If Effie had been the high-fiving type, Bonnie would have raised her hand in invitation. Instead she just winked.
‘Nice job, sis,’ whispered Effie. ‘You didn’t even smash the bottle or set the wine on fire.’
‘I’ve been practising,’ said Bonnie. And she had been. Not because she wanted to impress her sister, but because she wanted to know how to properly manage this part of her that was going to be with her for life. This part that made her a Chalmers sister, and which she might one day pass down to a Chalmers girl of her own. And to do that, she had to work at it, not just do what came easily to her.
Although she might be getting ahead of herself there. Maybe she’d try out the aunt thing first. Better to mess up Effie’s kids than one of her own, after all. Besides, Effie just inherently knew what she was doing.
‘Wow,’ said Bobby, shaking his head. ‘This whole magic thing is going to take some getting used to.’
‘I truly can’t believe you had no idea,’ said Bonnie. ‘Especially with the bar thing. I mean, you practically lived there. And you’ve been our neighbour for two decades!’
‘I mean, I always thought you were magic,’ said Bobby. ‘Just not literally.’
‘How about you?’ asked Bobbie, rounding on Theo. ‘Were you Mister Oblivious as well?’
Theo raised an eyebrow. ‘I might have had an inkling.’
‘When did you first suspect?’ pressed Effie.
‘That very first day at the bar,’ admitted Theo. He rubbed his forehead. ‘Although I can’t quite remember why.’
Bonnie felt a pang. Of all the memories for Theo to give up, he’d given up the one where he’d met Effie.
‘I remember,’ said Effie, squeezing his hand. ‘It’s because I used my magic to pick up the flower basket of yours I knocked to the ground.’
‘That sounds about right,’ said Theo, smiling gently. ‘Apparently you made such a strong impression that my memory just can’t handle it.’
‘Well, I appreciate your not saying anything,’ said Effie, smiling up at Theo. ‘Yellowbrick Grove might be full of people who want to believe, but I don’t think the town’squiteready for the truth about the Chalmers sisters just yet.’
Theo chuckled. ‘Deal. Although my silence comes at a price. And that price is using just your magic to top up my glass of wine. The biggest slice of pizza goes to whoever does it first.’
Now there was a challenge.
Meeting each other’s gazes, Bonnie and Effie grinned. They focused their energies, their magic shimmering in the air as they considered the laws of physics that needed to be overcome. Their twin streams of magic poured from their wrists, twining together then shooting out to lift the bottle, pouring a perfect measure into each of the glasses on the table in turn.
Not a drop spilled.
All right, so the two of them had their differences, and always would. But they also had something that bound them together for ever – in this life and whatever came after. And not just their magic. Their sisterhood. The bond that connected them in times good and bad and everywhere in between. The fact that their lives had been shared since day one, and always would be.
The doorbell rang, setting Agatha yowling, along with the kittens.
‘That’ll be Tessa and Alana,’ said Bonnie. ‘And probablyKirsty and Hannah, if they all came together. Door’s open!’ she shouted.
‘The more the merrier.’ Theo got up to pull a second pizza from the oven.
Effie looked like she vehemently wanted to disagree. But she adjusted her glasses and took a measured sip of wine. ‘Just so long as things don’t get too rowdy. We do have neighbours, after all.’
‘That’s as close as Effie comes to saying “let’s party”,’ said Tessa, setting down an enormous plate of chocolate-coated macaroons on the counter.
‘Oh god, it’s going to be eighth grade all over again,’ teased Alana. ‘Remember the Great Gummy-Worm Sleepover Incident?’
‘Got any of that Memory Lane left over?’ whispered Effie to Bonnie.
‘Only for very special occasions,’ said Bonnie. ‘All right, who’s up for Celebrity Heads?’
Everyone groaned. Bonnie was famed for her ability to stump crowds using D-grade celebrities from the 00s.
‘We also have Twister. And the perennial favourite: darts.’
