Eilise, God, And The Witches [Fake Tattoos #2]

Corned Beef and Cabbage

September, 1974

Lahrlin stirred the pot of boiling meat and vegetables. John stood next to her with a bottle of whiskey in one hand, a glass in the other, and a smile on his face.

"If you're going to stand there with a bottle in your hand, you might as well pour some in the pot," she said.

"Yes, Mother," said John. As he tipped the bottle over the pot, he gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Enough of that!" She laughed as she gently pushed him away, grabbing the bottle from him in the process. "And enough of that too! We have a guest!"

Eilise and William sat next to each other on the swinging love seat in front of the porch. In front of them was William's Firebird. It was a fixer-upper but it was a car and that made William cool. It also made Eilise cool for sitting next to him.

Eilise would be fifteen next month. She thought cars were the coolest thing ever - getting behind the wheel and go anywhere she could imagine. William had snapped a fan belt in the school parking lot and she had come over to watch him fix it.

He put his belt off his pants on it until they got to the Auto Mart down the road. There, he bought a proper rubber belt and took his tools right out of the trunk and fixed it right there. The sun was hot. By the time he had finished, he was down to his undershirt and covered in grease and sweat. Eilise thought he looked simply wonderful.

Here she was, sitting in the love seat with the most gorgeous guy in school. She never thought she would be like this.

The last five years had been difficult. After her encounter with the Devil and the Six Sisters, she had had an epileptic seizure. She knew why, but she dare not tell any of the doctors.

So they did tests. Lots and lots of tests... But, they all came back inconclusive.

Therapy had become a regular thing. Her father was not happy with the cost. He blamed it all on her mother's witchcraft, and although she would never admit it to him, so did she. Of course, neither one of them would have told that to the psychiatrist either.

After two years of monthly doctor's visits, it was concluded that Eilise seizure was an "isolated episode", but Eilise knew it was more than that. Every time one of her family would mention "the episode", she remembered her encounter and remembered her deal.

"It's a really cool car," said Eilise.

"I know," said William smiling, "you've only said that like eight million times."

"Well, it is."

They grabbed hands and held tight as they swung, giggling at nothing.

"Eilise! William!" Lahrlin shouted from the front door. "Dinner's ready!"

The two love birds flew from their perch, still hand in hand, running for the door. Lahrlin shot them both a stern look and they immediately let go. Lahrlin turned and headed inside before they hit the porch.

"Ladies first," said William with a gentlemanly bow.

"Age before beauty, I insists," Eilise said with a smile and a curtsy. As soon as William was through the door, Eilise turned and giggled at God who was standing on the porch.

"I think you like the car more than you like the boy," said God.

Eilise stuck her tongue out at him before going in the house for dinner.