The Magician's Witch

The Gathering

Eilis, Aunt Nancy and Uncle Matthew, Collin, and Peter all took turns excusing themselves to go clean up. Eilis now wore a forest green, knee-length sweater dress with black leggings and brown suede calf-length boots. Her dark honey-blonde hair was pulled into a shiny, wavy ponytail.

The long, delicate, gold chain under the cowl of her dress boasted a Trinity Knot pendant. Her gold stud earrings were small Celtic Knots; she had purchased both pieces during her trip to Ireland. The makeup she wore accented her steely eyes and colored her lips a deeper shade of pink—subtle and understated. The dark green of the cabled dress emphasized her eyes and brought out the creamy undertone of her skin.

Around 3 pm, the guests started to arrive—some by car, some by broom, others by popping out of thin air. Hugs and handshakes were exchanged while cloaks and coats were collected and stored in an upstairs closet. Polite platitudes were expressed among the more enthusiastic waves and salutations of old friends who hadn't seen each other in a while. The exuberance of old friends and new acquaintances meeting was catching.

Plastic cups were passed around, drinks poured, and kids dove into the chips and soda.

Nancy was the perfect hostess, balancing greeting everyone with still keeping an eagle eye on the goings on in the kitchen. How she did it all, Eilis couldn't fathom, and she looked like she barely broke a sweat!

Ginny and Holly Owens swooped in around four, apologizing for their tardiness. Eilis loved hanging out with these sisters; it was never a dull moment around them.

Holly slipped Eilis a bottle of tequila. "Hostess gift," she said with a wink.

Eilis winked back knowingly at the redhead and went to stash it for later.

Cynthia and Drake Addison arrived shortly after the Owens'. Cynthia had been Nancy's "friend" on the PTA when Dawn and Eilis had been in school. She was one of those women—plastic up to her eyeballs, nothing real or authentic about her, even her husband looked like he had come preordered. Eilis thought that Mattel should copy her into a real plastic doll, which she was sure would sell big!

"Nancy? Nancy! Oh, Nancy, sweetheart, it's been so long!"

Cynthia pranced forward on her four-inch designer heels through the assembling crowd, flapping her wrists in the air, bangles clacking up and down her forearms, rings decorating her prissy, French-tipped fingers.

Nancy was dressed in a green and cream plaid skirt, white blouse, and dark green v-neck sweater with three-inch black boots with a wide heel. She had on a layered necklace of silver and onyx with silver drop earrings to match, her coppery hair up in a French twist.

Matthew standing beside her was Adonis in a simple blue button-down shirt, gray slacks, and a matching blazer, his salt-and-pepper hair combed and gelled into submission. One arm wrapped around his wife's waist—he only had eyes for Nancy.

Nancy saw Cynthia coming and gave her Cynthia's patented greeting—kiss one cheek, then the other, then the first one again.

Uncle Matt met Eilis' eyes as she approached. I'm glad she decided not to stay here tonight, he remarked. She would probably give us a terrible review.

Eilis pursed her lips to keep from smiling. Cynthia believed that all that barking at hotel valets overseas made her foreign and exotic. Cynthia hugged Uncle Matt a smidge too long, gripping his biceps. Eilis saw Uncle Matt reposition himself behind his wife like she was a protective shield; he hated Cynthia.

"Cynthia, I'm so glad you could come. Drake, how are you," Nancy offered a hug to Cynthia's limp noodle of a husband. Uncle Matt shook the man's hand, careful not to expose his position.