Chapter 30

Monday, the twentieth of December, Christmas Eve--the Arthur part of me was still young enough to be excited about Christmas being nearly there. Ursus simply noted it as an example of a solstice festival. I got up and started going through my morning routine.

A solstice is an in-between time, Ursus thought; thus, it's metaphorically potent. It will increase the effectiveness of a magic ritual performed at that time, especially anything to do with transformation.

What do you have in mind?

It would be a shame to let such an opportunity pass without casting a spell. We should come up with something good.

I'm all ears, I thought.

I'm not complaining, mind you, but the problem is, we have so many things about our life that could use improvement, the possibilities are nigh endless.

So, just pick something, and we'll get one thing off the list.

Wisdom from the mouths of babes, Ursus thought.

I like to believe that I come by it inherently.

Indeed. We'll let the problem rattle around in our subconscious for a few hours before we make up our mind.

We continued thinking over spell possibilities as we did a little exercise, some guitar practice, got cleaned up, and poured some cereal and milk. Mom, Mary, and Rich were at the table when I sat down. I reached for the front section of the newspaper.

"Are you already looking for your vocabulary words?" Mom asked. "You have two weeks off."

"I've got hooked on reading the thing. Besides, I'm curious about the exact time of the solstice tomorrow."

"It's in there, in a little box on the third page."

"Thanks." I looked. The solstice was 12:34 pm, local time.

We'll open presents as soon as the younger kids rouse everyone I thought. Then we'll have brunch somewhat later. We'll have to slip away to work the spell and take a nap to recover in time for supper. Mom will have a turkey, and maybe a ham or something to go with it, and we'll be eating leftovers for a week.

At least they'll be good leftovers.

"I have some good news," Mom said. "Kate and Andy are coming over tonight for Christmas." Kate was Mom's older sister. Andy was her husband. They lived a four-hour or so drive away. Aunt Kate couldn't have children, but she spoiled her nieces and nephews.

"That's great!" Mary said.

"Yay! Aunt Kate!" Rich said.

"Wouldn't you have preferred more notice?" I asked.

Mom gave me an unreadable look. "From most people, but this is Kate and Andy. Don't you want to see them?"

"Sure."

"Kate is welcome in my house any time. Besides, we talked this over earlier. They weren't sure they could make it, and I didn't want to get your hopes up, so I didn't mention it. You kids usually get so wound up when you hear they're coming over." She looked at me. "Usually."

"Don't mind me; I'll be glad to see them." Rich was now excitedly marching around the table. "I guess my eagerness levels just aren't what they used to be."

"Are you OK? You've been acting strange lately."

"You mean stranger than normal?" I grinned.

"Yes, smartass." Mom grinned, too, but I could tell she was bothered.

"How so?"

"You've been keeping to yourself even more than you usually do. You seem calmer, but you don't get as happy. It's not all bad. You don't get as cranky or as downright belligerent, either. But you've been different."

"Maybe I'm just growing up."

"Maybe." She looked a little sad. "Mary, Rich, excuse us for a few minutes." She waited until they were gone. "Artie, I need to ask this one more time. Are you sure you aren't on dope? If you confide in me, I won't punish you. I'll just try to help."

"Mom, I swear I'm not on any drugs. If it will make you feel better, search all my stuff. I forgive you in advance, and there's nothing that I'm worried about you seeing."

What about your porn collection? asked Ursus.

I don't have a porn collection, answered Arthur.

Why not?

That's a good question, I said.

I didn't want to be bad, and I didn't want to get caught, Arthur answered.

Mom was talking again. "You know that I trust you to tell me the truth, but you've been so different lately. There have been so many small changes that they add up to a big change. Is something bothering you? Are you worried about something?"

"You know I'm a worrywart, but it hasn't been that much worse than normal. I get a lot of homework. I've acquired a girlfriend, almost by accident. I've been in a few fights, but I seem to have all my foes but Carol wary of me, at least."

"Are you worried about that little bastard?"

"You shouldn't talk about Kirsten like that!" I said in a mock shocked voice.

"Cut that out. You know I'm talking about the mean little shit head."

"Carol doesn't have me especially upset. I figure he's going to keep after me until I give him a good pounding, but I don't get the impression that he'll attack with a gang again. His self-image requires that he proves he's tougher than I am, so a gang won't cut it."

"'His self-image requires... ' You've always been a smart little bugger and liked to show off your vocabulary, but since when have you talked like that?"

"What can I say?"

"You seem older than you used to be."

"Everyone is always older than he used to be, continuously."

"You know what I mean, you little shit."

"Yeah, I do. Maybe sleeping for a week aged me."

"Did something happen to you while you were asleep?"

I nodded my head. "Yes, but I don't want to talk about it."

"Have you quit trusting me?"

"It's really private, Mom."

She had a thoughtful look on her face. "When I was a girl--I guess I was thirteen--my great aunt, Kate, had a stroke and became paralyzed. (Both my Aunt Kate, my mother's sister, and your Aunt Kate, my sister, were named after her.) She couldn't talk. She couldn't take care of her herself. We girls had to take turns watching over her and helping clean her up. Mostly, we were trying to keep her comfortable as she died.

"Now, my father was an Irish Catholic, and my mother was a Scottish Presbyterian. Before they were married, they hadn't agreed on which church they were going to rear their children in, and we kids were put under a lot of pressure. I tried to please both my parents by attending both churches.

"Times were different then. In the Catholic Church, I'd hear how Protestants were misguided heretics who were doomed to hell if they didn't see the light. In the Presbyterian Church, I'd hear how Catholics were misguided papists who were doomed to hell if they didn't see the light. As you might imagine, I became confused and upset.

"I used to talk to Great Aunt Kate when I was looking after her. She couldn't answer. I didn't even know if she could hear me. Still, I talked to her. One Sunday afternoon, after again listening to how one group or another was doomed to hell, I broke down crying while I was watching Great Aunt Kate and told her how frightened and confused I was. I had trouble eating, sleeping--you name it. I thought I was going crazy.

"With God as my witness, I swear that she spoke to me. She said, in her Scots accent, 'Have faith in God. That's all that matters.'

"She never spoke to me again after that. So far as I know, she never spoke to anyone again at all. She died a few days later. Ever since she talked to me, though, I've had faith in God and haven't worried about the details." Mom had some tears in her eyes and took a paper napkin to wipe her face.