A Charmed Life | Coven Corner #3

Chapter Eight

Hazel heard Phoebe's sobs before she'd even reached the schoolhouse door.

"She's mean! I hate her!" Phoebe wailed.

"Miss Aven is being perfectly reasonable," Nick replied. "You need someone to teach you about magic. I can't do that, Phoebe."

"I want Mama to teach me."

"She's not here, sweetheart. So you're going to behave yourself for Miss Aven and you're going to clean that schoolhouse from top to bottom until it's shining like new."

Nick's voice sounded tired, as if he'd heard this argument countless times before but the only response he could give was the same, even if he wished it could have been different.

Hazel met Nick and Phoebe at the door. Phoebe was dressed in orange leggings, a black sweater, and purple coverall shorts. Her face was streaked with tears and her eyes were rimmed with red as she stood there, hiccupping despite her defiant glare directed at Hazel.

Nick's shoulders drooped, his face a shade paler than his usual golden tan. He was exhausted. But Phoebe still had plenty of fight left in her.

"Good morning, Miss Aven," he said. "Sorry we're running a little late."

"That's not a problem," Hazel said, waving him off. "You're here now."

She stepped aside to allow them to pass into the schoolhouse. Soot streaked the walls and ash littered the floor in a gray powder like snow.

"There's a bucket and some sponges in the classroom, Phoebe," Hazel said. "You can start there."

"You can't make me," Phoebe said, crossing her arms. "I'll only do it with my wand. I want it back."

Hazel drew her wand from the pocket of her pants and gave it a twitch, casting a spell over Phoebe.

Phoebe went rigid and she took a jerky step forward. She shot a dark look in Hazel's direction. Another step. Another. Then she disappeared around the corner and into the classroom. A moment later, the slosh of water echoed.

"That doesn't...hurt, does it?" Nick said. "That spell you just put on her?"

Hazel shook her head and stowed her wand in her pocket again.

"No," she said. "It's perfectly harmless. Normally, I don't like to use magic on my students. But Phoebe has an iron will and we need the schoolhouse ready to go by Monday. I have a feeling if we waited for her to cooperate, she would drag this whole thing out much longer than necessary. The spell was merely a nudge in the right direction. It'll wear off once she's willing to do the work."

Nick nodded but Hazel could still see the concern etched into his face.

"Is there anything I can do?" he said.

Hazel raised her eyebrows but before she could respond, Nick continued.

"I mean, obviously I can't do anything with magic. But I could...you know...repair windows, floorboards, anything like that."

"That's very kind of you. But there wasn't any damage. It's mostly just the soot and ash that needs to be cleaned up and I believe that should be Phoebe's job alone."

"Right." He jerked a thumb over his shoulder. "Then I'll leave you to it. When should I pick up Phoebe?"

"Anytime after four o'clock will do."

Nick began to turn away then stopped. He hesitated for a moment, seeming to wrestle with himself over something.

"Miss Aven," he said.

"Yes?" Hazel said.

"This is horrible timing, I know. But to hell with it. We should get around to picking another date for that postponed dinner. We've put it off for a whole week. And this weekend will be taken up with Phoebe and the schoolhouse. But I'm sure we could figure out something, right?"

Hazel sighed. There was no escaping the truth now.

"I don't think that would be a good idea, Mr. Butler," she said.

Nick nodded. "I had a feeling you'd say that."

"You...did?"

"Ever since Phoebe was sick, you stopped calling me Nick. It's always 'Mr. Butler'. At first, I thought it was because you might be a little...I don't know...annoyed maybe? I can't imagine too many women would be happy about their date being interrupted to care for a sick kid."

"That's not...no," Hazel said. She stepped forward, lowering her voice so Phoebe couldn't overhear. "Phoebe is my student. And I hadn't considered how hard it might be on her when her teacher and her father started seeing each other."

"I think her behavior is more my fault than yours," Nick said. "I haven't dated anyone since the divorce. She doesn't know how to handle another mother figure in her life. She's still waiting for Marissa to walk through the door at any moment, no matter how many times I tell her it won't happen."

Hazel didn't respond. It must be painful to have a reminder every day that the woman you'd loved, the mother of your child, walked out and would never come back.

"Let me talk to Phoebe," Nick said. "I'll smooth things over, get her to understand."

"I think she understands perfectly well," Hazel replied. "That's why she's acting out. It's not an acceptable form of communication but it's the only way she knows how to cope with what's going on."

Hazel paused and took in a bracing breath for what she was about to say next.

"Perhaps it's best if we kept our distance, Mr. Butler. Maintain a professional relationship for Phoebe's sake. She has enough to adjust to without the two of us adding to her troubles."

Hell's bells, those words tasted so awful and sour in her mouth. She hated the way they weighed in the air, heavy and suffocating.

Nick ducked his head.

"Phoebe is the first priority," he said.

"Exactly," Hazel said softly.

Nick nodded as he stared at the floor. He passed a hand over his face.

"I knew you'd be good for Phoebe," he said. "I just didn't realize you'd be...this good. You're right, Miss Aven. Thank you for your honesty and for looking after my little girl."

Then Nick walked out of the schoolhouse and he didn't look back. When the door shut behind him with a hollow thump, Hazel felt as if she had just let something slip through her fingers that she desperately wanted.