Snow King, Gypsy Queen

Another of my favorites, probably because the idea got all twisted around when I wrote it. Hope you enjoy. Oh, and since I haven't said it today, remember to go buy my book.

Louisiana to New York is a long distance to call, especially for eleven on a Saturday morning when there are lawns to be mowed. Mom was hysterical when she placed the call.

“Calm down mama. What’s wrong?”

“It… it’s… it’s your father…” She choked out between heart shattering sobs. “He’s been frozen solid as,” his cold and murderous heart “a block of ice.”

“Get hold of yourself. Have some tea and I’ll deal with it. Everything is going to be okay now.”

I knew my father’s condition was my fault, and I could actually fix it. Mama didn’t know either of those things. I went through my contacts as I stepped into the kitchen. Maybe I’d have a beer to help.

Isadora was a voodoo queen, a priestess of the Loa. She had also had a thing for me since long before I moved to the big city. She made me wait a full five jingles before she picked up. Who doesn’t have a cell phone these days? Or even voicemail? When she did answer it was in that sweetly seductive tone that made me consider moving her to New York with me.

“Mon cher, I was expectin’ your call laytah.”

“The Baron feeding you bad information?”

“Non, he jes’ fine. You the one normally be sleepin’ in.” She gave a throaty laugh.

“It happened just like you said it would.”

“Well you know tha price for my help.”

“You can fix it?” I was worried, I admit it.

“Non. Only you can do tha’ an’ you acted rash mon cher. There is risk, he may be harmed by the coming back.”

“But you think it can be fixed.”

“Oui.”

“I’ll call you back when it is.”

I opened the freezer before dialing mama. This was a high price.

The phone only rang once when I placed the return call to my mother. She was sniffling but the wailing cries had abated. That, with the comatose way she slurred her words told me she had listened to me about the tea then chased it with a valium.

“Okay mama. I can fix this. Put the phone to papa’s ear for a second.”

“How lawn…guh?”

“You’ll know.”

A moment of silence, then the clink of the phone against ice and I was talking to my dear father. I seethed the next words quietly, only for him. Cold stung my hand, funny how I only felt it then.

“All right you son of a bitch. I’m going to put the poppet of you in cold water. You should unfreeze in about two hours. This was a warning. Mama ever calls me crying with a black eye or a bruise again and I’ll hit it with a hammer instead of a nice warming bath. You better understand.”

I raised my voice both to hurt my father’s ear and to let mama hear me.

“I’m hanging up mama; this will take a little bit. Just stay chill. Everything is going to be okay now.”

#shortstory #writing #voodoo #magic #familyissues #anger