The Rules of Magic (11 page)

Now, as he crossed the Ramble, he was shocked to see Franny lying on the ground, her face a ghostly white. She had been revived, but was still prone, her head spinning.

“I'm fine,” she insisted when Vincent raced over. “I'm perfectly okay.”

She had been overwhelmed by the intensity of the crow's intentions. In an instant he made it clear, he was hers. She who had no heart, the Maid of Thorns, was now beloved by a common crow, and if the truth be told, she was thrilled to be in contact with such an amazing creature. Was this what a familiar was? A being that knew you better than any human ever would?

There was a cawing from above. Vincent took note of the way
the bird appeared to be guarding his sister. “Looks like you've got yourself a pet.”

“I would never have a pet,” Franny said. “I don't believe in them.”

“What were you two doing?” Vincent asked, for he had the sense he'd been left out of something rather important. The air still felt sticky and damp and it smelled sweet.

“Nothing,” Franny and Jet said at the same time.

“Right.” Vincent grinned. Their dual denial was a dead giveaway.

“We wanted to see what we could do if we combined our efforts,” Franny said.

“And this was the result?” Vincent said. “A bird? Really you should have waited for me. I would have come up with something far better. A million dollars. A private plane.”

“We wanted simple,” Franny said.

The three began walking up Cedar Hill behind the Metropolitan Museum. Milkweed was growing wild even though Fifth Avenue was on the other side of the museum. It was possible to see hummingbirds here in the summer if you lay on your back in the grass and remained perfectly still.

“Whatever we did it didn't quite work out,” Franny admitted. “I asked for flight.”

“You have to know how to ask for things,” Vincent told her. “
The Magus
says always be specific.”

When they reached Fifth Avenue, Jet stopped in her tracks. Even though the night was dark she could see what was before her. Her wish was entirely whole and absolutely perfect. She knew how to ask and had been very specific:
Send me my true love.
It was simple and there was no way for it to be misunderstood,
and now there was Levi Willard, sitting on the steps of the museum. He was so handsome, it made no difference that he was wearing a threadbare black suit, a skinny black tie, and a scuffed pair of black shoes.

“Jet,” Franny said. “Are you all right?”

Jet had stopped breathing, but only for a moment “That's him,” she said. “My wish.”

Franny spied the boy on the steps. When he stood to wave she narrowed her eyes. “Seriously? Him? What about the curse?”

“I don't care.”

“Maybe you should,” Franny said, thinking of all the funerals Jet had attended.

Jet took hold of her sister. “You have to cover for me.”

Franny looked at the boy on the steps and pursed her lips. “This might be too much for you,” she told her sister. “Sneaking into the house? Dealing with Mother if she does find out? And isn't this what we said we'd stay away from? We made a vow.”

“Franny, please. I know I can do it. Isabelle tested me with the tea, too,” Jet said. “Did you think it was just you?”

Surprised, Franny asked, “Caution or courage?”

Jet smiled her beautiful smile. “Do you even have to ask? Who wouldn't choose courage?”

“Go,” Franny said. “Before I change my mind.”

Vincent stood with his hands in his pockets, puzzled, as Jet ran down Fifth Avenue.

“What did I miss?” he asked.

“Jet's been keeping secrets.”

“Has she? Our Jet? Didn't she choose caution?”

“Apparently not,” Franny said.

“Is this our Jet who never breaks a rule?”

They both thought it over. Jet was something of a mystery.

“And who's he?” Vincent asked.

“I believe he's her date.”

“Him? He looks like a funeral director.”

“It's him, all right,” Franny said. “He's the one.”

In the morning, they knew they were in trouble. Vincent and Franny were awakened early, summoned to the kitchen, where their parents awaited. Their mother and father were at the table, two cups of black coffee set out before them, bleary-eyed and grim, having been up all night. It was difficult to take them seriously, for they were still in their costumes. Sigmund and Marilyn. Their mother was smoking a cigarette even though she had quit several months earlier.

“Whatever it was,” Vincent was quick to say, “we didn't do it.”

“Do you or do you not know where your sister is?” their father fumed.

Vincent and Franny exchanged a glance. Jet was missing?

“And what is this?” their mother asked.

There was a pool of melting butter in the butter dish, a sign that someone in the house was in love.

“Don't look at me,” Vincent said.

“It's nonsense anyway,” Franny added.

“Is it?” Susanna said.

“We've let you run riot for too long,” their father went on. “That trip to Massachusetts never should have happened. What a mistake!” He turned to their mother. “I told you it was a matter of genetics, and once again I was proven correct.”

“Shouldn't we call the police?” Franny was thinking of the boy in the black suit. She didn't even know his name or where on earth he and Jet had disappeared to.

“The police?” Susanna said. “The last thing we want is to bring in the authorities. No. Your father is the one who deals with abnormalities.”

Disgusted by his parents' reaction, Vincent began pulling on his boots in order to go look for his sister. “Jet is missing and that's all you have to say? That we're not normal?”

“That's not what I said!” their mother insisted.

“It's exactly what you said,” Franny remarked with a dark look. She went to collect her jacket so she might join Vincent in the search. Of course she blamed herself. She should never have agreed to cover for Jet. She'd gone so far as to stuff pillows under her sister's quilt so it would appear she was home sleeping should their mother check in.

“Do not leave this house!” Dr. Burke-Owens demanded. “We're already down one.”

Vincent and Franny ignored his command and went to the door. When it was thrown open, however, there was Jet on the threshold, hair in tangles, clearly out of breath, holding her shoes in her hand.

“You're alive,” Vincent said. “That's good.”

“You do realize that ‘Cover for me' does not mean ‘I'll stay out all night,' ” Franny hissed. Now that Jet was safe and sound Franny could allow herself to be furious.

“We lost track of time,” Jet explained. “We were everywhere. Places I've never been to before even though I've lived here all my life. The Empire State Building. The ferry around Manhattan. Afterward we walked along the Hudson until we wound up at a
diner on Forty-Third Street. He'd never had a bagel before! He'd never heard of lox! Next time he wants to have Chinese food.”

“You didn't notice when the sun came up?” Franny said, no longer as angry.

“I swear I didn't. Everything just happened.”

Vincent and Franny exchanged a look. This was the way people spoke when they fell in love.

“We don't even know who he is,” Franny said. “He could have been a murderer.”

“He is not a murderer! His father is a reverend and he's applying to Yale. I met him over the summer, when we were visiting Aunt Isabelle. Yesterday he happened to be at a national youth club meeting at Queens College. He said that he suddenly found himself thinking about me right there in Queens, in the middle of everything, and he couldn't stop. So he got on a subway. And then he just appeared.”

“He sounds fascinating,” Vincent said drily.

“Well, he is!” Jet said, her facing flushing with emotion. “He wants to do good in the world and make a difference and I find that fascinating!”

Their mother had come into the hallway, the color drained from her face. She'd overheard just enough to cause her to panic. “Who were you with?”

“I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to be this late.”

“You were with some boy! What is his name?”

Jet had the sense that she should lie, but it wasn't in her nature. She turned quite pale as she said, “Levi Willard.”

To everyone's great shock Susanna slapped Jet, hard so that her head hit against the wall. Their mother had never before raised a hand to any of them. She didn't even believe in it.

“Mother!” Franny cried.

“Your father is in the kitchen and I don't want him to hear a word of this. Don't you ever see that individual again, Jet. Do you understand me?”

Jet nodded. There were bright tears in her eyes.

“I will send you away to boarding school if I ever find out you've disobeyed me. It will happen so fast you won't have time to pack a suitcase.”

“What's the big deal?” Vincent said. “She lost track of time.”

“Just do as I say. And for now, you're all grounded. And understand this, just because you
can
love someone, doesn't mean they won't be destroyed.”

“But you're married,” Jet said, confused.

“I gave up love for a normal life,” Susanna said. “That's all I ever wanted for you.”

“You never loved our father?” Franny asked.

“Can't you tell?” Vincent threw in.

“Of course I love your father. Don't misunderstand me. I'm just not
in
love, which has saved us both in ways you can't imagine. I recommend you do the same. We are not like other people, that much is true. It has to do with our history, and if you're lucky you'll never know any more than that.”

“I already do,” Franny dared to say. “I spent a great deal of time in the library when we were at Aunt Isabelle's.”

“Some things should be left alone,” Susanna told Franny. “You won't be going back to Isabelle's or to that library.” She turned to Jet. “And you stay away from that boy. Do you hear me?”

“Yes. I hear you.” Jet's eyes were raised to meet her mother's. She appeared to acquiesce, but her expression was cool. “Loud and clear,” she said.

Their father called to them. “May I ask what is going on here?”

They exchanged a look, agreeing it was best to keep him in the dark, but they all trooped into the kitchen.

“Well, hallelujah,” he said when he saw Jet. “One problem solved and another begun.” He gestured to a crow tapping on the window, clearly wishing to be let in.

Franny went to unlatch the lock and push up on the window frame. “There you are.” She was actually delighted to see him.

“Oh, for goodness' sake, Franny, must you have creatures around?” their mother said.

“Yes, I must.” The crow flapped inside and made himself comfortable on a curtain rod.

When they went to their room, the crow flapping after them, Jet was despondent. “She's never loved our father.”

“She loves him,” Franny said as she made a nest out of a sweater atop her bureau. “Just in her way.”

Jet got into bed and pulled up the covers.

“Oh, no you don't,” Franny said, getting into bed beside her. “Tell all.”

“Mother hates Levi and she doesn't even know him. I think she hates me, too.”

“We don't have to listen to her,” Franny said. “Or be like her. She definitely would have chosen caution.”

Jet closed her eyes. “I
won't
listen to her.”

They lay there side by side, defiant, convinced that, if there were curses, then there must also be cures for every mortal plight.

In November, April Owens came to New York, having told her exasperated parents that she'd been invited to visit her cousins, which was far from true. She had already spent what should have been her first freshman semester of college working in a coffee shop in the North End. She had been accepted to MIT, delighting her stupefied parents, who had no idea she was so intelligent, but had deferred because she felt she had other things to attend to. It was too exciting a time to be tied down to school. On the eighth of the month, Senator Kennedy from Massachusetts had won in the closest presidential election since 1916. Hatless and handsome, he had given people faith in the future when he gave his acceptance speech.
I can assure you that every degree of mind and spirit that I possess will be devoted to the long-range interests of the United States and of the cause of freedom around the world.