Be Careful How you Wish

“We’re LATE!” I screamed down the hall at my hapless husband, George. His meandering ways were annoying, he had changed clothes at least three times since this morning, “I’m coming, it’s not like it’s never happened before.” He replied then gulped realizing that he had, struck a nerve.

I turned around and glared at him as he was hopping on one foot trying to put his shoe on as he came down the hall. “You have no idea what tonight means to me! How can you be so callous? I swear you don’t give a damn about anyone but yourself!” I went to the kitchen to find my purse. He finally got his shoe on and came in behind me. “I care, but are you sure you aren’t being a little over dramatic, about this dinner. It’s not like it’s the first one. We go every month.” He said, then slapped a hand across his mouth. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that the way it came out.”

“You always do this. Why do I even bother with you? How dare you accuse me of being a drama queen? I wish you would just disappear and never come back.”

I heard a swoosh and turned around and saw a pile of clothes laying on the floor. “That’s it. I’m done. I’m leaving without you. We don’t have time for you to be changing clothes!” I yelled over my shoulder as I grabbed my purse and headed to the garage door. “You’re gonna regret this! Do you HEAR ME, George, you are gonna regret being born when I get home.”

I arrived at the banquet hall and scanned the room. I found my friend Jodie and waved at her making my way through the crowd. We found our seats and she asked, “Where’s George?”

“Not something I want to talk about right now. I need wine and food and good conversation. I just want to forget everything and enjoy the rest of the evening.”

“OKay, well guess what I found out today? You and me will be getting an invite to join the coven. I couldn’t believe it when Babs called me this morning.” She waved at the waiter and held up her glass. “We are celebrating! Champagne, please if you don’t mind.”

I squealed and hugged her arm, “Wow, that’s incredible. I didn’t think we’d ever get in. All those bake sales, parties, and yard sales we put together for them finally paid off.” I picked up my glass and clicked it against Jodie’s glass.

We spent the rest of the evening eating and sipping champagne and planning what to say when we were called up.

We listened as each member stood up and introduced themselves and listed their specialty craft. It was a fairly large coven and Jodie and I had been going to these dinners for a year, waiting for the chance to be accepted.

George had tagged along to each dinner just to see what it was all about. He didn’t believe in all the hocus pocus and the group had tolerated his presence.

“George will be so happy for me.” I said, forgetting about how mad I was earlier this evening. I heard my name and gasped as I rose up and went to stand by the High Priestess. Jodie’s name was called next as well as George’s name.

“BUT he don’t want to be a witch. He don’t know the first thing about witchcraft. He was only coming with me for the free food and booze.”

The High Priestess looked at me and said, “He could not have attended the dinners if he was not being recruited. We only allow those who have magic in our circle. Where is George this evening? We called him this morning and made sure he would be here tonight.”

My mind went back to our fight. “We were fighting about being late and I turned around and he had taken off his clothes and I didn’t have time to go chasing him down. He had already changed clothes three times while I was getting ready.”

Her face grew solemn and she asked me to tell her in detail what I had said before he disrobed. As I recited my words from earlier she stopped me. “Go back to the part where you said you wished he would disappear. Think back and tell me, did you hear anything unusual?”

“Well, there was a swooshing sound, but I just thought it was the wind. Why what’s going? You’re scaring me.”

The High Priestess motioned to a couple of others and they went to the other side of the room and started talking and each of them looked at me with sorrowful gazes. A moment later the High Priestess came back. “We have discussed your plight and it is agreed that this spell can be reversed. You have to wish your husband back into existence. You are a powerful witch. There are only a handful of people who have the power capable of vanishing someone.”

“Huh? You’re joking. George isn’t gone. He was just pouting and sulking in our room.”

“No dear, you said, ‘I wish you would just disappear and never come back. Those are powerful words which you said in anger which is also a powerful emotion. Combined they made your husband disappear.”

I gaped at her and shook my head, “No? Did I? I couldn’t have. Oh my, what have I done?” I cried grabbing Jodie’s hand.

Jodie’s face grew fearful as she realized what I’d done to poor George.

“What can she do? Can I help her? She loves him so much, and he loves her. It was a mistake. I know she wouldn’t have done this on purpose.”

I hugged Jodie then looked at the High Priestess, “I’ll do anything to get him back. What do I do?”

“It is very important that you repeat what I say with conviction and belief that you can return him. Now close your eyes and repeat after me.” She said as she motioned for the entire room to join hands, “George, I wish you would return to me. Please return as you left. I WISH YOU TO RETURN.”

I closed my eyes and repeated, “George, I wish you would return to me. Please return as you left. I WISH YOU TO RETURN.” The hairs on my arms rose up and the air crackled and I heard a swoosh and a squeal.

I opened my eyes and there stood George trying to conceal himself with a tablecloth. I rushed to him and wrapped my arms around him and said, “Let’s go home, dear. I will explain everything at home.” as I wrapped another tablecloth around him.