Magic's Child Read Free Page A

Esmeralda."
     
     
Jennifer Ishii looked at my pants. "Wow, they're fab, Tom. You wouldn't want to make me a pair, would you?"
     
     
Tom opened his mouth and she laughed. It seemed genuine. "Just kidding. So, where's Esmeralda now?"
     
     
"At work," I said.
     
     
"Does she work long hours?"
     
     
"No," I said, but Tom said, "Yes," at the same time.
     
     
"Not really," Jay-Tee said. "Tom's just comparing with his dad. He works at the university."
     
     
I saw a smile flicker at the edges of Jennifer Ishii's mouth.
     
     
"But he's never there," Jay-Tee continued. "He's home practically all the time."
     
     
"It's summer," Tom protested. "Da's on holiday. I mean, he's not teaching, but he's working. He's writing a book."
     
     
Jay-Tee rolled her eyes. "How long's he been writing his book, Tom?"
     
     
"A while."
     
     
"Years and years," Jay-Tee told the social worker.
     
     
"So?" Tom said. "It's not like writing a shopping list, you know."
     
     
"Esmeralda will be back at lunchtime," I said just to shut them up. "She almost always has lunch with us."
     
     
"And brings us home yummy stuff to eat like chocolate— "
     
     
"And healthy things too," Jay-Tee interrupted. "You saw all the fruit, right?"
     
     
Jennifer Ishii suppressed another smile. "So what have the three of you been doing with yourselves over the holidays?" she asked.
     
     
We exchanged glances. Let's see , I thought, I fell in love for the first time, with Jay-Tee's brother, Danny. Had sex for the first time, got pregnant, discovered magic was real, ran away to New York City, though back then I didn't know it was on the other side of Esmeralda's back door. What else? Discovered that my mother lied to me my entire life, met my evil grandfather, Jason Blake, also known as Alexander. Had my long-dead ancestor change me into I-don't-know-what. For all I know, he could be living inside me, turning me into—
     
     
"Studying," Jay-Tee said.
     
     
"That's commendable. What have you been studying?"
     
     
Magic , I thought. All about magic.
     
     
"Just about everything," Jay-Tee answered. "Well, mostly Reason's been helping me and Tom with math 'cause we're hopeless."
     
     
"Speak for yourself," Tom interjected. "My geometry is stellar!"
     
     
"And," Jay-Tee continued, ignoring him, "we've been helping her with everything else. Honestly, Ree doesn't know anything about anything."
     
     
"Yes, I do!"
     
     
"What's a Mormon, Ree?" Tom asked.
     
     
I blushed.
     
     
Jennifer Ishii grinned. "Ree? Is that your nickname, Reason?"
     
     
"Yes," I said, though before I'd met Tom and Jay-Tee no one had ever called me that.
     
     
"Do you prefer being called Ree or Reason?"
     
     
"They're both fine, I guess." I wasn't sure I wanted anyone but Tom and Jay-Tee to call me Ree. It felt kind of private.
     
     
"And when you three aren't studying, what do you do?"
     
     
Tom shrugged. "We hang out. I've been showing them around Newtown. They don't know Sydney hardly at all."
     
     
Out of nowhere my stomach somersaulted and my mouth filled with bile. I dashed to the downstairs bathroom just off the kitchen. I made it in time— barely— filling the toilet bowl with breakfast. Why was I vomiting? I didn't feel bad or anything.
     
     
"Are you okay?" Jennifer Ishii asked from the bathroom door.
     
     
I grunted, waiting a moment before looking up just in case there was more.
     
     
"Are you sick?" She came and felt my forehead. "You're not hot."
     
     
I shook my head. Just pregnant , I realised. That's what it had to be. Didn't being pregnant make you chunder?
     
     
"She's nervous," I heard Tom say. "She chunders when she's nervous."
     
     
I looked up, wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. "No, I don't." I rose unsteadily and flushed the toilet.
     
     
"Here, let me help you." Jennifer Ishii guided me to the sink. "Are you dizzy? Does your stomach hurt? Could it be something you ate?"
     
     
I wished she'd go away. I