Free The White Witch by B.C. Morin Page B

steps forward and looks me over. “Do you have a welt or lump?”
    “No, but my head hurts really bad.”
    “Could have also been a heat stroke.” Deputy Bell says to his partner. “Alright Miss Miller, I think we have all we need. Should you remember anything else, please give us a call. Your father has my card.” He looks at me with a sideways smirk and squinty eyes.
    Ana’s parents offer to walk the officers out. “Katelyn if you need anything you and your parents can give us a ring, ok hun?” I nod as Ana’s mom gently squeezes my arm.
    Ana slides into the seat next to me and gives me a quick hug. “I’m so glad you’re ok. Call or text me later if you are up to it.” She smiles before standing and leaving the kitchen and following her parents out the door.
     
    I glance at my phone buzzing on the kitchen table.
    “Oh, some guy named Logan has called several times. I answered on the fourth time because we wanted to ask him if he knew where you could be. You might want to call him and let him know you are alright because he seemed very distraught.” Liz sits down, raising her eyebrow and I know she’s waiting for more information about Logan.
    “We met the other day at the library. He just moved to town. He’s also the one I was having coffee with the other day.” I grab my phone and find six missed calls and texts. I think of the tea as the throbbing in my head begins to finally subside.
    “Kate?” His voice sounds desperate and a pang of guilt suddenly hits my stomach as I realize what I have caused everyone.
    “Yes.”
    “Geez, Angel, I’ve been so worried. Are you ok?”
    I wonder how many times I am going to hear that question in the next couple of days.
    “Yeah, I’m fine. I’ll call you in a bit, I just wanted to let you know I’m alright. Liz told me you called.” I glance at Liz and then at my dad who are watching me intently.
    “I did, I was worried when I didn’t hear back from you. Don’t forget though.”
    “I won’t.”
    I hang up the phone and rub my face with my hands, still trying to process all that happened. I know it wasn’t a dream and I know I didn’t hit my head, but can I really accept that it was magic?
    “So you want to tell us what really happened?”
    “What do you mean?” I feign innocence.
    “Kiddo, you don’t have any bruising or bumps on your head, though I can see that you are in a daze. Are you sure that there isn’t something that you just didn’t want to tell the police?” He swallows hard and hesitates. “Did something, you know, strange happen?”
    “Oh, you mean, did I do something?” I answer sharply as I look down at my hands. The dirt doesn’t seem that apparent at first, but then, it’s because the shaking draws your attention away from the dried mud.
    “You know I didn’t mean it like that.” He sighs, “Katie, we know that you don’t control those things that happen around you, so I’m not accusing you. I’m just asking if something happened, maybe you got worked up when you saw the stranger, and then-”
    My eyes fill with tears and I am about to stop them, but I don’t bother. “I don’t know exactly what happened dad!” I half yell, putting my elbows on the table and burying my face in my hands. “I just … don’t know.” The tears turn to sobbing and my dad scoots onto the chair next to me, bringing me onto his shoulder.
    “It’s ok baby. You’re home safe and that’s all that matters. We can talk again about it later.” He strokes my hair and cuddles me like he did when I was younger.
    I wonder to myself why he is always so calm and accepting about the things that happen around me and I pull away for a moment. “I wish I knew why this happens to me.”
    I cringe as I think of all the little ‘events’ that have happened that I never told him and Liz about because I was afraid that their understanding would turn to fear or worry.
    He doesn’t hesitate. He puts his fingers under my chin and lifts my head