Protective Blindness (Part 2)

Protective Blindness

Part 2

A couple of hours later, in the kitchen, Cosmo was watching Angie stir her homemade stew which she was making for dinner.
She took a spoon and dipped it into the simmering pot. Taking a little juice and a piece of potato, she gave the spoon to Cosmo. "Okay, try this out and tell me what you think."
He took a taste of the stew, and his eyes widened with happiness. "Mmm," he said happily. "This is perfect. I never knew vegetables could be so healthy and good to eat."
"Now you know why I have Mom's cooking ability. About ten more minutes and it'll be ready for serving."
Just then, Angie's aunt entered the kitchen. "All right, young man. Get away from her right now. As for you, Angie, you better step back from the stove, or you're going to burn yourself."
Cosmo started to get mad. "Now look, lady, I'm getting sick and tired of you--"
Angie interrupted her friend. "No, Cosmo. Why don't you go check on what Ace is doing while I finish getting dinner ready." She then gave him a wink.
As he started to walk out, he turned and said, "Okay, but if you need any help . . ."
Angie just smiled and nodded. When he left the kitchen, Angie went back to stirring the stew.
Her aunt walked up to her right side and yelled, "Why are you being so defiant?"
Angie shrugged and angrily said, "Aunt Rita, please quit yelling. You know my hearing is very sensitive."
Still upset, Mrs. Wisland said, "I just want to know why you're purposely disobeying me."
"You really want to know? Okay, here are two good reasons. First, I am an adult, not a baby. And second, I am not my cousin, your five-year-old son. Will you please stop treating me like I'm so fragile?"
"Very well, but when your time's up here, this guy will throw you out of here so fast you'll come crying to me and beg to come home."
"And what is that supposed to mean?"
"It's simple. Ace Cooper is a celebrity, which means he'll snub you off sooner or later."
Angie turned to her aunt and said, "Aunt Rita, you're an expert at three things: making life totally miserable, seeing only the worst in people, and trying to destroy friendships."
"I'm just telling you the truth about him."
Angie's anger fumed even further. "Oh, no, you don't. You're not going to start this game with me again. It didn't work when you tried to wreck my friendship with Ashley, and it certainly won't work with Ace and Cosmo."
"How in heaven's name can you be so blind?" Mrs. Wisland asked in a wicked tone.
"You're the one who's blind!" Angie responded. "You only look at people on the surface instead of into the heart and soul. Ace Cooper may be famous, but he's been nothing less than a fantastic friend to me, since I actually wasn't supposed to live here."
"What?"
"That's right. I was supposed to be in an apartment, but Ace was so gracious to let me stay here temporarily. After I helped Cosmo recover from the flu quickly, he decided to let me stay here permanently as both cook and his second apprentice." Angie did not want to let her aunt know about her own magical powers for fear her aunt could make the situation worse.
She then continued. "I am the happiest I have ever been in my life, not because I'm in the same home as the world's greatest magician, but for the reason I have something I've had very few of in my life: real friends. I have more friends here, as opposed to just Ashley back home. In addition, I am so grateful to all my friends here for changing me from a shy, quiet nobody into a happy, outgoing person. I would not want to change anything about what's happened to me recently."
"You'd be happier back home," Rita told her.
"I would be bored to death back home. Here, I've got far more excitement, more fun, and more freedom. Of course, I'm still looking for Ashley, since I lost touch with her a couple of years ago."
Aunt Rita decided to give her a snub remark. "You still think about that snob?"
"That 'snob' as you like to call her is still my best friend, period, and Ace said he's going to help me find her so I can reunite with her." She started to grab the crockpot and said, "I'm about to serve dinner. You can join us in the living room if you want, but if you don't want to say anything nice, just keep quiet."
When she left the kitchen, Aunt Rita's anger fumed even further. "She has a lot of nerve, giving me orders like she's in charge. I am her aunt, and she will do what she's told. When I'm done knocking some sense into her, she'll finally understand she belongs at home, and I can look after her like I should be."
Throughout the dinner, Ace, Cosmo, and Angie talked candidly about their successful show a few nights earlier, as well as what future shows would be like.
Aunt Rita interrupted the conversation. "I'm sorry, Mr. Cooper, but I will not allow my niece to be used as a guinea pig for your tricks."
Angie looked at her and said, "I am a crucial part of Ace's act. Being the 'guinea pig' allows me to give input as to whether the trick will work right or not. It's very important because Ace has to do new tricks all the time."
"Young lady, you are taking too many unnecessary chances. Magic can be extremely dangerous."
"Ace is the best magician in the world! He wouldn't be like this if he didn't take his chances. I'm beginning to love the danger factor because it brings out the best in what we do. The greater the danger, the better the trick can be. Fortunately, I stop being the guinea pig when the danger gets too great for me. Ace takes it from there."
"Don't you understand?" the aunt asked angrily. "You could get killed if something goes wrong!"
Ace interjected, "Mrs. Wisland, when Angie became a part of the team, she already knew about the risk factors involved. You need to stop treating her like a fragile baby because she's doing just fine. She has survived on her own for more than five years."
"On top of that," added Angie, "I've faced a few dangers but got out okay because I didn't panic, and I knew what to do. I know you mean well, Aunt Rita, but I don't need any extra protection. Besides Ace, Cosmo, and Zina, I also have Mona Malone, Lieutenant Derek Vega, Angel, Stick, Spud, Ulene, and at least four other friends looking out for me."
Aunt Rita shook her head and simply said, "No way, Angie. You're not staying here, and that is final!"
Angie took deep breaths to keep her own anger in check. "Ace, I think I need to be alone for a while."
"Sure, I understand."
The young lady stood up and walked away.

Twenty minutes later, Angie was on her bed crying while she held the photo of her and her parents close to her heart. "Mom, Dad, what can I do?" she asked tearfully. "I do not want to leave Electro City. I love it here, but Aunt Rita only cares about what she wants me to do, not what I want to do."
She then heard a knock on her door. "Come in, Ace. I know it's you."
The Magician entered the room and immediately sat next to her. Holding her like a sad child, he calmly said, "I know you're feeling devastated right now. Your aunt's intentions are noble, but she's taking it too far in trying to protect you. Even Black Jack gives Mona a little more freedom."
Angie looked at Ace and agreed with him. "You're right. Black Jack may be a crime boss, but first and foremost he is Mona's father, so I can understand when he gets very protective of her. That's a parent's job, and I really commend him for that. I would rather face him a hundred times over than face Aunt Rita once."
"Your aunt won't let go of what happened to her son, and she's taking that guilt and anger out on you. She thinks she's trying to keep you safe."
"Yeah, but it's doing a lot more harm than good. I want to stay here in Electro City. Despite the crime problem, I love the architecture, plus I'm an optimist. Aunt Rita is a perennial pessimist. She only sees the negative in everything and wants to hear only her side of the story."
"In other words, one-sided and close-minded."
"Right. What should I do at this point?"
He looked straight at her and asked, "What would your parents say in this situation?"
"They'd tell me to listen to my heart and trust my instincts."
"And your heart and instincts are telling you--"
"To stay put."
The door suddenly opened with an obviously angry Aunt Rita making the demands. "Mr. Cooper, get your hands off her now!"
Angie and Ace looked at each other and knew just what to do.
"Angel," Angie started, "close the door and lock it."
"As you wish," the computer said.
The door shut and latched itself, making Aunt Rita even angrier. "Open this door, do you hear me!? I am not going to let you stay here, so you better let me in!"
Ace then asked, "How long can your aunt keep yelling?"
"About an hour."
"In that case," he started as he made a deck of playing cards appear in his right hand, "are you up for a game of gin rummy?"
"Sure, I don't mind." She then contacted Cosmo by wristwatch radio. "Don't worry about the yelling; it's just Aunt Rita. Bear with it for an hour 'cause she'll wear herself down by then."
"How do you know that?" asked a curious Ace.
"She did the same thing to my older cousin Jeff the night before he got married."
Sure enough, an hour later, Aunt Rita lay on the ground, she clearly being exhausted from yelling and pounding on the door for so long.
Angie told Angel to open the door to let Ace out of the room.
The two magicians saw Angie's aunt on the hallway floor.
"Where should we put her?" Angie whispered.
Ace quietly replied, "There's an extra room down the hall. I'll take her there so she can sleep it off."
After putting Mrs. Wisland into a warm bed, Ace and Angie joined Cosmo and Zina in the living room.
Cosmo was relieved he would not have to hear any more of Mrs. Wisland's angry yelling, for the day anyway. "How can one person keep screaming non-stop for so long?"
"When she's fueled by anger," Angie began to answer, "she can yell at the top of her lungs for quite a long time. I'm just glad the day is ending peacefully."
She then paced around nervously and said, "I just want to know what it's going to take to convince Aunt Rita Electro City is my home now. What will do it, Ace? You being in extreme danger?"
The Magician shrugged and started, "Let's hope it doesn't get to that point, but you may be right. As you said earlier, if she learns about your powers, she may decide to put you away for what she believes is your own safety and protection."
Angie let out a yawn and then said, "I'm not going to worry about it anymore tonight. I need to get some sleep, since you said you're going to help me with my levitating skills."
"Tomorrow afternoon," Ace added.
The young lady started to walk towards her room. "I'm glad it's in the afternoon because there may be something I have to do in the morning."
Ace could feel the anxiousness in her heart. "I know what you have to do, Angie, and it may not be easy."
She turned and said, "There may not be a choice this time."
When she entered her room, Cosmo was a little perplexed. "What's she talking about, dude?"
"If it's what I think she's going to do, Angie may have to get some help from a very unlikely source."
Angie got into her bed and started to pull the covers over her. "Angel?"
The holographic dodecahedron appeared. "Yes, Angie?"
"I need to ask you a favor. At 5:57 tomorrow morning I want you to lock my door so I can meditate peacefully."
"I will make certatin the door locks at exactly 5:57 a.m."
"Thanks, Angel. Good night."
After Angel disappeared, Angie went to sleep. She knew the next day would be a challenging one and not just in terms of magic.

The next morning, Angie sat up on her bed. With her eyes closed, she was deeply relaxed as she was in a meditative state.
Learning the skill from Ace very quickly, the meditation helped her to have a deeper understanding of the powers she had within herself, and it gave her a chance to communicate with her deceased parents spiritually.
Staying at her current age, she traveled in her mind to a time where she talked to her parents in the living room of their family home.

"Mom, Dad, what can I do about Aunt Rita?" she asked.
Her father held her hand and said, "Angie, you do have friends now, and Rita just wants to take you away from them."
Her mother joined him. "You're old enough to make decisions on your own. You don't need anyone to tell you what you should do. Rita must understand you have made Electro City your home. You have the right to choose your own path, whether she likes it or not. Her problem is she won't let go of the past."
"I know," Angie said as she held back her tears. "I've come to terms with what happened to both of you. My only regret was not telling you the truth about my magical powers." She put her face down and cried.
Her parents held her for comfort.
"We're not mad at you," Angie's mother said. "We know you were scared we were going to reject you, but we're proud of you for what you have done with your powers."
"Nancy's right," agreed her father. "You've been gifted with a very special power within your heart. As long as your heart is in the right place, you can do anything."
Mrs. Jacobs looked straight at her daughter and said, "Continue to use your powers to help others, and don't let Rita get the better of you. Always listen to your heart and trust your instincts."
"And remember," said Mr. Jacobs, "even though we're not with you physically, we'll always be with you in your heart."

Returning to reality, Angie softly said, "Thanks, Mom and Dad."
Opening her eyes, she knew in her heart their advice alone would not be enough to help her in the present situation. "As soon as I'm done with breakfast," she said to herself, "I need to see Mona, and then someone I'd never thought I have to see for help."
At 8 a.m., Ace, Cosmo, and Angie ate cereal in the kitchen.
Ace and Cosmo were surprised Mrs. Wisland was not awake yet.
"I figured she'd be up yelling at us right now," Cosmo noted.
"It's not a news flash to me," said Angie. "When she's at full throttle one day, she uses a lot of energy and easily gets exhausted. The result is usually simple: she won't wake up until very late in the morning."
"Which means we shouldn't have any problems for a couple of hours. I just hope she doesn't stop practice this afternoon. After all, you're still working on your levitation skills, and she still doesn't know about your powers yet."
"I wish I could tell her, but to do so could set her off and make her even more determined to take me away." Done with her breakfast, Angie then asked, "Ace, would you mind if I borrowed your Magic Bike?"
"Of course not. Your Iowa driver's license is still good for another ten months. Go ahead and take it."
"Thanks, pal."
She took off for Mona's house while Ace notified his closest friend of Angie's visit.

At a large house near the coast, a woman with red hair and green eyes sat in the living room. Awaiting Angie's arrival, Mona Malone could not help being upset about the young lady's dilemma. "Angie's aunt is much worse than my father," she said to herself. "I've never heard of someone being so cruel to a child just to protect her."
She then heard a female voice over the intercom. "Mona?"
"I'll open the gate, Angie. Come on in."
The two ladies were on the sofa a few minutes later.
"Mona, I just don't know what to do about Aunt Rita."
"Ace told me your problem on the phone. I know how much you love it here in Electro City, and your aunt has absolutely no business trying to decide what's best for you."
"That's a no-brainer. I just can't get her to listen to what I have to say. You being a daughter, for instance. When you ask your father about something, does he tend to come up with the right solution, or does he ramble on?"
"That'll depend on each situation. Take the Golden Voice Awards. When he wanted me to drop out due to the threats on my life, I told him off because I had worked too long and too hard to let anyone stop me. Your situation differs this way: I know for a fact the longer you stay with Ace, the stronger your powers are going to get. If your aunt takes you away, you'll never know the full extent of your magical abilities."
"Right. She would keep me completely isolated from anyone, and I don't want to be alone anymore, not after I had done that for over five years."
Mona put her left hand on Angie's right shoulder. "I can understand your feelings. What I want to know is this: If you could get a chance, would you use your powers against Aunt Rita?"
"Absolutely not! I may not like her methods, but I still care about her. It's exactly like you and your father."
"Sure, my father the crime boss. You do have a point, though."
"Yeah, but there's still one more side I need, and I didn't think I would have to do this. Mona, I need to talk to your father. Problem is, I don't think he would want to see me after what I did to him a couple of months ago."
"No, what happened at that time was between crimefighter and crime boss. What you want is a child-to-parent conversation. Give me a few minutes, and I'll make sure you get the chance to talk to him."
Angie crossed her fingers as she hoped she could get the last piece of advice needed to convince her aunt not to make her leave Electro City.

Back at the Magic Express, Mrs. Wisland finally awakened from her long sleep.
Looking at the clock on the wall, she could not believe how late she was. "It's 9:30 already? Who knows what those people have done with her by now. I'm going to make her listen to me, and then she'll finally come home to a safe place and be out of danger."
Coming into the hallway, she immediately grew angry. Knocking hard on Angie's bedroom door, she yelled, "Open this door right now, Angie! It's very important you hear me out!"
Cosmo opened his door when he heard the commotion. "Don't bother knocking, Mrs. Wisland. Angie's out doing some errands and should be back by lunch."
The aunt turned at Cosmo. "You mean you let her go into the streets, where she could get hurt or even killed!? I don't believe this! She has no business being out there!"
Ace heard the screaming and said, "Look, Mrs. Wisland. You need to calm down. Angie is more than capable of taking care of herself. You have to face the reality your niece is an adult who can make her own decisions."
She angrily shook her head and shouted, "I don't have to listen to any of this nonsense! I am going out there to find her." On the way out she said, "If anything has happened to her, Mr. Cooper, I will personally hold you responsible."
Ace felt stung by her comments. Hearing the screeching engine of her car, he said, "That woman has a one-track mind . . . and a one-track heart."
Cosmo agreed. "Is she ever gonna understand Angie wants to stay here?"
"That can happen only if she lets go of the past, like I've tried to do for over 15 years."
"Dude, that was an accident."
"So was what happened to her son. Our biggest difference is I've come to terms with my situation, but she hasn't come to terms with hers."
"Couldn't you go into her mind to get to the heart of the matter?"
"No, Cosmo. I can read only Angie's mind because of the bond created by our powers. I only hope she can get some helpful advice on how to deal with her aunt."
"Who's she getting tips from?"
"Mona and Black Jack."
"Black Jack!?"
"A child and a parent."
"Oh, I get it now. Angie really doesn't know what it's like to be around parents still alive when she becomes an adult."
"Right."

Later in the morning, Angie parked the Magic Bike in the garage of the Croesus Palace.
She then walked up the stairs into the casino area, where Spade and Diamond saw her.
As the two bodyguards drew their guns, Angie prepared to use her magic against them.
Then, a grumpy voice yelled, "No!"
The bodyguards turned to see it was their boss, "Black Jack" Malone.
Looking at his boss curiously, Diamond asked, "Do you want us to finish her?"
Black Jack shook his head. "No, Diamond. Miss Jacobs is here for a different reason. Leave us alone for now."
"Are you sure, boss?" questioned Spade.
"Yes; she hasn't come here to cause trouble."
The pair left the casino area and took the elevator.
The crime boss and the young magician stared at each other in total silence. Ten seconds passed before either said anything.
Angie finally spoke. "So, Jack, we meet again."
"Yes," he agreed, "it has been two months since we confronted each other, but this time we meet under more unusual circumstances."
"I assume Mona told you about my situation with my aunt."
"That she did. You've come here to speak to me as a parent instead of as a crime boss."
"Right. You know my aunt is trying to make me leave Electro City to go live with her because she thinks I'm too fragile and weak to be here."
"Oh, if she only knew how wrong she really is about you," Jack joked, "especially after what you were able to do up on that apartment building."
Angie had a light laugh. "You're not going to believe this, but Aunt Rita does not know about my magic."
"She has no idea?"
"Not a clue. I'm worried if I tell her, she may become even more determined to 'protect' me, if you know what I mean."
"As a parent myself, I know exactly what you're talking about. Mona also told me your parents were killed in a car crash. True?"
"Mm-hmm. I was 17 when it happened, so I really don't have an idea about asking parents about things when I'm grown-up. I know how you worry about Mona's safety, but that's expected since you are her father. For me, my aunt seems to think she's both my mother and father."
"I think I know where this is going. Your aunt thinks you became weak and vulnerable to anything after you lost your parents."
"You nailed it exactly. What she won't understand is I actually got stronger, with most of the support coming from my one best friend."
Angie then asked one very important question. "Jack, when you worry about your daughter, do you worry to a point where you want to keep her locked up or you won't let her say anything?"
"As her father, I do worry, but never to that kind of degree. She does live in her own house, and she'll talk to me about things. We do have our differences, but that's normal in a parent-child relationship. In your case, though, your aunt is not your mother, so she should keep out of your business and let you live your life your way."
Angie smiled and said, "Now I have everything I need to hopefully get through to Aunt Rita. Of course, you'd probably be glad to see me go."
"As a crime boss, you're right. I would love to see you leave because you do work with Cooper. However, Clockwise told me, when he gave you a tour upon your first arriving in town, you really admired the architecture of the Croesus."
"It's true, Jack. The Croesus Palace is a fantastic place, inside and out."
"You really think so?"
"Yes. I know it wouldn't help business here, but I'd rather admire the building than gamble."
"That's okay with me," Jack said happily. "As long as you learn something new, I have no problems. Angie, you are a bright young woman with a great future ahead of you. Don't let anything or anyone stand in your way. That's from a parent to a young adult."
Angie shook his hand and said, "Maybe I should come to you more often for family advice."
"If only I weren't a crime boss and you weren't a crimefighting magician with Ace Cooper."
"Oh, well, I guess that's how destiny plays its hand sometimes."
The two then heard a beeping sound.
Realizing it was her own radio watch, Angie said, "Hold it a sec." She then spoke into her watch. "What's going on, Ace?"
"I hate to tell you this," he started, "but your aunt's out looking for you."
"That's just great," she said in a sarcastic tone. "Thanks." She then looked at Jack and said, "If my aunt finds me here at the Croesus, she'll probably think I'm a gambler, too."
"I agree. Would you like to leave by the service exit?"
"Where is it?"
"You came in from the south. With the exit to the east, you should be able to get out safely."
"Thank you. I better go so you can get back to being a crime boss."

Jack smiled as Angie walked down the stairs. "She may be a magical crimefighter like Cooper," he thought, "but she has the right to be happy in life in her own way."