Chapter IX: A Narrow Escape

After the revelation of Buster's hidden motivations for insinuating himself into our lives and home, time passed for me like I was trapped inside a glass bottle. I felt the oppressive fear of a captive with everything to lose. Secure in the knowledge of his magical superiority, Buster didn't even bother to hide his smug smiled from me, and I could feel his eyes undressing me whenever we were in the same room together. He would even occasionally torment me by make lewd or inappropriate comments to me in front of Xander and the children. He would activate the 'overlook' spell though, so all they would hear was an inane comment about the weather or my health, and I would have to hide my fury and shame from them. I took to spending most of my time in my room, practicing my magic, desperately trying to come up with a way to get rid of the monster I had unwittingly allowed into our home.

I think Xander could sense my anxiety, and several times he asked me what was wrong or if I was stressed out because of work and the kids. I sorely wanted to tell him everything, but one glance or smirk from Buster would remind me of his ever-present threat. If I told Xander who and what his father really was, Buster would erase his memories, and I and the children would lose him forever. I couldn't afford that. Xander was the only person I could depend on anymore, and I needed him desperately. Buster didn't bother to rein Lilah in anymore, and she was a complete terror, tormenting the boys and making fun of them every chance she got. Timo and Mattei both loved and trusted Buster, and more often ran to him when their sister became too much. They seemed to have forgotten their mother entirely, and I could only watch in horror as Buster seemed to effortlessly entrench himself into our lives until I was nothing but a household fixture in my own home.

Lilah spent most of her time in her room, painting on the easel Buster bought her, and she wouldn't let anyone in except her grandfather. I wondered at times how much he had told her, if anything, but she wouldn't speak to me about mundane things like school or her friends, much less any secrets between her and her grandfather, so I was at a loss.

Despite my constant distress, life wasn't wholly bad, though. With the extra money I was bringing in now, we were able to afford more nice things for ourselves and the children. Xander and I bought a new bed for ourselves, though when Buster was in the house I couldn't sleep anyway. The boys also redecorated their room and got bunk beds.

Still... I lived in fear, praying to the Magic every night to send me a sign, something to explain how and why this had happened. Why was I a prisoner in my own home, in thrall to a man who had some insidious design on my children? I never got an answer...

Until one morning. It was the morning of Lilah's birthday party. She was turning thirteen. She was standing in the kitchen talking with Buster while I tried to pay attention to a program on the television while I waited for the cake to bake. Suddenly, Buster grabbed his chest, doubling over in pain. “Grandpa!” Lilah shrieked, and I ran over.

Before my eyes, Buster Clavell crumpled to the floor, leaving a shimmering white ghost standing in his place. Lilah screamed and ran to her grandfather's body, shaking it and screaming his name over and over. The room grew suddenly cold.

Beau, who had arrived early to help set up for the party, came in just then and ran over to see what was happening. As they reacted to Buster's unresponsive corpse, I waited with the ghost, eyes on Lilah's bedroom door as a dark shadow coalesced before me. It took the form of a hooded, cloaked figure with boney hands bearing a scythe. My blood ran cold with terror, and I stood frozen as Buster's ghost turned and looked at me... and gave a little wave. Then, with a gesture from the reaper, he dived toward the floor and was gone, leaving me with a house full of chaos and my sobbing daughter.

* * *

We had Buster cremated, but we held off on a burial for several reasons. Xander didn't want to ruin Lilah's birthdaywith a funeral for her dear grandfather, and besides, Lilah wouldn't hear of burying him at all. “We have to keep Grandpa here with us!” she wailed. “He belongs here! This is his home!”

Privately, I was relieved by Buster's sudden death. Nobody else seemed to have notice anything unusual, so I assumed that as the only person in the room with the Gift, I was the only one who had seen Buster go with the dark messenger that had appeared in Lilah's doorway. I didn't understand the portent of that omen, and frankly, I didn't want to. I was just glad he was gone, and all his insidious designs on my family with him. I would have thrown his ashes out the door and good riddance, but Xander took Lilah's side and insisted we keep Buster's ashes in the house. Still, I stipulated that they be kept upstairs in the boy's old room, now an office, and everyone agreed. Life got back to a semi-regular pace, and we rescheduled Lilah's birthday party soon after, trying to keep things as normal as possible.

The day of the party went smoothly (no sudden deaths in the family this time), and Lilah even seemed to be enjoying herself, sharing the tree-house we had bought her with the boys.

Suddenly Xander surprised me after we had cut the cake by getting on one knee. “Moriah, I love you,” he declared.

“I should've done this years ago, but we all know what an idiot I am.” Everyone laughed, but I was still in shock. “This is... this is what Dad would have wanted. And I know now that it's what I want.” Xander produced a small blue box and opened it to reveal a beautiful gold diamond ring.

“Marry me, Moriah,” he said, and pulled out the ring. I could only nod, tears streaming down my face. Even the mention of that man's name could not ruin this moment for me, and the fact that he was no longer around to witness it made it all that much sweeter.

“Of course!” I managed to squeak out, and embraced Xander, the love of my life, father of my children, and now... my fiancee. Our friends and family cheered and applauded, and for the first time since that dreadful morning when Buster revealed his plan to me, I finally felt safe again...