Putting on the Witch by Joyce and Jim Lavene Page B

watched Brian as he tried to get across the crowded room carrying the pink cat carrier with the pink bow. “But things change, don’t they, Molly? You and Joe aren’t the same now as you were thirty years ago. What if Brian becomes like his parents?”
    â€œI don’t think Brian will ever be like them,” Elsie said. “He was born a rebel, Dorothy. He’s going to do what he wants to do, not what they want him to do.”
    Dorothy smiled. “I think I need another drink to get through this.”
    â€œOh, look!” Elsie pointed. “There’s the food. At least we don’t have to grab it as it waltzes by. Come on. We’ll all feel better after we’ve eaten.”
    The food was as elaborate as the rest of the party. I’dnever seen so many large, dead animals displayed in a buffet before. There were also huge amounts of vegetables and fruit, some of them on fire as well, many artfully carved. Several ice sculptures of Brian at different ages graced the long table too.
    As we were filling our plates with the help of white-gloved servants, Dorothy began shaking her wrist.
    â€œWhat’s wrong?” I asked her. “Is the bracelet too tight?”
    â€œNo.” She frowned at her wrist. “It’s something else. I don’t know—”
    Suddenly, there was Olivia. Her ghost form had slipped out of the bracelet where she’d hidden to get into the ball.
    â€œOh bother.”

CHAPTER 7

    â€œWhat are you doing here, Olivia?” Elsie demanded. “Are you trying to get us thrown out before we even have a chance to eat?”
    â€œI’m so sorry,” Olivia said. “I just wanted to come to the birthday ball so badly. I’ve been practicing this spell to hide for a while. Well, not really a spell, since my magic is gone. It’s more like harnessing my energy to do what I want. I know you all understand. No one wants to be left behind.”
    â€œ
Shh!
” I cautioned as they started getting louder.
    â€œWe don’t care what it is,” Elsie continued her rant but at a lower pitch. “You have to go.”
    â€œI can’t just go,” Olivia wailed. “I managed to move some of my runes from the staff to the bracelet, which I thought would be much more attractive than Dorothy carrying around that big staff. You all look so lovely. I’m so jealous, even though I went to Madam Tunis’s myself many times. Dorothy, you are just beautiful.”
    â€œThanks, Mom.” Dorothy walked into a shadowed cornerof the room with Olivia following her, tethered by the magic in the bracelet. “Why didn’t you tell me? I would’ve helped you. I felt terrible leaving you home.”
    â€œYou are so sweet. I just didn’t want to get you in trouble.”
    â€œAnd yet here you are floating around,” Elsie said.
    â€œWe need to get her back in the bracelet,” I interrupted. “Let’s not have to sneak out like last time and embarrass Brian. Elsie, find him. We may need his help making this bracelet work again.”
    Elsie took her plate with her to find Brian. Dorothy and I stood in the corner, hoping no one would notice that we had a ghost with us.
    â€œI’m so sorry, Molly,” Olivia said. “I thought I had the spell down perfectly. Well, not really a spell—”
    â€œI know.
Shh
. If we can hear you speaking, so can every other witch in this room.” I glared at my old friend even though I understood how she felt. “This is why you should have included us. We could’ve helped you and made sure what you were doing was solid.”
    â€œI know. I know. Do you think you can get me back in the bracelet?”
    â€œWe’ll see. Now please, stop talking and keep very still.”
    Brian and Elsie were finally coming toward us. They had to part the ocean of sparkling witches who stood between us, each one wanting to wish Brian a happy