Nina sniffed, giving Kat a warning glare, making her cringe. "All this witchy drama has made me absolutely ravenous," she purred, heading towards the back door.
"You can't just throw food at a problem every time a situation comes up that you don't want to deal with, Nina," Mindy said, watching her friend take down a black parasol hanging on a hook near the door, and popping it open as soon as she walked outside. She was the picture of a genteel lady of a manor house, going on a late afternoon stroll in the woods to gather wildflowers.
Nina twirled around, her long skirts sweeping across the patio. "Don't be so judgmental, dear Mindy. You have no idea how much money I have saved, swapping retail therapy with food therapy over the years."
"My horse is not on the menu," Mindy called after her. Nina waved her hand in the air dismissively. "So not my preference..." Seconds later, she was gone, vanishing into the forest.
"At least she doesn't sparkle," Alexandria murmured. "That has to be a good thing, right?"
"Animal blood. Disgusting," Kat cringed, shaking her head.
Alexandria stared at her in disbelief.
Kat shrugged. "Okay. What I really mean is, any blood." She started tapping her foot, deep in thought for a moment. "She might be a total bitch from hell and all, with that whole mind control thing, but I really dig her boots, and that dress, wow. She totally rocks that whole gothic, emo, vintage look thing." She turned to look at Mindy. "Do you think she would let me borrow her boots sometime?"
Mindy tilted her head and looked at her.
"Yeah. I didn't think so. Oh well, wearing dead people's shoes would be a bit weird, I suppose."
Alexandria shook her head. "I've got things to get out of the car... I'll be back in a sec."
Mindy leaned against the kitchen bench, a spoon busily stirring her third cup of tea. She looked at her watch; outside the sun was melting into the treetops, and within an hour, it would be dark. "For dinner tonight, I've decided to cook us all a roast chicken dinner, with your Grandma Savannah's potato and rosemary bread, and my famous blueberry cobbler."
"I'm up for it," Andrew replied eagerly. "I can't remember the last time I had a roast dinner, or blueberry cobbler for that matter. I'll help you cook, if you'd like. I can be a bit of a wiz in the kitchen, or so my mom used to say."
Kat nodded from her seat in the lounge room as she flicked through the latest edition of The Ferntree Post, Ferntree Falls' daily newspaper. "Sounds good, Aunt Mindy. I've always loved your cooking." She glanced at the clock on the wall. "Why not just grab a pizza, though? A roast will take forever." She turned the page. "Oh. Shoe sale starts Wednesday. Diabolical. Do you want to come with?" she asked Alexandria, her eyes never leaving the page.
"What?" Alexandria asked from the kitchen as she finished unpacking the groceries.
"Shoes, sale. Wednesday after school," Kat murmured.
"Maybe," Alexandria replied, piling Andrew's personal items neatly on the breakfast bench. "One tube of toothpaste, mint flavour. One toothbrush, medium. Shaving cream and razor. A packet of chocolate-chip cookies, and a loaf of bread. A jar of crunchy peanut butter. I think that was everything on your list."
"Great. Thanks, Alexandria. I owe you one," he said, tearing open the packet of cookies and biting into one.
"You don't owe me anything, what with all the work you have done around here. I could never have done so much on my own."
He offered the packet of chocolate-chip cookies to Alexandria, who declined. "More for me," he said, gathering up the toothpaste, toothbrush, shaving cream and razor. "I'll just go put these in my room," he mumbled with a mouth full of cookie. Walking to the blue door leading into the small bedsitter off the kitchen, he balanced himself on one foot and pushed the door open with his foot. A few moments later, he returned, brushing crumbs off his chin.
Mindy smiled as she retrieved the still twirling spoon from her cup of tea and took a sip. "Don't you worry about the time, Kitty Kat. I have a few tricks up my sleeve that you can't even begin to imagine. Dinner will be ready and on the table by eight. One of the reasons your mother didn't want me hanging around Ferntree Falls, she didn't want you to have anything to do with magic. All I can say is I wouldn't want to be you when she discovers what you have done."
"I can handle my mother," Kat replied, momentarily lifting her head out of the newspaper.
Mindy took another sip of her tea. "I hope you're right." She turned her attention to Andrew. "I have a few groceries for dinner in my wagon out front, but I'll need a few extra ingredients. Would you mind coming into town with me, Andrew, so I can pick them up?"