Your Magic or Mine? by Ann Macela Read Free Book Online Page A

“Have the teaching masters decided on your potentially highest level yet?”
    “Show them your lightball,” Clay encouraged.
    “Okay, here goes.” Francie shut her eyes for a moment, opened them, and held out her hand. A glowing green-and-blue streaked ball of light appeared, sitting on her palm. “That’s as high as I’ve been able to push it.”
    “The colors put you between levels eight and nine. That’s excellent news,” Alaric said.
    “Speaking of news, we have some also,” Daria said. She smiled at Bent, who took her hand and kissed her fingers. “We’re going to have a baby!”
    “Great!” Clay exclaimed.
    “That’s awesome.” Francie clapped.
    “Stupendous.” Alaric reached over to shake Bent’s hand.
    “Honey, that’s wonderful.” Antonia stood up and came around to give Daria and Bent a big hug. After she sat back down, she stared at Alaric. “Oh, my goodness! You realize that means we’re going to be grandparents!”
    The look on her face caused everybody to laugh—except Gloriana.
    “I’m going to be an aunt,” she said softly, almost to herself. The news hit her like a tree branch had fallen on her. What was wrong with her? She should be, and was, very happy for them. Why was she so stunned? Almost sad? Even panicked? She picked up her iced tea and swallowed some, partly to wet her dry throat, but mostly to hide behind the glass while she thought over her peculiar reaction.
    Daria gave them the facts: due in September, no idea if a boy or girl, no names picked out yet. Gloriana managed to sit through that and the following questions with a minimum of distress. When her parents indulged themselves in some reminiscences about their children’s births, however, she wanted to run screaming. At least Daria and Clay didn’t look too happy about the tales, either.
    Her mother finally shooed the men out of the kitchen, saying she knew they wouldn’t want to discuss pregnancy details. While the guys went off to have a celebratory brandy, the women cleared the table and talked of morning sickness and gynecological matters. Or rather the other three did; Gloriana sat in a corner and concentrated on
enduring
the discussion. She didn’t want to even think about the subject, but she couldn’t tell anyone about her confusing feelings—they felt somehow traitorous.
    The discussion went on for a half an hour before she could reasonably say good night and escape.
    Thank goodness, she thought on the drive, she had built her own house on the farm a half mile away from the big house. As much as she loved her family, she didn’t feel like being good company at the moment. First the debate or Forscher—or both—unsettled her, then Daria’s news. If she didn’t calm herself down, she wasn’t going to fall asleep easily tonight.
    A little itch started under her bra right over her magic center, and she rubbed it before pushing the button to open her garage. One thing about Texas, there were always bugs.
    “Hello, Delilah,” she said to the black and white basenji when she came into her kitchen.
    The dog answered back with her customary yodel and became very interested in sniffing her shoes and skirt.
    “I know,” Gloriana said, bending down to pet her, “all those smells from all those people. I’m glad you’re a barkless dog. I don’t think I could bear yapping after the hoopla tonight.”
    Delilah grunted and leaned into her hand.
    “Did you have fun with Mother today? How about a run? I’m too wired to go to sleep.”
    When Delilah heard the word
run
, she looked Gloriana right in the eyes and grinned.
    “Come on,” Gloriana said and led the way to her bedroom to change.
    In five minutes she was jogging down the road to the greenhouses, leash in one hand, flashlight in the other. She wished she could use
lux
, but you never knew who might drive by and see the strange light. The air was cool, probably upper fifties or lower sixties, and fresh. She could practically smell the basil