The White Witch (10 page)

I looked at the incoming waves and realized that the waitress was right. I take a deep breath and close my eyes for a moment breathing in the calm, though I am really just excited about how well the day is going and I am anxious about the surprise tonight.

As we are finishing up desert, my dad and Liz tell Logan all about the competition tomorrow and Sunday and how they will be very busy. Logan of course is the first to volunteer to keep an eye on me.

As we pull out of the restaurant and watch my parents drive off to the rink, a calm settles over me. “Alright, Mr. Blackwell, where would you like me to drive you to?” I say in my best British accent.

Logan chuckles loudly. “Actually, I wanted to ask something of you.”

I stop at the exit of the restaurant parking lot and look at him. “What is it?”

“I thought maybe we can go by my house. My mom is there, and well…” He drops his gaze and brings it back to me. “The more time I spend with you, the more she asks about meeting you.”

I bite the inside of my lip as a nervous weight drops in my stomach.
His Mom? He wants me to meet his mom?
I open my mouth to say something but nothing comes out.

“We don’t have to, if you don’t want-”

“I’d love to.” I cut him off, though I’m pretty sure that was an exaggeration. “But if that’s the case, then we should just go get your car at the country club and take it back to your place.” I say as my heart beats triple in my ears.

I follow Logan all the way down the roads of what look to be the richest neighborhoods I’ve ever seen. As we drive past the Stamford Yacht Club I begin to wonder how much further we will be driving since I can already see the ocean from here.

Large hedges and iron gates hinged to stone pillars surround the driveway he pulls into. As he pulls up to the gates, he punches a code into a small box and the iron gates begin to creak open. The knots in my stomach get bigger and I begin to get nauseous. If someone had told me last weekend that I would be dating someone I probably would have laughed in their face, yet here I am meeting his mom. I flip the visor down and check my make up quickly before approaching the house.

The road winds through several groups of trees before opening up to a fountain and a beautiful old Victorian style home that would normally be seen in a movie, or some TV show about celebrity homes. The outside is made with tan colored stones, with several pillars lining the front porch.
Do they even call it a porch when it’s that big?
There are meticulously trimmed bushes surrounding the walls and lining pathways leading out to the sides of the house. It has a very castle-esque feeling to it, and looks like something you might find on the English countryside. 

Logan passes the front entrance and pulls off to the side where there are easily six parking spaces, two of which are occupied by the newest model Mercedes and Cadillac SUVs.
Oh man, what have I gotten myself into?
I turn off the jeep and reach for my clutch to find my hands shaking.
Calm down Kate, you’ve got this. You can meet his mom, be nice and keep your sarcastic tone to a minimum
.

My door swings open and Logan puts out his hand. “Are you sure you’re okay with this? We can leave right now.”

I smile at him and take his hands. “More than okay.” I lie.

The smell of the sea mixed with the scent of the surrounding rose bushes and lilacs envelop me as I slide out of the car. The size and colors of the flowers amaze me and there is not one rose that is any smaller than my fist. Each one is beautifully open and calling to the sun for its warmth.

The sound of the pounding waves in the distance and overhead clouds remind me to keep my emotions under control. I take a deep breath and make my way with Logan to the large wooden double doors with iron work twisting all around them and the small windows they house. Before Logan can even insert his key, the doors begin to open.

A tall balding man, with white hair along the sides of his head stands at the entrance. His dress shoes quickly pick up the glare of the sun proving that they have been shined to a T. His slacks are very neatly pressed as well as his black vest and white shirt. He has a plain grey tie around his neck, neatly tucked into the vest.

A butler? Seriously? He has a butler? Oh man, I am way out of my element here
.

“Good Afternoon, Mister Blackwell.” His voice is kind, almost grandfatherly.

“Good Afternoon, Harrison. This is my girlfriend, Katelyn Miller.” Logan flashes a smile at me and winks.

Girlfriend? Okay, I knew we were headed that way, but I didn’t know that he considered me like that already
. I feel a blush consume my body.

“Good Afternoon, Miss Miller. It is a pleasure.” Harrison inclines his head to me.

“Thank you, the pleasure is mine, and please call me Katelyn.”

“Yes, Miss Katelyn.” He smiles at me as we walk in.

As we enter, the first thing I see is a table in the center with a huge arrangement of flowers in beautiful summer colors. To the right and left of the entryway are staircases that start off wide, and get narrower as they reach the top to convene at a beautiful second floor balcony. The dark wood floors all around the house bring out the colors in every piece of furniture and every wall. To the right of me, I see a sitting room with several chairs and sofas and various coffee and end tables. To the left I find a beautiful mahogany table that looks easily as if it were plucked directly from the Victorian era, with various carvings and matching chairs. A large stone fireplace takes up the back wall behind it.

From a doorway behind the right staircase emerges a beautiful woman. She seems no taller than five foot five or six, with black straight hair that curls at the end. Her skin is flawless, save for a few laugh lines around her mouth and eyes, giving to her warm and inviting smile. Her beautiful blue eyes instantly give away her relation to Logan.

“Well, you must be Katelyn.” Her voice is melodic and kind and when she wraps her arms around me, I take in the scent of what I am sure is my favorite Burberry perfume. “I am Sabina Blackwell, Logan’s mother. It is such a pleasure to finally meet you.”

I hesitate slightly but return the hug, hoping she cannot feel my heart beating hard against my chest.

She releases me and takes my hands in hers.

I smile at her and release a breath I didn’t realize I was holding.  “Thank you so much Mrs. Blackwell, though, the pleasure is mine. And thank you for having me in your beautiful home.”

She waves her hand at me, “I will have none of that Mrs. Blackwell nonsense.” She lets out a soft laugh. “Please, call me Sabina.” She moves to stand between Logan and I and loops her arms through ours. “Now come.” She nudges us forward. “I will ask Harrison to bring us drinks and pastries on the patio.”

I look at Logan and he shrugs his shoulders and mouths ‘sorry.’

I giggle and mouth. ‘It’s ok.’

After stopping so that Sabina can speak briefly with Harrison, we walk with his mom out one of the three French double doors onto a beautiful patio with ceramic tile and two sets of wicker furniture. Down a small flight of steps is a walkway to a beautiful pool complete with rocks that double as slides and a waterfall. In the distance I see that a path leading down the back of the small hill to the dock where a rather large boat sits patiently.

She walks us over and leaves Logan and I to sit on a loveseat while she sits in a large single person chair. As soon as we make ourselves comfortable, Harrison steps out of a side door with a tray of pastries, chocolate covered strawberries, and water with lemon for Logan and myself and a cocktail for Sabina.

“I have to admit, Katelyn, I was unsure of whether or not Logan would bring you by to meet me.”  She raises her eyebrow at Logan with a smile.

Logan shakes his head. “Mother.” He starts with a warning tone in his voice.

“See our Logan has always been very private and has never given any indication regarding feelings for anyone, let alone allowing himself to be distracted. So naturally I was quite intrigued when I heard him mentioning your name and smiling when he was texting on his phone-”

“Mother, are you serious? Did you want to meet her strictly to embarrass me?” Logan interrupts and sits back on the loveseat as he slides his hand beneath mine, interlocking our fingers.

“Oh, Logan.” She huffs. “I hope I am not being too forward dear.” She shifts her gaze to me and smiles.

“Oh, no. Not at all.” I say, amused with the entire conversation.

“So, tell me about yourself, since I have not been able to get anything out of Logan beside your name.”

A knot forms in my stomach and my body threatens to return the lunch we had earlier. Logan gives my hand a reassuring squeeze, but it only slightly helps.

“Oh, um… there isn’t much to tell, really. I just graduated today, I work with my dad and step mom at the Ice rink they own, over in Cove.”

“She graduated with top honors and at the top of her class.” Logan added, smiling proudly.

“Well, it doesn’t surprise me that the one that has managed to attract my boy is smart
and
beautiful.”  She leans forward, grabbing a small rounded pastry puff and eases it into her mouth.

“Thank you.” I say lowly, my gaze dropping quickly to the floor where I am shifting my feet.

“Hhmmm, and humble as well.” She looks at Logan. “I like her.” She brings her gaze back to me. “Katelyn, Logan’s father will be in town next weekend and I would love if you could join us for dinner.”

“Um, sure, I just have to make sure that my dad and Liz don’t need me at the rink. Thank you so much for inviting me.” The knot in my stomach feels heavier.

All of a sudden, the double doors beside me fling open and a tall suited man steps out. Erebos. Immediately his gaze is drawn to me. I steal a glance at Logan who by now has sat up taller, moved closer and moved my hand into his lap. Sabina raises an eyebrow at Erebos in a clear warning.

I don’t know if Logan can see hear it or see it, but my breathing is suddenly trying to move at warp speed.

“My apologies Sabina and Logan, I was unaware that you were to have company this afternoon.”

“Funny, Erebos, I distinctly recall you lurking in the doorway when I was telling my mother that I would like to bring Katelyn by today.”

“It must have slipped my mind, how rude of me.” His words slide off his tongue like a snake.

Despite Logan’s rigid posture and cold demeanor towards him, Erebos does not excuse himself. In fact he steps closer and extends his hand. “We have not been properly introduced. I am Erebos.”

I reluctantly extend my hand, careful to control my emotions as I can see waves forming in the pool below. “I am Katelyn.” I clench my teeth and call on the protective girl I have been for so many years. “Are you sure we haven’t met?” I say, trying to keep the sarcasm in my tone to a minimum.

I hear Logan let out a snicker behind me as he wraps his arm around my waist. I release Erebos’s hand and take hold of Logan’s arms around me, allowing a calm to help bring my breathing to a semi-normal rate.

Erebos’s expression falls and I see him move his jaw a couple of times, as he squints his eyes. My head begins to pound, but I do not let on. “No. It was only in passing outside the sandwich shop.”

“Erebos.” Logan calls to him sternly, breaking the gaze he had locked on me. Logan nudges me to turn as he does the same. “Mother, we should be going.”

Sabina gives a hard look to Erebos, clearly bothered with his interruption. “Alright my dear.” Logan stands and steps forward planting a kiss on his mother’s head. Sabina moves past him and takes me into another embrace.

This may take some getting used to.

“It truly was a pleasure meeting you and I hope you will be coming by again.” I could hear a bit of longing and disappointment in her voice.

“I will Mrs. Bl-… Sabina.” I give her an extra squeeze before letting go.

Logan pulls me along behind him as we walk past her chair and exit through one of the other double doors without so much as a word to Erebos.

As soon as we enter the house, Logan turns and takes my face in his hands. “I cannot explain to you how awesome that was. You didn’t let him intimidate you at all.”

I feel my eyes get heavy and the pounding in my head moves to my ears. I glance out the windows of the doors and Erebos is staring straight at me.

Logan sees this and stands between myself and the windows, pulling me close to him. “Are you sure there is nothing you want to tell me now?”

“My head hurts so bad.” I breathe onto his chest.

I try to control my emotions regarding the pain and nothing works. Then as if by magic, I hear Mr. Wentworth’s voice in my head. It wasn’t only the elements, but the energies around them. So I think of the calm that being with Logan usually brings me, and though I feel the calm, I cannot shake the pain.

“Maybe you should lie down.” Logan whispers onto my head.

“No, I probably just need an aspirin or something.” I pull my head back and look into his eyes. “I don’t want to ruin the plans you have for today.”