“A date,” Joe said. “Like you, me, and maybe Applebee’s or Olive Garden…”
Right at that moment, Maria would’ve gone anywhere with Joe on their first date, even the heart of the Arachnids’ web in the depths of the Dark Forest, but she was finding it hard to speak. The words would come halfway up her throat and get lodged there. Now she was the one stammering.
“Y-Y-Ye,” she went on.
Suddenly, the audience thought it was the perfect time to participate.
In unison, Claire, Tabby, Agnes, Salem, and Gramps screamed, “YES!” It was loud enough to crack the plate-glass, but , of course it didn’t. Sherlock added his own YES in there, too, but it just bounced around Maria’s head.
“Yes?” Joe was saying.
Still speechless, she nodded vigorously.
“Wow! Okay, how about tomorrow night?”
Maria found her voice. “That sounds great.”
Now it was Joe’s turn to blush; his face went beet red. “Okay, I’ll, uh, pick you up tomorrow night, say seven?”
“Yes, that’s perfect,” she said.
Their eyes met, and an undeniable spark passed between them.
“Okay, I’ll be there.” He paused. “I’d better get going. My dad is going to wonder where the heck I’m at.”
“See ya,” Maria said. Then, because it seemed like a good idea at the time, she added, “I won’t wear the sword, I promise.”
He was already a few steps away, walking back in the direction he’d come, but he looked back and smiled. “You can if you want. It’ll stop muggers.” The grin grew wider. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Maria…or technically tonight.”
He left.
Maria turned back toward Salem’s shop, and all her friends’ faces were still pressed up against the glass. Claire was even making a kissy face and laying a wet one on the window. Maria just shook her head and went inside.
“And so it begins,” Claire said. She put her hand to her ear. “Do you hear that?”
“What?” Tabby answered. This was obviously a practiced skit.
“Wedding bells.”
Joey and Maria sitting in a tree F-U-C— Sherlock began.
Maria scowled at him. “Not now, buddy. Not unless you want to get put on that vegan diet.
That shut him up quick enough.
Gramps spoke next. “How sweet.” He wiped a tear away from the corner of his eye. “My little Maria is all grown up, set to go out on a date. When is it, my dear?”
Then it hit her in a big rush of guilt. How could I have been so dense?
“Oh no,” she murmured.
“What is it?” Gramps asked.
“I told Joe I’d go out with him tonight at seven.”
Gramps smile disappeared, his brow furrowing. “But the quest!”
“I know, I know. I’ll have to break it off with him.”
“No, you can’t,” Gramps said. “I’m sorry. You’re right. You are a young woman, and young women need their social lives. It’s quite unfair of me to take that away from you. Come with me to Oriceran while you can, and I will handle the rest. Our quest will prove to be long and arduous, so detours along the way are only natural.”
Her heart swelling, Maria stepped forward and hugged her grandfather tight. He let out a dusty wheeze.
“Thank you,” she said. “Thank you so much. I promise that we will still save them. I won’t give up as long as I’m alive.”
His kind eyes found hers.
“I know you won’t, Maria. I know.”
Salem offered them all ice cream, and the group couldn’t resist. They drowned in buckeye, vanilla, chocolate swirl, cheesecake fudge, and lemon-flavored frozen delight. This would prove to be the most delicious—but far from the most fun—detour on their quest.
They really should get a dead squirrel flavor on their menu, Sherlock told Maria.
“Yeah, I’ll let Salem know,” she replied as Salem was in the back digging out more ice cream from the freezers.
When their stomachs were full and the corners of their mouths were sticky, Claire leaned forward with her hands on her stomach. “Tab and I had better get to the hospital before her neck swells up any more.” Her hand came up to cover her mouth as she leaned closer to Maria, Salem, and Agnes. “I mean, Tabby looks enough like a bullfrog as it is.” she whispered loudly.
“Hey, I heard that,” Tabby said.
Claire winked at the rest of them, a sly smile on her face. "Only kidding. You're beautiful, Tab."
They got up and left the ice cream shop, taking Claire’s beat-up Kia; its one good headlight swept across the dark pavement of Main Street.
Gramps looked at Maria and Sherlock. “Are you two ready? Oriceran awaits…again.”
As long as there are no more Arachnids to deal with, Sherlock said. More Raffins, less giant spiders.
Maria nodded. Her head was elsewhere, though; she was thinking about Joe and his broad shoulders. Seeing him in street clothes instead of his security uniform was almost unheard of, but tonight, Maria had; later, around seven, she would see him again. And maybe again after that. It was almost too good to be true.
“All right, let’s open up the portal,” Gramps said.
“Oh, Ig,” Salem spoke, stepping forward. “I meant to discuss something with you.” Salem’s tone was that of a worried parent, and it got Maria’s attention..
“Yes, Salem?”
“The Silver Griffins will no doubt be on our case,” Salem answered.
“Already?” Maria asked.
“Yes, they work fast. They will want to know what a creature from Oriceran was doing out in the open, and why a witch took it upon herself to slay it.”
“That should be pretty self-explanatory—” Maria started.
Gramps raised a hand. “Easy, child. The Silver Griffins are only doing their jobs. They are not here, yet; before then, Maria, we must find a Gnome to help guide us.”
“So if they send an agent?” Salem asked Gramps.
“Tell them to wait for me. I won’t be long, and this won’t be the first time I’ll have smooth-talked my way out of Griffin trouble,” Gramps answered confidently. He looked from Salem to Agnes. “A little nudge?”
The couple nodded.
The circle was formed again, and they began to hum in the
