A Very Merry Iona Christmas by M. L. Briers Page B

until he coughed up some money.
    “Good question. Next.”
    ‘ No good damn shame
of a man.’ Iona shook her imaginary head and sighed. ‘ Well, I’m here
now…’
    “I hate to tell you
this, but you’re in my head. I can’t use you as childcare.” Carly dropped onto
the old sofa as if she were three times her age.
    ‘ You need a witch
who can, and trust me when I say. I can and I will.’
    “I asked for a minor
miracle.” Carly bit out.
    ‘ And they sent me.
Now doesn’t that tell you something?’ Iona chuckled. She wasn’t feeling
particularly upbeat considering what she’d walked into, but if anyone could put
this witch’s life back on track it was her. She could just feel it in her
non-existent bones.
    “Yeah. I’m screwed.”
Carly dropped her head back against the sofa and sighed.
    ‘ Oh ye of little
faith.’
     
    ~
    ~
    ~
     
    ‘ Oh look! Help
wanted.’ Iona spat out at the sight of the sign in the window of the large
café.
    Carly rolled her eyes
in her head. She was walking down the road with Hope, what was she supposed to
do, drag Hope in there with her for her shift? I don’t have a sitter, Iona.
    ‘Have a little
faith. Just go and enquire.’ Iona
encouraged her.
    And then what? What if
she did get an interview, she still wouldn’t have a damn sitter. No sitter no
interview, no interview, no job. It was hopeless.
    ‘I have a good
feeling about that place. Give it a go. You need to get your mojo back.’ Iona informed her.
    Yeah, like that was
ever going to happen. Maybe when Hope was old enough to go to nursery school…
    ‘ Girl, get your
backside in there and ask!’ The time for encouragement was over. Now was
the time for affirmative action. She’d take over her body and walk her through
the damn door herself if she had too…
    “Fine!” Carly bit out.
Forgetting that she was talking to her imaginary friend again, as Hope had put
it that very morning when she’d caught her talking out loud…
    “What is mummy?”
Hope’s little cherub face stared up at her, and for a moment there she could
remember exactly why she’d named her Hope, because that was how it had felt
when she’d looked into her daughter’s eyes. She had hope…
    “We’re just going in
there for a moment, baby.” Carly wished that Iona was a real live in the flesh
person so she could give her the stink eye. It would have made babysitting
easier too.
    “Ok.” Hope shrugged
her shoulders.
    ‘ See, Hope is on my
side.’ Iona chuckled.
    She doesn’t even
know you exit, Iona. There were a few
other reason’s that Carly wished Iona was flesh and blood, and one of them was
so that she could zap the woman right on her backside and then she’d know what
it was like to put up with a pain in the arse too.
    ‘ Sure she does. In
her own little way. Kids love me.’ Iona purred.
    In your imaginary
little world they do. Carly half
sighed as she yanked open the door and was blasted by the smells that came out
of the kitchen. The smell of cinnamon in the air made her mouth water, and she
hated to think what it did to Hope.
    “Hi, you need a seat?”
The older woman called to her from behind the counter. Carly felt the warning
bells of her magic kick into gear and she frowned… Something was setting them
off…
    “No.” Carly shook her
head on a small frown as the woman lifted her chin and seemed to scent the air.
“I was…”
    ‘ If I didn’t know
better I’d say that was a she-wolf…’
    “You looking for a
job?” The women’s eyes dropped towards Hope and then back again to the witch.
It would certainly make life easier to employ a witch and not have to worry
about the odd growl from the kitchen when John was working, Annie thought as
she eyed the child and her mother.
    “I…” Carly went to
shake her head, but it was too late, Hope was on the case.
    “Mummy’s been looking
at the ads in the newspaper for a job.” Hope announced and Carly groaned
inwardly.
    Back pedal, back
pedal the hell out of