“I’m not staring at you,” Wendy said, cheeks growing hot as she gave his shoulder a shove. “I guess if anything, losing your magic is useful, since the aging will make it harder for people to recognize you from the ER,” she said in an attempt to find a silver lining.
“Yeah, but not useful in getting my shadow back.” Peter scowled. “The weaker my magic gets, the more I age. I’m not supposed to grow up, Wendy. If we can’t fix me soon…” Peter looked lost for words. “I don’t know what’ll happen, but those kids will be lost for good.”
“And so will my brothers,” Wendy said.
Peter dug the palms of his hands into his eyes.
The sound of a key sliding into the front door lock made Wendy nearly jump out of her skin.
“Crap!” she hissed, immediately grabbing Peter’s arm and giving it a yank.
“Ouch! What?!”
“Shh! Someone’s home! My dad will freak out if he sees you!” Wendy pulled Peter to the sliding glass doors that led to the backyard.
Oh, God, oh no, she needed to get Peter out of the house. If her dad found them, she wouldn’t be the only one in trouble. The lock clicked and the front door began to creak open. “You need to leave, now, out the back door!” She pushed against him, but Peter didn’t budge.
“Wendy?” Her mother’s tired voice drifted in from the living room. “Is that you?”
“Go!” Wendy pleaded as quietly as she could, but Peter wasn’t even looking at her anymore.
All of his focus had turned to the sound of her mother’s voice, his face suddenly very alert. Wendy squeezed his arm in a silent plea, but it was no use. He balanced on the balls of his feet, peering in the direction of the living room like a fox trying to spot a bird. There was something in his eyes, an intensity in his face, but Wendy couldn’t place it. What was he doing? If he didn’t move, she—
Mrs. Darling rounded the corner and stepped into the kitchen.
“Uh, hey, Mom!” Wendy chirped, trying to sound casual, but the truth was that she never had company over, except for Jordan.
Peter retreated a few quick steps back to Wendy’s side. He clasped his hands behind his back.
Wendy looked up at him, surprised by his sudden strange behavior.
Mrs. Darling was in her usual blue scrubs, her hair tied up in a messy bun on top of her head. She was wearing her glasses, but Wendy could still see the dark circles under her eyes.
“Oh, you have company,” she said, a pleasant but tired smile on her face as she turned to Peter. However, when she saw him, she faltered.
Mrs. Darling’s brown eyes were suddenly wider and more alert than Wendy had seen them in ages. Her hand moved to the base of her throat. Her mouth formed a small O in silent—what was it? Surprise?
Peter stood still, his head cocked to the side curiously.
“Er, Mom?” Wendy asked quietly. Had her mom seen Peter in the hospital? Was that why she was looking at him like that? Why was Peter acting so weird all of a sudden? The quiet intensity of the situation made her feel as if she were interrupting a private moment. “Are you okay?”
“Hmm? Oh, yes—I’m fine,” Mrs. Darling said. That seemed to break her out of her trance, but she still continued to stare at Peter. Wendy could feel an odd energy hanging in the air between them. Mrs. Darling squinted, delicate wrinkles forming at the corners of her eyes as she peered at him through her glasses. “I’m sorry, have we met before?” Mrs. Darling asked Peter.
Before he could open his mouth, Wendy cut in. “No!” she practically shouted. She cleared her throat and lowered her voice. “I mean, no. This is—uh—Barry,” she lied.
“Do you go to school with Wendy?” Mrs. Darling pressed. “You look so familiar—”
“Nope!” Wendy answered again. “He’s new—from out of town—visiting family—just for the summer!” She was talking way too fast. And way too loud. “We just kinda ran into each other downtown, so I thought I’d show him around,” Wendy finished, twisting her hands in the air as she tried to come up with a logical explanation.
Wendy wasn’t very good at making up lies on the spot, but she hoped it was convincing enough. Either way, her mom didn’t seem to be paying enough attention to notice.
“It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Darling,” Peter finally said. He leaned forward in a strange little half bow, one hand pressed to his chest, before straightening back up again. He smiled at her, deep dimples cutting into his cheeks. That smile of his was dazzling. It made you feel like it was meant only for you, and he gave it to her mother.