Once they were out of the airport, Kevin & Morgan were informed that AJ & Brianna had come home that morning, due to the fact that Kylie had gotten very sick the night before.
“So where are they now?” Morgan asked.
“They’re at Denise’s,” Nick said.
“Then that’s where we’re headed,” Kevin said, handing his cell phone to Morgan. “Here, sweetheart, call Denise & tell her we’re in town & on our way.”
“Then I’ll call Ann, just to let her know we made it back,” Morgan said as she hit the speed dial for Denise’s house.
Denise opened the front door, welcoming the four friends & one very large wolf.
“Thank goodness, you’re here. Kylie hasn’t let go of Brianna since they got here. She also screams bloody murder if we even mention a doctor, screaming that she wants Aunt Morgan! We just don’t know what to do,” Denise said, wringing her hands.
“Where is she? Maybe I can tell what’s wrong with her,” Morgan explained.
“She’s in her room. Follow me,” Denise said, leading them upstairs and down the hall.
Morgan walked over to the little girl, “Hey there, sweetie. Mamaw tells me that you don’t feel good.” She looked at Brianna and asked, “Do you mind if I check her?”
“Go ahead,” Brianna said.
Morgan could tell that the child was very sick just by looking at her; she was pale, but sweating, her eyes red-rimmed and her face tear-streaked from crying. When Morgan put the back of her hand to Kylie’s forehead, she was startled by how hot she was.
Morgan turned her eyes up to Kevin, “Go get my kit out of the suitcase, Kevin.” She turned to Denise, “I need hot water, to make a tea. I have to get this fever down. Kylie, baby, can you tell me when you started to feel bad?”
“Last night, my tummy started to hurt, then I got all hot and sweaty, and…” Kylie started to explain.
“I’ll make a deal with you: you let me see what I can do to try to make you all better; if I can’t, you go to the doctor like your mommy & daddy said, ok?” Morgan asked, brushing Kylie’s hair off her forehead.
“Ok,” Kylie agreed between sniffles.
Five minutes later, Kevin walked back into the room. “Here’s your case, Morgan. It took me a few minutes to find it. It was packed on the bottom of the suitcase,” Kevin said handing the burgundy & black wooden case to her.
“Thank you. Now, Brianna, you need to trust me; I need you & AJ to leave the room. The only one I need in here is Tessa. Can you do that for me?” Morgan asked.
“Yes, I trust your judgement. We’ll wait downstairs.” Brianna walked over to her husband, leading him out of the room.
Denise walked in with a teakettle of hot water & a mug. Tessa took the items and proceeded to make a tea for Kylie.
“Thank you, Denise,” Morgan said, turning to her. “Now, no one is to open this door. Tessa and I have work to do and we cannot afford to be interrupted. You too, Kevin, out,” Morgan instructed as she nudged them out of the room then closed & locked the door, turning off the light. In a calming voice, Morgan said, “Tessa, pull the curtains and light the candles.” She picked up the mug, testing the strength & temperature of the tea. Then she sat down next to Kylie on the bed, saying, “Kylie, I need you to drink all of this for me.”
The child took a small sip, wrinkled her nose and said, “It tastes bad!”
“I know it’s a little bitter. But you promised me, Kylie Renee. I don’t break my promises, do I? Now drink it all; if you don’t, you will have to go to see a doctor. Hold your nose if you have to, but drink it all,” Morgan told her. She looked to see that Tessa had finished lighting & placing the four white candles, one each to the four quarters – north, east, south & west.
“Yes, Ma’am,” Kylie sniffed, then held her nose & drank the tea down without any further argument.
“Now, I want you to lay down and close your eyes. Try to think of getting all better, so you can play with Diana at the beach.” As she spoke, Morgan began to slow her breathing, putting herself into a trance. She eased off the bed, kneeling down beside it, Tessa on the opposite side, also kneeling.
She then began praying softly. Tessa also joined in with her soft voice, lending her powers to the healing spell as well. Their voices joined as one in the prayer, but never raised above the sound of a loud whisper.
Twenty minutes later, Morgan came out of her trance, slowly. She blinked twice, to clear her eyes and reached up to touch Kylie’s forehead. She breathed a sigh of relief when she touched cool skin, knowing that the child’s fever had broken. She stood up carefully, with the help of Tessa, and sat down next to Kylie on the bed. She stroked the child’s damp hair, glad to see that her complexion was once again normal, her breathing easy; Kylie was now sleeping deeply, her body healing.
Morgan looked at Tessa, telling her, “Go & extinguish the candles, but leave the curtains closed & the light off. We have done what we can. She will be back to her normal, hyper self by morning. Stay and watch her for a few moments, while I go tell her parents & very worried uncles.” She leaned down and kissed Kylie’s forehead before leaving the room.
AJ was the first to see her as she made her way carefully down the stairs, holding onto the banister. “Is she ok, Morgan?”
“She’s fine now, Alex. She almost didn’t drink the tea, but I told her if she didn’t drink it, she wouldn’t get better and would have to go to the doctor. Tessa is sitting with her now,” she told the two worried parents. “You can go up and see her, but don’t wake her. She is sleeping deeply, a healing sleep. She should be back to normal by morning.”
She sat down on the couch next to Kevin, who noticed she was trembling, her eyes still slightly glazed and unfocused. “Baby, you ok?” he asked putting his arms around her.
“Yes, it’s just the after-effects of the spell-working. Just let me rest a few minutes,” she said as she moved away slightly then laid down on the couch, her head in his lap.
He gently pushed her long black curls away from her face, then looked up to see Nick & Denise walk into the room, Diana close behind.
Diana immediately came over to Morgan, sniffing her limp hand and then her face, whining softly. Kevin gently pet her, “Momma’s ok, Diana. Lay down,” he told her. “Good girl,” he praised as Diana lay down at his feet.
“Is Kylie alright?” Nick asked. “Where’s Tessa?”
“Here I am, Nick,” Tessa said tiredly, coming up and putting her arm around his waist. He put his arm around her protectively, holding her up. “I just need to sit down a few minutes. Kylie’s alright now, the fever broke; AJ & Brianna are upstairs, sitting with her. She’ll sleep through the night, I think.”
“Tessa, is this normal for Morgan?” Kevin asked, indicating Morgan.
“Yeah, it is; especially after any trance work. I think she went too deep in her trance this time; I was awake before she was. She may sleep for a couple hours, at the least. At the most, she’ll sleep through the night,” Tessa explained.
“Then, I guess I need to try to get her home then,” Kevin said, picking Morgan up carefully.
“I agree,” Tessa said. “I have her case. I’ll walk out with you and put it back in your suitcase.”
“What about your car? Isn’t it at the beach-house?”
“No, I drove Nick’s car, he drove yours, and we dropped his car off here before we went to the airport. AJ called us this morning after we talked to you and told us what happened. Nick and I will drive back to his place in a little while,” Tessa said as she opened the passenger-side door and laid the seat back so Kevin could lay Morgan down. Tessa also opened the back door so Diana could jump in. She then put Morgan’s case in the suitcase for safe travel.
“Tell AJ & Brianna that Morgan or I will call tomorrow morning to check on Kylie. I’m taking her home so she can get some sleep. I think Diana will be happy to get home, too. We’ll talk to you guys later,” he said as he leaned down and hugged Tessa goodbye. He then walked around and got in the truck, driving out of the driveway, heading towards home.
