When Nellie walked through the front door, the first thing she said was "Hello, I'm home!"
Molly came into the front room, and a big smile spread across her face when she saw Nellie.
"Oh, hi, honey", she said. "It's so good to see you!"
After giving Nellie a bearhug and a kiss on the cheek, she continued:
"Welcome home, dear, how was your day?"
Nellie looked at her mother's face, searching to see if her expression betrayed any sign that she was behind what had happened that day. Molly read the confusion in Nellie's face and steeled herself to give nothing away.
Nellie wanted to question her, but when she opened her mouth, other words came out.
"I had a great day, Mom - and guess what? Bill asked me out on a date next Saturday night!"
"Oh, Nellie, I'm so happy for you! I was wondering when he'd finally get on the ball!"
"Then I can go?"
"Of course! You know that I've always liked Bill! Now you go upstairs and do your homework. Mommy will handle dinner by herself tonight."
Molly watched as Nellie went up to her room. The spell had worked just as she had wanted it to. It hadn't brought her mother back as she had been - there wouldn't have been much point in bringing her back as an old woman who would surely have died again in a few years, anyway. Instead, Nellie had been brought back as a 21st Century girl, Mollie's daughter. A 21st Century girl, but one with her mother's personality and old-fashioned values. A good girl instead of the bad boy Miles had been. Only she would remember the troublesome, unpleasant child that he had become. He would never have amounted to anything, anyway. If Mollie recognized this as a rationalization, she did not acknowledge it, even to herself. Instead, she chose to dwell on how good it was going to be to have Nellie back. Life would be good, again! She had seen the confusion in Nellie's eyes, but that would pass soon enough. The mental changes might take a bit longer - a few days maybe - that was all.
As for Bill, she had cast a spell on him, as well. Nothing so drastic as she had done to miles. She'd just polished Bill up a bit. Making him loyal, honest, diligent, respectful and a touch more intelligent - a suitable boyfriend, and eventual husband, for Nellie. That was all the magic she intended to do for now. She would do more when she'd had some time to think about it.
Meanwhile...