Past Life by C S Winchester Read Free Book Online

a witch?
    It wasn't right that there were so many dangers out there that people remained oblivious of.
     
    Frankie parked her car behind Will's, since her parent's car was in the driveway. She took a moment to compose herself, then she checked that her scarf was covering her bruises and took a deep breath as she summoned some enthusiasm.
    “ Mum, Dad, it's good to see you!” she said as she got out of the car.
    She hugged them both, being careful not to touch their skin.
    “ Sweetheart, we're sorry, we thought it would be a nice surprise.”
    “ Don't worry, Mum, it is a surprise. How long have you been on the road?” she asked as she opened the door and turned off the alarm.
    “ Oh, nearly eight hours,” her father said. “Still, we made good time, I think.”
    “ Well, let me put the kettle on for you.”
    “ Where should we put our bags?” her mother asked.
    “ I've booked you into a local hotel,” Frankie said.
    “ A hotel? You mean we won't be staying with you?” Her mother sounded hurt.
    “ I explained that I don't have any furniture in the spare room, Mum.”
    “ That's the problems with surprises,” her father said. He would never go so far as to suggest that this was his wife's fault, but it was clear to Frankie that he blamed her.
    Her mother simply sniffed. “Well I was taught that a hostess should give up her own bed to a guest.”
    “ Mum, you know I have O.C.D. That sort of thing is very difficult for me.”
    “ We never had conditions like that when I was younger either.”
    “ Look, I'll pay for your hotel, Mum, you don't have to worry about that.”
    “ It's not the money, Francis. We wanted to spend time with our daughter. But if we're too much trouble for you and your mental health issues, then we'll go to a hotel. Far be it for me to stay where I'm not wanted.”
    Frankie took a calming breath and tried her best to relax.

Chapter Five
    “ You're right, I'm sorry, Mum. You two take my bed and I'll sleep on the sofa but I can't just take time off work while you're here, so you'll have to fend for yourselves.”
    Her mother sniffed.
    “ Don't worry, Mum, I know that you think that I should be a stay at home mum and that I should do nothing more with my life than wash clothes and change nappies and keep house! Unfortunately I have other skills; skills the government thinks it can make use of. They pay me to help keep this country safe and that's what I'm damn well going to do, whether you like it or not. If you want to spend time with me, then you need to let me know so that I can get time off.”
    Frankie almost regretted snapping and was about to apologise, until she saw the distaste on her mother's face. She thought that being a spy was a very unseemly profession for a woman.
    Frankie finished making their drinks and got them some biscuits.
    “ I thought we'd go out for dinner,” she said. “I need to change the sheets on the bed and then get ready. Make yourselves at home and I'll be down soon. I have an en-suite, so you can use the big bathroom upstairs for now if you want to freshen up.” She disappeared before her mother could say anything else, though Frankie was sure that she would soon be bemoaning the lack of a home cooked meal to her father.
    Alone in her bedroom, Frankie sat on the edge of the bed and buried her head in her hands. She couldn't believe she'd just given in so quickly. Frankie knew that being prepared was a large part of winning with her mother, and she suspected that was why they had surprised her but if she wasn't careful, she could well kill her mother before the night was over; though she knew that how she was feeling wasn't all her mother's fault. Frankie was still worried about Will, and that wasn't helping her temper in the slightest.
    She took out her phone and scrolled through the contacts to Will's number. She hesitated then scrolled back up to Dante.
    “ Frankie, is there a problem with the reservation?”
    “ What? Oh, no. I mean yes,