The Fool - Chapter Seventeen ============================ I - "Dora, you are a star," I say. "Thankyou." "What else could I do?" Dora says, beaming at me across the cafe table. "I knew the police had both you and Beth, and I wasn't going to stand for it. They haven't charged you with anything, and there's no reason for them to keep you overnight. Either of you." She indicates Beth, who is huddled sullenly over a coffee, glaring into space. "My daughter is innocent," says Dora, firmly, "and I know that you too are innocent. So there's no need for the police to waste any more of their time or yours." I nod, and light another cigarette. I am still feeling very shaky. "But Beth dear," she goes on, "I do wish you'd tell me what happened. I'm sure there's something you haven't told me. Shall I ask Adam?" "Mum," growls Beth. "You see Beth dear," continues Dora, "it's a terrible cliche but it's true - a mother knows. I've been dreaming about you, dreaming that you were in danger, dreams that left me worried, and it's been making me wonder what you've not been telling me." I sigh. "And with the police involved," Dora carries on, "it makes me want to stop beating about the bush and ask you if you think someone tried to attack you while you were in Brighton with Adam last Saturday. Because that's what I think happened." "Mum I just got signed," says Beth. "I'm under constant attack from all sides at the moment." Beth glares at me meaningfully, and I redden and look away in shame. Dora catches the interaction and frowns at me, then looks at Beth. "Oh," she says. "I see." II -- She turns back to me and fixes me with a withering glare. "What have to you done to upset my daughter, Adam?" I feel intensely small and look down, unable to think of anything to say. "He must have done some kind of love spell," says Beth. "I know because I felt it. It worked too. I got incredibly horny and had to go out and shag someone." I didn't think I could possibly feel any smaller, but now I do. "Really?" says Dora, unperturbed. "Anyone nice?" "Yeah," says Beth. "She was gorgeous. I was supposed to see her tonight too, but then the police showed up." She? Oh Jesus. I have now become a single dimensionless point consisting entirely of embarrassment and shame. "Well I think that's terribly funny," says Dora, looking me straight in the eye with a severe gaze. "And it serves you right Adam. I think that finding out the results of your actions is quite punishment enough, but don't... if you ever dare do anything so stupid again, we'll..." She tails off. "Just don't," she says. She sighs. "How disappointing for you," she tells Beth. III --- "What I don't understand," continues Dora, half to herself, "is why he was bothering with a love spell if you were seeing each other... oh, you weren't, any more, were you." Beth nods. "Not that that excuses anything, mind, Adam," says Dora. "Yeah," says Beth, but before she can carry on, her phone rings, and she answers it. "Yeah," says Beth. "Oh, hi Bea. Good, so you got my message. What? Heh, no. I'm with my mum and Adam, in some cafe." She is silent for a moment, listening. Her whole face has changed; not a trace of annoyance seems to remain. "What?" She laughs for a while down the phone. "No, that's crazy. Yes, it is that one. Sure, why not. Come. Ok. See you soon." She hangs up the phone, and puts it away with a flourish. "That was Bea," she says. "She's just round the corner, and she's coming to meet us here." Dora beams. "How lovely," Dora pronounces. We sip our coffees in silence for a few moments, and Bea arrives. She is stunning, at least six feet tall, with flashing eyes hidden behind huge purple sunglasses, her hair shaved very short. "Hallo you," she says to Beth, stooping to kiss her demurely on the cheek. Bea turns to Dora. "You must be Beth's mum. I'm Bea. Nice to meet you." "Hello Bea," says Dora, smiling, eyes like gimlets. "Won't you sit down? Move up, Adam." I shuffle along the bench to make room for Bea, who sits down and turns to me. "You must be the fool," she says. IV -- I take this as my cue to leave, and start mumbling things about it being late and fumbling with my coat, but Dora is having none of it. "No, Adam, please don't leave just yet." She is telling me, not asking me. "There's a few things I'd like us to talk about first. I know it's late, but if you're worried about transport I can give you a lift home." "But.." I begin, to no avail. "You don't live far from Beth, do you," continues Dora. "So that's not out of my way at all. And we should leave soon, to let these two enjoy what is left of their evening. But first, I've got a few things to say." "Mum," begins Beth, but Dora is having none of that either. "Don't mum me," she says. "You know perfectly well that I'm not going to let anyone or anything attack my daughter for any reason, and I want to know what happened. I want to talk to Adam about it and I want to talk to you about it. We don't have to do that now, but I will tell you now that I am your mother and I love you and I am not going to let this go until I am happy that you are safe. And I'm not going to do it behind your back, you will know that I am doing it." "Whoah," says Bea. V - "So, Adam," continues Dora, sweetly. "If you don't mind, would you tell me exactly what did happen to the two of you while you were in Brighton?" "Well I don't know, really," I say. "We, uh, got there, went for a walk along the beach, then went to a pub, where we met Jason and Annie, the, er, two who died. We went to some club, and I got very, er, drunk. We stayed over at Jason and Annie's place, and went home next day. That was all." "And did you feel any negativity towards you, or anything like that?" "Well, no. I got very drunk, and I don't remember much of it." "Drunk," says Dora. "Hadn't you smoked anything, or taken any pills?" I smirk, awfully. "Ah," says Dora. "Maybe just one little pill," I say. Everyone laughs. I join in, uneasily. "Yeah," says Beth. "We got them off Jason. They were shit." "I thought you weren't doing that any more, Beth," says Dora. "I'm not," says Beth. "Just once in a while." "I hardly ever do them," I say. "It doesn't normally do much for me. Like this one - I was just totally out of it and really really don't remember anything at all." "Oh I see," says Dora. She frowns. "What do you think, Beth? Do you think it was just bad pills, or doing you think someone was trying something on?" "Both," says Beth. "Whoa," says Bea. VI -- "Mum," says Beth, "look, I've been answering questions from the police all night. Do I have to answer questions from you now as well?" Dora sighs. "I want you to tell me what happened, Beth. If not now, some other time." "It was that Dave Sharpe," says Beth. "That was what happened. He's poisoned Jason and Annie against me, and everyone else in Brighton as well." "Well I know you never did get on, even as children, you and Davie," says Dora. "What do you mean, poisoned them against you?" "I mean it seemed ok at first," Beth replies, "when we met up with Jason and Annie, and the club was just the club - music was shit and you couldn't really hear anything. Then we went back to their place and it just got... poisonous. First it was ok, then it suddenly went all sickly sweet, and I realised how false everyone was being, especially to me, and then it just got nasty. And I couldn't go anywhere because Adam was driving, and he was completely out of it on the sofa. And Dave Sharpe was there. Which didn't help." VII --- "Beth," says Dora, in a serious tone. "I want to ask you something. Did you do anything?" "What do you mean, do anything?" replies Beth. "I mean, when you felt they were attacking you." "No," says Beth. "I can't believe you're even asking me that. I wouldn't. I can't. I know." "Good," says Dora. "So what did you do?" "Well," says Beth, "What could I do? I just made a protective space and retreated into it. Next day I made sure Adam was safe and he drove us both home. And that was all. I mean the news about Jason and Annie is terrible and all that, but it's not exactly surprising. There's something really nasty going on down there, and Mum, I'm serious, I think you should ask Dave Sharpe about it." "Dave Sharpe," says Dora. She frowns. "Alright, I'll talk to Else." There is a pause, as we digest this. "Sorry," says Bea, breaking the silence, "but I have to ask. Who's Else?" "Else is a very old and dear friend of mine, Bea," says Dora. "She is a very wise woman who knows about many things." Dora nods significantly. "She also happens to be Dave Sharpe's mother." "Ok," says Bea. "Right." "On which note," says Dora. "I think Adam and myself were just leaving, don't you?" She gets up and gathers her coat and bag. I do the same. "Bye mum," says Beth. "Bye Beth dear," says Dora. "Come on Adam." "Bye Beth, bye, er, Bea," I say awkwardly, finally extricating myself from the table. "Yeah, bye Adam," says Beth. "Bye, fool," says Bea. VIII ---- Dora and I drive in silence for some time. "Adam," she says, eventually, "look. I know you must be upset about Beth, but I want to tell you something. If you ever, ever do any kind of spell or ritual or ceremony which upsets my daughter again, I want you to know that I will never again be as lenient with you as I am being now. Do you understand me?" Her tone is clear and firm. I nod, but it is not good enough. "Do you understand me, Adam?" "Yes," I say. "Good." She is silent for a while. "Actually," she says, "there is something you can do to make amends. You heard Beth say she felt she was under attack from all sides at the moment, didn't you." "I did," I mumble. "Well, the next time you do a banishing, banish on her behalf as well as yours. I'll be doing the same. It looks like she needs all the help she can get at the moment." "Ok," I say, "I will. I'll do that." "Thank you Adam," says Dora. "You'll find it helps get over her, too. It'll help you let go and so on." I nod silently. IX -- When I finally get home, my head feels like it is on fire, and I have no hope of getting to sleep any time soon. I sit for a while in meditation, then perform a banishing both on mine and on Beth's behalf, as Dora suggested. I am pleasantly surprised to find that she is right, it does seem a little easier afterwards. I still feel sad and lonely, but the anger has gone. Obviously, Beth is free to do as she pleases, it's not as if she was anything other than honest with me. I hardly know the girl for Christ's sake. My head is suddenly on fire again. I switch on the computer, intending to play a game, but find myself automatically firing up the dial-up connection to check my email instead. All spam, as usual. No hang on, what's this? Unofficial Society of Mysteries Mailing List Subscription Confirmation? I certainly never signed up for that. I hesitate for a moment. Part of me is thinking, "this is spam too, just delete it." Part of me wants to read the email. I frown. Then I decide that if someone has subscribed me to the unofficial Society of Mysteries mailing list, I want to know more about it. I hit a key, and the body of the email comes up. X - "Dear Friend," it begins. "Welcome to the Unofficial Society of Mysteries mailing list. We are aware that you may not have been expecting this email: this is an invitation only-list, and you have received this email because, as a member of the Society of Mysteries, we are inviting you to join us. The list is for members of the Society of Mysteries only; it is for private discussion of matters relating to the Society and the Mysteries the Society exists both to transmit and to investigate. The list is the 'unofficial' list, because, we may as well be frank, the Inner Adepti consistently refuse to set up an official one. Well, we couldn't wait, so here we are. If that bothers you, please unsubscribe. You can email unsubscribe@usom.org any time and you won't hear any more from us. On the other hand, you are welcome to stay, and join in our online conversation. We think you'll enjoy it - the list is moderated, and the traffic is low, though we always look forward to reading your responses to our weekly round-up of SoM gossip. Please read our charter before posting, it may be found at the Unofficial Society of Mysteries Website at www.usom.org PAX ET LUX Fr. D.S." Ok, I think. I'll keep this. I wonder who D.S. is. Could that be Dave Sharpe, by any chance?