The Magician

"Magic!?  Magic?"  Sarah's voice was laced with fury.  "The only magic I want, is for you to disappear!"

Charlie dropped his gaze.  He was devastated by this woman, but he wouldn't give her the pleasure of seeing him crack.  He was a magician, and a damned good one too.  She wasn't about to steal his confidence, it was just about all she hadn't taken from him.

Her wicked laughter surrounded him, and beat upon his ears like pounding surf.  He had blocked out the vision of her finely chiseled features distorted in a look of pure disdain for him, but he could not block out the laughter.  Like a rabid dog her hatred ripped and tore at his heart, snarling insults all the while.  What had ever possessed him to marry this woman?

Slam!  Finally!  Blessed relief, as the door cut off her raucous laughter.  He hurried down the walk to the waiting automobile.  Jessica, his assistant, was standing in the drive, waiting. She smiled innocently, although he knew she had to have overheard some of the previous conversation.  No walls were thick enough to completely block the high decibel attack.

"We'll knock 'em dead, Charlie."  Her smile was like a soothing balm.

He grinned back.  "Yes we will, Jessica!  Yes we will."

Tires squalled on concrete as the car careened out of the drive.

"Easy, Jessica, we have plenty of time."  Charlie knew his words were wasted.  The woman just loved speed.  She didn't need a reason, just a vehicle.  His knuckles began to whiten as he gripped the armrest.

                                                                   ~*~

Sarah Coltrain was cursing when she finally got to the telephone on the fourth ring.  "Hello?" 

"Hello, you have reached the Coltrain residence..." The answering machine had picked it up.  Cursing again, she stabbed the pause button.

"Hello?"

"Mrs. Coltrain?"

"Yes!"

"This is Flushing General Hospital calling...."

"He's on his way!"  She snapped.

"No, Mrs. Coltrain, you don't understand.  There has been an accident...."

Sarah's mouth dropped open as she listened to the caller's details.  "... was in extremely critical condition ... may not survive ... She should come right away."  Her mind was numb.  After she hung up the phone, the last words echoing in her memory were her own: "The only magic I want, is for you to disappear!"

"Oh my God!"  Suddenly she realized that this was the last thing she wanted.  She was angry and bitter, and had taken it out on him.  But a sudden realization came to her, that she really did love him!

                                                             ~*~

Upon arrival at the hospital, Sarah rushed into the emergency room.  There was a doctor waiting to talk to her.  The look on his face conveyed the message even before he could speak.  "I'm sorry, Mrs. Coltrain...."

Her face assumed the color of chalk.  "He was on the way here to do a magic show for the Children's Ward,"  She sobbed.  "They should be notified."

One of the nurses overheard the conversation.  "Oh no, Ma'am,  the magician made it, I was just up there.  He is really good!  He had those children laughing so hard I feared for their stitches."

"It would be impossible to get a replacement so fast,"  said Sarah, daring to hope for a mistaken identity.  "Could you take me there?"

The nurse led the way down the hall to the children's ward.  Laughter could already be heard, and some of the children were squealing with delight.

"Yes, that must be Charlie," she reasoned, "the children always love him so."  Her hope came alive.

When they opened the door, a ring of delighted smiles greeted them, but there was no one else there.  Her glance frantically scanned the room.

"Where is the magician?"  The nurse was the first to ask.

The children's faces were still radiating joy as they shouted in unison, "He disappeared!"

Dallas D'Angelo-Gary 97