MIDNIGHT MAGIC - ch 7

MIDNIGHT MAGIC – ch 7

Julie

(*)(*)(*)

As the brothers and their families walked through doorway, Ian hugged his aunt and declared, “Auntie, I know you’re aware that I rarely use my powers but there’s an itch in the air that I couldn’t ignore. What’s wrong and what can we do to help?”

She smiled and replied, “Ian, mo mhuirnin (my darling), even though you push your powers aside, always remember, once a witch, always a witch. Come in, all of you. We’ve a story to tell and we’ll need your help.”

Julie looked at Finola and her eyes, again, began to mist with tears she tried not to shed.

“Aintin, please, can I ask you to tell my story? I don’t think I can get through it again.” Everyone noticed the hitch in her voice. The look in her eyes that displayed a combination of fear and exhaustion put the emotions of everyone on alert.

Midnight jumped into her lap and began rubbing her arm with her head. She knew Julie couldn’t understand her but still meowed.

Julie looked quizzically at Mia who answered, “she said, ‘Julie my sweetness, we’re all here for you.’.” She began gently stroking the cat’s back who continued to meow in a comforting manner.

Brian rose and without asking his aunt, walked to a cupboard and retrieved five glasses and a bottle of Hennessey. As he turned toward the table, he remarked, “I have a feeling we’re going to need this.”

Mickey, Mia’s twenty-year-old cousin, looked at his uncle and smiled. “Uncle Brian, what about me? I think I’m old enough, don’t you?”

His father, Ian, laughed and said, “Ah, hell, why not? I have a feeling you’re going to be a big part of this, too.” Brian reached for another glass for his nephew.

Mickey looked from face to face and his eyes settled on Julie’s as he replied, “I have a feeling my part will be a lot bigger than we could have imagined.”

As they sipped their drinks, and Julie and Mia drank their tea, Finola told everyone about Julie, finishing with what she saw in her scrying mirror.

Brian, who already knew most of what Julie had been through was again, enraged. Ian was livid and his son, Mickey, showed a calmness that could make the hair on the back of your neck stand up. This was his calm before his raging storm. Anyone who knew him knew enough to run away when he became that quiet. What he did next shocked everyone in the room.

Ian looked at his son and saw determination in his eyes. “Mickey, what are you up to?”

The young man smiled and answered, “Dad, just taking care of my family.” He stood, walked to where Julie was sitting, squatted down, grabbed her hands until she looked at him, then asked, “Julie, please trust me. You can ask Mia. I would never hurt you. For the safety of you and your, oh, right you don’t want to know, Baby It, I’m asking you to marry me. Until we can make it official, we can be handfasted tonight. It’s legal here in Ireland. You can immediately take my name. No one will look for Jules Diehl.”

His smile grew as he saw the baffled look on Julie’s face. “I know you hardly know me. You only met me once, last year. You know nothing about me. I won’t expect anything from you, except the trust that I’ll keep you safe. Once this threat is over, if you like, we can go our separate ways.”

He looked almost as if he were pleading with her. “What do you say, Jules? Hope you don’t mind me calling you Jules. I have a small house on my parents’ property that they put in my name. With the powers of Aintin, my dad and uncle, Mia, and me, no one will find you until you’re ready to be found.”

He stood but bent enough to kiss her cheek, and in the bewildered silence of everyone, he finished, “Think about, Jules.” He returned to his seat and saw Finola smile. He realized that she knew exactly what he was going to do. He smiled back and allowed his thoughts to project to his great aunt. “Did I go okay, Aintin? I hope this is what you want because it’s definitely what I want.” She nodded her head and thought, “This is what I hoped for but refused to push this thought to you. This decision had to be yours and yours alone. Once again, mo ghra (my love), you’ve made me proud.”

Everyone stared at Mickey, but it was Mia who asked, “Mickey, are you sure?”

His smile was radiant. “I’ve never been more sure of anything.”

Midnight stood and began to dance happily in Julie’s lap as she screeched and began to sing, Pharrell William’s song, “Happy”.

Julie noticed that the baffled looks every gave Mickey began to be replaced with pride and joy. She began to cry and as her hands shook, reached for Mickey’s. “Are you really sure? You don’t have any idea what you’re up against. Tony and his friends can be very vicious. It’s bad enough being here is endangering Mia’s family but now, I’d be endangering you. You don’t even know me. I could be a horrible disappointment.”

He almost jumped out of his chair and if he thought it would be fine with his family, he’d have leapt over the table. Instead, he walked around it, grasped Julie’s hands and pulled her to her feet. “I’ll take that as a yes. YES!!” Then he hugged her and said, “Jules, you’ve just made me happier than I could have ever imagined.” He looked at his father’s aunt and questioned, “Aintin, do you have a favorite wrap?”

Julie and Mickey faced each other as Finola wrapped around their left wrists, an Irish cord embroidered with several Celtic Love knots.

Once the ceremony was over, Julie asked, “Mickey, are you sure I can use your last name?”

This time, Mickey knelt on one knee before her and declared, “Julie, I am honored to call you Mrs. Jules Diehl.” He rose, they hugged and this time, when Julie cried, they were tears of happiness and joy.