Although Kellies spell was still active she was trying not to listen to Katie, Lisa, and Kumiko. She could tell the three were trying to decide if they wanted to tell Kellie about the ring. As she thought about it herself Kellie realized that in a similar situation she would have a hard time telling someone she didn’t know either. Sighing the girl now stood as she found the three in an animated discussion.
“Um Katie,” she said, trying to sound sheepish. “Listen, I had a great time but I need to head home. My um grandpa is probably waiting for me.”
Katie and her friends now looked at Kellie with a mixture of sadness and relief. “Oh,” Katie said quietly. “I..I hope it wasn’t anything we said..or did.”
“No,” Kellie said quickly. “You guys are cool, I’m looking forward to seeing you all at school tomorrow.”
“Sounds good to me,” Kumiko said, forcing a smile. “Can’t wait to introduce you to Mika and Claudia, I’ll thinknyoull like them.”
Kellie now smiled politely as she said her goodbyes. Lisa and Katie walked with her to the door, apologizing to Kellie again if they came across as rude. Kellie assured them everything was fine going so far as to say she enjoyed her time with the two of them. Relieved slightly the two sisters waved goodbye as Kellie made her way back into her home. Closing the door Kellie now peaked across the street as Lisa, Katie and Kumiko now talked.
“Guessing things didn’t go quite as well as you expected,” Merlin said. Kellie turned frowning as the old man sipped his tea. “That obvious,” she frowned turning to see the girls hug Kumiko before she drove quietly away. “You might say that,” he mused. “Besides, your not the only who can use magic to snoop. I...wanted to make sure things were going well.”
Kellie sighed as Katie now placed her arm around her sister leading them both inside. “Their inexperienced with the ring and its power,” Kellie stated flatly. “And Lisa is so angry with Ann that she reckless. She actually used magic in front of me.”
Merlin nodded solemnly as he looked at Kellie. “That is reckless,” he said quietly. “I’m pretty sure you’ve done things just as reckless. If you didn’t have the ring chances are you wouldn’t of even noticed the changes. But that’s not what’s bothering you is it Kellie.”
Kellie sighed hanging her head. “No it’s not,” she said sadly. “Lisa, she’s...she’s so angry. The Lisa I knew, at least the teenage Lisa, was rebellious yes but this..this is different. Merlin...I..I..need to know what happened to their mom in this reality.”
“Are you sure Kellie, wouldn’t you rather wait and have them tell you themselves?”
“No,” Kellie said shaking her head. “Usually I would agree with you but this is Katie and Lisa. Whatever happened it’s my fault. If I’m going to get any sleep I need to know what happened to them.”
Merlin rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he looked at Kellie. He could understand why this couldn’t wait, Kellies actions had shaped both girls lives. She felt responsible and the guilt of her actions was tearing her apart. “Okay Kellie have a seat,” he whispered.
Kellie quickly pulled up a chair and gazed at Merlin. She knew what the old wizard was about to do. When the two met when she was six he had opened up the original reality giving Kellie the knowledge of everything that happened. The process gave Kellie the kind of info she needed but had a tendency to give her a headache. Gritting her teeth she now prepared to find out everything that Katie and Lisa had been through. Merlin quietly worked his spell as the information now flooded her mind.
Katie and Lisa had grown up quite comfortable in the house they called home. The house was originally owned by Katie and Lisa’s single mother. Unlike the previous reality the girls knew who their father was, he just happened to die of cancer when’s the girls were only two. After his death the girls lived a relatively quiet existence with their mom. Things changed though when the girls became 10.
Ann was planning to visit just before the girls mother died. As their mother was preparing for the visit Lisa had asked her to buy her a something special that she could give Aunt Ann. Lisa and her mom were very close in this reality, naturally she couldn’t refuse her daughters request. Leaving the girls with a babysitter their mother ran out only to get in a fatal car accident. Lisa was guilt ridden by the events afterwards. She blamed not only herself for asking but Ann for visiting. If neither event had happened Lisa believed her mother would still be alive. Lisa’s guilt was compacted by the fact that she had never breathed a word of this Katie. Katie had no knowledge of Lisa’s request and only assumed their mom had to run an errand. Lisa’s greatest fear now was that if Katie found out she would leave her alone and without any family.
“Damn,” Kellie whispered rubbing her eyes. “Poor Lisa, damn it I really screwed up here. The poor girl blames herself for her moms death.”
Merlin nodded as he looked at Kellie. “Yes I know,” he muttered. “Lisa has kept that pain hidden from everyone for the past six years. Now you understand why she rebel’s so much. She sighed angry with herself and fears losing what’s left of her family.”
“I’m going to need to help her Merlin,” Kellie said. “Everything that’s happened appended the to her is my fault. I’m...I’m going to help her I have to.”
“You will,” he said. “I know you will Kellie for now though you should really get some rest. You have an opportunity to fix everyone here and yur going to need some rest if your going to make that happen.”
Kellie nodded as she stood up. Merlin was right and she needed some sleep. Hugging the elderly wizard tightly Kellie now made her way upstairs, hoping that tomorrow she could start on fixing Katie and Lisa.