Dinner

Closing the door, you let out a breath you didn’t know you were holding.

Pulling off your sweaty clothes, you wipe yourself clean with a towel while thinking about what had transpired in the ritual room. Although the experience was frightening and tiring, it feels like it was too short. You had been prepared to hear some demand or propose a trade, but the Coin was just given to you. Reaching into your pant’s pocket, you take the Coin out and examine it.

The Trickster declared you it’s new owner, so does that mean it works only for you? Perhaps it can’t be lost, or maybe it can be summoned at will? Your grandfather’s journal does say that divine relics that belong to one cannot be used by another.

Still thinking, you walk over to your bed and place the Coin underneath youe pillow. Feeling more than a little silly, you place your hand in your pocket. It’s empty.

You close your eyes and think, ’Come to me.’

You feel it come out of your hand, in the area of your palm that you felt burn and sizzle when the Trickster had tossed it to you. Your mood greatly improves, there is no risk of anyone finding out and stealing the Coin this way.

You’re still smiling when you arrive at the dinner table, and your family members notice immediately.

“Well this is refreshing,” you hear Belle, your stepmother, say. “Mark’s not scowling for once.”

“He doesn’t scowl, Mom. That’s just how Mark looks,” your stepsister Evelyn jokes.

Your father got married to Isabelle Parker two years after your mother had died. You were eleven and Avery thirteen when she died, and you father felt that you needed a mother figure in your lives.

Unsurprisingly, you had been less than enthusiastic about his decision. Having lost the person you loved the most at the tender age of eleven, you found it unacceptable that a stranger would take her place in the family and resolved to let her know exactly how unwelcome she was.

What you hadn’t been prepared for was the incredible woman Belle would turn out to be.

Beautiful and kind, Isabella had been patient and kind until you felt she could be trusted, which took several months to happen. She was always there for you when you needed to talk about your troubles, showing empathy and offering valuable advice.

You and she had gone out shopping one day, and you were so familiar with her by then that you accidentally called her ‘Mother’. You recall her holding you in her arms and soothing you when you burst into tears immediately afterwards. In the middle of all the people who were watching, she comforted you until you finished hiccuping and sobbing. She became your best friend in the world on that day.

You found again what you lost when your mother had died in Isabella.

“Don’t tease your brother, Evelyn,” Bella admonishes, then smiles at you. “It’s rare to see him so happy, so I don’t want you ruining it.”

Evelyn huffs.

“So, what has you in such a good mood?” Bella reaching over placing a steak onto your plate.

“Nothing special,” you reply, cutting into the meat. “The food’s delicious, Belle.”

“How do you know? You haven’t taken a single bite,” Bella laughs.

“You’ve never made anything that wasn’t delicious,” you say, piling a generous amount of mashed potato onto your bite of steak.

The table goes silent. You look up to see a pleasantly surprised expression on Belle’s face, and Avery and Evelyn are exchanging looks and glancing at you.

Bella laughs. “That’s such a nice thing to say! Whatever’s happened is making you awfully sweet.”

You flush slightly in embarrassment, and continue to eat in silence.

“Hmm.” You know Belle is smiling. “Could it be,” she pauses. “...a girl?”

You on your water. Evelyn bursts out laughing and Avery thumps you on the back.

“So it _is_ a girl?” Belle’s eyes are sparkling. “May I know what her name is?”

“It’s nothing like that,” you gasp out between coughs. “I’m just in a good mood.”

“Yeah, Mom. Get real,” Evelyn says, smirking at you. “A girl? This is Mark we’re talking about.”

You roll your eyes. “Real funny, Evie.”

She blows you a razzberry and goes back to her food.

You’re finished eating when you see Belle cut half of her steak and place it on your plate.

“What?” Evelyn whines. “I compliment your food everyday! Why does he get special treatment?”

“He’s her favourite,” Avery says, grinning. “He’s always been her favourite.”

“I love all of you equally,” Belle says in a level tone.

“Pfft,” Evelyn rolls her eyes, but smiles anyway. “Whatever, I’m done. See you guys in the morning.”

“Thanks for the food, Belle,” Avery says.

They both walk over to Belle and kiss her on the forehead before leaving.

You’re aware of your flushing face as you finish Belle’s steak. You wipe your lips clean with a napkin, mutter a small thanks and get up to leave.

“Aren’t you forgetting something?”

You turn to see her resting her smiling face in her hands, elbows on the table.

You march over to her and bend to kiss her on the forehead too. As your lips touch her skin, you can smell the flowery scent of her shampoo. You breathe in while trying to act natural. Her hands cup your cheeks as you try to stand, and she pecks you on the nose and forehead affectionately before letting you go.

You nearly lose it.

“Goodnight, Belle,” you say quickly, and walk hurriedly up the stairs and into your room. You don’t remember taking the Coin out, but it’s there in your hand.

‘Belle. My Belle. Only. Mine.’

The thoughts speed across your mind, and you hear yourself let out a soft chuckle. The Coin grows hotter in your hand.

Isabella Smith is your stepmother, your best friend and your obsession.

Her beauty entrances you more every single day. The colour of her eyes, the smell of her, the feel of her hair, how soft she feels in your arms..... you have it all memorised. Every time your father comes back from his work in Europe you lose sleep over what they might be doing in their bedroom at night, feeling a bitter feeling in your stomach at the thought of her being in another’s arms.

Your attempt at deadly magic was all for her, to possess her.

Now you have what you need to make her yours.

The Coin grows hot in your pocket.