The Rules of Magic (Practical Magic 0)(23)

“You didn’t notice when the sun came up?” Franny said, no longer as angry.

“I swear I didn’t. Everything just happened.”

Vincent and Franny exchanged a look. This was the way people spoke when they fell in love.

“We don’t even know who he is,” Franny said. “He could have been a murderer.”

“He is not a murderer! His father is a reverend and he’s applying to Yale. I met him over the summer, when we were visiting Aunt Isabelle. Yesterday he happened to be at a national youth club meeting at Queens College. He said that he suddenly found himself thinking about me right there in Queens, in the middle of everything, and he couldn’t stop. So he got on a subway. And then he just appeared.”

“He sounds fascinating,” Vincent said drily.

“Well, he is!” Jet said, her facing flushing with emotion. “He wants to do good in the world and make a difference and I find that fascinating!”

Their mother had come into the hallway, the color drained from her face. She’d overheard just enough to cause her to panic. “Who were you with?”

“I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to be this late.”

“You were with some boy! What is his name?”

Jet had the sense that she should lie, but it wasn’t in her nature. She turned quite pale as she said, “Levi Willard.”

To everyone’s great shock Susanna slapped Jet, hard so that her head hit against the wall. Their mother had never before raised a hand to any of them. She didn’t even believe in it.

“Mother!” Franny cried.

“Your father is in the kitchen and I don’t want him to hear a word of this. Don’t you ever see that individual again, Jet. Do you understand me?”

Jet nodded. There were bright tears in her eyes.

“I will send you away to boarding school if I ever find out you’ve disobeyed me. It will happen so fast you won’t have time to pack a suitcase.”

“What’s the big deal?” Vincent said. “She lost track of time.”

“Just do as I say. And for now, you’re all grounded. And understand this, just because you can love someone, doesn’t mean they won’t be destroyed.”

“But you’re married,” Jet said, confused.

“I gave up love for a normal life,” Susanna said. “That’s all I ever wanted for you.”

“You never loved our father?” Franny asked.

“Can’t you tell?” Vincent threw in.

“Of course I love your father. Don’t misunderstand me. I’m just not in love, which has saved us both in ways you can’t imagine. I recommend you do the same. We are not like other people, that much is true. It has to do with our history, and if you’re lucky you’ll never know any more than that.”

“I already do,” Franny dared to say. “I spent a great deal of time in the library when we were at Aunt Isabelle’s.”

“Some things should be left alone,” Susanna told Franny. “You won’t be going back to Isabelle’s or to that library.” She turned to Jet. “And you stay away from that boy. Do you hear me?”

“Yes. I hear you.” Jet’s eyes were raised to meet her mother’s. She appeared to acquiesce, but her expression was cool. “Loud and clear,” she said.

Their father called to them. “May I ask what is going on here?”

They exchanged a look, agreeing it was best to keep him in the dark, but they all trooped into the kitchen.

“Well, hallelujah,” he said when he saw Jet. “One problem solved and another begun.” He gestured to a crow tapping on the window, clearly wishing to be let in.

Franny went to unlatch the lock and push up on the window frame. “There you are.” She was actually delighted to see him.

“Oh, for goodness’ sake, Franny, must you have creatures around?” their mother said.

“Yes, I must.” The crow flapped inside and made himself comfortable on a curtain rod.

When they went to their room, the crow flapping after them, Jet was despondent. “She’s never loved our father.”

“She loves him,” Franny said as she made a nest out of a sweater atop her bureau. “Just in her way.”

Jet got into bed and pulled up the covers.

“Oh, no you don’t,” Franny said, getting into bed beside her. “Tell all.”

“Mother hates Levi and she doesn’t even know him. I think she hates me, too.”

“We don’t have to listen to her,” Franny said. “Or be like her. She definitely would have chosen caution.”

Jet closed her eyes. “I won’t listen to her.”

They lay there side by side, defiant, convinced that, if there were curses, then there must also be cures for every mortal plight.



In November, April Owens came to New York, having told her exasperated parents that she’d been invited to visit her cousins, which was far from true. She had already spent what should have been her first freshman semester of college working in a coffee shop in the North End. She had been accepted to MIT, delighting her stupefied parents, who had no idea she was so intelligent, but had deferred because she felt she had other things to attend to. It was too exciting a time to be tied down to school. On the eighth of the month, Senator Kennedy from Massachusetts had won in the closest presidential election since 1916. Hatless and handsome, he had given people faith in the future when he gave his acceptance speech. I can assure you that every degree of mind and spirit that I possess will be devoted to the long-range interests of the United States and of the cause of freedom around the world.