Matilda, Child of Fire

TSoT/MMW: Coquito Plays Cupid

26 TSoT/MMW: Coquito Plays Cupid

"Plates they will shift/Houses will shake/Fences will drift/We will awake/Only to find/Nothing's the same"

–Death Cab for Cutie, song "Home is a Fire"

11 am, One Month Later, Weekend, January 2046, Vera Manor Foyer, Seattle, Washington

Putting up Christmas lights was festive, fast, and fun but removing them reeked of sadness and took forever, Maggie grumbled to herself as she walked around, grabbing handfuls of star-shaped tealights from odd walls and snatching up fast-disintegrating candy canes from Mason jars whose outsides were covered in sugar-spun mini Santa figures. The time-dependent glamour powder that she used last month would run out at the stroke of midnight, and there wasn't any time to lose.

Meanwhile, Matilda and Macy removed the ornaments from the living room Christmas tree as Jordan disentangled the stringed lights from the second Christmas tree, located inches from the crystal chandelier in the front entryway (or foyer, according to Matilda's dad Harry, ever-the-schoolmarm). Why did we get a second tree? Jordan thought to himself. Wasn't one plenty? Of course, he had fallen for Maggie's innocent doe-eyed expression of how they had two Christmas trees every year, one extra to make up for all the holidays Macy had missed with her and Mel over their childhood. It was impossible to argue with sentiments like that, he smiled to himself as he wound his arm over and through the evergreen boughs, unaware that his and Maggie's pet cat Coquito was quietly ascending the branches on the opposite end, its silver eyes staring up toward the chandelier.

11:08 am, Vera Manor Foyer, Seattle, Washington

Suddenly, the entire first floor of Vera Manor shook then went dark.

"Is everyone safe and accounted for?" shouted Harry once the dust settled. He heard all voices answer in the affirmative, much to his relief.

The culprit was none other than the cat. Coquito. Who had in a moment's inattention, sneaked up to the top of the foyer tree and bit an electrical cord adjoining the chandelier. Macy used telekinesis to gently lift the cream-colored feline and place him softly on solid ground, despite his meowling protestations. "Oh Coquito," groaned Maggie. "What have you done?"

11:20 am, Vera Manor Foyer, Seattle, Washington

"We need an electrician—" began Jordan. "I can search online—"

"There's no time!" Maggie all but wailed. "The glamour's wearing off already, and Harry's gonna have to perform hundreds of memory charms if we want the power to come back on—"

"What if we called a magical electrician?" Matilda spoke as everyone turned to her in surprise. "What?" she asked.

"But we don't know anyone, Tilly," said a very much concerned Harry.

"I do," Matilda responded. And I really don't want to ask him for help.

11:25 am, Vera Manor Kitchen, Seattle, Washington

Matilda ducked out of the living room for the cozy ambiance of the kitchen, where she pulled her phone out and dialed the very person she hoped she would never see again for his own safety. Wyatt.

She heard a single dial tone then an all-too-familiar voice. "Val?" he murmured incredulously. "Is that really you?"

"Um." Matilda swallowed hard. "Yeah," she whispered.

"Where've you been? I heard you were transferred, I didn't know—why didn't you say—"

"Wyatt—I'm sorry..." she interrupted. "I need your help...or your granddad's help. It's urgent."