Gypsy Magic - J.R. Rain Page 0,21

settled and opening a store. I don’t have time to add the mystery of whatever happened to this guy to the pile.

Even though I was fairly sure that was exactly the reason I kept having the nightmare visions—because whoever this man was, he was reaching out to me.

Well, I’m not going to answer!

The nightmares were wearing me out, leaving me more tired than when I’d first gone to bed. On any other day, I’d have gone home, taken an Ambien and slipped underneath the downy comforter to take a long nap. But today wasn’t an ordinary day. Today was Finn’s first day of school.

The dropoff line was relatively small, probably owing to the fact that we were so early. Finn hadn’t wanted to be late on his first day, and I didn’t blame him. Even thirty minutes before school started, I noticed the neat gravel parking lot to the side of the school was already full. And other students were arriving either on foot or riding bikes.

Not that I was surprised—Haven Hollow was the smallest town I’d ever seen, so no wonder the Norman Rockwell vibe carried over to the mode of transportation of the students. Back in Los Angeles, most parents wouldn’t allow their kids to walk or bike to school. There were just too many weirdos, too much traffic, too many things that could go wrong…

But here…

Here you could go for miles without even encountering another vehicle on the road. It was almost unsettling, in a way. Cities like Los Angeles were constantly moving, everyone busily going here or there, and doing this or that. It was almost like the city had a pulse.

Here things were different. They were still. Quiet. And at the risk of sounding cliché, it was almost... too quiet.

Like the quiet you experience in a graveyard. The quiet of death.

Wow, I need an attitude adjustment… pronto.

While that might have been true, the tight knot of worry in my stomach didn’t budge. I was a terrible motivational speaker, even to myself.

“What do you think of Haven Middle School?” Finn asked as he read the name off the sign in front. Prior to this moment, I wasn’t even sure he knew the name of his new school.

I peered suspiciously at the school building. It seemed ordinary from the outside. A squat brick building with a set of double doors out front. The only horrors Finn was likely to face inside were Common Core Curriculum and exasperated, underpaid teachers.

“It looks like a nice place,” I said as I turned to face him with a smile. “I think you’ll really like it here and you’ll make some really good friends.”

He nodded as he kept his eyes on the school. “I’m excited.”

“You have your backpack?” I asked.

“Mom, you’ve asked me that like three times. And… yes, I still have my backpack.”

I laughed. “I’m sorry… I just have a lot on my mind with getting the shop ready to open and making enough potions in time…”

Finn reached over and patted my hand. “Just breathe, Mom. You’re gonna do fine.”

“Thanks, buddy.” I was quiet for a second as another thought hit me. “You remembered to grab your lunch off the counter, right? And you have your phone?”

Finn reached down to unbuckle his belt, rolling his eyes as he gave me a big smile. “Yep, and I’ve even got a partridge in a pear tree, Mom. I’ve got everything.”

I was stressed out—I couldn’t hide it. I felt like my mind was on so many different subjects when it should have just been on my son and his first day of school and the fact that he’d actually brushed his hair without me having to tell him for the first time… ever.

“You look very handsome, buddy,” I said, feeling pride welling up within me.

Finn’s face scrunched up in an expression of disgust. “Mom, now you’re just getting embarrassing.”

I took a deep breath. “Sorry, Nibbles.”

Finn’s eyes went wide. “Make sure no one hears you call me that!”

I laughed. “We’re still in the car and you haven’t opened the door yet.”

He nodded, but didn’t look convinced. “Maybe you should just call me those silly names at our house and that’s… it.”

“Okay,” I said. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, Mom,” he answered with a sigh that became a big grin.

“You have a great day at school and take good notes in class and do your best to pay attention, okay?”

“I will, Mom.”

“And try to talk to lots of kids and make friends.”

“Okay, Mom.”

“And make sure you eat all