A Game Of Secrets

Season 3 - Ep THREE

Jo felt numb to the pain. "Why would you do this to me?" She asked the doll. "Because I'm your friend and I don't like being betrayed". The doll answered cockily. "A friend would never hurt another friend".

"Oh really? You hurt Mitchell, you hurt Angie twice and you're about to hurt Lin when she finds about all your lies".

"You're wrong".

"Wrong?" The doll laughed maniacally, "I'm not wrong. You are a terrible person. I mean you agreed to be friends with a creepy doll because of your loneliness and now, you'll lose your real friends because of it". "Never" Jo spat out blood. "Don't you get it? This was the plan", the doll smiled, "I make you trust me and then I make you mad. Blood magic makes you mad. I might not even be real. This might all be in your head".

Jo looked around. The blood was gone and so was the wound. She was going mad. "You tricked me!" Jo charged to attack her but the doll tsked. "You made your choice and I made mine". The door opened and the doll was gone. Lin switched on the light. "Jo!" She went to hold her. Jo's hair was losing its color and her eyes were empty. "What happened?" She asked to no avail.

"Angie, please sit down". Mitchell pleaded. "What if she's really hurt? How could I have made a mistake? There was a list and she was next". Angie kept pacing anxiously. "You're giving me a headache with the pacing", Mitchell whined, "please sit down". Angie sighed before sitting. "She's not well", Angie bit her lip, "I can feel it".

"We'll work something out. I promise".

"Don't make promises that you can't keep".

"Just like the promise you made?" They were silent for a moment. "I intend to keep my promise", Angie sighed, "I just need time. It's not easy figuring out what you want when you've never wanted anything before". "I get it". Mitchell smiled and laced their fingers together.

"I'm so sorry to interrupt", Tatiana smiled widely, "but why are you here? I remember you leaving with Nolan earlier. She would have wanted a perfect family breakfast". Tatiana snorted after her last words. "It would never be perfect", Angie frowned, "she's trying to mold us into robot that do everything right. She's changed".

"She never changed. Y'all are just realizing it".

"You knew my mom in high school, right?" Angie was pretending to be clueless. Mitchell and Tatiana shared a look. "Angie" Mitchell started, "she knows". Angie looked at Tatiana then back at Mitchell. "Everything?" She asked. "Almost everything". Mitchell answered. "What don't I know yet?" Tatiana placed her hands on her waist. "Mama, some things have to remain private". Mitchell gave her a sign. "Whatever", Tatiana mumbled, "it's not like you have you tell your mother everything".

Angie smiled internally. This was the kind of relationship she wanted with her mother. This was the calm before the storm. The door bell rang. "Who could that be?" Tatiana snapped as she walked to get it. "Lin?" Angie asked. Deep in her heart, she knew that Lin would never knock. "Lin never knocks". Mitchell confirmed her thoughts.

"Baby? Angie? Can you both come out for a sec?" Tatiana called out. "There's no need for that", Nolan used a controlled tone, "she's my daughter and I want her to come home". "Well, Nolan", Tatiana sassed, "she ran to my home for refuge so no...you can't take her". "You're making a big mistake, Tatiana". Nolan's face was hard as stone.

"I'm not scared of you. Not anymore. Besides, you don't have your powers anymore".

"How did you..."

"How did I get my memories back?" Tatiana cut her short. She was enjoying Nolan's tormented look. "That's none of your business", Tatiana spat, "I'd be more worried about my family if I were you. First Connor and now Angie. Your boys will soon hate you for the truth". To rub salt in her wounds, Tatiana made a heart with her fingers and them cracked it open.

"Mom?" Angie was confused about how she knew she was here. "Honey", Nolan put on a fake sadness, "I'm really sorry. I've been so stressed from work. I didn't mean to take it out on you. Please, come home". If Angie had no idea of magic, she would have believed her. Angie crossed her arms, "I've forgiven you", she lied, "but I'm comfortable here with people who are very much normal".

Nolan took a deep breath. She was fighting a lost battle. "Tatiana told me the same thing when we were in school", she lied, "she wanted to deceive. Don't be fooled Angela". "I would rather die than be in love with your sorry ass", Tatiana quipped, "I have always loved Connor and he loved me too. I don't need to say the rest in front of the kids".

That shocked both Mitchell and Angie. Nolan balled her hands. She was boiling hot with rage. Sadly, she didn't have magic at her disposal anymore. "I must see you at home in the next hour", Nolan threatened, "you do not want to cross me". Lin moved aside for the raging woman. "Odd" she remembered Nolan as calm and collected, "what was that about?"

Angie frowned, "she came to threaten us", she replied with an eye roll, "nothing unexpected. Jo?" Lin cleared her throat. Tatiana heard the house phone ring, "excuse me girls". She said before walking away. "You were right", Lin tucked her hands in her pockets, "she was lying to us". Angie expected Lin to say it with anger but she seemed sad, almost...pitiful?

"What was wrong?" Mitchell asked to prove that she was still there. "She has no idea what spell she used", Lin explained, "she just felt it would work. She had been reading the spell book too. She knew it had drained her and it was making her sick. She hid it because she didn't want you to blame herself". Lin was probably expecting an 'awwww' or at least a look that showed that Angie understood. Her next words were baffling.

"And you believed her?" Angie was annoyed that Jo was still lying. Deep inside of her, she knew Jo was hiding a terrible secret. Lin scoffed and said, "of course I believe her!" She looked at Mitchell for support. "Angie, I think we all need to rest", Mitchell's tone was soft, "the story adds up. There is so much about the magic that we don't know". "She's lying. To all of us". Angie whispered bitterly.

Lin snapped, "you just don't want to believe it!" She shouted, "I was in her room. She looked pale. The life in her eyes were almost gone. She was shivering and muttering. She was literally going mad". Her last words struck a nerve. "Literally going mad", Angie repeated, "literally going mad". She paused to think. What she felt was deep in her body, in her veins, in her...

"Do you guys remember what the guide said?" She had a look of horror drawn on her face, "about a type of magic. It said one could literally go mad if they used..." Realization slapped the others as they gasped the two treacherous words, "blood magic".