Little Green Stars

Chapter 57-Wake Up Call

"Mom!" Jaxson yells, running over to hug her as she flails around, her face dodging the shooting water.

I hit the hose out of Jin's hand and it flies around, spraying everyone in its path. For a few seconds pure chaos seems to take over the inside of the very crowded treehouse as Maverick and I race to push the hose out. Once it goes flying down to the ground, I look up to see a soaked Maeve, seething.

"WHAT THE HELL!" Maeve yells.

"You were hypnotized! He HAD to!" I say, wringing the water out of my hair as Maeve gives Jin the death stare.

"My phone!" Bundty cries, fanning it in the air, almost hitting me.

"Mom, you're okay? Do you feel sick or anything?" Jaxson asks, helping Maeve wipe away the water from her face.

"Hypnotized?" Maeve says, looking over at me as if completely lost. "No, I must have fallen asleep."

"Ms. Shamrock, what happened when you and Malcolm left?" Jin asks, shooting me a concerned look.

"I'm fine," Maeve says, swatting Jaxson's hands away. "Uhh..." her eyes race as if trying to remember while she composes herself.

"You and Malcolm left the house together. He said you guys should stay close. What exactly happened?" I say.

"Right," Maeve agrees, nodding her head as if remembering. "We came here."

"To the treehouse?" Jin asks.

"Yes, Malcolm said he wanted to stay close..." Maeve rubs her head in irritation before her eyes widen. "Oh shit! Vel, what happened?! Did your ghost scare the Caldwells? Is everyone alright?!" Maeve runs over to Jin, seemingly looking him up and down for a mark.

"I'm fine!" Jin says, awkwardly dodging Maeve's pat down. "My parents are fine too. It never came to that."

"I'm not fine, you should check me," Maverick says cautiously, ready to dodge Jaxson if need be.

Bundty takes a break from fanning her phone to smack Maverick.

Maeve rolls her eyes. "So, everything is fine then?" she asks.

"Not exactly..." I say, wondering how to begin.

"Wait, what time is it?" Maeve says, worry moving across her face.

"5:30 in the freaking morning," Bundty says, now vigorously wiping her phone on her pants.

"If you two are here, then who has Silas?!" Maeve's eyes widen. "You better not have left him home—"

"He's fine," Jaxson says. "He's with Hundrek."

"You never picked him up?!"

"No Jaxson did, it's just complicated," I say.

"So you two know then?" Maeve says, stepping back a little.

"Know what?" Jaxson asks, confused.

"Let me guess, more family secrets? Will this one almost get me killed too?" Bunty says under her breath.

"Know what MOM?" Jaxson demands, this time with more urgency.

I'm pretty sure Jaxson's putting two and two together just like I am—Maeve and Hundrek are a thing.

"Jaxson, Mitch and I have been dating," Maeve says quietly, turning away so no one else will hear.

"Mitch?!" Jaxson yells.

"OMG! Your mom's dating The Po Po!" Maverick laughs.

"Maverick, do I need to remind you of a certain video?!" Maeve demands, her Mom voice kicking in.

"No mama," Maverick says begrudgingly.

"Look!" I yell. "We can talk about this seriously gross news later. But right now, I really need you to tell us what you remember!"

Maeve suddenly recognizes the fear in my eyes and tenses up. "Vel, what's wrong?"

"Malcolm, he..." Jin searches for the words. "We think he tricked you."

"We KNOW he tricked you!" Jaxson corrects.

"Tricked me how?" Maeve says, crossing her arms.

"Mom, you weren't just asleep, you were hypnotized. Why the hell else would we pour water all over you?"

"Because you're teenagers and teenagers are assholes?" Maeve says with a totally straight face.

"Maeve, my soul, t's..." I begin.

"It's what!" she demands.

"It isn't exactly split anymore."

"Did Malcolm find a way to buy the house already?" Maeve says, looking at Jin. "So, it worked?"

"Well, he did buy the house. Did something called a quit deed?"

"A quit-claim deed, smart..." Maeve thinks out loud.

"But..." Jin shakes his head slowly, his eyes lowering.

"But what?" Maeve's hip-out and folded arms stance begins to waiver.

"It was never going to work, Malcolm knew that. He just wanted Jin and his parents out of the way..." I say.

"What are you saying?"

"Malcolm tricked you into tieing my soul..."

"What?" Maeve whispers as the reality sinks in. Maeve has always been smart, it doesn't take her long to remember the consequences Malcolm discussed with us earlier. "How?"

"He must have had you perform the spell after he hypnotized you," Jin answers for me.

"So, what happened to my mom is going to happen to me?" Maeve's shoulders sink.

No one responds and the treehouse grows quiet as Maeve's face struggles to stay strong. It's a horrible thing, watching someone's eyes realize something devastating. I once saw an old man drop a bucket of paint on a brand new couch and I saw Bundty's eyes when she saw my texts from Maverick, but none of their faces looked the way Maeve's does now. Slowly, Maeve uncrosses her arms to reach for Jaxson, whose back is turned away. She tenderly rubs Jaxson's arms, desperate to comfort him.

"It'll be okay," Maeve says, refusing to let tears fall. "It'll be okay." Then, turning back to me, Maeve raises her chin and says, "At least you're safe now, that's all that matters."

At that, Jaxson throws a wild punch out towards the wall. "That's the thing Mom! It's NOT going to be okay. Vel ain't going to be okay and neither are you!"

"I don't understand?" Maeve says, as she tries to restrain Jaxson's outburst.

"The thing is," I begin, tears pouring down my face as I watch Jaxson's angry fists fly. "Malcolm had you tie my soul to him." For the first time, I'm not worried about people seeing me cry, I'm not worried about looking tough, I'm just worried about Maeve and I'm worried about Jaxson.

Maeve staggers back, as if hit by one of Jaxson's punches.

"But that's not all," I say, my vision becoming blurred from my tears. "Whatever spell he had you do also made you resplit my soul."

"What..." Maeve gasps a little, horror feeling her eyes. "Why would he—"

"Because he wants Red Lady to go kill Grandpa."