The Good Demon by Jimmy Cajoleas

Author:Jimmy Cajoleas
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Abrams
Published: 2018-10-10T16:00:00+00:00

I was so happy I couldn’t believe it. I felt light and glorious and free for the first time since Roy and his dad came. To be honest, I was also pretty proud of myself. She had set the rules for our game, and I was following them down to a T. I don’t know how I could have played my part better. And now, in just three days, I would have Her back with me.

I got up early the next morning (what, like I could have slept after that?) and made Mom and Larry breakfast. I figured I’d cook a feast for them, do everything that Mom and Larry wanted. I’d tell them how grateful I was for all they had done for me, show them that I was trying again, that I was getting better. At the very least I would stay on their good side.

I could feel the spirit from the Wish House with me, hovering around. I tried to talk to it like I would Her.

“Hello,” I said. “How are you this morning?”

The spirit didn’t respond. It just lingered on the fringes of things, watching. That was okay. It was probably acting in an official capacity, like one of those British soldiers who just guard the palace and can’t say anything. I did my best to ignore it while I cooked.

And let me tell you, I cooked the hell out of some breakfast.

I made bacon, I made pancakes, I made those little awful sausages slathered in grease, three eggs a piece. I put on the coffee and had it ready for Larry just how he likes it, with double cream and sugar. He came downstairs and I set a plate for him. He opened the newspaper warily.

“You feeling okay?” he said.

“Never better,” I said.

“Right. Okay.”

“How do you want your eggs? Just kidding. Scrambled, with cheddar cheese. That’s the only way you like them.”

He cocked an eye at me.

“Glad to know you remembered.”

Of course I remembered, I wanted to say. How many times have I heard you bitch Mom out because she got your fucking eggs wrong? But I held my tongue.

Mom liked her eggs over easy, so I did that. She liked to smother them in Louisiana Hot Sauce, and she liked a side of toast. I did that, too.

Mom came downstairs so surprised she kissed me right on the cheek.

We all sat down together for breakfast. I even made myself a plate and managed to choke it all down.

“Isn’t this nice?” said Mom. “Don’t we feel just like a family?”

That made me a little sad, because Mom didn’t even say we were a family. She just said we felt like one. It was like Mom knew we would never all belong together, that any opportunity for that was long gone. Like the best we could ever do was pretend it was okay and try to look the way families look on TV.

“Sure, Mom,” I said, and kissed her on the cheek.

“Don’t leave the dishes in the sink,” said Larry.

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