Chapter 4 - After Dinner

"Piper that was one of the best meals I have had in a long time."

"Jason, you're being overly kind now, you eat at all the best restaurants, all over the world."

"And this meal was just as good as any of those and the company was better."

"Well Jason, I do have dessert and coffee... why don't we move to the living room and I'll serve, Paige can you help me?"

"Sure Piper." The four rose, Phoebe took Jason into the living room and Piper and Paige carried plates into the kitchen.

"Well Paige... what do you think?"

"Piper... I think if Phoebe doesn't want him, I do!"

"Not about that... about telling him."

"Piper, didn't you see how he loves her? He tended to her the whole evening, hanging on her every word, caressing her arm and holding her hand. I don't think there was two minutes total when they weren't touching each other. He has stars in his eyes. I like him and I think he will be OK."

Piper looked at her with trepidation in her eyes. "OK, you carry this... let's go..."

Piper and Paige entered the living room. Phoebe and Jason were sitting comfortably on the couch; his arm around her shoulder. Piper served the carrot cake while Paige served the coffee. As Jason accepted his slice, Phoebe spoke up, "Piper never makes carrot cake any more, now I know you're special."

Jason bit into the cake, "Wow, you must know I have a sweet tooth, or else you want to put me into a sugar coma. This is great Piper."

"Well, maybe the coma thing would be closer to my reasoning."

Piper stood in the middle of the room, in front of the couch. Jason looked at her obvious change in demeanor. He set the plate down, now noticing that the three sisters were serious and none had taken any dessert.

Piper continued. "Jason... we have something important to discuss with you. Since I'm the oldest, I get to kick off the discussion. But, before I do, I need to know that we can trust you. If you had to make a decision between Phoebe and your paper, which would you pick?"

Phoebe rose from the couch. "Piper, we didn't discuss you asking him that. That's not fair."

"Phoebe, I have to know..."

Paige spoke, "But Piper, you don't have to be so blunt..."

All conversation stopped when a shrill whistle rang through the house. All eyes turned to Jason. "Now I know you are sisters. First of all, I love Phoebe and wouldn't do anything to hurt her, or you as her family. Secondly, my intentions toward her, although between her and I, are quite honorable. Does that answer your concerns?"

Piper smiled, "Yes... thank you..." She looked at Phoebe who, also smiling, took Jason's hand and gave him a hug. The two sat and Piper again took the floor. She looks at her sisters as if to say, 'Well, this is it.'

"Jason... there is something that Phoebe wants to tell you. But what she wants to say concerns her whole family and so we decided as a family to give you this information. What we tell you today is confidential and will hurt us if it ever gets out. We tried the media approach before and the results were cataclysmic." She paused, looking for a way out, not finding one, she continued. "Jason, many generations ago, a very powerful witch was born. Melinda Warren... our great, great - something - grandmother. She was the strongest individual witch in our family line. She worked for good and kept the balance during her lifetime. Before she died, she predicted three sister witches would be born. She predicted these sisters would be individually strong, but together they would be a force to reckon with. They would be charmed. Jason... my sisters and I are those charmed ones. We are witches."

Piper paused to evaluate the tension in the room. Jason interrupted, "You mean... you get together and do magic tricks, scare little kids at Halloween and your cat is black? What are you trying to say?"

Piper continued. "There are forces in this world, forces of good and evil. Most people are unaware of this as they go about their business. But, all are affected by it. The luck you have, the tragedies... often times are a result of this struggle. Our job, as witches is to keep the balance tipped toward the good side."

Jason's expression remained incredulous. Phoebe spoke up. "Maybe we should show him."

Piper looked at Paige, who stood. "I have the power to move objects, even myself, through space. I can be here..." Paige orbs behind the couch. "...then here." Jason stood and flipped around. His eyes wild, but he said nothing. "I can call for objects "...vase." The vase orbed to Paige's waiting arms.

Piper begins again, and when she does, Jason lurches back around to see her display. "I control the movement of time... Paige..." Paige throws the vast into the air. Jason reaches for it so it won't fall to the floor, but Piper freezes the vase before it gets to him.

Jason stares at the vase and Piper continues... "I can control my powers to effect one object or the whole room. I can't freeze other witches, but I can freeze non-witches and inanimate objects. And... well... the bigger the room, the more objects, the harder it is."

Jason continues to examine the frozen vase, until Phoebe moves him away. Piper continues her demonstration. "I am also able to speed up the object's molecules..." Piper waves her hands again and the vase explodes away from the couch. Jason jumps and steps further away and turns toward Phoebe, confusion in his eyes.

"My powers are not quite so physical. I have prescience or the gift of sight. I quite often will be the first to identify an innocent. I can touch something or someone and I will receive a premonition. It will give us clues about what we need to do. Then, from time to time, as our powers grow, we receive additional powers that usually grow from our current powers. I recently received a new power, empathy. I can sense the feeling of others. You are feeling confusion and incredulousness, but you're not completely overwhelmed. Am I right?"

Jason stared at her... at them. "How... what... I never knew... How..."

"It's OK Jason. This is our life, my life. I wanted you to be a part of it."

The three women looked at him in anticipation. The room was silent while Jason tried to take in all the information. Phoebe felt his emotions swirling, almost out of control. She approached him and touched his forearm. Jason jumped and backed away from her. "I can't..." He looked at her. His eyes shimmered with confusion. "I can't be here..."

Jason moved away from them. "I can't be here..." He turned quickly and ran to the door.

The sisters followed him and watched as he exited the manor and ran to his car. Phoebe moved to follow him, but was stopped by Piper. "Let him be, Phoebe... he needs some time."

"But he is confused... scared."

"Let him take in the information he has now. Let him calm down. Talk to him in the morning."

"What if he tells someone?"

"Phoebe, you're the empath, even I can tell he wouldn't do anything to hurt you. He won't tell, but he will need to talk to you in the morning."

"I'll go in early." Quietly the girls closed the door to the outside world, each hoping that their secret remained one.