Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

Chapter 10 - Aftershock

Author's Note:Hey!(: for updates on stories, lines from WoWP, motivational quotes, quotes from weird things my friends and family say, and randomness that floats in my mind while attempting to concentrate, follow my twitter! ohSnap_itzShay! thanks guys!(:

Alex's POV

My eyes started to water as I panicked. I knew exactly what was going on, I just couldn't believe it. I convinced myself that that wasn't it. I shook it off and focused on the bigger problem: How do we fix it?

I watched in horror as Leah, my baby, levitated high above her frightened guests. I tried to reach for her, but she was already at the ceiling. She grabbed hold of a ceiling fan that was luckily turned off. I had never been so thankful for my dad's money-saving ambition in my entire life. I said a silent prayer and turned to my dad.

"What's happening?" I asked him, my voice cracking. Leah screamed and clung to the fan for dear life.

"Magic's happening," he whispered back.

My mouth dropped open. My guess was exactly right, but I didn't understand how.

"That's impossible!" Mason replied, "She's a werewolf! We figured that out last night!"

"Well unless this is some kind of freaky side effect, I'm assuming that she's both!" Dad argued back, then glanced at Leah. "I've just never seen a wizard that young before."

"Come to think of it, I've never seen a werewolf phase so young either," Mason admitted.

"Okay guys! Not our biggest problem right now!" I interupted, "Would you rather negotiate or figure out a way to fix it?"

Mason, Justin, and Dad glanced at me, realizing that I was probably right.

"Wow, Alex. Negotiate?" Justin asked, "Your vocabulary has expanded. I'm impressed!"

"I know, right? I guess being an adult has rubbed off on me!" I laughed, then snapped back. "Okay! Focus! What are we going to do?"

"Okay, first things first, we need to distract the other kids from Leah," Justin declared.

"I got this," I replied with a smirk. I reached for my boot, only to make my eyes widen with surprise. I looked down and sighed. There was no wand there. There hadn't been one there for the past five years. "Oh," I said softly.

"What?"

"Nothing." I sighed. I was caught up in the moment. Being back home made me feel like sixteen or seventeen again.

"Do you have an idea?" he asked.

"Huh?"

"To distract the kids."

"Oh! Um," I thought for a minute, then snapped my fingers. "Um, okay! We can slingshot a brick, or, or, oh! A basketball! Yes! We can lauch a basketball from a telephone pole and hit an ice cream truck! Then, it will crash, and, and, popsicles will go flying and land all over the street. All the kids will hear the ice cream jingle and run into the street, and out of our hair!" I nodded. "Problem solved."

My brother gave me a blank stare. "Or," he informed me, "I can use magic to make strings appear on her back, so it'll look staged."

I shrugged. My plan sounded more exciting, but I agreed. Justin pulled the family wand from his back pocket and waved it in the air, whispering a spell that I didn't recognise. Instantly, a thick brown rope was tied to a harness around Leah. She jumped in surprise, but clung to the fan. The rope wrapped around a hook in the ceiling like a pulley. The other end rested in Justin's hand. It looked totally believable.

I patted him on the back as he lowered her to the grown. "Nice work, bro," I complemented. Leah yanked off the harness and jumped into my arms. I held her as tight as possible, in order to prevent her from floating away again. She buried her face in my shoulder, sniffling away. That little number must have really scared her. She looked up at me with frightened eyes, tears streaming down her face. I didn't remember being that terrified when I first got my powers. Well, on the other hand, I was ten, not five. And, I was expecting it. She had no idea.

"What happened, Momma?" she wailed softly.

"I'll explain later, baby," I told her, "What matters now is that you're okay." I smiled down at her, then looked at her little friends. They were speechless. "Okay, everybody! Party's over!"

"Awww!" The cried.

"It was just getting good!" One girl pouted.

"And we haven't had cake yet!" Another whined.

"Sorry kids, but the party's over." I faced my family. "Mom? Will you start caling their parents? Just tell them that there was a small domestic emergency or something." She nodded and dashed up the stairs.

That one whiney dude darted his eyes at me. He glanced around at the other kids. He stomped his and wailed, "We want cake!"

He continued to chant until two of the other kids joined in. Joshua remained silent. Like I said before, Leah sure does know how to pick 'em.

Seconds later, they were shouting and stomping their little feet loud enough to make my ears ring. Even Leah, who obviously didn't want her party end, joined in at the end. I counldn't blame her. What five-year-old wanted this to happen at their own birthday party?

I could tell the kids were starting to dry Mason's patience. He started walking in circles, like he usually did when he was stressed. (Believe me, you should've seen him during Leah's birth! That was very frustrating to watch.) That was pretty much his own creative way of hyperventilating. That's Mason for you.

"What are we going to do?" He demanded.

"I don't know!" I replied as he circled. "We just need to- Mason. I can't concentrate with you pacing like that. Just sit down!"

He obediently sat on the chair behind him. I tried to think, but I ended up laughing my head off at his obedience. Cause, you know, sit? Obedience? Werewolf? Ha ha, oh, just-nevermind.

"Harper?" I asked frantically. She nodded and stood up.

"HEY!" she snapped, silencing the room. "You are ALL to line up in an ORDERLY FASHION. We will give you your cake, and you will wait OUTSIDE for your parents. GOT IT?" They all nodded at once and obayed. I smiled and rolled my eyes. Same old Harper.

XxXxXxX

"Okay, will somebody please tell me what just happened?" Leah asked after all her friends left. I knew exactly how she was feeling. Confused, scared, heartbroken, story of my life.

"Does she know about magic?" Dad mouthed at me. I shook my head.

"Well," I began.

"Well what?" she turned to Mason. "Was that some werewolf side effect?"

"No, sweetie, it's not," Mason said softly.

"Then what is it?" she looked at all of us.

"Well, you know how I'm a werewolf?" He asked.

"Yes. And so am I, right?"

"Yes, you are. You see, how do I put this?" He took a deep breath. "Your mother's a wizard."

Leah's little mouth dropped open. She glanced at each of us with total astonishment. We remained quiet.

"Was, actually." I corrected in order to break the silence.

Leah stared at all of us for what seemed like forever. Finally, she cracked a smile. She bursted into a giggle fit.

"Okay, the werewolf thing I get, but really? Wizards? C'mon, guys!" She laughed and laughed until she realized that nobody was laughing with her. "Seriously, what happened?"

"That is seriously what happened, darling," Mason replied.

"Wait," she gave us a quizzical glance. "Huh?"

"I really was a wizard, Leah," I said.

"That doesn't make sense!" she announced. "And, what do you mean, was a wizard?"

I hopped out of my seat and walked towards the kitchen. "C'mon, Leah. I think there's something you need to see." I took her hand and lead her to the veggie cooler. I squeeze my eyes shut and opened the door.

"Momma? This is a big fridge," Leah informed me. My eyes snapped open, only to see vegtables sitting on shelves in front of me. I sighed.

"Oh. Right. No magic." I smirked. I couldn't help but feel disapointed. That was the first time in my life that I couldn't opened the lair. I felt like I died a little inside.

"Allow me," Justin smiled. He pointed his wand at the door, then opened it. Leah gasped.

"Whoa.." she managed out. She glanced around the room with wide eyes in awe as we entered. My mouth was as open as hers was. Dad started over to the left side of the red sofa.

"No! Wait!" I blurted out impulsively. I dashed over.

"What?" he asked alarmed.

"That's my spot." I said softly as I settled in my seat. He laughed and sat in the brown recliner.

"What is this place?" Leah asked. She settled herself between Mason and I on the sofa.

"This is the Russo family wizard lair," Dad stated proudly. My eyebrow raised.

"Wait," I ordered. "If Justin's the family wizard, shouldn't the lair be at his place?"

"I do have my own." Justin replied. "But every wizard-blooded family has their own portal, regardless if they have magic or not."

"But what's the point in that?" I asked.

"Well," Dad began, "Every wizard family has to have a portal. Even though you and Max aren't wizards anymore, you get a portal so your children can have access to the wizard world."

"So wait," I guestured to Mason, "We're going to have our own portal?"

"Have," he corrected. "You have a portal."

"Huh?"

"You've had one since Leah was born. It just doesn't open until she recieves her full powers." He explained. "Which, I think is today."

I stood up and rested my hands on my hips. "Okay, HOLD UP! So you're telling me that we've had a portal to the wizard world in our house for five years now, and we never knew about it?"

"That pretty much sums it up," Justin replied.

"And, if Max and Hailey ever get married and have children, they'll have one too."

I shuddered. I couldn't picture Max as a dad. Those words just didn't work right. I couldn't imagine him married either. I mean, I loved Hailey. She was really sweet. For the past two months, she seemed to make Max really happy. But if i knew Max, the only thing that he could committ to is a cell phone plan.

On the other hand, I couldn't picture myself as a mom until the day I learned I was pregnant. And even then, I was terrified. Now, I don't know what I would do without that sweet child of mine.

"What about you, Justin?" I smirked. "Do you plan on giving Lovebug a cousin or two?" I elbowed him in the side.

"For your information," he raised his eyebrow, "I've been single for a while now."

"Why does that not surprise me?" I joked playfully. Justin rolled his eyes.

"Same old Alex," he laughed.

"Growing old is manual. Growing up, on the other hand, is optional." I smirked. I stuck out my tounge.

"Speaking of growing up," Leah interrupted, "Will someone please explain this whole thing before I turn six?"

Thanks for reading! Review?

Sorry I haven't been updating as much as I want to, but hey, I'm just a freshman in high school, so...yeah. Chapter 11 coming as soon as possible! A lot of writers do an outline of their stories before they start writing it, but I don't, Lol. I'm actually making this up as I go along. I really don't know how it ends. Maybe it will never end! You never know. Depends on my mood;)