Fairytale Come Alive (Ghosts and Reincarnation #4)(137)

“Pren didn’t like me hanging up on him,” she announced.

“Broody,” Mikey declared and then finished, “Hot.”

Bella giggled.

So did Fiona.

And Fern.

And Debs.

“I need coffee and one of Bella’s Christmas cookies,” Annie declared.

“You made Christmas cookies?” Debs asked, eyes wide, clearly having had Bella’s Christmas cookies (Fiona hadn’t, but she’d heard about them and she’d seen the ones Bella made with Sally at the weekend and they looked delicious).

“She’s Bella. It’s Christmas. That means Christmas cookies,” Mikey confirmed.

“Fern, can you come over for coffee and cookies?” Bella asked.

“I’ll have cookies tomorrow,” Fern replied. “My girl is in to help then. I’ll be at your place at eleven o’clock?”

“Works for me,” Bella smiled.

They said their good-byes and Fiona floated after them as they walked down the pavement toward Bella’s new Land Rover.

While Fiona drifted after them, she thought of her husband, who was good at brooding normally but had honed it to a fine art when Fiona died.

Fiona also thought about it being Christmas.

They’d always had great Christmases except last year which was a disaster although Prentice tried everything he could and had help from both their families.

And although he was definitely happy to have Bella back and Fiona’s family was whole again, Fiona reckoned Prentice was apprehensive about Christmas.

And maybe, even though he had the love of his life back in his life, it seemed he was still missing his wife a little.

This made Fiona both happy and sad.

She forgot about danger and magic and got close to Bella as Bella hit the button on her keyfob to open her Rover.

Take care with Prentice! she shouted, He’s worried about Christmas.

Bella moved to the driver’s side door and whispered, “I know. I will.”

Fiona wished she could hug her.

As they all piled in, Fiona felt a shiver go through her body.

She turned and looked down the street and then stared, her ghostly eyes narrowing, not believing what she thought she’d just seen.

She wasn’t sure because she’d disappeared around the corner but Fiona could have sworn she saw Hattie Fennick standing there.

With a camera.

* * * * *

Annie didn’t have one of Bella’s cookies.

She had five. Fiona counted.

Bella, Annie, Debs and Mikey (and Fiona) were all at the kitchen bar, sitting on stools, Bella and Mikey on one side, Annie and Debs on the other and they’d made their way through a serious amount of cookies as well as righted most of the wrongs in the world.

But mostly they chewed over the idea that Hattie was in a perpetual foul mood because of her unreciprocated love for Prentice.

It was nearing time that Bella had to go pick up the kids and Fiona saw her glance at the microwave clock.

This was one of the many reasons why Fiona found Bella being there a gift, knowing her kids would be picked up from school by someone they looked forward to seeing. And knowing that Prentice didn’t have to arrange it and could go about his business knowing his children were looked after by someone they cared about.

On Fiona’s thoughts, Bella’s purse, sitting on the counter beside her, rang. She put down her mug, dug through her purse and her brows knit as she looked at the display.

“What’d I do now?” she muttered, Annie, Mikey and Debs grinned at each other and Bella put her phone to her ear as Fiona drifted close, “Hey, Pren.”

“Elle, don’t go to the school. I’m picking up the kids today.”

Bella’s head tilted to the side and she said, “That’s sweet of you, Pren, but I’m good. It only takes a few minutes and Annie and Debs are here to keep Mikey company.”

“No, baby, I have to go. The Headmaster called, Jace has been in a fight.”

Fiona’s spectral body got stiff just as corporeal Bella’s did.

Fiona’s son was not a fighter.

Okay, that was a lie, he’d stick up for himself and, if he believed in something, he’d defend it. But he’d normally do this verbally not get in a fight.

“Jace got in a fight?” Bella whispered and Mikey, Annie and Debs’s grins died.

“Aye. I’ll pick up Sally then talk to the Headmaster. We’ll be home soon.”

“Do you want me to –?”

“No, baby, I’ll take care of it.”

“All right, see you soon.”

“Aye, see you.”

Fiona was about to transport herself to the school as Bella stared at her phone after Prentice disengaged.

Then Bella looked at Debs and asked, “Has Jason ever fought at school?”

Fiona stopped herself and looked at Debs as she shook her head. “No, never. He’s like his Dad, he’s got a temper but he’s a smart lad, knows how to keep his cool. I haven’t seen him lose it since he was wee. It would have to be something really bad for him to fight.”

Bella pulled in a deep breath and whispered on her exhale, “I think it’s Christmas. Prentice is on edge too. Holidays can be bad if you’ve lost a loved one.”

“Yes, darling,” Mikey replied softly, “but now they have you.”