Chapter 5

"Oh, he's so cute and adorable," Shonda squealed, as Jasper licked her chin and her lips wiggling in her arms excitedly. "You sure are an energetic little thing."

"Yes, he is," Jazz laughed. "But he's only a puppy after all. In a few years, I'm sure he'll sleep for most of the day. I adore him though, so thank you for the suggestion of the puppy mill."

Jazz didn't say so, but Shonda looked like she was all skin and bones. Her friend had lost a lot of weight maybe too much. That wasn't like Shonda at all.

"You're welcome," Shonda told her friend, as she continued to play with Jazz's puppy.

"You should've brought your dog along so they can get to know each other," Jazz said.

"Next time," Shonda promised. "I just wanted to meet the puppy that you got at the place I suggested."

"Well, you only encouraged me to do what I've been wanting to do for months anyway. Get either a cat or a dog for a companion," Jazz told her friend. "I never really thought about it, except after I finished work for the day and by that time such places are closed or about to anyway. You're well aware that I always had cats growing up."

"And I had a dog," Shonda agreed. "So, when are you going to tell Dave that you're..."

"A witch," Jazz finished when her friend paused.

"Exactly," Shonda agreed still playing with Jasper. "From what I understand your relationship is getting serious. I haven't even met him yet."

"Whose fault is that?" Jazz returned.

"I know I just been so busy," Shonda admitted. "I've been out of town getting some good deals on stuff people think are junk. So, when are you telling him?" Shonda repeated, as the two of them had gotten kind of sidetracked.

"Soon," Jazz answered. "I'm not sure when exactly, but soon."

"It really is serious then," Shonda said finally pulling her attention away from Jasper to look at her friend with a serious expression.

"Very," Jazz answered simply.

"It must be, if you are considering telling Dave about magic," Shonda said.

"I'm actually considering marriage and children," Jazz informed her friend.

"Definitely serious," Shonda said. "You must've finally found the one."

"I have," Jazz said with absolute certainty in her tone.

"So, if he's not magical what is he? Human?" Shonda asked. "I mean, if he was magical you wouldn't have to worry about telling him you're witch you two would simply know you were right for each other."

This was true so Jazz nodded.

"As far as I know he's human, though I suppose he could be something else. Another species, a werewolf for example."

"If he was you would know," Shonda said.

"Not necessarily," Jazz disagreed. "Not if he was trying too hard to hide whatever kind of supernatural, he is from me. I'm not one to pry you know that."

Jazz didn't mention how Dave had told he needed to talk to her about something. Some type of big secret. Since she had a secret of her own, she more than understood, even if she worried what type of secret it was. While she had been assured, he had never been married, never had a child, there were many other types of secrets most of them harmless.

"No, you're not," Shonda agreed. "Not unless you absolutely have to. I don't know how you do it though, especially with your ability to cast a spell to read someone's mind."

"You're a far better mind reader than I am Shonda," Jazz said. "Your ability is natural, while mine I would have to do so with a spell, and it doesn't last very long. I'm glad I don't have the ability to pry into people's minds naturally, as I would be tempted to do so on a regular basis."

"Yeah, it is tempting to use such a talent in the wrong way," Shonda sighed dramatically. "It's a pain to have ethics."

"Yeah, it is," Jazz laughed, as this was a common complaint from her friend.

"So, when do I get to meet Dave and the other puppy you told me about?" Shonda asked.

"Soon," Jazz said. "Remember, you have been busy you've never had a chance to meet him. All the rest of our friends have met him at least briefly. You haven't been into the bakery in a long time and he's in there every day just so we can flirt. Of course, he always buys a cup of coffee and some kind of desert."

"I've been on a diet, so I've been trying to avoid the bakery," Shonda moaned dramatically.

"You don't really need to go on a diet," Jazz told her friend seriously, studying her friend body. "You look like if you lose anymore, you'll waste away. So did someone insult you and say you were fat?"

"How did you know?" Shonda asked in surprise.

"Because it isn't really like you to go on a diet, not to the point that you look like you're all skin and bones. You've lost way more weight it is probably healthy for you," Jazz said. "We've known each other since we were children after all. You just moderate how much junk you eat so you don't gain weight, since you don't like to exercise. So, who claimed you were fat or that you ate too much junk food."

"Who do you think?" Shonda asked with anger and contempt in her tone. "Who is always insulting everybody he meets? Especially if they're friends of yours."

"Jorge," Jazz growled with certainty. Jazz sighed and threw up her hands once Shonda nodded. "I swear that boy needs to get a life. Commenting about you eating junk food is not any of his business and he well knows it."

"Something needs to be done about him," Shonda said serious.

"Yes, it does," Jazz agreed rolling her grey eyes in exasperation. "So did he make a comment to you or is it just something you overheard?"

"He knows better than to make such a comment to me directly, as he knows what I would do if he did. He was just talking to the bartender at Buzz's," Shonda said.

Buzz's was a local hangout. They served some of the best burger and chili fries in the state.

"You know he's always talking out the other side of his face you shouldn't listen to someone who is obviously jealous," Jazz told her friend. "He's always been an annoying little pissant at least since he grew up. I mean, just remember the scene he made not too long ago at my bakery."

"So anymore incidents since that scene in the bakery?" Shonda asked, even as she ate her way through a whole plate of brownies that Jazz had brought from the kitchen.

"Nothing really, other than his comments about Dave and me whenever we run into him. He's lucky that Dave is so even-tempered, or he'd probably end up with a broken nose and that's at a minimum," Jazz reported.

"And Dave would likely end up facing charges," Shonda reminded her friend.

"There were plenty of witnesses that I'm sure would defend us and even if the charges stick it's only going to be a fine. That little pissant needs to be taken down a peg or two. Maybe if he gets his nose or jaw broken, he'll learn not to make comments around me and Dave."

"I doubt if he's that smart," Shonda snorted cynically.

"Well, I can hope," Jazz said with an annoyed sigh, knowing her friend was likely right. "Dave's come close a few times to losing his temper completely and I can't say I blame him. He is one that takes personal insult when someone insults someone he cares for. I feel like I'm being stalked recently. He shows up in most places where we happen to be."

"He probably believes he can break you up," Shonda suggested.

"If that's what he believes he's even more of an idiot then I thought," Jazz snorted in disbelief. "He should know me well enough by now to know that his constant sniping is only going to make me mad, which is likely only to get him assaulted. Yes, I know he's an officer of the law, but even his captain knows what an idiot he is. The only reason he hasn't been fired is he's more of an annoyance then a danger and this is a small town."

"Yeah, in a larger town he likely would've been fired for inappropriate behavior, especially if there were enough complaints about it. Unfortunately, in a small-town things are different, as people don't report him like they should, because they've known whoever it is all their lives, so are used to their behavior and take his bullshit in stride," Shonda said.

"Well, I've had it with him, as I've been putting up with his crap for years. At first it was only a minor annoyance, but it's gotten worse recently. You know I don't lose my temper easily but I've about reached my limit."

"I don't blame you. You've put up with more crap than anybody," Shonda said sympathetically, even as she petted Jasper who was laying on her lap looking blissful. Shonda took another brownie and made sure to keep it out of reach of Jazz's puppy, as she knew that chocolate was dangerous to dogs. "So would you say he got worse when you started dating Dave?"

"Well, I see you got over your fear of gaining weight," Jazz said pleased, as she watched Shonda chomp down on some of the leftovers from the bakery.

"Every woman in the world has that fear," Shonda said. "Or they do if they have any sense. I just decided you're right I shouldn't listen to that idiot Jorge, as he's just dumbass, that needs to be put in his place. He thinks because he is now in a position of authority that he can treat people any way he wants, but he's going to be proven wrong, probably soon. I just hope I'm there when it happens as I'd love to see him taken down, so I can laugh in his face. As for the brownies, I'm just making up for lost time, as I haven't had chocolate in several months or really anything sweet. I've been sticking to salads and low-fat food."

"That kind of thing is okay in moderation, but it's not what I would choose to eat for the rest of my life," Jazz grimaced. "By the way, you're right, he did suddenly get worse when Dave started coming into the bakery on a regular basis. I didn't realize that before and I should have."

"Normally, neither would I," Shonda said answering her friend first statement while flushing in shame, as she had taken Jorge's comment to heart. "He was always a little creep, even in elementary school. By the way, to answer your last statement about how you should've realized, that's not necessarily true and you know it. You're used to him being a pain in the butt, which is likely part of the reason you didn't realize he had gotten worse. I'm sure you would have eventually."

"Probably, it's not like I don't have plenty to think about with the bakery and Dave. It is possible to outgrow being such a pain, become more understanding, but it doesn't always happen," Jazz said. "I've been defending him for far too long. When he starts insulting my friends and making inappropriate comments where they can overhear him... I only wish I had known about it sooner as he would've gotten an earful from me."

"Don't worry, I won't listen to him ever again," Shonda promised. "I know better. I never should've let his offhanded comment affect me."

"Try to avoid him, although I know that'll be difficult at best, as there are only so many places in a town the size of Moonlight Gorge to hang out," Jazz suggested.

"I don't know that that's going to be possible, as we hang out at a lot of the same places," Shonda said. "But if he dares make another comment where I can overhear him, I'm going to throw my drink in his face."

"I hope I'm there when you do," Jazz chuckled. "I'll laugh myself silly right in front of him and he'll be humiliated and embarrassed."

"No one deserves it more," Shonda said, as she imagined the scene her expression one of relish. "I even hope that his captain is there as they'll be no charges when he sees what happened. You're supposed to know how to be polite and not insult the citizenry whether or not you have a history with them."

"Yeah, you are, even if you suspect them of some kind of crime. Of course, if you're actually interrogating them, it's one thing, but just for general questioning..." Jazz said.

"That bastard made me believe I was fat, and you know I'm not normally one to take anyone's words to heart. It was as if he put me under a spell," Shonda said, as she remembered that time several months ago. "Is it possible he has some type of magic, some kind of power he isn't aware of? I know you think he doesn't have any magic, but is it possible that his insult actually put you under some kind of spell? Making me doubt myself? Making me believe whatever he says, as if it's the truth."

Jazz considered that for a minute. "It's possible," Jazz said finally. "He might have witch ancestors in his family, but any power might not have emerged for generations, which as you're aware happens sometimes. It's quite possible if that's the truth the family might've married humans often enough that they have the gene, but it's been dormant for a long time, as the magic from one parent doesn't always get passed down to the children. Of course, it's also more than possible that both his parents have a dormant gene for magic, which might've caused their son to have some kind of talent, though not necessarily what we call spell magic."

"So, you're saying he might not be able to cast spells but has this power to make people believe whatever he says is the truth," Shonda said slowly.

"I suspect that it won't work on everyone, like those that have confidence in themselves, if he does have that type of talent. Well, not unless he discovers their secret doubts, as nearly everyone has at least one. I know you've always had trouble having confidence that you're not fat, which is probably largely why Jorge's words affected you so much."

"It's never affected you," Shonda realized.

"No, I just find him a pain in the rear," Jazz said. "That might be because I have more confidence in myself or there could be some other reason like I'm simply immune. Its more than possible that he just doesn't know what my doubts are and so can't hypnotize me, so his words don't affect me like he did you. I mean we both have magic, even if we have different talents. I've always been a bakery witch that puts just a little magic into her treats, which is what makes them so utterly delicious and irresistible. You, on the other hand, are a telepath, which is a pretty rare talent at least here in Moonlight Gorge. For all we know, a telepath is more suspectable than anybody else."

"You might be right about me being more suspectable just because I can read peoples thoughts," Shonda said. "It's certainly a possibility anyway."

"Or I might not be," Jazz said. "We don't really know who this power would work on if Jorge knew what he was doing. That he could basically control some people to do whatever he wanted. It's really only a theory at this point, but since I know you and I know you have doubts about your weight all the time. However, you're not one to go on a diet to deny yourself something sweet and delectable and you are especially not one to go anorexic and lose so much weight that it's definitely not healthy for you."

"Thank God I don't have anorexia," Shonda shuddered. "I've heard about that, and it's supposed to be a horrible disease."

"I've read about it and yes, it is," Jazz agreed. "It happens to movie stars or other celebrities all the time."

"I don't want to know what would've happened if Jorge had been speaking directly to me instead of the bartender," Shonda shuddered. "All I did was overhear a malicious comment directed in my direction."

"That's probably just as well," Jazz decided. "It probably would've had a more profound effect on you if he had been speaking directly to you and not just insulting you behind your back. That's usually how such talents work."

"I'm definitely going to try to avoid him from now on," Shonda shuddered. "I definitely don't want anything to do with him considering what happened and the fact that he's just a nasty piece of work doesn't help."

"Yes, he is, and we need to figure out how to get him to leave us alone," Jazz said.

"He still has that little crush on you," Shonda mentioned. "The one he's had since you rescued him back in school."

"I know, I know. I think he believes he's in love with me, when really, he's obsessed with me as we discussed before. You don't treat someone you love like he treats me and all my close friends," Jazz sighed. "That crush you just mentioned has gotten a lot worse over the years."

"I doubt very much he insults your mother though, as she would take him to task and he would regret insulting her or anyone in her family in front of her," Shonda suggested laughing loudly.

"That's true," Jazz said her lips twitching in amusement. "My parents already don't like him, because of all he put me through when and I was blamed for that murder a few years ago. It wasn't so much I was a suspect it was his attitude that set them off. The way he loudly went about town and proclaimed I was guilty and the way he harassed me in my own bakery. Neither went over well with my mom in particular and she had a few choice words for him."

"I can just guess what she said," Shonda said with relish her eyes twinkling merrily.

"I'm sure you can. You know how she is when she gets irritated, and she was really irritated with Jorge that time. Truthfully, she had every right to be," Jazz said laughing right along with her friend. "Jorge certainly fled like a scalded cat and hasn't ever spoken to my mother again as far as I know."

"Well, your mother does have a way with words," Shonda pointed out with glee in her eyes. "And your father might be the quiet one, but that doesn't mean he won't defend you and I'm sure he had a few words for Jorge as well."

"Probably," Jazz decided never having thought about it in those terms, even at the time the incident had occurred. Her friend had made a very good point for her father might be the quiet one of the family, but that didn't mean that he couldn't get angry. "He certainly burned his bridges with my parents. As far as I'm aware he never apologized for the way he treated them and me. He's lucky he's basically human or mom would've cursed him into next month. Believe me, she was tempted."

"I certainly don't blame her for being tempted to curse him with something horrible," said Shonda. "I almost wish she had. It certainly would've taught him a lesson."

"I think he's too dim to get the point or maybe thickheaded is a better word," Jazz said. "He probably would've acted exactly the same, even if she had cursed him."

"You're likely right," Shonda decided, after thinking about what she knew about Jorge.

"Let's stop talking about that idiot though. This is one of my rare days off, one that isn't on Sunday. My team at the bakery has everything under control, which is why I felt safe enough to take an extra day for myself. They know to call me if there are any emergencies."

"Well, you certainly deserve another day off besides Sunday at least once in a while," said Shonda. "I know how hard you work, and you have to get up at a ridiculous hour six days a week."

"While it would be nice to sleep late occasionally, I love baking so it's hardly a chore," Jazz said. "It's always been my dream to run and operate my own bakery you know that."

"Yeah, I do, you've wanted it ever since you were about 12 or 13," Shonda remembered.

"That was about the time I discovered my talent in the kitchen," Jazz said nostalgically.

The two old friends chatted like they hadn't been able to in a while because both had been so busy.

~~~Dave and Jazzlyn~~~