WITCH SHIfT

JP

Mar was working with her family which I thought was a convenient distraction instead of telling her that meeting my family when they pulled in would be a disaster. Between her and her father’s team the old courthouse was really taking shape into a sort of temporary hospital. They assured me that it was so well provisioned that they could perform surgery if they had to. I would take their word for that.

My brother texted me and I told them to meet me at the Sheriff’s office. From there it would be easier to back track a little to take them up to Forest View. The whole place screamed tranquility and peace; it would drive my mother crazy. Of course it was also the nicest place to stay in the area. Elves knew how to make a Lodge.

They would be staying in the main lodge and it was definitely overkill, but my mother would think she was worth it, and my father would think he deserved it. All I wanted to do was drop them there and forget about them but I knew that was asking for miracles.

I was watching a Lincoln town car pulling up the road and I knew that was them. It was probably the best car the airport rental service had and I wouldn’t be surprised if they had not got screamed at for not having better.

Charlie was driving and mom and dad were in the back. He pulled up next to where I was standing next to my car and rolled his window down. “Hey little brother,” he said with his infectious smile and gleaming eyes. He always was the better looking of the two of us and while I didn’t care I knew he always used it to his advantage.

“Hey old man,” I said back smiling. “Follow me up to the Forest View Retreat where the entire main lodge is yours for as long as you need it.”

I didn’t bother acknowledging my parents because they wouldn’t accept anything less than a formal greeting and doing that in a parking lot would be seen as beneath them. I got in the warehouse truck and had them follow me. I had a better car, but I wanted them thinking of little of me as possible, so while the truck wasn’t bad, it was commercial.

I always loved driving through the trees on the south side of town where the more in touch with nature Super’s seemed to make a residence. The lodge sat at the top of a small hill with forests all around. It was a virtual sanctuary that appealed to elves, were’s and nymphs all the same.

We pulled up out front and a young elf by the look of him came running to get the bags. I was sure that LeBeouf warned them about my parents but I would make sure the kid had a good tip when the time was up for dealing with them.

I went to the trunk and helped him get the bags and whispered to him “whatever happens I will owe you one,” I said with a smirk and a wink.

He smiled and whispered back “Mr. LeBeouf said you would.” Then he had all the bags on his rolling cart and was whisking it away into the lodge.

The lodge was as beautiful as the last time I was here with its beautifully carved wood beams and forest designs. I knew it was large enough to hold weddings and receptions and to think my family of three was going to be wasting all this space almost made me want to change my mind.

“Jonathon, come here.” My father commanded breaking me from my contemplating. “The boy gets paid to take care of bags, let him do his job.”

Yup, good ole dear ole dad, “yes sir,” I said walking to join them where they were all waiting standing uniform next to each other. It was like a receiving line but I would be damned if I would be a retainer.

“Well good morning,” I said to the three all at one time. My father looked pissed, didn’t care. He could leave if he wanted. “The entire main lodge is yours for your stay. They do not do meals here but many of the places in town do deliver, or you are welcome to join me for dinner at any of the restaurants that you wish to sample.”

No one said anything and Charlie was trying hard not to bust up laughing. Shit what had I forgotten this time? If it was the bow they could forget it. No matter what they thought, they were not royalty.

“We’ve had some trouble in town recently, but with the team of doctors coming in and some recent additions to our police team that has been taken care of. Would you like to get settled or would you like to maybe go for a tour of the town?”

Charlie was fit to burst but the first words spoken came from my father “I know you have been away for a spell, but it is customary to bow to the leaders of the National Witch Council.”

Here we go. Well I could play the game as well as anyone. “If I bow,” I said startling all three of them, “then that means I will treat you like council, and not family. I will leave the choice to you, but for me, you will be treated one way or the other, but not both.”

My mother looked like she was going to explode. My father was turning red. Charlie though bust up laughing. “Oh damn I have missed you little brother,” he said walking forward and wrapping me in a big hug.

“I’ve missed you too old man,” I said hugging him back even harder.

“Jonathon Prestyr Worth,” my mother started in “I don’t know what this town has done to you but it is not acceptable.”

“Indeed,” my father agreed. “Maybe it is time we took you away from here so you can remember your place in the witching world.”

“Nope, no can do. The guardian has specifically and personally informed me that I must remain in this town till he deems otherwise. I won’t go against his wishes.” I threw back in their face.

“No so called guardian will issue an order to a witch.” My father said getting red again.

“Well he did. Besides, I’m not leaving. I have friends and a certain someone that I am spending time with. I appreciate the generous offer to leave but I think I will stay.” I said holding my ground. It had been a long time coming and I was ready for it.

“Yes we saw the footage.” My mother said bitingly. “You were told not to get involved with a witch till we had time to make a proper match, besides your brother’s betrothal must be first. We are still looking for the best match for him.”

“That’s fine, do what you want for Charlie. I’m good.” I said smiling thinking of Mar. “Now would you like me to show you around?”

“I don’t believe your attitude is in accord with our position.” My father said very seriously.

“Fine, then we will do this another way, “I said losing patience. “Council members, if everything is in accord I will await to hear from you to schedule our next meeting.”

I bowed deep to the two standing as rigid as poles. Then I smiled at Charlie and he gripped my shoulder in understanding and I went back to my truck with no other words being spoken. I drove away not looking back and right at this moment I did not care.

Mar

I was worried about making JP face them alone. I knew he was taking his parents to the resort to stay, but he was sure he wanted to do it alone. I still felt like we should have been together. Instead I was here helping set up the hospital.

“Hey kid,” dad said joining me as I took care of bandages and tape. “I never got a chance to tell you how proud I am of you for helping here. No one would have asked you to, but you did, and because of you, someone can continue with their life. It’s important you know how much that means Mar. That’s why I and your mom became doctors.”

“Thanks dad,” I said giving him my little girl smile. I would always be his little girl. Now it was time to disappoint him. “Doing it the last few days has taught me this is not what I want to do. I think it’s great you and mom do, don’t get me wrong, but it’s not for me.”

I could see the little spark of disappointment but he was my dad. “It’s ok kid, it’s not for everyone. So what do you want to do?”

“I think I am going to try and help Supernaturals through JP. It may be small things but it still makes me feel good. We have to finish some contracts and then we will have the bars running at full capacity again. After that we are going to see where others might be taken advantage of and see what we can do.”

“So speaking of JP,” dad said which wasn’t really what I was doing but I had put this off for a while since he got here. “Are you two serious, serious?”

I laughed. Leave it to my dad to talk weird. “He’s my boyfriend, and I love him. I know it’s only been a few days but it’s real. I think we can be great together.”

“I think you can too, but I worry it’s because with him you feel magic that you feel that way.” Before I could protest he raised his hand to stop me. “Mar, you are a beautiful, intelligent and smart. Now you feel even better because of the magic. I just want to make sure you like him for him and he likes you for you. Don’t let the magic be a determining factor.”

“I won’t dad. The magic does feel great when I use it with him, but I was without it so long, I could do it again with no problem. Magic doesn’t define me.”

“I know baby girl. I just wanted to check in with you. I better go help your mom. She needs me.” He said getting up.

“You just believe that dad,” I called after him. The truth was he was probably right. Mom was great but she did fly off the handle a little quick. Dad calmed her. They were good for each other.

A man walked in and he came directly toward me. He seemed human so I smiled nice and waited for him. “Maryse, can we have a word.”

It wasn’t a human. It was the Guardian. His eyes shone like gold and the voice was the same one I had heard before. I nodded and followed him outside. We walked down the street and I waited for him to speak.

“I haven’t got a lot of time so I am going to get right to the point.” He said and I nodded. It was weird knowing he was in a human form but I still thought of him looking like an angel, a very dangerous angel.

“I wasn’t completely honest with you, you are more than a focus for Jonathon, so much more. I put the training wheels on so to speak, so that you can only work with Jonathon but I may need to remove them soon. I am going to be needed all over the world and I need a strong hand here to keep this town safe. I’ve elected you and JP. I need you to look after all the special inhabitants of this world and this town. I want this town to be a place of safety.”

He said all this and I kept going back to where he said put training wheels on. What could I do that he limited?

“With Jonathon’s parents here it changes things. They will try and take him away, and that would be bad. I need you to stand with him and work with him to make sure that doesn’t happen. Can you do this Maryse or do I need to bring in someone else that isn’t as, shall we say, sympathetic to the local population?”

“I won’t let anything happen to JP,” I said meaning every word.

“What about this town and the people in it?”

I thought about Harper, my first real supernatural friend and Harvey, wonderful Harvey, even Al and Lincoln. “No I got this.”

He smiled and it was eerie. Then he touched my head and something happened. No I don’t know what, I just felt something. “Stay strong Maryse and I will see you soon. I just have a lot to do.”

Then he transformed in front of me and he was his angel self and he lifted off into the sky and I lost him in the sun. “Ok my life is getting fucking weirder by the day.”