Magic's Child Read Free Page B

rinsed out my mouth, then washed my face and hands. My eyes stung so I closed them. Magic lights everywhere. I opened them again. "Must've been something I ate. But my stomach doesn't feel so bad now." Which was true. The horrible nauseous feeling had completely vanished. I stood up and wiped my hands on the towel.
     
     
"Do you want to sit down?"
     
     
"No, I'm okay. Really. I feel much better now."
     
     
"Are you sure?"
     
     
"Yes. Whatever it was, it's gone. I feel fine."
     
     
"So it was nervousness?"
     
     
I opened my mouth to deny it and then decided that agreeing was better than admitting the real reason. Me being pregnant after less than two weeks under Esmeralda's roof definitely wouldn't look good. "Well, maybe a little bit. I'm not used to social workers."
     
     
She smiled again. "I imagine not." I wondered if all social workers were told to smile and laugh as much as possible. They probably thought it relaxed the clients. "But if it happens again, you should see a doctor. Vomiting like that is not normal."
     
     
"I will."
     
     
"Are you well enough to show me your bedroom now?"
     
     
"Okay."
     
     
"You're sure you're all right?"
     
     
How did I answer that question? "I think so," I said.
     
     
"Have you always been a nervous vomiter?"
     
     
I glared at Tom. "I guess."
     
    3
Not Alone
Jennifer Ishii walked around my room slowly. I watched her and tried not to seem nervous, though after vomiting like that, I didn't know why I bothered. I'd made Tom and Jay-Tee stay downstairs so they wouldn't inadvertently say anything else wrong.
     
     
She ran a finger along the top of the bookcase, opened the glass doors to step onto the balcony. "Nice view," she said, though all you could see was the street and parked cars and other houses, but only tiny bits of green, stunted trees growing out of the footpath with their roots covered over with asphalt.
     
     
She peered into the wardrobe. Pushed the winter coat that Danny'd bought me on its hanger. "Don't think you'll get much wear out of that here. You don't have many clothes, do you?"
     
     
"No. Esmeralda says she'll buy me some more."
     
     
"Do you always call her Esmeralda?"
     
     
"Yes. That's her name. We don't really know each other very well yet."
     
     
"No," Jennifer Ishii said, smiling. "I imagine not."
     
     
She stepped into the bathroom. "This is lovely. Must be nice having your own bathroom."
     
     
"Yup. I never have before. It's grouse."
     
     
"Are you happy, Reason?"
     
     
I blinked, saw dots of magic light and the dark gap where Jennifer Ishii must be standing. Shivered again. Her not being there was spooky. It was as if she were dead.
     
     
"Are you okay?"
     
     
I nodded.
     
     
"Really? You don't seem okay. Or happy."
     
     
"I miss my mother." It was true. I missed our life together. I missed her being sane, or at least not scary mad, like she was now. Sarafina had always been odd. Even the little I'd seen of other people had taught me that . I missed the time when I hadn't known about magic.
     
     
And even though it had only been one night, I missed being able to close my eyes without seeing it everywhere. I missed how I was before Raul Cansino had done whatever it was he'd done to me. I missed being able to sleep. And Danny. I missed Danny, even though we'd only been apart for a day. Jay-Tee had called him, but I hadn't. I didn't want Tom and Jay-Tee overhearing.
     
     
"You've been to visit your mother?"
     
     
"Yes, twice, but she's…she's not how she was." I sat down on the bed.
     
     
"Are you getting enough sleep?"
     
     
I opened my mouth, then shut it again.
     
     
"Those are very dark shadows. And your eyes are so red. Like you've been crying. All the time."
     
     
Not like I've been crying— like I've been trying not to blink, not to see the world the way Raul Cansino saw it: a world of magic. "I don't sleep very well." That wasn't true. Usually I slept fine, but yesterday the old man had