Chapter 2: A Day With Witchkin
The next morning, Mark woke up feeling a little woozy. He gulped down a painkiller pill with a tall glass of water, and decided to go for a run. He put on an old t-shirt, baseball cap, shorts, and laced up his running shoes. Just a short run today, he thought, three miles. I will feel better after three miles. He opened his apartment door, and bounded down the stairs.
He pounded the pavement in easy, practiced jog for a few blocks around his apartment. It took him a little more than twenty minutes to run three miles that morning. Not bad considering the mild hangover he was having, but it was far from amazing, Mark thought. He was now back outside his apartment building after his run, stretching, and gulping down water. Yup, his head definitely feel better, he thought.
"Huh..." Mark lurched forward, as something suddenly hit him from behind, causing him to lose his balance, and was about to fall. Then a hand caught his arm, and steadied him.
"So...sorry," A voice said. "I was in a hurry. I did not mean to bump into you," The voice said again.
Mark turned around, to see a tall young man with longish, light brown hair and light brown eyes, looming over him.
"I am fine. Don't worry...er..." Mark looked down, and realized that the young man's hand was still clutching his sweaty arm. "You can let go now. I am okay, really...and I am kind of sweaty..."
"So...sorry". The young man blushed, and let go of Mark's arm. "Hey, I know you. You live in unit 207, right?" The young man peered at Mark. "I am your neighbor. I live in unit 208, across from you".
"Is that so? Nice to meet you, neighbor. I am Mark," Mark wiped his hand on his shorts, and then offered it for a handshake.
"Seth," the young man shook Mark's hand. "You graduated from Sunshine Island University this year, right? I have seen you around the campus before. I am going for my fourth year in the Fall".
"Yes, that's right. I graduated this year from SIU. I am working now".
"Where do you work?"
"The Welcoming Committee...Oh..!" Mark looked at his watch. "I am sorry, Seth. But I have to go and get ready for work. Don't want to be late on my second day of work, you know. See you around!" Mark waved, and raced towards the apartment building, not looking back.
Mark showered, shaved, and brushed his teeth, before he finally put on a clean set of underwear, shirt, pants and socks. He knotted his tie quickly, in front of the mirror, before putting on his suit. Then he stuffed a toast in his mouth as he reached out for his keys. He slid his feet into his black loafer shoes, slung his messenger bag over his shoulder, across his chest, and ran out of his apartment.
"Morning," Mark greeted Vaughn as he arrived at his desk in the Welcoming Committee headquarters. Vaughn's desk was right beside Mark's.
Vaughn grunted. He continued staring at his coffee mug, not looking up. He looked a little rough. Must be having a nasty hangover, Mark thought as he eyed his partner. He reached into his bag, and took out a couple of painkiller pills from a small bottle. He placed the pills on the desk, in front of Vaughn.
"Painkillers. Take them. You will feel better," Mark said. "I'll get you some water," he added, walking towards the office's kitchenette. He took out a glass from the kitchen cabinet, and filled it with water from the tap.
"Here," Mark handed the glass filled with water. Without saying anything, Vaughn took the glass and gulped the pills, chasing them down with water.
"Ah Mark, Vaughn, please come into my office," Mirabelle poked her head out of the opening of her office door.
As Mark and Vaughn stepped into her office, she gestured with her hand at the two empty chairs across her desk, "Please have a sit, dearie. I have an assignment for you two..." Mirabelle paused, looking at the two agents seating across the desk. "...you will be the security escort for Witchkin for today".
Vaughn groaned. "Not again. Come on, Chief. It is not our job to baby sit the Princess' niece. We are supposed to be taking care of foreign diplomats, not babysitting some local brat". There was exasperation in his voice.
"Vaughn dear, how many times do I have to tell you that you need to work on your attitude? Besides, the Witch Princess is our loyal and biggest supporter. It does not take much to take care of Witchkin for a day," Mirabelle glared at Vaughn. "In any case, I am not asking you. I am ordering you. This is your assignment for the day," she shuffled papers around her desk. "Witchkin will be here in few minutes. Today, she is your responsibility. That's all". She nodded at the agents to dismiss them.
Vaughn huffed, and rose from his seat, shoving back the chair a little roughly. He walked out of the office quickly.
As Mark and Vaughn walked back towards their desks, a little girl with blonde hair and crimson eyes entered the office area. She looked about ten years old.
"Witchkin! Good morning," Julia greeted the little girl. "How are you today?"
"Fine," Witchkin scowled at Julia. She wasn't feeling fine at all. As a matter of fact, she was sulking, because she didn't want to be here. Then she turned around as she realized that Vaughn had approached her.
"No..." Witchkin's face clearly showed her displeasure. "Don't tell me that I am stuck with you again," she whined. She covered her face with her hands.
"It wasn't my idea! You think I want to babysit a brat like you?" Vaughn glared at the little girl.
"Hi. Witchkin, right? My name is Mark," Mark crouched down on one knee, peering at the little girl. "Today, Vaughn and I are going to take you wherever you want to go. So, what do you want to do today? Do you want to go to The Amusement Park? Or The Aquarium, maybe?"
Witchkin looked up from her hands. She stared at Mark for a couple of second, not saying anything.
"Can...can we go to The Amusement Park, and then to The Aquarium?" Finally, Witchkin spoke. She had always wanted to go to both places, but her aunt, the Witch Princess, had never seemed to have the time to take her.
"Sure we can," Mark straightened himself up, and offered his hand to the little girl. "Let's go," he smiled at her as she took his hand. They walked out of the office hand in hand, with sulking Vaughn following behind them.
"Oh...and can we have Red Flower Mix Natto? And some ice cream?"
"Sure, why not?"
"That one! I want to ride that one!" Witchkin shrieked excitedly as she pointed at one of the roller coaster rides in The Sunshine Island Amusement Park.
"Cool! Let's go!" Mark said, as he and the little girl both rushed towards the ride. Mark loved roller coaster rides, and he just couldn't believe that he would be able to goof off, and ride roller coaster all day, on company's dime. Lucky me, he thought, grinning like a kid on Christmas, as he rushed towards the ride. But then he stopped himself, and looked back at Vaughn who was trailing behind. There was a strange expression on Vaughn's face, and Vaughn had looked a little green.
"Er...you can wait here if you don't want to go on the ride, you know," Mark said to the taller man.
"Are you scared of roller coaster?" Witchkin asked, smirking. There was a glint in her eyes.
"Of course not. I'll go," Vaughn snapped. He didn't like roller coaster rides. As a matter of fact, he was terrified of roller coasters. However, the one thing that he couldn't stand more than the roller coaster rides, was people thinking that he was afraid of something, especially if the people in question were little brats, like Witchkin.
So the three of them lined up for the ride, and soon enough they found themselves fastened into into their seats in a cart by a steel bar. Then the cart started with a jerk, and started to climb and climb, until at the very top...
"Weee...!" Witchkin shrieked as the roller coaster plunged from great heights, heading for its first loop around. She and Mark both have their arms in the air, relishing the adrenalin jolt, that free fall feeling. Vaughn however, clutched at the steel bar that secured him into his seat, and shut his eyes tight. I am going to die, he thought, as his stomach churned.
"That was fun!" Witchkin said, after the ride was over. "Oooh, now I want to go on that one..." Witchkin pulled Mark's hand towards another ride.
They went on a couple more rides after that.
Mark, who kept glancing at Vaughn, thought that the other man was looking greener and greener after every ride. Tsk, what a stubborn man, Mark thought, he ought to stop going on these rides if he didn't like them. It was obvious to Mark that Vaughn wasn't enjoying himself.
"Now...which ride should we go next? How about that one?" Witchkin pointed at the tallest ride in The Amusement Park. Mark heard Vaughn gasped, and he had felt sorry for his partner.
"Hey Witchkin. Want to get some Natto or ice cream?" Mark asked the little girl.
Witchkin's eyes widened. "Yeah! I wanna...can I get Natto and ice cream? can I?"
"Of course," Mark answered. Then he turned to Vaughn, "Stay here. Sit. I'll get you some water".
Vaughn watched Mark and Witchkin eating their Red Flower Mix Natto and ice cream scones, sitting side by side on a park bench. The little girl chattered happily at Mark, which caused the blond man to smile or chuckle politely from time to time. Vaughn himself sat on a park bench across from them, sipping his water, grateful that he wasn't on a roller coaster ride right now.
How can these two eat something after all that stomach churning rides? Vaughn wondered. His own stomach was turning inside out, and he knew that he would most likely puke his guts out if he had tried to eat something. He watched Mark licking his ice cream with fascination, his pink tongue darting in and out...
Vaughn shook his head. What the hell am I thinking, he thought. Those rides really messed up my head, he thought.
"If you still want to go to The Aquarium, I think we should head there now, Witchkin. What do you think?" Mark said, glancing sideways at the little girl sitting beside him.
"Yeah, I wanna go! Let's go," Witchkin said, looking up from her ice cream. There were spots of ice cream on her face.
Mark heard Vaughn breathed a sigh of relief, and he couldn't help but smirked.
"Here," Mark offered Witchkin his clean handkerchief. "There is some ice cream on your face..."
"They are just so pretty," Witchkin pressed her hands and her face onto the glass of a huge aquarium, watching the schools of fish swimming around. The glass in front of her face was fogging from her breath. She looked at the foggy glass, and started to draw a fish on it with her finger.
"Yeah, they are," Mark agreed softly. He stood a few feet behind Witchkin, watching the beautiful fish danced in front of him. That was what he had always thought: beautiful, colorful fish dancing in the water, free and agile, orchestrated like a symphony, by an invisible maestro. He loved going to The Sunshine Island Aquarium. Whenever he felt blue, or flustered, he would head to The Aquarium. He would sit for hours, watching the fish, mesmerized, until he forgot whatever it was that had perturbed or upset him. He would feel better after, more often than not.
"You know Witchkin, The Aquarium is my most favorite place in all Sunshine Island," Mark said to the little girl.
"Really?" The little girl's eyes widen, as she turned her head to look at Mark. "It's my favorite too," she said.
"The fish look as if they are dancing, aren't they?" Mark whispered, still being mesmerized.
Witchkin turned to face Mark. She was deep in thought. Then she nodded. She had decided.
"Mark..." she clutched at the fabric of Mark's suit, around his wrist.
"Hm?" Mark asked absently. He made an effort to peel his eyes off the fish, and turned his attention to the little girl in front of him
"One day, when I am older, I am going to marry you," Witchkin said.
"What?" Mark jerked back. He couldn't believe his ears. "Uh...but...but...I...I am too old for you," Mark stuttered. His face was turning crimson. He could hear Vaughn snorted. "Uh...and I think someone your own age is more appropriate for you," Mark added, trying to regain his composure.
Witchkin thought of what Mark had said. Well, there is Charlie, she thought of her friend. She could marry Charlie...But then she shook her head stubbornly.
"No," Witchkin pouted. She crossed her arms in front of her. "I have decided that I am going to marry you when I am older".
"uh...but...but..."
"You are not going to marry him. You heard what he said. He is too old for you," Vaughn said, his hand patted Mark briefly on the shoulder. Mark felt his face burning even more, as he felt Vaughn's hand.
"Whatever, " Witchkin said, rolling her eyes. "I already made up my mind".
"Witchkin, how about if we go back to the office? It's almost time for you to go home," Mark said, looking at his watch. Yup, it was almost time to take Witchkin back to the Welcoming Committee headquarter. Thank goddess, Mark sighed with relief.
Witchkin thought about it. "Okay, " she said. "But can I come and visit you in the office sometimes?" She asked Mark as the three of them heading out.
Mark sighed. For a moment, he wasn't sure what to say. "I guess so...If your aunt doesn't mind," he said, finally.
At the office, they found that the Witch Princess was already there, waiting to pick up her niece. She thanked Mark and Vaughn for taking care of Witchkin, and bid them goodbye.
"Good job...Bambi," Vaughn said. The edge of his mouth curved into a little smirk, as he saw how red Mark's ears became as soon as he called Mark by his nickname. "But you owe me a lunch for making me go on those rides..." he added.
Mark's heart was thumping hard inside his chest.
"What? I didn't make you," Mark turned, and glared at Vaughn, hoping that no one else could hear that deafening thump.
"Going to The Amusement Park was your idea," Vaughn said. "So you are taking me out to lunch tomorrow. Your treat, Bambi," he continued, as he sauntered away.
End of Chapter 2