Time After Time (Book 2)

Chapter 8

Hope and the twins make their way down to the cellar and check on Clarke. They open the door and see that he's looking at himself through a reflection. "Ah yes, I had one of the twins do spell to alter your appearance. Turned you into the most vile thing I could think of." "I just look like me." "Then she nailed it." Hope smirks. "Hmm, I thought you'd rather stare at Landon's sad little face. Sorry, to be honest, I'm glad you're here." Hope shakes her head. "You clearly hate me and my kids, I can't imagine why." "Because there is still time for you to come to your senses before you toss me into the pit. Or maybe I can talk to your kids and have them talk you out of it." Hope starts walking towards him. "One, it's more a ditch. Two, I'm really looking forward to it. Three, you're trapped inside a magically created body that expires at midnight. Save your breath. There's no one coming to save you. And last but definitely not least, if you ever go anywhere near my kids again, I will rip your spine out of your throat. You're going into a grave you dug for yourself. Come on kids." Hope and the twins head back upstairs when they hear a commotion outside. They all head out to see it's snowing?

A fly snowball heads towards them and Marshall quickly does a spell to melt it before it hits them. "Fire spell? Really?" Andrea asks him. "Blame Ma." He shrugs. Hope looks around to see kids riding on sled's, some were building snowmen, while the rest were having a snowball fight. "What the hell is going on?" She asks Kaleb. "Don't be a Scrooge, Hope. It's Christmas." He smiles. "No, it's October." He shakes his head. "Christmas is a state of mind. It's a feeling in the air." He drapes his arm around her shoulder. "Now, you feeling it?" "Oh I'm feeling something." She sighs. "Come on, kids." The three of them head back inside and head to Josie and Lizzie's room. "Lizzie!" Hope opens the door. "We get it, Hope. You're back, now disappear again." She groans as she turns in bed. "Ah, you're still a bitch. Thank God!" She hurries over and hugs her. "What? What's happening?" "We don't know." The twins shake their heads. "It's like everyone in school is happy except for us. Too happy. Like, scary happy. Merry even. They all think that it's Christmas. And the snow probably isn't helping either." Lizzie turns her head and quickly stands and heads to the window. "It's snowing? How?" She asks. "I'm guessing another monster?" Hope suggests. "This is terrible news." Lizzie heads to her closet. "It's freaking Fall. Not Winter. What am I gonna wear?" She asks. "Something to travel in? I'm gonna need you to hit the road." Hope bites her lip. Lizzie sighs. "You want me to quest for Frodo Baggins, don't you?" She asks. "I thought that the monster aren't after him now?" "We don't know what they want, or even who they're working for anymore. I just need Landon to be safe." Hope sighs. "Does this have anything to do with my sister?" Lizzie carefully asks. "No, it's doesn't. We talked and we're gonna try and work things out. See where it goes. Before, it was all monsters and life or death and then the twins," Hope sighs. "We're right here." Andrea reminds her. "But now, we can hopefully, try again. Or pick up where we left off, or whatever. I'm not even sure where we stand right now." Lizzie shakes her head and walks back to Hope and the twins. "Fine, a little locater spell and then off to Mordor I go." She sighs. "Ho, ho, ho!" Josie says as she walks in with a plate of cookies. "I come bearing gifts." She smiles. "Oh god, no. Not Ma too." Andrea mumbles. Hope and Lizzie stare at her. "Well, more like a peace offering, really." Josie smiles and winks at Hope. She tries not to blush but ultimately fails. "I thought that the three of us had already made peace." Lizzie glances at Hope. "Well, this whole school year I have been really naughty. I've not been the supportive sister that I want to be. Then there's Landon. It was wrong of me to use him like that, not like I was leading him on but still. And you, Hope, my lovely wife. Mother of my children. I'm mostly sorry towards you. The way I've been treating you when I didn't remember you. And then the twins. I'm so sorry to out you two in the middle. I never meant to do that. But thankfully, Christmas is all about forgiveness right? Cookie?" She holds up the plate higher. Hope leans in towards Lizzie and whispers in her ear. "Run." Lizzie chuckles and quickly grabs her things and leaves. Hope clears her throat. "Kids, you too. I don't want you catching whatever is effecting your mother right now." The twins nod and hurry past her. "Cookie?" She offers. "No thanks Ma, we should probably eat breakfast before we spoil our appetite." They both leave and head to the library. "Well? Wifey?" Josie smiles at Hope. "What kind of cookie?" Hope quickly plays along. "All kinds, I have sugar cookies, chocolate chips, snicker doodles. I know how much you love those. I have some M&M ones for the twins but they left in such a hurry." Josie pouts. "Oh love, it's ok. You can always give it to them later." Hope shrugs. "You're right. And Hope, I'm sorry about how I've been treating you lately. What kind of wife am I? I haven't been treating you right. So, how about I make it up to you? I set up a mistletoe at the front door of the school?" She offers. Hope sighs. As much as she wants to, she knows that Josie is under the effect of whatever monster this was. Not to mention, she's not sure if Josie was still upset with her? Wanting to take it slow? She didn't even know anymore. She didn't know anything anymore. So as much as it pained her, she kindly rejected her offer. "Um, tell you what, when this is all over, if you still feel the same, I'll meet you outside under the mistletoe tonight. Ok?" She smiles. Josie nods. "Ok, deal. Now, cookie?" Hope laughs and grabs a cookie from the tray. "Thanks love. Um, I should probably go. I have some....things I need to do, but I'll see you later ok? I promise." Hope nods and stands to leave, on instinct, like her body moved before her mind did, she gives Josie a kiss on the forehead before leaving the room. "I love you!" She hears Josie shout. Hope sighs and smiles sadly. If only she really meant it. "I love you!" She shouts back.