Ghost Granny (6 page)

Sebastian walked
the pony over to the porch. “Cody was petting it and I asked him if
he wanted to go for a ride. I hope that is O.K. with you, the
horses are gentle and used to kids. Max plays with them all the
time.”

“
Barebacked?”

“Well, for a short ride and for kids. Adults
should never try to ride them. Cody is actually about the cut off
age to ride them, but he could ride in a cart. The Miniature Horse
breed is the product of nearly 400 years of selective breeding.

“Why did Miss Thelma purchase them? “
Catherine asked.

They are naturals for pulling carts. There
is even racing for miniature trotters. They make wonderful pets and
whenever there is a parade in town Miss Luna and Miss Thelma like
to dress them up and have them in the parades. This one here is Ace
and the other two are Caramel and Zippy. They are put to work a lot
this time of year, with the Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas
parades. The kids just love them and they are gentle creatures.
Cody, let me help you down.”

“Thank you, Sebastian that was fun!” “You
are very welcome, Cody, just never try and ride them when you are
alone, or just with Max.”

“I promise.”

“Thank you, Sebastian, I will make sure Cody
respects the animals.”

Catherine pointed to the glasses of ice tea
and she and Cody sat on the big swing porch. “Do I have to ask
Sebastian to hook up a bell to pull when I can’t find you?”

“I didn’t go far, mom. Did you know that
Sebastian has chickens and goats and all kinds of cows and other
animals back there behind the house?” Cody asked.

“No, I wonder why I didn’t notice when we
ate the stew there on our first day to the house. Oh well, we had a
lot on our mind. Speaking of that, I need to make me a costume for
the party Saturday and this is already Thursday evening and we have
all that baking to do tomorrow after school and work. Why don’t you
be my hero and put away the clean clothes in our rooms while I
start making my outfit?”

“O.K. What are you dressing up as?”

“A witch, but a good one.” Catherine smiled.
They went into the house and after finishing and folding all the
laundry, Catherine made room on the table to sew her costume. She
didn’t have a pattern but she was going to make it a simple long
dress. She had purchased thin wires that she shaped into a pointed
hat and planned to cover the wires with the black material. She got
up to search in the closets, looking to see if there were some sort
of broom or fireplace sweeper she could use as the witch broom.

When Catherine started to reach for the
doorknob of the pantry, Twinkle let out a yowl and jumped against
the door, closing the door again with a bang. “Twinkle, what is it?
Are you hungry?” Catherine said, and bent down to pick up the big
white cat. Twinkle hissed at Catherine and scratched her leg. “Darn
you silly cat, what is wrong with you?” Catherine said, walking to
the downstairs bathroom to wash off the cut and get a band aid.

When she returned to the kitchen, Twinkle
was laying in front of the door, as if keeping guard to make sure
Catherine did not try to open it again. “I have no time to fool
with you, little one.” She said. Catherine felt a chill in the air
and walked into the living room to make a fire in the fireplace.
She saw a large stack of different shaped and colored candles. They
were thick and tall and Catherine put them into the fireplace and
lit them. Admiring how they glowed.
They are so beautiful. I’ll
have Sebastian bring in some firewood tomorrow.

Cody watched his mom make her Halloween
costume until his eye lids grew heavy. “Cody, go on to bed now
honey, you have school in the morning. “

Catherine worked on the witch costume until
her eyelids were beginning to close as well. She held up the
finished product and admired her work. She went into her bedroom
and tried it on, very pleased with the final result.
I can’t
believe I
did this all alone with no help. I guess I am
better at sewing than I thought
. She smiled and then laid on
her bed and fell fast asleep.

“I can’t believe this! What happened here?”
Catherine shrieked the next morning when she and Cody woke up. She
was standing in front of the fireplace holding a piece of black
burnt material in her hand.

“What is it mom? Why are you yelling?” Cody
said, running into the kitchen.

“Look, just look at this, Cody! I stayed up
haft the night sewing this costume and I find it in the fireplace
all burnt this morning! Even the hat! I know I left the dress in my
bedroom when I went to bed and the hat was still on the kitchen
table, so what happened?”

“I don’t know mom.” Cody said, measuring out
Twinkle’s food for her bowl. “Will you have time to make another
one by the party time tomorrow?”

“No. I have work all day and then we are
making the candy and baking with Isabel tonight, there is just not
time. I will have to find time on my lunch hour to buy a costume.
Yours is still in one piece, I hope!” “Yeah, I keep mine right by
my bed.”

Cody and Catherine ate their French toast
and made sure Twinkle’s litter box was clean and that she had fresh
water. Catherine could have sworn that cat winked and smiled at
her. Catherine didn’t have time to dwell on it though, as
Sebastian, Isabel and Max were already at their front door in the
large wagon, ready to be taken to the hill to start their day.

Catherine got into the wagon and looked at
Max.
Could he have burnt my witch costume? Who else? Sebastian
and Isabel certainly didn’t do it and I know Cody didn’t. What is
wrong with that kid?

Catherine could think of no reason on earth
why Max would want to destroy her hard work. Did she offend him
somehow? “So, Max, what are you going to be for Halloween?” She
asked him, trying to put a smile in her voice.

“Ryuu”

“Excuse me?”

“Ryuu, the Japanese Dragon.” Max looked at
Catherine as if he were explaining something so basic that she
should be ashamed of herself for asking.

Isabel, seeing Catherine’s confusion, told
her that they have a game in school that was inspired by Pokémon
that teaches social and emotional skills to children by combining
fantasy worlds and card collecting and role paying to make learning
fun. There are six dragons and there are various challenges and
they also help with communication skills. Therapists also use this
method when dealing with children with autism, Asperger Syndrome or
other autism spectrum disorders.

“Yeah mom, like when someone sneezes
everyone says ‘Garplunk!” Cody said.

“Oh.” Catherine did not mention finding her
witch hat and dress in the fireplace this morning and was glad that
Cody hadn’t mentioned it to Sebastian or his family either. She
could not accuse anyone outright and she wondered what she did to
offend someone enough to want to destroy her costume. She hadn’t
finished sewing it until the very early morning hours and did not
remember mentioning to anyone other than Cody that she was working
on it. It made no sense that someone would sneak into the house
before six a.m. and purposely burn the garment.

She wondered if Max and his family were
dealing with autism, but also wondered how Cody would know so much
about Ryuu after only a few days in his new school. As if reading
her mind, Max looked at Catherine and said “I am not autistic, I
just enjoy social skill games, don’t you?” He seemed to be
challenging her.

“Games of any kind can be fun and useful,
Max.” Catherine said, adding “As long as they do not hurt anyone or
cause them extra work.”

She was glad they had finally reached the
hill.

Hugo watched as the wagon made its way over
the wooden bridge on its way to the hill. The majestic white tailed
deer raised his head from the water and walked to the house.

“Are they over the hill yet?” Caramel
asked.

“Yes, Sebastian won’t be back for a couple
of hours. What was all that smoke about this morning? I could smell
it all the way over by the bridge.” Hugo said, shaking his massive
antlers.

“Thelma burnt Catherine’s Halloween
costume.” Zippy said. There was a sudden gush of wind, swirling
around in circles on the ground forming a blue mini tornado funnel
from which Luna appeared.

“What did you do, Thelma?” Luna asked.
Thelma stretched and grew to her full height of five foot one. “I
dragged it into the fireplace and burnt it, the hat too.” She
proudly exclaimed.

“Why did you do that?” Luna asked her
sister. “And who does she think did the deed?”

“Don’t know, don’t care. She made a witch
costume, a witch! I can’t abide by that, not in my own house!”
Thelma said, patting her white hair into place.

“Our house.” Luna reminded her. “You have to
be more careful, Thelma, we don’t want give Catherine any ideas
about leaving here.”

“As if she could” Hugo said.

“Never the less, Hugo, my dear, we have to
make sure Catherine stays the full year. It will ruin everything if
she starts to kick up a fuss now.”

“Just can’t help some people.” Caramel
said.

“Caramel, are you ready to kick things into
high gear the way we talked about?” Luna asked the little caramel
colored miniature horse.

“Yes, and to that end, I guess I should get
to it.” Caramel answered, trotting away.

“We all should.” Hugo said, and walked over
to the barn to retrieve a basket. “Wait up, Hugo.” Luna said. “We
need to talk.”

Chapter
9

Catherine opened
the door to Thelma’s Chocolates and kissed her son and told him to
have a good day. She went inside and made the coffee in the three
massive coffee machine containers. She then took out the product
from the refrigerator that was to be sold that day and put it into
the display cases.

Nothing to do now, but wait.
Catherine felt uneasy. She understood
that their lives thus far has been much better than they had been
before coming here. She didn’t know why she felt that nagging at
the back of her mind.
How did my witch costume end up in the
fireplace? Why did my witch costume end up in the
fireplace?

The bell above the
door rang and an older lady with white hair and very bright blue
eyes came in. “Good morning, welcome to Thelma’s Chocolates. What
can I help you with today?” Catherine asked,
smiling.

“
Oh, I am just
looking for a tall cup of chocolate coffee this morning. Had a long
night.” The lady said with a twinkle in her
eye.

“
Would you like a
scone or muffin with your coffee today?” Catherine
offered.

“
Would those be
the muffins that Cindy made? She is such a beautiful young woman,
any man would be lucky to get with her.” The woman
said.

“
As far as I know,
a lady named Isabel bakes all the muffins and makes the chocolates,
but I haven’t been in town all that long, so you might be correct.
Which would you like?” Catherine smile stayed on her
face.

“
Just the coffee.
How do you like living at Thelma’s?”

Catherine was
finding it a bit odd how everyone knew everyone else’s business in
this village. She considered it both a blessing and a curse that
people were so involved in other people’s
lives.

“
The house and
land surrounding it are out of this world beautiful. We haven’t met
Thelma, but her sister Luna has been a big help to my son Cody and
myself since we got into town.”

“
Thelma is nicer
than her sister Luna, much better looking and younger too. By the
way, where is Cody’s father?”

Catherine was
saved from trying to answer the lady’s out of line question when
the door opened and a good fifteen children, Cody included, ran in.
Isabel was with them.

“
Happy Halloween
Catherine! We respectfully request that you leave the shop for at
least ten minutes, we have work to do!”

Cody’s eyes were
shinning bright and he looked very happy as he stood there holding
a full bag of something Catherine could not see. In fact, all of
the kids had the bags. Catherine glanced at the clock and said
“Well then, I guess I will be leaving then. Just going to get an
outfit for the party so right across the street.” Catherine said,
winking at her son.

She turned to ask
the lady with the coffee if there was anything else she could get
her before she left, but the lady had apparently left when the
children came in.

Catherine went
into the department store and headed right to the costume area. “I
hope you are not all sold out.” She said to the sales
lady.

“
Nice to meet you,
Catherine. I am Lynn. Oh no, we still have quite a few choices.
People just driving through town sometimes see the flyers about the
party and decide to stay, so we always keep a good supply on hand.
What type of costume were you looking for?”

“
A witch dress and
hat, do you have any left in adult sizes?”

“
We don’t carry….”
The saleslady started to explain, but then noticed a swirl of dark
blue behind Catherine and she amended her answer. “I mean, that is
the one item that we are out of, sorry. What would be your second
choice?”