Young Guardian Trilogy by Lady Adellandra Dratianos (the lemonade war series .TXT) 📖

know you’re okay now.”
Kelly hugged me. “I’m safe at home with you, Momma.” She kissed my cheek. “G’night. I love you.”
I kept my grin, kissing her cheek back. “I love you, too. Don’t forget to call the Dream Chant.”
“I won’t, Momma.”
With that, I left my daughter’s room feeling loved.
Nothing, not even the new menace of Adrienne Whitehead, was going to take that away from me.

It was my turn to car-pool one week, so I drove the Jeep Cherokee to each of her friends’ houses.
At the Richardsons, I picked up Cara, Kirsten Farthay (along with her two older brothers, Alex and Rick), Josh Stevenson, his sister Noelle, and Samantha West. Bradley was in the back seat with Cassandra, Steven and Elizabeth Edwards. While the other children were chattering away, I noticed he was staring into space, not even noticing when Kelly tried to get his attention.
Bradley, I sent telepathically.
He looked up briefly, with a sad look in his eye, and then returned to the scenery.
He’s sad, Momma. Kelly sent to me. I’ll talk to him in school.
I smiled at her in the rear-view mirror, letting her return to her friends.
I dropped them off at Hill View Elementary, with a kiss from Kelly before leaving. My empathic powers were triggering, telling me something was wrong. I didn’t know what it was, but I didn’t like it.
I played with my infant sons throughout the day, slowly getting back into the swing of things. Luna came over, shortly before the children had to be picked up. She noticed the strange looks in my eyes as I went on my way around the house.
“What’s with you?” She asked me, placing Caleb with the twins in the playroom.
I looked at her. “Nothing. Why?” I tried to laugh off.
“Something’s going on. I can sense it.” Luna said. She sat herself on the couch next to me. “‘Fess up, Ariana Reading.”
I sighed, telling her about my feelings for Bradley Allen, and my daughter’s assuring thoughts saying she’d talk to him.
“I say he’s hurt and jealous.” I told her.
“Simply for the fact Kelly has more friends than her so-called ‘adopted-brother’. He feels left out.”
“Right.” I said. “Thing is, being who and what I am, I want to help him.”
“Do you think Aaron knows?” Luna asked.
“Not really.” I shrugged.
“Why don’t you follow Bradley inside and talk to them together?” Luna suggested.
I looked at my watch. “I have to pick them up from school. Will you watch the boys while I go?”
Luna smiled. By the look on her face, I took that as a yes.
I grabbed my keys and was again on my way to Hill View Elementary.
After I dropped the children off at their separate homes, I followed up with Luna’s suggestion.
Kelly looked at me, knowing what I was going to do. She headed next door, to our own home, leaving me with Bradley, Aaron, and Aimee. Bradley slowly headed up the stairs, depressed. He didn’t even say anything to either his Dad or Aimee.
Aaron was happy to see me. He reached to hug me, but I gave him a warning look so he pulled back. This made him concerned. “What’s up?”
“Something’s wrong with Bradley.” I told him. “I could sense it.”
Aimee nodded behind her twin. “He’s been acting kind of strange for the last couple of days.”
Aaron looked at her. “You’ve been noticing, too?”
Aimee and I nodded.
“I think it has to do with Kelly.” I told him.
“I still feel funny talking to him.” Aimee replied. “Maybe the two of you can?”
Aaron and I looked at each other and nodded.
We knocked on his bedroom door.
“Go away.” I heard Bradley’s voice from the other side.
“We’ve come to talk to you.” Aaron replied. “Can we come in?”
No answer, so we walked in.
“Brad?” I asked in a whisper. He was working on his new computer, playing a game. “Honey, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing. And don’t call me honey.” He snapped.
“Bradley Allen Schmidt.” Aaron warned him. “We’ve only come to help.”
He stopped the game and glared at us once turning around. “With what?”
“I know you feel sad about Kelly’s new friends.” Aaron replied.
“What of it?” He snapped. “She doesn’t need to be with them all the time. She’s got me.”
“We know that, Bradley.” I tried to assure him. He stood and sat on his bed. I sat next to him. “You’ve got other friends, don’t you?”
“Yeah.” He mumbled.
“Well, so does she.” Aaron sat on the other side of him.
He was silent, thinking of what to say next. He sighed, feeling defeated.
“I feel so lonely, you know?” Bradley asked. “Kelly’s off with her other friends, leaving me in the dust. I worry about her sometimes.”
How noble.
“Brad, she’s your sister. You should be biting each other’s heads off, teasing one another.”
I giggled. “Yeah, just like your father and aunt Aimee used to do.”
“You did?” Brad looked at his father. “Really?”
“Of course we did.” Aaron laughed, wrapping an arm around him. “When we were little, we each went our separate ways. Oh, Aimee would hate it when I teased her and her friends.”
“Which I was one of.” I added with a grin. “See how your aunt Aimee turned out? By that bit of teasing, it helped her grow and learn to be her own person.”
“With a little help from you guys.” Bradley smiled now. “I guess I should try not to butt in so often, huh?”
“You’ve got Josh Stevenson, and Alex Farthay, don’t you?”
“Yeah, they’re my best friends.” Bradley said. “I’ve known them before I met Kelly.”
“Well, there you go. Kelly has her friends and you have yours.” Aaron replied.
“Now, finish your homework, Bradley Allen.” I said as I stood.
“It’s done, Aunt Ariana.”
I gave him a look.
He smiled. “I mean, Mrs. Reading.”
“Good.” I said.
I could sense he was feeling better, and it was time for me to exit with Aaron at my heels.
“You are a perfect mother.” Aaron replied as we headed down the stairs.
I laughed. “No one’s perfect, Aaron. Least of all, me.”
He stopped. “No, you most of all.” He gave me a caring look before kissing me gently on the lips. “Don’t think I’ll ever stop caring about you, Ariana Moon. It’s far too late for that.”
I didn’t know what to say.
I cared a lot for him, too, but in a different way than he for me.
I wanted to tell him this, but ended up stammering. “I, uh, Aaron, I’ve gotta go. The twins are left with Luna. See you later.”
He looked disappointed. “Oh, okay. See you.”
I didn’t leave fast enough for my beating heart and troubled mind.

A few days later, Bradley came to me.
“Mrs. Reading?”
I looked up from the book I was reading to acknowledge him. “Yes, Bradley?”
He was timid at first, but ran up to hug me tight. “Thank you.”
I looked into his brown eyes. His shaggy auburn hair was mussed from playing at school. I smiled. “For what?”
“For helping me. If you weren’t married to Mr. Reading, I’d think you and Dad would make the perfect parents.” Bradley told me.
I didn’t know what to say to him. He was a child, but smart. “Why, thank you.” I wanted to change the subject and fast. “How are you and Kelly getting along?”
He sat on my lap. “Pretty cool. We’re fighting a little more about the little things every day.”
I smiled. “Such as?”
“Cara and Kelly and I have been best friends with Josh, Cara, Sam, and Krysti since we moved in. Now, the girls want to hang out with each other, and Josh, Alex – Krysti’s brother – and I want to get as far away from them as possible.” He made a face. “Girls. Yuck!”
“I’m a girl, too, you know.” I teased him, making him smile.
“No, you’re not.” Bradley started. “You’re a Momma. Momma’s are different than girls.”
In a way, he was right.
That’s when he frowned, staring into space.
“Bradley, what’s wrong honey?” I asked him, sensing his sadness.
He looked deep into my eyes and replied, a single tear running down his cheek. “Where’s my real mommy?”
I hugged him tight. “Aimee can be your mommy. So can I.”
“Aimee’s my auntie. She’s not a mommy.”
Yet, I added to myself.
I wanted so badly to comfort him, but I knew it weren’t my place. I had to do something for the boy.
“Don’t feel bad, Bradley.” I whispered in his ear, giving him a hug. “We’ll be the perfect family. Aimee, Aaron, Mr. and Mrs. Morehouse, Mr. Reading and I care a lot about you.”
He shrugged. “I know that. I just can’t help but wonder, you know?”
I nodded. “Yeah, I know.”
How much I knew then.
I didn’t know enough, I would soon learn.

II

I walked into the house later that week, sensing something was going on. The air smelled of jasmine incense. As far as I knew, I hadn’t owned any, and neither had any other Mystic in the family.
“Hello! Anybody home!” I called into the air, setting my portfolio on the kitchen table. Kelly ran into the room yelling, “Momma! Momma! Momma!”
Behind her was a tall and bony black woman, her hair in a turban, with Jamaican colors of red, yellow, black, and green. Around her neck, I noticed a small bag, not unlike Kelly’s own. I bent down to give my daughter a hug.
“Look who’s here, Momma!” Kelly cried. “This is Mrs. DeRose, the nice lady I told you about.”
I looked up at the woman. Sure enough, her aura was wild, like a magician’s blood. I stood to meet her kind, brown eyes.
“Hello.”
“G’Day, M’Lady Reading.” The woman nodded. Her beautiful Jamaican tongue was thick. “I am Delilah DeRose.”
“Nice to meet you, Mrs. DeRose.” I said softly. “How did you meet Kelly?”
“Da child were in da hospital after a fire. I help her wit my Protector’s Spell.”
I looked at her strangely. “Spell?” I gulped. I knew plenty of spells.
“She’s the daughter of a Jamaican witch doctor, Momma. She gave me the stones for safe keeping.” Kelly told me.
I was speechless. “Where are your brothers?”
“Your twins are next door, with Aimee.” Mrs. DeRose said. She gave me a look that said ‘can I talk to you, alone?’
I picked up on it right away. “Kelly, why don’t you go next door and play with Steve and Elizabeth?” Kelly knew when to listen. She obeyed and the two of us magicians were left behind.
“Would you like some coffee, Mrs. DeRose?” I asked her.
“Nevah touch da stuff.” She joked. “Make women hyper.”
“Please, sit down, then.” I told her.
“Much bettah to sit in da Mystic Mirrah room.” She implied, walking upstairs to the room that held the vanity.
I was curious. “How do you know about the Mirror, Mrs. DeRose?”
She smiled. Even her smile was bright. She tapped me on the arm. “I insist you call me Delilah.”
I looked to the Mirror and she followed my gaze.
I could sense something strange from it – and, as always, there was no way to explain it until it happened.
“You troubled?” Delilah asked.
I turned my head away from the Mystic Mirror to look her in the eyes. “Yes. Something’s been bothering me since we moved in.”
“Ah, I see.” Delilah replied. “Dark Magic.”
I spun to her. “How–?”
Delilah reached for my hand and put the other on her temple. “In here,” she started,