Entity Nest Ep. 020: KETTLE BLACK

"Car dealer. I just gave Jana that car outside. We rode over here together. My new wife, she's a bit sharp about my getting to know Jana better. She can sometimes be a real witch."

"I'm sure." Erin glared at him. In a weird eye contact he knew that she knew what he was. An immediate distaste for her Max sighed. Cotton began snarling at him and dropped down to the floor and ran up to face him. Brimley was pissed off from being clueless all these years and this was her only way to vent. Snapping at him, Max lifted his cane out of defense and primed to swat the poodle. "Hit that dog you answer to me." Erin stood up! Ignoring her, Erin shot a glance at Jana and saw her acting all confused, lost in the head. "So, I presume that you put Jana under some kind of stupor to keep her from seeing this?"

"Quite astute young lady. Let it be known there is nothing you could possibly do to stop me." He raised that cane higher and swung it down. As if a shield erected a sigil showed up over the dog's head and deflected the blow. Stunned by the barrier Max looked up at Erin. "Ah! The necklace. It appears you and I have something in common."

"I doubt that. I was hoping you might be a good person, for Brimley's sake. I guess that went right over your head like your cane there." Brimley within Cotton looked over at her confused daughter. Out of concern she darted around Maxwell and hopped up into Jana's lap, licking her face to try and counter the attack on her mind.

"She will snap out of it when I say she can." Max frowned at the attempt. Sudden inspiration on Brimley's part, Cotton's eyes returned to normal and backed away from Jana. Jana's confusion faded instantly as now her eyes went white. Standing up Jana pointed at Max.

"Let my daughter go, Maxwell. Don't make me kick your ass all the way back to Melas."

"Brimley?" He winced, "How are you alive?"

"Who knows! But I'm not leaving my daughter to suffer at your witchcraft."

"You heard the lady, Warlock." Erin backed her up. "Yeah, I know what you are. Not intimidated!" Kind of, but she refused to let him know.

"What could you possibly want with Janice after all these years Maxwell? You had no contact with her since she was born. Why now?"

"Lost time?" He shrugged with arrogance. "I sired her. She belongs with me now. It's time I taught her how to be one of us. As to why I abandoned you both? Blame that on my family. She is a half breed thanks to my marrying you. My error as a young man letting love lead me. My parents gave me no choice but to return to my coven. You should be grateful that I cared enough to help with child support even from a distance. I... " He suddenly shed a tear, "It's good to see you Brimley, however you are doing this. I presume it has to do with your necklace?" He looked toward Erin for confirmation. "I sense a very old, very dark evil emanating from that pebble. Be careful in thinking it has your wellbeing."

"Erin?" Brimley spoke up, "That's it. The stone took my life. When you poked yourself with that thorn a bit ago, it was like I felt your pain in the moment. It reminded me of the day I died, I felt a pinch when I touched your necklace. It must have known I was ready to go. It... bonded me to you. To Cotton! Maxwell? My psychic ability never once picked up on your being a witch... warlock. Was my ability what attracted you to me in the first place? You always called me a quack."

"Gypsy blood runs within you Brimley. Not a witch mind you, but a seer. I enacted a mental block over you to avoid your snooping further as you had visions. My coven challenged our union therefore I had to leave you. For the record... I did love you. Now? That has passed."

"So, you're remarried? I presume to another witch." Erin chimed in.

"Yes!"

Erin was tempted to mention Agnes Bloom, but it seemed as if he knew nothing of the whole hospital fiasco. If her assumptions were correct Agnes was one of the good ones, her spells preventing even her coven from knowing what had occurred with the goat demon Baphomet. Interesting!

"She had nothing to say about your giving Jana a car? Paying for her schooling?"

"She does not know everything I do."

"I can relate." Brimley hissed stepping right up to Max to look him in the eye. It made him swallow dryly. "I'm going to do something I should have done years ago Maxwell."

"What is that?" Smiling Brimley utilized her daughter's strength and kneed him in the groin. Doubling over Maxwell lost his temper and prepared to slap his own daughter, in doing so Brimley.

"Leave my home! Leave our daughter alone."

"You have no say in what I do. You are dead!" He lashed out but again a sigil appeared and deflected his blow. Feeling safe in its assist Brimley slugged him in the jaw and sent him toppling back to the floor. As if helping her Cotton raced up and pissed on him. Erin had to laugh at the irony but then realized something, Cotton's eyes were white again with only one difference now, the sigil's shape was appearing in the iris of both eyes.

"Um? What's happening here?"

"Jana has gone to the dogs." Brimley spoke up, "She inhabits Cotton until I switch out of her body. She has had a chance to hear her father's words. No more lies Maxwell. No more pain. IS THAT UNDERSTOOD?"

"Whoa!" Erin put her hands up, "Above my hey grade." Erin had no idea how any of this insanity worked. She was tired of trying to process how this, the ghosts' activities at home, sigil business, werewolves, voodoo... all of it even worked.

"IS THAT UNDERSTOOD?" Brimley went so far as to step Jana's boot on his balls squashing them. "DO NOT COME BACK HERE! TAKE THAT CAR AND GO."

"You will pay for this insult Brimley." He winced in pain then was allowed to crawl to his feet. "As will you one day when your... demon turns on you." He nodded at Erin and her necklace.

"No demon of mine. Gemma loves me." She pointed at the front door and inexplicably it opened up on its own, quite loudly, so loudly it broke the hinges. "Uh?" She looked at Jana, "I'll pay to get that fixed." Gemma was in full force today it seemed.

Straightening his suit Maxwell noted the car keys on the coffee table. Sighing he faltered and left the keys. "I'll walk. Give Janice the car with my blessing. I... " He couldn't apologize, instead he hobbled out the door and down the sidewalk. Reaching the end of the walk he literally vanished before their eyes.

"How did he...?" Erin stood next to Janice and Cotton to witness it.

"Witchery!" Brimley sighed then looked down at Cotton, "Forgive me Janice, for taking over your body. I am ready to switch with you." Tense moments of staring at one another Janice looked up at Erin. "I believe we have a problem."

"What?" Erin bulged her eyes, "You have to be kidding me. You can't leave Janice?"

"Nor she Cotton. Dear God! What have I done?" She reached down and plucked Cotton up from the floor and hugged him... her tightly. "I don't know how this happened Janice."

"Sigils in Cotton's eyes. There are two I noticed." Erin helped by holding Cotton's face so that Brimley could look deeply. "I think this is similar to what Rico and Izzy are dealing with. I don't know about any soul fusion, but the sigil bonded you two together without the cuffs, more the ruffs. Sorry, dog humor!" She winced.

"Janice, baby? I will do everything in my power to make this right. I will get you back into your body."

"What about that hour possession rule? Will this hurt her?"

"Let us pray not. The sigils might prevent that. Erin?"

"Yes?"

"Might you leave me here with my daughter for a while. I'll make use of the car and drive us to Souillon later."

"Of course! Call me over Jana's cell if you need me."

"Thank you, my friend. You are a blessing." A hug between them nearly suffocated Cotton, his, her whine a clue to break it up. Erin patted Cotton on the head before leaving.

"Hang in there Jana. I hope we can become good friends." She tested the screen door, but it was ready to fall off. Told to leave it Brimley closed the inside door and carried Cotton back to her favorite recliner. Sitting there Brimley began humming a tune she used to perform for Janice as a baby. Janice within Cotton recalled it and actually took a nap. They could talk later. They had never been closer than this in years.

********

"Let's get some lunch."

Kyra Whimsey led the Montoya clan from their lengthy conversations and shopping at the Goodwill store. With everyone smiling over a good day thus far, bellies were indeed growling. The diner across the street was perfect for not only sustenance but unfortunately Rosalita needed to change Isabel's tampon before she ruined a perfectly good white dress. It would also give her a chance to change into a pair of blue jeans.

Avoiding minimal traffic, the group of three, technically four, ventured to the front door to the diner known as Kettle Black. The place was busy, so they had to wait briefly for a cleared booth. The waitress, one of three, greeted them and placed them with offered menus. Rosalita excusing herself let Izzy decide what Rosalita would ingest into her daughter's body. All Rosa knew was she could tell her daughter needed to eat.

Kyra settling in heard a voice she recognized making a racket. Looking around for the source she noted to the far end of the diner a young boy dancing in the aisle and singing to Tag Team's old song, Whoomp There It Is! He was actually pretty entertaining. Rico turning in his seat chuckled at the boy wearing an old man's hat. Kyra giggled and told him to stay put as she got up and went over to him and started singing along with the boy. The boy grinning at her voice knew exactly who it was and found her hands to dance with him. The restaurant loved the show, everyone knowing Elijah Barker well. It was cute!

Of course, that led Eli's mother Bambi from the front counter wondering who this woman was. Stepping in but not preventing their class act, Bambi Maedeere waited until the song ended before forming an apology. Thing is once the song ended Eli dove into Kyra's arms to hug her.

"Hey Kyra! Wassup, Baby?" That made Kyra blush. Bambi cocking an eyebrow at Kyra was met with a set of rolling eyes and a laugh.

"Hey, Elijah! You're a pretty good dancer."

"My mom taught me. That's her scowling at us." For a blind boy he sure had keen senses. "Perfume's strong, so I know she's ready to smack me in the back of the head."

"I was not going to slap you in the head, more your behind." Bambi shook her head. "Do your homework young man. These breaks to rap are happening way too often."

"You heard the woman." Kyra rubbed his back, "Back to it, Slacker."

"Don't let my mom scare you. She's grumpy! I don't know why when she just got laid. I know dad was in a good mood on the way home last night."

"ELIJAH!" Bambi leaned in closer to hold her son from behind, warning him to watch his words and volume. "Sit! Or I will spank you after all."

"Whatever! Don't make me call child services." He was joking of course; he loved his mother. Kyra just shook her head and waited on Bambi to stand up.

"He was not serious."

"I know. He's quite a handful I hear."

"You must be Eerie's date from last night."

"Yes! Kyra! Hi! And you must be Bambi."

"I am! You're seated at my booth over there if you'd like to order."

"Famished from shopping. Absolutely!" They walk away together and return to Rico who looked as if he were talking to himself. He was of course, Izzy and Rico discussing the news of becoming a father. A tap on the back they quieted down as Kyra returned to her seat. "There's a third person but we can order for her."

"Alrighty!" Bambi let them look over a menu, but Rico knew he just wanted a burger and fries. Kyra chose a chef salad. Rico consulting Izzy in his head told him about a BLT with a pickle. Order offered up Bambi stepped away with a smile. It was as if she felt intrusive which concerned Kyra. Forced to let it go she found Rosalita returning with one of the bags, now changed into jeans and a cute top that Izzy had picked out. Of course, it boasted far more cleavage than Rosa approved of but there was no choice. With no bra present Izzy's tits were a tad greedy in their showing off, nipples spiking without Rosa's control. While muscle control was easily performed, nervous system and impulse were another. She simply folded her arms over Isabel's arousal.

"What have I missed?" Rosa spoke through Izzy's vocal cords.

"Our waitress is Eerie's baby momma." Kyra whispered.

"Ah! And is that not the father?" Rosa pointed out the window. Sure enough, Eric Barker stepped from his squad car and was venturing in. He hadn't noticed Kyra but did see his son. A smile of pride in the boy doing his homework was enchanting. Kyra sighed at the empathy of their connection.

"Why yes, it is."

Bambi seeing him as well hurried to the door to greet him. A second later, Eric looked up directly at Kyra. Bambi got side shifted just that fast. Jilted an even better word. In leaving her, her eyes grew black for a very brief moment then returned to normal. Flustered and confused she returned to the kitchen for condiments. On the other side of the counter her mother Aretha stared at Eric and Kyra as he joined their table to sit beside her. Aretha's own eyes went black as well. Making rounds it seemed. It was the family way!

Lunch was going to prove interesting.

That pickle with the BLT was likely a clue.