Q & A #31
by Colleen Hillerup
Willow looked at the unemptied plate with disapproval. "Eat your broccoli."
"I don't like broccolies," Meredith complained.
"Well, your mom said you should eat it, so eat it." The witch looked at the offending vegetable, lying alone and unloved. "At least eat the tree tops."
"Okay." Meredith picked up the broccoli by the stem. "It does look like trees."
"Then eat your trees." She watched with satisfaction as the little girl nibbled on the greens. "So, your mom and dad had to go out pretty sudden. I guess they had to work."
"I don't think so." Meredith considered hiding the rest of the broccoli under her plate, but Auntie Willow was watching too closely, so she tried another distasteful bite. "Mommy told Daddy that Uncle Riley was coming for dinner, and Daddy told Mommy, 'over my dead body' and Mommy got mad, and Daddy got mad, then Mommy started to cry, and Daddy said he was a git, and they went to the Bronze. I think."
"Wow. Little jugs do have big ears."
"I'm not a jug." Meredith picked up the vegetable and put it down again. "Please, I had enough."
"I know you aren't a jug. It's just something my Zaida used to say." She put her hand on the child's. "Don't worry. Your Mommy and Daddy will be all right." She paused in thought. "Did you say Uncle Riley was coming for dinner? When?"
"I think Mommy said next week."
"Meredith, remember what we talked about? About not telling anyone the things you can do?"
"Yep." Meredith pushed her plate away. "I want to tell Mommy and Daddy."
"No, honey. Don't. Let's keep it our secret." The witch picked up the plate and carried it into the kitchen. She walked back out to the dining room, where Meredith had climbed down from her chair. "Can you lift that table?"
"No, silly. Too heavy." Meredith went to the bookshelf and took down a photo from the shelf. "This is you. And Mommy. And Uncle Xander."
"That's right. We were in high school."
Meredith giggled. "You're thinking about kissing Uncle Xander."
Willow waved a hand in front of her own face, as sparks flew. "Obstruct." She hugged the little girl. "Remember. Don't tell Mommy and Daddy. Or anyone."
by Colleen Hillerup
Willow looked at the unemptied plate with disapproval. "Eat your broccoli."
"I don't like broccolies," Meredith complained.
"Well, your mom said you should eat it, so eat it." The witch looked at the offending vegetable, lying alone and unloved. "At least eat the tree tops."
"Okay." Meredith picked up the broccoli by the stem. "It does look like trees."
"Then eat your trees." She watched with satisfaction as the little girl nibbled on the greens. "So, your mom and dad had to go out pretty sudden. I guess they had to work."
"I don't think so." Meredith considered hiding the rest of the broccoli under her plate, but Auntie Willow was watching too closely, so she tried another distasteful bite. "Mommy told Daddy that Uncle Riley was coming for dinner, and Daddy told Mommy, 'over my dead body' and Mommy got mad, and Daddy got mad, then Mommy started to cry, and Daddy said he was a git, and they went to the Bronze. I think."
"Wow. Little jugs do have big ears."
"I'm not a jug." Meredith picked up the vegetable and put it down again. "Please, I had enough."
"I know you aren't a jug. It's just something my Zaida used to say." She put her hand on the child's. "Don't worry. Your Mommy and Daddy will be all right." She paused in thought. "Did you say Uncle Riley was coming for dinner? When?"
"I think Mommy said next week."
"Meredith, remember what we talked about? About not telling anyone the things you can do?"
"Yep." Meredith pushed her plate away. "I want to tell Mommy and Daddy."
"No, honey. Don't. Let's keep it our secret." The witch picked up the plate and carried it into the kitchen. She walked back out to the dining room, where Meredith had climbed down from her chair. "Can you lift that table?"
"No, silly. Too heavy." Meredith went to the bookshelf and took down a photo from the shelf. "This is you. And Mommy. And Uncle Xander."
"That's right. We were in high school."
Meredith giggled. "You're thinking about kissing Uncle Xander."
Willow waved a hand in front of her own face, as sparks flew. "Obstruct." She hugged the little girl. "Remember. Don't tell Mommy and Daddy. Or anyone."