie kept his over the water and the fish returned. She reached again, but again they scattered. “How do you do that?”

Jamie took her hand gently, as if it might break, and held it over the surface, placing his hand next to hers. The fish returned. Rachel’s mouth opened in wonder. She looked at the fish and then at her amazing son. Then Jamie smacked the water with both hands, soaking Rachel’s shirt.

“You little bugger!” She splashed him back. Jamie smacked the water again, laughing. Rachel joined him. They thrashed until they were wet as drowned rats.

They returned to the house and Rachel’s mother met them at the back door with towels.

“I figured you might need these,” she said.

* * *

The following December, Carl and his father looked at the Christmas tree in Carl’s living room.

“Why do you still have the baby gates up in here?” his father asked.

“To keep Jamie away from the tree.”

“Is he still blowing out the lights?”

“Yes. He did it again the first time we plugged ’em in this year.”

“Did you ever figure out how he’s doing it?”

“No. I even got an electrician out here to check the wiring, but he couldn’t find anything wrong.”

“Is he slobbering on the wires?”

“Don’t think so. He’s past that age. Maybe a two-and-a-half year old can build up more static electricity than a grownup.”

“Either that or he’s magic.”

“Makes as much sense as anything else.”

* * *

Jamie’s taste in books was evolving as rapidly as his language skills, amazing for a boy not yet three, and Rachel struggled to keep up. She went to yard sales, traded books with friends, and went to the library, but it was never enough. Sometimes she took him to the book store.

Rachel loved the book store. She loved the smell of new books, books that she could curl up with on a rainy day, have an adventure, find a long lost friend, or meet the most amazing characters ever, all without leaving her bed.

Jamie loved book stores because they had children’s books.

The store they went to the most was on Main Street, just down from Mast General Store, and the instant they stepped through the door, Jamie bolted for the children’s section. One Saturday in May, as Rachel held the store’s door open for him, he ran ahead of her, but went to the wrong section.

“Jamie,” Rachel said. “Those books are for older kids. Your section is over here.” She pointed to her left.

He ignored her, and began running his fingers over the spines as if he were reading the titles.

“I don’t think you’re ready for those books yet.”

But Jamie stopped his finger on a book, pulled it out, and looked it over. “This one, Mommy.”

She took it from him and read the title. The Adventures of Walter the Littlest Wizard, Book One.

“Honey, it says it’s for children five and up. You’re not old enough yet.”

“This one.” He stamped his little foot. “Buy this one. Please, Mommy.”

He looked at her so earnestly she couldn’t refuse. “All right,” she said. “We can keep it until you’re old enough.”

* * *

But that night, when it was time to read, he wanted the Walter the Wizard book.

“Okay, let’s give it a try,” she said.

He climbed onto her lap, and she began to read. Walter, she came to find out, was a little orphan boy, who inexplicably had magical powers and traveled around the countryside with a brave knight named Sir Brevis. Together they saved the kingdom from ruffians and dragons, but nobody ever got hurt. Sir Brevis would brandish his sword at bandits and Walter would make friends with the dragons, convincing them to do nice things, like using their flames to boil water for the townspeople. There was an evil wizard named Zar, but he was no match for the clever Walter, and there was Pansy, the Princess of Shining Castle, who Sir Brevis secretly loved. Or she loved him, depending on which of the 22 books in the series they were reading.

Jamie loved it. After they finished, Rachel could tell he was too excited to sleep, so she said, “Okay, bedtime.” She turned out the light. “Time for the Dream Fairy.” They had been through this routine many times. “She can’t come into your room until you close your eyes really tight.” She looked at him. “And keep them closed.”

* * *

Jamie knew this was true, because he had tried to catch the Dream Fairy in the act, but every time he popped his eyes open, she’d hide, quick as lightning. She was too fast to see, though he thought he caught a glimpse, once.

“Mommy, what does the Dream Fairy look like?”

“Oh, she’s beautiful. She’s got lovely red hair and emerald-green eyes and a face like an angel.”

“Does she love me?”

“Of course, everybody loves you, but she can’t come into your room and sprinkle dream dust on you until you close your eyes.” She kissed her boy. “Are you ready for her?”

“Yes.”

“Goodnight. I love you, Jamie.”

“Love you, Mommy.”

* * *

The following Saturday, Rachel bought book two of the Littlest Wizard series. Jamie had to have it read that night.

This time, Walter and Sir Brevis were on their way to Shining Castle to visit Princess Pansy. As they approached the bridge over the Blue River, Walter stopped to pick some flowers for the princess and Sir Brevis began to cross the bridge on his mighty horse, Courage. But before the knight was halfway across, the evil wizard Zar leapt from behind a bush and cast a spell on the bridge, causing it to collapse.

The knight and his horse were tossed into the river, and though the horse managed to swim to safety, the knight’s armor was too heavy, and he was about to drown. The clever Walter made a magic rope, tied it to the horse’s saddle and threw it to the knight. Sir Brevis was saved!

Jamie pointed to the picture of Sir Brevis. “That’s Daddy.”

Rachel scrutinized the picture carefully. “Yes, he kinda looks like Daddy. And Daddy’s big and strong.” She looked at Jamie. “So who am I?”

Jamie flipped a couple of pages and pointed to the princess.

“Oh, Princess Pansy,” she said. “Good choice. Who are you?” She already knew the answer. He pointed to Walter. “That’s perfect.” She kissed him on the head and said, “Okay, Walter, I mean, Jamie, it’s time for bed.”

She turned out the light and left his room. It didn’t take long for him to fall asleep.

* * *

That night, Jamie dreamed he was the Littlest Wizard. The evil wizard was after him, only his robes weren’t black like in the book, they were purple. He was shooting bolts of energy at Jamie, and Jamie was trying to get away, only his legs wouldn’t quite move right, and the evil wizard was catching up and wanted to hurt him….

“Mommy!” Jamie screamed as he woke up. He spent the rest of the night in his parents’ bed, safely tucked between his mother and father.

Chapter 8

For Jamie’s third birthday, Carl built the next phase of the clubhouse to end all clubhouses. On the right side of the swing frame, he built a platform about five feet by five feet, eight feet off the ground. On the front of the platform, he built steps. On the right side, he attached a fire pole, and on the back, a yellow tubular slide. He also took down the baby swing and put up two regular swings.

Rachel complimented her husband on his work. “Carl, he’s going to be so popular with the neighborhood kids. They’re all going to want to play here.”

“I hope so,” Carl said. “He’s almost old enough to have friends over.”

“It won’t be long. You’ll see.”

* * *

As much as Jamie loved his improved playground, he also loved his birthday present from his Gramma: a tricycle.

The Sikes’s neighborhood didn’t have sidewalks, so Jamie’s cruising was limited to his driveway. Fortunately, it was flat and plenty big enough for him to pedal madly back and forth, back and forth, until he was so winded he would say, “My legs are out of breath.”

Jamie’s parents were worried about the traffic on their street, so he was never allowed to ride unless an adult was positioned at the end of the driveway. The speed limit was only 25 mph, but the local teenagers considered that to be a suggestion. They would often fly over the hill and zoom past the Sikes’s house at twice the speed limit, talking on their cell phones, oblivious to their surroundings.

One Saturday, not long after his birthday, Jamie pedaled furiously while Carl stood watch at the end of the driveway. Rachel stepped out of the front door with the phone in her hand.

“Carl, somebody from the station wants to talk to you.”

“Okay. You need to watch Jamie.” He walked toward his wife as she stepped off the front porch. He didn’t see the SUV that had just crested the hill, barreling down the street. “Jamie, wait for Mommy.” He momentarily took his eye off his son.

“Jamie!” Rachel screamed.

Jamie had made a quick turn on his tricycle and headed full tilt toward the street. He was at the edge of the driveway before Carl turned and tried to catch him, the SUV picking up speed. Carl sprinted as fast as he could, but there was no way he’d make it in time. Jamie was already in the street, directly in the path of the onrushing vehicle.

Rachel watched in horror. It was all happening so fast. She knew she was watching the certain death of her sweet little boy, about to be crushed by a speeding, three-ton SUV. The collision of the little three-wheeled machine and the enormous four wheeled monster was unavoidable. Carl was hopelessly behind, running with everything he had, his effort pitifully slow.

But when Jamie was near the center of the street and the car merely yards away, he raised one hand and waved it at the shiny black beast and it stopped dead in its tracks, as suddenly as if it had hit a brick wall.

Carl was on his boy in a flash. He snatched him off his tricycle, shifted him under his right arm, and grabbed the tricycle with his left hand. He ran back toward the house and handed his son to Rachel.

“Is he all right?” she asked.

“He’s fine, thank God. I’m going to check on the driver.”

Carl jogged back to the vehicle and saw that the front bumper was dented and the airbag had inflated. He pulled the driver’s door open and saw a teenage boy at the wheel, stunned.

“Are you okay?” Carl asked. The boy didn’t answer, and when Carl saw a cell phone on the floorboard, he picked it up. On it was a half-typed text message. Carl’s anger erupted. He dropped the phone on the pavement and crushed it with his heel.

The boy recovered slightly. “Hey, that’s my phone!”

Carl grabbed the boy by the front of his shirt and yanked him from the seat, then pushed him up against the car with his left hand, his right curled into a fist, the boy’s feet dangling off the ground. Carl wanted to pound him, but managed to maintain control. His jaw was out, though, full G.I. Joe.

“You stupid little jerk,” Carl yelled. “That was my son you almost ran over. You oughta look where you’re going.”

The boy tried to speak, but Carl said, “Shut up. If I ever catch you speeding in my neighborhood again, I’m going to run you down in my truck, pull you out of your car, and beat the living snot out of you. Then I’m gonna take you downtown and throw your butt in jail, ’cause I’m a cop.” He pressed the boy harder against the car. “And that goes for your idiot friends, too. Tell ’em. If they speed on this street, they do so at their own peril.” Carl pressed his face close to the boy’s. “Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes sir,” the boy squeaked.

“Now, beat it.” Carl let him drop, turned away and walked back to his house.

But as much as he and Rachel talked about the incident, they never could figure out how the teenager stopped his car in time.

* * *

By the time kids are three years old, they’re starting to get Halloween, and Jamie was no exception. He knew that you got to dress up in a costume and get loads of free candy. What’s not to get?

And no costume would do for him except Walter the Littlest Wizard. His mother found a wizard costume at the party store, but it wasn’t quite right, so his grandmother sewed on little silver half-moons and stars and made it perfect. Jamie loved it so much, he had a fit to wear it right away.

“Not ’till Halloween,” Rachel said. “You’ll ruin it.”

So Jamie stepped up the intensity of his fit. All that got him was a visit to the time out corner. But Halloween night, he had the costume on, and he was the total Walter.

Evelyn knew that neither Carl nor Rachel wanted to miss Jamie’s first night of trick-or-treating, so Evelyn volunteered to stay home and give out candy — after taking about two hundred pictures of Jamie in his costume.

Evelyn enjoyed giving out candy. The kids who came to the door were adorable in their little costumes — there were plenty of ghosts, princesses, pirates, and superheroes — and the parents who accompanied them were friendly. There were even a few Walter costumes, but none as authentic as Jamie’s, thanks to Evelyn’s skilled needlework.

When they returned from trick-or-treating, Jamie was so excited that it took him forever to fall asleep. The next day, he was not at his best. Too much candy and not enough sleep are a deadly combination for a three-year-old. After his fifth trip to time out, Evelyn let him wear his Walter costume, provided that he was good, and the rest of the day went much better. He didn’t take the costume off at all, except to bathe and sleep, for the next month. He would’ve slept in it too, except that his grandmother reminded him that it needed to be washed occasionally.

When he finally did take it off, the family put it in a box and stored it, never to be given away.

* * *

Three-year-olds get Christmas, too, or at least the Santa Claus part. The birth of Jesus concept is a little confusing to them, but Santa Claus and presents? They get that.

One holiday they don’t get is Thanksgiving. It’s not a holiday for kids, it’s for grownups. Grownups who like to cook too much, eat too much, and sit around and talk too much — not kid-approved activities. And it’s also a time when grownups temporarily forget that little boys are not the center of the universe. All grownups, that is, except for Gina.

Gina was Gramma’s niece from Greensboro, Rachel’s younger cousin, who lived in Gramma’s condo. She was on break from college, and since her parents had gone to Italy for a wedding, Jamie’s mother had invited her to stay with them. And Gina had all the time in the world for Jamie.

She stood guard duty in the driveway while he rode his tricycle. She watched cartoons with him on the couch and had popcorn fights. She taught him how to swing by himself, went down the slide and fire pole with him, and chased him around the back yard until his legs were out of breath.

“I think Jamie needs some kids to play with,” Rachel said to her mother as they watched him from the kitchen window. “He’s going to miss her when she leaves.”

“Maybe if you gave him a little brother or sister, it wouldn’t be a problem.”

“Mom, it’s not for lack of trying.” She felt her face grow warm. “My doctor said I should be happy with what I have. She said Jamie is a miracle.”

“Yes, he is.”

* * *

Rachel was a little jealous of all the time Jamie was spending with her cousin. Rachel hadn’t read to him in days because Gina was reading to him, as much as he wanted, nearly all of the Walter books. But Gina made Jamie save the last book for Saturday, her last night with them.

That night, they disappeared into his room after his bath, and after a couple of hours, Rachel started wondering what was going on. She tiptoed upstairs and silently opened his door, and when she looked inside, she found out why they were being so quiet.

Gina was asleep beside Jamie in his bed, the book still held loosely in her hand. Jamie was lying on his side with his arm resting on her shoulder, already in dreamland. What little bit of jealousy Rachel felt disappeared, because she knew she was seeing something special — another member of her family loving her wonderful little boy.

And he couldn’t have too much of that.

* * *

Renn rubbed his face with his hands. It was late, and he was tired. Mother was asleep in her room after taking the draught he had prepared for her.

He was poring over an ancient book that he had recently found — taken, actually, from another dead wizard — that might contain a potion that could help Mother’s deteriorating health. Problem was, he couldn’t concentrate. His mind kept returning to the question of Eddan. Where could the old sorcerer be? Was he dead, hiding and not using his magic, or did he have a way of shielding his power when he did?

Renn wouldn’t believe the old man was dead until he saw his bones. They weren’t in the cave where he’d burned his books — he must’ve escaped, alive. He couldn’t possibly be avoiding magic. Wizards were addicted to their magic. They wouldn’t break a sweat splitting firewood when they could easily do it with a thought. It was beneath them. And if the old man had found a way to shield his use of magic, well, that was a good trick, a new one. Renn would have to learn it himself.

The old man was hiding somewhere, Renn could almost feel it, and he would find him. But first, he needed to help Mother.

* * *

The second Saturday in June, just before Jamie’s fourth birthday, was a big day in the young boy’s life.

“It looks like they’re almost finished unloading the moving van,” Carl said, looking out of his front window at the house across the street.

“Good,” Evelyn said. “The pie is almost done. You can take it to them in about an hour.”

“Whaddya say, Jamie?” Carl said to his son, who was also watching. “Do you want to come with me? I think they have kids, or at least one. I saw a little bicycle. A boy’s bicycle.”

* * *

An hour later, Carl and Jamie knocked on the door across the street with a peach pie in hand. Seconds later, the door opened and an African-American man in shorts and white tee shirt greeted them.

“Hi, I’m Carl Sikes, and this is Jamie. We live across the street.”

“I’m Garrett Wilkens.” He shook Carl’s hand. “My wife, Adele, is somewhere around here. The little guy hiding behind me is Rollie.”

Rollie and Jamie sized each other up from behind their respective fathers.

“We’ve been appointed to be the welcoming committee,” Carl said , “and my mother-in-law sent over this pie.” He handed it to Garrett. “You’ll like it. She’s a great cook.”

“Thanks. I’d invite you in, but the house is still a mess. Got a lot of work to do.”

“Well, if you need any help, let me know.” Carl looked at Rollie. “Hey, Rollie, we’ve got a pretty nice playset in our yard. Wanna see it?”

Rollie looked up at his dad.

“Let’s go have a look,” Garrett said. “I need a break, anyway.” He yelled toward the back of the house, “Adele, we’ll be back in a minute. We’re going across the street.”

* * *

Carl and Garrett sat in the gazebo, watching the boys swing.

“Man, you weren’t kidding,” Garrett said. “This yard is nice. I wish my yard was this big.” He pointed to the playset. “You built that?”

Carl nodded. “I’ve got plans for expanding it, soon as Jamie gets older.” He looked at the boys. “How old is Rollie.”

“Just turned four last month.”

“That’s great. Jamie will be four in three weeks. We were hoping somebody his age would move in. He needs friends.”

“I think he found one.” Garrett nodded toward the boys happily playing away.

* * *

The next day, Rollie came over after church, and the boys played in the backyard for the rest of the afternoon. They went down the slide and fire pole, swung like supercharged pendulums, and chased Sassy around the yard until Jamie’s grandmother brought out s’mores. Then they played in the sprinkler and ran around until their legs were out of breath.

That night, Jamie fell asleep at the dinner table.

* * *

For Jamie’s fourth birthday, Carl made a small addition to the playset: a tire swing on a swivel. It wasn’t an old-fashioned tire swing, but one where the tire hangs horizontally held up by three chains attached to a swivel above it.

Carl put it underneath the platform he’d built on the playset the year before, between the slide and the steps. When Jamie and Rollie got on it, they knew exactly what to do. They spun each other around and around until they were so dizzy they couldn’t walk straight.

As the family watched the boys playing on it, Carl said, “And to think I have to drink beer to feel that way.”

Evelyn shot him a disapproving look.

* * *

One of Jamie’s birthday presents was a T-ball set. It had a red plastic post that held a ball the size of a grapefruit about waist-high to a kid, and had a bat that was as wide as the Mississippi river. Carl thought it would give Jamie a good introduction to the sport of baseball.

The day after his birthday, Carl took Jamie and the T-ball set into the backyard for the boy’s first lesson in hitting, ready to start the long process of turning his son into a star athlete.

“Okay, this is how you do it.” Carl held the bat over his shoulder. “You hold it like this,” — he swung the bat — “and you swing like that.” He looked at his son. “Do you think you can do it?”

Jamie took the bat and Carl stood behind him, carefully positioning him next to the tee. “All right,” Carl said. “Take a big swing.”

Jamie swung with all his might, completely missing the tee, swinging all the way around and smacking his father on the knee.

“Ugh,” Carl grunted, hopping away and rubbing his leg.

“Did that hurt, Daddy?”

“No, I’m okay.” Carl limped back and set his boy in place again. “Okay, try again, but try to hit the ball.” Carl stood a safe distance back.

Jamie swung again, but whiffed.

“Don’t close your eyes, Son. Keep your eye on the ball.”

Jamie swung and hit the tee, knocking the ball to the ground.

“That’s a little better. Try it again.”

Jamie swung. And missed. He swung again, and missed. He swung and swung and swung, but couldn’t quite get the hang of it. After a dozen tries, he managed to nick the ball enough to knock it off the tee and send it forward about two feet.

“Hooray!” Carl threw both hands in the air. “You did it. Ready to try again?”

But Jamie saw a butterfly and took off after it.

Later, Carl described the batting lesson as his wife listened with a dubious expression.

“It’s a start,” Carl said. “We’ll work on it.”

* * *

The next day, Rollie came over, and Carl let him have a try hitting off the tee. Rollie hit it on the first swing, half-way across the yard.

“That’s pretty good, Rollie,” Carl said. “Nothing like beginner’s luck.”

But Rollie hit it again. And again. And again. Jamie wasn’t interested, though. He’d found another bug.

* * *

One lazy afternoon, Rachel walked with the boys as they explored the creek. They all carried long sticks in case they saw a snake.

“If I see a snake, I’m gonna kill it like this!” Rollie jammed his stick in the ground and made a fierce face.

“What if it’s a good snake?” Jamie said.

“All snakes are bad.”

“No they’re not. They eat rats and stuff.”

“How do you know that?” Rachel asked.

“Everybody does.”

Rollie frowned. “Well, I’m not letting no snake near me.”

The boys walked up and down the banks of the creek, poking every hole in hopes of finding something. Rachel enjoyed watching the boys explore together, grateful that they had become friends. Rollie seemed to be a happy, energetic boy, with the biggest grin she’d ever seen, and he livened things up when he was around.

Rollie stopped to turn over a rock while Jamie walked on. Rachel thought she saw something move right next to him. “Jamie, hold still,” she said. Something slithered. “There’s a snake about three feet from you.” She crept toward her son.

“Kill it, Jamie!” Rollie said. “Use your spear. Stab that snake!”

Jamie stood calmly, looking at the reptile. He held his hand out in front of him, but didn’t approach the animal.

“I think it’s a copperhead, Jamie!” Rachel crept toward him. “Step back! Don’t touch it!”

But Jamie didn’t move. The snake reared up slightly as if regarding the boy, then slithered away.

Rachel ran to her son and picked him up, carrying him away from the creek, Rollie trailing behind.

“What were you thinking?” she said. “You could’ve been killed! That’s a poisonous snake.”

“She wasn’t going to hurt me. She was just looking for a frog. She’s hungry.”

“How do you know that?” Rachel asked.

“Everybody does.” He shrugged. “Don’t you?”

No, she thought. How could I?

Chapter 9

One evening in early August, Rachel and Evelyn cleared the table after dinner while Carl and Jamie went upstairs for a bath.

“Mom, are you sure you won’t change your mind?” Rachel stacked some dirty plates. “We can still book another hotel room.”

“No, I want to go to Greensboro. I haven’t seen my sister in quite a while.” Evelyn opened the dishwasher. “Besides, I don’t really like Atlanta.”

“But after that we’re going straight to Panama City. You like the beach.”

“My doctor said to stay out of the sun. That’s hard to do at the beach.”

* * *

Two days later, Rachel, Carl, and Jamie were in Atlanta at the Georgia Aquarium. Jamie seemed to be fascinated by everything, little and big, from the seahorses to the whale sharks. Rachel thought the Beluga whales looked like they were dancing — large, white, and graceful — to music that only they could hear. One in particular seemed to be dancing for Jamie, who had his hands pressed to the glass while he watched it swim close and look right into his eyes.

“Jamie, is that a boy or girl whale?” Rachel asked jokingly.

“It’s a boy,” he said.

“How do you know?”

“He told me.”

Rachel and Carl looked at each other and exchanged a nervous laugh.

* * *

The next morning, they were on their way south to Panama City when traffic slowed to a crawl.

Carl smacked the steering wheel with his palm. “How can this be? We’re thirty miles south of Atlanta.”

“Maybe it’s a wreck,” Rachel said.

“I gotta go pee pee,” Jamie said.

“You’re going to have to hold it, ’cause we’re not moving, and the nearest exit is about five miles ahead,” Carl said.

“I gotta go bad.”

“Rachel, do we have a bottle or something he can pee in?”

“No, I just cleaned out the car.”

“I’m gonna wet my pants.”

“We can pull over and you can go on the side of the road,” Carl said.

“Uh uh. I can’t pee if people can see me.”

“Then you’re going to have to hold it.”

“I can’t!”

“Traffic’s moving a little,” Rachel said. “But you seem to keep picking the wrong lane.”

Carl threw his hands up. “I can’t help it. One lane will start to move, and then I get in it, and it stops. Then the other lanes move.”

“Get in the middle lane, Daddy.”

“Don’t you go being a back seat driver, too,” Carl said. “Your Gramma’s bad enough.”

“That’s not nice,” Rachel said.

“It’s true.”

“Yeah, you’re right.”

“Middle lane, Daddy.”

“Okay, okay, if it makes you happy. Just don’t wet yourself.”

Carl slid into the middle lane, and a car ahead of them pulled out of it. The cars in front of them moved ahead slightly. Farther ahead, another couple of cars cleared out.

“Jamie, can you hold it? We’re moving some.”

“Hurry, Daddy!”

Though they weren’t going fast, they began to pick up speed as more cars shifted lanes. Pretty soon they were blazing along at 25 mph, just enough to get them to the closest gas station before Jamie wet his pants.

It wasn’t the only coincidence on the trip to Panama City, but it was the one that made Carl wonder.

* * *

Jamie and Rachel sat on the couch in the family room, looking at the book of Florida wildlife they’d bought in Panama City.

“Okay, what’s this fish?” Rachel asked.

“Barracuda,” Jamie said confidently.

“What does barracuda start with?” She looked at him. “Say the beginning of the word.”

“Ba,” he said. “B!”

Evelyn sat on the recliner nearby, watching. “That’s very good, Jamie.” She looked at Rachel. “I don’t know which is better, that he knows those fish or that he’s learning to read.”

Jamie pointed to a picture of a big cat. “Panther!”

“Very impressive” Evelyn said.

“It is, Jamie.” Rachel looked at Carl. “He’s only four, and already he’s reading as well as some kindergartners do by the sixth month of school.”

“It’s a shame we didn’t try to get him in school early,” Carl said.

“No, no. He’s too young. Even next year, he’ll be one of the younger kids, with a July birthday. Hopefully, he’ll grow some. He’s still a little guy.”

“Yeah, but he’s tough,” Carl said. “Right, Buddy?”

* * *

Jamie and Rollie sat side-by-side on the couch, their legs sticking straight out, feet dangling in mid-air. Jamie showed Rollie how he could read.

“What’s that say?” Rollie pointed to a page.

“The f…f… Mommy? This one’s hard.”

Rachel glanced at the book. “Say the F and L together.”

“The…fl…flower. The flower is pink!”

“Wow,” Rollie said.

Adele, sitting at the kitchen table, said, “Ever since Rollie found out Jamie’s starting to read, he’s been real hot to try it.”

“That’s all it takes. Do you read to him?”

“Most every night.”

“I can help. We’ve got these books he’ll really like, I bet. Jamie loves them. It’s the Walter the Littlest Wizard series.”

Adele frowned. “That’s probably not a good idea. Garrett doesn’t want Rollie reading any books or watching movies about wizards. He’s got some strong…convictions about that.”

“What do you mean?”

“He thinks they’re all about Satan.” Adele whispered the last word.

“Okay. I won’t read any of those to him. I’ll make sure Jamie doesn’t either, though he’s not up to that level yet.”

Adele looked at the boys huddled over the book. “Won’t be long, Rachel. You wait and see.”

* * *

October arrived and Jamie’s excitement about Halloween grew daily. “I’m gonna be Walter the Wizard again. Gramma, can you fix my cape? Is it still torn?”

“I fixed it already, Jamie.”

“I’m gonna be Walter, and Rollie’s gonna be…I don’t know what he’s going to be, but we’re gonna go trick-or-treating and we’re gonna get lots of candy and —”

“Jamie,” Rachel said, “Rollie can’t go trick-or-treating with you.”

“Yes he can. He’s my first best friend.”

“His parents won’t let him.”

Jamie looked at his mother with a confused expression. “Why? Everybody goes.”

“Not everybody,” Carl said. “Some people don’t believe in Halloween.”

“What? Nu uh, you’re wrong. He believes in Halloween. He told me so. He does, Daddy.”

“Well, maybe he does, but his parents don’t, and they’re the ones who count.”

“Well, they don’t have to go. He can come with us.”

“His parents don’t want him to go. Not with you or anybody else. They’re going to church instead.”

“Nobody goes to church on Halloween. Not even Gramma.”

“I do if it’s on a Sunday,” Evelyn said.

“Is it on a Sunday?”

“No, Jamie,” Rachel said. “It’s just what they do. They go to church. It’s fine. You don’t have to do everything with him.”

* * *

As bad as Halloween was for Jamie without his first best friend, Thanksgiving was worse. Rollie went out of town with his parents, Gina didn’t come to visit, and it rained the whole time. It was the worst Thanksgiving of his whole long life.

Christmas, however, was the best. Rollie’s mother had to work until Christmas Eve, but Rachel was off for school break, so Rollie stayed at Jamie’s house every day until Rollie’s parents came home from work. Rollie came over every morning with a backpack full of toys — action figures — the toys of choice for little boys. And the best action figure of them all was Commander Hawk.

Rollie not only had the official Commander Hawk action figure, he had some of his many accessories, like the Commander Hawk plane and the Commander Hawk jeep. He even had the Ranger Randy action figure, but nobody wanted to play with Randy — he was a sidekick.

By the end of Christmas break, Jamie was a convert. No more Walter the Wizard. It was all about Commander Hawk.

Chapter 10

One Saturday afternoon in March, Jamie and Rollie played on the swings while their mothers sat in the gazebo and talked. Their mothers would’ve paid closer attention to the boys if they had overheard their conversation.

“I can jump out of my seat and fly all the way to that tree.” Rollie pointed.

“No you can’t,” Jamie said.

“Can too.”

“You’re too chicken. I dare you.”

“Oh yeah? Watch this!” Rollie pulled back with all of his strength on the back swing, zoomed forward and let loose. Rollie was air born.

Rollie screamed and their mothers came running.

* * *

That night, while lying in his bed, Jamie thought about his friend. Rollie didn’t come home from the hospital until almost dark, and Gramma sent over a casserole because Rollie’s parents were upset about him and didn’t want to cook. Rollie had a broken collarbone. No more outside play for a while.

Jamie felt bad about what happened, especially since he had dared Rollie to jump. Rollie acted like it hurt a lot, when he thrashed on the ground, holding his right shoulder, crying and screaming at the same time.

But Jamie was certain, right before he drifted off to sleep, that if he had jumped from the swing, he would’ve flown all the way over the house.

Chapter 11

One evening in late March, Rachel sat at the computer desk in the family room. “I just got an e-mail from Lisa. They’re moving back!”

“When?” Carl asked.

“June.” She spun her chair around to face him. “They want us to let them know if there are any houses for sale in our neighborhood.”

“How about the Blakes’ house? It’s just two doors down from Rollie’s.”

“That’s a nice place, and it’s been on the market for at least six months. I’ll bet they’re eager to sell it.” Rachel looked at Jamie, who was reading on the couch.

“Jamie, the Callahans are moving back. They have a girl your age, Grace Mary.”

To Jamie, “your age” sounded promising. The “girl” part did not.

“You met before you were born,” Rachel said.

That made no sense to him.

“I’m sure you two can be friends.”

Now she was talking crazy.

* * *

June came, and the second Saturday found Jamie and Rollie lying under the bushes at the edge of Rollie’s yard. They were on a surveillance mission. “Surveillance” was a Commander Hawk word for spying. They had their official Commander Hawk helmets on and were using their Commander Hawk binoculars. They’d had a heated argument about who got to be Commander Hawk, but decided they both could, since neither of them wanted to be Ranger Randy — he was a sidekick.

They spied on the house two doors down with the moving truck out front. “Do you see anything?” Jamie asked.

“Just boxes and stuff,” Rollie said.

“Wait, there’s a bike. It’s red.”

“I see it. Is red a boy’s color?”

“Could be,” Jamie said. “I had a red tricycle.” Just then a minivan pulled up in front of the truck.

“Somebody’s getting out of the back…I see sparkly shoes,” Rollie said.

But when they saw the kid with the curly red hair, Jamie said, “Aw, it’s a girl.”

* * *

Late that afternoon, Jamie was in the family room with his mother when the doorbell rang.

“They’re here!” Rachel said. “Come on, Jamie, let’s go let them in.”

Jamie followed her to the front door. When she opened it, he saw three people on the front porch: two grownups and the girl with the curly red hair.

“Lisa, Larry!” Rachel said, throwing her arms around them. “And you must be Grace Mary. She looked at the girl. “Aren’t you cute!”

“We call her Fred,” Lisa said.

“Oh. Well, this is Jamie.” She turned and gestured toward him.

Jamie and Fred eyed each other suspiciously.

“Come in, come in.” Rachel held the door open. “Mom! Carl! They’re here.” She led them inside. “Let’s go out back.”

On the way to the back door, Jamie said, “Fred’s a boy’s name.”

“I’m not a boy,” Fred said.

“Then why do you have a boy’s name?”

As Fred wound up to kick him, Lisa grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back, Fred’s foot narrowly missing Jamie’s shin.

“Her full nickname is Fred the Firecracker,” Lisa said. “I think you’ll be able to see why.”

Fred made a face like she smelled a fart, but when they opened the back door and she saw the playset, she said, “Wow,” and took off running.

* * *

Jamie and Fred played on the swings while their parents talked in the gazebo.

“I have a creek,” Jamie said. “It’s got snakes and frogs and stuff.”

“I wanna see a snake,” Fred said.

“We saw one, me and Mom and Rollie. It was a cottonmouth.”

“Why would a snake have cotton in its mouth?”

“They don’t, they just call it that. It’s real poisonous. It can kill you dead, just like that.”

“Let’s go find one.”

“There aren’t any in the creek right now. They went somewhere else.”

“How do you know?”

“I just do.”

Jamie was changing his opinion of this torch-headed girl. Most girls were Miss Goodie Two-Shoes Scaredy-Cats, but not this one.

“Well, then let’s see who can jump the farthest,” she said.

“From the swing? We’re not supposed to do that.”

“Why, are you chicken?”

“No, we might get hurt.”

“Oh, you are chicken. I’m gonna jump anyway.”

“Mom,” Jamie yelled. “Fred’s gonna jump out of the swing!”

“No jumping, kids,” his mother called back from the gazebo.

“See?” Jamie said.

“Tattletale.”

“I’m not a tattletale,” Jamie said firmly. “Besides, you might get hurt like Rollie. He jumped out and broke his collarbone and had to go to the hospital and everything.”

“Who’s Rollie?”

“He my first best friend. He lives across the street.”

Fred turned her head away. Jamie suddenly worried that he might’ve hurt her feelings. “But you can be my friend, too,” he said. “You can be my second best friend.”

“I don’t want to be your second best friend.”

Jamie had to think about that. One swing. Two. “Okay, you can be my other first best friend.” After all, he reasoned, if you can have two Commander Hawks, you can have two first best friends.

“Okay.” She smiled. “You can be my first best friend, too.”

* * *

That night after dinner, Rachel and Lisa watched Jamie read to Fred. The kids sat side-by-side on the couch.

“That’s pretty amazing,” Lisa said. “How’d he pick it up so fast?”

“He just likes books. We read to him all the time. Do you read to Fred?”

“Some. It has to be something she likes, or she won’t pay attention.”

“Why don’t you try some of our books? I bet she’d like the Walter the Littlest Wizard series. Jamie loves those. God, we’ve read those a million times. They’re short, too. You can read one in about five minutes.”

“That sounds good. How ’bout if I take a couple home and see?”

* * *

The next day, Lisa came over with Fred and brought the books back. “She liked them okay,” Lisa told Rachel as she handed them to her. “She doesn’t think much of Princess Pansy.”

“She doesn’t do anything.” Fred scowled. “All she does is get saved all the time.”

Lisa rolled her eyes. “She’s our little feminist.”

“What’s a feminist?” Fred asked.

“Well, it’s a…I’ll explain later.” She gave her a little shove. “Now go find Jamie. I think he’s out in the yard.”

Chapter 12

Rachel thought Jamie’s birthday party that July was the best one yet. Since Fred’s birthday was the day before his, they decided to have a combined event, and everybody came, including Rollie’s family and Carl’s parents. The gazebo was crowded, even with the kids playing on the swings, but everybody seemed to have a good time.

For once, Pete didn’t talk about money, and Rachel decided that he could be quite charming when he didn’t. Even Carl seemed to enjoy having him there. Pete entertained them with stories of Hendersonville back in the old days.

Pete leaned back in his chair and put his hands behind his head. “You see, our family goes way back, since before the Revolutionary War. My ancestor fought for the patriots and settled here right after the war. There’s a road out off highway 64 called Campground — there’s a big cemetery there filled with Sikes, going all the way back to the 1700s — but that used to be called Rugby Road.”

He sat up straight and pointed for emphasis. “Now, back in my father’s day, there were two Rugby Roads, which sounds confusing, but it didn’t matter to the mailman. Hendersonville was so small back then, he knew everybody, so if a letter was to Bob so-and-so on Rugby Road, it didn’t matter which Rugby Road, ’cause he would’ve known Bob personally.”

“How big was the town back then?” Larry said.

“Oh, there probably weren’t but twenty thousand people in the whole county. We’re over a hundred thousand now.”

“Are those year-round people?” Garrett said.

“Mostly, I guess, but it used to fluctuate a lot. Back before everybody got air conditioning, people from Florida and South Carolina came to spend their summers here. Flat Rock was built by rich people from Charleston who wanted to get away from the heat, and the malaria, too, so they put a railroad spur out there and they built those big houses. Those folks had money. They weren’t farmers like the year-round folks.”

“Nowadays,” Larry said, “people come to see the leaves change and buy tacky knick knacks from the shops.”

“Or go to Asheville and see the Biltmore house,” Carl said.

Rachel smiled. “I remember going there.”

Her mother folded her napkin. “I took you there when you were little.”

“I’d like to see it again.”

Lisa patted her chest. “Me, too.”

“I’ve never been,” Adele said. “We should go before school starts.”

“But, as I was saying before I was interrupted,” — Pete narrowed his eyes — “things have really changed around here.”

Garrett put down his paper cup. “Where did you live before you moved out to that golf community?”

“Only about a mile from here.”

“You didn’t like it?”

“It was fine until they opened that home for the retards down the street.”

Rachel couldn’t believe he said that word in front of everybody. Pete was losing his charm.

“A what?” Lisa asked.

“You know, one of those community homes where they let a few adult retards live and one smart person lives with ’em, to help out. I think the Lutheran Church bought it and….”

Rachel didn’t want to hear anymore. She glanced at Carl and saw that he had his hand on his forehead and was looking at his feet. Rachel stood and said quietly to her mother, “I think I’ll clean up.”

“I’ll help.” Her mother stood.

Lisa got up and started helping, too. As the three of them carried armloads of stuff to the house, Lisa said, “I think I’d better go.”

Rachel furrowed her brow. “So soon? The kids are still having fun.”

“I…I need to take care of a few things.”

“Okay. Is Larry going, too?”

“I don’t think so. Will you tell him I’ll be at the house? You can send Fred home whenever you get tired of her.”

“That won’t be for a while, Lisa.” Rachel put her hand on Lisa’s arm.

Lisa forced a thin smile and left.

* * *

Jamie’s birthday present that year had to be a bike. After Fred had wowed him and Rollie with her riding prowess, nothing else would do. She could ride up and down her driveway without having to put her foot down or anything — she was that good. She ridiculed Rollie when she found out his bike still had training wheels. “Those are for babies.”

There was no way Jamie was going to tell her he still had a tricycle in the garage. He tried to talk to his father about getting rid of it. “But don’t put it by the road, Daddy,” he said. “Can’t you put it in your truck and take it to charity or something?”

Carl smiled knowingly at Rachel when he heard that. He’d seen Fred showing off on her bike in front of the boys.

“I think I’ll put it on the front porch and put a sign on it: Jamie’s trike for free.”

“Noooo, Daddy!”

* * *

In the end, the old witch just gave Renn the book.

“No, you take it.” She patted the huge leather-bound tome. “I’m sure there’s something in here that will make your mother feel better.”

She’s not my mother, he thought, just…Mother. My real mother died when I was ten.

“Would you’d like some more tea?” she asked, rising from her chair at the small round table.

“No, no, I’m fine. This is all I want, thank you.” She reminded him so much of Mother — same wispy gray hair, same half-bent posture. Same eyes.

“I can hardly read anymore, anyway. You can take more books if you like. They’re of no use to me.” Her laugh was cut short by a harsh, rattling cough. He waited patiently for her to recover.

“I think I’d better throw out some of these herbs.” She waved vaguely at a long shelf full of jars. “Before I poison myself by accident. Can’t tell what’s what.” She sat back down gingerly, easing herself into her seat.

“I need to go,” he said. “You’ve been too kind.”

She reached her shaking hand for his arm. “So soon? But you only just got here. An old lady doesn’t get much company these days from handsome young men.”

“Thank you, but I need to help Mother.”

“Please come again. We’ll have tea.”

“I will.” He opened the door. “Take care of yourself. You’ve been very helpful.”

He stepped outside, but before vanishing, he paused and stared at the distant hills. He could’ve killed her. If she had been a wizard, she’d be a smoldering pile on the floor of the small, crumbling house right now. Be he let her live. She reminded him too much of Mother.

* * *

On the Saturday, one week before the start of school, Lisa’s van was full, on its way to the Biltmore house.

“We need to figure out how we’re going to get the kids to and from school,” Lisa said.

“Is Fred going to take the bus?” Rachel asked.

Lisa adjusted her sunglasses. “We’d like her to, but it doesn’t pick up until 7:15, and Adele and I leave for work at 6:45.”

“Oh! You got the job. That’s great!”

“She sure did,” Adele said. “She’s gonna be working with me at the hospital. But Rollie’s in the same boat as Fred.”

“Can’t your husbands take them to the bus stop?”

“Garrett leaves too early.”

“And I don’t trust Larry to get her there.” Lisa gave her head a tight shake. “He takes calls from work in the morning and forgets about everything else. What’s Jamie going to do?”

“He’s going to ride in with me,”

“I wanna ride the bus with Rollie and Fred,” Jamie said from the back seat.

“I thought you weren’t listening,” Rachel said over her shoulder. “Don’t you want to ride to school with Mommy?”

“I wanna ride the bus with Rollie and Fred.”

“Ouch,” Lisa said. “I don’t think he wants to ride with his mommy.”

“Yeah, shows you where his loyalties are.” Rachel frowned. “Well, they can’t all ride with me because my car’s too small. How about if you drop them off at my house before you go to work, and my mom will walk them to the bus stop?”

“We can’t ask your mom to do that.”

“I don’t think she’ll mind at all. I’ll talk to her tonight.”

* * *

They walked across the parking lot and Jamie pointed to the enormous mansion. “Mommy, I’ve been here before.”

“I don’t think so, Sweetie,” Rachel said. “I would’ve known about it.”

“No, I have. They have a big room when you first walk in, and it’s got plants and stuff. And upstairs, they have lotsa bedrooms, and one is all yellow like mustard and has ugly furniture.”

“You probably saw something on TV about it.”

“No, Mommy. They got a big basement, and it’s got a gym. What’s a gym?”

“It’s where you can exercise inside.”

“Oh. So they got a gym and it’s got lotsa tile, and there are servants’ rooms and they make dinner down there.”

“Okay, we get the idea. Let’s go see for ourselves.”

But he was right about the big room with plants. When they were touring upstairs, Adele said quietly, “This room is mustard yellow.”

Lisa nodded. “And the furniture’s ugly, too.”

The basement was just the way Jamie described it. “That’s funny,” Rachel said. “He doesn’t usually pay much attention to grownup stuff on TV.”

* * *

During lunch, Jamie said, “Can we go to the garden? They gotta pretty garden with lotsa flowers, and a lady who plays the harp.”

“What’s a harp?” Rollie asked.

“It’s a musical instrument,” Adele said. “It’s beautiful.”

On their way down the arbored path to the gardens, they did see a harp, but no lady.

“Excuse me,” Rachel asked a nearby Biltmore employee. “Is there going to be somebody playing this?” She pointed to the harp.

“Yes,” they said. “She’s on break. Try back in fifteen minutes.”

That was the kids’ cue to take off running for the flowers. Their moms strolled leisurely through the beautiful garden while the kids raced and played tag, then stopped and looked at flowers, then took off again.

Then Jamie found the butterfly. Or the butterfly found him. He motioned the other kids to hold still as he held out his hand for the yellow-winged creature, who fluttered momentarily before lighting on his finger.

“Ooohh,” Rollie said. “I want it.” But as he reached for the insect, it fluttered above them.

“You have to be gentle,” Jamie said. “They get scared. Hold still.”

Rollie held still as a statute with his hand out, and the butterfly returned and landed on his finger.

“Oh, wow,” he said.

“Me next,” Fred said, shaking with excitement.

“Hold your hand next to Rollie’s and be real still,” Jamie said.

Fred held her hand next to Rollie’s and the butterfly walked over to perch on her outstretched finger.

“There’s a butterfly on me! Mom. Mom!”

But the butterfly fluttered from her hand. Fred held still and it returned.

“Our moms are way over there.” Jamie pointed. “But I think he likes us. If we’re kinda calm, he’ll stay around.”

They walked among the flowers and the butterfly flitted with them, sometimes settling on one or the other, sometimes fluttering above, but always close by.

Their mothers found them and the kids showed them the butterfly.

“That’s amazing,” Lisa said. “How’d you get it to do that?”

“He likes us, that’s how,” Fred said with a hint of confidence in her voice.

As they walked back toward the main house, they passed the harpist, who was playing. They stopped to listen, and the butterfly settled on Fred’s hair clip.

The harpist stopped and looked up. “You have a butterfly on your head…is that real?”

“Uh huh,” Fred said. “It’s real, and it likes us. It’s our friend.”

“I can see that.”

“Do you want to hold it?” Jamie asked.

“Do you think I could?”

“Sure, he won’t mind. He likes you, too.”

“How do you know that?”

“He told me.”

The harpist looked at the parents with her eyebrows raised. Rachel said, “Don’t ask. Just go with it.”

The harpist held out her hand and the little winged animal walked off of Fred’s head and settled on one of her fingers.

“I’ve never held a butterfly before.” Her eyes were wide.

“We gotta go now,” Jamie said. “But I think he wants to stay with you, unless he needs to go visit a flower or something. But he said he’ll come back.”

“Rachel, you have a funny little boy,” Adele said.

“All three of them are amazing, aren’t they?” Lisa said.

So they stayed to listen to the harpist play one more piece, the three families together, their lives intertwining like the vines on the arbor above them, their children, the flowers.

Chapter 13

Fred was almost one full day older than Jamie, and she reminded him of it every chance she got.

“Mom, is Fred really older than me?” Jamie asked one night during dinner.

“Well, she was born the day before you, so technically she is,” his mother said.

“But is she a whole day older?”

“No, I think she was born about 9:30 in the morning. That makes her about eighteen hours older.”

“Is that a whole day?”

“No, a whole day is twenty four hours.”

“Eighteen is less, right?”

“Right. It’s six hours less than a full day. A whole day.”

“So, she’s not really a whole day older, right?”

“If you look at it that way, yes.”

He felt quite satisfied with that answer. She was only eighteen hours older. He couldn’t wait to tell Fred.

* * *

The first day of school is always stressful and exciting every year for any family, but the very first day ever — that’s a day you will always remember. For Carl, it wasn’t starting out as his best memory.

“But Jamie,” he said that morning, “it’s okay if I go to work a little late today.”

“Gramma’s taking me and Rollie and Fred to the bus stop.” He pulled hard on his father’s hand, dragging him toward the kitchen.

“I want to go to the bus stop, too, and see my big boy off. It’ll be great, right? First day of school, first time on the bus?”

Now Jamie pushed his father through the kitchen toward the door to the garage. “No, Daddy. Gramma already said she’s taking us. You gotta go to work.”

Carl started to continue his argument, but when he saw the determined look on his son’s face, he dropped it. Jamie obviously didn’t want his friends thinking that he was a baby who had to have his daddy walk him to the bus stop. Gramma was okay, for some reason, but not his daddy. Carl packed up his wounded pride and left.

* * *

The first day of school is always a little exciting for a teacher, too. They never know what their new crop of kids will be like, what kind of cards they’ll be dealt, but this year Rachel knew she had two aces — Rollie and Fred. Rachel knew exactly what she was getting with them and looked forward to teaching them. However, she felt bad that Jamie didn’t have either of his best friends in his class. Molly Heflinger was his teacher, but that was probably better. He’d make new friends, instead of cocooning with his old ones.

The first thing they did as a class was go around the room, each child introducing themselves. Fred stood and said her name, and most of the kids laughed. Rachel could tell that Fred was embarrassed, but Rachel was ready for that.

She went to the whiteboard. “Fred’s real name is Grace Mary, but because she has red hair,” — she wrote RED on the board — “her parents started calling her ‘Red’.” She looked at the class. “But her parents are fun people, so they added the F,” — she wrote the letter F in front of RED — “and made it ‘Fred’, and that’s why we call her Fred. You can call her Grace Mary, but she answers to Fred.” The kids seemed to like the story of Fred’s name.

And Rachel knew that would nip the teasing in the bud.

* * *

The first day of school for Jamie was exciting at first, and then a little bit scary. He was in a class with total strangers. It was the first time in his whole life that he didn’t have the comfort of a familiar face. But after he figured out that most of the other kids were in the same situation, he felt much better. After all, his mother was in the next room.

And Mrs. Heflinger was really nice. She laughed a lot, like Fred’s mom.

* * *

For Evelyn, the first day of school meant that she could enjoy her first extended calm day in the house in five years. No making Jamie’s lunch and washing his dishes. No nagging him to pick up crayons or put books back on the shelf. No strapping him in the car seat and dragging him to the grocery store. Just peace and quiet.

She found the silence to be nearly unbearable.

By 2:00, she was compulsively checking the clock, and by 2:30, she gave up and went to the bus stop early. The bus finally arrived at 2:45 and the kids poured out of its doors with the energy of over-caffeinated monkeys, running to the house. When Evelyn let them in the front door, they dropped their packs and flew to the back door.

She put her hands on her hips. “Kids, don’t leave your back packs on the…”

But it was too late. They were already out of earshot, back door wide open.

Life was back to normal.

* * *

That Thursday night, after Jamie had gone to bed, Rachel, Carl and Evelyn sat around the kitchen table.

“So, how do you think Jamie’s doing?” Carl asked.

“Well, I spoke with his teacher this morning,” Rachel said. “She said he’s doing fine. She thinks he’s really smart, a great reader —”

“Of course,” Evelyn said.

“But he’s a little shy,” Rachel continued.

“I can’t believe that,” Carl said.

“A lot of his classmates had gone to preschool, so they adjust a little faster, and he doesn’t have Rollie and Fred there with him.”

“That’s a good thing,” Evelyn said. “He needs to branch out.”

“I feel like any day now, the other kids will figure out what a special kid he is, and he’ll make lots of friends.”

* * *

That day was Friday.

Rachel was sitting on one of the playground benches during recess when Fred and another girl ran up to her, “Mrs. Sikes, there’s a kitty in the pipe!” They pointed to a ditch along the far side of the playground. A drain pipe at the end ran underneath the fence.

“Are you sure?” Rachel asked.

“Yes ma’am,” Fred said. “We tried to get it out, but it won’t come.”

“Let’s go see.”

When Rachel got to the pipe, she bent down and looked in it, and sure enough, about ten feet inside, she could make out the silhouette of a pair of kitty ears. She thought she heard a faint mew. “Here, kitty kitty.” The cat didn’t budge. She stood and looked around the playground. “Fred, will you get Jamie for me?”

Fred ran off and one of the other kids said, “Can he get the kitty out?”

“Oh, I think Jamie could probably talk a turtle out of his shell.”

A minute or so later, Jamie appeared and had a look. “She’s scared and wet.”

“Can you get her out?” Rachel asked.

“Uh huh. But everybody needs to move so she can’t see you.”

Rachel herded the small crowd of curious children away from the pipe as Jamie talked to it.

“Mrs. Sikes, do you think she’ll come out?” a little girl asked.

“Let’s watch and see.”

It took about five minutes, but the muddy gray kitten finally walked out of the pipe and let Jamie pick her up. He was immediately swarmed by the other children, all wanting to pet the cat.

Jamie stepped back. “Hold on, only one at a time. She’s scared.” Rachel helped them take turns, and sent Rollie to the cafeteria for a box to put the cat in.

When he returned, he said, “One of the lunch ladies said she’ll take the kitty home, if nobody else wants to.”

After that day, Rachel often saw Jamie on the playground with at least a couple of other kids. He didn’t seem to have any trouble making friends once the other kids figured out that he had a knack for finding the coolest bugs, frogs, and other critters.

However, it took Mrs. Heflinger awhile to convince him not to bring the wildlife back to class.

* * *

The following Wednesday afternoon, the moms sat on the deck while the kids played in Jamie’s backyard.

“Come on, Rollie, it’s time to go!” Adele yelled again.

“They’re not hearing you,” Rachel said.

“It’s called selective deafness.” Lisa cupped her hands to her mouth. “You too, Fred. I need to start dinner.”

“Rachel, does it ever bother you that the kids always play in your yard?” Adele asked.

“We like having them here.”

“Don’t they drive your mom nuts?” Lisa said.

“She loves your kids.”

“Don’t you ever wonder why they don’t like coming to our house?”

“Is there a reason?”

“Because Fred tries to make them play dress up.”

“What kind of dress up?” Adele asked.

“We’ve got two big trunks full of stuff I get at garage sales and the party store. Fred likes to put on the tiara and sparkly clothes and be Miss Queen Princess of the World and boss the boys around.”

“I can see her doing that,” Rachel said.

“I can’t see Rollie doing that,” Adele said.

“Or Jamie,” Rachel said.

Adele nodded sagely. “I think she’s going to be President someday.”

“Or Queen Princess of the World.” Lisa laughed.

* * *

Saturday morning, Rachel was alone at the kitchen table when Jamie came bounding down the stairs.

“Hi Mommy. Where’s Gramma and Daddy?”

“Gramma’s volunteering at the food bank, and Daddy had to go to work. They’ll be home in a little while.”

“Can Rollie and Fred come over?”

“They can’t come over today. They’re going to a birthday party.”

“Can I go?”

“No. You weren’t invited.”

She could tell by the look on his face that she should’ve thought of a better way to tell him.

“Why not?” he said, his eyebrows drawn down, lower lip out.

“Only kids from their class were invited.” She almost said my class, since she was their teacher.

“But I wanna go, too.”

She realized that he had never been to another kid’s birthday party. “I’m sorry, but you can’t.” She picked him up and put him on her lap. He was crying. “There will be parties that you’ll go to that they won’t be invited to. It’s fine, Honey. You can survive a day without Rollie and Fred.”

“But I wanna go to the party!”

She squeezed her son tightly. “We’ll have fun anyway, Jamie. You’ll see.”

But an hour later, it started raining.

Carl came home around 2:30 and Rachel filled him in. “He’s been moping on the couch ever since, watching cartoons. He doesn’t want to play Candy Land or read books or anything.”

“I thought something was up,” Carl said. “He wouldn’t say hello to me when I got home.” Carl leaned against the kitchen cabinet and rubbed his chin. “I think I’ll take him for a ride.”

* * *

Jamie was on his way to get ice cream, and best of all, he got to ride in his father’s pickup truck. The big, beautiful, blue pickup truck. He hardly ever got to ride in it, because it wasn’t as safe as Mommy’s car, or so he’d been told a million times, but today was special. He still wasn’t allowed in the front seat.

“Pretty soon, I’ll be big enough to ride up front with you, Daddy,” Jamie said.

“I know. Don’t grow up too fast, okay?”

Daddy was always saying that.

“Can we get an ice cream sandwich, please?” Jamie loved ice cream sandwiches. Cones were good, too, but the scoop of ice cream tended to fall off, and he was never fast enough to pick it up before his parents noticed.

They always went to the nearby convenience store, the one with two gas pumps out front and rows of candy and snacks inside. His father knew the man behind the counter, and while they chatted, Jamie could wander the aisles and admire the amazing goodies for sale, the little square freezer with pictures of ice cream treats on the side, and the big cooler full of drinks that lined the back wall.

Jamie stood at the rear of the store, eyeing the canned sodas, and an older boy with a black leather jacket walked up, looked around, and opened one of the doors. He pulled two brown bottles from a shelf and slipped them into his coat. When he noticed Jamie, he put his fingers to his lips and said, “Shhh.”

Then the boy pulled an orange soda from the cooler and walked to the front where Jamie’s dad was talking to the clerk. The boy paid for the soda and a pack up gum, but didn’t pull the bottles from his coat. Then he shared a laugh with Jamie’s father and left. Jamie knew the boy had just done something wrong, but didn’t know if he should say anything.

Jamie ate his ice cream sandwich on the way home, wondering if he should tell his father. They were almost back to the house before his conscience got the better of him.

“And you’re sure he put the bottles in his coat? I saw him pay for the soda and gum.” His father glanced over at Jamie. “That’s shoplifting. You know that’s wrong, don’t you?”

Jamie nodded.

“Were you scared to tell me?”

“Yes,” he said quietly.

“I don’t blame you. That boy’s a lot bigger than you. He could’ve hurt you. It’s better to be safe than sorry.” He tapped the steering wheel. “What kind of brown bottles were they?”

“The kind like you and Fred’s daddy drink when he comes over.”

“Beer. He’s shoplifting beer ’cause he’s underage.” He pulled into their driveway. “All right, Buddy. I’m gonna take you inside and then I’m going back to the store. Don’t say anything to Mommy or Gramma just yet, okay? This is just between you and me.”

* * *

“Why didn’t you want me to tell Mommy or Gramma?” Jamie asked his father when he tucked him in that night.

“Well, you know how they like to worry, and they might think that older boy coulda hurt you if you told. And Gramma might think it’s wrong that you waited to tell, but I don’t.” He patted his son’s head. “I think you did what you thought was right, when it was right. I would’ve done the same thing.”

“But remember when I broke the vase and Gramma got all mad ’cause I didn’t tell her?”

“Yeah, she was pretty steamed. She wasn’t so mad that you broke it, just that you didn’t tell. This is different. I told you not to tell, so let me take the blame.” He kissed Jamie on the head. “But you did the right thing, and I’m proud of you.”

That made Jamie feel a little better. At least his father wasn’t mad at him. He hoped Gramma wouldn’t be, either. He’d never forget what happened with the vase.

Jamie woke to the smell of bacon. Sunday mornings were Gramma’s time to fix a special breakfast before church. The rest of the week, they usually ate cereal or bagels, but Sundays were the exception. Jamie could count on having bacon or sausage, waffles, pancakes, or French toast. His stomach growled just thinking about it.

He made it to the kitchen, but no one else was up but Gramma.

“Morning, Gramma.”

“Morning, Jamie. Are you hungry?”

“Yes ma’am. Sure smells good.” He loved to watch his grandmother in the kitchen. She often hummed while she whisked food in and out of pans and the stove and the refrigerator, all the while washing dishes as she cooked, the kitchen never messy or chaotic. It wasn’t like she belonged in the kitchen — the kitchen belonged to her.

Jamie had an overwhelming urge to confess, to tell her what happened the day before. She had told him after he’d broken the vase, “If you do something wrong, always do the right thing and tell.” But Daddy had told him not to. He was torn.

“Gramma.”

“Yes, Dear?”

He looked at her for a moment and she looked at him, expecting an answer.

He had to say something. “I love you.”

“I love you, too, Jamie.”

He had just learned a lesson that would serve him well for the rest of his life: when in doubt, use the L word.

* * *

Jamie knew that grownups would often change the subject if they thought that a kid was listening. At their Saturday afternoon cookout, Jamie’s parents were on the deck talking with the other parents, and Jamie wanted to hear what they were saying. Gramma was there, too. Jamie’s dad had just come home from an errand, or so he said, but earlier Jamie had overheard him say that he was going to the convenience store.

Jamie hopped off the tire swing and walked a few steps closer to the deck, which was over 100 feet away.

“Where ya goin’?” Rollie called from the swing.

When Jamie didn’t answer, Fred, who was swinging next to Rollie, said, “Are you going inside?”

Jamie didn’t answer. He concentrated on his father, trying to hear him.

“Ja……mie!” Rollie said in a sing-song voice.

Jamie waved him off without turning his attention from the deck. He could pick out a few words, and the more he concentrated, the better he could hear.

“Hey, Jamie!” Rollie yelled.

Jamie turned and said, “Hush!” and turned back to focus on the deck.

Rollie yelled again. “Jamie, I’m talking to —”

“Shut up, Rollie,” Fred said.

Rollie hushed. The Queen had spoken.

Jamie still couldn’t hear everything. Amplify. He knew that word somehow. Use your will to amplify the sound. He didn’t know how he knew to do that, but he knew that he could. Jamie focused hard, harder than he ever had.

He could clearly hear his father talking as if he were right next to him. “…so last week, I talked to the manager, and he said that teenage kid would be back around this time because he does it every week. So today I waited outside, and when I saw him walk out of the store, I got out of my truck and confronted him. Sure enough, he had two bottles of beer in his jacket. Then I flashed my badge, took him back inside and talked to the store manager.”

“Why didn’t you take him downtown and book him?” Rollie’s father asked. “He’s a shoplifter.”

“The manager and I thought it was better to call the boy’s dad. He came down to the store and paid the manager fifty bucks for the beer his kid’s been stealing. Plus, I took a picture of the kid with my phone and told him I was sending it to every convenience store around, so he shouldn’t try it anywhere else.”

“Did you really send his picture?” Fred’s father said.

“No. I just wanted to scare him. His dad will take care of him, I’m sure. He was furious.”

Rollie’s father leaned against the deck rail and crossed his arms. “I still think you should’ve busted him.”

“No, you did the right thing, Carl.” Gramma nodded. “It’s better to let his father deal with it and keep the boy from having a criminal record.”

Rollie’s father only frowned.

* * *

Renn materialized near a rustic log house in a clearing deep in the woods. Smoke curled from the chimney, and a couple of scrawny chickens scratched at the hard-packed dirt. Someone must be home, he thought. The door wasn’t locked, so he pushed it open without knocking. Inside was smokey and dim and smelled of sweat, and he waited in the doorway while his eyes adjusted to the gloom. He saw two men in dark robes huddled next to the fire in the hearth, too intent on what they were doing to notice him. One had a book open in his lap while the other dropped something in a pot that hung over the glowing coals.

They look alike. They must be brothers. How quaint. Maybe these two will be a challenge. Renn rapped the floor with his staff, and the men looked up. “What are you doing here?” the man with the book said.

“You have something I want,” Renn said.

Without warning, the brothers extended their arms and pale yellow bolts of energy shot from their fingertips at Renn, who stood calmly with his staff. The two beams struck an invisible barrier in front of him and deflected to either side, hitting the wooden walls behind him with a faint ssst.

“My turn,” Renn said, grinning as he raised his staff. Twin streams of power erupted from the eyes of the dragon’s head, slamming into the brothers, one falling into the fire, dead before he landed on the coals, the other crashing against the wall behind him before slumping to the floor.

Renn glanced at the body on the fire. That’s going to stink. I think I’d better hurry. He surveyed the room and spotted a small stack of books on a nearby bench. He grabbed the top one and flipped through it. It’s a spell book. Might be useful. He picked up the leather-bound tome the brothers were using, glanced at a few pages, and shrugged. I don’t have this one. He tucked it under his arm with the others, made one last turn around the room, stamped his staff and vanished.

Chapter 14

Mrs. Heflinger handed out envelopes to each kid as they walked into her classroom Monday morning. “Please put it in your back pack right away, and don’t open it yet. We don’t want you to lose it. Give it to your parents when you get home.”

Jamie asked Brodie Mckenzie what it was.

“It’s an invitation to Elizabeth’s party,” Brodie said.

Now I get to go to one, too! Jamie thought.

On the bus ride home, he tried to brag about it to Rollie and Fred, but they weren’t impressed. “We’ve already been to one,” they said. “No big deal.”

But it was to Jamie. When his mother came home that afternoon, he handed the invitation to her before she could put down her stuff.

“Oh, what is it?” she said. She carefully opened it as Jamie bounced on the balls of his feet. “Let’s see…It’s an invitation to Elizabeth Stalling’s birthday party.”

“Lemme see, lemme see,” Jamie said.

They looked at it together as his mother read. “It’s at 11:00 this Saturday at her house. You’re having pizza for lunch.” She picked Jamie up and hugged him. “You’re going to have so much fun.” She put him down and said, “Elizabeth’s a cutie. I think she likes you.”

Jamie scowled.

“No, I’ve seen her following you around the playground when you’re hunting for bugs.”

“Lots of kids do.”

“That’s true.” She put the invitation back in the envelope. “Let’s go tell Gramma.”

* * *

Friday night, Jamie was worried about being able to fall asleep. “Mommy, tell me about the Dream Fairy again.”

“Okay. Close your eyes first.” She sat on the edge of his bed. “The Dream Fairy is going to wait right outside your bedroom door, and she’s going to peek in to see if your eyes are really closed.”

“They’re closed. I promise.”

“Good. Then she’s going to fly in your room, but she might dart behind your lamp or your mirror, just to be safe, because she wants to be absolutely sure that your eyes are closed.” She looked at Jamie closely. “Which they are.” She stood and stepped closer to his door. “Then she’s going to fly around your bed once or twice, hover right over your head, and sprinkle dream dust on you.”

“In my eyes?”

“I’m not sure. They’ll be closed, so it won’t matter. Then she’ll give you the slightest, lightest kiss,” — she made a kissing sound — “and fly away.”

“Mommy, tell me again what she looks like.”

“She’s beautiful. She has lovely red hair and emerald-green eyes with a face like an angel.”

“Does she love me?”

“Of course. Everybody does. Good night Jamie.”

“Good night, Mommy.”

* * *

Jamie and his mother knocked on Elizabeth’s door on Saturday morning. In one hand, he held a small bouquet of flowers, which was not his idea, and in the other, her present. It had taken them a while to pick out the perfect gift; his mother wouldn’t buy his argument that an action figure was a good choice. So they settled on an art kit, the kind with markers and stickers, glitter, and scissors — everything you need to make an excellent mess on a rainy day.

Elizabeth’s dad let them in, but all Jamie saw was a room full of parents and a table stacked with presents.

“Everybody’s out back,” her mom said. “We have a clown and an inflatable bouncy castle.”

A bouncy castle! Wait ’till Rollie and Fred hear about that.

* * *

After pizza and presents, it was time to say goodbye. Elizabeth stood by the door with her mom and thanked everybody individually.

As they walked to their car, Jamie’s mom said, “Elizabeth seemed tickled that you gave her flowers, Jamie.”

“She didn’t have to kiss me.”

“It was just your cheek. You can wash it when we get home.”

“That’s okay. I wiped it off already.”

* * *

During Monday morning recess, Rachel was sitting on a playground bench when the two class tattletales, Katie and Jenna, ran up to her.

“Fred pushed Elizabeth down, and she’s crying,” Katie said.

“Where are they?” Rachel asked.

“Over there.” Jenna pointed.

Rachel arrived at the scene of the crime and saw Elizabeth sitting on the ground, crying, and Fred standing over her, fists on her hips. A crowd of kids had gathered, all talking at once and pointing at Fred.

“Fred,” Rachel said, taking her by the arm and pulling her aside, “I need you to stand over here, please.” Then she knelt beside Elizabeth. “Sweetie, I need you to get up so we can see if you’re okay.” Elizabeth stood, and Rachel brushed her off, inspecting her for scrapes. “I think you’re fine. You can stop crying.” She dragged Fred by the hand back to the playground bench.

She sat Fred down and plopped beside her. “Okay, Fred. What’s this all about?”

“Elizabeth said she’s Jamie’s girlfriend.”

“And?”

“I said she wasn’t, and she wouldn’t listen so I pushed her down.”

“Honey, that was wrong. We don’t go hurting people just because they say something we don’t like.”

“She’s not Jamie’s girlfriend.”

“It’s still wrong. Don’t do it. Now you’re going to have to spend the rest of recess with me on the bench.”

Fred wouldn’t look at her. She stared straight ahead, making her I-smell-a-fart face, arms crossed. Rachel knew she should be mad at Fred, but it was hard.

“Fred,” she said, rubbing Fred’s back, “you really are a firecracker.”

Fred said nothing, but her hair seemed to be glowing about 20 degrees redder.

* * *

By the time Rachel got home from the faculty meeting that afternoon, Rollie and Fred had already gone home. Rachel’s mother met her at the door.

“I had to put Fred in time out today,” Evelyn said. “She kicked Jamie when they got off the bus.”

“Why?”

Evelyn smiled and said, “I think you might want to hear the story from Jamie.”

Rachel found him on the couch with a bag of ice on his shin. “You poor baby! What happened?”

“Fred kicked me.”

“Because?”

“Because I said I wasn’t her boyfriend.”

“You’re not?” She tried to keep a straight face. “Well then, whose boyfriend are you? Is it Elizabeth?”

“No! I’m nobody’s. I don’t have a girlfriend.”

“Well, it’s okay if you don’t have a girlfriend, just don’t lead anybody on.”

“What’s that mean?”

“Don’t fool them into thinking they are when they’re not.” When she saw his puzzled look, she added, “Don’t worry about it right now. When the time comes, you’ll have lots of girlfriends.”

“Don’t wanna girlfriend.”

“Okay, but if you change your mind, Fred would make a good one. We wouldn’t have to go far to pick her up.”

“The only way I’d be her boyfriend is if she gets softer shoes. Please ask her mom to get her softer shoes!”

“I’ll see what I can do.”

* * *

“For Halloween, I’m gonna be a queen,” Fred said. “Jamie, you need to dress up like a king ’cause we’re going trick-or-treating together. I heard my mommy say.”

“I’m gonna be Commander Hawk,” Jamie said.

“No, you gotta be a king, ’cause then we’ll match, and that’s more better.”

“Don’t care. I’m gonna be Commander Hawk. I already got a costume.”

“Okay, then Rollie, you gotta be a king.”

“No I don’t,” Rollie said. “I’m going to my church and get lotsa candy, probably more candy than you.”

“Nu uh, I’m gonna be a beautiful queen and everybody’s gonna give me lots ’cause they’ll think I’m so beautiful. What do you do at your stupid ol’ church, anyway, if you don’t trick-or-treat?”

“We play games and get candy for when we win and sing and get more candy and —”

“Do you dance?”

“No, we don’t dance at my church.”

“Well, it can’t be any fun, ’cause everybody likes to dance. My mommy says she’s gonna sign me up for dance lessons, and I’m gonna be a beautiful ballerina.”

“Are you gonna be a queen ballerina?” Rollie smirked.

“I can if I wanna. I can be anything I wanna be.”

* * *

Carl, Rachel, and Lisa walked with their kids while they went trick-or-treating. They waited at the end of a neighbor’s driveway while the kids walked up to the door. Fred made a clop clop sound as she walked.

Rachel looked at Fred. “Those shiny plastic high heeled shoes you got for her are so cute, but I don’t think she’s going to last long in them.”

Lisa opened a bag she was holding and pulled out a small pair of tennis shoes. “Sugar, I’ve already thought about that. I know how hard a pair of heels can be on a girl’s feet.”

“The cars seem to be driving slower tonight. That’s really considerate.”

“I gave them a little extra incentive to slow down,” Carl said. “I bribed Ron Kaminski to park his police cruiser at the entrance to the subdivision for a while.”

“Bribed?” Lisa said. “That doesn’t sound like you.”

“Well, not exactly bribed. I told him I’d help him finish his deck this weekend if he’d do it.”

“Honey, you would’ve done that anyway,” Rachel said.

“Yeah, probably, but don’t tell Ron.”

* * *

Fred and Jamie were almost finished trick-or-treating, walking ahead of their parents. Fred said, “Jamie, how come your glow stick is still so bright? Mine’s almost out.”

“Lemme see it.” Jamie grabbed the faintly pink plastic tube that hung from a string around her neck. “You just gotta do this.” He wrapped his hand around it in a fist, closed his eyes and squeezed. A brief flare of crimson light flashed from the cracks between his fingers, and when he opened his hand, the stick was a blazing pink once again.

“Thanks,” she said. “You need to show me how to do that sometime.”

“Sure, it’s easy. Anybody can do it.”

All you need is magic. He wondered briefly where that thought had come from. He only had a moment, though, because Fred was already knocking on the next door. He scampered up the steps to join her.

* * *

Thanksgiving promised to be much better for Jamie than the previous year. Although Rollie still had to go out of town, Fred didn’t. And best of all, Gina came back from Greensboro to visit. Jamie got to stay up late on the Wednesday night that she arrived, and he waited impatiently for the grownups to quit talking so that she could read to him and tuck him in.

“Gina, how much longer are you going to stay in the condo,” Carl asked.

“One more year. I’ll finish my master’s degree next spring.” She looked at Evelyn. “That is, if it’s okay with you.”

“Of course it is. I’m certainly not going to be using it anytime soon.”

“Mom, what are you going to do with it when Gina moves out?” Rachel asked. “You’re not going to move back, are you?”

“No, I’d rather stay here, if that’s all right.”

“We want you to stay here with us,” Carl said.

Jamie was relieved. He’d never thought about his grandmother moving away.

“I’ve been giving it some thought,” Carl continued. “Maybe you should think about selling it and buying a condo here. It would be a good investment. You could easily rent the condo out during the summer and fall, and if you ever decide to move into it, you’ll still be close.”

“I’ll think about it,” Evelyn said. “The rental income would be nice.”

* * *

Yes, Thanksgiving was looking good for Jamie, until Fred discovered Gina. Fred came over early Thursday evening, and Jamie nearly had to push her out the door to get her to leave. She seemed awestruck by Jamie’s beautiful, friendly cousin, and she was determined to follow Gina around like a little puppy, leaving no space for Jamie. She practically sat in Gina’s lap.

Right before bed on Saturday, Jamie complained to his grandmother. “Fred’s hogging Gina.”

“It’s okay, Honey. She’ll have time for you tomorrow,” she said.

Sunday morning, Jamie had Gina all to himself, and he wasn’t letting her out of his sight.

“Jamie, Fred told me a little secret,” Gina said, sitting next to him on the couch. “Do you want to hear it?”

“No.”

“I’m going to tell you anyway. She said that you’re really her boyfriend, but you don’t know it yet.”

“I’m not her boyfriend.” He narrowed his eyes.

“Why not? She’s pretty and fun, and she likes you.”

“Fred’s bossy, and she kicks me all the time.”

“Ah, but you’re not denying that she’s pretty.”

Jamie looked at Gina open mouthed. “But —”

“Too slow on the denial! Gotcha.” She hugged him with one arm and mussed his hair with her other hand. “You think she’s pretty, you think she’s pretty,” she sang.

“No!” Jamie squirmed. “I wanna be your boyfriend.”

“That’s so sweet, but we can’t. We’re cousins. Guess it’s going to have to be Fred or nothing.”

“Okay, nothing.”

“Oh, we’ll see about that in about ten years.” She laughed. “You’ll be singing a different tune.”

Chapter 15

Kindergarten was good for the kids. Fred managed to make it to the end without hurting anyone else, Rollie began reading and Jamie made more buddies, but none as close as his two first best friends, Fred and Rollie.

As soon as summer vacation started, the moms got together and decided to sign Jamie, Fred, and Rollie up for swim lessons. Lisa offered to drive, since she had the van, but Carl went with them whenever possible, hoping to somehow will athleticism into his reluctant son.

Rollie took to it right away, just as he had with baseball. He was practically swimming the very first day. Fred wasn’t far behind, driven by her fierce firecracker determination not to be outdone by a boy, especially Rollie or Jamie. Unfortunately, Jamie wasn’t much competition, as he was one of the last kids to graduate from the beginner class.

Carl found it frustrating to watch. It was as if his son didn’t care. That is, until Jamie found out you couldn’t go off the diving board unless you could swim to the side. Rollie and Fred had a blast, diving with the other kids, while Jamie was stuck in the shallow end. That was all the motivation he needed to finally get the hang of it.

The kids weren’t exactly diving, though. It was really jumping, one cannonball after the next, with the occasional twist or turn for variety, and the requisite “Mommy, watch me!” shouted in midair. The mothers didn’t watch. When you’ve seen one cannonball, you’ve seen them all.

People watched Jamie, though, especially after his first dive. Carl looked on apprehensively as his son ran down the diving board, hopped on the end, and flew, arms straight like Superman, in the longest, most perfect arc Carl had ever seen. Carl jumped up, pumped his fist and said, “Yes!” then looked around and sat, feeling his face flush.

On Jamie’s next dive, a few of the other parents clapped. One mother told Carl he should sign Jamie up for the dive team. Not diving! Carl thought. That’s not a sport. A real sport involved grunting, grass stains, and maybe a little blood. Diving was…well… clean. And the boys wore Speedos. Ugh.

The other kids tried to get fancy and see if they could spin one full turn on a dive, but Jamie, amazingly, could spin almost three full turns. Not diving, please not diving. Please be good at football or something.

* * *

Later, while Carl talked with some other parents, the three friends swam together at the edge of the pool in a section that was just over their heads, treading water.

“Watch,” Jamie said. “I can do it without moving my arms or legs.” He was perfectly still, but his head stayed above water.

“You’re touching bottom,” Rollie said.

“No I’m not.”

“You’re using your arms,” Fred said.

“No. Swim under and look for yourself.”

Fred and Rollie ducked under water with their eyes open and saw that Jamie’s legs were together and his arms were by his side, as if he were standing at attention, feet about ten inches from the bottom.

When they surfaced, Rollie said, “How do you do that?”

“I just think about it.”

“I can do it, too,” Fred boasted, but when she stopped paddling, she sank. She popped back up and spluttered. “Doesn’t work!”

Rollie tried, too, but got the same result.

“Hold my hand,” Jamie said. “Think about floating and nothing else.” The three kids held each other’s hands. “Stop kicking, Rollie. Just think.” Gradually, Rollie and Fred stopped thrashing, but stayed afloat, smiling broadly.

“Do you feel that?” Rollie asked.

“Yeah,” Fred said. “Like something warm and tingly in my hands.”

Jamie felt it, too. Something in the back of his mind told him There is magic in a triangle.

* * *

Jamie wasn’t particularly good at swimming or baseball, but he was good with animals, especially dogs.

“Jenny Stone called,” Rachel said one Saturday in June. “Do you kids want to go walk Sassy and her baby with her?”

He was out the door in a blink of an eye, off to get his friends.

Ten minutes later, Rollie was holding Sassy’s leash when Fred said, “It’s my turn now!”

Jenny looked at her watch. “Not quite, Fred. Rollie gets one more minute.”

Jamie didn’t care if he held the leash or not. He liked walking beside Sassy, and you could tell by her dog smile that she liked it, too. They rounded the next corner, Sassy’s ears perked up at the sound of a deep, ferocious bark, and the largest dog any of them had ever seen tore straight at them, fangs bared in a terrifying snarl.

“Oh my God!” Jenny screamed, picking her baby up from the stroller and shielding it from the onrushing beast.

Fred and Rollie tried to hide behind Jenny, but Jamie calmly stepped forward, extended his hands and said, “Hello, Ralphie.” The enormous Rottweiler skidded to a halt, sat on his haunches, and after a brief moment, began to wag his tail, tongue out. Jamie patted his head and said, “Good boy.”

Jenny stared, wide-eyed. “Ralphie?”

Sassy was having none of it. She hid behind Jenny, but Fred and Rollie came out to pet the dog, too. “How do you know his name?” Jenny asked

“He told me,” Jamie said.

Jenny looked at his tag. “You’re right, it’s Ralphie. You must’ve met him before.”

“No ma’am.”

“Dogs always tell him their names,” Fred said.

Jenny looked at them with a bewildered expression. “You are the funniest kids I’ve ever met.”

* * *

“Looks good, Carl.” Larry wiped the sweat from his forehead. “It’ll be a big hit at the birthday party next weekend.”

“Looks like the kids approve,” Garrett said, watching Jamie, Fred, and Rollie scramble into the now-finished clubhouse.

“Thanks for helping, guys,” Carl said.

The kids climbed into the top floor of the two-story structure, which looked like two cubes stacked on top of each other, each about six feet high, just tall enough for Carl to stand up inside without hitting his head. The bottom cube sat about two feet off the ground and was open, with half walls all around, making it look like a fort. A small door on the right led to a short stair.

The top cube was enclosed, had a shingled roof, windows on three sides, and a ladder going to the bottom floor that could be accessed through a trap door. The whole structure was built onto the right side of the playset, and the platform where the slide was attached led to a door on the top cube, so the kids could climb the stairs and either go down the slide or turn right into the clubhouse.

Both floors were wired with an electrical outlet and a ceiling light, and Carl built a small table for the top floor. Jamie’s Gramma made the curtains and Rachel bought three kid-sized plastic chairs to complete the furnishings.

“Daddy, can we eat up here?” Jamie yelled from the top floor window.

“Not now. It’s almost suppertime.”

“Can we watch TV, too?” Fred said.

“There’s no cable for the TV, but if you had a DVD player you could watch movies.”

“Cool!” Rollie said.

“I want a DVD player for my birthday present,” Jamie said.

“Jamie, you’re in your birthday present,” Carl said.

“Oh.”

“Then I’m gonna ask for one,” Fred said. “We can watch movies and eat snacks and play games and play dress up and —”

“No dress up!” the boys said together.

As the kids continued fussing, Carl picked up his tools and headed for the house, whistling a happy tune. Evelyn passed him, carrying a tray of lemonade and cookies to the clubhouse. “Aren’t you worried about spoiling their dinner?” Carl asked.

“Sometimes you have to make exceptions. This is a special occasion.”

* * *

The following weekend, the combined birthday party for Jamie and Fred was the biggest one yet. Because they now had school friends to invite, over thirty kids came, each with one or both parents. Fred’s parents rented a bouncy castle, which apparently was a must now at birthday parties. The new clubhouse was a huge hit, and Carl grilled hamburgers and hot dogs.

“Fred’s not very happy that you invited Elizabeth Stallings,” Lisa said as she helped Rachel fill drink cups for the kids.

“Well, we had to reciprocate,” Rachel said. “She invited Jamie to her party.”

“I think the worst part was when he gave Elizabeth a tour of the new clubhouse. Fred was so mad, I thought her hair was going to catch on fire.”

“It looks like it already did.” Rachel laughed. “She’s just jealous, that’s all. She’ll get over it and have fun.”

That Elizabeth Stallings thinks she’s so special, Fred thought. She won’t leave Jamie alone! And Jamie’s encouraging her. He had found a butterfly and gotten it to land on Elizabeth’s finger, and she just had to show everyone. That’s our special trick. That’s not for anybody else, especially Elizabeth. Well, Fred would show her. Jamie wouldn’t pay attention to Elizabeth anymore when he saw Fred’s scary new trick. I’ll go up to the platform and get outside the hand rail.

Fred climbed the stairs to the platform and grabbed the hand rail with her right hand. There was just enough of a ledge on the outside edge for a toe hold, if she held on tightly. She carefully stretched her right foot onto the edge and pulled herself all the way out. She did it! She was hanging on with two hands and her toes, nothing behind her but air, and when she looked down, the ground looked frighteningly far away.

I’d like to see Miss Prissy Perfect Elizabeth do that. But it wasn’t any good unless Jamie was watching.

“Fred, get down from there!” her father said, but she ignored him.

Not ’till Jamie sees me. Is he looking? “Jamie, look at me!” Did he hear me? She tried to look over her right shoulder to see if he was in the gazebo, but couldn’t get a good look, so she let go with her right hand to better turn her body around. But as she did, she lost her grip, and the last thing she remembered was the sight of the rail receding as she grabbed vainly at thin air.

* * *

“Jamie didn’t want to go,” Rachel said, sitting on the deck with Lisa and Carl. “He said he didn’t want to go swimming if Fred couldn’t go.”

“What a good friend,” Lisa said. “They really do love each other.”

“You’re just saying that because you want it to be true,” Carl said, “because you two are such good friends.”

“I think it’s true, too,” Rachel said. “Since before they were born.”

“That’s nonsense. Rollie didn’t want to go, either. Garrett told me he took him to the pool by himself on Monday, but he didn’t have any fun.”

“Well, Fred insisted that Jamie be the first one to sign her cast,” Lisa said.

“But she made Jamie mad when she drew hearts all around his name.” Carl grinned.

“Did her headaches go away, yet?” Rachel asked.

“They’re mostly all gone,” Lisa said. “We were more scared by the concussion than the broken arm, that’s for sure.”

“But she’s going to be really popular now. That’s the first time any of those kids have seen somebody taken from a party in an ambulance.”

“That scared the crap out of me,” Carl said. “So why aren’t the kids at your house watching your new TV?”

“I don’t know,” Lisa said. “Larry spent most of his bonus on a giant TV and surround sound system for the basement so Fred would have something to do, and they’re up there in that clubhouse watching movies on her little DVD player.”

Just then they heard Rollie from the clubhouse. “Ow. Stop, Fred!”

“Well, at least she hasn’t lost her spirit.”

* * *

Renn stood on the barren hillside, just as he did every year at this time, looking at the three mounds, the smaller one the size of a child. He had no tears for them, not since the plague that had taken them, only bitterness and anger.

The soil was too thin to support much vegetation, except for the occasional clump of weeds sprouting here and there among the rocks. He drove his dragon’s head staff into the ground and a wave of green spread immediately from it, as ripples from a pebble dropped in a pond. The grass spread as far as he could see, and flowers began to sprout, flowers of all colors, a riotous carpet covering the sad, stony landscape.

He paused for several long moments to admire his work, and, satisfied with the result, pulled his purple cloak about him, stamped his staff on the ground again and vanished.

Chapter 16

Fred and Rollie ate lunch with Jamie. Carl asked, “How would you kids like to play soccer?”

“What’s that?” Rollie asked.

“It’s a sport. You kick a ball and run around.” He scratched his chin. “Maybe I’d better show you.” He turned on the family room computer and searched videos. “Here’s a good one. Watch.”

The three kids watched the short video of two professional English teams, which was mostly highlights of impressive goals and fancy dribbling.

“Hey, that’s perfect for you, Fred,” Jamie said. “You can kick people and not get in trouble.”

She stuck her tongue out at him.

“It’s only one day a week,” Carl said. “Saturday mornings, starting in two weeks.”

“If it’s on Saturday, then I can’t go,” Fred said. “I’m starting tap dance lessons.”

“Oh, right,” Jamie said. “That’s just ’cause my cousin Gina did tap dance. You wanna be just like her.”

“Nu uh.”

“Yu huh. You were gonna do ballet, remember? If Gina played football, you’d wanna be a football player.”

“That’s enough, Jamie,” Evelyn said from the kitchen.

“I wanna do soccer,” Rollie said.

“Great!” Carl said. “I’ll talk to your dad.

But, just like everything else, Rollie took right to soccer, and Jamie was just sort of there, more interested in the snacks and friends than the sport. Jamie was popular with the other kids, though, with his knack for finding wildlife. The day he found the garter snake was a memorable one, when the game stopped completely, not because all the kids were scared of the snake, but because they wanted to play with it.

* * *

One rainy Saturday morning in early September, Evelyn said to Jamie, “How would you like to go work at the food bank with me today? Grannie Darla will be there.”

“I wanna play with Fred and Rollie.”

“Fred has tap dance lessons and Rollie’s off with his mom.”

Jamie still looked unsure. She said, “I’ll take you to get a hot dog and ice cream afterwards. It’ll be fun.”

Ice cream was the deal maker. “Okay.”

* * *

The food bank, Jamie came to find out, was run by Grannie Darla’s church. Grannie Darla worked up front, helping people with their paperwork and putting their food list together. Gramma worked in the warehouse, filling the food bags and putting them in an old beat up shopping cart with a wobbly front wheel.

They put Jamie right to work. He would wait with Grannie Darla until she had a food list together, then he’d run it to the back, where he’d help Gramma push the cart around the warehouse, pulling cans of food and other stuff off the metal shelves and placing them in the cart. Then he’d push the cart back to the front, where he’d help an older man load the groceries into the people’s cars.

At first, it bothered Jamie to see the sad, almost desperate faces of the people who came to the warehouse, but the look of gratitude they gave him when he helped load their cars — he’d never forget that. It made him feel good inside, made him understand why his grandmothers did it. He realized that helping others was not only good for the people who got helped, but also for the people helping.

He had a brief flash, an almost-memory of someone asking him for help long ago. That couldn’t be right, he thought, he wasn’t old enough for a memory like that. Besides, in the almost-memory, he’d said no. And he wouldn’t do that. He would help people, just like his grandmothers. He quickly forgot about the little memory and ran back to his Gramma, pushing the cart.

* * *

“Jamie, quit spinning before your ice cream flies off your cone.” Evelyn grabbed the chromed edge of Jamie’s stool. They sat at the counter of Mike’s on Main Street. Behind them, a row of booths stretched the length of the long, rectangular room and a white tin ceiling overhead gave it a quaint, cheerful look. The last bite from Jamie’s hot dog bun was still on the plate in front of him

“Yes ma’am.”

“Why did you only want one scoop?”

He looked thoughtful for a moment before replying. “I feel guilty eating so much when them people —”

“Those people.”

“Right. When those people at the food bank didn’t have much.”

“Did you learn something today?”

“Um hmm,” he said, licking his ice cream. “That people can be grateful when you help them.”

“What else? What did we talk about?”

“That…that helping others helps yourself.”

“Good boy. I’m proud of you.”

He smiled and took another lick. “Gramma, can I go back sometime?”

“Sure. We’d love to have you.” She rubbed his curly head. “Let me hold your cone so you can give yourself one good spin before we go.”

* * *

When Jamie started first grade, Evelyn was better prepared for the silent, lonely house that went with it. She knew she’d miss the noise and chaos of Jamie and his constant companions, Fred and Rollie, and the excitement and energy they brought to her life, so when some ladies from church asked her to join their Wednesday bridge club, she accepted.

Since Jamie’s was born, her life revolved around her little family and church, and she’d had no need to cultivate friends her own age. But with school starting and long hours of dreadful isolation looming, she jumped at the chance to join the club.

* * *

“Anybody hungry for lunch? I just cut up some fruit,” Rachel said from the sink, as Carl and Jamie stepped into the kitchen from the garage.

“Not hungry.” Jamie headed straight for the family room couch.

“How was soccer?”

“Rollie and Jamie were out of it today,” Carl said.

“Probably tired from the sleepover. How did that go?”

“Pretty good, I think, for their first one. Adele said they finally got to sleep around midnight, and they woke up early and watched cartoons.”

“Did Jamie have any nightmares?”

“About the guy in the purple cloak? I don’t think so.”

“That’s starting to worry me.” She frowned. “It’s the same bad dream, over and over. Maybe we should take him to the doctor.”

“Let’s wait and see.”

Rachel put the apple slices in the refrigerator. “Did Fred ever calm down?”

“I guess. She came over and watched movies with them for a while last night, but she wasn’t happy about not getting to spend the night. Adele said it wasn’t appropriate.”

“I’d let her.”

“You would?” Carl raised his eyebrows.

“Sure, why not? They’re only six years old. What are they going to do? They’re not going to fool around.”

Carl scratched his chin. “Sooner or later, they’re going to want to camp out in the clubhouse. I could stay on the bottom floor in a sleeping bag, if it wasn’t too cold.”

“I like that idea a lot. I’m sure they will, too. Jamie, what do you think?” But when she looked into the family room, she found him fast asleep on the couch.

* * *

Jamie liked first grade. He liked his teacher, Mrs. Barnes, and his classmates, especially since Rollie was one of them. Fred wasn’t, but she had the same recess period.

One thing Jamie didn’t like was lunch. That was because first grade and fifth grade shared the same lunch period and had assigned seating. Unfortunately for Jamie, his table was right next to a fifth grade table, and at that table sat the meanest kid in school, Darryl Dempsey.

On the first day of school, Jamie noticed that some of the kids at his table ate their dessert as soon as they sat down. Before he could ask why, Darryl got up from his table, walked over to Jamie, and grabbed his pudding off of his tray.

Jamie tried to grab the plate. “Hey, that’s mine!”

“Not anymore, twerp,” Darryl said.

That night at dinner, Jamie told his parents about lunch.

“Jamie, You can’t let him push you around like that,” Carl said.

“But he’s bigger than me.”

“You still have to stand your ground. If you don’t, he’s going to keep taking your dessert.”

That was a lot to think about. Jamie liked dessert.

The next day at lunch, Darryl walked over to Jamie and reached for his chocolate cake. Jamie grabbed the edge of the little plate and held on with all of his might. But when Darryl pinched him hard on the fleshy part of his upper arm, Jamie cried out, getting the attention of Mrs. Barnes. Jamie’s teacher made Darryl spend the rest of lunch at the time out table at the front of the cafeteria, which the kids called the Table of Shame.

At the front of the school the next morning, Jamie told Fred and Rollie, “I left my book on the bus. I’ll meet you inside.”

Jamie retrieved his book and hurried through the front doors, looking for his friends, who were already halfway down the main hall. But as he walked toward Fred and Rollie, he didn’t see Darryl Dempsey step out of a doorway behind him, a vengeful look on his face. He didn’t notice that Darryl followed him as he approached his friends, but he did see that they had wide-eyed expressions of alarm.

“What —” he started to say, but suddenly felt a terrible shock in the back of his head as Darryl slugged him with all of his pent-up fury. The next thing Jamie knew, he was on the hall floor, a stabbing pain in his skull. He sat up and looked around and saw Darryl on the floor, too, curled up in a fetal position, both hands on his groin. Fred was standing over him, looking madder than ever.

Jamie spent the next hour in the nurse’s clinic with a bag of ice on the back of his head. Through the open door, he could see across the hall into the Principal’s office, where Darryl sat by himself at a small desk, looking miserable. Surprisingly, Fred wasn’t there. She wasn’t in any trouble. Darryl was probably too embarrassed to admit that he’d been kicked in the balls by a first grade girl.

* * *

Rachel called Carl at work and told him about the incident, and that night after dinner, Carl paid a visit to Darryl Dempsey’s house, where he had a little talk with his father. The following week, Darryl transferred to a private school.

* * *

“Carl, you’ve still got your gun on,” Rachel said, as he walked in after a long day at work.

He put his hand on the bulge beneath his coat. “Sorry. I’ll go lock it up.”

“While you’re in the garage, grab some more sodas.” She tapped the computer keyboard wildly. “Darn! Lost the Internet connection again. Will you go get Jamie, please?”

“I can fix it.”

“No, you can’t. Get Jamie.”

“We don’t need to bother him. Scoot over and let me have a look.”

“No, Carl. Every time this happens, you waste an hour sitting here at the computer getting frustrated and mad, then you start cussing and my mom gets mad. Then we end up getting Jamie and he fixes it in about two minutes. Can we just skip all that and get Jamie now?”

A few minutes later, Jamie tapped at the computer, his blue eyes focused in an unblinking stare at the monitor. After a minute or so, he put his hand on the modem and closed his eyes briefly. “Okay, it’s working.”

“Can you show me what you just did?” Carl said.

“I’ve showed you before, but you don’t listen. You try to do it your way and it doesn’t work.”

“Hey, now, I —”

“It’s true, Carl,” Rachel said. “You’re too stubborn to listen to your six-year-old son, even though he’s better at computers than both of us.”

“Don’t know about that.”

“Don’t take it personally. Most kids are better at this kind of stuff than their parents.” She kissed his cheek. “Speaking of stubborn, Fred’s going to be staying with us all day tomorrow. I hope that’s okay.”

“It’s okay with me. What’s up?” Carl said.

“Lisa has to go to Charlotte tomorrow to visit her great aunt and Larry’s out of town.”

“Can Rollie come over, too?” Jamie asked.

“He’s going on a church retreat.” Rachel picked Jamie up from the computer chair. She sat down and put him in her lap. “But we’ll do something fun.”

“Can we go to the movies?”

“Sure, that’s a great idea. You and Fred can have a date. Your first date!”

Jamie narrowed his eyes and scrunched up his mouth.

“Don’t look at me like that,” she said. “You look like an old man when you do that.”

“Fred is not my girlfriend,” he said flatly.

“Well, don’t tell her that. She might kick you again.”

“Fred kicks too much, Mom. I bet you don’t kick Daddy.”

“No, but I give him a pinch every now and then.” She glanced at the bulge underneath Carl’s coat where his holster was. “And I’m going to give him one right now if he doesn’t lock his gun up.” She laughed and reached toward Carl, who jumped out of reach and scurried to the garage.

Chapter 17

Not all of Jamie’s dreams were nightmares about the man in the purple cloak. Some of the good ones were of him as Walter the Wizard, all grown up. He could do all of the things Walter could do, and more, and he didn’t need a wand like the little wizard. His power flowed straight from his fingertips, like bolts of lightning. It was exhilarating to feel the energy fill up his body and surge from his hands in tingling streams of fire.

The best dream came the night of the first campout in the clubhouse with his friends.

* * *

Carl lifted the trapdoor to the second floor of the clubhouse and said, “It’s time to turn off the DVD player, guys. If anybody has to use the bathroom, let’s go now.”

“We don’t have to go, Dad,” Jamie said. He wasn’t calling him Daddy anymore around his friends.

“Okay, but you’ve had a lot of soda, so if you boys have to go in the night, you can pee on a tree. Fred, you wake me up if you have to go, and I’ll walk you to the house.”

“I’m not peeing on a tree,” Rollie said. “There might be snakes out there.”

“Rollie, I told you ten times, there ain’t no snakes,” Jamie said.

“There aren’t any snakes,” Carl said. “And how do you know that?”

“I just do.”

“I can hold it, Mr. Sikes,” Fred said. “I can hold it way longer than they can.”

“It’s not a competition, Fred. If you have to go, wake me up. Your mom told me you could get a bladder infection.” There were still no takers on his bathroom offer, so he said, “Let’s get some sleep. I’ll be right down here so there’s nothing to be afraid of.”

“We’re not afraid of anything, Dad.”

“’Cept snakes,” Rollie said.

“There aren’t any snakes!”

Carl closed the trapdoor, stepped off the ladder, and settled into his sleeping bag. It was a nice spring night, cool but not cold, and the air smelled fresh, reminding Carl of his camping experiences as a Boy Scout. The pad underneath him cushioned the hard wooden floor. Snuggled inside his sleeping bag, he was comfortable, and the night was peaceful.

Except that the kids were still talking. After about fifteen minutes, he said, “Guys, time to hush.”

He heard a muffled “Okay” from above, and they got quiet. Carl settled back in, ready for sleep, but some animal, probably a frog, was making a chirping sound, endlessly. He tried to ignore it, but the harder he tried, the more it bothered him. He finally gave up, climbed the ladder, lifted the trapdoor and said, “Jamie, can you get that animal to hush?”

“Uh huh.” Jamie opened the door and said, “Hey, could you please be quiet?”

The noise stopped immediately, so Carl closed the trap door and slipped back into his sleeping bag. He lay awake for a few more minutes, listening for the sound, but all was quiet.

I don’t how he does that, but right now, I don’t care.

* * *

Jamie’s dreams that night were clear and rich, vivid to the point of being real. He was a young man, doing magic that Walter never would’ve thought of. He was in a room somewhere, a stone tower, surrounded by books and flasks and small mechanical contraptions, little clockwork gizmos. With his finger, he traced the glowing outline of a door, pushed on it, and it opened. He stepped through it into an amazing landscape. He was on an expansive rocky ledge and it was night, but there were three moons overhead, their bluish-white light illuminating the valley below.

He picked up a rock about the size of a baseball, hefted it for a moment, and threw it out over the valley. He quickly raised his arm, pointed his finger, and fired a bolt of energy that blasted the receding rock into a puff of dust. He picked up another rock, threw it straight up, and fired again, catching the rock at its zenith and disintegrating it instantly. Laughing with enthusiasm, he eyed a small boulder, too heavy to pick up, and made a lifting motion with his hand. The boulder rose and hung in midair. He made a throwing motion and the boulder flew out over the valley. He spun in a circle, pointed his finger and fired again, exploding the boulder with a loud bang that echoed off the mountains on the other side of the valley.

He walked to the very edge of the cliff, put his feet together and his hands by his side. Then, bending his knees, he jumped, or dove, like he was at the pool, out into the vastness below. But instead of falling, he flew, arms in front of him like Superman, straight out over the valley. He rolled his body and flew down, down, faster and faster, rocketing to the valley floor, the wind buffeting his face, with impossible, exhilarating speed. At the last moment, he pulled out of his dive and flew parallel to the valley floor, turning as he shot over the landscape, corkscrewing through the air toward the mountains on the other side.

He turned and flew up, past the rocky ledge, higher and higher, until the moonlit mountains seemed like little sand piles below him. He paused in midair, hung for a moment halfway between the three moons above and the mountains below, and took in the magnificent view. He remembered thinking, the way you sometimes do in dreams: I hope Fred and Rollie have dreams like this.

* * *

Rollie’s birthday was a few weeks before Fred and Jamie’s, so technically, he was the oldest of the three. This bothered Fred. She tried telling her parents that someday she’d be older than Rollie, but no matter how hard her parents tried, she couldn’t, or didn’t want to, grasp the idea that birthdays weren’t flexible, Rollie’s would come before hers every year, and he would always be older.

“When I’m president,” she said, “I’m going to change that.”

* * *

For Rollie’s seventh birthday, his parents bought him a basketball goal, a real one, not the little plastic kind that little kids play with. It had a pole attached to a base with wheels, so they could put it anywhere, and it was adjustable. Garrett put it on the edge of his driveway, halfway between the street and his house.

“Mr. Wilkens, it’s too high up,” Jamie said.

“It’s only nine feet,” Garrett replied. “It supposed to be ten.”

“But I can’t get the basketball up there.” Jamie heaved again, but came up short.

“I can do it,” Rollie said confidently. He picked up the ball and grunted as he flung it, sending it all the way over the backboard.

“I can, too,” Fred said. She carefully eyed the rim, gave the ball a two-handed push with all her might, and banged it off the bottom of the rim.

“You just need a little help with your mechanics.” Garrett picked the ball up, dribbled it twice, then jumped and shot with one smooth motion. Swish.

“Wow,” the kids said together.

“Maybe it is a little high for right now.” Garret went to the garage, got his stepladder, and lowered the rim to eight feet. He moved the ladder aside and said, “Try that.”

Rollie tried first, and nearly sank it.

“Yeah, that’s better,” Garrett said.

The kids resumed their attack on the goal, and before long, Rollie made his first shot, throwing his arms up exultantly. Fred, with her usual firecracker determination, managed to sink one not long after. Jamie was the last to score, but it didn’t bother him much. He was playing with his friends. That’s what mattered.

* * *

One morning in late June, Rachel found Jamie watching television in the family room.

She sat next to him.“Whatcha watchin’?”

“It’s a nature show about dogs.”

“How come you’re not watching cartoons?”

“I can watch those when Fred and Rollie come over. They don’t like nature shows.”

“So what are they doing on this show?”

“These people are learning about dogs. Dogs are smart. The people put these little thingies on the dogs’ heads, and when they show the dogs pictures of people’s faces, they can tell how the dogs look at the faces, what they look at first.”

“Which is…?”

“They read our faces. That’s what they said. They look at our faces like people do, and that’s how dogs know what we’re thinking. Wolves can’t do that. They don’t look in our eyes. Dogs are smarter than wolves.”

“Dogs came from wolves.”

“I know,” he said. “They evolved from wolves.”

God, he’s smart, she thought. “Evolved? You know that word already?”

“Uh huh. They said it on this show, and I heard it in school, and I saw it in a book in the library.”

“You’re reading books like that?”

“I don’t check ’em out. I just look at ’em.”

“What else did you see on this show?”

“These people took foxes and made ’em like dogs.”

“What?”

“They bred foxes…that means they had babies, right? They bred the nicest foxes with the other nice foxes, and did it again and again, and after a while, the new foxes started acting just like dogs. They can take ’em home for pets. I’d love to have a pet fox. Can we get one?”’

“I don’t think Gramma would like that.” She smiled and rubbed his head. “Maybe you can be a vet when you grow up.”

“A what?”

“A veterinarian. It’s an animal doctor. You’re really good with dogs and other animals.”

“Just like these people on this show are good with dogs.”

“But not as good as you.”

“No,” he said confidently.

He’s probably right.

“Speaking of Gramma, your Aunt Connie called last night from Greensboro. She’s coming to visit.”

“Is that the lady Gramma goes to visit?”

“Yes. She’s her sister, your great aunt. She’s coming for your birthday weekend. You’ll like her. She’s like your Gramma.”

“This is gonna be a good birthday.”

“They all are, Sweetie.” She hugged her little boy tightly and watched the rest of the show with him.

* * *

That night, Rachel talked with Carl about her conversation with Jamie.

“So, do you think we should try to move him up a grade?” Carl said.

“No, I think he should be with kids his age. It would be hard for him, especially socially. He’s not a big guy, anyway. He’d be happier with his friends.”

“But we don’t want to hold him back. He should be challenged.”

“When he gets to middle school, we can get him in the gifted program.”

“So you think he’s gifted?”

“Without a doubt.”

“Yeah, me too. He’s freakishly good with animals, too.”

“Yeah,” Rachel said. “I’ve noticed.”

Chapter 18

The Friday afternoon before his birthday, Jamie opened the front door. “Gramma, you don’t have to ring the doorbell. You live here. Did you get new glasses?”

“I’m not your Gramma; I’m your Aunt Connie.” She held her arms open for a hug. “You must be Jamie.”

* * *

Jamie’s mom insisted on cooking dinner that night so that her mother and her aunt could catch up, but she couldn’t seem to keep them out of the kitchen. So they all cooked. Jamie hung around the doorway, watching the women work together.

He couldn’t get over the sight of his grandmother and great aunt side by side. He knew about twins — there were two pairs of them at his school — but he’d never thought about older, grownup twins. The two women were both wiry and trim — probably from years of working the laziness out of others — they wore their hair the same and they even talked alike.

The biggest difference Jamie could spot was in their personalities. Aunt Connie wasn’t quite as stern as Gramma and was more affectionate. She liked to hug. Gramma did, too, but not like Aunt Connie.

That night at dinner, Granddaddy Pete and Grannie Darla came, and the dining room table was nearly full. Jamie’s dad sat on one end, and Pete sat on the other. Jamie sat next to him while the sisters sat together. Most of the talk centered on them, and there was a lot of catching up to be done.

“We haven’t seen you since Carl and Rachel’s wedding,” Pete said. “How’s your husband?”

“Ray’s fine,” Connie said. “He’s looking forward to retiring next year.”

“What are you going to do? Are you going to travel?”

“Ray doesn’t like to travel much. He’d rather stay home and play golf.”

“There’s a man after my own heart.” Pete chuckled.

“How’s Gina?” Rachel asked.

“Good. Almost through with her master’s degree. She might have a job lined up in Asheville.”

“That’s exciting,” Darla said, “but won’t you be lonely there in Greensboro, just you and Ray?”

“Yes, which brings me to my reason for coming here this weekend.” She glanced at Jamie and said, “I really wanted to meet you, Jamie, because Evelyn has said so much about you.” Then she looked at her sister. “But what I really came for was to talk Evelyn into moving back to Greensboro.”

The whole table looked at her in stunned silence, all except for Pete, who muttered under his breath, “Good riddance.”

* * *

Saturday was Connie’s first experience with the controlled chaos of the modern kid’s birthday party. The backyard was a seething mass of pint-sized humanity. Kids jumped and shrieked in the bouncy castle, swarmed around the playset and clubhouse like bees, and ran around the yard like crazed savages. And in the center of the storm was Evelyn. Connie was amazed at how calm and collected her sister was, handing out snacks, putting a bandage on a scraped knee, or giving random hugs to the children, especially Jamie, Fred, and Rollie, who seemed to gravitate to her like moths to a flame.

Watching their interaction, Connie was struck by how much affection her sister shared with those kids. They were as likely to seek her out, it seemed, as they would their own parents, regularly circling by her in their little orbits around the solar system of the yard, the children were comets and Evelyn was the sun.

She realized that her sister really had three grandchildren — Jamie, an adorable little red-headed girl, and an African-American boy with a smile too big for his face.

* * *

Jamie and Fred took turns opening presents. Fred picked up a small gift wrapped in shiny pink paper and Connie said, “That’s from Gina and me. She really wanted you to have it.”

Fred tore off the paper, opened the box and shrieked, “Earrings! Mom, they’re earrings.”

She showed her mother, who said, “Are those emeralds?”

“Yes,” Connie said, “but don’t get too excited. They’re tiny. Gina said Fred needed those to match her eyes.”

“Mom, can I get my ears pierced now?”

“Right this second?” Lisa laughed. “Let’s see if I can find a toothpick around here.”

Fred grabbed her earlobes and frowned.

“I’m teasing, Honey. We’ll go tomorrow. Let’s get a picture of you with them.”

Fred pulled the earrings out of the box and held them up next to her face for the photo, her eyes sparkling brighter than the stones.

* * *

Connie and Evelyn said goodbye in the driveway on Sunday afternoon. They put their arms around each other’s waists and Connie said, “You have a wonderful family, Evelyn.”

“They’re your family, too.”

“I guess this means I’m not going to be able to talk you into moving home.”

“This is my home, now. Everything that matters is here.”

“Except me.”

“Maybe you should move here.”

Connie looked at her sister for a moment before saying, “I’ll think about it. If Gina moves to Asheville, it would be nice. It’ll take some work convincing Ray.” She put her hand on her sister’s face. “If I had a grandson like Jamie, I’d stay too. I think that boy needs you, Evelyn. I think all three of those kids do.”

“I need them, too.”

“I can see that.”

They hugged each other tightly, and Connie got in her car. Evelyn stood in the driveway and waved until she was out of sight.

Chapter 19

Jamie’s favorite birthday present was from his parents: A magic set.

“Jamie, are you almost ready?” Carl called from the kitchen. Jamie was in the family room with his magic instruction book and a deck of cards.

“Almost.”

“Any day now. I’ve got to go to work tomorrow.”

“Okay, here I come.” Jamie came into the kitchen and put the cards on the table and spread them. “Okay, pick a card, but don’t show me.” Carl pulled out the nine of clubs. “Now,” Jamie continued, “remember your card and put it back in the pile.” After Carl put the card back, Jamie clumsily shuffled. “Okay, cut the deck.” Carl did so and handed it back to Jamie, who looked through and pulled out the nine of clubs. “Is this it?”

“How did you do that?”

“The first rule in the book says don’t ever tell your secrets.”

“It’s got to be a marked deck. Let’s try it with a real one.” Carl looked through the kitchen drawers and pulled out a fresh pack. “Okay, let’s try that again.”

Jamie repeated the steps of the trick and found his father’s card again.

“Pretty amazing, Buddy. Let’s show Gramma.”

* * *

By the end of the week, Jamie had learned all of the card tricks from the book and was working on the little rubber balls.

“Okay, which cup is it under?” he asked his parents.

Rachel pointed to one. Jamie turned it over and said, “Nope.” He moved the three cups around again. “Which one?” Carl pointed to one. “Nope.”

“Well, which one is it?” Carl asked.

“None of them.” He turned over the cups and reached behind his father’s ear, opened his hand and showed them the ball.

Carl frowned. “Do that again. I’m going to watch your hands.”

Jamie repeated the trick, pulling the ball from behind his mother’s ear.

“I don’t get it,” Carl said. “I’ve been watching your hands like a hawk, and you’ve got short sleeves on. How do you do it?”

“The book says I can’t tell you.” Jamie smiled. “But I know what I want to spend my birthday money from Granddaddy Pete and Grannie Darla on. There’s a trick shop in Asheville. Can you take me sometime?”

* * *

That Saturday, his parents took him to Wally’s Trick Shop, and Jamie thought he’d died and gone to heaven. It had glass display cases full of special trick equipment, puppets, costumes and everything else you might need for a magic act. He took his time looking at everything in the store and finally decided.

“I’ve only got enough for the magician’s table,” he told his parents. But I really want to get the hat and the rings, too. What should I do?”

Carl looked at Rachel for a moment, then said to Jamie, “Well, we’ve been talking about when we should start giving you an allowance. How about this: we give you five dollars a week, starting right now, which is enough for the rings, and you have to do chores to earn it.”

“You can take out the trash every day and sweep the front walk,” Rachel said.

“Really?” Jamie said. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

On the ride back to Hendersonville, Jamie sat in the back seat and read the instructions for the magic rings. By the time they got home, he was ready to wow his family with his new trick.

* * *

Jamie, Fred, and Rollie sat in the clubhouse.

“Okay, which one?” Jamie asked.

Rollie pointed to a cup. “Nope,” Jamie said smugly.

“All right, we give up.” Fred said. “Where is it?”

“It’s behind your ear.”

When she felt behind her ear, Jamie said, “Not that one.” He reached over to her other ear. “This one.” He showed them the little ball.

Rollie looked uncomfortable. “This better not be real magic. My dad said that’s bad.”

“It’s not, I told you. It’s just a trick. Anybody can do it.”

Fred, face set in determination said, “Do it again. I’m going to catch you this time.”

“No you’re not,” Jamie said in a sing-song voice. “Nobody can.”

And he was right.

By the time school started the following week, Jamie was ready to amaze his fellow second graders.

* * *

Renn drummed his fingers on the table, unable to focus on the book in front of him. He had come home to find the girl he’d hired to help Mother had run off. Or Mother had run her off. This was posing a dilemma: If he tracked down the girl and punished her and her family, he’d never be able to get anyone from the little town to come work at the house in her place. And he wasn’t sure if he should punish her. Maybe Mother had indeed run her off. His time was too valuable to waste on such trivial things; he had bigger bears to skin, as Mother would say.

He had good reasons to believe that Mother had sent the girl away. Mother had strongly resisted his suggestions of getting her help and had been less than cordial to the girl when she arrived. Now Mother lay asleep in her room, the house was filthy, and dinner was awful. He would have to find someone, and soon.

* * *

Jamie got on the bus the first day of second grade with strict instructions from his mother: he could only do magic tricks before school, during recess, or during lunch, and that was only if it was okay with Mrs. Hammond, his new teacher. His backpack was loaded with his cards, cups, rings, and balls, and he had practiced the tricks until he could do them perfectly.

The only problem was, by the end of the second day of school, he had used them all up.

“I need some new ones,” Jamie said to Fred and Rollie on the bus ride home, “but I already learned everything in the magic book.”

“I bet you can find some on the Internet,” Rollie said. They went to Jamie’s house after school, fired up the computer and found loads of videos of card tricks. After watching one they thought might be good, Rollie said, “Hey, I could do that. It ain’t real magic.”

“Isn’t real magic,” Evelyn said from the kitchen.

“Do you wanna learn this trick, Rollie?’” Jamie said.

“Nah, you can do that stuff. Maybe I’ll think up something of my own to do.”

“You could tap dance with me,” Fred said.

“Uh uh, too girlie.”

“A lot of famous tap dancers are men, like Gregory Hines,” Evelyn said. “He was black.”

“Don’t care if he was purple, I’m not tap dancing,” Rollie said.

* * *

The next day, the kids ran into the house and headed straight for the computer again, but Evelyn said, “Not so fast, kids. It’s a beautiful day. You need to play outside.”

“But we wanna look at card tricks,” Jamie said.

“Too bad. Out!” She pointed at the back door.

That night at dinner, Evelyn said, “We need to establish some rules for Jamie about using the computer. I think he needs time limits, just like TV. Those kids came home from school today expecting to play on the Internet, and I’m not having that.”

Carl scratched his chin. “What do you think, Rachel? Half hour?”

“A half hour!” Jamie said.

“How about if we make it one hour total on school nights, TV and computer,” Rachel said. “He can divide it however he likes.”

“As long as he keeps reading,” Evelyn said.

“I’m gonna read,” Jamie said.

“But no more staying up late reading.” Carl put both hands flat on the table. “I took the flashlight out of your room, by the way.”

“Something else I want to talk about,” Rachel said. “Lisa said they want to come to church with us this Sunday. They don’t like their new minister.”

“Is Fred gonna go?” Jamie asked.

“Yes.” Evelyn shook her finger at him. “But you won’t be sitting together, at least this first time. You fidget enough in the pew as it is.”

“Yeah.” Carl grinned. “God might forgive your sins, but your grandmother will not forgive misbehaving in God’s house.”

* * *

Jamie found the web site for Wally’s Trick Shop. “They have so much cool stuff, but it costs too much. It’ll take forever to save up my allowance. Is there any way I can make some money?”

“Like a job?” Carl said.

“How about a dog walking service?” Evelyn asked. “You’re very good with animals.”

“That’s a good idea,” Rachel said. “We could print flyers and go around the neighborhood, putting them on mailboxes.”

“How much money could I make?” Jamie asked.

“More than you’re making now,” Carl said.

* * *

Monday after school, Jamie and Rachel put out flyers on 75 mailboxes. It didn’t take long to get a response.

“Mr. Folsom called while you were in the bath,” Rachel said. “He wants to know if you can handle walking Ralphie.”

“For real?” Jamie said. “I can do that. Me and Ralphie are buddies.”

The next afternoon, as Jamie and Evelyn knocked on Mr. Folsom’s door, they heard Ralphie’s deep bark. Mr. Folsom opened the door a crack and said, “Let me get the leash. We’ll take a test walk and see how you do.”

A minute later, he opened the door and Ralphie barreled through, pulling Mr. Folsom along. Ralphie was so excited to see Jamie that he nearly knocked him down.

“Well, I can see that he likes you,” Mr. Folsom said. “I just don’t know if you can control him. He’s a big, strong dog, probably weighs twice as much as you.”

“I can control him,” Jamie said confidently. “Ralphie, sit.”

Ralphie immediately sat on his haunches, tongue out.

“How did you get him to do that?” Mr. Folsom asked. “He won’t do it for me.”

“Nobody’s as good with dogs as Jamie,” Evelyn said. “Go ahead and give him the leash.”

Mr. Folsom handed Jamie the leash, and Jamie said, “Up, Ralphie.” The dog stood and waited. “Okay, let’s go.”

Ralphie almost pulled Jamie over. “Easy, boy.” The dog looked over his shoulder for reassurance, and then moved out at an easy walk.

Mr. Folsom looked at Evelyn and nodded.

Mr. Folsom gave Jamie the job. He would walk Ralphie four days a week, Monday through Thursday, for fifteen minutes each day. The pay was two dollars per walk.

“That’s eight dollars a week!” Jamie said when they got home. “That’s more than my allowance.”

By dinnertime, two more customers called. Jenny wanted him to walk Sassy twice a week, and a lady down the street wanted her dachshund walked three times a week.

Jamie did the math at the dinner table. “With my allowance, that’s…twenty three dollars a week. I’m gonna be rich! I can buy lots of magic stuff.”

“Hold on, Buddy,” Carl said. “I don’t think you should spend all your money. You should save some.”

“Do I have to?”

“He should save half,” Evelyn said.

“Half?”

“How about if you save ten dollars a week,” Carl said.

Jamie reluctantly agreed.

* * *

On the bus ride to school the next day, Rollie said, “I saw something really cool on TV last night. A ventriloquist. You ever seen one?”

Jamie shook his head, so Rollie tried to describe what he saw. That afternoon, the kids huddled in front of the computer as Rollie hunted for a video of a ventriloquist.

“This is it,” he said after he found one. “Watch this.”

After a few minutes, Fred said, “Wow, that’s so cool. He’s not moving his lips at all.”

“He’s funny, too.” Jamie nodded.

“Yeah,” Rollie said. “I like it. I wanna do that.”

Evelyn, who was sitting nearby said, “You’d be good at that, Rollie. I think you have the personality for it.”

Rollie grinned ear to ear.

* * *

Four weeks later, Jamie had 92 dollars and was on his way back to the trick shop. “So, I can spend fifty two dollars, right Mom?”

“Right,” his mother said. “We’ll go to the bank and put the rest in a savings account for you.”

“What do I gotta save for?”

“College. We need to sock away as much as we can, and the sooner we start, the better.”

The first thing they passed inside the shop was a shelf that had books and instructional videos. Jamie stopped for a minute to browse. “Hey Mom,” he said. “They have a ventriloquist DVD.”

“They have dummies, too.” His mother pointed to the opposite wall.

“We oughta bring Rollie up here sometime.” Jamie looked over the magic merchandise carefully, but kept coming back to the book shelf. “Mom, if I buy this ventriloquist DVD for Rollie, how much money will I have left?”

“You’ll have about thirty-five dollars. Are you going to get that for him?”

“He’d like it.”

“If you get something for Rollie, don’t you think you should get something for Fred? You don’t want to hurt her feelings.”

“What am I gonna get her?”

“We’ll go to the gift shop next door.”

After paying for Rollie’s DVD, Jamie didn’t have enough money for a magic hat, so he settled on scarves and trick coins. They went to the shop next door and it didn’t take Jamie long to find the perfect gift for Fred.

“Mom, look.” He pointed to a small glass figurine.

“It looks like a fairy. It’s really pretty.” Rachel looked at the price tag. “Is this what you want?”

Jamie nodded and smiled.

* * *

Later that day, Fred and Rollie came over to get their gifts. Rollie wanted to watch his DVD right away.

“Let Fred open hers first,” Rachel said.

When Fred opened the little box that held the glass figurine, her eyes grew big and she gasped, “Oh, it’s beautiful!”

“It’s a fairy,” Jamie said. “The Dream Fairy.”

“Thank you!” Fred hugged Jamie fiercely and kissed him on the cheek.

“Ah, Fred.” But as he raised his hand to wipe away the kiss, Rachel grabbed his wrist. Fred was too excited about her glass fairy to notice. Rachel whispered in Jamie’s ear, “You can wipe it later.”

* * *

One Friday evening, the family was on its way home from talent show night at their church when Rachel said, “Jamie, don’t be so hard on yourself. It was your first show.”

“But everybody laughed at me.” On his first trick, he had dropped the whole deck of cards.

“Some of the best magicians get people to laugh on purpose,” Carl said. “It’s part of their act.”

Fred, sitting in the back with Jamie, said, “I didn’t laugh.”

“Thanks,” Jamie muttered.

“I thought you were great, especially when you made the little ball appear in that guy’s pocket.”

“How did you do that?” Carl asked.

“Can’t tell.” Jamie couldn’t tell because he didn’t know. All he knew was that by the end of his show, he was so flustered he could barely talk and realized he needed to do something amazing. When the volunteer tried to pick which cup the ball was under, Jamie thought about it being in the man’s pants pocket, and sure enough, it was. Jamie had gotten a nice round of applause.

“You just need to practice more in front of people,” Rachel said. “You can practice in front of us.”

“And you need to work on your act,” Evelyn added. “The magic tricks are just part of a good magician’s performance. I can help you with that. I took some theater classes in college. We’ll sit down and look at videos of good performers and get ideas from them.”

“Fred,” Rachel said, “when are you going to be ready to tap dance for us?”

“I have my first recital in March. Are you gonna come?”

“We wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

* * *

Rollie demonstrated his ventriloquism skills in Jamie’s family room, using a sock puppet for his dummy. “Okay watch.” He gritted his teeth in an awkward smile, moved the puppet’s mouth and said, “Hi, I’m Roscoe, Rollie’s puppet. How are you today?”

“That’s pretty good,” Lisa said. “I can see your lips move a little, but not too much.”

“I think if you had a real ventriloquist’s dummy it would help,” Larry said. “Then people would focus more on it than you.”

Rollie nodded. “I’m gonna ask for one for Christmas.”

“Have you been practicing a lot?” Lisa asked.

“Yes ma’am. I watch that DVD every day.”

“You need some jokes, too,” Larry said. “I can help you with that.”

“I already got one,” Rollie said. “What happens when a pregnant lady takes a really cold shower in the winter?”

“I don’t know.”

“She gets wet.” Rollie grinned broadly.

Larry paused for a moment, then said, “Actually, that’s kinda funny.”

You should use it, Honey.” Lisa giggled. “It’s funnier than yours.”

* * *

Lisa sat on the edge of Fred’s bed, tucking her in for the night. Fred held the glass figurine that Jamie had given her.

“Mom, why did Jamie call this the Dream Fairy?”

“His mom told me it’s something she used to tell him when he was little, something to help him go to sleep.”

Fred kissed the figurine and put it on her bedside table.

“Why do you always kiss it goodnight?”

“Just do,”

“I know, it’s because Jamie gave it to you.”

“Nu uh.”

“Oh, I think it’s because you’re sending kisses to Jamie.” Fred blushed and her eyes got wide. Lisa tickled Fred and said, “It’s true, don’t try denying it!”

“Stop!” Fred shrieked.

Lisa stroked Fred’s head. “It’s okay, Honey. I’d do it, too, if I were in your shoes.”

Fred drew her eyebrows down. “Do you think Jamie loves me?”

“He does, he just doesn’t know it yet.”

“You always say that! When’s he gonna know?”

“I don’t know, but he will. Boys are slower than girls at stuff like that.”

Chapter 20

Rollie, still in his pajamas, knocked on the Sikes’s door on Christmas morning. Evelyn let him in and he ran into the family room where Jamie and his parents were still looking over their presents.

“I got it!” Rollie said proudly, holding up his new ventriloquist’s dummy.

“Wow, that’s so cool,” Jamie said. “He even looks kinda like you.”

“My momma says we should dress alike, me and the dummy, to be more show businesslike.”

“I can help you with that,” Evelyn said. “I can sew you matching shirts and vests.”

“Yeah, that’d be great.” Rollie nodded. “We could have yellow shirts maybe, and purple vests.”

“Not purple!” Jamie said.

“Jamie hates purple,” Evelyn said. “How about green?”

“Whatcha gonna call it?” Jamie asked.

“Roscoe, maybe.”

“Nah, that’s the sock puppet’s name. Something better.”

“How about Rufus?” Carl said. “I went to school with a guy named Rufus.”

Rollie scrunched his mouth, looking thoughtful. “Yeah. Rufus is good. We could be Rufus and Rollie.”

“Try him out for us,” Rachel urged.

“Okay.” Rollie fixed a grin, moved the dummy’s mouth and said, “Hello, my name is Rufus. What’s your name, dummy?”

Rollie got his first big laugh.

* * *

Two little boys were being tortured. Not only were they forced to be inside on a beautiful spring Saturday and wear their Sunday suits, they had to watch Fred’s dance recital.

“This is dumb,” Rollie whispered. “It’s so dumb it’s killing me. Death by dumbness.” He grabbed his throat with both hands in a choking gesture, rolled his eyes up in his head, and let his tongue hang out of the corner of his mouth. Jamie snickered loudly.

“You boys behave!” Evelyn hissed. “Or no pizza.”

Pizza was the bribe for going to the recital and behaving. They’d made it to the recital but were having trouble with the behaving part. Lisa, sitting a few chairs over, had her hand over her mouth, trying not to laugh.

“You’re certainly getting a kick out of it,” Rachel said, sitting next to her with her new camcorder.

“I can’t help it,” Lisa said. “Those boys are so funny.”

“Please don’t encourage them,” Carl said.

“I won’t.” She leaned forward and looked down the row of chairs. “If you guys are good, I’ll give you some quarters for the video games.”

“They got video games?” Rollie said.

“Sure, all pizza parlors do. So whaddya say? Can you do it?”

For video games, they could certainly try. Both boys sat up straight and did their best to be good as Fred and the other dancers took the stage.

* * *

Summertime and the living was easy for Jamie, Fred, and Rollie. They lay on their backs in Jamie’s backyard, looking at clouds.

Rollie pointed at the sky. “That one looks like a whale.”

“Nah, it looks more like a hippo,” Fred said.

“I say it’s whale, too,” Jamie said. “A humpback whale.”

“You been watchin’ your dumb ol’ nature shows again?” Rollie said.

“You should try ’em sometime. They’re really good.”

“Really dumb, you mean.”

Jamie knew how his friends felt about the nature shows. He decided to drop it. “Wouldn’t it be great to be a cloud?”

“And float across the sky all day,” Fred said. “That’d be great.”

“I could float right now,” Rollie said.

“Let’s close our eyes and pretend we’re clouds.”

“I got mine closed,” Rollie murmured. “I’m floatin’.”

“I’m lighter than air,” Jamie said. “I’m a balloon.”

It did seem like he was floating. He couldn’t feel the ground, he was so light. There was a slight breeze on his back. He was a feather on a gust of air.

“Do you guys feel as light as I do?” Jamie asked.

“Uh…uh…uh!” Rollie babbled.

“Jamie!” Fred yelled.

Jamie dropped about three feet and landed hard on his back, knocking the air of his lungs. Rollie jumped to his feet, backing away with a look of horror on his face.

Fred knelt beside Jamie. “Are you okay?”

“Huhhh,” he said through the pain. He could only breathe in shallow gasps.

“Do you want me to get your Gramma?”

He shook his head.

“I gotta go home,” Rollie said.

“You can’t.” Fred looked up. “Nobody’s there. Jamie’s Gramma’s supposed to be watchin’ us.” She looked back at Jamie. “How’d you do that?”

Jamie didn’t answer.

“This is bad,” Rollie said. “You were floating in the air. This is really bad.” Rollie paced back and forth at the edge of the yard near the camellia bushes, as far from Jamie as he could get. “That was magic. Real magic.” Pace. Pace. “Real magic’s bad. My dad said so.” Pace. Pace. “It comes from Satan.”

Jamie managed to sit up, but breathing was still painful. “C’mon, Rollie.”

“No…I can’t be your friend no more. That was real magic, and that’s the Devil!” He paced faster.

“Rollie, don’t be a dope,” Fred said. “Jamie’s not the Devil, he’s your best friend. He goes to church and everything.”

Rollie stop pacing for a moment. Fred continued, “Besides, you know he’s a good person. Have you ever known him to do anything devilish-like?”

“No.”

“Rollie, you gotta keep being my friend,” Jamie said. “What if I swear something on the Bible, like I swear to only use my powers for good? Then we could still be friends. You gotta keep bein’ my friend, you just gotta.”

“Powers?” Fred said. “You can do something else?”

Jamie remembered one of his dreams. He stood and looked around the yard until he found a rock. He picked it up and threw it high in the air, pointed his finger at it, and released a searing bolt of energy that pulverized it into dust.

“Whoooaaa.” Fred said.

“Oh no,” Rollie moaned.

“Rollie, calm down. It’s okay,” Jamie said.

“Jamie, stop doing that,” Fred said. “You gotta swear an oath, and you gotta do it soon, ’fore Rollie goes bananas.”

“You gotta swear it right now!” Rollie said.

“No, we gotta do this right,” Fred said. “We gotta have a ceremony and stuff. We gotta dress up.”

“Ah, c’mon, Fred,” Jamie said. “Don’t make us dress up.”

“It’s gotta be done, so quit whining. You can pick your own outfit.”

* * *

After rummaging through Fred’s dress-up trunks, they settled on their appropriate costumes and returned to Jamie’s backyard, climbed up to the clubhouse, and prepared for the oath-swearing ceremony. Jamie brought a Bible from his house.

Each of the boys had managed to keep it simple. They both wore regal-looking capes, and Rollie wore a crown. Fred wore a shiny, party store costume dress, with plastic high heels and a tiara.

They sat around the little table with the Bible in the middle.

“Before I swear anything,” Jamie said, “you guys have to swear to always be my friends.” He gave Rollie a meaningful look. “Or I’m not doin’ it.”

Rollie nodded. “Let’s all put our hands on the Bible.”

“All right,” Jamie said, “Say: We swear to always be best friends.”

They put their hands on the Bible and said the oath in unison. Jamie felt a warm, tingling sensation from his hand, rising up his arm.

Rollie jerked back. “What was that? Jamie, stop doing that!”

“I didn’t do anything.”

“Is it bad?” Rollie asked.

“No, I don’t think so,” Fred said. “It was like that time at the pool, you know, when we floated together without kickin’?” She gave Rollie a hard look. “Now quit being a baby and put your hand back on the Bible so we can do Jamie’s oath.”

Rollie put his hand back and the tingling returned, but he managed to keep still. “It feels kinda good.”

“So what am I going to say in my oath?” Jamie said.

“Okay, repeat after me,” Rollie said. “I, Jamie —”

Fred shook her head. “That’s not proper. Use your whole name.”

“Okay. I, James Evan Sikes….”

Rollie continued, “Do solemnly swear in the eyes of God and my best friends….”

Jamie repeated the line.

“Never to…what? What should he say?” Rollie asked.

“To never use my powers for bad.” Fred nodded firmly

“No, he should say ‘never use my powers for evil’.” He pronounce it ee-ville, like it was a small town in Iowa.

Jamie said it. “Now what?”

“And to never hurt nobody….”

“Anybody,” Fred said. “And to not let somebody get hurt…no, to always help people.”

“Yeah, that’s good,” Rollie said. “Say that.”

Jamie did.

“I know,” Fred said. “And to never use my powers to make myself rich. That’s real oathy sounding.”

Jamie repeated that, too.

“One more thing,” Rollie said. “And to never tell anybody else, especially our parents.”

Jamie repeated the line.

“So help me God,” Fred said.

“So help me God,” Jamie said. “Let’s say amen together.”

“Amen,” they said solemnly. Their hands, still on the Bible, got warmer, and started glowing. The kids looked on wide-eyed as the glow grew to a blinding flare and subsided.

“Wow, that was something.” Rollie laughed nervously. He looked at both of his friends. “Let’s see if it worked. Let’s test you. What can we try?”

“Change this table into gold,” Fred said. “See if you can do that ’cause that’d be making yourself rich.”

“I don’t think I have that power,” Jamie said. “I remember not being able to do that from before.” From before what? he thought. Why did I say that?

“Okay, maybe you could hurt one of us a little,” Fred said.

“I don’t want to do that.”

“Just a little. Maybe a little shock or something. Can you do that?”

“I think so.” He pointed his hand away from his friends, closed his eyes, and sparks shot from his fingertips.

“Just give me a little shock on my pinky toe.” She removed her shoe.

Jamie put his finger on Fred’s toe, looked at her apprehensively and concentrated. Fred cringed in anticipation.

“I can’t do it,” he said. “The oath must be working.”

Rollie threw his arms up in the air. “Yes!”

“Are you happy now?” Fred asked Rollie.

Rollie grinned.

* * *

The kids went back to the clubhouse the next day. “So what do you think that tingling thing is?” Rollie said.

“I don’t know,” Jamie said, “but I’m not causing it. At least I don’t think I am.”

Fred put both hands flat on the little wooden table they were sitting at. “My mom told me that before we were born, she and your mom touched bellies and she felt a warm tingling. She tells me that story all the time. Maybe it’s the same.”

“Could be,” Rollie said. “Fred, you and Jamie put your hands together on the table.”

They did and Jamie said, “I feel it a little. Rollie, let’s you and me do it.”

They got the same result — just a tiny tingle.

“Let’s all three of us try it,” Jamie said. When they put their hands together, the tingling returned, only this time it was much stronger.

“I feel that,” Rollie said.

“Me, too,” Fred said.

“Keep doing it,” Jamie said. “Try thinking about it, just that and nothing else, and see what happens.

When they did, the feeling grew stronger.

“Wow,” Fred said. “It’s like our own magic.” Rollie made a sour face and she said, “Don’t worry. It’s gotta be something good, ’cause we’re good.”

Rollie still looked unsure. “Jamie, yesterday, how come you said something about remembering from before?”

“I don’t know. Sometimes…sometimes I get these little flashes, ’specially when we’re out here, that seem like memories or something. It’s like I see things in my head that I’ve done before, like blastin’ that rock. I have dreams like that, too.”

“That’s weird,” Rollie said.

“Nah,” Jamie said. “Don’t you ever have flying dreams?”

“Yeah, but I can’t fly.”

“How do you know if you’ve never tried?”

“I’m not flying!” Rollie said.

“Calm down, Rollie,” Fred said. “You know, if we’re gonna be this special little club, we gotta have a name.”

“And a saying,” Rollie said. “A chant, like a team.”

“How about…” Jamie put a finger on his lip. “The Crew? I saw something like that on TV.”

“What’s our chant gonna be?” Rollie asked.

“Let’s each make up a line,” Jamie said. “I’ll start. Let’s see…we’re the Crew….”

Rollie held up one hand. “We can’t be beat….”

Fred finished. “Everybody smell our feet!”

“I like it,” Jamie said. “Let’s do it together.”

They huddled up and put their hands together, one on top of the other and chanted,

“We’re the Crew,

We can’t be beat,

Everybody smell our feet!”

* * *

Jamie woke in the middle of the night, shaken out of a nightmare, heart still racing. He had dreamed of the man in the purple cloak again, only this time Jamie saw him clearly. He had long, black hair, pulled back in a ponytail, and a clean-shaven, handsome face, almost feminine, except for the hard set to the features. Jamie couldn’t shake the feeling he got when he looked into the man’s eyes, the driven, almost insane expression, the hatred.

When Jamie got older, he would learn there was a name for men like him — psychopath.

Chapter 21

“Who wants pickles on their sandwich?” Evelyn asked.

“I don’t want no pickle,” Jamie said.

“I don’t want any pickle.” She put one hand on her hip and looked at her grandson. “Jamie, I’m getting tired of having to correct your grammar. You too, Rollie. You boys are about to start third grade, and you’re old enough to know better. Your parents don’t talk like that, so you shouldn’t either.”

“Our friends do,” Jamie said.

“Fred doesn’t.”

“That’s ’cause Fred’s a goodie two shoes,” Rollie said.

“Am not,” Fred said.

“Enough!” Evelyn said. I don’t want to hear any more hillbilly talk around here. Rollie, I can’t control what you do at your house, but while you’re over here, you’re my responsibility, and I want you to speak correctly from now on. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes ma’am,” both boys said.

“People judge you on how you talk. It’s one of their first impressions, so make it a good one. Okay? Now take your lunch and scoot!”

Chapter 22

“But I want to spend my birthday money,” Jamie said to his mother as they drove to the bank.

“I told you, you only need to deposit half. You can spend the rest on magic stuff if you want,” Rachel said. “Then you’ll have over 200 dollars in your account.”

200 dollars! he thought. That’s a fortune.

The bank was busy for a Tuesday morning, so Jamie and his mother had to wait in line. Jamie amused himself by looking at the people. Two men caught his attention, both wearing black. They look nervous. Suddenly, they both pulled on ski masks and pulled pistols out of their pockets. One man fired his gun at the ceiling and shouted, “Everybody down on the floor, now!”

The crowd hesitated for a moment, and he waved his gun around. “I mean now!” He motioned for the bank guard to hand over his weapon.

Everyone dropped to the floor. Jamie said, “What’s happening?”

“Shut up!” the man said.

“It’s a robbery,” Rachel whispered.

Jamie knew what that was. He saw the loud man pointing his pistol at the people on the floor while another man pointed his at the bank tellers.

“Just do as we say and no one gets hurt.”

Jamie knew he could do something to help, something with magic, but what? His oath wouldn’t allow him to show his power, so he had to think of something subtle, something no one would notice. Something small.

Air is small. I can make it so they can’t breathe.

He focused on the nearest man and imagined an invisible dome around his head, fitted tightly to his neck, that wouldn’t allow air through it. He didn’t know how long it would take for the man to pass out, so Jamie told some of the air to go out of the dome. He forced more and more out until the man staggered and put his hand to his throat, then he collapsed. His partner became alarmed and ran over to see what happened.

His eyes were wide. He pointed his gun at Jamie’s mother and said, “What the hell?” Jamie knew he had to do something fast, before the man panicked and fired.

He had to make him drop the gun. If I make it hot, the bullet in the chamber might fire. His father had explained how gunpowder and bullets work. He needed something else. Jamie focused on the man’s hands, and forced the weapon to send an electric shock that was strong enough to make the man let go of it. The gun fell. Time seemed to slow. Jamie thought of the gun hitting the floor, and how that might make it go off. He lunged forward with both hands out. Even though he wasn’t good at playing catch, he managed to cushion the fall of the weapon just enough so it bounced harmlessly to the marble floor.

The blow from the gun stung like mad, but Jamie managed to shove it across the floor, away from the man, giving the bank guard time to pick it up. He pointed it at the would-be robbers and said, “Hands behind your head.”

* * *

Jamie repeated the story for the zillionth time.

“I wouldn’t be afraid of no robbers,” Rollie said. Then he saw the look on Evelyn’s face and grimaced. “Any robbers.”

“Everyone should be afraid of a man with a gun,” Carl said. “Or a woman. I’ve seen enough gunshot wounds to tell you, it ain’t pretty.” He glanced at Evelyn. “It’s not pretty.” He obviously didn’t want to get in trouble with the grammar police, either.

“I was scared out of my mind, but Jamie was so calm,” Rachel said. “I think he’s going to be in the paper tomorrow. A reporter interviewed him for about twenty minutes.”

“I talked to the bank guard,” Carl said, “and he thinks Jamie probably saved some lives today. That was quick thinking, Buddy.” He smiled the proud father smile.

“Jamie, you’re a hero!” Fred put her arms around his neck and kissed him hard on the cheek.

She just had to do that in front of everybody, he thought.

* * *

Carl came home from work the next day and found Rachel in the kitchen. He kissed her and said, “You’re cooking? Where’s your mom?”

“She’s having dinner with some friends. Why, do you have a problem with my cooking?” She smiled.

“No, no, you’re cooking’s great. I’m surprised, that’s all. Seems like your mom’s been getting out and about more these days.” He took his coat off. “I’d have been home sooner, but we were watching the video from the bank’s surveillance cameras. The guys at the station were really impressed with how Jamie reacted when the guy dropped his gun.” He sat in a kitchen chair. “You can see Jamie, on the floor, curled up on his knees, kinda lookin’ up sideways at the guy. And the instant he dropped the gun, Jamie lunges out like a football player who’s making a diving catch, and it hits his hands hard. When it lands on the floor, you can see him shove it away.

“I asked Jamie why he tried to catch it, and he said he thought it might go off it hit the tile floor. That particular gun wouldn’t, but he didn’t know that. It’s just amazing that he thought of that, and reacted to it that fast.”

“He’s an amazing boy,” Rachel said.

“But he’s never shown any athletic skill before. I didn’t know he had it in him.”

“So, let me guess. You want to sign him up for football.” Carl raised his eyebrows, but she said, “Not this year. He’s still too small.”

“Maybe next year?”

“Maybe.”

* * *

Jamie, Fred, and Rollie sat around the little table in the clubhouse.

Rollie frowned. “Maybe the oath isn’t working. If you shocked that guy, you hurt him.”

“No, Rollie,” Fred said. “Jamie had to help people. That’s part of the oath, too. That guy might’ve shot somebody.”

“Yeah, I guess.” He leaned back in the little blue plastic chair. “Jamie, were you scared?”

“I was really scared at first. But when that guy pointed the gun at my mom, I got mad, ’bout the maddest I’ve ever been. I wanted to blast ’em in a million pieces, but I had to settle for a little shock in the hands.”

“See there,” Fred said. “The oath is working. He saved everybody, and nobody saw him do magic.”

“We gotta keep it that way,” Rollie said. “’Cause if my dad finds out, we can’t be friends no more. I mean, anymore.”

Rachel yelled from the back door. Jamie stood. “I gotta go eat. Rollie, don’t worry. We’re always gonna be friends. Let’s do the chant before we go.”

* * *

Jamie, Fred, and Rollie sat in Fred’s basement with their parents, watching the video of their backyard talent show. Evelyn had suggested that they have a dress rehearsal on Fred’s patio before the school talent show the following week.

They were watching Rollie’s ventriloquist act. He and the dummy had on matching costumes — the yellow shirts and green vests that Evelyn made for them.

“This is my favorite part.” Larry turned the volume up on his enormous TV. “I love this joke. Listen.”

Rollie was onscreen, with a fixed grin, the dummy’s mouth was moving. “Hey, Dummy.”

“It’s Rollie,” Rollie said.

“Hey, Rollie the Dummy,” the puppet appeared to say, “Why did the boy duck like the girl duck?”

“Don’t know, Rufus. Why?”

“Because she had that certain je nais se quack.”

Larry slapped his knee. “I love the way you make the dummy look like he’s laughing at his own joke.”

“Maybe you need a dummy, Larry,” Carl said. “Then somebody could laugh at yours.”

“Funny, Carl.” But Larry was smiling.

The families had laughed at Jamie’s act, too. He had spent a lot of time talking with his grandmother about it, and decided that although he would have some tricks work, he would also intentionally drop his cards and misplace the rubber balls. She said it was called slapstick. It was fun.

When they watched Fred’s dance number, the parents gushed about how beautiful she looked.

“I don’t see why you’re going on so much about her,” Rollie said. “It’s just Fred, only with fancier dress-up clothes.”

“And makeup,” Jamie said. “Why are you wearing it, anyway? You don’t need it.”

“Why?” Fred said, “Because I’m pretty without it?”

Jamie had painted himself into a corner. Yes or no, either answer would get him in trouble. What am I gonna say? He looked to Rollie for help, but he only shrugged.

“’Cause…because you just don’t, that’s all.” It was the best he could come up with, but fortunately, the others weren’t paying attention, being more interested in the video.

All except for Fred. She winked at him.

* * *

The following Friday night, Jamie rode with his parents in their new van to the school talent show.

“Are you sure you have everything?” Carl asked for about the tenth time.

“I’m sure, Dad.”

“What did you need the heavy duty fishing line for?”

“Can’t tell.” Actually, he didn’t need it. He only wanted to make his father think he needed it. After a long talk with Fred and Rollie, they had decided that he could use real magic in his shows, but he could only do tricks that other magicians had done, or could do, by non-magical means, and he couldn’t do it for money. Jamie had stayed after school to prepare the stage, or so he said, so that he would have an explanation for the new trick he had prepared. But he planned to use real magic for it, and it was going to be good.

When they got to the school auditorium, the three friends sat up front with the other participants. They were given a schedule and told to be ready and waiting backstage for their turn.

Rollie was one of the first, and he was a hit. Most of the kids at school had seen Jamie’s tricks many times, but almost nobody had seen Rollie’s act, and he’d been practicing hard. He was a natural onstage, with his big grin and easy, relaxed manner.

Jamie went backstage with Fred when it was almost his turn. She was going on after Jamie and was also going to help him with his act. Mrs. Nelson, the principal, announced the acts, and when she called Jamie’s name, he walked across the stage and set down his magic table and equipment. Then he took a flourishing bow with arms spread wide and knocked his magic hat off the table. He got a big laugh.

For each of his tricks, he appeared to fumble and stumble like a clown, dropping the deck of cards and misplacing balls, but for his final trick he was going to use real magic. They’re gonna love this, he thought with a twinge of excitement.

“For my last trick,” Jamie announced, “I will make an ordinary toy block float from my magic hat.” He looked heavenward and made a praying motion and got another laugh. He put the hat on the table and tapped it three times with his wand. “I command you, little block, rise!”

And it did, slowly, about six inches, to gasps from the audience, and hung in midair. Jamie held his arms out theatrically, and after a few seconds, said, “Now, I command you, fall!” He tapped the hat and the colorful cube dropped inside. Jamie got a large round of applause and bowed, but as he did, the block rose again. He looked over at it. “A— hem. I said, I command you, fall!” And it did.

But while Jamie took another bow, the block rose again. Jamie gave it a quick, hard look, and it dropped quickly. The auditorium was filled with laughter. Jamie said to the crowd, “Thank you very much, my name is Jamie Sikes and….”

He stopped when he heard the laughter. The disobedient toy had risen again. Jamie looked at the block, put one hand on his hip and scratched his head. Then he passed one hand over the little wooden cube like he was checking for a string, made a face, and passed it under it, looked at the audience and shrugged. He raised both arms in the air and yelled, “Fall!”

The block rose higher, about eye level. The crowd roared. Jamie flicked the toy and it swung like it was on a string, but when he grabbed it and held it still, he passed his hand over and under it again. He held his arms up in desperation. “Please fall. Pretty please?”

It rose even higher, and the audience howled. Jamie pushed the magic table aside and grabbed the block with both hands. Then he pulled both feet off the ground and hung in the air. The crowd screamed.

Jamie threw his hands in the air. “I give up.” That was Fred’s cue. She dragged a chair across the stage, carrying a pair of scissors. She climbed on the chair, held the scissors over the block and snipped, and it dropped to the floor. Jamie and Fred bowed together to a standing ovation, and they walked offstage.

Mrs. Nelson took the mike again and called Jamie back for another ovation. “Jamie Sikes!” When the audience finally quieted down, she said, “Our next performer is Grace Mary Callahan, otherwise known as Fred, who’s going to tap dance for us.”

But Fred didn’t come out. Rollie stood backstage, waving Jamie over.

“She’s out in the hall,” Rollie whispered. “She doesn’t want to dance.”

Jamie ran back to Mrs. Nelson. “Fred’s not ready. Maybe you can announce the next act.” Jamie followed Rollie out of the side entrance that led to a hall. There he found Fred, sitting on the floor with her back against the wall, looking miserable.

“What’s wrong?” Jamie asked. She looks like she’s about to cry.

“I can’t go on after you,” she mumbled. “People will think I’m stupid. They don’t want to see me dance.”

Jamie sat next to her, while Rollie stood nearby. “Sure they do,” Jamie said.

She sniffed, looking at the floor. “No, they don’t.”

A very grownup thought came to Jamie. “Fred, you look beautiful and you’re a great dancer. Me and Rollie know that. Those people out there deserve to know that, too.”

“Do you really think so?” She looked up.

“Of course,” Rollie said. “I wanna see you dance tonight on that big stage.”

Jamie grabbed Fred’s hand and squeezed it. “What say we stand up, do the chant together, and you go knock ’em dead?”

“Okay.” She stood along with Jamie.

They closed ranks, put their hands one atop the other, and did the chant.

We’re the Crew,

We can’t be beat,

Everybody smell our feet!

After the familiar tingling had subsided, Fred’s face seemed more relaxed.

“Ready?” Jamie said.

She nodded. They went back through the side door to the back of the stage and waited. When the other act finished, Jamie went out and let Mrs. Nelson know that Fred was ready.

The principal introduced her and the music started. Fred walked onstage looking as poised and confident as if she were dancing for her friends and family on her patio.

* * *

On the way home, Evelyn asked, “What was wrong with Fred?”

“She just had a little stage fright, that’s all,” Jamie said. “Me and Rollie… I mean Rollie and I had a pep talk with her. She just needed some encouragement.”

“Well, she certainly did dance beautifully,” Rachel said. “I thought all three of you did well.”

“I don’t know how you did that trick with the block,” Carl said, “but you really had the audience going. That was something. How’d you do that?”

When Jamie didn’t answer, Carl said, “I know, can’t tell.”

That’s right, Jamie thought. And you’d never believe me if I did.

* * *

Jamie had trouble falling asleep that night, still buzzing from the thrill of his performance and the standing ovation. Every performer wanted them, craved them, he knew, even though he was only eight years old. He also knew that he had nearly ruined the night for Fred.

Jamie felt his power, more so every day. He wanted to fly over Hendersonville in dizzying spirals, whooping at the top of his lungs and blasting the tops off of mountains, but he couldn’t. His oath prevented him. But he could use his magic, real magic, in a show, and do any trick ever done, even by the best magicians. Unfortunately, in his zeal to show off for his friends and schoolmates, it didn’t occur to him that it would affect anyone else, but it had. His performance had cast a huge shadow that Fred had to dance in, and she almost couldn’t do it.

He could hear his grandmother in his head. Don’t be selfish, Jamie. The universe doesn’t revolve around you.

He resolved right then to never try to outshine his friends again. Other people, maybe, but not Fred and Rollie.

* * *

It was always at the edge of his consciousness — tickling, probing, whispering — but sometimes it was more than he could stand. On nights like this, Renn wanted to scream, Back off! I’m trying to concentrate. But if he wanted to study, his only option was to put the dragon’s head staff back in its case, the oblong wooden box with the obscure warnings carved along its sides. Somehow, it blocked his connection with the dragon’s head and gave him some peace, though short-lived. He couldn’t bear to be without it for long.

He’d found the staff by sheer luck at a small curio shop in a town near the coast. The shop’s owner had no idea what it was really worth, of its power, and thought he was getting the better of the bargain. But how could he know? Only a sorcerer could wield it. In the hands of a lesser man it was nothing but a walking stick. Even the red stones in its eye sockets were not particularly valuable. But in the hands of the right sorcerer, it was valuable beyond imagining.

Somehow, the staff amplified its wielder’s power, like a lens focusing the sun’s rays. With it in his hands, no one could stand up to him, not even the powerful old sorcerer whom he still sought. The look on Eddan’s face as the spell penetrated his shield was priceless, a memory he’d not soon forget. As he savored the thought, Renn could almost smell the burning flesh of the wound on the old man’s chest.

He laughed aloud and returned to his book.

Chapter 23

One day in early summer, Rachel found Jamie reading in his room. “Sweetie, you’re going to stay with Rollie this weekend, okay?”

“How come?”

“Your dad and I are taking your Gramma to Greensboro to help her pack up her furniture. She’s found a buyer for her condo.”

“What’s she gonna do with her stuff?”

“She’s bringing it here, back to Hendersonville.”

“To our house?”

“No, she’s putting it in storage until she buys a condo here.”

“She’s not gonna move out, is she?”

“Well, not yet, anyway.”

“Good.” He didn’t want to think about life without his grandmother.

“And even when she does, she won’t move far.”

“She’s always gonna be close?”

“Yes, always.”

* * *

Jamie answered the front door the next Saturday morning to find Fred, who looked like she’d been crying. Before he could even say hello, she blurted out, “I lost one of my earrings!”

“What?”

“My emerald earrings that Gina gave me. I lost one. You gotta help me find it. She’s coming today, and I gotta wear them.”

Gina and his Great Aunt Connie were coming that afternoon, stopping in for a couple of days before going to Asheville to look for an apartment for Gina.

“Why don’t you get your mom or dad to help you?”

“Mom went to Charlotte this morning to see her aunt, and my dad won’t get off the computer.”

“Okay, gimme a second.” Jamie ran to the kitchen to tell his mom where he was going and went across the street with Fred to her house.

“I think it’s somewhere in my bedroom,” she said as they walked upstairs. “I always keep them on my dresser, but I woke up this morning and one was gone.”

“Did you look under the dresser?”

“I looked everywhere. Maybe you can use your magic to find it.”

Jamie was always keen to use his magic. “I don’t know how to do it, but I can try.” He looked around her room, so different from his. Everything was pink, white or red, and fluffy and lacy. And neat.

It smells girly in here, he thought as he sat on the shiny pink comforter covering her canopy bed. “Let me hold the other one.” He held up one finger. “But if I find it, no kissing.”

She gave a tight nod and handed him the other earring. He inspected it closely, then wrapped his fist around it and closed his eyes.

“Do you see anything?” Fred asked.

“Mmmm, it’s here. Some place dark.” His brow furrowed in concentration. “But there’s a little bit of light…a strip….” He opened his eyes and pointed to the dresser. “It’s under there.”

“I looked already.”

“That’s where it is. Look real good, all the way in the back left corner, I think.”

Fred got on her hands and knees and slipped her hand under the dresser as far as her arm would reach and felt around. “I…I got it!” She pulled her dusty hand out and blew the earring clean. “Oh, thank you!”

She started to throw her arms around him but Jamie held his hands in front of him. “Remember, no kissing.”

“Okay, just a hug.” She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him on the cheek anyway.

“Doggone it, Fred!” Jamie wiped his face as she laughed and spun away.

* * *

Jamie was a little angry that Fred was invited for dinner that night. She sat on one side of Gina and he sat on the other.

“This is so exciting, Gina.” Rachel said. “Starting your first job and living in your own apartment.”

“I’m really looking forward to it. I’m tired of being in school.”

“It’ll be wonderful having you so close,” Evelyn said. “Asheville is just a hop, skip, and a jump away.”

“I know, and if I get lonely for a home cooked meal, I can come see you, right?”

“You should come every weekend,” Jamie said.

Fred nodded. “You should come every day.”

Gina laughed. “I don’t know, I don’t want you to get sick of me.”

“You’re welcome here anytime,” Rachel said.

Gina looked at Fred. “I heard you’re tap dancing now. I’m so happy.”

Jamie scowled. “She’s just doing it because you did.”

“Well, I can’t wait to see the video of your talent show. Fred, I also hear you’re going to church with us tomorrow.”

“Uh huh. That’s our church now. I get to sit by you.”

“Me, too!” Jamie said.

“Can I spend the night?” Fred asked. “Please? Then I can have breakfast with you in the morning.”

Connie started to say something, but Evelyn jumped in. “No, Sweetheart, there’s not enough room. Gina and her mother will both be in the guest room tonight.”

“Jamie can sleep in the clubhouse, and Gina and I can have his room,” Fred said.

“You sleep in the clubhouse,” Jamie said. She’s trying to hog Gina again.

* * *

The next day after church, Evelyn and Connie sat in the gazebo, rocking and catching up.

“The next time I come here, let’s go look at condos,” Connie said.

“Are you going to be needing one, too?”

“Maybe. Ray’s open to the idea, especially now that Gina’s moving to Asheville. Wouldn’t it be great if we could both get condos in the same complex?”

“Side by side.” Evelyn laughed.

“That would keep Ray on his toes!”

* * *

Summer slipped by all too fast. Seemingly endless days of Jamie and his friends playing in the clubhouse or swimming in the pool had come to an end and school was about to start.

On the last night of summer vacation, Jamie was the only one awake in the house. He got out of bed and pulled his curtain aside. The back yard, flooded with moonlight, was calling him.

He was a young horse feeling his oats, eager to race across the pasture and show his stuff. The urge to use his magic was strong, so compelling that he couldn’t sleep, and he had to do something about it before he exploded. Still in his pajamas, he picked up his tennis shoes and tiptoed downstairs, carefully avoiding the squeaky spots, and went to the back door, where he slipped on his shoes.

He stepped onto the deck and looked up at the moon, full and glorious in the cloudless sky, washing the landscape with alabaster light. He walked out to the center of the yard, held his hands by his side, let his head fall back, and closed his eyes. Then he took a deep breath and slowly rose in the air. He opened his eyes and held his arms out as a dancer might, gracefully turning in the air as he gained altitude, higher than the house, higher than the trees. He was unafraid.

He rose higher and higher, until the houses below looked like tiny boxes. He hung motionless in the air, arms out, soaking up the moonlight.

It’s so beautiful. I wish I could do this during daylight. But he couldn’t, his oath prevented him.

After a few minutes, he thought, I can sleep now, and descended to the ground, went inside, back to his bed.

* * *

Two weeks later, Fred plopped on the bus seat next to Jamie, a determined look on her face. “We gotta help Rollie.”

“What can we do?” Jamie said.

“I don’t know, but he’s missed the first two weeks of school already, and I heard my mom say that they’re gonna put him in the hospital if he doesn’t get better soon.”

“The hospital? Why? He’s just got the flu or something.”

Fred gave him the look that said she meant business.

“Okay, but I still don’t know what we can do.”

Fred whispered and wiggled her fingers. “Can’t you do some magic?”

“I’m not a healer. Healers are born, not made.”

Fred looked at him, one eye squinted. “And how do you know that?”

“I don’t know.” He turned and stared out the bus window. “I don’t know how I know, but I know it’s true.”

When they got off the bus, they dropped off their backpacks at Jamie’s house and told his grandmother they were going to see Rollie.

“Maybe the chant will help,” Fred said as they crossed the street. “Maybe the tingling will chase the germs out.”

They knocked on the door and Rollie’s mom answered. She smiled when she saw them, but said, “I’m sorry, but he’s too sick for company, and we don’t want you to catch it.”

“We just want to cheer him up,” Jamie said. “We won’t touch anything.”

“And we’ll wash our hands really good when we leave,” Fred said.

Adele seemed skeptical for a long moment. “Okay, but don’t stay long.”

They thanked her and went upstairs to Rollie’s room, where they found him on a bed strewn with comic books, awake, but looking puny.

“Hey, we thought we might be able to make you feel better,” Jamie said.

Rollie smiled weakly. “Thanks.”

Fred looked out of the bedroom door to see if Rollie’s mother was nearby, then turned back to the room. “Rollie, we want to try something. We think maybe the chant will help.”

“You’re crazy,” Rollie said softly.

“Come on, Jamie.” Fred put her hand on top of Rollie’s. “Hurry, before his mom comes upstairs.”

Jamie hesitated, the fingertips of one hand on his temple. “We have to make a triangle.”

“What?”

“We gotta make a triangle. It’s a powerful symbol in magic, because it has three sides, and three is a magic number.”

“You been reading about real magic?”

“No, I remember.”

“Remember from what?”

“I don’t know.” Jamie looked at Fred. “I just know.”

“Okay, whatever you say. What do we do?”

Jamie stepped to the left side of Rollie’s bed. “Get on the other side.”

Fred did, and Jamie said, “Hold his hand with your right hand.” He took Rollie’s other hand in his left. “Now hold my hand across the bed.”

“I get it,” Fred said. “We just made a triangle with our arms.”

Jamie immediately felt the tingle.

“That feels nice.” Rollie closed his eyes and smiled.

“Excellent,” Jamie said. “Now we gotta make it stronger. Fred, you think about how good you feel, and I will, too. Rollie, try to think about me and Fred.”

“It’s hard.”

Jamie let go with his left hand and put it on Rollie’s forehead. “Clear your mind first. Think about…think about the pool. Just floating in the pool. It’s a warm, lazy day, and you’re just relaxing, floating kinda easy.”

Rollie closed his eyes again, and after a moment he said, “Yeah, I’m in the pool. I’m floating.”

Jamie took Rollie’s hand again.

“All right, you just keep floating, and Fred and I are gonna float with you. We’re all back in the pool, floating and feeling good.”

Fred had her eyes closed, too. “I can almost feel the water.”

“The tingle feels stronger… and warm. Warm and good.” Rollie’s face relaxed with a contented look, eyes still closed.

Jamie closed his eyes. It does feel warm and nice. It was a pleasant sensation. He didn’t know how long they stayed that way, but when he heard Rollie’s mother call from downstairs, the tingling subsided.

Rollie gave a little gasp. “That was nice.” He opened his eyes sleepily. “I think I need a nap.”

“Get better, okay?” Fred said.

Rollie closed his eyes. “I think I will.”

Monday morning, Rollie was back on the school bus with his friends.

Chapter 24

A week later, the kids were lying in Jamie’s back yard after school, looking at clouds again.

“Jamie, the other day at Rollie’s, you said something about remembering,” Fred said. “What were you talking about, something you heard, or saw on TV?”

“No. It’s just…something. Things pop into my head, things I couldn’t possibly have done before, but I remember doing them.”

“That’s crazy talk.”

“No, we’re out here talking about magic, real magic,” Rollie said. “That’s crazy talk. We’re talking about Jamie floating and blastin’ stuff, and making me better when I was sick.”

“And making me confident at the talent show.”

“You probably did that without magic,” Jamie said.

“No, it was magic. As soon as we did the chant, bang, I was ready to go. I would’ve danced in front of anybody.”

“I’m glad you danced.”

“Let’s lie on our backs and hold hands and make a triangle again, think about floating.”

“No, I might actually float again,” Jamie said. “My Gramma might see.”

They lay in silence for a few moments. “The other night, I snuck out here and floated up.” Jamie pointed at the sky. “Way up there in the moonlight.”

“Sounds scary,” Rollie said.

“Nah, it was beautiful. Wish you guys coulda been up there with me.”

“Count me out.”

Fred rolled on her side and looked at Jamie. “I’d like to go sometime.”

“I’ll take you. You’ll love it.”

Jamie wondered what that would be like, just him and Fred.

* * *

“Why won’t your Gramma let us in?” Rollie said one day after they’d gotten off the bus.

Jamie rang the doorbell again. “Maybe she’s on the phone or in the bathroom.” They waited another minute. “I’m tired of this. I need to walk the dogs.” He put his hand on the door latch, closed his eyes, and they heard a click. Then he pushed the door open.

Evelyn met them in the hall. “I was just coming to open the door. How did you get in?”

“The door wasn’t locked,” Jamie said.

“I could swear that I just locked it after I checked the mail. Are you sure?”

“Yes ma’am.”

“You didn’t take a house key and not tell me?”

“No ma’am.”

“You wouldn’t do that. I’m sorry I even asked. Well, go walk the dogs and I’ll have your snack ready.

Later, when they were eating cookies in the clubhouse, Fred said, “Jamie, that was dumb. Opening the door with magic? What were you thinking?”

“Yeah, you almost blew it,” Rollie said. “You gotta be more careful.”

“I know.” Jamie sighed. “It’s hard, ’cause I really want to use my magic. I feel it all the time.” He balled his fists and held them in front of him. “All the time.”

“Do you need to swear another oath?” Fred asked.

“I can keep it under control.” I hope, he added silently.

* * *

Saturday afternoon, Rachel was in the kitchen when Jamie, Fred, and Rollie came in, followed by Evelyn.

“How was the show?” Rachel asked.

Evelyn set her purse on the counter. “They did a great job.”

“It wasn’t much of a show,” Jamie said. “Me and Rollie just kinda walked around from bed to bed and did our stuff. I mostly did card tricks.”

“And I told my jokes and got the puppet to talk the kids up,” Rollie said. “It was kinda sad. Some of those kids don’t have hair. I didn’t know cancer made you bald headed.”

“The cancer doesn’t make you bald. It’s the treatment,” Rachel said.

“I’m glad I don’t have it. Some of ’em looked pretty sick.”

Jamie grinned. “But they really liked Fred’s hair.”

“It was embarrassing.” Fred grabbed a brownie from the plate Rachel offered her. “They all wanted to touch it.”

“That’s because your hair is so beautiful,” Rachel said. “Did you dance for them?”

“A little. There wasn’t much room. They didn’t want me scuffing up the floor, so they put down a sheet of plywood.”

“But she did her best, and that’s what performing is all about,” Evelyn said. “I’m very proud of you three. You made those kids happy.”

“Are you glad you went?” Rachel rubbed Jamie’s curly blonde hair.

“Yeah.” He wiped crumbs from his mouth. “It was fun. No pressure.”

“Oh, Jenny Stone called. She said Sassy’s doing fine from her surgery, and the vet said they think they got all of the tumor. It’s a good thing you found it.”

“Well, she was acting kinda draggy, and she didn’t want to go for her walk. She’s usually raring to go. I just felt on her belly and she let me know where it hurt. You could feel the lump.”

“It was gross,” Fred said. “Jamie got me to feel it.”

“Then I guess you won’t be a vet when you grow up,” Rachel said.

“She’s wants to be a queen,” Rollie said. “The red queen!”

“No,” Fred said. “I’m going to be president.”

* * *

That night, Jamie had a dream so vivid, it seemed real. Only he was old, old enough to have a long, gray beard. He was in a room filled with books and devices, every surface cluttered with something interesting. He was packing a bag when he heard a knock on the heavy wooden door. He opened it to find two elderly men.

“Oh powerful one, can you help us?” they asked, bowing deeply. “The people in town are dying.”

“I’m a sorcerer, not a healer,” Jamie heard himself say.

“Can’t you do something? You are so powerful and wise and we are desperate. Children’s bodies are stacked in the street like firewood.”

“It’s probably the rats,” Jamie said. “It’s a disease from the rats’ fleas, I think.”

“Can’t you do something about them?”

“Clean up your trash. Your town is filthy. That’s why you have so many rats.” Jamie knew he could drive the rodents out and send them into the sea with a thought and a wave of his hand, but he was too busy to be bothered. “I cannot come. The giant saber crab is hatching at the eastern bay, and it only happens once every seventeen years.”

“But surely you can see that another time. We are desperate.”

“I am old. I might not live long enough to see the hatching.” Jamie knew that was a lie. “Clean up your town. It’s your own doing, and it’s none of my business. Now excuse me, I have to pack.” He closed the door on them.

Jamie woke up troubled. Children’s bodies stacked like firewood. How could anyone say no to helping them? But it was just a dream, thankfully, though a realistic one. And Jamie wasn’t old. He was only nine. I’m a sorcerer, the old man had said. Jamie thought of himself as a magician, but the old man called himself a sorcerer with a hint of pride. Jamie rolled the thought around in his head.

I’m a sorcerer.

Not a magician. There was a difference.

A sorcerer.

Chapter 25

“You still going to your folks’ house for Thanksgiving?” Carl asked, as Garrett took a jump shot.

“Yeah, leaving Wednesday night. You got company coming?”

“A pack of ’em. My mother-in-law’s sister, Connie, her husband, Ray, and their daughter, Gina.”

“Where’s everybody gonna sleep?” Garrett watched Carl bank one into the basket.

“Connie and Ray will take the guest room, and Gina will sleep in the basement on the new fold-out couch. I finished the bathroom down there, and we got some real furniture. No more bean bags and boxes.” Carl passed the ball to Garrett. “But I know the food will be good. Between Evelyn, her sister, and Rachel, we’ll have quite a spread on Thanksgiving.”

“And you’ll get stuck doing the dishes.”

“That’s right.” Carl missed a jump shot. “Jamie will help, though.”

“I have to threaten Rollie up and down to get him to help.”

“Not me. My mother-in-law wouldn’t put up with it. All she has to do is give him that look and he knows better than to fuss about it.”

“I need to borrow her sometime. She can come over and give Rollie that look.”

“Oh, she gives it to him all the time at my house. Those boys know better than to cross her. She says jump —”

“And they ask, How high?” Garrett finished with a laugh, then swished a jump shot.

* * *

That Thanksgiving was the best ever for Jamie, except that his parents wouldn’t let him sleep in the basement. He thought it would be an adventure, and he had a good argument.

“But me and Rollie, I mean, Rollie and I slept down there when he stayed over. It’s got a bathroom and everything. Gina can take my room.”

Gina smoothed things over by saying, “I can’t sleep in your bed. It’s got cooties all over it.” Then she poked him in the ribs.

Gramma, his aunt, and his mom had made a huge feast, and he’d eaten so much he could barely move. And for once, Granddaddy Pete didn’t say anything ugly. He could barely get a word in, with the women yakking so much. He did seem to get along well with Uncle Ray, though. They both liked talking about golf.

Uncle Ray was impressed with Jamie’s card tricks. His uncle said, “You shuffle those cards like a pro. You need to go to Vegas.”

Jamie didn’t know what that meant, but he had been practicing his shuffling quite a bit, more than his grandmother liked. She often took his cards away when she thought he was overdoing it.

“You are not practicing to be a card dealer when you grow up,” she’d say. “Read or do chores, please.”

She didn’t have to encourage him to read — chores, sometimes, but not reading.

* * *

The Saturday after Thanksgiving, Jamie and his father watched football in the family room. His father wasn’t yelling at the TV as much as he usually did.

“Are those the Tar Heels?”

“No, this is a pro game, Cowboys and Eagles.”

“What’s the difference?”

“The pro players get paid. Well, some people think a few college players do, too, but they’re not supposed to be. But the college players get laid.” Carl laughed. “The pros get paid, and the college boys get laid.” Then he put his hand to his mouth . “Oops. Please don’t tell your mom or your Gramma that I said that.”

The front door opened and Jamie’s mother, grandmother, great aunt and uncle, and Gina walked in. “We’re back!” Rachel called out.

“How was condo hunting?” Carl asked.

“Great. Mom and Aunt Connie both found ones they liked, and they’re close, almost next to each other.”

“That’s good. What’s for dinner?”

“We’re going out. We don’t feel like cooking.” She smiled. “We feel like celebrating.”

* * *

Dinner was boring. There was no one for Jamie to talk to, though Gina tried at first, until she was drawn into the adults’ conversation. All they wanted to talk about was people they knew from Greensboro, and Jamie noticed his father seemed left out, too, drumming his fingers on the table and glancing around the room.

His father’s gaze kept turning to a pair of old video games in the back of the restaurant. After a while, he caught Jamie’s eye and pointed toward the machines, and Jamie nodded as they excused themselves from the table.

“This happens every time they get together,” Carl said as they walked away. “They start gossiping about people from Greensboro, and then I’m the third wheel.”

“The what?” Jamie asked.

“Never mind.” He shook his head. “Hey look, Centipede! Oh, it’s out of order.” He tapped the other machine. “But this one’s good. Missile Command. I used to be good at this back in college.” He dug his hand in his pocket and pulled out a rumbled dollar bill. “Run this up to the bar and get us some quarters, okay?”

When Jamie returned with the coins, Carl dropped one in the slot. “Watch me and I’ll show you how to play.”

Jamie put his hand on the side of the machine and pretended to watch his father, but what he was really doing was sending his mind inside the machine, like he did with the computer modem when the Internet connection went down. He could sense that the machine’s microprocessor was older and less sophisticated than the one on the home computer, and it only took a minute for him to grasp the essence of the game.

He could easily beat it with magic. He could manipulate it and play as long as he liked, never allowing a missile to hit his cities, if he wanted, but he wasn’t going to do that. He didn’t need to. He was a nine-year-old boy, and this was a video game.

“I’ll play you,” Jamie said. “Loser does the dishes Sunday night.”

“You’re on, amigo.”

Carl didn’t stand a chance.

After about ten minutes, their games were over and Carl dug through his pockets. “Darn, I’m out of cash. Run see if your mom’s got some.”

A few minutes later, they were up and running again with two dollars’ worth of quarters. Twenty minutes later, Carl said, “Game over. Jamie, go see if your mom’s got some more money.”

But when Jamie returned, he said, “Mom says we gotta go.” He put his hand on his father’s back. “It’s okay, Dad. I’ll help you with the dishes tomorrow night anyway.”

Chapter 26

Fred was the first one to come over to Jamie’s on Christmas morning, right as the sun was peeping over the horizon. Jamie’s grandmother came out of the kitchen while his parents sat on the family room couch, looking tired and rumpled, still in their pajamas.

“What did Santa bring you, Fred?” Rachel said.

Fred made a face. “You mean, what did my parents bring.”

“You don’t believe in Santa, either?”

“No. The older kids at school told us. There’s no Santa or Easter Bunny or —”

“Okay, we know. We like to pretend, so don’t spoil it for us grownups.”

Evelyn pointed at Fred. “What’s that in your hands?”

“It’s Jamie’s present.” She thrust it at him. “I picked it out myself.”

Jamie tore open the wrapping paper. “It’s a video game. Mystic World. Thanks. Yours is here somewhere.” He got on his hands and knees and rummaged under the tree until he found a small red package. He handed it to her. “I bought it with my own money.”

Rachel got up and walked behind him, holding something.

“But you gotta promise, Fred,” Jamie said. “No kissing! I mean it.”

Fred raised her hand in a vow. “I promise.” She opened the present. “It’s a necklace! An emerald necklace!”

“I thought it would go with your earrings. I’m sorry the stone is so small, but it was all I could afford.”

Fred started to throw her arms around his neck, but Jamie held his hands in front of him. “Remember. You promised.”

“Okay.” She hugged him, but when she released him, she pointed over his head.

“What?” Jamie looked up to see his mother, holding a sprig of mistletoe over his head. Before he could react, Fred grabbed his face with both hands and kissed him hard on the mouth.

“Ah, Fred.” He wiped his mouth as his entire family laughed. “Mom!”

“Sorry,” his mother said. “I couldn’t resist. I want one, too.”

But as she tried to hold the mistletoe over him again, he took off for the stairs while his family howled with laughter.

* * *

Rachel and Evelyn made dinner one night while Jamie sat at the table nearby.

“I need to go back to the trick shop, Mom. There’s some new stuff I want to get.” Rachel seemed to be ignoring him, busily snapping green beans. “Mom, did you hear me? I want to go to the trick shop. When can you take me?”

“I’m busy this Saturday. Can it wait?”

“No, our show is the Saturday after next. Gramma said it’s at a nursing home, and some of the people there can’t see so well. Fred and Rollie won’t have a problem, but I will. If the people can’t see the cards, the tricks won’t be any good. I want to get some props that are bigger and easier to see. Can you take me?”

“Can’t you make do with what you have? Goodness, you have a trunk full of stuff already.”

“No, I want to get some new ones.”

Rachel stopped snapping beans and put one hand on her hip. “Jamie, listen to yourself. Every other word is I or me. Every sentence need not start with I or me.” She looked at her mother. “God, I’m starting to sound like you.”

Evelyn smiled. “You act as if that’s a bad thing.”

“And come to think of it, that saying doesn’t make sense, at least grammatically. You’d never start a sentence with me — ‘me wants this’ or ‘me wants to do that’. You’d sound like a Neanderthal, or like an Indian in those corny old Western movies.”

“It’s not the grammar in the saying that matters, it’s the concept. When you were growing up, I wanted you to realize that the universe doesn’t revolve around you, that sometimes you need to stop and think about others.”

“And we shouldn’t be so selfish,” Jamie said.

“Exactly,” Evelyn said.

“So does that mean you’ll take me?”

“Jamie!” Rachel said.

“Sorry. It doesn’t hurt to ask.”

“I’ll take you,” Evelyn said, “but only because you’re doing the show as a favor to me.”

* * *

Jamie had a problem. Ever since he’d realized that he possessed real magic, most of his conversations with Fred and Rollie were only about that.

“Are you sure this is the spot?” Rollie asked as they stood in the middle of Jamie’s back yard.

“Yep, this is where I usually feel it,” Jamie said.

“What does it feel like?” Fred said.

“Well, it’s more like little flashes of stuff. I think they’re memories or something.”

“Are you getting anything now?” Rollie said.

“No. Usually it’s when I’m not expecting it. Sometimes I put a lawn chair right here and wait for it. Every once in a while, something pops into my head.”

“Why do think they’re memories? You can’t remember stuff you’ve never done,” Fred said.

“I know, but I can tell you about books I’ve never read. A lot of the stuff is about books. Did you know that the three-toed rock cat only mates once every five years?”

“What is a three-toed rock cat?”

“I should have no idea, but I can tell you all about them. Weird, huh? Their favorite food is mountain hares, and they only have one cub at a time. They live to be over three hundred years old and —”

“That’s nuts,” Rollie said. “Nothing lives that long but trees.”

“These cats do.”

“What else do you remember, or whatever?” Fred asked.

“I was out here the other….” Every sentence need not start with I or me, he heard his grandmother’s voice in his head.

“Jamie?”

The universe doesn’t revolve around you.

“Uh, nothing, I forgot. Fred, I thought those folks in the nursing home really liked your dancing last Saturday.”

“Huh? Oh, thanks. What else do you remember?”

“Nothing. Rollie, let’s go inside and see if Gramma will let us get on the computer and find some new jokes for you.”

“Nah, I’m good for now.”

“Well, let’s go see if her brownies are ready.”

“There’s a good idea. I love your Gramma’s brownies. You know, I wish my grandmother lived with me and made brownies like yours does.”

As they walked across the yard to the back door, Jamie remembered another one of his grandmother’s sayings: the first step in solving a problem is realizing that you have one.

Chapter 27

Jamie loved the Saturday before Father’s Day, because that was the day of the annual Hendersonville Police-Firefighters’ softball game. Jamie got to sit on the bench with the police officers, and he knew them all because his father had taken him to the station many times. Jamie knew some of the firefighters, too, partly because he’d been to the softball game every year and partly because of his dad. They called Jamie ‘Carl Sikes’s kid’.

Jamie liked to watch his father play, too. Even though he was in his mid-thirties, he could still catch and hit with the best of them. Jamie found it hard to resist using his magic to help his dad. Jamie knew he could guide the ball from the pitcher’s hand squarely onto his father’s bat, and then send the ball with his will as far as he wanted, into the next county if he felt like it. But he didn’t. He didn’t need Jamie’s help, and Jamie’s oath would’ve prevented him, anyway.

And Fred and Rollie would kill him if he did — oath or no oath — because that was cheating.

* * *

It wasn’t long before knowing a few firefighters paid off. Two weeks after the softball game, Jamie’s mother was driving him home from the library when Jamie saw smoke.

“Look, Mom, there’s a fire.” Just down a side street was a smoking building surrounded by fire trucks and firefighters. “Let’s go see, please?”

“Jamie, that’s a bad idea. We’ll just be in the way.”

“Let’s at least get out and look. I’ve never seen a fire before.”

His mother looked thoughtful for a moment. “Okay, it might be educational. But we’re not getting too close.”

They got out of the car and walked toward the burning building, but Jamie’s mother made him stop about 200 yards away. As they watched, a firefighter walked by, headed for a smaller fire truck parked nearby.

The firefighter said, “Hey, you’re Carl Sikes’s kid. Come to see the action?”

“Yes sir. I’ve never seen a fire before.”

“Would you like to get a little closer? You and your mom can go up to that last parked car.” He pointed to a blue vehicle. “But no closer, okay?”

They thanked him and went to the spot he’d pointed out, which was about 75 yards from the blaze.

Another firefighter walked by and waved. “Hey, Carl Sikes’s kid, and Mrs. Sikes.”

“What’s going on?” Jamie said.

The firefighter talked as he pulled some equipment from a truck. “This old warehouse is burning, and we want to stop it before it spreads to these other buildings.” He walked quickly toward the other firefighters and spoke over his shoulder, “If things get worse and the fire spreads, we’re gonna have to move you way back, okay?” He turned without waiting for Jamie’s answer.

Jamie looked at the burning warehouse and saw flames leaping from most of the windows. The firefighters only had two hoses trained on the building so far, and it didn’t seem like it was doing much good. Jamie wanted to help, but how?

He knew that fire needed oxygen, so he could make an invisible shell around the building and cut off the air supply, like he’d done with the robber at the bank. But the water from the fire hoses would hit it and bounce off, and that would be too obvious. He thought about it for a moment, trying to come up with an alternative.

Jamie thought about the fire hoses. He focused on where they connected to the hydrants, and in each one he imagined a valve that gradually closed. The water streaming from the hoses turned to a trickle as one firefighter shouted, “We’re losing water pressure!”

The men scrambled to fix the problem. Jamie turned his attention to the building. He imagined a shell, almost like glass, and affixed it to all four sides and the roof, cutting off all air to the fire. Within a minute, the flames began to die down, and went out completely. Jamie knew that if he released the shell too quickly, the inrushing air could reignite the blaze, so he gradually opened a few test holes, and satisfied with the result, removed the shell completely.

Unfortunately, he also released the blockages in the firehouses, which suddenly flopped about like angry snakes until the men got them under control.

“Wow,” his mother said. “That was something. It went out on its own.”

The firefighters seemed surprised, too. Jamie thought it might be a good time to leave.

Chapter 28

Kindergarten and fifth grade are the two most important years in elementary school and the ones with the biggest changes for kids. For kindergarteners, everything is new and hard, and there are a lot of adjustments to be made. But nobody expects much from you, so if you don’t know your ABCs or how to tie your shoes yet, it’s okay.

Fifth grade is completely different. Fifth graders are the big kids at school and know the routine, but everybody expects more from you, especially homework. And Jamie’s grandmother expected them to do theirs as soon as they came home from school, instead of playing outside or messing around on the computer.

Another big change for Jamie was at home. One night, while he set the table for dinner, his mother said, “Just three plates, Jamie.”

“Is Dad still at work?”

“No, he’s on his way home. Gramma’s not eating with us. She’s at Aunt Connie’s and Uncle Ray’s.”

“Again? She’s just ate there. Ever since they bought that condo, she’s gone half the time. Why can’t they eat over here?”

“Jamie, it’s not going to kill you if your grandmother doesn’t eat with us every night. Besides, I think she likes being in the company of people her own age, especially her sister.”

“But she didn’t tell me she was going.”

“She doesn’t need your permission to go out, Honey. It’s fine.”

“She’s not gonna move into her condo, is she?”

“Not yet. She’s leasing it to a nice couple from Florida for now. I think she’ll be staying with us for a while, yet.”

“Good. This is where Gramma belongs.”

* * *

Renn and the woman from the village spoke quietly so they wouldn’t disturb Mother. The woman had just come out of Mother’s room.

“I think she’ll sleep now,” the tall, sturdy woman said. “I finally got her to drink the draught you prepared. She’s a stubborn one.”

“You have no idea.” Renn liked this woman who had come to care for Mother. She was a tough, no-nonsense, late middle-aged lady who had a way with Mother that the previous two caretakers lacked. Mother seemed to like her, too, though she was reluctant to admit it. She seemed to enjoy the company, and the woman was a competent house keeper and cook.

“You may go home now.” He handed her a silver coin. “I’ll be staying with her tonight.”

“Should I come tomorrow?”

“Please. Mother hates my cooking.” A rare smile crossed his lips.

“Good. Tomorrow we need to get her up and moving before her joints stiffen too much. I will need your help.”

“Yes, anything,” he said as he closed the door behind her.

Anything for you, Mother.

* * *

For the talent show their fifth grade year, Jamie was determined not to show up his friends. He planned to do ordinary, run-of-the-mill trick store magic, not anything spectacular, like flying around the room or transporting the entire audience to another planet, though he’d fantasized about doing that.

Performing was getting easier for Jamie, Fred, and Rollie, because Evelyn had arranged over a dozen shows for them, from nursing homes to Elks Club banquets, and they had become more comfortable in front of audiences.

When they arrived at the auditorium the night of the show, the stage lights wouldn’t work.

“Must’ve been that big thunderstorm last night,” the custodian said as they milled around onstage in confusion. “Lightning probably fried the breaker box.”

“Jamie, do something,” Fred whispered. “Can’t you fix it?”

“I don’t know. Maybe if I can get to the box, but they’re not going to let me near it.” He glanced at the three adults looking at the open metal panel on the wall.

“We can make a diversion,” Rollie said. He looked at Fred. “Can you pretend to faint?”

“Can I? Watch this.” She put her hand to her forehead. “Oh, my, I feel dizzy!” Then she flopped to the floor, eyes closed.

“Fred’s fainted!” Rollie said. “Somebody help!”

All of the adults, including the ones by the panel, rushed to Fred’s side.

That’s my cue, Jamie thought. He snuck over to the breaker box, put his hand on it, and closed his eyes. In his mind, he could see where the damage was, and willed it to repair itself, the scorched and broken wires pushing together and reforming solid connections.

“Hey, get away from there!” one of the adults said.

Jamie rapped the box with his knuckles. “I think it’s okay. It just needed a little tap.” He flipped the switches and the stage lights came on. “See? It’s fine.”

Fred sat up. “Oh, I must have fainted. Does anyone have some water?” Then she looked across the stage at Jamie and winked. “I’m feeling much better.”

Chapter 29

The talent show was the last big activity of the school year, and soon the final bell rang and summer vacation started. Jamie and his friends enjoyed being outside during the pleasant month of June, but it passed quickly into the sweltering blanket of July.

“I’m burning up,” Rollie said one day, as he, Jamie, and Fred sat in the rocking chairs in the gazebo, under the ceiling fan. “Can’t we go back inside?”

“No,” Jamie said. “Gramma will just kick us out again.”

“Can’t you do something about the heat?”

“Don’t know. Never tried.” Jamie closed his eyes for a moment, and the air became noticeably cooler.

“Ah, that’s more like it.” But a minute later, a warm breeze blew through and it was hot again.

“Oh well,” Jamie said, “It was worth a try.”

“What did you do?” Fred asked.

“I slowed down the air molecules. That’s where they get their heat energy. The hotter something is, the faster its molecules move around.”

“So, did you learn that from some nature show or something?”

“No, a library book.”

“Don’t you ever read normal books?”

“Sometimes.” Jamie put his hands behind his head as he rocked. “I figured out that the more I know about stuff, the more magic I can do, like putting out that fire. I can’t… affect something — I guess that’s the right word — unless I know how it works.”

“Just don’t get all geeky on us,” Rollie said.

They rocked in silence for a moment before Jamie said, “I think the old man read a lot. He was always learning about knew stuff.”

“What old man?”

“I don’t know his name, but it’s the old man whose memories I keep having.”

“I told you, that’s crazy,” Fred said. “You can’t have somebody else’s memories.”

Rollie sat on the edge of his seat. “It’s no crazier than flying, or fixing a breaker box just by touching it. Or shooting energy bolts out of your fingers, or —”

“I get it. It’s crazy,” Fred said. “We’re crazy.”

“Sure are,” Rollie said. “Let’s put some of this magic to good use. Jamie, how ’bout making us a swimming pool right here?”

“I think Gramma might notice.”

“Make it snow, then.”

“Same problem.”

“Take us to the North Pole.” Fred fanned herself with her hand.

Jamie’s eyes brightened at the prospect, but then he said, “Nah, we can’t leave the yard.”

“Surround us with blocks of ice,” Rollie said.

“Can’t. Gramma.”

“Make it winter.”

“Same problem.”

“Spring …?”

* * *

The heat wave continued through the weekend, and Jamie melted during Sunday church service. One of the air conditioning units had broken down, and the sanctuary was steaming hot. Jamie sweated in his suit, sitting in a pew with his parents and grandmother, a few seats down from Fred and her family. He thought about using his magic to fix the broken cooling unit, but he didn’t know anything about air conditioners and his grandmother would never let him leave to go inspect it.

Jamie held up okay for the first half of the service, but by the time of the sermon, he started to get drowsy, eyes crossing and head nodding. His grandmother kept poking him and giving him the evil eye, but what could he do? It was hot and he was bored. He needed to do something to keep awake.

At the front of the sanctuary was a large raised platform, in the middle of which was a podium where the minister spoke. The choir sat behind him on risers. On either side were large lighted candles on tall brass holders, and they suddenly caught Jamie’s eye. He focused on the left candle and snuffed out the flame with his mind, then relit it with a little spell. Then he focused on the right candle and did the same. The back to the left, and back to the right. Snuff. Light. Snuff. Light.

Just as he was sending the spell to relight the left candle, he heard a “sssttt!” and looked down the pew to see Fred glaring at him.

Uh oh, he thought. She knows.

Then someone shouted, “Fire!”

Jamie looked up to see the minister turn and slap at the back of his robe as a flame licked up from the hem. He was surrounded by frightened faces, the organist flapped her hands wildly, and the choir members retreated in panic. But fortunately, the choir director grabbed a water bottle from the podium and doused the fire, with no apparent harm done.

The minister quickly regained his composure, smiled and said, “Is it just me, or is it hot in here?” The congregation laughed and the tension went out of the sanctuary.

Jamie shrank back in his seat as far as he could, desperate to avoid Fred’s eyes. He was afraid to look, because he knew her laser glare would burn a hole straight through him if he did. The minister continued his sermon, and Jamie stared directly at him and nothing else until the service was over.

They walked out of the front door; Fred caught up with Jamie and grabbed his arm.

“I need to talk to you,” she said tersely.

Rachel and Lisa exchanged glances.

Fred dragged Jamie over to the side of the church, out of earshot of their parents.

“I saw what you did,” she snapped, her emerald eyes narrowed, one hand on her hip and the other wagging a finger in his face. “What were you thinking? Oh, I’ll think I’ll have some fun and — oops — I set the minister on fire.”

“I’m sorry,” Jamie said. “I didn’t mean to. I missed with the spell when you hissed at me.”

“You didn’t mean to?” She poked his chest. “There’s no excuse for what you did. You could’ve seriously injured him, all because you can’t keep your power under control.”

“But I —”

“You listen to me, Buster. If you can’t keep it under control, Rollie and I will make you swear a new oath, one that says you can’t use magic ever. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes,” he muttered.

Fred turned away without looking to see if he followed her.

* * *

Rachel looked at the two kids. “I wonder what Fred’s mad at Jamie about?”

“I don’t know, Lisa said. “It’s not like he set the preacher on fire.”

“Well, she sure was burning him up,” Larry said. “I’m glad I’m not in his shoes.”

Rachel shook her head slowly. “Well, I don’t think he has to worry about her kissing him right now.”

Jamie trailed sheepishly behind as Fred rejoined her parents.

“Fred, what was that all about?” Lisa said.

“Oh, nothing. Jamie just needed a little enlightening.”

“Enlightening?” Rachel said. “I wonder where she learned that expression?” She looked at her mother, who shrugged innocently.

* * *

When Jamie got back to his parents, his father put his arm around his son. “What was that all about?”

“Nothing,” Jamie said.

“Well, I must say, you handled it well.” He let the other families walk ahead of them. “This might help you, something I learned about maintaining a happy relationship: tell her you love her several times a day, and always say ‘yes Dear, I’m sorry, Dear,’ and the most important thing, always say, ‘I was wrong, Dear’.” He leaned closer to Jamie and said quietly, “Even when you’re not.”

Jamie laughed as his father patted him on the back.

Chapter 30

Not long before school started, Rachel and Carl were eating dinner with Jamie while Evelyn talked on the phone outside.

“She sure has been talking a long time,” Carl said.

“I thought she said it was rude to talk on the phone during dinner,” Jamie said.

“She did,” Rachel said. “She must have a good reason.”

Evelyn finally came back inside and sat at the table. “Jamie, if you’re finished eating, could you go take a shower please?”

“But I wanna —”

“Now, please,” she said in her I-mean-business tone.

“Yes ma’am.”

Evelyn waited until he was out of earshot. “I hope it’s okay, but I have company coming over this Saturday.”

“Of course it’s okay, Mom,” Rachel said. “Is it one of your friends from church?”

“No, she’s from out-of-town. Winston-Salem, actually. You’ve never met her.”

“Who is she?”

Evelyn put her hand to her cheek and looked away for a long moment. She cleared her throat and said, “She’s my daughter.”

Rachel and Carl stared at her in shock.

When Rachel finally recovered, she said, “Your what?”

“She’s my daughter. She’s your sister, Rachel. Well, actually, she’s your half-sister.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I just couldn’t.” Evelyn sighed deeply and rubbed her face with one hand. Then she took a deep breath and said, “The summer before my senior year in high school, I got pregnant. Back in those days, that was frowned upon in polite society. So my parents sent me to Charlotte to live with my aunt for a year so I could have the baby and finish high school.” She looked at her hands, folded on the table, and continued, “I gave her up for adoption, naturally, and moved back home. Nobody knew, except for my parents and my sister.” Her face was tight.

“How about Daddy?” Rachel asked.

“I never told your father. I was too ashamed. Connie knows, but nobody else.”

“Oh, Mom.” Rachel walked over to Evelyn and put her arms around her. Carl sat in silence.

“Sophie’s been trying to contact me for a while now.” Evelyn wiped her eyes. “That’s her name, Sophie.” She paused as if she were trying the name on for size. “I gave permission to the adoption registry, and she found me here. Now she wants to come over and see me.”

“Rachel, you always wanted a sister,” Carl said.

Rachel’s head spun. This can’t be true! “Well… what are we going to tell Jamie?”

“Please let me tell him,” Evelyn said. “I don’t know if he’s old enough to really understand, but I want to do it.”

* * *

That Saturday, Evelyn sat in the gazebo and Rachel paced around the family room, where Jamie was watching television. When the doorbell rang, Jamie started to get up, but she said, “I’ll get it.”

Rachel rushed to the door, but paused for a moment before answering it. She didn’t know what to expect or how she would react. She’d played the scene over and over in her mind the night before, thinking about what she would say, but with her hand on the doorknob, her mind went blank. The bell rang again and she opened it.

Standing before her was a middle-aged, slighter heavier version of herself. Same height and light brown hair, though it was cut shorter. The resemblance was still there.

“Is this the Sikes’s residence?” the woman asked.

Rachel threw her arms around Sophie and hugged her with all her might as a small sob escaped her lips. This wasn’t how she imagined meeting her new-found sister, but she couldn’t help herself.

After a long moment, Rachel pulled back and held her sister at arms’ length. “I’m sorry, I don’t know what came over me. I’m Rachel. You must be Sophie.” A tear ran down Sophie’s cheek.

“That’s okay. It’s not every day that you get to meet your long-lost sister.” Rachel brought her inside and introduced Jamie to his aunt.

“I’m so glad to meet you,” Sophie said. “You’re even more adorable than your grandmother described you.”

Jamie blushed but didn’t say anything.

* * *

Jamie’s mother asked him to stay inside while she took her sister out to the gazebo, where they talked with his grandmother for what seemed like hours. Every time he looked out of the back window to check on them, it seemed like they were holding hands, hugging, or wiping their eyes.

They finally walked through the back door and Jamie’s mother said, “Where are you staying?”

“At the Hampton Inn,” his aunt said.

“Oh no, you can’t stay there. You must stay with us. We have a nice guest bedroom.”

“I don’t want to be a bother.”

“Don’t argue,” Gramma said. “Go get your things. You’re staying here.”

Good old Gramma, Jamie thought. Nobody can say no to her.

* * *

Late Sunday afternoon, Rachel, Lisa, and Adele sat on Adele’s front steps, watching their kids play basketball. Rachel told them about Sophie.

“And your mother kept it a secret all these years?” Lisa said. “That’s amazing.”

“Yes, but I think I understand why,” Rachel said.

“I can’t picture your mom pregnant in high school.”

“You can’t? How do you think I feel?” That was the biggest surprise of my life, she thought.

“What does Jamie think about her?” Adele asked.

“He likes her. As soon as he found out that she teaches high school biology, he wouldn’t hardly leave her alone. He finally found someone he can talk science with.”

“Does she have any kids?” Lisa said.

“No, she can’t. She has the same problem I have. She’s not married, either, but she’s dating a guy.”

“Are you going to see her again?”

“She’s coming for Thanksgiving. Mom wanted her to come for Christmas, too, but she spends that with her adoptive parents.”

“So what do you think of her?” Adele said.

“She’s nice. I’ve only known her for twenty four hours — a very emotional twenty four hours — but she seems like a sweet person.” Rachel sighed. “You know, I always wanted a sister. Now that I’ve got one, I guess this means I can’t be in the Only Child Club anymore.”

“That’s a good thing, Sugar,” Lisa said. She looked away and took a deep breath. “I have a confession to make.” She bit her lower lip, obviously struggling with what she wanted to say. “I can’t be in the club, either. You know that great aunt that I go visit once a month?” She looked at Rachel and Adele. “She’s not my aunt. She’s my sister.”

“Your sister?” Rachel said. “Why haven’t we met her?”

“She lives in a special home. She’s mentally handicapped… severely handicapped. She’s got some bad health problems, too. That’s why she’s at the home.”

“Does Fred know?”

“No,” she said with a tight shake of her head.

“Why didn’t you tell us?”

“I don’t know.” She looked at the step in front of her. “I feel bad about her being in an institution instead of living with us. I’m embarrassed, I guess, like I’m a bad sister. I love her so much, and she should be living with us. But what can I do?” Her voice caught in her throat. “I can’t give her the care she needs. I just can’t.” She put her hand to her chest as she tried to continue. “I promised my mom before she died that I’d go visit as often as I could, but it’s hard, especially with Fred. I’ve got to look after her, you know.”

Lisa covered her face with both hands. “Ever since my dad died, I’m all my sister has left. There’s nobody else visiting her. And every time I go see her, she gets so excited and happy. God, it just makes me feel worse.” A tear trickled from between her fingers.

Adele put her arm around Lisa’s shoulders. “You’re not a bad sister, Lisa. You’re a good person.”

“And a good mother,” Rachel said. “You’re raising Fred right. She’s your number one priority right now. You should be proud of the job you’re doing.”

“I guess,” Lisa mumbled. “But sometimes I feel like a failure.”

“We all feel that way at one time or another,” Rachel said.

“That’s right, Honey,” Adele said. “We might not be the Only Child Club, but we are the Moms Doing the Best They Can Club.”

“Amen to that,” Lisa said, as Rachel nodded.

* * *

The following Saturday, Lisa took Fred to Charlotte to meet her aunt for the first time.

Chapter 31

Sixth grade was full of changes and challenges for Jamie, Fred, and Rollie. The biggest change was that they started middle school and were the little kids again, dwarfed by eighth graders in the throes of hormone-fueled growth spurts. Jamie and Rollie weren’t the smallest boys at school, but they were far from the biggest. And because girls mature faster than boys, Fred had shot past both of her friends and was almost four inches taller, a fact she reminded them of daily.

The biggest challenge of sixth grade for Fred was the eighth grade girls. A few who rode their bus thought it was fun to flirt with Jamie, sitting by him whenever they could, running their hands through his curly hair, and telling him how cute he was. Jamie withstood it in red-faced silence, but Fred seethed with fury. Rollie found it to be funny, needling Jamie relentlessly, calling him “ladies’ man” and “lover boy”. That only made Fred madder.

The biggest challenge of sixth grade for Jamie was that he started it on crutches. Jamie’s father had pushed him into trying out for football.

“What did the doctor say?” Carl asked as he closed the kitchen door behind him and laid his coat over a chair.

“It’s just a bad sprain, thank God. It’s not broken,” Rachel said. “He’ll be on crutches for a couple of weeks or so.” Rachel stopped cutting potatoes and gave Carl a hard look. “You just had to talk him onto trying out, didn’t you? I told you he was too small, but you wouldn’t listen.”

“A sprained ankle can happen to anybody, even the biggest guys.”

“Carl, he doesn’t really want to play football. He only went to tryouts because of you. He wants you to be proud of him, but he’s not you. He’s not an athlete, so stop pushing him to be one.”

“He just hasn’t found his sport yet, that’s all.”

“Carl…arghhhh!” She shook her fists in frustration and went back to cutting potatoes.

* * *

Starting a new school also meant making new friends, and Fred’s new friend was Betsy Moore. One Friday in early September, she rode the bus home with Fred for a sleepover.

Late Saturday afternoon, after Betsy’s had gone home, Lisa said, “Well, did you have fun with Betsy?”

“I guess,” Fred said.

“That’s it? I guess?”

“Well, she’s nice, but she’s kinda boy crazy. That’s all she wants to talk about. And she wouldn’t leave Jamie alone.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, I think she only wanted to come over because she knows Jamie’s my friend. On the bus yesterday, she was sitting with him and flirting.”

“She’s too young for that. You probably misread her.”

“No, she was flirting. She’s worse than those older girls, ’cause they just do it to be funny. All she wanted to do today was go over to his house all the time.”

“What does he think about it?”

“He doesn’t like it. He told me so. He went over to Rollie’s and got him to tell her that girls aren’t allowed at his house.”

“But you go all the time.”

“She doesn’t know that.”

“I don’t remember being like that when I was your age. She seems too young to be liking boys. How old is she, eleven?”

“She’s almost twelve. But lots of sixth graders are dating already.”

“Dating? Come on, Honey, what kind of dating can they do?”

“They mostly just text each other and talk on the phone and stuff.”

“Text? These kids have cell phones?”

“Uh huh. Can I get one?”

“Absolutely not.”

“When can I?”

“I made a pact with Rachel and Adele, and we’re not letting you get phones until ninth grade.”

“Ninth grade!”

“Yes, ninth grade. We knew we had to agree, or one of you’d get a phone, and then the rest of you would expect one.”

“That’s not fair.”

“Too bad, Honey. And stop making that face. It might freeze like that.”

* * *

“Does everybody have coffee who wants it?” Rachel called from the kitchen on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

“I think we’re all good,” Evelyn said from the table. A memory came to mind of twelve years ago, when she was a lonely widow in Greensboro, eating by herself in her small kitchen in her condo. Today she was at a large table, surrounded by talking and laughter and all the women in her family — both of her daughters, her niece Gina, and her sister Connie. She couldn’t help but smile.

“Where’s Jamie?” Sophie asked.

“Carl took him and Fred to the movies,” Rachel said. “Jamie said he didn’t want to be around a ladies’ yak-a-thon.”

Evelyn had worried, tossed and turned through restless nights, about how the rest of the family would take to Sophie, but they seemed to accept her, even enjoy her company, especially Connie. Evelyn’s sister was the only other person who had known of her, sharing the heartbreak of the adoption all those years, and Connie had become quite emotional when they met. Even Pete and Darla had been cordial to her during their Thanksgiving dinner.

“Sophie, next time you come, you need to bring some pictures,” Connie said. “We want to see what you looked like when you were little.”

“I was thinner, for one thing.” Sophie laughed. “And I had blonde curly hair like Jamie.”

“Stop making comments about your weight,” Connie said. “You’re fine just the way you are.”

“Speaking of skinny,” Gina said. “Fred sure has shot up since the last time I saw her.”

“That Fred is something else,” Sophie said. “She’s so cute and has so much personality. But she seems a little bossy.”

Rachel shook her head. “A little?”

“But she and Jamie seem like such good friends. How does he put up with it?”

“Don’t worry about Jamie.” Evelyn set down her coffee cup. “He knows how to deal with Fred. They’ve been friends for a long time. They’re about as close as you can get.”

“I think Fred wants him to be her boyfriend,” Gina said. “I gave her my e-mail address last time I was here, and I know I shouldn’t be telling you this, but she talks about him all the time. She just pours her little heart out.”

“I’m not surprised,” Rachel said. “Lisa said that Fred thinks of you as her older sister.”

Sophie smiled. “That’s so sweet. I wish I knew her better.”

“Oh, hang around here long enough and you will,” Evelyn said. “You won’t be able to help it. And Rollie, too. He’s out of town right now, but and he and Jamie and Fred are as thick as thieves.”

“Lisa and I are hoping that Jamie and Fred go to the prom together someday,” Rachel said. “But right now, Jamie’s more interested in other things. I don’t think he notices girls just yet.”

* * *

“There sure are a lot of good-looking girls in this school,” Jamie said, walking through the halls with Rollie one day in early December.

Rollie pursed his lips. “But they’re all so tall.”

“They’re not tall. We’re short.”

“Even Fred’s taller than us now. I asked my mom when I’m gonna grow, but she said be patient. That’s all she ever says — Be patient,” Rollie said in a mocking, nasal tone.

“My mom told me that girls mature faster, and that we’ll have our growth spurts later.”

“I wanna be taller now. Can’t you use your magic on us and make us grow?”

“I can’t. The oath. Remember? I don’t know how, anyway.” Jamie looked around to make sure no one was listening. “But I think I’ve figured out how to make plants grow really fast, I mean, like poof. It’s really cool. I’ll show you and Fred after school.”

Later, Jamie, Fred, and Rollie went up to the clubhouse. Jamie had a small pot of dirt and a bottle of water.

“Now this,” Jamie said, holding out his hand, “is a zinnia seed. I remembered how to do this the other day.”

“Here we go with the memories again,” Fred said. “I suppose this is one of the old man’s?”

Jamie nodded.

“How do you know he’s old, anyway?” Rollie asked.

“Because sometimes memories come to me in dreams, and I’m looking through somebody else’s eyes. When I look down, I can see a gray beard.” Jamie touched the middle of his chest. “Coming all the way down to here. Long gray hair, too.”

“How do you know you didn’t just figure this trick out on your own?”

“Did I figure this out?” Jamie lifted his finger and the pot rose about a foot in the air. Then he twirled his finger and the pot spun. Fred reached out, grabbed the pot, and set it back on the table. “I dreamed it, and now I can do it,” Jamie said. “But what I’m going to do now is something that came to me in biology class.”

He buried the seed in the pot of dirt. “The old man knew a lot about plants. He even knew about cells and stuff.”

“So what,” Rollie said. “Lots of people do.”

“Yeah, but he had to build his own microscopes.” Jamie poured some water over the dirt.

“Why didn’t he just buy ’em?”

“He couldn’t. They don’t have them where he’s from.”

“Is it some poor country or something?” Fred said.

“No, I think it’s another world.”

“Now don’t go telling me —”

“No, hear me out. There are no cars or electricity, hardly any technology at all. And the moon! It’s really different. It looks bigger and it’s got all these different colors, not all white like ours.”

Rollie looked at Jamie with a skeptical expression. “If you say so. What are you gonna do with that pot?”

“Watch.” Jamie held his hand over it, and within seconds, a tiny shoot appeared. He added more water and the plant grew quickly, and within a minute or so, was nearly fully grown. Jamie added more water.

“Wow,” Fred said.

The bud appeared, swelled, and opened into a fully developed flower.

“What do you think?” Jamie asked.

Fred and Rollie stared in wonder. Jamie broke the flower stem near its base and handed it to Fred.

“Dude, that is so cool!” Rollie said. “That’s really gonna come in handy on Mother’s Day.”

* * *

That winter was a cold one, and Jamie spent most of his time indoors with his friends. But when spring came, they were out in the yard again.

One Saturday in March, the kids helped Carl take down the kid swings and put up a porch swing in their place. Carl climbed down the stepladder. “All done. Have fun.” He folded up the ladder and took it to the garage as the kids scrambled to get on the bench. Jamie and Rollie were first.

“Move over!” Fred said, pushing Jamie and Rollie apart. “I want to sit in the middle.”

When she scrunched between them, Rollie said, “Ow! Your boney butt hurts, Fred.”

“My butt is just fine, thank you.” She looked at Jamie. “Stop kicking your legs back when we’re kicking forward. We can’t swing ’cause you’re messing us up.”

“Fred, I think I know how to swing.”

“Prove it, then. Do what me and Rollie are doing.”

“Don’t be so bossy.”

“I’m not bossy.”

“Yeah, you are,” Rollie said.

“I am not bossy!”

Evelyn yelled from the back door, “Rollie, your mother called and said it’s time for you to go home.”

“Bye, guys.” Rollie hopped off and headed for home.

Jamie and Fred swung in silence for a minute or so. Finally, Fred said, “Am I bossy?”

“Yep.”

“Really?”

“Mm hmm.”

Fred was quiet, chewing on her lip.

“It’s okay, Fred. We’re used to it. It’s not like you’re bossy all the time.”

“Good.”

“You’re not bossy when you’re asleep.”

“That’s not funny.” Fred’s face grew troubled. “I don’t want to be bossy.”

“Maybe you can’t help it.”

She looked at Jamie forlornly. “Do you really think so?”

Jamie suddenly felt sorry for her. “I don’t know. Maybe if you really wanna change, you can.”

“Maybe you can use your magic on me.”

“I can’t change people, like, the way they are, and the way they think and feel and stuff.” He wasn’t sure if that was true, but it sounded right. “I don’t think magic works that way. You have to do it yourself.”

“I don’t want people to think I’m bossy,” she said quietly.

Jamie had no idea it bothered Fred so much. “We’ll work on it,” he said cheerfully.” Then he patted her on the back. “Right now, let’s go work on Gramma’s cake. It ought to be done by now.”

Fred’s face brightened and they went inside.

Chapter 32

“We got it,” Carl said, as he set down the phone one Sunday evening in early May.

“I can’t wait to tell Lisa.” Rachel picked up the phone and walked into the other room.

“Got what?” Jamie asked.

“My dad’s cousin’s house in Florida. It’s in Ponte Vedra. Real nice vacation place. Four bedrooms, and he’s letting us have it all week for free.”

“Is Gramma coming?”

“She doesn’t like the beach. Fred’s family’s coming, though.”

“Rollie, too?”

“He can’t. He’s got vacation Bible school. It’s just us and the Callahans. But Fred’ll be there.”

“Do I get my own bedroom?”

“Oh yeah. You’re going to love it.”

* * *

It was late afternoon when they pulled into the driveway of the beach house. Jamie and Fred didn’t wait for their parents. They opened the van doors and took off to investigate.

Larry climbed out and stretched. “Nice house.”

It was a modern, two-story light brown stucco home with a Spanish tile roof, similar to the houses around it. The yard was small, but nicely landscaped, with privacy hedges all around and plenty of flowers.

Jamie ran up with Fred. “It’s right on the ocean and there are two porches in the back, one right over the other.”

“And it’s got a hammock and a patio, and wooden walkway in the back that goes right down to the beach,” Fred said.

“And it’s got an outdoor shower right there at the gate.”

“Good. Be sure to use it.” Lisa wagged a finger. “Every time you come back from the beach. We don’t want to sweep sand all week.”

“Everybody grab your bags,” Carl said, lifting his from the back of the van. Carl unlocked the front door and Jamie and Fred blew past him into the house.

“Wow.” Fred gaped.

Everyone stepped inside. Rachel said, “Wow is right.”

The upper floor was one large open area with sliding glass doors lining the back wall. Past the glass doors was a terrace with another table and chairs.

Lisa dropped her suitcase on the floor. “Look at that view.” She walked to the glass doors to see the beach beyond.

The front of the top floor was a family room, furnished with a large sectional sofa and matching recliner, modern glass shelves, and a television. The back half, set on a slightly lower level, had a long table with chairs and more glass shelves, covered with shells and other beach knick knacks.

Rachel inspected the spacious kitchen, opening drawers and cabinets. “Lisa, it looks like it’s got everything. It’s even got an electric mixer.”

“Coffee pot?” Larry asked.

“Yes. Microwave, too.” She turned slowly. “Everything. Carl, give me the van keys, please. Lisa and I are going to run to the grocery store.”

“Don’t you want to eat out?” Carl asked.

“We’ve eaten out all day,” Lisa said. “All that fast food…ugh. We want some real dinner. We’ll get something easy, like boiled shrimp.”

The kids buzzed around the house like hummingbirds. Fred bounded to Lisa. “Mom, it’s got a big bathroom and three bedrooms downstairs. They all have windows facing the beach. Jamie and I already picked ours.”

“Hold on.” Carl held up one hand. “There’s a big one down there. You didn’t pick that one, I hope.”

Fred scrunched her face.

“Lisa, you and Larry should take that one. We’ll take the upstairs room.”

“We can’t ask you to do that,” Lisa said. “It’s your relative’s house. You should have a view of the beach.”

“That’s okay,” Rachel said. “The upstairs room is a master bedroom and bath.” She smiled dreamily. “With a jacuzzi bathtub.”

Before Rachel and Lisa were out of the front door, Jamie and Fred were in their bathing suits, headed for the beach.

“Stop right there, Fred,” Lisa said. “You need sunblock.”

“This late in the day?” Rachel said.

“Oh yes. She’s got Larry’s complexion.” Lisa opened a canvas bag on the kitchen table and pulled out a tube of sunblock. “She can get sunburned just going to the mailbox.” Fred stood impatiently while Lisa covered her with lotion.

“Okay, you’re good.” Lisa patted Fred’s back. Fred and Jamie ran for the door. “One more thing, kids: there are no lifeguards, so don’t go out too far in the water.”

“How far can we go?” Fred asked. “We know how to swim.”

“Knee deep.”

“Knee deep? Mom, we’re not babies.”

“Okay, waist deep. But be careful.”

* * *

Jamie and Fred flew down the wooden walk and hit the beach running, racing to the water’s edge, startling a group of gulls into flight. They continued running in the wet sand.

Jamie pointed at the gulls. “I could catch ’em if nobody was looking. I could fly like this.” He spread his arms as they ran.

“Don’t!” Fred said.

“I’m not. I’m just saying I could.” They stopped and walked out ankle deep in the water.

“Look.” Jamie pointed at the water. “Fish.”

Small silver shapes could be seen swimming back to the deeper water in a retreating wave. He ran after one and reached into the water for it, but it escaped. Fred joined the hunt. “I want to catch one.”

“Hold still.” Jamie held his hands out, and after a moment, a few of the skittish fish began to circle Fred, gradually swimming closer.

“They tickle.” She smiled, bending her knees, dragging her fingers through the water. “I want to hold one.”

“Make a bowl out of your hands just under the surface.”

As Fred squatted in the water, the fish darted away, only to return. A brave one swam into her hands. Fred giggled like a little girl.

“Don’t pick her out of the water, just let her swim there for a minute.”

After a moment, Fred stood and shook the water off. “That was cool.” Then she bent down, cupped a handful of water and splashed Jamie.

“Hey!” he said, bending down to retaliate, but Fred had backed out of reach.

She turned her back to let a wave pass by and Jamie said, “Remember, not too far out.”

“It’s only waist deep,” she said, then lay back and did a few backstrokes away from Jamie.

Jamie took a few steps to follow her, but had to turn to let a wave splash against his back. When he turned around, Fred was 20 yards away in deeper water.

“Fred, you’re too far.”

“I can still touch bottom.”

“It’s way past your waist.” He could feel the strong outward tug of the current.

“It’s great. Come on, Jamie.” She leaned forward and swam parallel to the shore, but seemed to be drifting farther out.

“Fred, I don’t like it. Come back in.”

Fred stopped. “Oh, I can’t touch bottom.” She took a few strokes toward shore, right as a wave swept by, obscuring her for a moment. When it passed, she was even farther out. “Jamie!”

“Swim harder, Fred!”

Fred tried to swim toward him, but made no headway, and when the next wave went by, she was dangerously far away.

“Jamie, help!”

Fred thrashed mightily, but was steadily moving away from shore.

“Do something!” she shrieked. “Jamie, hurry!”

Jamie needed to do something fast. There was no time to get help. There were no adults in sight, and there wasn’t time to run back to the house.

Fred could drown.

Suddenly, Jamie remembered the Walter the Wizard book, where Walter made a magic rope to save the knight. But Jamie knew, unlike the book, the rope had to be made of something. Magic had no substance of its own.

What can I make it out of? Sand.

“Jamie!” Fred screamed.

Jamie used his will to pull sand from the bottom into one hand, forced it into a flexible rope shape, and stretched it out with the other. After a few seconds, he only had about two feet of rope, and it felt strange in his hands.

Why did I use sand? It’s going to be too stiff and heavy. Don’t bind it too tight or it won’t flex.

He looked up to see Fred go under a wave. He needed to work faster. He looked at the length of sand-rope and thought duplicate. The rope doubled in length, but still far too short. Duplicate, he thought again and again, looking up between thoughts to judge the distance. Fred was now at least 50 yards away.

When he thought the rope was long enough, he yelled, “Fred, grab this,” and twirled it over his head like a cowboy with a lariat. He released it in Fred’s direction and pushed it with his will until it splashed right in front of her. She grabbed it before it sank and Jamie felt it grow taut. He set his feet in the sandy bottom and pulled, hand over hand, slowly reeling Fred in like a red-headed mermaid caught on a fisherman’s line.

It was hard work. He had to use his will to maintain the shape of the rope, and pulling against the current was difficult. Fred drew closer — 45 yards, then 40. Jamie pulled, ignoring the growing pain in his shoulders. The abrasive sand hurt his hands, too. 35 yards, then 30. Even when Fred was in close enough to touch bottom, he pulled. 20 yards, 10. She was pulling hand over hand, too, and when she was within reach, he released his will and the rope, and it dissolved and sank.

Fred threw herself onto him and wrapped her arms and legs around him in a fierce bear hug, sobbing uncontrollably.

* * *

Carrying a couple of towels, Rachel stepped off the wooden walk onto the beach and scanned the shore for the kids. It was time to eat. To her right, she saw only adults and small children. To her left, about 75 yards away, she saw a solitary, large figure. As she jogged toward it, she could make out Fred’s distinctive hair.

Fred was hugging Jamie. Oh, that’s so sweet! I wish Lisa could see them.

When she was within earshot, Fred slid off Jamie and they walked toward Rachel.

“Dinner’s almost ready. Are you hungry?” Rachel said.

“Yes ma’am,” Jamie said.

“Lisa and I bought a couple of body boards for you.”

“What are those?”

“They’re like little surfboards that you lie on and ride the waves. It looks like fun.”

“Yeah, fun,” Fred said unenthusiastically.

“Don’t listen to her,” Jamie said. “She just got smashed by a big wave.”

“Fred, why are your eyes red?” Rachel asked.

“I, um, opened my eyes underwater.”

“Oh.” She handed a towel to each of them. “You can eat in your bathing suits if you want. We’re having dinner on the terrace.”

* * *

It was nearly dark when they finished eating, and Rachel and Lisa sent the kids to the showers with promises of plenty of television if they made it quick. Carl and Larry offered to clear the table and wash the dishes, but they were procrastinating for a bit, enjoying the last of the light and the nice breeze. Rachel related what she saw on the beach.

“I wish I could’ve seen them,” Lisa said. “That’s so sweet.”

“That’s what I thought,” Rachel said. “They really do love each other.”

“Hold on, now.” Carl folded his hands in his lap. “They’re only eleven years old.”

“They’re almost twelve.”

“Still, before you go making their wedding plans, maybe you should consider that there’s another explanation.”

“Carl, don’t be so unromantic.” Rachel frowned.

“I agree with Carl.” Larry nodded. “There’s Jamie now.” He pointed inside, where you could see Jamie through the glass doors, already in his pajamas. “Let’s ask him.”

Carl opened one of the doors and called Jamie out to the patio.

“Jamie,” Rachel said, “when I went down to the beach a while ago, I saw you and Fred having the sweetest hug.”

“Oh, that.” Jamie shrugged. “Fred thought she saw a shark and got all scared. She gets real emotional sometimes.”

“Oh. “I thought —”

“She didn’t really see one, in case you were wondering.”

“Okay. Well, you can go watch TV if you want.”

Carl smiled behind his hand and Larry stared at the sky, whistling tunelessly.

Jamie closed the door behind him. Lisa said, “Well, I still think it was sweet.”

“That may be so,” Larry said, “But I don’t think you should be ordering Fred’s prom dress just yet.”

* * *

The wave smashed Jamie and Fred off of their body boards, roiled and twirled them in the churning vortex near the bottom, and spit them out near the shore.

Fred screamed, “That was a good one!”

“I might’ve overdone it just a little,” Jamie said, picking up his board. The waves weren’t big that day, so Jamie helped them out with his magic. “Let’s get something to drink.”

They walked toward the beach umbrella where their parents had been lounging all morning. Fred said, “Let’s not let my dad back on a board. He looks like such a doofus.”

When they reached their parents, Larry said, “Why do the big waves always come when you two are out there?”

“I dunno.” Fred shrugged. “Just lucky, I guess.”

* * *

The next morning, Lisa and Rachel helped Fred pick out her outfit.

“No, Fred, you can’t wear a tank top.” Lisa frowned. “Your shoulders have gotten way too much sun already.”

“We’re not going to the beach, Mom,” Fred said.

“But we’re going to be walking around in the sun in St. Augustine.”

“Here, Fred, how about this?” Rachel laid out a white tee shirt and shorts. “You can wear the white floppy hat and white sandals with it.”

“And these white-rimmed sunglasses,” Lisa said.

Fred slipped on the shorts and shirt, then the sandals. She put the hat and sunglasses on, looked in the mirror, and gave her approval.

“Hold on.” Rachel pulled her phone out of her purse. “Let’s take a picture and send it to my mom.

Fred posed and Rachel snapped the photo.

“Too cute,” Rachel said, tapping and sending the photo.

“I want to send it to Gina,” Fred said.

Rachel handed her the phone. “You know her cell phone number?”

Fred tapped out the number. “Yes ma’am, don’t you? I call her all the time.”

“I don’t know it by heart. What do you two talk about?”

“Stuff.”

“Stuff?” Lisa asked, both mothers looking at Fred.

“Girl stuff.”

Lisa looked at Rachel and shrugged.

* * *

After touring the Castillo de San Marcos, the two families walked to St. George Street in the historic section of St. Augustine and ate lunch at a café with outdoor seating.

“I love this place,” Lisa said, leaning back in her chair at their little round table, watching the tourists stroll by. “It’s crazy, with all these people wandering around.”

“I like the street musicians.” Larry put his napkin on the remains of his lunch.

Rachel pointed down the street. “There’s something going on over there. Let’s go see.” They got closer and saw that a small crowd had gathered around a street performer.

“I think it’s a magician,” Jamie said.

They worked their way near the front of the crowd and saw a tall young man with long black hair, standing behind a table, with a hat for tips on the ground in front of him. They watched him perform for a few minutes.

Lisa scowled. “I don’t like this guy. He’s obnoxious.”

“That comment he made about women not getting it — that was uncalled for,” Rachel said.

The magician called out, “For my next trick, I will take three ordinary plastic cups….”

Fred nudged Jamie. “That’s your trick.”

“I need a volunteer from the audience.”

“He’s gonna hide the rubber ball in his hand,” Jamie said. “Go up there, Fred.”

“How will I know which hand?”

“I’ll say red if it’s right, Lucy if it’s left. Go!” He gave Fred a little push and she stepped forward.

“Ah, a lovely volunteer,” the magician said. He placed a rubber ball under one of the three cups, which were upside down on a table. “Keep your eye on the cup with the ball.” He moved the cups around quickly for a moment and stopped. “Okay, where is the ball?”

“Red,” Jamie said.

Fred pointed to the magician’s right hand.

“You’re confused, Little Missy. Which cup?”

Again, she pointed to his hand.

He leaned forward and whispered, “Beat it, Kid.” As Fred turned away he announced, “She’s cute, but clueless. Could I get another volunteer?”

Fred returned to Jamie’s side. Her face was red and her eyes narrow. She growled in Jamie’s ear, “Get him.”

Jamie raised his hand and stepped forward.

The magician held his arms out. “Ah, a handsome young fellow. Perhaps you’ll understand directions.” He placed the ball under one of the cups and moved them around again. “Which cup is it under?”

“It’s in your pants.”

The crowd laughed.

“Is stupidity contagious?” the magician asked. “I said, which cup?”

“It’s in your pants. Your right pants pocket. Look for yourself.”

The magician turned his back to the crowd and opened his right hand, and seeing it empty, he felt in his pocket.

His eyes widened for a moment, then narrowed. “How did you do that?” he said quietly.

“It’s magic.” Jamie winked at him and turned away. Carl stepped forward and dropped a dollar in the hat on the ground.

As they walked away, Lisa said, “That was great! You kids certainly got his goat.”

“You shouldn’t mess with the master, right Jamie?” Larry grinned.

“I’d still like to know how you do that,” Carl said.

Jamie looked at him but didn’t respond.

“Yeah, I know. Can’t tell.”

They toured the gift shops, but Fred had trouble deciding what to get. The tried a store on a side street, and after a few minutes, she squealed, “Mom, look!”

Lisa joined her. “Oh, those earrings look like the little glass fairy that Jamie got you.”

“Can I get them? Please?”

Lisa looked at the price tag. “If that’s what you want.”

“Oh, yes. They’re perfect.” Fred beamed.

* * *

That night, Jamie and Fred lay in the hammock together, looking for shooting stars, while their parents sat around the table on the terrace upstairs, the dinner dishes still not cleared away.

“Good job on the steaks, guys,” Lisa said.

Larry patted his stomach. “That was good, if I do say so myself. A nice end to a nice day.”

“I think my favorite part of today was when Jamie and Fred humiliated that jerky magician.”

“That was good.” Carl put his hands behind his head and leaned back in his chair. “What I don’t get, though, is how Jamie does it. I’ve watched a bunch of videos with him of other magicians doing some incredible things, but those guys are older. I don’t see how a kid his age can pull off those stunts.”

“He practices all the time,” Rachel said. “He should be good.”

“Yeah, but that good? It’s just amazing.”

“Remember how you always say he was a miracle baby?” Lisa said. “Maybe he’s growing up to be a miracle boy.”

* * *

Fred held her new earrings as she and Jamie lay in the hammock. “I love these. They look just like the Dream Fairy you gave me.”

“You call it the Dream Fairy?” Jamie said.

“Mm-hmm. My mom told me about her. She said your mom told her.”

“My mom used to tell me that story all the time to get me to go to sleep.” He looked at the earrings. “Let me show you something cool.” He glanced up at the terrace to make sure their parents weren’t watching. He touched each earring and they began to glow.

“What if our parents see?” Fred said.

“We’ll say they’re lightning bugs.” He touched them again and they seemed to come alive, spreading their arms as their wings fluttered.

“Oh!” Fred gasped. The two little glowing fairies rose from her hand and circled over them.

Jamie spun one finger. “The Dream Fairy comes into your room, and when she’s sure your eyes are closed, circles your bed a couple of times.” The fairies swooped down near Fred’s face.

“Then, after she sprinkles dream dust on you, she kisses you.” One fairy went to Fred’s left cheek and the other went to her right.

Fred giggled. “That tickles. What are they doing?”

“They’re kissing you.”

Then the fairies hovered over Fred. “Hold out your hands,” Jamie said.

The fairies slowly descended into Fred’s palms, did a little curtsey, winked out, and fell over as they turned back into ordinary glass.

“Oh, wow,” Fred said.

“Are you kids all right?” Jamie’s mother called from the terrace.

“Yes ma’am, we’re fine,” Jamie said.

“Are those lightning bugs?”

“Yes ma’am,” Fred said. “Aren’t they beautiful?” Fred smiled and clutched the earrings to her face.

* * *

The next morning, Jamie and Fred were back on the beach, building a sand castle. Jamie dumped a bucket load on top. Fred said, “Not there. It needs to go on the other side.”

“You’re being bossy.”

“No I’m not. I’m just giving you some direction.”

“Same thing. Bossy direction.”

“No, it’s….” Fred looked up. “Your mom’s waving at us from the walkway. I think it’s time for lunch.” They stood and brushed themselves off and started walking toward the house.

“Ow,” Fred said. “The shells hurt my feet.”

“Want a piggy back ride?”

“You can’t carry me that far.”

“Sure I can. Hop on.”

Fred hopped on his back, but Jamie said, “Oof,” and stumbled a few steps.

Fred slid off his back. “Told ya.”

Jamie looked around to make sure no one could hear him. “Hop back on, and I’ll use magic to make you really light. Then I can run.”

“Okay, that’ll be fun.” Fred jumped on his back again.

Jamie closed his eyes for a moment.

“Whoa, that feels weird” But she was grinning.

“I can barely feel you,” he said. “Let’s go!” Jamie sprinted toward the house.

Fred squealed with delight. “Giddy up, horsey!”

With Fred’s weight reduced to almost nothing, Jamie was able to run at nearly full speed all the way while Fred screamed deliriously. When they were only a few yards from the walk, Jamie stumbled in the soft sand and they fell forward, rolling and laughing.

“That was awesome!” Fred said.

Near the walkway stood an old woman wearing a big floppy beach hat, smiling at them and holding a little white dog on a leash.

Jamie brushed himself off. “We forgot the shovels and stuff. You rinse off in the shower and I’ll go back and get them.”

Fred headed up the walkway while Jamie jogged back. The old woman was still there when he returned. “Your girlfriend is so pretty,” she said.

“She’s not my girlfriend. She’s just my friend.”

The woman smiled at him wistfully. “My husband and I used to do that. He gave me piggyback rides, long ago, when we were first married. Right here on this beach. We had so much fun.”

“Where is he now?”

“He passed away a few years ago.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“No need to be, but thank you.” She looked at him for several moments before saying, “These days are very precious. Don’t take them for granted.”

Jamie felt awkward. “Okay, I mean, yes ma’am.”

* * *

That night, their last at Ponte Vedra, Lisa helped Fred get settled in her bed.

“Jamie still thinks I’m bossy,” Fred said.

Lisa rolled her eyes. “Imagine that. What brought that on?”

“We were making a sand castle and he wasn’t doing it right so I told him how to do it better.”

“Sounds bossy to me.”

“I don’t want him, I mean, people, to think I’m bossy.”

“Honey, you don’t have to be that way. You can change if you really want to. You just have to work at it.”

“I don’t know what to do.”

“A good way to start is to try listening to yourself once in a while. Ask yourself: Did I just say something bossy? How could I have said it in a nicer way, as a suggestion instead? If somebody said that to me, would it make me mad?”

Fred thought for a moment. “That’s kinda like the Golden Rule.”

“Yes, I guess it is. Don’t be bossy to others if you don’t like them being bossy to you.” She rubbed Fred’s hair. “Only we’ll call it the Red Rule.”

“Funny, Mom.”

“At least you’re aware of the problem. That’s better than some people.”

“Jamie’s Gramma says that the first step in solving a problem is realizing that you have one.”

“Well, there you go.” She kissed Fred goodnight. “You’re already on your way.”

I hope so, Fred thought.

Chapter 33

“Mom, have you seen my phone?” Rachel asked.

“It’s on the kitchen counter. Where are the boys?”

“They’re already in the van.”

“Jamie told me Fred’s sick. What’s wrong with her?”

“She’s not really sick. She started her period, and she’s a little embarrassed about going to a pool party.”

“Poor Fred. I remember going through that.”

“Okay, got my phone.” Rachel picked up her purse and opened the door to the garage. “I’ll be right back, but the boys won’t be home ’till later. They’re having burgers at Bryce’s party.”

“Shouldn’t they be taking a gift or something?”

“No, Mom. It’s a back-to-school party. Just a bunch of twelve year olds doing whatever twelve year olds do these days.”

“Are you staying?”

“Gosh no. Jamie would rather die than have his mother at a party with him.”

“That’s ironic. When they’re little, they don’t want you to leave, and when they’re bigger, they don’t want you to stay.”

* * *

Jamie and Rollie walked up the driveway as Jamie’s mother drove away. They wore tee shirts over their bathing suits, their flip flops slapping on the concrete.

“Nice place.” Rollie look up at the large red brick house with the sweeping, well landscaped front lawn.

“Bryce’s dad is a doctor.” Jamie pointed to the open side gate. “I think we’re supposed to go in here.” Music and voices drifted from beyond.

Walking into the back yard was like walking into a carnival. Dozens of kids were in the large pool, or standing around on the expansive brick patio that surrounded it. Music blasted from somewhere, and colorful paper lanterns and other decorations were strung between the trees.

Bryce saw them and walked up to welcome them. “Hey guys, thanks for coming. Drinks are in the cooler by the grill, and the burgers will be done soon. Lots of snacks on the table there,” — he pointed near the house where a bunch of kids had congregated — “and the game room is this way.”

He led them to an open door at the back of the house where the music seemed to be coming from. “In here we have a pool table, ping pong, foosball, video games, pinball machine, and some other stuff.” The basement game room was swarming with kids playing games, sitting on stools, or talking in little groups.

“Nice game room, Bryce,” Jamie said.

“Thanks. You guys have fun.” He walked off.

Jamie looked around. “Looks like everybody from seventh grade is here.”

Rollie grimaced. “Oh man, Tanisha’s here.”

Tanisha was Rollie’s first crush. Jamie could tell, even though Rollie wouldn’t admit it, because Rollie always got that look on his face when he talked about her.

“Don’t look now,” Rollie said, “but Betsy’s here, too.”

“Oh, great.” Jamie turned around and pretended to be interested in the foosball game.

“Too late, she saw you. She’s coming this way.”

“Hide me.”

“Hi Jamie. Hi Rollie,” came a girl’s voice from behind him.

Jamie turned. “Oh, hi Betsy.”

“Where’s Fred?”

“She’s sick.”

“Oh. Are you here with anybody?”

Jamie patted Rollie on the shoulder. “Rollie’s my date. We’re gay.”

“Hey!” Rollie said. “No we’re not.”

“Well,” Betsy continued, “a few kids have started dancing by the pool. Do you want to dance?”

“I’m a terrible dancer,” Jamie said.

“I’m not good, either,” she said. “I just thought that, well, you know….”

“We’re gonna play foosball in a minute. Maybe later.”

“Okay.” She walked off, her eyes lingering on Jamie as she left.

“Dude,” Rollie said. “That was weak. Now she’s expecting you to dance with her, and if you don’t, you’re gonna hurt her feelings. You need to be more…oh crud, Tanisha’s walking this way.”

Jamie looked to see Rollie’s heartthrob walking in their direction with a couple of other girls.

“Hey Rollie. Hey Jamie,” she said as they walked by.

“Hey Tanisha,” Jamie said. “Nice to see you.”

Rollie stood there stupefied until she was out of earshot.

Jamie poked Rollie’s arm. “Hey, nice going, Romeo. Real smooth.”

“I couldn’t help it. I don’t know what to say.”

“How about Hello Tanisha. You look nice today, or something like that. You stood there like a stump.”

“I wish I had Rufus with me.” Rollie crossed his arms and leaned back against the wall. “I could let the dummy do the talking for me.”

“What about a sock puppet?”

“We’re not wearing socks.”

“I bet Bryce has one. I’ll go ask.” Jamie left Rollie in the game room for a minute and returned with Bryce.

“What kind of sock?” Bryce asked. “How about one of my sister’s soccer socks?”

Rollie shrugged.

Bryce led them through the game room to a door on the far wall. He opened it and said, “This is the laundry room. My mom keeps a basket of unmatched socks and stuff in here.” He flipped the light on and pulled a basket off a shelf. “Here. How about this blue one?” He held up a sock.

“It’s okay,” Rollie said. “Can I use this green and white striped one?”

“Yeah. That’s one ugly sock.”

Jamie had an idea. “How about buttons for eyes? My Gramma puts random buttons on a shelf by the dryer. They fall off in the wash.”

“Like this?” Bryce picked up a handful of stray buttons. “You probably won’t find a match, though.”

Rollie picked out a couple of button. “Good enough. One black, one blue.”

“You guys close the laundry room door when you’re done.” Bryce left.

Rollie slipped the sock over his hand. “This’ll do okay. How ya gonna get the eyes on?”

“Hold the sock still.” Jamie placed a button where an eye should be. Then he focused his will on the threads of the sock underneath the button, urging a few to wiggle loose and push upward through the holes in the button. The threads from each hole intertwined, pulled tight, and fixed the button to the sock.

Rollie gave it a little tug and nodded. “It’s tight. Do the other one.”

Jamie held the button in front of him. “You know, for a guy who was scared of magic, you don’t seem to mind taking advantage of it right now.”

“Yeah, well, that was then. Will you please put the stupid button on?”

Jamie placed the other button on and repeated the procedure. After Rollie checked it, Jamie said, “How about a nose?” He pulled a red sock from the basket. “A red nose.” He willed a thread to unravel from the end of the sock, and when it was long enough, snapped it free.

Rollie pointed to a spot on the end of the sock and Jamie dangled the thread over it so that the end touched the spot. Then he willed it to burrow into the sock and he let go. The red thread stitched itself into a lump, the loose end gradually disappearing into the sock, like a worm tunneling into the ground, until none was left.

“How about a red tongue? I can make a tongue out of the same thread.”

Rollie fixed a grin, moved his hand in the puppet, and said without moving his lips, “This is fine. We’ve been in here long enough. People might think we really are gay.”

Jamie laughed and opened the laundry room door.

They walked through the game room and Rollie stopped to do a little ventriloquism for the various groups of kids gathered around the games.

“I like this little puppet,” Rollie said, as they walked through the door to the back yard. “It’s so ugly, it’s cool.”

“Tanisha’s over by the pool,” Jamie said, and they continued the wandering ventriloquism show across the yard, stopping here and there for a joke or two.

When they got to the pool, Rollie said, “Let’s stop here. This is a good spot.” There were eight or ten kids nearby, and when Rollie launched into his routine, he instantly had their attention. They circled around him and he put on his show. Jamie saw Tanisha and her friends come closer to watch.

He’s got it under control. Maybe I can get a burger now.

Jamie went to the grill, got a paper plate, and loaded it up with food. With Rollie drawing a crowd, one of the stone benches by the pool became empty, and Jamie took advantage of it. He plopped down, put his plate in his lap, raised his burger to his mouth and heard, “Hi Jamie.” It was Betsy, holding a plate of food. “May I sit here?”

“Oh. Okay.” Dang. Bad time for Rollie to be gone.

“These hamburgers smell very good, don’t they?”

“Yeah,” he mumbled. “Taste good, too.”

They ate in awkward silence for a few moments before she said, “Are you still going to dance with me?”

“Um, sure. How about now?” While everybody’s watching Rollie.

* * *

Fred went to church the next day and sat with her family in their usual pew, the same one as Jamie’s family. Jamie was only a few feet away from her, but she couldn’t bear to look at him.

How could he? She had heard everything. How he talked to Betsy, ate with her, and worst of all, danced with her. He’s never danced with me, but he danced with Betsy.

Silly, boy crazy Betsy.

Fred felt as low as she ever had. She wanted to stay home from church so she wouldn’t have to see Jamie, but her mother wouldn’t let her because she knew Fred wasn’t sick. So she suffered in silence, staring at her feet throughout the entire service.

When church was finally over, Fred tried to leave as quickly as possible, but her mother wanted to tarry and talk with Jamie’s mother. Fred stood near the door and fretted, and turned away when Jamie approached her. He grabbed her arm and walked her outside.

“Why didn’t you go to the party yesterday?” he said. “I got stuck with Betsy.”

“Oh really? I’m sorry to hear that. I didn’t feel good.”

“Rollie abandoned me and Betsy caught me eating by myself, then I had to dance with her. It was awful. I wish you would’ve been there. Then she wouldn’t have pestered me.” He shook his head. “I hope I never have to do that again.”

Me too, she thought.

“Are you feeling better?”

“Oh yes, much better.” Fred felt like smiling. Much better.

* * *

The first day of school, Jamie and Rollie were walking to their lockers when Tanisha passed them.

“Hey Tanisha,” Rollie said.

“Hey Rollie,” she replied. “I enjoyed your puppet show at the party.”

“Thanks.”

When she was out of earshot, Jamie said, “Puppet show?”

“Who cares. She can call it anything she wants, as long as she notices me.”

“So did you get her phone number?”

“Nah. Her parents said she’s not old enough to have a boyfriend.”

“Hey, but when she is, you’ll be first in line, right?”

Jamie stopped. “What’s this?” There was a note taped to his locker with hearts drawn all over it.

“Must be from Fred.”

“Fred doesn’t draw hearts like this.” Jamie opened it and closed his eyes. “It’s from Betsy.”

“Dude, you’re gonna have to do something about that.”

* * *

That afternoon, Jamie e-mailed Gina for advice. He figured if Fred could do it, so could he. After all, Gina was his cousin. Her reply came about an hour later. “If you don’t want to be her boyfriend, then you need to tell her, and do it nicely. Be straightforward, but try not to hurt her. Just imagine if it were the other way around. You don’t want word getting around school that you’re a jerk.”

How do I be straightforward? That night at dinner, he had an idea. “How old do I have to be before I can have a girlfriend?” Jamie said.

Rachel put down her fork. “Why do you ask?”

“There’s this girl at school that’s been bugging me and —”

“Betsy.”

“How did you know?”

“Lisa told me. I guess Fred told her.”

“Can’t I have any secrets around here?”

“I hope not,” Evelyn said.

“Well, then, getting back to your question,” Rachel said. “What do you think, Carl? How old? Fifteen?”

Carl nodded. “You need to focus on school right now.”

“Unless of course we’re talking about Fred” Rachel smiled. “In her case we’ll make an exception.”

Jamie didn’t let that last comment get to him. His parents had given him just the ammunition he needed. Right after dinner, he called Betsy, who had written her number at least ten times in the heart-covered note.

Gee, Betsy, he told her. I think you’re really nice and all, but my parents said I’m not old enough to have a girlfriend.

The next day at school, he found a frowny-face note taped to his locker, but Betsy left him alone after that.

Chapter 34

The first snow of the season crunched underneath Jamie’s boots as he walked alone along the creek. He didn’t mind the cold because he enjoyed the peace that the snow brought — no sounds of leaf blowers, lawn mowers, or chain saws. Even the animals were still, most of the birds gone for the winter; the squirrels huddled in their nests.

The quiet gave Jamie a chance to think, to ponder the little fragments of the old sorcerer’s life that kept popping into his consciousness. It was as if someone had taken a portrait of the old man, cut it into jig saw puzzle pieces, and sunk them to the bottom of a pond. Occasionally, tantalizing little fragments would float to the surface, and Jamie tried to figure where they fit, but it was frustrating and slow.

And the most frustrating question of all: Why me?

Fred and Rollie tried to help as best they could, listening to him as he described each new bit that came to him, but this was something he was going to have to figure out on his own.

One thing was obvious: The back yard was important. The more time he spent there, the more memories came to him, but not every day. Sometimes weeks would go by and nothing — no memories, no new powers, no hints of what the old man was like — but it wasn’t for lack of trying. He went out almost every day, even in the rain, hoping some little insight would sneak through from wherever it was coming from and the picture would become clearer.

Gramma seemed worried at first, seeing him spend so much time walking in the yard alone, but he led her to believe it was typical preteen angst — God bless psychobabble. He could blame all sorts of strange behavior on hormones and youthful flakiness.

“You remember what it’s like, Gramma,” he would say.

Then she would smile knowingly, and the worry lines would vanish from her face.

* * *

That night at dinner, Jamie asked his parents, “What was the guy like you bought our house from?”

“A little odd,” his father said. “Why do you ask?”

“Just curious.”

“But not odd in a bad way. He was just a little eccentric,” his mother said. “He was nice, I thought.”

“He seemed really eager to sell us this house.” His father leaned back in his chair and put his hands in his lap. “He said he had a special feeling about us and thought we were the right people.”

“Yeah, he said that more than once. That seemed important to him.”

“What was his name?” Jamie said.

“Mr. Edwards.”

Edwards? Jamie thought. Is that right? “What did he look like?”

“He was an older guy,” his father said. “Had gray hair and a beard.”

“A beard?” Jamie said, a little too eagerly. “Was it long?”

“No, it was trimmed. He didn’t look like a bum or anything.”

“Oh.” Jamie felt disappointed.

“But what was strange,” his father continued, “was when we moved into the house, we found his clothes in the back yard, same clothes he wore at closing. Right square in the middle, just lying there like he’d just laid down and…I dunno, vanished. Evaporated. The socks were still in the shoes and the shirt was tucked in. That was weird.”

“But we’re not complaining because we got a great deal on the house, and it’s not like it’s haunted or anything,” his mother said.

“Yeah, and everything’s been normal ever since.”

Jamie almost laughed aloud. If you only knew.

* * *

The next day, on the walk home from the bus stop, Jamie told Fred and Rollie what his parents had told him about the old man. “I think it’s the sorcerer, Edward or something, the guy I keep dreaming about and having memories and stuff. His hair and beard weren’t long, but he could’ve trimmed them. I think he sold my parents the house and died in the backyard.”

“That’s even weirder than the usual weird stuff you say,” Rollie said.

“No, it makes sense. I get the most memories when I’m out in the yard, and when I’m away from the house, I hardly get anything. When we were in Florida, I didn’t have any dreams about him.”

“Yeah, but you said that sometimes you go for weeks without having any,” Fred said.

“Well, remember the first time I floated? I was right in the middle of the yard, right where the old man left his clothes. I think that’s where he died, and he did it for a reason, that’s all I’m saying.”

“Yeah, but what reason?” Rollie said.

“Good question. Wish I knew.”

* * *

Renn took one last look around the room before vanishing, just in case he overlooked a valuable book or scroll. The air was thick with the smell of burning flesh, but he was so accustomed to it that he barely noticed. The wizard he’d just killed had a family, a rarity, since most lived alone. Had a family — past tense, he thought. The three of them can write their names on the list of the dead together. He couldn’t very well let the little boy grow up to be a sorcerer, could he? He glanced at the body of the woman next to her husband. That’s what you get for marrying a wizard.

Satisfied that he’d gotten all of the books worth taking, he hefted the two large volumes under his arm, stamped his staff and vanished.

* * *

After Rollie’s shot swished through the net, Jamie grabbed the basketball and passed it to Fred.

“So let me see if I’ve got this straight,” Rollie said. “You think that somehow the old sorcerer, whose name you don’t remember, died in your backyard and came back to life as you.”

“Yeah, I think he used his powers to get inside my mom after he died so he could be born again. Or I could be born again, I guess. Same thing.”

Fred took a shot. “Not only is that gross, it’s stupid. He can’t use his powers if he’s dead. If he helped your mom get pregnant, he would’ve had to be alive. You can’t come back to life if you’re not dead yet. Besides, you look like your mom and dad.”

Rollie banged a shot off the rim. “Yeah, and don’t try telling us that he looked like your mom and dad, ’cause I’m not buying that.”

“Then why do I have his memories?” Jamie asked.

“Maybe he made it so that whoever grew up in your house would inherit his powers and stuff,” Fred said. “Maybe he fixed the backyard somehow.”

Rollie held the ball on his hip. “And maybe a little’s rubbing off on me and Fred, since we spend so much time back there. We’re the only ones who get the tingling thing when we hold hands.”

“But you don’t get the memories,” Jamie said.

Fred fingered her lip and narrowed one eye. “Maybe he did help your mom get pregnant, but fixed it so that you would be the one who could absorb his… whatever.”

“Soul?”

“No. So that you would be a…whatever it is who can do magic easily.”

“An Adept.”

“A what?”

“An Adept. Someone who’s born to learn magic easily.”

“How did you know that?”

“I remembered.”

Chapter 35

One Wednesday evening in early March, Rachel answered the door to find Fred, visibly upset. “Mrs. Sikes, can you please come see about my mom? She’s locked herself in her room for hours and she won’t come out, and I haven’t had dinner yet or anything. My dad’s out of town and I don’t know what to do.”

“Oh my, come in, sweetheart.” Rachel closed the door behind them and walked Fred to the kitchen. “You stay here and we’ll get you something to eat, and I’ll go see about your mom.” Rachel called Carl to stay with Fred and left.

Rachel walked across the street and let herself into Fred’s house. When she first rapped on Lisa’s bedroom door, she got no response. She knocked harder. “Lisa, it’s me, Rachel. Are you okay?” Sounds like she’s crying. “Come on, open up. Maybe I can help.”

The door opened and it only took one look at Lisa’s tear-streaked face to know that something bad had happened.

“Oh, Lisa.” Rachel wrapped her arms around her sobbing friend.

It took a couple of minutes before Lisa could gather herself enough to talk. In between sobs she said, “My sister…the home called…she died this morning.” And the sobs got worse.

“I’m so sorry.” Rachel patted her on the back. “Let’s sit on the bed.”

They sat in silence for a few minutes, Rachel with her arm over Lisa’s shoulders while Lisa dabbed her eyes with a tissue.

“Her heart,” Lisa managed to say. “It was heart failure. I wasn’t there.” She let out a big sob. “I’m such a bad sister.” Then she started crying harder than ever and buried her face in Rachel’s shoulder.

“Lisa, you’re not. You’re a good sister and a good person. You’re also a good friend and a good mother.” She rubbed Lisa’s back. “And a good wife, too, I bet.”

“I am,” she said weakly.

“You should feel sad that she died, but don’t kick yourself about it. I know you did the best you could.” Rachel stood and held her hand out for Lisa. “Let’s go to my house and get you something to eat. I think you and Fred should stay with us tonight, so let’s get your things together. You’ll feel better in the morning.”

* * *

One Saturday in May, Jamie stood at the back of the dining hall of Hidden Pines Nursing Home and watched Rollie finish up the show. By this time, he and his friends had their routine worked out: Rollie and Rufus would start the show, telling a few jokes and “warming up the crowd”, as Gramma put it, then he’d introduce Jamie, who’d do about ten minutes of simple magic and comedy. Rollie would come back on and tell a few more jokes and introduce Fred, whose tap dancing was always popular with older audiences. When Fred finished, Rollie closed the show.

Jamie looked around the room one last time and saw something that jarred his memory. Sitting in a wheelchair near the door was an old woman, staring blankly at the floor.

I know her.

As he approached her, a couple of other memories flashed through his mind. “Excuse me ma’am,” he said to the senile-looking woman, “Is your name Gloria?”

Her eyes focused on him and she smiled warmly. “Why yes, Edward. I’m so glad you remembered.”

Edward? Was that the old sorcerer’s name?

“I’m surprised to see you here.” Her watery eyes sparkled. “But you said you’d come back, and you did!”

Uh oh, she’s out of it. I think I’ll go now.

“I still remember our day at the Biltmore House,” she said. “That was wonderful, wasn’t it?”

Oh wow. Jamie’s mouth hung open for a moment. “Excuse me, Gloria, I’ll be right back.”

Jamie said something to his grandmother, who was applauding the end of Rollie’s show, and walked back to Gloria.

“Would you like me to wheel you back to your room?”

“Why yes.” She smiled. “I thought you’d never ask.”

* * *

Later, Jamie, Fred, and Rollie sat in the gazebo and talked about the woman.

“But you’re only twelve years old,” Rollie said. “How could she not see that?”

“I don’t know. I think she was seeing something else. She called me Edward, but that doesn’t feel right. I think the old sorcerer made that name up.”

“So you really think she remembered you…or him…whatever? She’s not just crazy?”

“No, she’s not. Remember when we went to the Biltmore House, and I said I’d been there before? Well, I had, or he had, and it was with her.”

“Like a date?” Fred’s brow furrowed.

“Yes. Right before he sold the house to my parents, he met this lady, Gloria, at the library. He was fascinated by the library — I remember that.” Jamie stared off into space for a moment before continuing. “And she invited him to go to the Biltmore House. They took a picnic lunch and…I think they held hands.” He looked at his hand as if he’d never seen it before.

“That’s so sweet,” Fred said.

“You sound like your mom. Anyway, I think this was a big deal to him. I think it was his first date.”

“Wait a minute.” Rollie sat forward in his rocking chair. “Are you telling me this guy was about two hundred zillion years old and he’d never been on a date before?”

“In all my memories of him, he’s always by himself, doing experiments and studying and stuff. He was a real loner. I think he wanted it that way. But I think that’s why I can’t remember his name, because nobody was ever around to say it.”

“So, on his date, did they like, kiss and stuff.”

“I think so.”

“How about, you know —”

“Rollie!” Fred said.

“No, no,” Jamie said. “Nothing like that.

Fred looked relieved.

“Still, that’s pretty cool,” Rollie said. “The old codger had one little fling before he kicked the bucket. It’s nice to know he still had some gas in the ol’ tank.”

* * *

That night, Jamie dreamed again that he was the old wizard. He was standing over a workbench in his tower, tinkering with a mechanical contraption, when he felt a tingle in his magical sense. He turned and raised his shield as he did.

Standing at the far wall was a fresh-faced man in a dark gray robe.

“Hello. You must be a sorcerer,” he heard himself say. “I don’t believe we’ve met. What can I do for you?” He shook his head. “No, let me guess. You’ve come for my books.”

Without warning, the young man snapped his arm forward and shot a bolt of energy, but it bounced harmlessly off the old wizard’s shield. The old wizard flicked his fingers and the shield surged across the room, encircling the young sorcerer in a shimmering translucent yellow cylinder.

“You could’ve knocked, you know,” the old wizard said. “I might’ve given you a book or two. But they’re not here, anyway.” He turned, but held his hand toward the trapped man, maintaining the cylinder. “Now, where is that bag?” He rooted through the jumble of clutter on the bench until he found a small leather pouch. “Ah! Here it is.” He opened it and poured a pinch of rust-colored powder on a heavy scrap of paper.

“I’m not going to kill you, but I’m going to put you someplace where you won’t bother me again.” He walked across the floor to the young man, whose eyes were wide with panic, his hands probing the shield around him.

The old sorcerer stopped inches shy of the yellow shimmer and held the paper with the powder up near his face. “This won’t hurt.” He dropped the shield and quickly blew the powder into the man’s face, then stepped back.

The man coughed and blinked rapidly. “What did you…?” He stumbled back one step, then slumped to his knees. His eyes closed and he fell heavily on his side.

The old wizard traced the outline of a door and opened it. Then he grabbed the man by his ankles and dragged him through it to a wooded area beyond. “This isn’t a bad world. I believe you’ll grow to like it here. I don’t think you know how to make doorways, so I doubt I’ll see you again.”

He brushed off his hands, stepped back into his tower, and the doorway winked out.

* * *

Jamie woke in the darkness and stared at the ceiling. The old man didn’t kill him. Good. I don’t know if I could deal with it if he had.

Chapter 36

During dinner one night at the beginning of summer, Evelyn dropped a bombshell. “The Lindseys signed another year lease on my condo. This will be their last.”

“Then what are you going to do, Gramma?” Jamie asked.

“Then I’m going to move in there.”

“What? No! That’s too soon.”

“Jamie, by then I will have been here fourteen years. That’s not exactly rushing it. Besides, since I already have enough furniture for the condo, I’ll be leaving my bedroom furniture here, just the way it is. I can still spend the night if I want.”

“But…we need you here all the time.”

“Sweetheart, you’ll be going into ninth grade then. You won’t need me to do things for you, and I think you’ll be better off if I don’t. You need to be more independent.”

“But you’re moving away.” Jamie looked dejected.

“It’s not far, you know that. You can ride your bike there in ten minutes. You can come over any time you want, and I’ll still be over here a lot, probably more than you want.”

“You could never be here too much.” His lower lip started to protrude. “And what if I need a ride somewhere and Mom and Dad aren’t around?”

“Call me, and I’ll come get you.” She knew her next announcement would ease the sting of the first. “Rachel, Carl, I’m going to buy a new car soon, and I want to give my Buick to Jamie.”

“A car?” Jamie’s face brightened.

“That’s very generous of you,” Rachel said. “But don’t you think you should trade it in?”

“It’s too old to be worth much, even though it doesn’t have a lot of miles on it. But it’s in perfect shape, and he’ll be driving in a couple of years. He’ll need a car when he starts working.”

“A job?” Jamie said.

“Yes, a job,” Carl said. “My dad’s cousin Earl has a veterinary clinic, and he said you can work for him next summer. It wouldn’t be much, but it’ll be a start.”

“And we could use the money.” Rachel pointed with her fork. “You need to start saving for college. Tuition keeps going up every year.”

“Will I have to give up my dog walking business?” Jamie asked.

“Probably not. But you’re not making that much now, anyway, since Sassy died.”

“But we’ll have to see how it goes with school,” Carl said. “High school will be a lot harder, and your grades come first.”

“And you still have to get through eighth grade,” Rachel said.

* * *

Jamie’s grandmother was very good at finding things for him to do, and the summer before eighth grade was no exception.

“But Gramma, I want to hang out with my friends.”

“By hang out, I’m assuming you mean sit around and do nothing, or find ways to get in trouble like other teenagers. That’s not going to happen.”

“But Gramma —”

“Besides, it’s only three days a week, and you love the library.”

“But I don’t get paid?”

“No, it’s called volunteering.”

“It’s not going to kill you,” his mother added.

“Oh, all right.”

But by the end of June, he was glad.

“I’m so bored I could kill myself,” Rollie said as he and Jamie were shooting baskets on the last Saturday in June.

“I thought you were looking forward to watching TV and playing video games all day.”

“I was. I was looking forward to playing basketball, too, but nobody’s around and I have to play by myself, and I’m getting tired of practicing jump shots.”

“You should come to the library.”

“Aw, man, I get enough books during school.”

“Fred’s been coming with me some.”

“I see her anyway.”

“Other girls come in. Cute girls.”

Rollie held the basketball with both hands and regarded his friend. “Real cute?”

“Cute enough. You see any cute girls hanging around here?” Jamie waved at the empty street.

“I might just do that.” Rollie launched a shot.

Much later, Jamie came to realize that the best part of working at the library was Fred. She liked books almost as much as he did, and when there wasn’t anything for them to do, they were allowed to read. One of Jamie’s fondest memories of that summer was of the two of them curled up in the comfortable wing chairs in the reference section, reading in the cool and quiet while the sun blazed away outside. Sometimes, he’d put his book down for a moment and watch Fred, her green eyes intent on the page before her. Somehow, she could sense his gaze on her, and she’d look up, give him a little smile, and they’d both return to their books.

* * *

When Jamie wasn’t at the library, he was looking for opportunities to practice magic — real magic — without getting caught. Whenever a spell would pop into his memory, or he’d think of a new application of something he already knew, he’d lock himself in his room or the clubhouse and try it out.

He’d locked himself in his room once to work on translocating objects, using a small picture frame as his subject. He managed to make it disappear easily enough, but when it reappeared, it was jammed edgewise into his bedroom wall. He spent the rest of the afternoon trying to figure out how to use magic to repair sheetrock.

Something he’d come to realize about the old man: He was a powerful sorcerer and he worked hard to get that way, constantly studying, experimenting, and practicing his art. But Jamie had advantages the old man never dreamed of, technological advantages, with a wealth of information on both television and the Internet. Jamie constantly watched science channels and online documentaries, looking for new things to try with his magic. The more he knew, the more he could do.

Another thing he realized about the old man: He was obsessed with studying magic, sometimes to the exclusion of everything else, even eating and sleeping. That wasn’t a problem for Jamie, because he had his friends to keep him grounded.

One afternoon he sat on the floor of his room, trying to see how many little rubber balls he could keep orbiting above his head as his own personal solar system. He was elevating his eleventh ball when he heard a loud knock on the door, causing him to lose his concentration, the balls raining down around him like rubber hail.

Rollie opened the door. “Dude, get your bathing suit on. My mom’s taking us swimming.”

Jamie was out the door in three minutes.

* * *

Carl pulled into the parking lot of Carter’s Veterinary Clinic, a white cinder block building not far from Jamie’s house. Jamie stepped out of his father’s truck. “I’ve never been to a vet before.”

“That’s because we never had a dog or a cat.”

“How come?”

“Your Gramma doesn’t want to clean up after ’em. She said you’re bad enough.” He held the glass door open for his son. Inside they found a long counter on their right and a waiting area on their left, where a man sat with an aggressively barking pit bull.

Carl said to the lady behind the counter, “Could you please tell Dr. Carter that Carl and Jamie are here?”

Jamie walked into the waiting area to see the fierce dog, whose owner was pulling back hard on its leash.

“Don’t get too close,” the man said. “He’s not very friendly.”

“It’s okay.” Jamie held his hand out. “What’s his name?”

“Boris. But really, don’t try to pet him.”

“Boris, be a good boy so I can pet you, okay?” Jamie took the last two steps to the snarling animal and thought, Sit down, Boris. You know you want some petting. Boris sat on his haunches, gave a brief whine, and wagged his tail. Jamie rubbed the dog’s big head. “Good boy.”

From behind him Jamie heard, “I’m impressed.”

Jamie turned to see an older man in a long white coat with his father. The man said, “Your dad told me you were good with dogs, and he wasn’t kidding, was he?”

Carl introduced him as Cousin Earl. His older cousin said, “Let me give you the grand tour.” He opened the door that led to the rest of the clinic.

After showing them the examination rooms, treatment room, and lab, Cousin Earl opened a door. “This is the kennel. This is where you’ll be spending most of your time.” They were immediately confronted by a strong animal odor and a chorus of barks from the dogs in the long rows of cages. “You’ll mostly be responsible for walking the dogs and cleaning cages. It’s not glamorous, but you gotta start somewhere.”

“I don’t mind.” Jamie looked into the different pens. “I like walking dogs.” Jamie stopped at a cage. “What’s wrong with her?” Inside was a medium-sized black lab, looking tired and forlorn.

“That’s Lucy. She’s got heartworms, but she may be too far gone to save.”

Jamie rubbed her nose through the bars, and Lucy’s tail made a weak fwip fwip. “Can I take her outside?”

“I don’t know,” Cousin Earl said. “She probably doesn’t want to.”

“I think she does. Please? I’ll carry her.”

Cousin Earl looked at Carl, then back at Jamie. “Okay, but just for a little while. You can take her through the back door to the yard.” He opened the cage, pulled out the dog, and handed her to Jamie. Carl held the door as Jamie carried Lucy out to the fenced in yard beyond.

“I’m gonna make you better, Lucy,” Jamie said, sitting in a shady spot on the ground. She lay down beside him and put her head in his lap. “Now, I’m not a healer, but there may be something I can do.” He patted her head. “Nobody’s looking, so here goes.”

He closed his eyes and focused his will inside of Lucy’s chest until he found her heart, almost completely choked with spaghetti-like worms.

“Gross! There are so many.” He focused on one worm and translocated it to a bare spot of ground about five feet in front of them. “One down, dozens to go.” He focused on another and translocated it, then another and another, careful not to remove any heart tissue.

After about ten minutes, he scanned her heart one more time, and finding no more, turned his attention to the mass of worms on the ground before him. Jamie checked again to make sure no one was looking, pointed his finger, and sent a searing bolt that incinerated the parasites.

Jamie stroked Lucy’s head for about five minutes, then said, “Ready to go in?” To his surprise, the dog stood somewhat unsteadily, wagged her tail, and licked his face.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” He stood and held the door open for the dog. She walked inside with him, where his father was talking to their older cousin.

“Why Lucy, look at you,” Earl said. “You must be feeling better.”

Jamie grinned. “She just needed some fresh air.”

Earl shook Jamie’s hand. “You come work for me next summer, okay? You can walk all of our sick dogs. People will think I’m a miracle worker.”

Chapter 37

Bryce’s back-to-school party that year was like the one before, except for a few small differences.

This time, Fred was there. Even though Betsy had a boyfriend by then, Fred didn’t trust her. She wasn’t about to let Betsy get her mitts on Jamie again,

Also, the boys had grown, almost catching up with Fred and the other girls. The only problem was, the girls, especially Fred, were still growing, but mostly in places where boys didn’t. Jamie tried not to notice, but it was hard at a pool party, because the girls wore bathing suits that showed off exactly where they were growing.

“Fred, why did you have to wear that bathing suit?” Jamie said as they walked up Bryce’s driveway to the gate.

“What’s wrong with it?” Fred asked.

“It shows too much.”

“Too much what?” She smiled impishly.

“You know what!”

Rollie laughed. “Dude, don’t look if you don’t like it. Nobody’s making you.”

But Jamie did like it. He just didn’t feel right about liking it. “You should put a shirt on or something.”

“Don’t be a prude,” she said. “It’s a pool party. You should take your shirt off.”

He didn’t want to do that. He wasn’t as skinny as he used to be, but he was still self-conscious about it.

Another difference that year was that Bryce’s dad had set up a music system near the pool to encourage dancing.

They walked through the gate to the backyard and Fred saw a few kids gyrating by the pool. She threw her towel at Jamie. “Hold this. I’m gonna dance!” She ran off.

As Fred left, Rollie said. “Let’s check out the game room.”

They stepped inside and Jamie said, “Hey, the pinball machine is open. Let’s play.” They put their towels under the machine. Jamie pulled the plunger and launched the ball.

“You’d better not cheat,” Rollie said. “I know you can keep that ball going all day if you want.”

Jamie grinned. “I don’t need magic to beat you.”

About fifteen minutes later, Bryce came in. “Boy, that Fred sure can dance.”

“Just now figuring that out?” Rollie said.

“No, I mean, I’ve seen her tap dance at the talents shows, but boy! She’s got some moves. She’s dancing with anybody and everybody.”

“Did you come in here just to tell us that?” Jamie asked.

“No. Burgers are ready. Thought you might wanna know.”

“Cool. Come on, Rollie, let’s eat.”

They walked outside and Jamie saw Fred dancing away by the pool. When they got closer, he saw that her partner was Reggie Foreman, but Reggie didn’t seem to be interested in dancing. He was more interested in Fred, and not her face. Fred didn’t seem to notice.

“I see Reggie’s getting an eyeful,” Rollie said.

Jamie scowled. “That’s disgusting.”

“I never liked that guy.”

“Makes two of us.”

At the food table, Rollie got sidetracked by some friends from school, so Jamie loaded up a plate and found an open bench . As he raised his hamburger to his mouth, an out-of-breath Fred plopped beside him.

“Is anybody sitting here? No? Thanks, don’t mind if I do.”

“Uh, Fred, why don’t you have a seat?”

“That smells good. I think I’ll eat, too. Save my place.” She returned minutes later with a plate of food.

As she sat down, Jamie said, “You sure are dancing a lot. Aren’t you tired?”

“No. You should try it.”

“I’m a terrible dancer.”

“So what? Besides, you danced with Betsy last year. You owe me one.”

“Aw, come on, we’re friends. Friends don’t make friends dance.”

“Then I’ll go dance with Reggie. He likes to dance.”

“No, he just likes to look at you.”

“Good. You should, too.”

“He’s not looking at your face.”

Fred’s mouth dropped and she covered her chest with her arms. Then a glimmer of realization flashed in her eyes and she grinned. “Oh, I get it. You’re jealous.”

“No I’m not.”

She poked his ribs. “Yes you are. You’re jealous of Reggie.”

“Stop, Fred.” Jamie bumped his drink cup and knocked it to the ground. “Now look what you made me do.”

“You can get more.” Fred stood. “I’ll go, too. I could use one.”

As they walked by the pool toward the food table, Fred said, “Give me your cup and I’ll get your drink for you.”

“Thanks, Fred.” He handed her his cup, and Fred threw her hip into his, knocking him off balance into the pool. He splashed awkwardly.

He came back to the surface and spluttered, “Doggone it, Fred!”

Fred was doubled over with laughter.

He climbed out of the water, soaked. “Now my shirt’s all wet.”

“So? Dry it.”

“How?

She wiggled her fingers.

“Oh.” Magic. “Well, I’m definitely not dancing with you now.”

“Okay. Then I’ll just have to dance with Reggie.”

“No!” he said a little too loudly. “I mean, no. I’ll dance with you.”

“Oh good!” She grabbed his hand and dragged him over to the area where the other kids were dancing and she started moving right away.

Jamie stood self-consciously still for a moment, trying to decide what to do, before settling on an easy side-to-side step, moving his arms as little as possible.

But Fred wouldn’t settle for that. “Oh, come on. Dance!” She grabbed his hand and twirled under his arm, then twirled him, laughing as she moved. “That’s better,” she said. “Loosen up.”

And he did, a little. Jamie found that when he finally let go and enjoyed it, it was fun. More fun than he expected.

When the song was over, Fred said, “Thank you, thank you. You finally danced with me.”

Jamie noticed that Fred was between him and the pool. “No, I should be thanking you,” he said, putting his hands on her shoulders. He looked into her beautiful green eyes for a moment and smiled. Then he leaned toward her like he was going to kiss her. Fred eyes were wide with surprise, but then she closed them and puckered her lips.

Jamie gave her a gentle push that sent her flailing backward into the pool.

Chapter 38

On the bus ride home from school one day the following week, Fred and Rollie sat together. Jamie sat alone, staring out the window.

“He’s been like that all day,” Rollie said. “I’m worried about him.”

Fred pursed her lips. “We’ve got to get him to talk about it.”

They got off the bus and Rollie said, “Come on, Dude. Spill it.”

“Spill what?” Jamie said.

“Something’s bothering you,” Fred said. “And we’re not going to leave you alone ’till you tell us.”

Jamie stopped and regarded his friends. “We’ll have to go in the clubhouse. Nobody else can hear.”

When they were settled around the table in the clubhouse, Rollie said, “So what’s eating you?”

Jamie leaned back, ran both hands through his blond hair and took a deep breath. “I had this dream again last night. It’s a bad one, one I’ve had several times, only this time, it seemed real, like I was living it.” He stared at the table for a moment. “I’m in a stone house or tower somewhere, and a couple of older men knock on my door. They want my help, they say. They want me to save their town from the plague. They don’t call it that, but that’s what it is.” He took another deep breath.

After a long pause, he continued, “People are dying, they say, half the town. Children’s bodies are stacked in the street like cordwood.” He rubbed his hand over his eyes. “Man, I can’t get that image out of my mind.” When he pulled his hand away, his eyes were glistening. “Think about it: children are dying, and do you know what I said? No. Sorry. Can’t be bothered. Need to go watch crabs hatch. Crabs! Freakin’ crabs. I told them to clean up their town, and the rats would go away.”

“Would that have helped?” Fred asked.

“Eventually, but people would’ve kept dying for a while.” His voice started to quiver. “I knew I could’ve run the rats out with a thought. A measly little thought. But I couldn’t be bothered.” His voice shook so that he could barely talk. “I had to go watch the crabs.” Jamie put his face in his hands.

Rollie patted him on the back. “Dude, that wasn’t you. That was some ol’ geezer wizard from another planet.”

“The words came out of my mouth,” Jamie said, his voice cracking.

Fred put her arms around Jamie. “It wasn’t you because you would never do that. You’re probably the nicest person I know. You would’ve helped them, I know. You help everybody.”

Jamie didn’t answer.

“We have to do the chant,” Rollie said.

Jamie spoke through his hands, “Don’t feel like it.”

“Don’t care. Do it anyway.” Rollie grabbed Jamie’s hand and put it flat on the table, putting his on top. Fred put her hand on last. “Ready? We’re the Crew, we can’t be…come on, Jamie, say it.”

“Say it, or we’re gonna tickle you.” Fred poked him.

“Okay,” Jamie said.

We’re the Crew,

We can’t be beat,

Everybody smell our feet.

“Better?” Fred asked.

“Yeah,” Jamie said honestly. “Yeah, I am.”

* * *

Jamie fell asleep almost immediately that night. He looked down and saw the end of a long gray beard and the dark robe. I’m dreaming. I’m the old sorcerer again. He stood next to a stone tower on a low hill. In one hand he carried a heavy cloth bag that smelled strongly of rotting seafood — saber crabs, he remembered. To dissect.

He put his hand on the door latch but paused when he heard the wailing voices from the valley below. He dropped the bag on the doorstep and walked past the trees to get a better view. A line of people dressed in black snaked from the edge of town to the cemetery beyond. Several men carried long wooden boxes on their shoulders, and women with veils over their faces cried and moaned. Someone with a wooden flute led the group, playing a plaintive melody as they plodded along the path.

It’s a funeral procession. Probably victims of the plague. He stood and watched the mourners, counting the coffins as they passed. Twelve. That’s so many. He didn’t move until the last of them entered the gates of the cemetery on the next hill. Then he turned back to his tower and the bag of saber crabs.

Jamie woke to his dark room and played the dream over in his mind. That was a memory, I’m sure, but not a good one. The old man watched the whole procession. I wonder if he did that because he felt bad about it. Jamie exhaled slowly between tightened lips. It was partly his fault, those deaths. Twelve people.

He did feel bad. I know it. He had to.

* * *

Despite his talks with his friends, Jamie still felt conflicted about his identity, suffering many sleepless nights worrying about it. Was he Jamie Sikes or a self-centered old wizard? Or both? It was getting harder and harder to tell. And what was the old man’s name? Edward? Edmund?

Identity issues weren’t the only thing keeping him awake at night. School was harder than ever. Though he found eighth grade science and math to be a breeze, English was blowing him away with homework, so by the time Thanksgiving break rolled around, Jamie was ready for some down time.

Thanksgiving dinner that year was even more crowded and interesting than usual because Gina brought her fiancé, Corey, for the day. Jamie liked him.

After dinner was over, Jamie and his father were watching TV in the family room when Corey came in and sat beside Jamie on the couch.

“I don’t know a single person they’re talking about,” Corey said.

“Are they gossiping about Greensboro people?” Carl asked.

“I guess.”

“They do that all the time,” Jamie said. “I call it a yak-a-thon.”

“Is that why your Granddaddy Pete left?” Corey asked.

“Yeah,” Carl said. “He’s the smart one. We can’t leave because we live here.”

Jamie held up the remote. “And there’s nothin’ on TV, either.”

“Got any video games?” Corey said.

“Downstairs in the basement, but Gramma gets mad if I play when we have company.”

“Yeah, Gina told me about your Gramma.”

Carl waved a dismissive hand. “Y’all go on downstairs and play. I’ll take the blame.”

“Really?” Jamie said.

“Yeah. Gotta be nice to our guest, right?” He winked at Corey.

“Cool!” Jamie stood and led Corey to the basement stairs.

As they were walking down, Corey said, “Gina talks about you a lot.”

“I like Gina,” he said. “She’s my best cousin.”

“She talks about Fred a lot, too. I gotta meet her sometime.”

“No you don’t.”

“I don’t know… might have to. She e-mails Gina all the time, but Fred mostly wants to talk about you, so I hear.”

Jamie’s felt his face grow warm. “Trust me, you don’t want to meet her. She’s a pain.”

“I used to feel the same way about girls when I was your age.”

“So when do they stop being a pain?”

“Oh, they don’t.”

* * *

Gina and Corey got married in Asheville on the first Saturday in May. On the ride home, Jamie and Fred sat in the back of his mother’s van. Fred was furious with Jamie.

“I didn’t know you wanted to catch it,” Jamie said.

“Yes you did! I told you I wanted to catch the bouquet.”

“Keep your voice down.” He glanced at his mother, who was driving and talking to Fred’s mother beside her.

“They can’t hear us,” Fred said. “I told you when we got there. I said I—would—love—to—catch—the—bouquet.” She punctuated each word with a hard finger poke on Jamie’s thigh.

“Well, you didn’t tell me I was supposed to help.”

“Well, duh, Sherlock. I shouldn’t have to.”

“Oh, so I’m supposed to read your mind, somehow, and know that I should use my magic to divert the bridal bouquet miraculously into your hands.”

“Right.”

“And nobody’s gonna notice that it breaks the laws of physics in mid-flight, changes directions and goes directly to you?”

Fred didn’t answer.

“Honestly, Fred, you’re getting as bad as Rollie. You want me to bend the rules of the oath if it helps you.”

“You’re supposed to help people.”

“If I had helped you, I would’ve hurt the person who was supposed to get that bouquet.”

They rode in silence for a moment. Jamie said tersely, “If we’re gonna start using my magic to help ourselves, bad things can happen. I know.” He tapped his head. “I’ve got the memories to prove it. I think that’s wrong, and we need to think long and hard about doing that.”

Fred looked at him sideways. “You’ve been spending too much time with your grandmother.”

Chapter 39

The first morning of summer vacation, Jamie’s mother dropped him off at his older cousin’s veterinary clinic to start his first job. It was one of the most exciting days of his life. It was also one of the saddest, because that was the day his grandmother moved into her condo.

When he got home late that afternoon, she was gone.

* * *

“I’m home.” Carl stepped into the kitchen from the door to the garage.

“Carl, your gun!” Rachel said from the kitchen counter where she was making dinner.

“Oh, forgot.” He stepped back into the garage and returned moments later without his weapon. “Where was I? Oh yeah. I’m home.” He kissed Rachel. “Did Jamie have a good first day at work?”

“Yes, I think so,”

“Where is he?”

“He’s in Mom’s old room.”

“What’s he doing in there?”

“Sitting.”

“How long has he been in there?”

“Since we got home.”

“Oh.” Carl frowned. “That’s not good.”

“No, it’s not.” Rachel leaned back against the kitchen counter and crossed her arms. “Mom thought he’d take it better if she moved out today, because he’d be so excited about work and all, but as soon as we got home….” She exhaled heavily.

“You know, I’ve heard of a mama’s boy, but is there such a thing as a grandmama’s boy?”

“They’re really close, Jamie and Mom. And if you think about it, he’s had three parents since he was born. Now one of them has moved out, and I think he feels abandoned.” She bit her lip. “I think I’d better call her.”

* * *

The next day, Jamie waited out front of the vet clinic for his mother to pick him up after work. His grandmother drove into the parking lot and rolled down the window. “Hey, stranger. Want to go to Mike’s on Main Street for a hot dog?”

Jamie opened the passenger door and slid into the seat. “Sure, I guess, but won’t that spoil my dinner?”

“You’re a teenager. You’re supposed to be able to eat all day long.” As she pulled out of the parking lot she said, “I hope you don’t mind, but I talked your mother into letting me pick you up from work from now on. Is that okay?”

“Sure, Gramma.”

She grabbed his hand and squeezed it. “I missed you last night. Did you miss me?”

“Ummm, a little.” He raised his other hand and held his thumb and forefinger a hair width apart. “About that much.”

They laughed together.

Chapter 40

Since Fred’s family had the biggest television, the kids spent many summer evenings in her basement.

Fred clicked the mute button on the remote. “Do you really think it was like that?”

Jamie, who sat with her and Rollie on the couch, said, “Yeah, I’ve looked up the Salem witch trials on the Internet, and it was a lot like that movie, except that they hung them.”

“But do you think that people would try to burn you at the stake or hang you?”

Rollie answered for him, “Nah, they’d probably just shoot him.” He poked Jamie. “What would be worse is that if word got around that you were a real wizard, you’d have a thousand people camped on your front lawn wanting to get their weird diseases cured and stuff.”

“Like those two old men from your dream,” Fred said. “Maybe the old sorcerer didn’t help them with the plague because if he did, nobody would ever leave him alone.”

Jamie scowled. “He still should’ve helped them.”

Rollie sat up on the edge of the couch. “Or what would be even worse is if the government found out. They’d want to use you as a secret weapon or something.”

“You’ve been watching too many movies,” Jamie said.

“No, if they knew you could blast planes and missiles and stuff with energy bolts, they’d lock you away and keep you a secret. Then it would be like a movie.”

“Yeah,” Fred said. “You’d have to go on the run and go into hiding, like in a cave or something.”

“That’s not far off the mark,” Jamie said. “Some of my last memories of the old man are of him hiding in a cave.”

“See? Maybe that’s what happened to him. Word got out about his magic, and he had to hide.”

“We absolutely cannot let anybody find out about you, no way,” Rollie said. “You could end up hiding out in a cave, all lonely. You could end up just like the old sorcerer.”

“I’m not going to end up like him,” Jamie said, shaking his head. “I’m not.”

Fred rubbed Jamie’s back. “Nobody’s going to find out.”

Rollie nodded. “You’ll just be ordinary ol’ Jamie Sikes: good guy, lousy basketball player.”

* * *

That night, Jamie woke and sat up in bed. “Doorways,” he said. He threw off the covers, turned and put both feet on the floor. That’s how the old man got here.

And Jamie remembered how to make them now.

He switched on his bedside lamp, stood in the center of his room and rubbed his chin. Hesitantly at first, he held his hand out, then, as if repeating a motion he’d done hundreds of times, he outlined the glowing shape of a door in mid-air. He stepped back and regarded his effort, shrugged, and gently pushed on the door, which swung open, revealing a darkness beyond.

“Whoa,” he said slowly.

He reached into his bedside table and found an old flashlight that he used for late-night reading, but the batteries were dead. Another spell popped into his head. “Light.” He snapped his fingers. A glowing orb appeared in his hand. He gestured and it floated above his head. When he stepped through the doorway, the orb followed him like his own personal sun.

It was a cave. The dirt floor felt cold to his bare feet and the air smelled musty. It looked vaguely familiar, but it was obvious that no one had been there for years. In one corner was a blackened pile — books, he remembered — and another pile nearby appeared to be rotting clothing. There was a rough wooden table, covered with junk, and a bench, collapsed on one end with a broken leg.

On the far wall was a cracked mirror in which Jamie could see his reflection, looking boyish in his pajamas with his little sun overhead. The old man looked in that mirror before he left. What was his name? He could almost see the old sorcerer’s face — the man and the boy superimposed in the same mirror.

Jamie shook his head. “Creepy.” He stepped back through into his bedroom, the door winking out behind him.

* * *

Renn awoke face-down on a book. Something had tugged at his subconscious, something magical.

Magic! Familiar magic. It can’t be. He stood unsteadily in the darkness and stumbled to the door of his room.

My staff. But as he pulled the door open, he banged his bare toe. Cursing under his breath, he hopped into the next room to the case that held Rovann. He sent a jet of flame from his finger to light the two candles beside him and fumbled the latches open on the case. He hurriedly pulled out the dragon’s head staff and started to stamp it on the floor, but stopped when he noticed his bare feet.

My boots. Where are they? He searched the room quietly so as not to wake Mother, found his leather boots, and clumsily slipped them on. Every little task seemed to take too long. Finally, fully dressed, he stood, stamped his staff on the floor and vanished.

He reappeared in the cave, and though it had been nearly fifteen years, he recognized it instantly. He snapped his fingers and a glowing ball appeared above his head.

“He was here,” he said. He held the staff before him and a red glow emanated from the eyes. “I can feel it.” He slowly panned the room. “There!” He held the staff still. The old wizard’s telltale after-magic hung in the air, sparkling brightly in the glow from the dragon’s head. “He was here. We just missed him.”

He felt a surge of anger, but it faded quickly when he realized, He lives. He shook the staff above his head and shouted giddily, “He lives!” Through gritted teeth he said, “Now I will find him and watch him suffer and die.”

* * *

Jamie met Rollie in the back yard. Rollie said, “Why did you want to wait ’till your mom left?”

“Gotta show you something cool,” Jamie said, “but she can’t see.” He led Rollie back into the trees and looked around carefully. “Okay. Watch this.” He held his hands out, and a yellowish-green shimmer appeared in the air before him, like a large curved piece of colored glass. “Now throw something at me.”

“Like what?”

“Anything.”

Rollie picked up a pine cone and tossed it at Jamie, but it bounced off the shimmer and fell to the ground. “Cool. What is it?”

“It’s a shield. Throw a rock this time, hard as you can.”

Rollie looked dubious.

“No, really. It won’t get through.”

Rollie picked up a small stone and hurled it at his friend, but it bounced off harmlessly.

Jamie lowered his hands, and the shield vanished. “I’m pretty sure it can stop a bullet.”

“I’m not shootin’ a gun at you.”

“No, that’s okay. The rock was good enough.” He held his hands out again and the shield reappeared, but vanished when he dropped his arms. “It’s one of the old man’s tricks. I think he used it in fights with other sorcerers.”

“Fights? Did he win?”

“Yeah, all except the last one, I think. Somebody had a spell that was powerful enough to get through, somehow. He got wounded and escaped here.” Jamie gestured at his house. “Must’ve been right before he died in the yard.”

As they walked toward the deck, Rollie said, “Is there a way to make it stronger?”

“Maybe. That’s why I want to take physics.”

Rollie groaned. “Here we go with the science again.”

“No, really. The old man was always looking into ways to make his magic stronger, but they didn’t call it science where he’s from. I don’t think they had a concept of it.”

“Well, I don’t have a concept of it, either.” Rollie opened the back door. “Got a concept of hunger, though. You got some brownies or something?”

“No. Haven’t had any since Gramma moved out.”

“Man, I miss your gramma.”

“Me, too, Buddy.” He clapped Rollie on the shoulder. “Me, too.”

Chapter 41

Jamie, Fred, and Rollie sat in the gazebo, playing with their new cell phones. Fred said without looking up, “What would you do with a million dollars?”

Rollie tapped his phone. “I’d buy a car.”

“Why? You can’t even get your learner’s permit for another year.”

“I know, but every time I see Jamie’s Buick sitting in the driveway, I think about it. You’re a lucky dude, Jamie, having your gramma just give you a car.”

“It’s not doing me much good right now,” Jamie said.

Fred looked up. “Jamie, what would you do with a million dollars?”

“I’d take my family to Hawaii. That’s a big dream of my parents.” He looked at Fred. “We didn’t even go on a real vacation this summer ’cause we couldn’t afford it.”

“If I had a million dollars,” Fred said, “I’d buy a better phone.”

“Me, too.” Rollie shook his head. “Why’d our moms make us all get the same crummy phone?”

“Because our moms talk and plot and make these agreements,” Jamie said. “They know if one of us got a good phone, the rest of us would want one, so they agreed on the cheaper one.” He shook his finger for emphasis. “So they stick together, and they don’t budge on stuff like that.”

“Same with allowance,” Fred said. “Have you ever wondered why we all get the same?”

“Same with everything,” Jamie said.

“Man, we gotta get our mommas to stop being friends,” Rollie said.

“Right,” Fred said. “Good luck with that.”

* * *

The last Friday before school started, Jamie was at work, putting a dog back in a cage when he got a buzz on the intercom to come up to the front. There he found his father and Granddaddy Pete talking to Cousin Earl.

“Jamie, I was just telling your dad and your granddad what a good job you’ve been doing for us.” Earl smiled.

“Thanks,” Jamie said, feeling his face grow warm.

“Cousin Earl wants to know if you’d like to keep working during the school year,” Carl said. “It would just be Saturdays.”

“We’re only open ’til 1:00,” Earl said. “You’d have the rest of the day to yourself.”

“Really? Yeah, I mean, yes sir. Do you think Mom will go for it?”

Carl put his hand on Jamie’s shoulder. “I’ll work on her. Gotta keep your grades up, though.”

“You might be able to pick up some hours during the holidays, too,” Earl said. “Lots of people board their pets then, and we need the help.” He looked at Pete. “And there’s nobody better with dogs than this young man. If I have to give a shot to a particularly ornery one, I just send somebody to fetch Jamie, ’cause he’ll calm that dog down like that.” He snapped his fingers. “It’s amazing, just amazing.”

Earl looked at Carl and said, “You’re doin’ a fine job raisin’ this boy. Mighty fine job.”

Pete patted Carl’s back. “Yes you are. You ought to be proud.”

“Does this mean I get a raise in my allowance?” Jamie said.

Carl laughed. “Don’t push your luck.”

* * *

Starting high school was a big change. The school was bigger, and so were the kids. Even Fred seemed intimidated on the first day. “They all look so tall,” she said as she walked down the hall with Jamie. “Some of them look like grown men and women.”

But after about a week, Jamie noticed that some of the big boys noticed Fred. “Fred, those guys are staring at you,” Jamie said, standing by his locker.

“Oh really?” Fred flipped her hair back behind her shoulders with one hand. “I didn’t notice.”

“Yes you did.”

“Are you getting jealous?” she laughed.

“No!” Yes.

* * *

Jamie was a missile flying straight at a huge finger-like projection of rock, his hair blowing back and the wind shrieking in his ears. At the last possible instant, he fired a bolt from his hand, blasting the rock into rubble that bounced off his shield as he streaked through the debris.

“Woooo hoooo!” he screamed and turned in midair, pausing to admire the destruction. The isolated range was a perfect place to practice magic, and since he’d remembered how to make a doorway to it, he took advantage of it whenever possible. It was beautiful too, in a desolate sort of way, even though only one of the three moons was visible that day.

He didn’t get long to pat himself on the back, though, because he felt a tug from one of the wards he’d placed on a door back inside his home. Someone had stepped through from the garage, tripping an invisible magic wire that ran all the way upstairs and through the doorway to the three-moon world.

“Oh crud,” he said. Mom’s home. He streaked to the open portal on the ridge below, landed awkwardly, and stumbled through into his bedroom beyond. He fell heavily on the wooden floor and banged his head on the dresser.

“Ow!” He rubbed his skull and the doorway winked out.

“Jamie, are you all right?” his mother yelled from the bottom of the stairs.

“Yes ma’am. Just tripped.”

Having a reputation as a klutz had its advantages.

Chapter 42

One Friday in early November, Fred found Jamie at his locker.

“Wanna go to that new 3D movie tomorrow night?” Jamie asked. “My mom said she’ll drive.”

“Are you asking me out on a date?” Fred batted her eyelashes.

“No, I just want to know if you want to see that movie.”

“Is anybody else going?”

“Everybody else has seen it and Rollie’s grounded.”

“So, it’s just you and me? Sounds like a date.”

“It’s not a date. We’re just going to a movie like we always do. Besides, we’re still not old enough to date.”

Fred raised her chin. “My mom said I can go out on a date if it’s with you. She’ll make an exception.”

“That’s what my mom said.” Jamie looked exasperated. “Just forget it. We can stay home and watch TV.”

“Is that a date?”

Jamie stared at Fred with narrowed eyes.

“Okay,” Fred said. “I’ll go, and you can call it whatever you want.”

But I’ll call it a date, she thought.

* * *

There were now four mounds on the barren hillside. Renn buried Mother, the only family he had known since the plague had killed his natural family, and now she rested beside the child-sized mound, his sister.

Mother had lost her family that year, too, and had taken him in, a scared, half-starved ten-year-old boy, raising him as her own. And when she grew old and her health failed, he did the best he could to care for her, to do everything in his immense power for her.

But he was no healer, and her time had come. She’d told him so many times.

Let me go, she said.

And he finally did.

Now he stood on the hill, completely alone. He drove his staff in the ground and a wave of flowers spread before him and overwhelmed the ugliness of the rock.

He lingered there, a statue wrapped in purple, until long after sunset.

* * *

“I want to try out for cross country next year,” Jamie told his parents during dinner.

“It’s only April, Jamie,” his mother said. “Isn’t cross country in the fall?”

“Yes, but Bryce said there’s a meeting next week for all rising sophomores trying out. Coach is going to give us a workout sheet.”

“I heard this coach is really gung-ho,” his father said. “Supposed to be a lot tougher than the old coach.”

“Yeah, we’re supposed to get in shape before practice starts in the fall. Bryce said we have to start running on the first day of summer, and it’s going to be really hard.”

“Well,” his mother said, “you have to —”

“I’ll keep my grades up,” Jamie said.

“You’d better. You can’t get a scholarship without good grades, and you need to get a scholarship.”

“I’m glad you’re taking an interest in a sport,” his father said. “Colleges look at that on your application, too.”

“That’s not why you want him to do a sport, Carl,” Jamie’s mother said.

* * *

Bryce wasn’t kidding about the workouts being hard, and Jamie had never run much before. They were supposed to start out with two miles a day in early June, every day, and work up to five to seven miles a day by mid-July. And July was hot — record-breaking, plant-wilting hot.

Jamie still had his job at the veterinary clinic, too, so finding time to run was tough. He tried running before work, but didn’t have time to cool down completely, so he’d still be sweaty after showering. He preferred to run after work, even though he was tired from being on his feet all day, because then all he had to do was shower, eat, and fall asleep watching TV. Jamie’s summer could be summed up in five words: work, run, eat, shower, sleep.

Sometimes he fell asleep watching TV at Fred’s house, or Rollie’s, or at the movie theater with his friends, but wherever he was, he was zonked before 10:00.

“Wake up, Jamie; it’s time for you to go to bed,” Rachel said one July night, shaking her son’s shoulder. “You can’t sleep on the couch.”

“Mmmph,” Jamie said, sitting up. She helped him stand and guided him to the stairs.

After he’d trudged up to his room, Rachel said, “Carl, do you think he’s okay? All he does is sleep. I’m worried about him.”

“He’s fine. When I had summer practice for football, I came home every day and died. I even slept on the sofa sometimes, because I was too tired to go to bed.”

“I think there’s something wrong with that.”

Carl shrugged. “Won’t kill him. Probably be good for him.”

“Because it will make a man out of him?” She crossed her arms.

“Something like that. If it gets too hard for him, he’ll quit. But so far, he hasn’t. I’m proud of him.”

“He shouldn’t have to kill himself to make you proud.”

Chapter 43

Tenth grade started off with much promise. One day during the first week of school, Bryce caught up with Jamie in the hall. “Jamie, ol’ buddy, I need a big favor.” He patted Jamie on the shoulder. “How do you feel about double dating?”

“What?”

“Sally’s cousin is coming to town this weekend, and Sally won’t go out with me unless I get a date for her cousin. She asked me to talk to you.”

“What would we do?”

“I thought we could go to a Mexican restaurant for dinner and go back to my house and play pool and stuff in my game room.”

“What’s she look like?”

“Sally said she’s cute.”

Jamie scratched his cheek for a moment. “Sure. Why not? Never been on a double date.”

“Great. But are you sure it’s gonna be cool with Fred?”

“What’s she got to do with it?”

“Well, you know, everybody in school thinks you’re boyfriend and girlfriend.”

Jamie threw his hands in the air. “What’s with that? Is she saying that?”

“No, it just seems like it.”

“She’s not my girlfriend and it’ll be fine.”

* * *

But the following Monday on the bus ride to school, Fred sat by herself, angry-eyed, with her backpack on the seat next to her.

Jamie tried to sit by her, but she said, “This seat is taken,” and turned to look out the window.

Jamie sat by Rollie, two seats farther back. “What’s eating her?”

“She found out about your date,” Rollie said.

“So? What’s it to her? She’s not my girlfriend.”

Rollie looked at Jamie and shrugged. “I think you need to talk to her.”

Jamie got up and went to Fred’s seat, picked up her backpack and sat down. Fred refused to look at him. He said, “Why are you mad at me?”

She turned to face him and said angrily, “How could you?”

“How could I what?”

“You know what.” Emotion strained her voice.

“It was just a favor to Bryce, that’s all. His girlfriend made him do it.”

“Did she make you?”

“Well, no, but —”

“Did you kiss her?”

“No!”

“Good. Are you going to see her again?”

“No. That was it. She lives in Boston.”

“Good.” Fred crossed her arms. “Well, I think you ought to know that I’m going on a date, too. This weekend.”

“Fine.” Jamie said, though he wasn’t sure if it was, all of a sudden.

“Gerald Tomasino called, and I said yes.”

“What? He’s a senior.”

“So?”

“Seniors only ask out younger girls for one thing, and you know what that one thing is.” “And what’s that?” she said.

“You know what.”

“Don’t worry. I can handle myself.”

* * *

Apparently, Fred found out that Jamie was right. Gerald found out something, too. He came to school the following Monday with a splint on his finger, claiming he dislocated it playing basketball. Jamie knew otherwise. Gerald learned the hard way that it’s a bad idea to mess with firecrackers.

Especially the red-headed kind.

* * *

Run eight miles in sixty minutes or less. That was cross country tryouts. And it was hot. But Jamie made it, barely.

Though he and Bryce weren’t fast enough to score in the meets, they still got to run, and Jamie’s parents and grandmother came to cheer him on as he and the other sophomores pulled up the rear. Coach told them it would take a year or so of steady running to get good, so not to worry. Have fun, he said. So they did.

Road workouts followed a familiar pattern. The faster guys, juniors and seniors, ran ahead while Jamie and his friends hung back, often talking while they ran, enjoying the camaraderie. Sometimes random dogs would join them, running a mile or so before Jamie would stop and tell them to go home. And they did.

“You’re a freak,” Bryce said one day, watching the dogs turn and head back in the direction they’d come.

Jamie shrugged as they resumed running. “They bit one of the seniors last week.”

“Okay, you’re a good kind of freak.”

If they weren’t talking on a long run, Jamie would often daydream. He would fall into a trance-like state, and pieces of the older sorcerer’s life would float up from his subconscious, sometimes in extended sequences. It was like watching home movies from the old man’s point of view, some mundane, some exotic and exciting, especially the magic. Any spell the old man knew, Jamie knew, when they were revealed to him that way. And the more he saw, the more he wanted to see. He looked forward to the trances.

“Hey, snap out of it,” Bryce barked in Jamie’s ear one day, jarring him back to reality. “You look like you’re on another planet.”

“Where are we?” Jamie said. “How far have we run?”

“About four miles,” Bryce said in between breaths. “Boy, you are out of it.”

“Do you ever daydream when you run?” They ran down a sidewalk past a newer subdivision.

“All the time.”

“What about?” Jamie swerved around a fire hydrant.

“Different stuff. Girls, mostly. How ’bout you?”

“Um… girls. I think about girls, too.”

And magic.

Jamie liked cross country and ran hard. A little too hard, because by Halloween, he had mononucleosis.

* * *

“Well, that explains why he’s so tired all the time.” Carl looked at Jamie asleep on the couch. “I just thought it was from running eight miles a day and school and homework.”

“We should’ve known something was wrong when he started going to bed at 7:30 every night,” Rachel said.

“Are you going to be able to take off from work to stay with him? I don’t think I can.”

“I talked to Mom, and she wants to. She’ll probably stay here in her old room if that’s okay. She’s worried about him.”

* * *

A familiar sweet smell filled the house, a smell of warmth and love.

“I sure did miss your brownies,” Rollie said to Jamie’s grandmother, dribbling brown crumbs down his shirt.

“I missed making them for you,” she replied, picking up the empty plate from the coffee table. “It’ll be just like old times, me and you kids together again.”

“We’re glad you’re taking care of him.” Fred stroked Jamie’s head. She sat on the end of the couch next to Jamie, who was stretched out, asleep and oblivious.

When Jamie’s grandmother took the plate to the kitchen, Rollie whispered, “We gotta do the chant and make him better.”

“We can’t. His gramma will hear. Besides, I think he has to be awake for it to work.”

As if on cue, Jamie opened his eyes, propped up on his elbows and said, “He’s coming to kill me.”

“Who’s coming to kill you?” Fred asked.

Jamie’s eyes were unfocused. “Renn. He’s coming to kill us all.” And he dropped his head back on the couch and fell asleep again.

Rollie and Fred looked at each other. Fred said, “That was weird.”

“We really need to do something,” Rollie said. “But right now I gotta do homework.”

“I think I’ll stick around for a while.”

* * *

Jamie had terrible dreams. He couldn’t remember much about them except that they were distressing.

He did remember waking up with his head in Fred’s lap. She was stroking his head and smiling at him. She said, “Hey.”

He smiled weakly at her and said, “Hey,” and fell back asleep. He didn’t have any more bad dreams that afternoon.

* * *

While Fred was soothing Jamie, Lisa and Rachel drank coffee at the kitchen table.

“Fred knows not to kiss him, right?”

“Oh yes,” Lisa said. “We had a long talk about that. But she’s afraid he caught mono from kissing somebody else.”

“I doubt that. The doctor said he probably caught it from sharing a water bottle at cross country practice.” She took a sip of coffee and looked at their kids on the sofa. “She can be so sweet to him sometimes.”

“When she’s not mad enough to kill him,” Lisa said. “I think he brings out the best and the worst in her.”

“And vice versa.”

“But her worst is a lot harsher than most people’s,” Lisa said.

“But her best is amazing. Just look at her.”

Fred must’ve known they were talking about her, because she looked up and smiled at them, then turned her attention back to Jamie. Rachel unconsciously grabbed Lisa’s hand and squeezed it.

* * *

“So how was your first full day back at school?” Rollie asked as they got off the bus on the first Monday after Thanksgiving.

“Tiring,” Jamie said. “Glad to be home.”

“Who’s this guy Renn you were ranting about while you were sick?” Fred said.

“Renn? Oh, he’s the guy I’ve been having nightmares about since I was a little. He’s the guy who zapped the old man.”

“You said he’s coming to kill us all,” Rollie said. “You wouldn’t mind telling us what that’s all about, would you?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know why he’d want to kill me, but he obviously doesn’t know where I am, or he would’ve done it already.” He stopped and looked gravely at his friends. “But if he ever shows up, you want to be as far away from me as possible. He’s a psycho. A bona fide, first class psycho.”

Chapter 44

High school varsity basketball games are loud, rowdy affairs. Junior varsity games aren’t.

Fred looked around the nearly empty gym. “I feel bad that there aren’t more people here.”

“I feel bad that Rollie isn’t playing,” Jamie said.

Rollie sat forlornly at the end of the bench, resting his chin on his hand, watching his teammates struggle.

“Rollie’s so good,” Fred said. “Why won’t the coach put him in?”

“He’s not tall enough, but he can shoot. Maybe he’ll still get to play.”

After a frustrating second half and the game clock showing less than five minutes to play, the coach called Rollie’s name and he stood up and went to midcourt.

“Hey, look.” Fred pointed. “He’s going in.”

Jamie cupped his hands to his mouth. “Hey Rollie!” When Rollie turned to look, Jamie stood, held his arms out and wiggled his fingers at him.

“What are you doing?” Fred said.

“Relax, it’s not magic. I’m just trying to fire him up.”

Rollie’s eyes narrowed and he clenched his jaw, then turned and ran onto the court at the whistle.

The other team inbounded the ball from the sideline, but Rollie flashed to the lazy pass and picked it off, dribbling in for any easy layup.

“Hey, how ’bout that?” Jamie said. “Now they’re only down by 15 points. I should make him mad more often.”

The other team inbounded and brought the ball down court, but Rollie harassed the ball handler into making a bad pass, right to Rollie’s teammate, who raced the other way for another easy basket.

The next time down court, the other team managed to get off a shot, but missed. Rollie took the ball to the top of the key and drained a three pointer. Jamie and Fred raised their arms in celebration. After both teams missed shots, Rollie stepped up the pressure and forced a turnover when the other team’s guard dribbled off his foot.

Rollie’s energy was contagious. He was everywhere, pressuring every pass and anyone with the ball, and his teammates stepped up, too. The change in momentum was palpable; the other team seemed unable to score or even make two consecutive passes without a turnover. Rollie darted around the court like a possessed maniac, and when he sank the last three point shot to put the game into overtime, the meager crowd went crazy.

“Rol-lie, Rol-lie, Rol-lie,” Fred and Jamie chanted.

The five minute overtime was a wash. The other team was too bewildered, baffled, and befuddled to put up much of a fight. Rollie’s last jump shot finished them off and cemented the victory.

Jamie and Fred hugged with excitement. “Let’s go congratulate him,” Fred said.

“We gotta wait until he gets out of the locker room. Let’s wait outside by the door.”

Rollie looked furious when he finally walked out of the locker room. Jamie tried to congratulate him, but Rollie shoved him back against the wall. “I saw what you did, man,” Rollie growled.

“You mean this?” Jamie wiggled his fingers at Rollie again.

Rollie knocked Jamie’s hands aside. “That’s not cool.”

“He didn’t do anything,” Fred said.

“Yes he did,” Rollie leaned close to her. “He used magic. That’s so wrong…that’s —”

“He didn’t use any magic,” Fred said in a low voice.

Rollie looked at Jamie, who wiggled his fingers again, grinning.

“For real?” Rollie asked.

“Yeah,” Fred said, “Oh…hold on.”

Tanisha walked by with two friends. “Great game, Rollie.” She waved as she passed.

“Oh, thanks,” Rollie said, looking flustered. Rollie waited until she was out of earshot before saying, “Then why’d I play so good?”

“You did it all on your own, Dude,” Jamie said.

Rollie raised his eyebrows. “Wow.” As they turned to walk to the parking lot, he said, “Coach said he might pull me up for the last two varsity games. Can’t wait to tell my dad.”

“Bet you didn’t know you had it in you, did ya?” Jamie said. They walked to their parents’ cars, Jamie on Rollie’s right side and Fred on his left, arms on each other’s shoulders, still first best friends.

Chapter 45

Jamie’s cross country coach insisted that he run track, and they practiced every day. With that and heavy schoolwork, he barely noticed that the end of the year was approaching. Tenth grade had flown by, and before he knew it, school was out and he was back working at the vet and running summer workouts.

The one thing that seemed like it would never come was his birthday. His sixteenth birthday. The birthday where he could get his driver’s license.

Sweet sixteen.

Though Fred and Rollie had their licenses, too, Jamie had a car. That was sweetest of all.

“All right!” Rollie said, as he and Fred piled into Jamie’s Buick for the first time. “Let’s go, Baby!”

“Where we gonna go?” Fred asked.

“How ’bout Bryce’s house?”

“He’s at his girlfriend’s.”

“Let’s go to the coffee shop,” Jamie said.

“We don’t have any money,” Rollie said.

“We can’t go to the movie, then.”

“Fred, let’s go see one of your friends,” Jamie said.

“None of ’em are home.”

They sat in the driveway for a few minutes, trying to decide where to go, until they finally decided to just ride around.

But it was sweet.

* * *

Summer went by in a blur. To Jamie, it seemed like he blinked and it was over, he was back on the bus, starting his junior year. And it promised to be the busiest one yet.

Besides cross country practice, Jamie had the toughest teachers ever, who found sadistic pleasure in heavy homework assignments. Fred joined the school chorus and was still taking dance lessons. Rollie was going to football practice, and was so sore the first two weeks, he walked like an old man, groaning painfully when he climbed the steps to the bus.

The first day of cross country practice, Jamie and Bryce ran like they always did, hanging back with the slower runners, talking or daydreaming. When they finished the run, Jamie was chatting with his friends when a couple of seniors walked up. One of them was Manny Alvarez, the fastest guy on the team, and one of the fastest in the state. He liked to use nicknames.

Manny pointed at Jamie and Bryce and said, “Hey, you, Magic Man, and you, Richie Rich, you run with us tomorrow. You don’t run with these guys anymore.” And they walked away.

Jamie and Bryce looked at each other with raised eyebrows.

Manny was fast. He’d tied the state record in the 1,500 meter run the previous track season, and already had scholarship offers from some major colleges. When he ran road workouts, he ran hard, and when Jamie tried to keep up with him the next day, he found out just how hard Manny ran.

Jamie puked after practice. Manny patted him on the back. “Now you’re running. I puked all the time when I first started training hard.”

Oh, lovely, Jamie thought.

By Friday, he was so sore, he was groaning like Rollie when he climbed the bus steps.

“You, too?” Rollie asked.

Jamie nodded and grimaced.

* * *

The soreness subsided after a couple of weeks, and Jamie noticed a big improvement in his running. Bryce did, too. By the second meet, both of them were fast enough to score for their team. Not win, but score.

After a particularly hard run during the third meet, Jamie was standing past the finish line, bent over, hands on his knees, when Manny walked over.

“Good run, Magic Man. Now you see why I made you run with us big dogs.”

“Yeah, thanks,” Jamie said, standing upright, painfully. “Hey, uh, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask.” Still breathing heavily, he said, “I’ve been looking at the back of your jersey for the longest time, when I’m close enough to see, that is, and I was wondering.” He pointed at Manny’s shirt. “How come you wear number 77? That’s a weird number.”

“I do it to honor my mother. That’s her birthday, 7/7, July seventh.”

“Hey, that’s my birthday, too.”

“Cool.” He nodded. “Anyway, she died a couple years ago, so I wear this.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. Her angel flies with me when I run.” Manny crossed himself and pointed skyward. “That’s why I run so fast. She gives me strength from heaven when I’m tired.”

“So that’s your secret,” Jamie said lamely.

“Yeah, man. I’ll see you Monday.” And Manny left.

Jamie walked away from the crowd and pretended to stretch. He was afraid someone would see that his eyes were watering.

Probably the dust, he thought.

* * *

Renn was looking through one of the books he’d recently stolen when he stumbled on something interesting.

Doorways. That’s how the old man escaped.

The book detailed exactly how to make them, and he was so excited, he tried the spell immediately. His first attempt, however, was almost a disaster. The doorway opened on a planet with no atmosphere, and he was nearly sucked through to his death, barely managing to grab the edge and pull himself back before ending the spell.

Interesting, though, he thought, returning to the book. Doorways could be opened to many places, and he needed to be more careful. But one of them would lead him to the old sorcerer, and all he needed was patience and a plan.

* * *

A few weeks later, Jamie sat at the back of the bus with his friends, feeling tired.

“Dude, you look like you’ve been up all night,” Rollie said.

“Been having nightmares,” Jamie said.

“Same guy?” Rollie lowered his voice. “Psycho wizard?”

“Yeah, they’re getting worse. I’m pretty sure he’s looking for me. And I think I’m supposed to be looking for some kind of advantage over him. Don’t know what, though.”

“Don’t tell us,” Fred said. “We need to stay as far away from you as possible.”

“It’s no joke, Fred.”

“It’s not like we’ve been hanging out much anyway,” Rollie said. “I’m so busy I don’t know if I’m coming or going.”

Fred put her hand on Jamie’s arm. “We hardly ever see each other anyway, except for football games and church and stuff.”

Jamie sighed. “Just be careful, that’s all I’m saying.”

After cross country season was over, Jamie found excuses to avoid his friends. He worked at the vet a couple of hours every day after school, and went to see his grandmother as often as possible.

Fred caught him in the hall one day. “Hey stranger.” She hooked her arm through his and said quietly, “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing. You can’t avoid me and Rollie forever.”

“I don’t have to. Just ’till I figure out what to do about the psycho wizard.”

Or until he kills me, he thought.

Chapter 46

One morning in early January, Fred was walking to class when she heard a voice from behind.

“Fred, wait up.” It was Melanie McCaskill, the prettiest girl in school. She had long, honey-blonde hair, big brown eyes, and a perfect face. Most guys went slack jawed when she walked by. “Can I walk with you for a sec?” Fred couldn’t stand her.

Melanie was a cheerleader. Fred had no use for cheerleaders because she thought most of them were airheads. Melanie, however, was not. She was in all advanced classes and made good grades.

“Fred, you have the prettiest hair,” Melanie said. “I wish I had your hair. You’re probably the prettiest girl in school.”

And she was nice. Fred really hated that.

“Give me a break, Melanie. Every girl in school would die to have your hair.”

“My hair is boring.” She touched Fred’s curly red locks. “Yours has personality.”

Oh, please, Fred thought. What do you really want?

“Anyway, you’re friends with Jamie Sikes, right? Do you know if anybody’s asked him to the Sadie Hawkins dance?”

Uh oh. “I thought you were dating Michael Tiller.”

“We broke up last week, so I thought Jamie would be lots of fun to go to the dance with. He’s so cute, with those big blue eyes and that curly blonde hair. Don’t you just want to rub your fingers through it and muss it up?”

Please stop, Fred groaned inwardly.

“And he’s smart and does those cool magic tricks, and he’s funny…when he and Rollie get together, they make me laugh so hard.” She giggled.

Kill me now.

“So I figured you’d know if he going to the dance with anybody.”

“I don’t know,” Fred said. “I’ll ask him later.”

Melanie waved goodbye and walked away. Fred felt a surge of panic that lasted the rest of the school day. She got on the bus that afternoon, saved the seat beside her and waited for Jamie. When he walked down the aisle, she grabbed his arm and pulled him into the seat.

She didn’t waste time saying hello. “You’re going to the Sadie Hawkins dance with me, okay?”

Jamie looked surprised for a moment. “Are you asking me?”

“Yes.”

“Do it nicely.” He smiled and inspected his fingernails.

“Will you please go to the dance with me?”

“I might.” He still looked at his nails.

Fred smacked his shoulder.

“Okay! I’ll go.” He rubbed his shoulder. “What’s this all about, anyway?”

“Nothing. I just thought you needed to get out and about more.”

Jamie looked the other way. Fred rolled her eyes and exhaled sharply.

* * *

The night of the dance, Fred’s mother opened the door. “Oh, come in, come in.” As Jamie stepped into the living room, she said, “You look so handsome in your suit. Fred will be down in a minute.”

Just then they heard Fred walking down the stairs. Jamie could only stare when she got to the bottom.

“What do you think?” Fred turned slowly. She wore a low cut emerald green cocktail dress with thin straps, the hemline above her knees, showing plenty of her shapely legs. Years of tap dancing had made their mark.

Fred gently patted her hair. “I got a makeover today.” Her hair was less curly and more of a carefully arranged bouquet of spirals, held up on one side with a silver clip. Her makeup — Jamie had never seen her like that — was something from a magazine cover.

“Wow, Fred, you like nice,” was all he could manage.

“Stand together by the fireplace and let me get a picture before you go,” Fred’s mother said, herding them to the other side of the room. They posed and she snapped the photo. “This is almost what it’ll be like for the prom, only you’ll have a tux on, Jamie.”

Prom? Jamie thought.

“Oh, you two look so…so beautiful!” she said, tears forming in the corners of her eyes.

“Mom, stop.”

“Okay, okay.” She wiped her eyes and escorted them to the door.

* * *

The gym looked better than Jamie had ever seen it, with plenty of streamers, potted plants, and other decorations. The other details he forgot, except that Fred wanted to dance to practically every song. Couldn’t forget that.

“You’re such a wimp,” she said at one point, when he sagged in his chair, chugging punch. “I thought cross country runners were in shape.”

Then her favorite song came on and she dragged him out of his seat. It was a slow tune and the dance floor quickly filled with awkward teenagers. Jamie tentatively put one arm around Fred’s back and the other on her shoulder and pulled her close.

Fred was no longer a little girl, she was a young woman, and feeling her body pressed against his, Jamie could tell how much of a woman she’d become. He could hear his mother’s voice in his head — she’s beautiful, with lovely red hair, emerald green eyes, and a face like an angel — the Dream Fairy, exactly as his mother had described her. How did Mom know?

Jamie didn’t remember much about that night, but he would remember that moment, that realization, the rest of his life.

Fred was the Dream Fairy.

* * *

Standing on Fred’s front porch, Jamie tried to figure out how to say goodnight. “I’ve never done this before,” he said. “I guess I should say thanks and I had a good time. Goodnight.”

He started to turn away, but Fred said, “Not so fast. You’re supposed to kiss me goodnight.”

“Oh. Okay.” He leaned to kiss her on the cheek but Fred stopped him.

“Uh uh. On the lips. A real kiss.”

Jamie started to protest, but realized she was right. He put his arms around her waist, and she put hers around his neck. He wanted to say something but Fred didn’t give him the chance as she pulled his face to hers.

A first real kiss is always memorable, but Jamie wouldn’t remember that her lips were soft and moist. Nothing special about that. Or that she tasted vaguely of spearmint and smelled like flowers. What he remembered was the tingle, the warm, pleasant, magical tingle, the same tingle they’d felt before they were born, when their mothers’ bellies touched. Their lips lingered that way for what seemed like eons or only a second, neither wanting to break the spell, until Jamie finally pulled away.

“Oh, my,” Fred whispered.

Jamie let go of her waist, stepped back and said, “Now can I go?”

Fred nodded.

Jamie walked down the three steps from the porch but stopped at the bottom. He turned and said, “Fred, I wasn’t telling the truth when I said I had a good time. I had a great time, a really, really great time. But I mean it when I say you need to keep your distance from —”

“I know what you’re going to say, and I’m not afraid of some crazy wizard.”

“You don’t know what you’re saying. He’s coming, I know, and soon. Maybe weeks, maybe days, but he’s coming. The dreams are getting more intense, and I know something’s about to happen. So you and Rollie both need to stay clear until this gets sorted out. He won’t hesitate to kill anybody and everybody around me when he finds me.”

“Well, what about your parents? Are you going to run away?”

“I thought about it.”

A look of shock crossed Fred’s face.

“But it would break my mom’s heart, and my dad would just track me down. He’s a detective, you know. I haven’t figured out what to do.” He looked at his feet for a moment, then back at her. “I really care about you, and I couldn’t stand it if something happened to you. So if I’m avoiding you, it’s not ’cause I’m mad or I don’t like you anymore, it’s ’cause I care. Okay?”

“Okay.” She watched him walk down her driveway before stepping inside her house.

* * *

Fred closed the door behind her, crossed her arms on her chest and twirled giddily.

She heard her mother’s voice from the sofa. “So, how was it?”

Fred made a swooning gesture.

“That good, huh?” her mother said.

* * *

Fred heard what Jamie said about avoiding her, but she didn’t really hear it, because she didn’t want to. The next week at school, she found out he meant it. He wouldn’t sit by her on the bus, wouldn’t walk with her between classes, and wouldn’t see her after school. If she called him, he made excuses to cut it short.

It was tearing her apart. After the third week, on the verge of tears, she called Gina and asked for help. Gina’s advice was simple: Don’t wait for Jamie. If another boy asks you out, you should go.

Two weeks later, Kyle Lattimer asked her to the prom.

She accepted.

* * *

The first Saturday in April was prom night, and Rachel was at Lisa’s house.

“Do you want some more wine?” Lisa spilled some on the kitchen counter as she refilled her glass.

“Yes,” Rachel said from the sofa. “Fill it all the way up.”

When Lisa handed Rachel her glass, Rachel said, “Did you take pictures?”

“Yes, but I sure didn’t feel like it. They’re in my camera on the coffee table if you want to look.”

“God, no, I don’t want to look. I don’t want to see another boy with Fred.”

“It was supposed to be Jamie.” Lisa started crying again. “What’s wrong with him?”

“I don’t know, Lisa, I just don’t know. He’s been really moody and secretive lately. He won’t hardly talk to us and spends most of his time in his room. All his friends are at the prom, and he’s in his room, sitting on the bed, bouncing a rubber ball off the wall. I don’t know what the problem is.”

Lisa stared at the floor for a moment, then said quietly, “They were supposed to be together.”

“Since before they were born.”

Lisa drained her glass. “I need more wine.”

* * *

Renn stepped through the doorway onto the asphalt and raised both arms in triumph. This is it! he thought. Finally. He’s here, I know it.

But his celebration was cut short when he was nearly flattened by a passing truck.

He stared after it in open-mouthed wonder.

Chapter 47

Track, as a sport, is crazy. Running around a big circle as hard as you can until you’re ready to heave is nuts. But track was keeping Jamie sane.

Distancing himself from his friends was taking its toll on his psyche, but Manny had taken him under his wing, and Jamie put everything he had into his workouts, leaving no time to wallow in self-pity. Manny ran him so hard that he could only focus on one thing: keeping up. Jamie chased Manny day after day, one exhausting workout after another, and it was paying off. Jamie was getting faster.

Standing at the line for the start of the 1500 meter run, Jamie went over tactics in his head as the dozen boys looked at the starter. It was the regional meet, and the top two finishers went to the state championship. Manny was a shoe-in for first place, and second would probably be Eddie Schulman, another senior from their team. Third place was up for grabs, and Jamie wanted it, but he had to watch out for a kid from West Henderson High that everybody called The Rat, probably because he had a rodent-shaped face and he ran dirty.

“When you’re in a pack with him, watch out,” Manny said. “He’ll trip you. And if you’re on a turn, he’ll throw an elbow to push you outside.”

The gun fired and the boys took off, jostling for position, Manny already out front, sprinting, Jamie back with the others. By the end of the first lap, Manny was twenty yards ahead of everyone else, Eddie was in second place, and the rest of the runners were in a pack, constantly shifting and vying for position. Nobody wanted to be on the outside, because you ended up having to run farther.

By the end of the second lap, the runners had started to string out, the slower boys falling behind, Jamie still solidly in the middle, while Manny and Eddie led the field.

Jamie didn’t have Manny’s natural sprint for a start or his unbelievable kick at the end, but Jamie could match Manny’s cruising pace when he was focused, and Jamie was focused like a laser on Manny’s number 77, imagining that there was a rope tied between him and Manny, and that Manny was pulling him along. Jamie couldn’t fall any farther back than the length of that rope. It was paying off, because by the end of the third lap, Jamie was in fourth place, with only The Rat between him and Eddie, who still held second place.

Jamie rounded the turn and hit the back straightaway. He decided to make his move. He stepped up the pace, starting his kick early, because if he was going to pass The Rat, he needed to do it before the last turn. If he didn’t, the Rat would be able to push Jamie to the outside and force him to expend too much energy.

Jamie made up the three stride difference and caught up with The Rat halfway down the back stretch, careful to keep out of elbow’s reach. Maintaining his kick, he passed the Rat before the turn and moved to the inside. But just two steps into the turn, something caught his heel and made him stumble.

He tripped me, Jamie thought angrily, but caught his balance in four strides and was back in form before The Rat could pass him on the outside. Jamie dug down deep for a little extra push, and managed to keep the Rat on his shoulder, forcing him outside. Jamie heard him gasping, and by the end of the turn, The Rat had nothing left, and started to fade. Jamie had third place to himself.

He looked up to see Eddie less than eight yards ahead, and dug even deeper for any reserves he had left.

I will, he thought. I will.

With fifty yards to go, Jamie was only five yards behind.

Keep your form no matter what, he heard Manny’s voice in his head. Focus on your form, ignore the burn.

He was feeling the burn now, but he was only three yards behind Eddie with about twenty yards to go. Eddie glanced over his shoulder, and looked panicked to see Jamie so close. Eddie seemed to dig for everything he had, too, and Jamie was two yards behind. Ten yards to go, and Jamie could almost touch him. God, it hurts. His body was on fire. Five yards to go, only half a stride.

They crossed the finish line, and Eddie managed to lean and beat Jamie by a nose. They both staggered to a stop, and Eddie leaned over and put his hands on his knees. Jamie felt his stomach lurch and staggered down the track toward the gate, hoping to make it under the stands before his breakfast came up.

Please, not yet. When he made it to the end of the stands, he looked up to see Fred, standing next to Kyle, clapping and yelling. He could read her lips, Jamie, she said, but couldn’t hear her. All he could hear was his stomach.

He made it about five steps under the stands before he retched, hands on his knees, gasping and miserable.

“Are you okay?” he heard his father behind him.

Jamie could only nod.

“Does this happen often?”

“Sometimes,” Jamie gasped. After about a minute, he straightened and turned to face his father.

“Great race, son. You showed a lot of guts. I never could have done that.” And then his father said something Jamie had wanted to hear all his life. “I’m really proud of you.”

His father had praised him before for making good grades and other things, but Jamie always felt that he was a disappointment to him because he wasn’t good at sports. Not baseball, not soccer, not basketball, not football. An uncoordinated failure.

But not today.

His father put his arm around Jamie’s shoulders. “You really showed me something. You showed everybody.”

They walked out from under the stands and Manny was waiting. He handed Jamie a water bottle. “Great race, Magic Man, great race. I asked my mother to save a little something for you.”

“Thanks,” Jamie said weakly.

Manny walked away. His father asked, “What was that all about?”

“Strength from heaven, Dad. It’s his secret weapon.”

Chapter 48

Jamie was having the worst summer ever. It seemed like all he did was work, run, and sit in his room alone. Rollie was dating Tanisha, so he was never around, and Fred was dating Kyle — it bothered him deeply to think about that — so she wasn’t around either. But that was the way it had to be, for their own safety. He celebrated his birthday without them for the first time since before they moved to the neighborhood.

Sometimes, when he was really feeling down, he went to visit his grandmother. She would fix dinner for just the two of them, or they’d watch TV and talk, and somehow, that always made him feel better.

Gramma’s brownies were a balm for the soul.

He made it a point to make time for magic. Whenever he was home alone, he practiced, trying to find the advantage he needed to beat the psychotic sorcerer. It was there, buried in the old man’s memories: find an advantage. It was important to the old man. But what kind of advantage?

One new trick Jamie worked on was his shield. After learning about plasma in physics class, Jamie found that he could generate a plasma field by ionizing air molecules, and when he layered that with his regular shield, it made an impressive, impenetrable, orange shimmer. It was hot, though, hot enough to singe the hair off his arms the first time he tried it. When he sandwiched the plasma between two magic shields, it was fine. Perfect.

I’d like to see Renn try to get a spell through that. Jamie felt that enveloped in that shield, he could safely walk on the sun.

* * *

A few days later, Jamie stood at his bedroom window and watched his mother drive away. Finally. Thought she’d never leave. He quickly drew the outline of a doorway and opened it, revealing the rocky landscape of the three moon world. He knelt beside his bed, grabbed the edges of a blanket underneath it, and pulled, grunting with the effort.

A heavy steel plate, about two feet wide and three feet long, with remnants of yellow paint still clinging to its scratched surface, slid out. He’d scoured junkyards for days looking for something like it, and when he’d loaded it into the trunk of his car, the rear end sagged noticeably. He stood, gestured with his hand, and the plate floated waist-high. He gave it a gentle push, and it glided through the doorway to the world beyond, Jamie walking right behind.

He was keen on testing his new blast, or shot, as he liked to think of it, coupling his new ability to generate plasma with his normal magic energy. This is gonna be awesome, he thought as he guided the heavy slab over the boulder-strewn ground. He walked it to a towering granite wall, dropped the rear of the slab to the ground, and lifted the front edge until it leaned upright against the rock. That should do.

He stepped back fifty paces, stopped, and pulled a pair of his father’s safety goggles from his back pocket. He slipped them on, eyed the plate, then stepped another ten yards back. That should be good enough.

He faced the wall and raised his arm, pointing his fingers at the plate. Here goes nothing. He held his breath, summoned his will, and fired.

The explosion knocked him flat on his back.

Wow. He shook his head, sat up and brushed off the bits of rubble. He looked across the way, and the plate was gone. So was most of the rock face. Double wow! He stood and walked over to inspect the damage, finding no trace of the metal slab. I vaporized it! Cool. Wait’ll I tell Rollie.

As he stepped back into his room and the doorway vanished, he thought, That’s a heckuva shot. That’s a power shot. I’d like to see Renn try to block that.

* * *

“Use your magic, you old fool,” Renn said. Eddan seemed to be using his magic infrequently and only in short bursts, making it hard to track him down. Out of frustration, Renn finally decided to lower himself to talking to the locals. Surely someone would know of a wizard nearby.

His initial efforts didn’t go well, though, because most people avoided him. They looked at him as if he were a freak, sometimes staring at him openly. When he stepped into a shop on the edge of town to inquire about the whereabouts of the old sorcerer, the lone shopkeeper had the nerve to laugh at him.

He wasn’t laughing when Renn burned a hole through his skull.

Chapter 49

Bryce’s back-to-school party was to be the last one, because they were all going to be seniors. Jamie decided to go, even though he had no date, but it seemed like everyone else did.

Jamie stepped through the gate to Bryce’s back yard and the first thing he saw was Fred, already dancing by the pool, but not with Kyle. He sat on a bench nearby and watched. Jamie quickly turned away and headed into the game room.

Most of the kids inside seemed to be paired up, too, playing pool or foosball together, but Jamie saw the pinball machine was open, so he took advantage of it.

I feel like such a loser, but with his back to the room, he couldn’t see all of his friends as couples, he only heard them, and the noise from the pinball machine was a welcome distraction.

A few minutes later, Bryce’s mother walked by with a tray full of drinks, and Jamie took a large lemonade when she offered him one. He drank it thirstily. It wasn’t long before his bladder was full, but the game room bathroom was occupied. “There’s one upstairs,” someone said, “near the front door.”

Jamie found that bathroom and relieved himself, and when he opened the door, someone else was waiting to use it. A beautiful blonde.

“Oh, hey Melanie,” Jamie said.

“Hey, Jamie,” she said, smiling. “Are you here with Fred?”

“No, she’s with Kyle.”

“Oh. I knew that, it’s just that I always assume —”

“We’re not together.” He tried to walk away. She touched his arm.

“Did she ever tell you that I wanted to ask you to the Sadie Hawkins dance?”

“She never mentioned it.”

“I asked her about you, but I guess she beat me to the punch.”

“Oh, sorry. Some other time, maybe.” He started to walk away again, but she grabbed his arm and stepped closer to him.

This is awkward.

“I’ve always been a little jealous of her, because she got to go with you.” She was almost brushing against him. “You know, I’ve never kissed anybody but Michael. I’ve always wondered what it’d be like to kiss you.”

“Uh….” His heart raced and the room suddenly felt warm. He stepped back. “Maybe this Christmas we’ll get some mistletoe or something and you can see for yourself.” God, that’s lame.

She stepped toward him. “That’s so far away. Can’t we pretend it’s Christmas?”

“Aren’t you supposed to be with Michael right now?” Jamie looked around nervously.

“He’s playing pool. He’s been ignoring me.” She held her hand up high. “We can pretend I’m holding mistletoe. It’s Christmas, remember?” She took another step closer and started humming “Jingle Bells”.

* * *

Fred had to use the bathroom, but the one in the game room was occupied, so she went upstairs. She stepped into the hall and saw two figures near the front door, kissing.

Jamie and Melanie.

“Oh God,” Fred gasped.

* * *

Jamie opened his eyes in time to see Fred rush by.

“Fred?” he said, but all he heard was a sob before she slammed the front door behind her.

“What’s wrong with her?” Melanie asked.

“Maybe she had a fight with Kyle,” Jamie said, though he was sure that wasn’t the reason.

* * *

Jamie found Bryce, said goodbye, and rushed out the door. On the drive home, he tried calling Fred’s cell phone, but she didn’t answer. He called her house from his driveway.

Her mother answered. “She’s doesn’t want to talk to anyone right now.”

Jamie sat in the car for a few minutes, tapping the steering wheel and thinking before going inside. He found his parents watching TV, so he sat with them for a while, fidgeting. After about 45 minutes, he stood. “I’m going for a walk.”

“But it’s late,” his mother said. “It’s almost eleven.”

“I’ll be back soon. Gotta do a little thinking.” That was always a good excuse. “Don’t wait up for me.”

He crossed the street to Fred’s house, and seeing her bedroom light on, decided to try a direct approach. He found a twig, gestured with his hand, and elevated it to her window. Then he motioned with his finger and the twig tapped on the glass. When she pulled her curtain aside and saw him standing on her moonlit lawn, she flung her curtain closed.

Tap tap tap went the twig again. Fred opened her curtain and raised her window. “What do you want?”

“I want you to talk to me.”

“I’ve got nothing to say to you. Go home.”

“I’m not leaving ’till you talk to me.”

“You can stay there all night for all I care.” She slammed her window shut.

* * *

Fred woke to see moonlight seeping into her bedroom. She glanced at her clock: 2:30, it said. She stood, went to her window and pulled the curtain aside. Down on her lawn she saw a body curled up on the grass.

“Oh, Jamie,” she said softly.

She put on her slippers and robe and crept downstairs, opened the front door, and sat on the top step.

“Jamie.” she said. He didn’t move. “Jamie,” she said a little louder and he stirred. “Why are you still here?”

He slowly sat up, wrapped his arms around his knees and said hoarsely, “I need to talk to you.”

“We don’t have anything to say to each other.”

“We have plenty to say.” He cleared his throat. “I think you saw me kissing Melanie and you got mad, and I want to know why.”

“You know why.”

“No, I don’t. Why should you care who I kiss? You’re in love with Kyle.”

“I’m not in love with Kyle.”

“Then why do you date him?”

“Because you pushed me away!”

“I did it for your own good.” He dropped his chin to his chest. “It’s killing me, though. I can’t stand it that you’re with someone else.”

“Well, I can’t stand it that you kissed Melanie.”

He raised his head. “If it makes you feel any better, it wasn’t very good. It was…flat. No tingle. No nothing.”

“I can’t stand to kiss Kyle.”

Jamie exhaled heavily. “You’ve spoiled me, Fred. I guess there’s something to that story our moms like to tell about when they were pregnant and their bellies touched and the tingle and stuff. We’re marked for life. I’m never going to be able to kiss anybody else without thinking about that feeling.”

“You act like that’s a bad thing.”

“No, it’s not. It’s wonderful.” He dropped his chin again. “I love you, Fred.”

She looked at him silently for a long moment with a bemused smile. “You don’t know how long I’ve waited to hear that. My whole life, I guess.”

She stood and walked across the dewy grass, knelt beside him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. “I love you too.”

“I’ve probably loved you my whole life,” he said quietly. “It just took me awhile to realize it.”

“That’s wonderful.” She kissed him lightly on the head. “But it’s late, and we have to go to church in a few hours, so go get some sleep. Then we can spend the rest of the day talking about how much we love each other. Okay?”

“Okay.” He stood, hugged her and stumbled home, his heart much lighter.

* * *

“Thanks for calling me,” Lisa said. “I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”

She and Rachel looked out of Rachel’s back window at Jamie and Fred, who sat in the gazebo, holding hands and talking.

“She was sitting in his lap a while ago,” Rachel said.

“I wish I could’ve seen that.”

“I took a picture.”

“Now that’s a picture I’d wanna keep. I deleted all the prom pictures with Kyle in them.”

“Oh, Kyle! I forgot about him. What’s Fred going to do?”

“She broke up with him first thing this morning.”

“Poor guy.”

“I never liked him, anyway. He’s a dud. Does your mom know?”

Rachel nodded. “She saw them holding hands in church. She’s very happy. She really loves Fred, you know.”

“Fred told me that Jamie finally told her he loves her.”

It’s about time,” Rachel said. “They were meant for each other.”

“Since before they were born.”

“Yes, since before they were born.”

Chapter 50

Friday night, Jamie was way past cloud nine, practically floating on air as he crossed the street to his house. He had spent an amazing evening with Fred at the football game, and he’d still be kissing her goodnight if her father hadn’t started flicking their porch light on and off.

He opened his front door. The euphoria vanished. Something was wrong.

There’s magic here, he thought. He silently closed the door behind him; his shield appeared before him as he put out his hand. He tiptoed down the hall, his senses focused.

When he reached the family room, he was confronted by a strange sight. Directly in front of him, at the back wall, stood a man in a purple cloak, his left arm out from his side, holding a dragon’s head staff. A red glow emanated from the dragon’s eyes, and to Jamie’s far right stood his parents, frozen still as statues, surrounded by the blood-colored light.

Renn, the sorcerer.

“Eddan,” Renn said. “We meet again.”

So that was the old man’s name. It sounded right. He tried the name again silently to be sure. Eddan. He risked another quick look at his parents. Are they alive? If he’s hurt them, so help me, I’ll —

The purple-cloaked man spoke, “You’re a hard person to track down. When I asked if anyone knew of someone skilled with magic, they spoke of you, a boy. Not what I expected. At first I thought the old sorcerer must’ve taken an apprentice, but now I see that’s not so. It’s actually you, Eddan. I’d recognize your magic anywhere.”

Let him talk. Look for an opening.

“I don’t know how you managed to become so young,” Renn said. “You must’ve found a way to be born again. That’s a very good trick. I’ll have to learn that one myself someday.”

Jamie said nothing, his face a mask.

Renn squinted at Jamie’s shield as he regarded it for the first time. “I see you’ve made improvements in your defenses.” He squinted again. “Much stronger.”

Try to push him to make a mistake. “I see that you’re still crazy.”

“Oh, he speaks. I thought I was going to have to carry on this conversation by myself.”

“That’s what crazy people do. Tell me, Renn, how many people have you killed in the last eighteen years?”

“Oh, seventy five, one hundred. Who can count?” He laughed.

“I draw strength from their souls,” Jamie said firmly. He saw the little twitch in Renn’s left eye and knew he’d rattled him, if only a little. He doesn’t know if I can do that or not. Good. The sight of my new shield must’ve gotten his attention. Jamie desperately wanted to steal another glance at his parents, but he dared not take his attention away from the black-haired wizard.

“I’ve come here to kill you, but it doesn’t look like you’re going to make that easy for me.” Renn paused as if considering his options. “Or I can kill them.” He nodded toward Jamie’s parents. “That would be fine with me.”

“If you kill them, I will kill you,” Jamie said. “Don’t doubt that I can.” Jamie saw the muscle’s tighten around Renn’s mouth ever so slightly. He’s not so confident now.

“This puts us at an impasse, then,” Renn said. “If you drop your shield to attack me, I will kill your parents. These are your parents, right? They are under my spell now. I can kill them easily.” He wagged his finger. “But if I kill them, you’ll have time to drop your shield and kill me.”

Jamie didn’t answer.

“But if I kill your parents, that would be fair, would it not?” His voice grew louder. “After all, you let my parents die. You could have saved them, but you didn’t.” He said through clenched teeth, “My sister was five years old! Five! You could’ve stopped the plague, but you couldn’t be bothered.” His nostrils flared.

That wasn’t me. I have to keep my cool.

“Couldn’t be bothered to save an entire town.” The cords on Renn’s neck bulged. “Hundreds of people.” He took two deep breaths and clenched his fist, lowered his voice and said, “Hundreds. All dead.” His handsome face was a dark snarl.

He regained his composure and pointed at Jamie. “So you have two choices. Lower your shield and let me kill you, or watch your parents die. They’ll not live much longer under this spell.”

Renn’s voice was growing deeper and his words were stretching out. Why is he talking like that? Renn began to close his eyes, slowly, almost imperceptibly. Jamie watched with fascination. Then Renn reopened them, slower still, glacially.

What is going on?

My senses are heightened. I’m seeing everything in slow motion. Eddan could do that, he remembered.

* * *

Jamie blinked, and when he opened his eyes, Renn was still there, but the room was different. Behind Renn was a curved stone wall and a cluttered bench. It’s Eddan’s tower. This is one of his memories.

Jamie’s hand was before him, but it was wrinkled and covered with age spots, the arm covered by the sleeve of a dark robe. The air shimmered around him with the yellowish glow of Eddan’s shield. I’m seeing through Eddan’s eyes, Jamie realized.

“Where are your books, old man?” Renn said.

“Somewhere safe, where you can’t find them,” Jamie heard himself say.

Renn smiled evilly. “We’ll see about that.” He raised his dragon’s head staff.

“Why are you holding a carved stick? Is that a new toy?”

“Oh, more than a toy.” Renn clamped his jaw and thrust the staff forward. Twin red bolts shot from the eyes of the dragon. Jamie watched as the beams hit Eddan’s shield and pressed mercilessly into it, penetrating farther with each moment, like a finger pressing into a tightly stretched cloth.

Eddan dropped to his left as the shield collapsed, the bolts narrowly missing him and shattering the stone behind him. Jamie winced as he felt Eddan’s shoulder hit the floor. He smelled singed hair but had no time to look, because he sensed Renn gather his will again. Eddan rolled to his right and another blast struck the floor beside him, setting fire to the planks.

Eddan dove behind a nearby bench just as Renn released another blow, and the wood disintegrated in a shower of splinters. Jamie felt Eddan raise his arm to cover his eyes. He rose to his knees, pointed his hand at Renn and released a bolt of his own. It bounced harmlessly away.

How can this be happening? Jamie wondered as Eddan pulled up all the reserves he could muster, and fired another blast. Again, it was deflected by Renn’s shield.

“I’m through playing with you,” Renn said. “Tell me where your books are.”

Eddan shook his head defiantly.

“Very well.” He pushed his staff forward again as Eddan put every ounce of concentration into his defense. Fierce streams flew from the dragon’s head and struck Eddan’s shield. Jamie watched in horror as it slowly bent inward and finally gave way altogether.

The blast smashed into Eddan, and he gasped in pain, gesturing a spell with one hand as he fell and vanished. He reappeared face down on the dusty floor of his dark cave, his chest burning in agony.

* * *

God, that hurt, Jamie thought, touching his chest. That was Eddan’s final battle. That must’ve been right before he came here.

“Well?” Renn said, his staff still pointed at Jamie’s parents. “What’s it going to be, you or them?”

I’m back in real time.

“Decide quickly or I’ll kill them now.”

Jamie’s blue eyes were steely as he regarded Renn. Eddan’s shot wasn’t strong enough, but I think mine is. He pressed his mouth tight. I think I can beat him. My new power shot can penetrate his shield. He stole a quick glance at his parents. But if I fail, they’ll die.

“Time’s up.” Renn narrowed his eyes and turned toward Jamie’s parents.

He felt his heart drop. I can’t take the chance. “Wait,” Jamie said. “I propose a trade. My life for theirs.”

Renn stared back for what seemed like an eternity. Jamie felt his pulse race and heard the rush of blood in his ears. The room was cloaked in an eerie stillness.

Finally, Renn nodded. “I accept.”

“I must have your word that you’ll spare them.”

“You have my word.”

For what that’s worth, but Jamie didn’t have much choice. He lowered his hand and his shield vanished. “Take me, then,” he said.

Triumph flashed across Renn’s face. As he pulled the staff forward to bear on Jamie, the glow vanished surrounding his parents. Jamie’s father reached into his coat.

His gun! He forgot to away put his gun.

Jamie’s senses heightened again. His father drew his weapon and squeezed off two shots before Renn could manage a spell. Jamie clearly saw the bullets exit the barrel and streak across the room toward the evil wizard like two tiny avenging missiles. The first shot missed, but the second struck the insane wizard on his left shoulder, forcing him to let go of the staff. Before Renn could recover, Jamie raised his arm toward Renn.

It had come to this. All the years of anxiety, uncertainty, fear and dread, and the recent isolation from his friends, boiled up like swirling lava under a volcano. Jamie felt an enormous surge of power that seemed to start from his toes, race up through his body, down his arm and explode from his fingertips in a blinding streak of energy that shattered Renn’s shield and struck him squarely in the chest.

Renn lurched one step backward, looked down and touched both hands to his gaping wound, then looked at Jamie in disbelief. Then his eyes rolled up in his head and he collapsed.

Jamie stared, mouth open and eyes wide. It took a moment for it to sink in. I did it. He shook his head and blinked hard. I beat him.

The house was silent except for a faint hissing sound. Jamie and his parents crept across the room to the body of the sorcerer. Renn was no more. His body dissolved before their eyes, bubbling and hissing like boiling tar, even his clothes. The staff was a charred stick on the floor.

His father broke the silence, looking at the smoldering body. “I think we’re going to need new carpet.”

His mother looked at Jamie’s father incredulously, then at Jamie. “What just happened here?”

* * *

From the rocky precipice where Jamie had been many times before, Jamie’s father threw a rock out over the chasm. Jamie whipped his hand up from his side like a Wild West gunfighter and fired a laser-like bolt that disintegrated it in mid-air.

“Whoo!” his father bellowed. “That was great! How ’bout another?”

“That’s enough blasting,” Jamie’s mother said from behind them.

“Well, what else?” his father said. “Can you fly?”

“Oh, sure.” Jamie held his hands out theatrically and slowly rose in the air, but when he was about ten feet off the ground, his mother said, “James Evan Sikes, you come down from there this instant.” He floated down.

His mother crossed her arms. “You’ve told us some wild stories, and if I hadn’t seen you do these things with my own eyes, I never would believe any of it. So, who are you, then? What are you? A centuries-old sorcerer,” — she cocked her head to one side — “or our son?”

“Oh, I’m definitely your son. I wasn’t sure myself, for a while, but I finally figured out that even the old sorcerer didn’t have the power to reincarnate himself. The only soul in this body is Jamie Sikes’s.” He tapped his chest with his thumb. “He just set everything up so that I could be born and I’d absorb his memories and his power. That’s why Renn thought I was the old man, because I have his power. It’s the same. Each person’s magic is unique, like fingerprints.”

“But the old man endangered your life!”

“He had a real good reason. I think he was looking for some kind of redemption. He felt partly responsible for making Renn into a murdering psychopath, and he knew that somebody had to stop Renn, because he was going to keep on killing. He enjoyed killing, I think. So think of it as a trade. You got to have a baby, which you never would’ve had, and in return, I had to grow up and find a way to kill Renn.”

“I’d take that trade any time,” his father said.

“But you two were a crucial part of the plan,” Jamie continued. “Eddan couldn’t see the future, but he could sense possibilities, or potentials, as he thought of them, and he picked you for a reason. He knew that somehow it would give me the advantage I’d need to beat Renn.”

“Even though Renn beat Eddan before,” his father added.

“Right. Mortally wounded him. But I couldn’t figure out what the advantage was supposed to be. I thought it was some new super spell I’d come up with or something, but now I know better. It was… everything. You, Gramma, the house, the yard…Fred and Rollie. I never would’ve made it without those guys.” Jamie smiled. “The situation I grew up in was my advantage. The old man sensed that. He knew it would be hard for me and I’d need all the help I could get.”

“And Fred and Rollie have been in on this the whole time?” his mother asked.

“Yes. They made me swear an oath not to hurt anybody or make money off it or anything. I think I did pretty good with that, except the time I set the minister on fire.”

“That was you?” his father said.

Jamie winced. “Probably shouldn’t have said that.”

His mother laughed. “No wonder Fred was so mad at you.”

“If you can’t make money off your magic,” his father said, “does that mean you can’t change lead into gold?”

“No, I don’t think anybody can. But I…wait!” He held one finger up. “Money! We have to go home.” He outlined a glowing doorway.

* * *

Jamie’s parents watched as he crept across their backyard under the light of his personal sun. He stopped. “Here. It’s right here.” He gestured and the ground buckled upward as a flat stone popped into the air and floated to his hand.

He brushed it off and showed his parents. “This is a map of Switzerland and these numbers are for a specific bank and account number. The old man took the money from the sale of the house and deposited it there.”

“All of it?” his father asked.

“Yeah, all of it. Oughta be a fair sized chunk of change by now.”

“I’ll say. A few hundred grand, I’d bet.”

His mother smiled. “That means we have enough to send you college.”

“More than that,” Jamie said. “You can take a nice vacation and still have a good retirement nest egg. You can go to Hawaii, if you want.”

“But how will we get to Switzerland?” she said. “The air fare will be expensive.”

“We’re not gonna fly. We’re gonna use a doorway, just like Eddan did. I can make one anywhere, practically. We can go to Hawaii right now. Want me to make a doorway?”

“Some other time,” his father said.

“We can go to other planets, like the one we were just on. They won’t have hotels, but you could camp out. That would be some vacation, huh?”

“Hawaii will do for now,” his mother said.

Chapter 51

Jamie and Fred were finishing a picnic dinner on a blanket under three full moons.

“You sure know how to show a girl a good time,” Fred said. “Most girls are lucky if their boyfriend takes them to the park.”

“There are a lot of places we can visit. I want to show you all of them.”

“I want to go. But first, we have to do something else.”

“Are you sure you’re ready?”

“Oh, yes.” She held out her hand and he helped her up.

“You’re not scared, even though it’s your first time?”

“I trust you.” She faced him and held both of his hands. “What do I do? Do I grab on?”

“I don’t think you have to. I’ve got this theory I want to try out.” He let go with one hand. “I think because of our special…bond, or whatever it is, that my magic will flow through you. So just think about being light, like a balloon.”

Fred closed her eyes and they rose from the ground. “Oh, I feel it!”

They rose higher, gracefully, 20 feet, 40 feet, higher and higher, the rocky ledge below becoming smaller. “This is amazing!” she said. “Let’s go higher.”

“Don’t let go, Fred, okay?”

“Never” She smiled and shook her head slightly. “Never ever.”

They floated about 1,000 feet above the rocky landscape and hovered.

“Can you make some music?’ Fred said. “Something slow.”

A slow waltz began to play as Fred put her other arm around Jamie. “Fred,” Jamie whispered in her ear, “are you the Dream Fairy?”

“Yes, didn’t you know?”

“Do you love me?”

“Yes.”

“I love you, too.”

“Dance with me,” she said, and pressed her cheek to his.

So, with a world to themselves, they danced in the sky, one silhouette, two lovers under three full moons.

About Geof

Geof Johnson is a writer, musician, and artist living in Atlanta with his wife. You can see videos of his children’s music and art on YouTube, and you can contact him at: geof.johnson@comcast.net

Table of Contents

Front Cover

Title Page

Copyright

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Chapter 46

Chapter 47

Chapter 48

Chapter 49

Chapter 50

Chapter 51

About Geof