This is the next chapter to Tamer's Secret

Ian Cadence ran his fingers through his black, curly and out of control hair. He hated the stuff, but everyone else was wearing it that way at school and a nine-year-old had to blend in somehow. Peeking out of the window beside his bed, he took notice of the bared trees. The piles of leaves were evidence that they had been abandoned last month and November weather had left them cold and naked. The trees shivered in the frigid morning breeze. For a second, Ian found himself thankful that he had not been made a tree as he slipped a pair of sweatpants over his white briefs. His bedroom was warm enough but the scene outside chilled him to the bone. Shivering, he slipped a t-shirt on and stumbled over a couple of the video games he had left in the floor the night before.

Downstairs, his mother was making breakfast. The delicious smell of eggs and bacon sifted into his nostrils, making his mouth water. Clover, his older sister, sat in one of the chairs that surrounded the table nursing a small glass of orange juice. The Tuesday morning paper rested in the middle of the table and he could see that Clover had already lain claim to the funnies. Her blue eyes challenged him to say one word about it. Ian grinned as he poured himself a glass of juice. Maybe later.

“Morning, Ian,” his mother sang.

“Morning,” he mumbled back. She was always a morning person. So was Clover. Both of them were always up at the crack of dawn swapping girly stories about whatever disinterested him. Ian wanted to retch at the thought.

“I’ve already told Clover, sweetheart, so I’ll let you in. Your grandmother is coming in for Thanksgiving.”

“Grandmother?”

“Isn’t it wonderful? It’ll be just like a real Thanksgiving.”

Ian eyed Clover’s expression. She, too, was excited at the idea of Grandmother returning for Thanksgiving. More girl bonding!

“Does Dad know?” I asked, hoping for a more realistic take on Grandmother’s stay.

“He knows, but he’ll be out of town on business this weekend.” Mom must have caught on to my disappointment as she leaned over and kissed the top of my head. “It’s the height of the retail business with the Christmas season coming and all. He wanted to be with us, really, he did, but his boss just wouldn’t let him off.”

I nodded.

Thanksgiving with Grandmother. The thought made me hurdle through my breakfast and hustle back up the stairs to get dressed. The faster I could get out of girl-ville today, the better. I bundled up in a heavy jacket and bid the two of them adios as I ran out of the house into the safety of the open outdoors.

Any place is safer than in there, even school.

Sitting in an empty seat in front of Lander, I looked out the window as the bus rumbled up the street. I felt it lurch to a stop ever-so-often as kids piled inside. Traveling down main street, I spotted someone familiar. Mister Tamer walking on the sidewalk with Higgins (his black, long-haired cat) in her little cat harness. Well, that’s what she looked like right now. In reality, she was way more than the little aggravated feline she portrayed. Unfortunately, for me and some of my friends we found that out last Halloween when she cornered all of us in my grandfather’s barn and then morphed into an old woman. I still remember how it all took place. When I talked with my grandfather about her, he wouldn’t say much, just that she wouldn’t stay in that form for more than Halloween night. Then I asked who she was, causing him to just shoo me in the truck with my friends and refuse to discuss it any further.

My brain went to those human eyes, that didn’t exactly seem human, and the way they looked at me. Her dislike of me had managed to travel through the change to a new species. For some reason, Higgins has always hated me, not that she was crazy about anyone I knew, but she would go out of her way to hiss and spit at me when she could. Why she hated me, I had no idea.

“What’s wrong?” Lander asked as we were herded into the school building.

Lander had been my friend for as long as I could remember. He was smaller than me, but he was the biggest friend I had.

“My grandmother is coming to stay with us for Thanksgiving,” I murmured as my fingers fumbled the combination to my locker.

“Don’t you like her?”
“Sure, but Dad’s not going to be there.”

“We have to go to my Aunt Wilma’s,” Lander said, snarling up his nose. “Mom says we have to leave early that morning. It takes about two hours to get there and she usually complains about the price of gas the whole time.”

I pulled my locker door open and picked up my history book. Slamming it shut, I turned back to Lander.
“Well, at least you’re not outnumbered.”

“True. I guess.” Then he grinned. “Hey, did you see Higgins and Mister Tamer?”

I nodded.

“Remember Halloween night?”

“I try not to, but thanks for bringing that up.”

“Sorry,” Lander mumbled as we drifted into separate directions for class.

That night, I ate my mom’s taco salad without one word to anyone. Dad didn’t talk much to Cover or I, but he did speak to mom about the upcoming holiday season. I felt like a fly on a wall and so after I had eaten my fill of dinner, I did what flies happen to do best and buzzed off. Upstairs was more my style anyway. I grabbed the remote control of my game system and flicked the power on my portable television set. I had considered starting with my homework, but that thought was over as soon as it started. When I had made the second level to my game, I heard the knob on the door turn. I pressed pause and watched Clover peek her head in.

“Don’t you knock?”

“Oh. Sorry, Ian. Can we talk for a few minutes?”

“What could you possibly have to say to me that would take more than two minutes?”

“Very funny, jerk,” She helped herself to a seat at the end of my bed. “Anyway, I was just wondering if you were okay about Thanksgiving.”

“What’s not to be okay about?” I asked, pressing play and continuing my game. “I mean, Grandmother will be here, Dad won’t, and I’ll be surrounded by people of the opposite sex for the entire holiday weekend. Why wouldn’t I be okay about that?”

“I’m sorry, you know, that Dad can’t be here for you.”

Ian looked at his watch. “Well, look at that! Two minutes are almost up!”

“Jerk!” Clover hissed as she stomped out of my room and gave the bedroom door a good slam.

I rifled through my homework after she left and then took off outside through the backdoor. I could hear my dad yell all the way outside. “Back before dark!”

Outside, I took in the brisk chill in the air. If I were going to be back home before dark, I definitely couldn’t go far. Dark always came earlier in the fall and winter and I probably had little more than an hour of daylight left. Pounding the sidewalk, I passed a couple of small business. The hardware store, grocer, shoe repair, and a variety store. All of them ornamented for Christmas. I shook my head in disgust. The turkey hadn’t made its appearance yet and, already, I was having candy canes shoved down my throat. I maneuvered around a leafless tree just as Mister Tamer, walking Higgins of course, came within a few feet of me. Mister Tamer smiled politely as he always did, while Higgins hissed and swatted at my shoes. I stopped in my tracks, looking around for anyone. I was amazed at how the streets in our town just sort of rolled up after a certain time of day.

“How are you today, Mister Tamer?”

The old man seemed surprised that I would even take the time to utter a simple hello, much less ask him about his well being. He gripped Higgins’ leash tighter in his hand as she growled shrilly trying to pull him along. Lifting his hat and placing it back on his head, the old man spoke.

“I’m not bad today. How about yourself?”

“I’m fine, sir,” I pointed to Higgins. “I don’t think she likes me very much.”

“She’s disagreeable like that some times.” Mister Tamer frowned at the black fur ball as she flopped down beside the old man’s foot and began whipping her tail against the concrete. I could hear her growl in a low and aggravated sort of way. Her emerald green eyes glowered at me.

“What did I ever do to make her hate me so much?” I asked before I could stop myself.

“Oh, it’s not you, son.”

“But it is. She doesn’t do that to anyone else.”

Mister Tamer shot Higgins a glare. Higgins eyed her master almost innocently. She began to purr as she stopped smacking her tail around and laid her fuzzy head on Mister Tamer’s shoe. He shook his head slowly.

“It’s a long story, son. Now, don’t you worry yourself about it, long as nobody let’s her back outside, all is good. Okay?”

I nodded as he lifted his hat at me once more and offered a good day. I watched as he gave Higgins’ leash a gentle tug. She got back on all fours and threw me one more hiss as slinked behind the old man. I stood there utterly confused as I watched the two of them walk out of sight. Kicking an empty soda can down the walk, I followed it thinking about everything I knew about Mister Tamer and Higgins.

Mister Tamer’s wife is supposed to be dead, but when Higgins turned human in the barn on Halloween night, Mister Tamer treated her like my dad would have treated mom. He acted like he was really worried about her. Okay. So, Higgins is really Mrs. Tamer? What the heck happened?

I shrugged in confusion and raised my eyes to the setting sun as I gave the can one more kick. I decided to turn for home. No sense getting myself grounded when I could think about this in my room. When I got back home, Dad wasn’t there.

“He went to the airport to pick up your grandmother,” Mom said. “Did you have a nice walk?”

I nodded my head. “I saw Mister Tamer and Higgins.”

“Oh, that’s nice, dear.” She smiled tenderly as she dumped a wicker basket full of coupons on the kitchen table.

I looked questionably at her.

“Your grandmother refuses to go grocery shopping without using them, so I need to be ready.”

I shrugged and went back upstairs. About an hour later, I heard the sound of a car door slamming. I peeked out my window and saw Dad pulling a couple of suitcases from the trunk while Grandmother smoothed out the front of her dress and adjusted her hat. She always wore hats (nothing against hats, except nobody else I knew ever wore them outside of Easter and Derby Day) and older looking dresses. At least I could give her one plus, she never smelled funny like some of my friends’ grandmothers. She always smelled like lilies, or at least that’s what I think Mom called it. Grandmother is my mom’s mother. She lives in Florida, where I think almost all old people gather, with the exception of my Grandfather (my dad’s father) who says that all seniors think the heat will iron out their wrinkles. I looked at Grandmother through the paned glass. It didn’t look like the Florida heat had been very successful in its ironing attempts.

Grandmother looked up and winked at me. I jumped back a little. Pulling myself onto my feet, I padded downstairs as the door swung open and the welcome fest began. Mom squealed like a teenager and jumped up and down, clapping her hands as she gripped my grandmother in a monster hug. Grandmother told her how much she had missed her and kissed both of her cheeks. Then came Clover, another squealer. Hug, hug, kiss, kiss. Dad stood patiently at the threshold holding both suitcases as Grandmother eyed me with open arms. I backed up a little as my mother shot me a glare. Thinking pinched cheeks were better than a grounding, I went forward to my doom. Grandmother cackled and gripped me in her cast-iron hold. I felt like I was being hugged by a gorilla as she squeezed and rocked my nine-year-old frame. What followed was even worse. She released her grip and, as the air finally penetrated my lungs, pinched both my cheeks in one of those wicked grandmother pinches. The pain was excruciating but I didn’t say a word as I spotted the look in my mother’s eyes. Then, as some grandmothers do, she leaned down and kissed both of my throbbing cheeks. I could feel the cold, wet grossness on my skin. Yuck!!!

“How’s my grandson? Oh! You’ve grown a foot since I’ve seen you last! How’s school? I bet all of the girls are drooling over such a fine young man! Do you have a girlfriend yet? I bet you’ve got more than one. Little Dickens!”

My eyes widened in horror as the questions and exclamations bombarded me. I couldn’t answer any of them, not that I even wanted to, but how could I get a word in before she slammed me with another question. I just did what I always did when she came, I nodded (mouth gaping open in shock and awe) like some idiot who could not escape a Grandmother’s torture.

“That’s my boy!” she exclaimed, giving my cheeks one more good pinch.

“Can I get these heavy things inside?” Dad asked, still carrying the bags as he tried inch past Grandmother.

“But of course!” Grandmother exclaimed as Clover and my mom took off into the kitchen, leaving Dad and me in the door way. My cheeks throbbed as I wiped the sticky moisture off of them with the sleeve of my shirt. My dad threw me a sympathetic look and took the bags into the downstairs guest room. When he returned he patted me on the shoulder.

“Be brave, little man, and remember one thing.” I looked at the grin that crept across his face. “Before there was you, there was only me.”

I watched as he walked into the kitchen where all three females screeched and cackled. Within seconds, he returned with two cans of soda and ushered me into the living room. We watched television and listened to sounds emanating from the kitchen that no human woman should have been capable of making. Before long, I was upstairs sleeping in my bed.

* *

I didn’t know what woke me up exactly, whether it was the dream I was having or the wind that howled outside of my window, but something definitely did. Groggily, I pulled myself up and watched the bare trees bend to the will of the wind through the glass that led to the outer world. I rubbed my eyes when I caught a glimpse of a shadow on the sidewalk. You never can tell when your eyes are playing tricks on you and when you first wake up it’s usually a sure bet that they are, so I looked out once more. The little shadow was still there. I wondered if maybe it was just a raccoon or some other bit of wildlife that had lost its way, but that thought went spiraling down to the land of nonsense when I caught sight of two very emerald green eyes.

Higgins!

I checked out the window once more. No Mister Tamer.

Wonderful! She’s out all by herself now!

I jumped out of bed and threw on a pair of sweats that lay on the floor. Tiptoeing down the steps, I pulled on my dad’s goulashes and went out the front door. Higgins sat there, on the sidewalk beneath a tree, her fur blowing gently in the wind. Her eyes gleaming as wickedly as ever. I couldn’t help but believe I should have just stayed in bed. She hissed.

What a surprise!

“Does Mister Tamer know you’re out?” I whispered to her in the night breeze. “He’ll be worried, you know?”

Higgins let out another hiss and swatted at me as I tried to pick her up. I felt her scratch the skin on my hand as I let her go.

“You can’t be out here by yourself. You know what Mister Tamer would say.”

The cat’s eyes gazed rebelliously at me. There was no way she was going to leave her spot without a good fight and I seriously doubted that I would be much of a match for her. Shaking my head in aggravation, I turned towards the Tamer residence and took off. If she really wanted to stay under that tree, she’d be there when I got back. I began to bang on the door when I reached the house. Mister Tamer opened it in a matter of seconds.

“Ian Cadence. What are you doing here at this time of night?”

“It’s Higgins, sir. She’s sitting in front of my house and I couldn’t pick her up to bring her here to you because she just wouldn’t have any part of that.”

I showed him the scratch on my hand.

“Oh, dear. She must have gotten out when the delivery man came.”

He closed the door to and followed me to the front of our house where Higgins still sat. She flashed both of us a look of defiance and let out another hiss.

“Dear me,” he said meekly as he pulled a leash out of a pocket on his plaid flannel robe.

I watched him lean forward to hook the leash to her harness. She spat at him and he leaned back for a moment.

“Now Higgins, you know you shouldn’t be out. Come now. Let’s go home.”

Higgins appeared to ignore him as she focused her glare on my house. I had no idea what she was staring at, but whatever it was, it was way more important to her than going home. A light flickered on in the living room window and I grimaced.

“Higgins, we’re waking these nice people up. Now come along.”

The front door opened and the shadow of my Grandmother appeared in the threshold. I saw Higgins’ eyes gleam in fury as she let out a hiss that topped all hisses. It literally sent chills down my spine.

“Ian,” Grandmother said in a overly calm voice, “get in the house.”

Mister Tamer looked from Higgins to my grandmother and then smiled politely.

“Good evening, Penelope.”

Penelope?

I had never heard anyone call my grandmother by her first name. I grinned.

“Don’t make me ask you again, Ian,” Grandmother warned.

My feet obeyed as I slunk in the house beside her.

“Good evening, Arthur. Did you lose something?”

Arthur?

Another grin.

Arthur snapped the leash onto Higgins’ harness before she could protest any more and then replied, “No, I was just letting her get some exercise.”

I cocked my head in wonder.

“You know, Arthur, it would be a terrible shame to lose such a fine kitty to the animal warden. I would suggest keeping her on a tighter leash.”

Higgins let out a wail as I watched her suddenly go ballistic, swatting and spitting. I thought Mister Tamer was going to have a heart attack when she tried to climb up the leash he was holding on her. Pulling it a little tighter, he began dragging her against her will behind him.

“It’s all right, Penelope. No need to call the authorities. I’ll keep her contained from now on.”

“Good night, Arthur,” she said coolly as she shut the door.

I ran to the window as I watched him continue pulling the fretful cat behind him, then I turned to see my grandmother standing behind me in a fuzzy pink robe tied securely around her plump frame. Her arms were crossed and she scowled at me. My mind dreaded thinking of what new punishment lay before me for going out of the house in the night.

“Ian, I cannot begin to tell you how dangerous it is playing with animals you do not know.”

“I totally agree, Grandmother. I know Higgins isn’t a nice cat.” Then I added, “I know she’s not even a cat.”

Grandmother tilted her head and squinted her eyes.

“On Halloween me and some of my friends accidentally let her out. She cornered everybody in Grandpa’s barn and then turned into some naked, old lady. Now, she’s back to being a cat and she’s still not very nice.”

“Why were you outside with her if you know she’s not nice?”

“Because Mister Tamer is nice and he’s old. He would need help catching her.”

Grandmother rubbed her eyes as if in fatigue and said, “Ian, Arthur Tamer is a lot more capable than you may believe. Now, for your own good, you need to stay away from both of them. If you do that for me, I won’t mention to your parents that you were wandering outside in the middle of the night. All right?”

I nodded reluctantly and crept back upstairs. Grandmother was no one to be confronted and when she was aggravated, even more so.



* *

The next morning was horrible. Dad left for his flight and the insane beginning to the holiday madness began. Mom, Grandmother, and Clover had all made this out to be the best Thanksgiving Day ever and nobody had even cooked anything yet. In fact, they were getting ready to go to the grocery store. My Grandmother had started lists. Lists of things to do and things to buy and things to cook. It looked like an organized person’s feeding frenzy. Mom and Clover had out recipe books, drooling over what would be good for dessert. With every good idea, their voices would become just a little louder. I snuck in unnoticed and grabbed a biscuit with a couple slices of bacon, then got the heck out of there.

Outside, the air was brisk again but at least it wasn’t filled with female voices. I munched on my breakfast sandwich as I made my way to the park. Yeah, we have a park, but it’s a small one. There are swings, slides, and merry-go-rounds, typical kid stuff. I took a seat on a swing, trying to get my head together. I wondered why in the world Grandmother didn’t want me around Mister Tamer. True, his cat was able to turn into a human woman on Halloween night, but realistically what did it matter? Obviously, the rumors of the old man killing his wife weren’t true , so why should what Grandmother said be true ? I swung back and forth as the cold air began stinging my cheeks.

“What are you doing out here, Ian? It’s freezing!”

I turned to see Lander standing behind me with a heavy parka and a black sock cap. I glanced down at my jacket.

“I know I’m a little underdressed, but I like the cold out here a little more than in the kitchen.”

“Did your dad leave already?” Lander sniffled a little and coughed.

I nodded. “Yeah. This morning. My grandmother’s here.”

“You’re still not happy about that?” he asked, plopping in the swing next to me.

“I don’t know. She’s just weird. Last night I had to go outside to get Mister Tamer because Higgins was out in front of our house and she wouldn’t let me take her back. Grandmother came out and started telling him to keep his cat inside or she would call the pound. Then, she told me that I wasn’t allowed to talk to him.”

Lander sniffled again. “Maybe she believes that story about him murdering his wife. Did you tell your grandmother about Halloween night and Higgins?”

I shook my head. “She wouldn’t believe me. I didn’t even try.”

“I kind of feel bad for Mister Tamer. I mean, does he even have anywhere to go for Thanksgiving?”

“I don’t know.”

Lander looked up at me, an idea burning in his eyes. “Let’s go see. If he doesn’t, he could come to one of our houses for dinner.”

I shrugged. “Grandmother probably wouldn’t let him in our house, much less feed him dinner.”

“My mom probably would. Let’s go see if he‘s interested.”

I followed Lander to the old Tamer house. The cold air was really starting to work on my fingers that I had neglected to cover. I shoved them deep into my jacket pockets, trying anything to keep them from freezing. By the time we reached the front door to Mister Tamer’s house, I was shivering. After Lander knocked on the door, I could hear Higgins wail in her feline tone. The old man peeked out of the front door window. His fuzzy, gray eyebrows were raised in surprise but he smiled politely as he cracked the door. I could hear Higgins scream in protest.

“May I help you?” he asked.

“Um.” I shivered before I could get anything else out of my mouth.

“You’re freezing!” the old man exclaimed as he scooped Higgins in his arms. “Come in and warm up for a few minutes.”

We went inside as Mister Tamer closed the door.

“You should dress more like your friend, son.” he told me as he let the wriggling cat down. “You could freeze to death out there today. Would you two like some hot cocoa? I can make you some.”

Higgins bolted towards me and smacked me hard on the shins with her paw. My jeans were too thick to receive a scratch but the slap hurt just the same.

“Stop that now!” Mister Tamer ordered as Higgins growled back at the old man. “They’re guests here for the moment. Behave yourself while I fix them up.”

I gave Lander a look of uncertainty as he sat down on the couch. The thought of sitting down and allowing Higgins anywhere near my face wasn’t all that appealing to me. The cat prowled around Lander, finally settling on rubbing its body against his legs.

“You see,” I whispered, “she hates me.”

Higgins’ green eyes sparkled as she let a hiss out at me. Lander shrugged as he bent down and bet the black, long-haired cat. I shook my head in disgust as I watched her make up to my best friend, all the while, despising me. Mister Tamer returned with two steaming mugs of hot cocoa a few minutes later.

“What brings you here, Ian? Higgins is safe and warm inside.”

“Uh, it’s kind of Lander’s idea.” I nodded towards my friend who succumbed to the pressure of speaking out loud by becoming totally silent. “He’s kind of shy, but he was, well, I was too, wondering if you had somewhere to go on Thanksgiving.”

The old man smiled. It was the first real smile I had ever seen from him.

“I have no family here, except for Higgins.”

“Would you like to have dinner with us?” I asked as I glared at Lander who was definitely sucking up to that cat as he sucked down his hot cocoa.

“I would be delighted,” he said with a laugh.

I took a swig out of the hot mixture. It was so good. Creamy and warm with a hint of orange and cinnamon flavor. It immediately began unthawing my insides. “This is the best hot chocolate I’ve ever had.” Lander piped up.

Great. Now he talks.

“It’s an old family recipe. I’m flattered that you like it.”

“My mom doesn’t make hot chocolate this good.” Lander licked the froth from the melted marshmallows off of his slip.

Mister Tamer laughed or at least I thought it was a laugh. I couldn’t be sure. My head started to feel funny for a second and then the room started spinning like a top. I let me knees bend just enough to touch the couch and when I looked over at Lander, I could see him laying like a lump on the couch beside me. After that, everything went black.

* *

I didn’t know how much time had passed when I opened my eyes. Higgins flashed her emerald greens into mine and I couldn’t help wishing that I was at home listening to the rants and raves of my grandmother, mom, and sister. That would have been better than here. I lifted my head groggily only to see Lander doing the same. He looked terrible. His sock cap was off and his reddish orange hair was sticking up all over as if he had stuck his finger in a light socket. His face drooped a little and I could just sense something wasn’t right about him. I sat up and rubbed my eyes. They were still a little blurry. I startled as I looked at the hand that pulled away from my face. My own hand. It was overyly large and dark. My eyes met Lander’s, fear and uncertainty seemed to fill them.

Lifting my body upright, I immediately fell backward back onto the couch, my balance was off. I heard Higgins purr in contentment on the coffee table in front of us. Frantically, I looked around for Mister Tamer. I opened my mouth to call for him, but the sound that came out was so foreign that I ended up frightening Higgins, who scampered away, and Lander, who started to scream. I tumbled to the floor, hitting the coffee table on the way down, and tried once again to stand. My legs felt like awkward tree stumps as my over-sized body caused me to waver back and forth. I caught my balance as I gripped the table. Lander screamed again in a high-pitched wail and scrambled off of the couch. His movement was so sudden that he shed the parka he had on, as well as, all of his other garments. I looked him over. He should have been naked, but wasn’t.

I followed his example and pulled off my bindings as well. Piles of clothes lay strewn on the carpeting. Lander walked towards me (actually it was more of a stagger than a walk, obviously he was having difficulty balancing too). We both looked towards the stairs as Mister Tamer started down them. His age had obviously caused this to take a few more minutes than it should. Part of me wanted to bolt and part of me wanted to find out what was going on. Lander and I stared at one another for a moment. I figured we were both waiting for the other to make the first move. The result was that we were both waiting for him when he reached the living room.

“Oh my! I am good!” he said with a grin. “I know this is probably a bit confusing for you, but I assure you it’s all for a good cause.”

I opened my mouth, letting the weirdest sounds spill from it. I wanted to ask him what was going on and why I looked like this, but that’s definitely not the way it came out. My eyes flashed towards Lander who looked absolutely horrified.

“I know you have many questions.” Mister Tamer said calmly. “I suggest that you both go home and ask them. Your grandmother could tell you much more than I.”

In the corner of the room, I spotted Higgins sitting proudly. Her eyes sparkled again and I could have sworn she grinned.

Stupid cat!

Mister Tamer bagged our clothing in two plastic shopping bags, then handed them to us as he walked to the door and ushered us outside. I knew that it was cold before, but now the wind cut so deep into my flesh that I could have sworn I was naked. Lander tumbled to the sidewalk. Pulling himself back to his very awkward legs, he followed my waddle all the way to my house. My dark and oversized hands fumbled with the doorknob as I tried to turn it a couple of times before it opened.

I should have expected it. Really, I should have, but the sound of Clover’s scream and the crashing of a glass bowl to the tile floor sent both Lander and I into a squealing fit.

“Dear me!” Grandmother exclaimed as she ran into the front room.

I heard my mom trail in behind her. Their eyes were as big as saucers. My grandmother shook her head as if clearing it for a second and then squinted her eyes.

“Orangeatangs!” Mom yelled.

I knew it! I knew something wasn’t right!

“I know, dear, turkeys would have been more appropriate,” Grandmother replied as Mom flashed her an angry look that she just shook off.

“Ian?” Grandmother inched slowly towards us. “Ian is that you?”

Mom’s confusion shown all over her face. I felt so guilty. I should have listened to my grandmother, just so I wouldn’t have to see my mom make that face. I glanced over towards my sister who started to giggle. It was a silly sort of snickering sound at first and then her eyes met mine and she started laughing. That sound vibrated inside my head, making me want to tromp towards her and pop her on the head, but then she began rolling in laughter. Anger filled me as I watched her bend over, wheezing to catch her breath.

“Clover, really!” Grandmother hissed. “Ian, did you and your friend go to Arthur Tamer’s house after I specifically told you not to go around him anymore.”

“Mother?”

Grandmother raised a finger at her daughter as I tried to nod my head.

“Oh, honestly! Will that man ever learn?”

Clover ceased laughing immediately and my mom flashed Grandmother a look of disbelief. I know both Lander and I had facial expressions that were priceless, at least, they would have been priceless in the primate world.

“Mom, Thanksgiving is tomorrow and I’m certain that Lander’s mother would like her son as she knows him to be sitting at the table for dinner.”

“I don’t know, mom,” Clover replied, slouching on the couch, “he’s definitely a conversation piece right now.”

Mom frowned and Grandmother placed a finger on her lips for a moment or two as if in thought. I watched her slowly pace back and forth a couple of times.

“Did you boys drink something at Arthur’s house?”

Lander and I looked at one another and then at her. Slowly, we nodded.

Grandmother tisked and shook her head.

“Mom?”

“I’m afraid he put the whammy on your son and his little friend here, dear.”

“You don’t say!” Mom’s voice was hard and sarcastic. “Now, why would a little, old widower want to put a whammy on my son? Mother?”

“Oh, dear me,” Grandmother said with a sigh as she sat down in front of the primate known as Lander. “I should have told you this one some time ago, sweet daughter.”

Mom looked overwhelmed, but flung the tea towel that she still held in her hands over her shoulder and sat down beside Clover on the couch. I waddled over to the empty space beside Mom, climbled up and plopped onto the cusion.

“Many years ago, way before you were born, your father and I had become mortal enemies with a family that neighbored our house.”

“The Tamer’s?” Mom asked with a raised brow.

“No, dear. Their family name was Winterbrow. They hated us and we despised them in kind.”

“We’re talking that they took your newspaper and trashed your yard, right Grandmother?” Clover flashed a nervous grin hopefully.

“Well, maybe once, but not usually. It was more like they turned my brother to stone, sent an ogre to trash my house, brought on a plauge of locusts, ecetera, ecetera.” Grandmother smiled slightly and then continued. “The oldest and meanest sister of the lot married Arthur. He’s such a mousy man. She barreled him over in everything possible in life, leaving him most disappointed in his decision to marry her. One time, he confided to me and I took him to heart. When the Winterbrow family moved to Los Angeles, they left Arthur and his wife the house across from us. The eldest Winterbrow, now a Tamer, had become an even more reched human being. She hexed our plumbing in the house and, finally, caused an electrical fire to start in the kitchen, burning our house to the ground.”

“Oh my God! Mother? What did you and Dad do?”

“I consider myself a very reasonable witch, dear.”

That word echoed inside my head several times before it ever made a connnection. I looked at Clover’s pale face and wide eyes and knew she was going through the same feelings right now.

No way! Grandmother is a witch! Give me a break. That can’t be right. There is no such thing!

Then I looked down at my awkward feet and my orange-haired legs, then over to my mom who did not seem a bit surprised by the news, then I changed my mind.

“I never perform any type of spell without good reason.”  She smiled. “It’s just not practical, but burning our house was the final straw in the broom.”

“What did you do?” Mom demanded.

“I changed her form to match her personality, so to speak.”

Higgins!

I let out a squeal as I tried to say the name.

“Exactly right.” Grandmother smiled at me. “Nice observation, Ian.”

Clover’s pale face and wide eyes reached their extreme. Mom groaned as she began rubbing her temples as if a headache was beginning to form.

“Not to worry, dear Clover. I do not believe that you will be the one to have to carry this burden of the family during your generation.”

Mom threw Grandmother a questionable glare. “I haven’t gone over this with them yet, mother.”

Grandmother tisked. “Now is as good of a time as any, dear. From the look Arthur’s wife has given young Ian, and for the fact that the spell was directed at him and his young friend, I can safely assume that he has received the gene to carry on the family’s burden.”

“Mother!” Mom was on her feet in an instant.

“You cannot deny the inevitable, Eva! Look at your son!”

That was the first time I had ever heard Grandmother call my mom by her real name. Ever! Anger flashed in both of their eyes.

“The Winterbrows have decided to continue their war with our family, now aiming at your son.”

I leaned back and sighed. That was why Higgins hated me. All of this time and now I knew. It was because of an old rift between two families. I suddenly thought of Hatfields and McCoys, wondering if they had ever felt how I was feeling right now. Well, not exactly how I was feeling. I don’t think any of them were ever turned into an orangeatang.

“Fine!” Mom resounded. “Let’s talk about the family tree after we turn these children back.”

“Suit yourself, dear.”  Grandmother smiled.

“We’ve got a boatload of grocery shopping and cooking to do,” Mom grumbled, going to a large closet in the living room and pulling out an old army surplus trunk, “and I really don’t have time for any of this.”

I watched Clover’s eyes widend as my mom mumble something in another language and the huge padlock that locked the trunk gave way. Its contents revealed dozens of dusty old books. Mom pulled several of them out, laying them aside. She handed a couple of them to Grandmother who sat back in a rocking chair and began flipping through them.

I started to get ancy, especially when I saw Lander scratching. I don’t know why. I just felt like I needed to move. Leaning up against the back of the couch, I pushed onto my awkward feet. Lander stuck his tongue out at me and began shaking his head like a punk rock singer. I hooted a couple of times and started jumping up and down on the couch.

“Sit down, you little spaz!” Clover hissed. “You’re tearing up the couch.”

Mom gave me the eye. That’s all I needed. I slid back down on my bum and started to pick my nose. I don’t know why, it just felt like the right thing to do.

“Oh, gross! Mom! He’s disgusting!” Clover got up from the couch and stomped over to Mom and sad down on the floor beside her and the trunk.

“It isn’t his fault, Clover. He’s taking on the attributes of an orangeatang and they do tend to pick their noses.”

“Yeah, but, Mom! He’s wiping his buggers on the couch! Ugh!”

“Okay! Okay! Help me find the antidote for this spell.” Mom handed her a book as she looked back up at me. “Oh, God. That’ll have to be shampooed.”

Lander climbed on the couch with me. It was great. Bouncing up and down had never been so much fun.

“Here it is, dear.” I heard Grandmother announce. “I think I saw all of the ingredients in the kitchen.”

Clover looked over Grandmother’s shoulder. “That’s the recipe for hot cocoa.”

“Exactly, sweetheart. That’s why they call it That Old Warm Fuzzy Feeling. If you look down at the bottom here,” she said, pointing inside the book, “you need to add additional ingredients depending on what you want the outcome to be.”

“A spider. A small bit of a crushed fly and two lady bug wings. One spider’s leg,” Clover read. “An orangeatang. Two teaspoonfuls of powdered orange peel, a bit of cinnamon, and the hair of an orangetang. Yuck, Ian! You guys drank that stuff?”

I didn’t answer her. I was having way too much fun jumping on the couch. Lander hooped and hollered as he tumbled onto the floor.

“Let’s get cracking, mother,” Mom said, “before I don’t have a living room left.”

I watched all three of them leave to go into the kitchen. Somehow, we managed to entertain ourselves until my mother returned with two large mugs in her hands. She handed one to each of us.

“Okay, boys. I want you drink this up.”

It tasted awesome, even better than the cocoa that Mister Tamer had made for us. Chocolaty goodness with a hint of vanilla and something else I couldn’t pin down. If this is what potions tasted like, I was going to have a great time. The gentle warmth hit my stomach and I couldn’t help but smile. I handed her the mug back, looked over to see Lander do the same, and then everything went black once again.

When I woke up, Grandmother was standing over me with a glass of orange juice.

“Happy Thanksgiving, dear.”

No way! It’s already Thanksgiving Day? Yesterday was completely gone. No way!

“I’m afraid it is, Ian. Your mother took your little friend home last night after he returned to human form and you slept all night.”

I did a double take as I realized that Grandmother had just read my thoughts. Taking the glass of orange juice from her, I got off of the couch and followed her into the kitchen. The smells of a feast that would arrive in a couple of hours filled the entire room. Turkey! My ultimate favorite! It wasn’t until then that I remembered I hadn’t had much to eat yesterday. Mom handed me a piece of toast and instructed me to sit down.

“I want this Thanksgiving to be special. So, absolutely no talking about family vendettas or witchcraft or anything other than normal Thanksgiving conversation. Does everyone understand? We can do that tomorrow.” she said, leaving the room with a large sheet. I peeked into the living room to find her covering the couch with it as she kept talking. “Don’t worry, Clover. I’m going couch shopping first thing in the morning.”

I couldn’t help but wonder what that was all about. Grandmother laughed and I fought back a smile. It was one of the chuckles that caused her to shake like a bowl full of jelly. Perhaps, she recalled a bit more of yesterday than I did.