Chapter 25

Hope took Harmione to and from school the next day before heading to and after work. Hope explained that while it is a good thing to stick up for yourself, violence is never the answer especially if you're the one that ends up getting hurt. We're hoping Harmione never has to use her powers or her strength to fight back. Hope and I discussed that if she did, it would mean she was in danger, and we never want to put Harmione in a place like that. So, Hope explained to Harmione to always be honest and express what she feels, and only fight back if it meant life or death. That was the best way to keep Harmione from getting another black eye or something worse. I'm not sure what it was but Harmione had a hard time making friends. I think it was because deep down she knew she was different and had to keep it a secret from everyone else. After working a 5 hour shift at Mr. Smoothy I was anxious to get home and see my little girl but I told Hope I'd have to work another late night shift as well; so seeing Harmione would be short and sweet.

As I entered the house Hope was on the couch with Juju watching television. Harmione was in her room doing her homework. I knocked lightly on the door and stepped in.

"Hey baby doll."

She continued working.

"Have a good day at school?"

Harmione nodded slowly and erased some of her work.

"So..."

I sat down next to her as she sat in the floor with a workbook in her lap.

"What'cha doin?"

"Subtraction."

"Oh...I see."

"Mrs. Brunner wants us to do these 10 problems..."

"Uh-huh...so why did you erase it?"

"I can't do it..."

"Sure you can...here let me see."

I took her book and her pencil and wrote the problem out to the side. Harmione watched carefully.

"Let's say you had 5 chili fries...and Mommy and Daddy each ate one how many do you have left to eat?"

"3?" She answered in almost a whisper.

"That's right!"

Harmione smiled and pulled her hair out of her eyes.

"Now try let's try a harder one if you had 15 chocolate asparagus smoothies...and Daddy drank 10 smooties how many do you have?

"I don't like Chocolate asparagus though Daddy."

I laughed slightly.

"Well if you gave them away...how many would you give?"

"5!" She shouted and held up her hand.

"Good...think you can do the rest by yourself?"

She nodded and took the book and pencil back.

"So if I did 2 of the 10 problems, how many are left?"

"8!"

"Good girl."

I kissed the side of her head as she continued to work. I smiled and left her alone. I almost tripped on Juju as I exited.

I entered the living room and Hope moved her feet for me to sit down. She then drapped her blanket over the both of us. I smiled shyly as she leaned on my shoulder. I pressed my face to the top of her smooth silky hair. She smelled like vanilla coconut.

"Ben?"

"Yes?"

"Harmione told me that the boy apologized to her today."

"Oh...well that was nice of him." I mumbled. "She seems kinda upset though Harmione does."

"She didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

Hope sat up and sighed quietly to herself before speaking.

"Harmione had a seizure during reading time today."

"What?"

The school called the bank, I left to pick her up and there was an ambulance waiting when I got there."

"What happened?"

"Well...They ran a few tests, and suspected that her seizures were part of a mental disorder because her blood work seemed normal..."

"But it's because of her powers we both know that right?"

"I mean I thought so...I know she had signs of my powers that day at the pizza place, and after showing her self-control I thought she'd learn to take charge of it."

Hope pulled her hair behind her ears. Revealing a pair of diamond studs and silver helix ring in her left ear.

"I mean...I just don't know now..."

Hope took in a couple of exasperated sighs and leaned forward into her hands.

"Okay...I can perform dark magic, mysticism, and use magic books...I can manipulate mana."

Hope begin to call out her powers and count them up on her fingers.

"I can levitate and teleport...and I have telekinesis."

"You're amazing Angel."

Hope paused and scrunched up her nose at me like a cute little bunny and presumed counting.

"Element control, mind control, animation, shapeshifting, summoning, and aura reading."

"And?"

"And I don't know if one of those powers are causing Harmione to spiral the way she does."

"Mmm...I don't know baby...I mean that's a lot for any person but especially a 5 year old."

"Mmm...you have to work a double shift tonight?"

"Yeah...one guy can't make it in..."

"They're not paying you for it either are they?"

"No."

Hope sighed and pecked my lips.

"You want me to make you some dinner before you go?"

"No...I'll find me something."

Later that night, Hope was in her pajamas standing in the bathroom brushing her teeth. She had on a grey pullover and a pair of my boxer shorts. Her hair was in a top-knot bun on the top of her head with small wringlets of curls framing her face. I came in, tossed the keys on the kitchen counter and headed for the bathroom to use it. Hope moved out of the way and spat out a bit of toothpaste.

"How was work?" She asked as I unzipped my pants and pulled down my boxers.

"It was just work, you know." I replied and placed one hand on the wall and urinated into the toilet.

"How was Harmione...anymore seizures?"

Hope couldn't answer me right away with a mouth full of toothpaste. She spitted into the sink and washed her mouth out with mouth wash before she spoke.

"Not a one." She exclaimed and wiped her face off on a towel. I finished my business and bumped her gently as I began to wash my hands.

"I tried to connect with her mind, but I got stuck?"

"What do you mean?" I asked taking the towel away from her.

"I mean I looked into her mind and the farther in I got, the darker and clouder it got..."

Hope took her hair down and began to redo it as she said this.

"It was like either Harmione or some other thing was trying to keep me out."

I wasn't sure what to do. I started to say something when Harmione screamed.