I Live With A Witch (Chapter 30)

For about a week, things proceeded as normally as could be expected…with Eva around of course. Talk resumed as it normally did and the thoughts of my father became less and less prevalent on my mind. I read in the paper about 4 days after meeting him that he had passed away. Though I was saddened, I had gotten the closure I so desperately needed, and I wasn’t nearly as distressed as I expected to be. Eva said this was a good thing…and maybe it was. However, it wasn’t until Saturday, a little over a week after that whole incident that Eva and I were eating supper and Eva said something shocking.

“I’d like you to talk to your mom too.”

This was not what I had expected to hear.
“WHAT?!” I practically spit out the potato that was in my mouth. “You want me to meet her again!?”
“Why not?” Eva asked. “You met your Dad and things worked out fine with him, didn’t they?”
“Dad was different. Mom is…just forget it.” I growled.
“But Christian, I think that if you-”
“I said forget it.” I snapped. Eva shrank back from my retort, as if it had physically hurt her…and I had wanted it to. My father was one thing. The only thing that man had ever done was abandon me with Mom…but to be fair, perhaps that was the greater sin, as I think it would have been kinder to leave me with a pack of rabid wolves. At least they’d pay enough attention to me to eat me.
“Mom…is not like Dad.” I said simply. “The woman never cared one bit about where I was or what I was doing…at least not until the one night where she tried to have me arrested for accidentally killing her lover.”
“Christian, you’ve got to learn to let that stuff go.” Eva said firmly.
“Do you think she has?” I snarled. “If I go back to her…the only thing she’ll do is call the cops on me and I’ll be put back in prison.”
“You don’t know that.” Eva said hopefully.
“Yes I do…and deep down so do you.” I pointed out. She started to respond but quickly fell silent. She didn’t want to deny my claim…because she knew I was right. Deep down, she didn’t forgive my mother any more than I did. However, the kindness in Eva kept her from wanting to hate her…perhaps that was Eva’s greatest strength and greatest flaw…her lack of desire for hatred.

We finished supper and I began cleaning up while Eva sat quietly in the den. She hadn’t said a word to me, but I knew that she was thinking a mile a minute. She didn’t feel right leaving me with such loathing for my mom…I on the other hand felt no love towards the woman. In fact, there was a deep, sinister voice in the back of my head that kept whispering that I should go see her…so I could ‘thank her’ for all she’s done for me.
“Christian, I know that you don’t want to see your mom.”
“Well, glad we’re on the same page.” I laughed.
“But I think it would be good for you.” She said. “You don’t have to say anything to her…you don’t even have to meet her. But…maybe you should just go and see her.”
“You mean in secret?” I asked.
“I could disguise us.” Eva offered.
“No, you’re not turning me into Alice again.” I snapped. “I’ve had enough of that.”
“We don’t have to do that, Christian…but you can’t live your whole life without at least making things right between you two.” She said. “Will you please TRY and patch things up with her…or at least say your last goodbyes?” I groaned and I sat down in the sofa next to her and glared at her in frustration. I hated when she got like this…there was just no reasoning with her.
“You’re not going to leave this alone, are you?” I asked.
“Nope.” She giggled. I sighed and looked off in the distance, contemplating the idea. Perhaps Eva was right…maybe I did need to see my mom one last time. That said, I also knew that this wasn’t something I had any desire to do.
“I’ll do it, but I want something from you first.” I said.
“What do you want?” She asked. I thought for a moment. There was so much I could ask for…when you live with a witch, your options are almost endless. But there was one thing I wanted…Eva had seen my world, but now I wanted a little taste of hers.
“I want you to take me to your world…to the Kingdom of Magic.”

“What!?” Eva cried. “Christian, I can’t possibly do that!”
“Why not?”
“Christian, the fact that you and I are friends and that you no my secret is practically illegal. No normal human can know about the existence of my world. If I took you there, then we’d both be in huge trouble!”
“Can’t you just disguise me?”
“It’s not that simple. Every witch and warlock gives off a magical aura that can be detected by other witches and warlocks. If they can’t feel a magical energy coming off of you, they’ll know you’re a human. And I don’t have the power to give you a lasting aura!”
“Well then…” I said with a smirk, “I guess if you can’t do that, then I can’t go and see my mom.” Eva grumbled and folded her arms.
“You’re so stubborn.” She snapped.
“With you, I have to be.” I pointed out. Eva sighed and stood up tapping her foot on the ground and giving me a glare that expressed a great deal of disdain.
“Alright, Christian…you win.”
“I do?”
“I will think of a way to get you into my world without being caught…but you better promise me you’ll visit your mom.” She said.
“Eva, the point of that challenge was to point out there was no possible way I would go see my mom.” I argued. “I don’t need to see the Kingdom of Magic. I just really don’t want to see my mother.”
“If you don’t do this, Christian…you’ll never forgive yourself.” Eva hissed before storming out of the room. When she was gone I punched the cushion next to me and stared at my feet.

“That jerk.” I snarled. “What does she know anyway?” I stood up and walked around the room for a moment shaking my head in frustration. “She doesn’t know my mom like I know her…she doesn’t understand what that horrible woman did to me, and she thinks I can just forgive her the way I forgave Dad?” As I spoke, I stopped pacing and looked out the window as the sun was beginning to fade out like the snuffing of a candle. The sky was sad with purples and orange colors as the sun vanished from view. It was like the dimming of life itself. I closed my eyes and remembered the last moments I had with Dad…and I remembered how I’d made things right…how I no longer bore any grudge against the man who had given everything for me.
“Damn it…” I muttered. “I must be out of my mind.” I turned from my thoughts and went back to find Eva.

“Eva?” I called.
“In the Experiment room.” She called. I hurried to the room and opened it. Eva was standing in the middle of the room, reading one of her spell books.
“What’re you doing?” I asked.
“Trying to find a spell that will disguise you for when I take you to the Kingdom.” She said absentmindedly. “What do you need?”
“Look, you don’t have to take me to the Kingdom…but I’ve thought about what you said and…I guess going to at least see how she’s doing wouldn’t kill me.” Eva smiled at me and giggled.
“I’m glad you finally decided to take my advice.” She said.
“I’m doing this for you, Eva…not for my mother.” I admitted. “For all I care, that woman can go jump off a bridge…but I know how much you want me to forgive her so…I’ll try.” Eva shrugged.
“Who knows? You might like being forgiving.” She laughed. “But before we do that, there are some things we need to take care of first.”
“Like what?” I asked.
“Well, there are a few things I need to pick up in town tomorrow. Tomorrow I want you to come with me into town to do some shopping, and then we’ll both go to your old house together to meet your mom.” Eva said.
“What do we need to shop for?” I asked.
“Simple stuff, but you don’t need to worry about that. It’s for a potion I’m going to make.”
“A potion?”
“I’ll explain it all later. Right now, we need to get ready for bed.” Eva said quickly, walking me out of the room.
“This potion wouldn’t have anything to do with you getting me into the Kingdom of Magic, would it?”
“Maaaaaaybe.” Eva laughed before rushing past me to her room. “Goodnight Christian!” I waved her off and sighed, putting my hands in my pockets and dragging my feet to my room. My thoughts turned to all the things that were about to happen. Going to my mother was the last thing I ever thought I’d want to do…but here I was waiting for tomorrow when I’d finally see her again. Was I excited? It was definitely making me anxious. Was it possible that she might actually miss me?
“Whatever happens,” I muttered, “my life in that house ended a long time ago…I’m staying with Eva…and that’s final.” I then turned and walked to bed, my decision finalized in my head.