Karma's Kiss

Chapter Seventeen: Reassurance

"I don't know!" He spun around in frustration. "All the doors are open."

"Did something fall?" Antonia looked around the bedroom with fake concern as the sounds of scratching could be heard. Dallas shook his head, looking more and more upset as the noises got louder.

"No, I checked. I'm gonna talk to building maintenance tomorrow. I think there are animals in the walls."

"Huh." Antonia shrugged. "Probably a good idea. Sounds like they're falling down in the walls. I'd hate for the smell of rotting animals to permeate the place." She left the bedroom and went back to the kitchen to finish eating. Dallas followed her reluctantly, muttering about the noises.

"I feel like animals in the wall should have been caught by the inspector." He shook his head. "How did it go with Nola?"

"I asked, and she said she needed to think about it." Antonia shrugged. "She's coming over Saturday night to copy pictures from mom's photo albums and will tell me then."

"Well, Carver said yes to standing for me, so what are you gonna do if she says no?"

"I'll ask D'arcy." Antonia yawned. She was exhausted and really wanted a bath. "I got the afternoon off and made an appointment at the law firm. Are you still good to go?"

He nodded. "Did you make an appointment with the doctor too?"

"Yeah, I managed to get in before the store opens though." Antonia lied smoothly. She watched as something dawned on him, and he stared at her.

"D'arcy? As in the witch D'arcy? Your casual employee?" He swallowed, and she could see the anxiety on his face. The joy that gave her was indescribable.

"Yeah, she's probably my closest friend besides Raven and Jynx." Antonia grinned. "You do realize you're about to marry someone who runs a Wiccan supply store, right?"

"Yeah. But you don't practice Wicca," He shook his head. "It's a brilliant business to run in Salem, that's all."

"Well, just because I'm not an active practitioner doesn't mean I don't see the benefits the people who practice get from it. And my personal beliefs align more with Wicca than anything else." She reminded him as she finished her boneless wings and reached for her Freakfrappe.

"Yeah, okay. That's fair and fine, but you aren't casting spells on the full moon, Toni!" He sighed. "You know that stuff makes me uncomfortable."

"D'arcy isn't a medium or a psychic." Antonia pointed out calmly. "And she's not gonna do a ritual in the middle of the ceremony or reception."

"I know." He dropped his head in his hands. "It's just... Nevermind." He stood up abruptly and kissed the top of her head. "If having D'arcy stand with you will make you happy, I'm okay with it."

"Are you sure?" Antonia looked up at him as he grabbed his Freakfrappe and moved over to the couch. She got up and followed him, snuggling into his side like she usually would. "I don't really have anyone else. Posey, but she's nineteen, and her parents are really strict."

"I know, Love," He wrapped his arm around her and rubbed his hand up and down her arm. "D'arcy is fine. I'd actually prefer her to Nola just because you're closer to her."

"Well, hopefully my peace offering was enough to help Nola and I to rebuild our relationship." Antonia ran her nose along his jaw. She could understand why Dawn did whatever she could to stay with Dallas. There was a tiny part of her that wanted to forgive him. She knew part of it was sunk cost fallacy, but a small part of it was thinking if she got the surgery she desperately needed, her periods wouldn't be a factor anymore, and he would stop cheating. He had helped her get over a lot of her issues and built her confidence in herself and her business abilities. She wanted to win him in a weird, twisted way, prove she was better than the others. But the logical part of her brain knew he wouldn't change and that she would never get over the betrayal.

"So she liked the scrapbook?" He leaned down and kissed her briefly. He wouldn't engage much if he knew he wasn't going to get to take her to bed, so she felt comfortable being affectionate with him, knowing he wouldn't take it further.

"I'm not actually sure if she did or not. But she cried her eyes out when she got the pearls."

"You gave her your mother's pearls?" He leaned back and looked down at her in surprise.

"Yeah, I was going to when I found them; I just never got a chance." She shrugged and drank more of her frappe. "How was golf?"

"Fine, six over par for the course." He said absently. "So the pearls aren't here anymore?"

"No, they're at her place. Why?" Antonia had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing.

"You really haven't noticed all the banging and scratching?" Dallas took his arm off her shoulder and covered his face. "The whispering?"

"No? well, I've heard some of the bangs, but I don't hear scratching or whispers." She tilted her head at him. "What does that have to do with the pearls?"

"Just, they belonged to your mom, and I know objects can hold spirits." He rubbed his eyes. "And that's not all; I've been feeling off balance, and the doctor said there's nothing wrong with me. I've lost a few things, or they've been moved."

"You think my mom is haunting us?" Antonia couldn't help it; she chuckled. "She's been dead for eleven years. Why would she suddenly start haunting us?"

"Because you sold the house." He muttered, looking a little embarrassed. "You said she was attached to it."

"Yeah, it was her childhood home." Antonia nodded. "Wouldn't she be messing with me, not you?"

"I was the one who convinced you to sell the house though. You would have stayed there otherwise, but I always felt weird there, so I wanted you to sell."

"I sold the house because I was tired of all the upkeep. I wanted a condo, so I didn't have to worry about that anymore. You didn't convince me to do anything. Nola didn't want to buy it, and I had nothing but bad memories there. I really don't think Mom is haunting us." Antonia leaned over and hugged him. "I think you're just tired. You've got more responsibility now with your promotion, and you're adjusting."

"You're probably right." He smiled at her and finished his frappe. "Yeah, I'm tired and adjusting to more responsibility."

"Why don't you go shower, and I'll clean up." Antonia collected their garbage and stood up. "We'll go to bed, and you can sleep in tomorrow."

"No I can't, we have a tux fitting tomorrow morning." He shook his head. "Had to get Carver in there."

"Sleep later than normal." She corrected herself as she tossed things in the garbage.

"A good idea is a good idea though." He came over and ran his hands down her sides to her hips and kissed her shoulder. "Hopefully, the doctor will figure out what's wrong with you tomorrow. I miss my little mynx."

"Mm. I miss you too." She leaned back into his chest. "The offer is still there to take care of you."

"I know." He kissed her again and let her go. "It's just not the same." 

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