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Roses and Thorns.
" Er...Melinda I've got something to tell you...I kinda asked Rose to come and live with us again" Meredith rushed her words out before Melinda could stop her.
"You did what?" Melinda's angry reply had been exactly what Meredith had expected. She tried to explain "You don't get on well with..."
Yet another interruption she had been expecting from her bossy sister came; "Damn right I don't get on with Rose!" She eased her strengthening voice a little then went on. "I don't mean to be awful about her Meri but I really do need to set down some rules. That girl is just asking for trouble".
"Can't you forgive her, I mean she is a lot younger than you, she hasn't had the time to grow up yet" Meredith argued.
"Well...she's young yes … but she's 19 now and there's no excuse for her to be so...so..." Melinda couldn't quite think of the word, but Meredith knew what she meant. Rose was always getting herself into trouble. At high school with her gang and at work, always getting sacked. All for just being herself, speaking her mind and having a little fun. Yes Meredith did see Melinda's point, she was a trouble maker and everyone knew it, but she couldn't help feeling sorry for her younger cousin. She had been a little hard on her for spreading that roomer around at their mums funeral about them being witches, but now she knew it was true, she wanted Rose back more than ever.
"Look, Melinda, Rose is coming back here to live with us, so you'd better get used to it. And you can sort out your differences between yourselves, whatever you think of her, she is sill your cousin and what she said, like it or not was true. You saw the book. You saw Piper's handwriting. You know the truth."
Rose entered the manor with a smile; "I am so happy so see you again! It's been like ages" she roared as she saw Meredith rush into the hallway to greet her. "I missed you Rose...and don't worry about Mel, I'll talk to her...again, she'll come round".
It was almost midnight and the two cousins sat down on the couch near the fire in their pyjamas sipping mugs of hot chocolate just as they had done as children.
Melinda slithered into the room, her face was a clear indication of the way she felt about Rose staying at the manor. "Well...Rose!" she said in a sly, quiet voice. This was the first time she had seen her cousin since the funeral of their aunts. "Hey Mel how you doin'?" Rose replied, in an ironically high, cheery voice.
"I was much better when you weren't here" she replied, coldly. She hadn't meant to sound so mean, she loved both of her cousins but sometimes she just couldn't stand them. Especially Rose.
"She doesn't mean it" Meredith whispered to Rose, "Want some hot choc Mel?" she asked, shoving a half drunken mug of hot chocolate under Melinda's nose. "Ugh, No thanks, I'm going to bed, and you two should as well, it's nearly midnight!" her voice trailed off as she headed up the stairs.
"Rose…" Melinda spoke in a hushed tone, " You know at the funeral, when you said those things about our mums...about them being witches. Well, you see I was up in the attic today and I found something you might want to see". She pulled Piper's letter from her pocket and handed it to Rose." I believe you" she added as Rose unfolded the letter and began reading it.
A minute had past and the old grandfather clock started chiming midnight.
"I told you so" Rose stated " but you didn't believe me did you?." Meredith thought she was about to cry but instead she stopped, a worried expression turned towards Meredith as she spoke; "you didn't...I mean you haven't cast a spell… have you?"
"Well..."Meredith went on; "after I read the letter I read this incantation so we would receive our powers...but don't worry, nothing happened."
"Don't say that" Rose squawked. "It must have worked...can you show me the spell" she asked.
"Well, it's in the Book of Shadows, upstairs, in the attic" Meredith answered. "Then come on!" Rose tugged at her cousin's hand until she gave way and began up the stairs with Rose.
