Julien Gregg's Moreau Witches Part Two Chapter 5

 FIVE

So much had happened over the years. Lestan had a girlfriend named Mary Beth Moreau. She was the daughter of a cousin named Anton Moreau who had married a woman in the family with no natural magical abilities. I didn't know what to think of that. Mary Beth was powerful in her own right. She could burn things with her mind. She wasn't an elemental because the only element she could control was fire. She could make the fire. My dads are going strong. Pop, Stephan, was now a surgeon at Moreau Medical. Dad, Lucas, says that he'll be Chief of Staff over there sooner or later. Dad tested us with the ring. It burned Lestan, but I wore it for ten minutes. That meant that I was the Heir in Waiting. He took me to Moreau Legal the next day and got me set up. I learned a lot. I also got twenty thousand dollars every six months with a warning not to spend it frivolously or I'd have hard questions to answer if I asked for more money before the six months was up.

We were fifteen that year and about to turn sixteen. Dad kept saying that he buy us cars. I didn't know what I needed one for. I rarely went anywhere. Lestan had dates. Sometimes I went with them, but most of the time I stayed put. Grandma and Frank came every Sunday. She was fond of bringing us cookies and cakes that she baked. I liked that. Lestan wasn't big on sweets though. More for me. I hadn't used my power of the dogs we had. We now had three. Two Cocker Spaniels and a Beagle we named Paul of all things. Dad thought it was funny. I also discovered that I could communicate with the animals just like Lestan. I may have been able to kill and heal, but he could manipulate air and turn it into a weapon. I'm told I used my power on Lucky and Lestan used his power on me. I don't remember that, but I remember the lectures about how killing people and animals was bad unless my life was in danger. Lestan also got that lecture, but we didn't use the power on people. I'd healed Lucky when he got sick. Other than that I hadn't done much with the power. I used my power to communicate with the animals a lot, though. Lestan loved them, but Lucky was his favorite. Jinx was my dog. Paul was Dad's dog. He followed Dad around the house all of the time.

Jinx slept in my bed with me. Lucky slept with Lestan. We had our own rooms now, and Dad tells me that when I used my power on Lucky and Lestan used his power on me we had wanted separate rooms and didn't talk to each other for a few months. I can't remember that at all. Lestan has always been my faithful companion. Well, until he me Mary Beth. Now he's all about her. I'm not jealous. I don't find romance to be an important thing at the moment. I liked to write. Dad bought us high powered gaming computers for our fifteenth birthday. I use mine to write novels. I'd finished one and gotten published, which was why I didn't bother much with the twenty thousand. I had made seven hundred, fifty thousand from the book. It was about a mundane woman and a witch detective that were searching for her missing husband. They found him dead in chapter six. Then they started to like each other and got married by the end of the book. My Pop called it a romance novel. My Dad called it a mystery novel, because while they were falling in love they were trying to solve the husband's murder. The did solve it. It was her sister who loved him, too.

I was writing another one about a pair of witches on the run from their coven. I didn't know where it was going yet, but it was fun to write. In the book, they used their powers for a lot of things. They weren't dark witches, they never hurt anyone. They just made their lives a bit easier on the run. I was thinking of them finding a boy who's mother was sick and dying. Then have one of the witches heal her and live with them for the rest of their lives. Dad called it my guilty pleasure. I just liked to write.

I liked to read, too. My shelves in my sitting room were filled with books. Lestan had video games, and so did I, but you'd find me either writing or with my nose in a book. Dad thought it was a good thing. Lestan thought it was crazy. He spent a lot of time with Uncle Rusty. He lived in a house on the western side of the city with Tomas. They had two dogs named Salt and Pepper. They were Beagles. They got them from the same guy who gave us Paul.

My Great Uncle, Marcel took me to Moreau Medical with him when he went to heal after he found out that I'd healed Lucky. He let me put my hands on the patient and look inside him to see what he was doing to heal them. I'd done that about five times. I was ready to heal on my own, but Marcel didn't think so. He told me that he'd decide when I was ready. I was like, oh great another thing and adult will decide for me. I wasn't jaded really. Just getting it from all sides. My Grandpa Shane loved the name I used for my books. I wrote as Charles Bennett. That had been his name before he died and then took over Shane's body. He became Shane Moreau. It was a closely guarded secret in the family. Uncle Revanche and Uncle Pierre knew. Lorette had known, but she was dead now for five years. She'd died of sepsis. Marcel couldn't heal her. I had thought that if we both had tried we could have done it. But he said it was her destiny.

I didn't know much about destiny. The only Destiny I knew was Destiny McNeal from Salem. She chatted with me about my books. She wrote, too. Hers were horror novels about killers and dark witches. I read her book. She hadn't published it until I told her to send it to my agent. Now she was published. Her main character in her book was named Misery. I thought that was cool. She lived in Salem, Massachusetts. We had never met in real life. We'd facetimed though. She was pretty, but she liked girls. That was fine with me. I didn't like girls much. I thought boys were fun to look at but I hadn't singled one out yet. There was time for that later. Would I go to college? That was the question on Dad's lips. Of course I would go to college and major in creative writing or English.

He was worried about the effect being the Heir in Waiting would have on me. Well I hated to tell him but so far it hadn't had any effect on me. I was still just Charlie Moreau, killer, healer, and animal communicator who wrote books and published then under an assumed name. I was planning to go to college. Destiny was planning to go to Ashdon as well. She wanted out of Salem. She was the online girlfriend of Justine Moreau who went to school on the west side. I hadn't known her until we three way facetimed and I found out that she lived in one of the beach houses. We had a beach house. It was almost as large as the manor. We went there in the summer sometimes. I loved the beach. Lestan did, too. But this year he'd brought Mary Beth. They weren't sleeping together according to him, but she wore a promise ring on her finger.

I was a little put off by all of that stuff. Promise rings, having sex before we were adults, and pledging my undying love to someone was alien to me. I was just me. Pop said it was a little sad that I wasn't interested in dating. I told him I just hadn't found the right guy. He'd laughed at that and told me that I might be right. Well, I wasn't interested in any of the boys at school. There were a few that were interested in me though. Ralph Moreau thought I was the best looking things since ice cream. Todd Moreau thought I was sexy as hell as he put it. Sure I liked to work on my body and I was proud of my body, but I didn't work on my body so that kids like Ralph and Todd could tell me I was sexy.

"Where's Lestan?" Dad asked me as I came into the dining room for lunch.

"With Mary Beth," I said. "I think they went to the Family Fun Center."

"Okay," he said. "You look a little lost. Having trouble now that your twin has found someone to date?"

"No," I said. "I'm just stuck in my book. I know where I want it to go, I just can't take it there right now."

"Ah, well," he said. "You know that you have training with Marcel tomorrow."

"I know," I said. "I'm looking forward to it."

"Are you now?" he asked. "I thought you wanted to be a writer. You going to heal like Marcel?"

"Can't I do both?" I asked. "And I'm already a writer. I'm published."

"Yes, and your first book was very good," he said. "Your grandfather loved it."

"Well, I'm writing this one in a different way," I said. "There's no romance involved."

"Okay," he said. "What about Legacy stuff. Do you think you've got all that down?"

"Yeah, I took copious notes," I said. "I have them on my pad."

"Okay," he said. "You all ready for school to start?"

"I guess," I said. "I'll go and buy supplies later. Will you take me?"

"Your Pop should be home by then, so yeah, I'll take you," he said. "I wish Lestan would stay home once in a while."

"He's with Mary Beth all the time," I said. "He's in love."

"Yes," he said. "Young love."

We said no more about it. Lisa put food on the table. She was getting better. No one did things like Marla, but she had retired. Now it was Lisa. She'd worked under Marla for five years before she retired, but Lisa had her own way of doing things. Usually it was later than we wanted it. Dad was constantly talking to her about it. I didn't know why he didn't just hire another woman to serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Lisa was clearly not cutting it."

We had roast beef sandwiches with sauce and potato wedges. I had iced tea with mine. Dad had wine. We talked back and forth about his current project with the Legacy. It was building another Moreau Medical and another Moreau Legal in New York City. He'd been flying out there and back a lot. I didn't like to fly. It made my stomach feel funny. I'd rather drive. I hadn't driven much. I got the hours needed for my permit, but then I just lost interest. I'd passed the class. I was just waiting until I was sixteen to take the test and get my license. Dad was planning to buy me a car. I told him I'd rather have a truck. He nodded at that at the time. Who knew what he remembered.

"How is Moreau Medical and Legal New York coming along?" I asked.

"They're nearly finished," he said. "We're staffing right now. A few doctors and lawyers are moving to New York to head up both."

"Marcel isn't moving is he?" I asked.

"No, he isn't a doctor," he said.

"Pop isn't going to New York, is he?" I asked.

"No, he's going to be Chief of Staff here at Keller Village," he said.

"That's awesome, you always said he would be sooner or later," I said.

"Well, the current Chief of Staff is moving to the city to be the Chief there," said Dad.

"Oh, ok," I said. "I hear Lestan."

Lestan came in and sat down. Lisa put a plate in front of him. He began to eat. Dad watched him for a bit but didn't say anything. I didn't say anything either. We just let him eat in peace. Lucky came into the dining room and I got up to feed the dogs. Then I took my plate back to the kitchen. Lisa always forgot to clear the dishes. I got another iced tea and headed to my room to work on the book. I was up there for an hour, really getting into it when Lestan came into my room.

"I've done it," he said simply. I was going to need more information.

"Done what?" I asked.

"Had sex," he said. "Mary Beth and I had sex today."

"Congratulations," I said. "You are like every other teenager in town."

"But not you," he said.

"I haven't found anyone that I want to play with," I said. "I've been writing and following Marcel and Dad around all the time. Who has the time?"

"Well, you don't have to follow Dad around all of the time now," he said. "Marcel is taking you to a healing tomorrow, but you'll be free after that. Come out with me and Mary Beth. Her brother is coming along with us. You know him. He's Greg Moreau. Far enough away from us that it wouldn't be considered incest."

"I'm not worried about incest," I said. "I'm gay. I barely know Greg. He's quiet."

"Yeah, like you," he said.

"Dad's taking me to get school supplies a little later," I said. "Do you want me to buy you some?"

"Sure," he said. "I'll even go with you. But what do you say? Will you come out with us later tomorrow?"

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"The Family Fun Center," he said. "On the west side."

"All right," I said. "I might get a chance to see Justine."

"I know Justine Moreau," he said. "She's a lesbian."

"She's the online girlfriend of Destiny McNeal, the girl I chat with," I said.

"Okay, so you'll go?" he asked.

"Yes," I said. "I'll go. Let's go ask Dad when he wants to go shopping."

We went downstairs and found Pop and Dad in the living room. Dad smiled at us and then said he'd forgotten. He got up and we went out to his SUV. He drove us to the school supply store. It sold most of the stuff for teachers, but there was a section where I always bought school supplies. I got notebooks, folders, pens and pencils, and a cast to cary it all in. I also got loose leaf paper and a lot of index cards. Lestan picked out notebooks and loose leaf paper. He got folders, pens and pencils, and a pencil sharpener. I grabbed one of those and an eraser. The big rubber kind. We took them to the counter and I paid for it all. Then we drove home.

"Your life seems boring, Charlie," Lestan said.

"Does it?" I asked. "Well, maybe it would seem boring to you. I'm not the social butterfly that you are."

"You could be if you wanted to be," he said.

"Your brother is a loner," Dad said. "I get it. Until I came here to Moonlight Bay, I was a loner."

"So, I'm like Dad," I said.

"Yeah," he said. "But still. I'm glad you agreed to go out with us tomorrow afternoon."

"You just have to wait until I come back from being with Marcel," I said.

"Yeah," he said as we pulled into the circle drive of the Manor.

I took my supplies up to my room and put them on my desk. I was done writing for the day. I grabbed a book and sat down to read. Lestan left me alone. Jinx came in and cuddled with me while I read. It was nice. I went down for another iced tea and took it back to my room and continued to read and scratch the dog's belly. I hadn't thought about it, but I guess I was a loner. I liked my own company far better than anyone else's. Until recently I was always with Lestan, but Mary Beth had taken that position away from me. I was fine with that. I hadn't realized just how much I liked being alone until I was alone for a while.

I went down to dinner and Lestan was at the table. I was shocked. Lisa and Jill, another of the maids served dinner on time. We had lamb chops with mint jelly and carrots with snow peas. It was good. I had more iced tea. Lestan had a soft drink. I wasn't big on those. I liked my iced tea more than a soda. Pop was there for dinner which was new. He was usually in surgery about now. Being Chief of Staff must mean that he would have regular days now. I decided to ask.

"Does being Chief of Staff mean that we'll see more of you at home?" I asked him.

"Your father asked me the same question a little while ago," laughed Pop. "Yes, it does. I won't be operating much anymore. My eyesight is failing a bit. I have an appointment with an optometrist tomorrow."

"You're not going blind are you?" Lestan asked.

"No," laughed Pop. "Just having trouble seeing."

"So, where are you two going tomorrow?" Dad asked.

"To the Family Fun Center," Lestan said. "Mary Beth's brother Greg is going, so I thought I'd invite Charlie."

"Trying to set your brother up?" Pop asked.

"Not really, no," Lestan said. "I don't know what Greg's sexuality is. He seemed excited that Charlie might join us, but that could just be because he doesn't have many friends."

"Well, that's sad," said Dad. "Charlie has friends. He just doesn't go out with them very often."

"Greg doesn't talk to anyone at school," Lestan said. "He's always alone. He eats lunch alone, too."

"Well, maybe you guys could change that," Pop said.

"I sit with Mary Beth," Lestan said. "Or I will."

"Well, he's her brother," said Dad. "Maybe she wants him to have company."

"Who knows?" Lestan said. "Maybe he and Charlie will hit it off and he can keep him company."

I said nothing to this. I barely knew Greg. I'd seen him a time or two around school, but like Lestan had said, he was always alone. I used to see him with Tom Wiggins a lot, but Tom's family moved to Salem. After that, he was always alone. I knew he was in a bunch of my classes, which was saying something for him. I was super smart. Not to toot my own horn, but I was in upper level classes. My teachers were really pleased with me. They were really pleased with Greg if memory served.

"I don't know if we'll hit it off or not," I said. "I used to see him hanging around Tom Wiggins, but his family moved to Salem. Then he was pretty much alone."

"Maybe he has trouble making friends," Dad said.

"Maybe," I said. "I don't know him that well. I mean he's in a lot of my classes, or was in the past. But I don't talk during class. I'm usually doing my school work or taking notes."

"That's because you're a brain," Lestan said. "I sometimes wish I was a smart as you."

"It isn't smarts," I said. "It's that I pay better attention, and I take better notes."

"Whatever," he said, grinning.

I grinned back, but I was telling the truth. He could be in my classes if he'd pay better attention and take better notes. Or if he studied more. He was a night before kind of guy. I studied all week before a test. That was just one of the differences between us. He was a social butterfly. I was not. I was happiest when I was by myself. There were a few people at school that I ate lunch with and talked to, but Dad was right. I didn't hang out with anyone outside of school.

"I don't want to scare the two of you," Grandpa said. "But I'm going to be in the hospital for a few days. I'm having a cyst removed from my liver."

"It's not cancer, is it?" I asked.

"No," he said. "It's a cyst. They said it's from too much fatty foods."

"Well, then we should have a talk with the cook," I said.

"Really, it's going to be fine," he said.

"Why couldn't Marcel heal it?" Lestan asked.

"Because I'm going to the hospital to have it removed," Grandpa said. "Marcel heals much worse than what I've got. What I've got modern medicine can solve."

"You never let Marcel heal you," I said. "Why not?"

"Because he doesn't need to heal me," he said. "Medicine can heal me. If I get cancer or something then I'll let Marcel have a go at healing it. Now that's enough of this. I just wanted to let you know I wouldn't be around after tonight."

"You're going into the hospital tomorrow?" I asked.

"Yes," he said. "I'm to be there at six in the morning."

"I love you, Grandpa," I said suddenly.

"I love you, too, Charlie," he said.

"I love you, too, Grandpa," Lestan said. "I'm worried."

"Have you had a dream?" Dad asked. It was well known that Lestan had Dad's prophetic dreaming power.

"Not about that," Lestan said. "I see us at the Beach House soon. Well some of us."

"Some of us?" he asked.

"Yeah, you're not there," he said. "I think you were out doing Legacy stuff during the dream."

"Well, that's not out of the ordinary," Dad said with a smile.

"I love you, Dad," I said, again suddenly.

"Well, I love you, too, Charlie," he said, smiling at me.

"I love you, too, Dad," Lestan said. "Even when I'm being a pain."

"Oh I know that," Dad said. "I love you too, buddy."

We were silent after that. We left the table. Lestan left to be with Mary Beth, and I went upstairs to work on my book. If I'd known that it would be the last evening I would spend with my entire family I'd have insisted that Lestan stay home and we'd have sat in the living room with Dad, Pop, and Grandpa. But I had no way to see the future. I just worked on my book and had more iced tea. Jinx lay at my feet. I got far in the book. I got them to the boy who's mother was sick and dying before I turned off my computer and went to bed. Jink was ready to settle at the end of my bed.

I heard Lestan come in just before curfew. He had Lucky with him. He went into his room across the hall and then all was quiet and I went to sleep. The next morning, I was up at eight. I had breakfast and then Marcel came for me. Pop was already at work, and Grandpa was already at the hospital in surgery to remove his cyst. Lestan left at the same time that I did. We put the dogs out back so Dad didn't have to deal with them. Then I rode beside Marcel in his Jeep to the hospital.

Moreau Medical was a massive ten story brown brick building. There was an add on which was white brick. That was the Emergency Department. There was a hellipad on the roof, and people were air lifted to Moreau Medical from all over the place. There used to be a Moreau Medical and Moreau Legal in Santa Barbara, but they'd closed both. We went to the Quinn Moreau Wing to the fifth floor where a boy named Aubrey Mitchell was waiting for us. He had leukemia. He was bald and very thin. Marcel introduced himself to the boy's parents who I hadn't seen were in the room. Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell had dark hair and brown eyes. The only thing that he had at present from his parents were his brown eyes.

Marcel put his hand on the boy's chest and on his head. He indicated that I was to do the same. We both closed our eyes. I saw it immediately. It was bright red and pulsing. It was in his chest bones, the ribs, the sternum, and the clavicles. It was in a lot of his bones. Marcel worked hard, and he even let me help him a bit. He got the upper body and I got the lower body. I attacked the cells that were hurting him with my killing power and urged new cells to grow with my healing power. It was hard work. Time was passing and I didn't know it. It seemed like I'd just started when I couldn't find any more red, angry cells. I opened my eyes. Marcel was standing by that time and smiling at me.

"You did it," he said. "You healed your first patient."

"You didn't do any work?" I asked.

"Nope, I just delved," he said.

"I thought you were going to tell me when I was ready," I said.

"I just did," he said.

"So, he's cured?" Mrs. Mitchell asked.

"Yes, ma'am," I said. "I got it all."

"Oh, thank you," she said. "You're just a boy."

"This was my first human," I said. "I've healed dogs and cats, but this was my first human. Marcel was here to make sure that I did what I was supposed to. If I had failed he'd have done the job."

Suddenly I was more tired than I'd ever been in my life. I nearly collapsed by Marcel had been waiting for it. He helped me to the gurney and let me sleep for a while. They spent some time testing Aubrey. Then when he woke me he told me that Aubrey was all healed. I smiled at this. I was still so tired, but he told me he'd get me home. I slept in the Jeep, which wasn't easy. When we got to the manor, he shook me awake. It was on fire!

He got out of the Jeep and ran into the Manor. I just stood there. I was in no shape to breathe smoke. He came back with Lisa. I asked about my dad, and he told me he didn't find him. Lisa said he was upstairs. Marcel ran back into the house. Lisa hugged me. She told me that the oven exploded. It was gas. There must have been a leak, and then when she went to turn it on the electric ignition caused the explosion. Marcel came back crying. He had my dad in his arms, but my dad was all burned. He wasn't breathing.

"He's gone, Charlie," he said. "Your dad's gone."

I collapsed right then and there. I woke up as fire engines were pulling into the front of the house. Marcel had given my father to the EMTs. He helped me to stand. I was crying. I wanted to see him, but Marcel said I didn't need to see him like that. I was so shocked. My dad was dead? It didn't seem possible. He was just telling me he loved me. Now he was dead? I couldn't understand it. The oven exploded and it killed my father. The manor was seriously damaged. We couldn't stay there. They hosed it down. I just stood there in Marcel's arms as Quinn and Giselle came into the yard.

"Was anyone hurt?" Giselle asked.

"Jill, the maid is dead," Marcel said. "Lucas didn't make it."

"Oh, my God," said Quinn. He grabbed me and held me tight. I didn't want to be held. I wanted to scream and throw a fit. But I didn't. I just stood there and let him hug me. I cried silently as he held onto me.

Then Lestan and Mary Beth were there. Lestan demanded to know where Dad was. Marcel told him that Dad didn't make it, and Lestan hugged me. I hugged him back. We were both crying. The dogs were barking in the back. I ran to them and let them out of their pen. They swarmed us, licking our faces, and tasting our tears. Marcel called the hospital and told Pop to come home. It was an hour before Pop got there. He yelled the word, "No!" over and over again.

The whole east wing of the house was destroyed by fire. Dad and Pop's room was in the east wing. Mine and Lestan's was in the west wing. That side of the house was fine. When the fire department left, we went in and up to the west wing of the house. We packed bags and boxed our computers. We packed as much as we could. I got all of my school supplies and all of Jinx's toys. I took it all down to Marcel's Jeep. I was so tired. I was wrecked. I couldn't stop crying. I'd lost my father! He was dead!

We drove to the beach house. This was Lestan's dream. We were at the Beach House and Dad wasn't with us. I looked at him and he seemed to know what I was thinking. He nodded. I cried some more. I took my stuff into my room in that house and went to bed. I slept until Pop woke me to eat later that night. He was crying. I was crying again. I went downstairs and found Lestan at the table crying. Mary Beth and Greg were there. She was trying to console my brother, but he was inconsolable.

"He's at the funeral home," Pop said. "We'd already made arrangements. We know where he'll be entombed. All of the heirs and heiresses are in that mausoleum."

"Where Grandpa was entombed?" I asked.

"Yes," he said. "Your dad will be right next to him. You'll be entombed right next to your dad when the time comes."

"Oh, that's right," I said. "I'm the Heir now."

"Yes, you are," he said. "I'm so sorry that this has happened."

"It wasn't your fault," I aid. "The oven exploded."

"Is that what happened?" he asked.

"Lisa told me," I said.

"Well, Lisa quit," he said. "She feels responsible."

"How could she be responsible?" I asked.

"I didn't say she was responsible," he said. "I said she felt responsible."

"Are you going to have the manor restored?" Lestan asked me. "I want it restored."

"So do I," I said. "It's our home."

"It's yours now," he said.

"That's right," said Pop. "It all belongs to you now."

"Well, not yet," I said. "I have to go to Moreau Legal and be confirmed."

"We can do that tomorrow," he said. "We need to get it done."

"Okay," I said. "I'm not even initiated yet."

"You will be," he said. "This elevates you to High Priest."

"Oh," I said.

"There's so much coming for you now," he said.

"Even the curse of the Legacy?" I asked.

"You don't really believe that it's cursed do you?" he asked.

"No," I said. "It just feels that way sometimes."

"It may feel that way at times, but I assure you it's not cursed," he said. "Several of the Heirs and Heiresses died of old age."

"I learned all about them in my Legacy classes with Dad," I said.

"You know what to do already," he said.

"Yes," I said. "I just have to be confirmed."

"Well, we'll get that taken care of tomorrow," he said. "I've called the hospital and told them I won't be in for a few days because my husband died. They're giving me a month."

"So long?" I asked.

"I'm the husband of the dead Heir," he said. "They give a lot of time for that."

"Oh, right," I said. "So much of the family will be here for the funeral and all of that."

"Yes," he said. "The calls have already gone out. The lawyers took care of that. They're expecting you tomorrow."

"Of course," I said. "We'll do that first thing in the morning after breakfast."

"Do you have any of the twenty thousand left?" he asked.

"I have both of them in my personal account," I said. "I rarely spent money."

"Well, you will now," he said. "You'll spend a lot of money."

"I have a project I want to start," I said.

"What's that?" he asked.

"An animal rescue," I said. "We don't have anything like that in the family."

"That's a great idea," he said. "What kind of animal?"

"Dogs for now," I said. "We'll talk other species later."

"Okay," he said. "You want to donate to anything in particular?"

"No," I said. "It's already being donated to."

"Cancer research?" he asked.

"Yes," I said.

"Well, yes, that's already being paid for," he said. "You could donate to anything you want."

"I know," I said. "I'll think of things to donate to later. Right now I just want to mourn."

They thought of everything. I was confirmed the next morning. All of the Legacy accounts were switched to my name. An asessor was hired to look at the manor and tell me what had to be done to restore it. The frame work didn't burn. The house was put up with magic. It would be again. They also set the date for my initiation and asked me where my studies were lacking. I told them they weren't, that I was a diligent student. They smiled at this. They asked about donations, and I told them to keep them the same. They were pleased by this. I told them I wanted to start a dog rescue. They thought that was a good idea. Land would be bought for such a purpose. People would be hired. I nodded.

They asked about the funeral, and I told them it was set for Saturday. He'd be entombed in the mausoleum after the funeral. There'd be an after dinner at the Keller Center. We were going all out and having it catered by the Moreau Catering Company. They said they'd be there. Then we went to the Moreau Savings and Loan and I signed all of the paperwork for the bank. A new checkbook and credit card were issued to me as I went from the Heir in Waiting to the Heir of the Legacy.

My initiation was odd. It was held the very next evening on the beach. I survived it. I didn't even cry. When it was over we had tea and cakes and cookies at the Keller Center. It seemed odd to be here already. We'd all be back on Saturday for the funeral. Several gave me their condolences. I thanked them. I told everyone the funeral was Saturday. They told me they'd be there. People started to flood into the city. They were staying all over town with relatives. Saturday morning we had the funeral. There was no visitation. It was a closed casket. A High Priestess all the way from Salem came, and I met Destiny in person that very day. She hugged me and told me how sorry she was that this had happened. I thanked her and hugged her back. When the funeral was over we moved to the Keller Center. The party got underway. Lestan, Pop, and I sat at a table with Grandpa who was now out of the hospital.

We were quiet and withdrawn. People came to tell us how sorry they were all of the time. I was ready to leave about twenty minutes after I got there. As it was, we were there into the night. When we left, we went back to the beach house. Destiny came to stay with us. I wouldn't have had it any other way. The next day the asessor met with me and gave me a list of things that had to be done. I asked him what needed to be done. He was a Moreau. He could tell me. He told me to gut the section of the house that was damage and rebuild it from scratch. That's just what I ordered done. The construction crew was all Moreau men and women. The witches knelt around the property to help with magic. I was not one of them.

I had dinner with a lot of the family before they left to go back to where they came from. Several told me that it was because of Quinn Moreau that they could even come to the funeral. He'd given them all money when he was the Heir. I nodded at this. They were all self sufficient now and didn't need any money from the legacy. I set up scholarships for the youngsters who wanted to go to Ashdon. I added other colleges at the insistence of out of town family.

Then I was back in school. Of course they tried to tell me and Lestan that we now lived on the west side of the city so we'd have to go to West High School. We told them our address was still the manor and it was being reconstructed so we'd go to school in Keller Village like always. They shut up when I said that. We were driven to school by Grandpa every day. I did end up hanging out with Greg. He sat at the table at lunch with me and my friends. I introduced him to everyone. He asked how I was doing, and I said it was day by day.

We got to be pretty good friends I guess. He came to the beach house and hung out with me. That was a first for any of my friends. They never came over. Greg wouldn't be denied though. He came and we did homework together. Then he'd hang out and chat. He told me he'd read my book and he thought it was great. I told him I was working on a new one. He thought that was cool. He loved Jinx. Jinx took to him really quickly.

"So, your brother is probably going to marry my sister," he said. "What do you think of that?"

"Mary Beth is a good girl for him," I said. "He could do worse."

"Yes, he could," he said. "That girl Tina was all into him last year. She bet my sister that she could go out with him before she could."

"Well, she was wrong," I said. "Lestan hates Tina."

"Yeah, most of the boys do," he said. "She's a vixen."

"That's one way to say it," I laughed. "You're not intimidated by my being the Heir to the Legacy?"

"Should I be?" he asked. "You're still in high school. Other than all of the money and responsibility, you're just like everyone else in high school."

"That's true," I said. "Some people just don't see it that way."

"Is that why your table was half empty at lunch?" he asked.

"Yeah," I said. "They can't deal."

"Well, I'll be your friend," he said.

"Thank you," I laughed. "So tell me about you."

"I'm just a boy who can light fire with my mind just like my sister," he said. "I go to the advanced magic class every thursday. I'm taught by Kayla Moreau. She says I'll be ready for initiation when I turn sixteen in three months."

"I don't turn sixteen until May," I said. "I've already been initiated."

"Did you get more control over your power?" he asked.

"I always had control over my power," I said. "I can kill or heal. It works on humans, animals, and plants. I can communicate with animals, and I sometimes have prophetic dreams."

"Cool," he said. "You're really powerful. Probably one of the most powerful witches in the family."

"One of them," I said. "Marcel can do all that I can do except communicate with animals and have prophetic dreams."

"Yeah, I know about Marcel," he said. "He healed me when I was twelve."

"What was wrong with you?" I asked.

"Cancer," he said.

"Well, you're fine now?" I asked.

"Oh, yeah," he said. "It never came back."

"That's good," I said. "What do you do for fun?"

"Until recently I hung out with a friend," he said. "But he moved to Salem. Then I was friendless until you came along."

"Well, it was really you that came along," I said. "I've always been where I am."

"Yeah," he said. "People just didn't talk to me. I never did know why. Mary Beth told me that I had to talk to them first. So I put that plan into motion with you."

"Why me?" I asked.

"Well, because you were never mean to me," he said. "The others have been at various times in my life."

"Why?" I asked.

"Who knows?" he asked. "They always find one kid and then it's history."

"Well, I'll put a stop to that," I said. "They won't mess with you if I tell them to leave you alone."

"Thank you," he said. "You know, you're also very good looking."

"Gay?" I asked.

"Yeah," he said, nervously. "Gonna tell me to leave?"

"No," I said. "I'm gay, too."

"Cool," he said. "We have that in common. What else?"

"Do you like to read?" I asked.

"Love to," he said.

"So do I," I said. "I love to read, write, and do my homework. I love my family and my dog."

"I love your dog," he said. "I don't know your family that well. I mean, I know Marcel because he checks on me now and then. But I don't know your Pop, and I didn't know your dad. I know your brother now that he's dating my sister. That's about all I know. Oh, and I'd met your grandfather once when he came with Marcel."

"Okay," I said. "Well, Pop is nice, but he's busy most of the time with work. They gave him a month off because my dad died, though."

"That's nice of them," he said.

"Yes," I said. "It's going to take a little more than a month to restore the manor if what they're telling me is correct. With witches casting spells to help them they might be right. If they are, we'll move back in when it's done."

"You want to still live there?" he asked.

"Yes," I said. "It's where all of my memories of Dad are."

"Right," he said. "I just didn't know if you wanted to live there or stay here."

"If I stay here I have to switch schools," I said. "Well I wouldn't have to and I'm sure if I threw a fit, Lestan wouldn't have to. But they tried to make us do that already."

"Did they?" he asked. "I thought this was a vacation house."

"It is," I said. "That's why they couldn't make us."

"Right," he said.

"So, what are you wanting to happen between us?" I asked.

"Well, I thought we'd get to know each other and then figure that out," he said.

"Okay, that sounds good," I said. "You're a very attractive boy yourself. You definitely work out."

"As do you," he said. "But I started to work out when the others started to pick on me. It was Mary Beth's idea."

"Well, she had a good idea because it looks good on you," I said.

"Thank you," he said. "It looks good on you, too."

"Well I work out for myself," I said. "I like the way I feel."

"Okay," he said. "I've got to get going. Mom doesn't let me stay out as late as Mary Beth."

"I'll remember that," I said. I got up to walk him back downstairs to the door.

"She'd change her mind if I had a boyfriend," he said. "It's stupid logic, but it's what I have to put up with."

"I hear you," I said. "Have a good night. You have my phone number?"

"Yes, you have mine?" he asked.

"Yes," I said.

"I'll call you to let you know I got home all right," he said.

"Okay," I said. "I'll wait for your call."

He called at eight thirty to tell me he'd finally arrived at his house. I told him he should have said he had to walk and I'd have asked Pop to drive him. He said it was fine and thanked me for hanging out. I told him we'd do it again some time. He liked that. We rung off, and I went and got a snack. Pop was in the kitchen. He asked me if Greg had walked home. I told him he had. He said he'd have given him a ride, and that was quite a walk. I told him it took him from seven to eight thirty to get there.

"He should have had me drive him," he said. "You tell him the next time he comes over that he's getting a ride home."

"I'll tell him, thank you," I said.

"Is he your boyfriend?" he asked.

"We just met," I said. "We're getting to know each other. The jury is still out on the boyfriend status."

"Ok," he said. "Just please let me know."

"I will," I said. I took my snack and went back upstairs.

I didn't know what I thought about Greg being my boyfriend or his not being my boyfriend. Right now I'd say we were on our way to a solid friendship. The rest would have to wait. Besides I was still in mourning. I cried a bit at the thought of Dad. Then I dried my eyes and read a book while I scratched Jinx's belly and ate my snack. Lestan came home and came to sit on my little chair. He looked at me for a long moment.

"So, Greg came over here," he said. "What happened?"

"We spent some time getting to know each other," I said. "He told me he's gay and that he finds me attractive, but he wanted to get to know me. I agreed with him. He's an attractive boy who's rather well put together. That's all so far. He walked home when Pop would have drove him."

"That's half way across the city," he said.

"I know," I said. "I know where they live."

"That's right," he said. "You were in the car when Dad dropped me off there once."

It took him a second, but he realized what he said and put his head down.

"It's going to hit us like this every time we remember something," I said.

"I know," he said. "I just can't believe he's gone."

"I know exactly what you mean," I said.

"I saw Marcel tonight," he said. "He told me that you healed your first patient the day that dad died."

"I did," I said. "I was so happy about that and then walked into what happened."

"Yeah," he said. "I can agree with that and commiserate."

"You were happy until you got home?" I asked.

"Sure I was," he said. "I have a girl who loves me, and I got her to wear my ring. Then I come home and find out Dad's dead."

"Right," I said.

"This is never going to be all right," he said.

"I know," I said. "I have so much responsibility now, but it doesn't take it away. It puts it in the background but as soon as I'm done I feel it all over again."

"I hear you," he said. "We have to stick together."

"Yes, we do," I said. "You spend a lot of time with Mary Beth."

"Well, we'll start spending time here," he said. "Greg will be here anyway."

"He might be," I said. "I honestly don't know what his plans are. I was in no frame of mind to find out."

"Yeah, I get that," he said.

"We're going to be all right," I said. "This will never be all right, but we will be."

"I know that, too," he said. "What are you eating?"

"Cookies," I said. "Want one?"

"Where did they come from?" he asked.

"People brought all kinds of food over," I said. "It's in the kitchen."

"Nice," he said. "I'll go grab a few cookies and meet you back here."

"I'll be here," I said.

He came back and I put the book away. We talked about Dad. We talked about the good days and the bad ones. We talked about being scared for him, and how we'd always seemed to get into trouble when we thought we'd gotten away with something. I laughed at that. It was good to laugh and cry at the same time. We talked about how he helped us with magic, and he was always there when we didn't feel good or had a bad day. He was the constant in our lives, and he was gone.

"But do you know what?" he asked, smiling.

"What?" I asked.

"You are the third heir in a row to be gay," he said with a smile.

"I am the fourth," I said. "There was Dad. Before him there was Grandpa. And before him there was our Great Grandpa. Quinn, Philippe, Lucas, Me. Four."

"Damn," he said. "Maybe that's the curse of the legacy now."

"Wouldn't that be funny?" I asked.

"But seriously, it's good to remember the good times instead of the bad," he said.

"I know it," I said. "I just can't stop crying most of the time."

"I hear you," he said, wiping his eyes. "We lost our father."

"We did," I said. "At least we still have Pop."

"Right," he said. "Let's go hang out with him. He's gotta be feeling low."

"Okay," I said.

We got up and went to the living room. We found him crying in there. He wiped his eyes, but we told him to stop that. Lestan sat on one side of him, and I sat on the other. We wrapped our arms around him and we all cried. Grandpa found us that way when he came to lock the house up at eleven. We were still sitting there, hugging Pop and crying. He told us that we should all try to go to bed. We separated, and I got up and hugged him. He held me tight.

"I love you, Grandpa," I said.

"I love you, too, Charlie," he said. "I love you, too, Lestan."

"I love you, Grandpa," he said. He turned to Pop. "I love you, too, Pop."

"I love both of you so much," he said. "I'm so glad that you were with Mary Beth and Charlie was with Marcel. I heard from him that you healed your first human that day."

"I did," I said. "I was on such a high. I mean I was gutted by it, but I was so happy. Then I came home to what I came home to."

"Yeah," he said. "I had a warning before I got there. Your uncle told me it wasn't good. He just waited until I was there to tell me it was my husband."

"I'm sorry that you lost him," I said.

"I'm sorry we all lost him," he said.

"Goodnight, Pop, Grandpa," I said.

"Goodnight boys," Grandpa said.

"Goodnight, both of you," Pop said. "I'll see you in the morning."

I went up and changed into sleep shorts and a t-shirt and crawled into bed. Jinx settled in at my feet, but I called him up so that I could put my arm over him. He seemed fine with it. I woke up that way the next morning. I took a shower and got dressed. I took Jinx and Lucky outside and let them run the beach for a bit. I called them back and headed back to the house. Once in there I had breakfast with my Pop, my brother, and my grandfather. It was food that was brought to us. None of us were in the mood to cook anything.

"I'm going to take you by the manor today so you can check on construction," Pop said. "Did anyone need anything while we're out?"

"No," said Grandpa. "There's enough food here to feed us for a month if we save it right."

"Cast a spell on it," I said.

"I might," he said.

"I don't need anything," Lestan said. "Mary Beth and Greg will be here in about an hour."

"Stay close to home today, please," he said. "We won't be long."

"I am staying home today," he said. "Greg is coming to see Charlie. Mary Beth said she'd hang out with me today. We'll hang out together."

"Okay," he said. "Come on, Charlie."