Chapter 10: Bell, Book and Candle
Sunday morning passed by uneventfully, as far as having to deal with vampires or werewolves went. Frank woke up to very little pain and took the vampire blood as Chet prescribed. Phil tapped out a few emails and the rest of their morning was spent lazing around out in the back yard hammock under the pergola.
Lunchtime was more eventful. Frank and Phil were invited to Fenton and Laura's for lunch. When they arrived, Aunt Gertrude and Fenton were inserting the leaf in the dining room table.
"It's not often we have eight for Sunday lunch. We haven't had to break this thing out since Christmas!" Aunt Gertrude mentioned as Frank set his cane to the side and helped his aunt set the table.
"Leave room for Andrea's dish. She's bringing deviled eggs." said Laura as she placed a heaping bowl of macaroni salad on the table.
"Mama Hardy, you should have told us you were having so many for lunch, I could have made or brought some thing too." Phil said as he helped bring in a few more dishes from the kitchen.
"Nonsense! We invited you, you're our guest." Laura smiled as she continued to busy herself in the kitchen.
"Enjoy it while you can Phil. When you and Frank walk down that aisle your days of being treated like company are over. Laura'll put you to work." Fenton winked at his future son-in-law.
"So what is the occasion anyway? Just a random mid-August get together?" Frank asked.
"Joe called yesterday morning and said he had an important announcement to make. He wanted all of the family gathered. So I suggested getting together for lunch today." Oh right! Apparently Joe had only called Frank Friday night. It was a good thing he'd kept his mouth shut and not mentioned it to anyone but Phil. Frank and Phil glanced at each other knowingly and went along acting as blissfully uninformed as everyone else.
The sound of a car door slamming shut alerted everyone that Joe, Vanessa and Andrea had finally arrived. Andrea was her usual endearing self as she kissed everyone on the cheek and headed to the kitchen to uncover her eggs. Vanessa looked tired, like someone who was just getting over the flu. There were dark circles under her eyes and her summer-tanned skin was looking a bit pale. Joe was beaming from ear to ear. Frank caught Joe's eye and the younger Hardy grinned sheepishly. The little showboater, Joe had always enjoyed being the center of attention. It was going to be very interesting to see the baby of the family share the spotlight with a baby of his own.
"How's it going big brother?" Joe greeted Frank with a brotherly bear hug.
"Going good." Frank admitted. He imagined Joe had enough on his mind with the baby and taking care of Vanessa. There was no need to worry him with the supernatural goings on.
"Looking forward to N'awlins?" The blonde drawled in his worst southern accent. Frank winced at the awful attempt at southern and nodded.
"How about you Phil? I hear N'awlins in a pretty romantic city." Joe winked and nudged the raven haired boy.
"Actually, I can't go. I don't have enough vacation time saved up from where I was out for Frank's recovery. But Biff's going with him." Joe looked surprised at Phil's answer.
"Biff? That doesn't sound like his kind of thing." Frank leaned forward and whispered in Joe's ear.
"Vampire hunter on holiday. He's going to let his hair down and hit the bars in the French Quarter." Joe nodded in understanding. Biff had been working very hard between his day job at the gym, his night "job" as a slayer, and trying to make things work out with his grandfather's farm. The guy did need a break.
"Yeah, maybe it'll be good for him." Joe agreed. He picked up Frank's cane and smiled. "And if he gets out of line you can just use this to reel him in." The three of them had a good laugh at Frank's expense. Frank didn't really mind, he knew his days of using that damn cane were numbered.
Fenton called everyone to the table to enjoy the summery feast before them. Just as everyone was finishing the main course, and before Laura and Aunt Gertrude had a chance to pick up dishes and make ready for dessert, Joe stood from his chair and tapped his glass.
"Now that I've got everyone's attention, I asked you all here today because I said I have an important announcement. Well, it's more like we have an important announcement." Joe rested a hand on Vanessa's shoulder. Laura's hands covered her mouth as she gasped, her eyes wide in realization.
"Vanessa's pregnant!" A chorus of feminine squeals went up as the women of the family launched from their seats to hug and congratulate Vanessa and Joe. Fenton gave his youngest son a hearty handshake and a hug as a stubborn tear could be seen leaking from his eye.
"Congratulations Vanessa and Joe!" Frank raised his glass for his brother, and everyone joined in for a toast.
"To Vanessa, Joe and the baby!" They all rang out.
…..
"Whatcha looking at love?" Frank asked later that afternoon as he read over his fiancée's shoulder. Phil leaned back on the sofa and kissed Frank's cheek.
"Looking at adoption services, the hoops you have to jump through, that kind of stuff." Phil said as Frank came around the sofa and settled in beside him.
"Baby fever?"
"Mmm, maybe..."
"Kinda getting the cart before the horse aren't you?" Frank asked as he glanced at the comments on the message board Phil was reading.
"You can be on the waiting list for years. And since we're a gay couple, we'll be under even more scrutiny from the powers that be. It's not like Joe and Van. Have sex and boom! There's a baby in nine months." Frank rested his head on Phil's shoulder.
"What about surrogacy?" he asked.
"I dunno Frank. I think about those stories my Elter Zaide told me about after the war, all those orphans. There are plenty of children out there who need a good home Babe."
"Yeah, you've got a point." Frank sighed.
"You don't seem very enthusiastic about this idea."
"Don't get me wrong. I want children, I really do. But I also want all this vampire and werewolf shit out of our lives before then. I want you and me to be safe. And I want our children to be safe. No looking over our shoulders wondering of some undead asshole would harm our kids."
"Now you've got a point." Phil shut the laptop and kissed the brunette soundly on the lips.
"When'd you get so smart?" he asked. Frank shrugged innocently, batting his large brown eyes at his lover.
"Not the puppy eyes! Anything but the puppy eyes!" Phil laughed as he launched himself at Frank, forcing the brunette to lie back against the sofa cushions and settle in for a long make-out session.
…..
Monday morning opened a new box of crazy for Phil and Frank. It began with the doorbell ringing bright and early at six thirty. Phil was hastily trying to tuck in his shirt and zip his pants as he made his way to the front door. He looked out of the peephole to see two women standing at the door, both of them looked vaguely familiar, but this early in the morning, he couldn't place them to save his life. Phil opened the door and before he could say anything (like, "Do you know what time it is?") the younger of the two women bounced on the balls of her feet.
"Good Morning Mr. Cohen! I don't know if you remember me. I'm Bridget Hayes, your realtor from Wicker Trail Realty. This is my mother, Riona Magee. You know her from Enchanted Antiques, where you purchased the bookcase…"
"Oh, yes I thought you looked familiar." Phil said to the women.
Small world, his "realtor" and the owner of his favorite antiques and art store were related. Bridget was the witch who had placed the protective enchantment on the deed to their home and the house itself. She looked the same as he last saw her back in January, with her freckles and her straight red hair. Bridget's mother was a slightly shorter woman, but more robust. Riona's lighter red hair was in an elaborate wavy style that Phil had seen other upper-middle-aged women wear. Hairspray was probably her best friend. Phil noticed another woman in the distance, with her hand on her hips, examining his front yard. She looked to be taller than Bridget, with wavy strawberry blonde hair and was well built. Well built, as in Phil hoped to G-d he'd never cross her, nor fight her in a dark alley.
"That's my older sister, Keeva. She's got the green thumb in the family. Amy asked us to come by and set up some wards. You know, do our thing?"
"And Keeva is going to do what exactly?"
"Oh she's going to plant some flowers and whatnot that'll repel anyone or anything with evil intent."
"Take a breath, Bridget!" The older woman squawked.
Phil had liked Mrs. Magee instantly when he had first entered her antique store. She reminded him of one of his aunts, bold, brassy and down-to-earth. In her hand she held what must have been a cane, from the shape of it anyway, it was hard to tell with the brown paper it was wrapped in.
"Is your boyfriend in? Amy asked me if I could find something he could use to protect himself. This might do the trick." Riona asked as she held up the package.
"Yes, he is. Why don't you all come in and I'll get him." Bridget waved for her sister to follow, but the older girl waved her off.
"I'm still working this out." She said, so Phil closed the door and called for Frank.
"What's up?" Frank asked, and was surprised to see two strange women seated in their den.
"Frank, this is Bridget Hayes, our "realtor"," He actually used air quotes. "and her mother, Riona Magee. She helped me find the bookcase."
"Oh, okay. Nice to meet you ladies." Frank greeted. He reached over to shake their hands. Bridget took his hand and held it for a little longer than what one would deem necessary for a handshake.
"Momma, he's got an interesting aura! Wouldn't you agree?" the girl asked her mother as her eyes widened.
"Pay her no mind young man. She's always been the more chatty one of the bunch." Riona said as she too shook Frank's hand. She gave the brunette a quizzical look, then turned to her daughter and nodded. Frank and Phil thought the exchange was strange to say the least, but Riona quickly began unwrapping the package she had placed on the coffee table.
Phil had guessed correctly, although he did not know how practical something like this would work out for Frank. But it was a thing of beauty. The staff was a dark, high-finish walnut, and the crook was a silvery eagle's head.
"I know you're probably fortifyin' yourself with that vampire blood, but this will give you a bit of an edge if you do have a confrontation. It would be a good idea to carry it with you whether you're hobblin' or not."
"How is that going to …?" Before Phil could even finish, Riona had twisted the eagle's head and unsheathed a very sharp, very deadly looking sword.
"Its silver plated, and enchanted so the plate will not wear off. It's been blessed too, at St. Columba's in County Meath. Here, give it a go." Riona sheathed the sword and handed the cane to Frank. As odd as the eagle's head looked, it actually molded to his hand quite well. He bore his weight on it and walked around the room.
"Well, it feels good." He commented.
"Now unsheathe it and give the blade a wave." Frank did so, the sword felt light in his hand, but it had a good balance.
"Very nice." Mrs. Magee said. She reached into her canvas tote and pulled out a small paper bag.
"I didn't forget you Mr. Cohen. I've got something to take care of that bookcase Miss Amy fouled up." Phil looked inside the bag and withdrew…
"A brown crayon." he deadpanned.
"It'll cover the marks on the wood! Rub it in, smooth it out, and it's like it never happened." She smiled.
"Um, thank you." Phil replied. The front door opened and Keeva stuck her head in.
"I'm gonna run down to the nursery, I think I know what this place needs." The strawberry blonde popped her gum as she spoke.
"Fine love, we'll be here when you get back!" Riona waved to her daughter.
"You will? I mean, we were getting ready to leave for work…" Phil tried to explain.
"I understood from Miss Amy that Frank had a flexible schedule. When you work with your daddy you don't necessarily have to punch a time clock." Frank blushed at Riona's words. She did have a point.
"It's okay Phil, I'll call Dad and Joe and let them know I'll be in late. You go ahead and finish getting ready for work." Frank sighed and took his usual seat next to the sofa.
"This is so exciting! I rarely get to add extra spells on a home!" Bridget squealed.
"We wouldn't have to do this if that furry devil hadn't pushed past our wards." Riona grumbled as she dug into her canvas bag, pulling out candles of various colors, chalk, feathers, a large seashell, a bundle of weeds…
"What is that?" Frank asked.
"Sage. I'm going to smudge your house while Momma sets things up for the spell." The younger witch chirped brightly.
"Smudge?"
"Oh, Lordy! Don't make her explain, just watch and learn!" Riona huffed impatiently as she arranged the candles on the floor of the foyer and began to draw an intricate eight-pointed star pattern on the hardwood floor.
Phil came through the room with keys in hand ready to leave for work. His eyes widened when he saw the older woman on all fours marking the floor. Without looking up Riona answered the question she intuitively knew was coming next.
"This won't harm the finish! You won't even have to clean it up, it'll burn off by the end of the spell."
"Burn?" Phil gasped. Riona stood and patted his arm reassuringly.
"Worry not lad. Go kiss your darlin' goodbye before you're late for work." She winked and went back to her drawing.
Phil found Frank in the den, watching Bridget light the sage and blow it out again. She placed the smoking bundle in the large seashell and used the feathers to fan the curling smoke into the room.
"This will clear the house of any negative energy that can enable evil spirits or beings to enter your home." she whispered.
"Why is she whispering?" Phil asked Frank in a low voice.
"Maybe she doesn't want the evil spirits to know she's coming?" Frank guessed. Phil chuckled and kissed his darlin' goodbye.
"Call you at lunch." he said and left, praying that the Lord above would not strike him down for allowing witches to cast spells in their house.
…..
Frank sat on the sofa patiently watching Bridget and Riona "do their thing". Bridget had finally finished smudging every room, closet and pantry in the house. Frank could appreciate the smell of sage in food, but this was a bit much. His eyes were beginning to sting a little and the young witch looked up as he coughed quietly.
"Sorry Mr. Hardy…"
"Frank."
"Sorry Frank. The smoke will dissipate shortly. You should have seen the first house I ever cleaned of evil spirits! It was an old Victorian down in Cape May. I had to go through two bundles of sage before I was sure the house was clear…"
"Frank dear?" Mrs. Magee interrupted, "would you mind terribly if I get a hair from your head? I need it for the spell."
"Don't you need one from Phil too?" Not that Frank had any idea why she would need it, but since there were two of them living under this roof…
"Got it covered." The older woman said proudly, "Pinched it from him and he didn't feel a thing." Frank sighed and lowered his head to allow Riona access to his chestnut strands.
"Tanks love." He noticed her accent was getting a bit heavier the more she got involved with the spell-work.
"Are ye ready, Mam?" Bridget's New England accent had slipped into an Irish brogue as well.
"Aye, Lamb." Riona replied as she removed her shoes and walked barefoot back into the foyer. Bridget followed suit. Frank followed the women and leaned against the archway that led into the foyer.
"Is it okay if I watch?" Frank asked.
"Aye, I'd ask ye to participate if ye were more steady on yer feet." The matron answered. "But fer now, why don ye take a seat? This may take a bit." But Frank shrugged and looked on as Riona lit the first candle.
Both of the witches closed their eyes and in unison began to chant the words to the spell. Frank couldn't quite follow. He could carry on a conversation in Spanish, French, was familiar with a little Latin, and could pick up on a few words of German. But these words did not sound like anything he'd ever heard before.
Bridget lit the next candle and the chanting continued. Riona lit a third, taller, pillar candle and placed the jet black hair into the flame. The strand curled in on itself and the smell of burnt hair filled Frank's nose. Bridget then put Frank's own hair in the flame. The strand sparked and sizzled, and the flame rose a few inches higher. Frank laughed to himself, as much product as Phil used on his hair to tame those curls, he would have thought his hair would have hissed and spit like that when it hit the fire. Frank caught the witches giving him a curious look.
"Sorry." He whispered. They stared at him a moment longer and then continued with the chant.
"Spirit Mother, surround this home with light and love. Let none who wish them harm penetrate this sphere of light. Protect those who love from harm, so mote it be…" Finally, some English, thought Frank.
"I invoke thee to this threshold bound, shall be the powers to protect, the powers to warn. Let the evil outside mourn! So mote it be…" Frank could feel his eyelids growing heavy as the temperature in the climate-controlled house seemed to rise. Not uncomfortably so, but enough that Frank could not shake the drowsy feeling that came with it.
"May greeted friends be welcome here, people unknown should have fear. Those who without welcome cross this door shall writhe in pain forevermore!" Riona lit the last candle, the circle of light was complete. Bridget placed a bay leaf and an iron nail over the flame of the tallest candle.
"No Lass! Not the nail!" Riona hollered, but it was too late. The flame burst and sparked, a purplish smoke arose from above the candle.
"Ah No! Sorry Mam! I forgot!" Bridget called back as she jerked the nail out of the flame, wincing as the hot metal burnt her fingers. Riona turned to Frank and rushed to him, arms stretched out to push him out of the foyer. Frank was too drowsy to react, but it didn't matter. His eyes were closed and darkness drew in before he ever hit the floor.
….
Author's Note:
Sorry for the delay. There was a lot going on this week with the kids' end of the year assemblies and getting out of school for the summer. Maybe things will calm down for a bit. Emphasis on maybe…
I researched various spell sites from the internet to mesh the wording Bridget and Riona used.