"We moved from Essex because my dad got a better job offer in Dublin. Mum wanted an older house in a village nearby the city, so here we are," she explains. “My mum loves the area and the gardening centre. I’m sure she would love to meet you, as I saw all the flowers outside, and it looks just like my mum’s garden.” I see the determined look in my mum’s eyes; she can’t have someone in the village having a nicer garden than hers.
"Well, she couldn't have chosen a better village to live in. Everyone is so nice here, and our family have lived here for hundreds of years," mum proudly says before she starts going on about our ancestors who apparently helped make the village what it is today when they settled here. I cut up my chicken and place a forkful into my mouth just as the door is pushed open and Michael walks into the room, and everyone goes silent.
“No, no, no,” mum shrieks into the silence as she mentally begs Michael not to say a word.
“Oh, you have a goat! That is so cool!” Daisy exclaims. “Wait, you all look nervous. It is your goat, right?”
"Food for meee!" Michael shouts, pushing past dad and shoving his head into his plate. Daisy lets out a deafening scream, falling back with her chair as she struggles to get away. Damien and mum rush to her side as Hugo and Peyton can't stop laughing with me. Dad only pats Michael’s head before reaching over him to grab his bottle of beer like the room isn't in chaos. Typical dad.
"Your goat talks! Oh my god, it talks!" Daisy exclaims before running out of the other door, the one furthest away from Michael. Way to point out the obvious. If she can’t handle a talking goat, then there is no way she could handle the actual truth about her boyfriend and his family.
"I am so disappointed in you, Michael!" mum huffs, following a disappointed Damien out of the door after Daisy.
"Which one of you is responsible?" dad asks as I carry on eating my food before pouring myself a drink of water. I lean over, whispering to Hugo.
“I dare you to take the blame.” His eyes widen, but he can’t disagree. I can’t wait to see what mum does.
“It was me,” Hugo bites out, and I just about stop myself from laughing.
"I don’t believe you were entirely alone in this, Hugo, and neither will your mum. I would suggest you all go and hide in your rooms before your mum gets back and curses you all. Literally," dad says, and he has a valid point. Mum has this curse charm that makes itchy, painful green spots appear all over your body, and boy are they annoying. The curse usually lasts a good five days as well, and mum has never taken it off once she uses it. I don't know who gets up first, but the next moment, we are fighting each other to climb past Michael and run out of the door and up the stairs. Just another typical Kismet family meal.
Chapter Five
I close the door to my room, taking a deep breath of relief that I’m safe for now, especially as I can still hear Daisy shouting downstairs about how magic and gods aren't real. She is in for a big awakening, and if she can't accept it, then mum has a charm like Peyton's that takes memories away. I briefly look around my room at the small window that overlooks the next door neighbour’s garden, and my single bed with deep green sheets that mum has made up for me while I’ve been out. I have a big wardrobe that has a long mirror on it and a dressing table next to it. I take my heels off, putting them back into the wardrobe before sliding the little tissue with chicken inside out of my jean pocket.
"I have food for you, so don't bite my fingers off, you little shite," I say into my room before squatting on the carpet by my bed. I lift my bedsheet, looking into the darkness under my bed and knowing he is under there somewhere. Most people, including my family, would think I'm crazy to keep a goblin under my bed, but we have somewhat of a friendship now, and I just can't kick him out. I met Kit when I was twelve and he was being chased by a bird in the garden. The poor thing had a broken arm, and goblins shouldn't be out in sunlight anyway, so he was burning from the sun. I rescued him and hid him under my bed, where he made himself at home and never left. Goblins are said to be unlucky to have near and bring only death, but in almost nine years, no one has died, and I'm not that unlucky. I think it's all just rumours. Only issue with Kit...he bites like a bitch.
I unwrap the chicken and quickly drop it on the floor before moving back. Kit walks out from under the bed, pausing to inspect the room and to give me his usual “lack of being impressed” frown. Kit has black skin that has tiny little lights that make his skin look like he is painted with stars. His eyes are creepy diamond-shaped slits that are pure silver, and he has this cute fluff of black hair on his head between his pointy ears. His body looks like a miniature human, or a doll, and he thankfully covers his lower parts with a dead flower skirt. Now I think about it, I have no clue if Kit is a boy or a girl, I've just always guessed a boy because of his attitude. A girl would be more thankful to her saviour and not just eat her food...and lipstick. Kit has a weird thing for lipstick. He picks up the chicken, holding it under his arms before he turns to walk back under the bed.
"Thank you, Karma. Once again, you have fed me and kept me alive," I sarcastically say to his back, and he pauses, looking back to flash me a sharp, white toothed grin before he turns back and disappears into the shadows under the bed. I roll my eyes, wondering why exactly I bother feeding the most ungrateful pet ever as I pull my clothes off and get into my pyjamas. I switch the light off and climb into bed, picking up my phone and aimlessly scrolling through Facebook. A text comes through from Mads as I'm scrolling, and I quickly call her, waiting as the phone rings a few times before she answers.
"I got the job!" she shouts the moment she answers. I can hear her jumping up and down in the background, and she sounds so feckin’ happy.
"I'm so happy for you!" I reply, and she laughs. “I knew they would fall in love with you and give you the job!”
"I am pretty special,” she jokingly says. “So, what time do I get to see you tomorrow then?"
"Whenever my crazy family lets me escape," I reply, pulling the covers over me as it’s a bit cold. Thankfully, it’s silent in the house now, and it’s likely Daisy has calmed down. I wish I could tell Mads about my night and everything that happened. Instead, I have to stay quiet because telling her the truth could risk our friendship.
"Well happy twenty-first birthday for tomorrow in advance! Twenty-one! When did we get old?" she asks with a sigh. “I feel old, and I’m only six months older than you.”
"How am I still single at twenty-one? I'm starting to grow back my virginity, I swear," I groan, turning on my side and looking out the window over the garden. I spot Michael down the end, the gate firmly locked, and I smile. My family is all sorts of crazy, but it’s the best crazy. I wouldn’t change them for the world. Who needs a boyfriend when you have a good family, an awesome bestie and a talking goat? At this point, with every interesting human guy I’ve met being douchebags, I’m going to be an old lady with a house full of talking goats. Yep, not cats. Goats.
"Then we need to go clubbing or something tomorrow," she informs me. “You know, act like we are still young and celebrate.”
"I'd love that. Maybe a birthday hook up will improve my situation," I reply and let out a long yawn as it’s been one hell of a day. "I'm going to go to sleep as it's been a crazy day, but congrats once again and see you tomorrow."
"See you tomorrow, bestie! Have a good sleep!" Mads says, and she ends the call after I say bye one more time. I put my phone on the side after turning it off and curl up with my pillow, looking out of the slightly open curtains to see the moon high in the sky, millions of stars surrounding it. I've always loved the night sky, it might possibly be why I put up with Kit's bad attitude all the time, because he looks like my favourite view. Or I'm crazy. It’s more likely the second option.
Chapter Six
"Happy birthday, my sweet daughter!" mum shouts, bursting into my room, and I groan, covering my head with my pillow. It's too early. It's always too early when there is bright light outside. Mornings are not a nice time of the day, and I swear my bed makes itself more comfy so that I never want to leave it.
"Go away," I groan into my pillow, my voice muffled. "Come back at a reasonable hour. Like midday!"
"No, I will not. It's eleven in the morning and about time you got your pretty self out of your pit," mum tells me. “It’s your birthday for heaven’s sake.” Mads was crazy yesterday saying I'm lucky to be living at home when I have a mum that insists getting up early is the best thing in the world. I'm not a morning person, and I highly doubt I ever will be one. Or like anyone that is. I don't trust people who like crazy things like getting up early and exercising for fun. Those are signs of a bad, bad person.
"Come on, I have peanut butter on toast," she says, teasing me as she sits on the end of my bed. Dammit, peanut butter is one of my weaknesses. I can't resist the stuff, and anyone that knows me uses this weakness to get what they want. "It's even the crunchy, expensive homemade one you like from the shops. I have the jar on the tray for you." I lift my head from under my pillow and sit up, smiling at her as I push my hair out of my face. Mum hands me the little tray she has, which has the heaven-sent peanut butter toast and jar on it, a drink of orange juice, and a little present box with a card behind it.
"Thanks, mum," I say, and she looks at the present and back to me, clearing her throat as I go to reach for the toast. I know well enough to move my hand to the present box to pick it up instead. I undo the wrapping and open the green fabric ring box to see a charm inside like usual. This charm is a lightning bolt in a green metal, and I wonder what it does. I know it couldn't possibly call lightning bolts, because the higher gods made any lightning powers illegal as that is their power and they don't like competition. Much like they are the only gods that can have friendships with each other and do whatever the hell they like.
The higher gods were around before humans were created, at least that's what they tell everyone, and people go missing who try to challenge their rule. The higher gods are a group of four that pass all judgement and laws. They have complete control over the lesser gods. Us. Though no one ever sees them, as their council of four judgement gods pass the laws, and the twin gods of justice enact them. No one really knows much about any of them, only that they live on an island that humans don’t know exists in the middle of the Dead Sea. The island is private, and you have to be invited to go there. If you have a grievance with the higher gods, there is a house on the shore where you can plead to go to the island.
"I don't know what it does, but the man I bought it off said it is special to whoever owns it. So, it will be a fun surprise," she says as I take my necklace off and slide the charm onto it before putting it back on. It fits nicely with the others, and mum knows as well as I do that I love a surprise. “Your dad is making you a chocolate and peanut butter birthday cake. If you wondered where he is.”
"I love it, thank you," I reply, smiling widely. “And dad doesn’t do presents. He still asks us to help with your birthday and anniversary presents every year.”
"Yes, and I always love my gift and how your dad makes me my favourite food,” she replies, tucking some of her hair away from her face. “Your brothers have some gifts downstairs for you, all except Peyton who says his gift was saving you yesterday and all the other times this year. I’m sure he has an actual gift, or I will be having words with him."
"Fair point. I don’t need a gift," I sheepishly reply at mum’s accusing eyes, and I quickly start eating my toast, hoping she will drop it, which of course she does not.
"I don't want to know what he has had to save you from yesterday, but I had really hoped you would get the knack of your job and powers by now. You're twenty-one today, and when I was your age, I was pregnant with Peyton, and I was the best of my siblings at my job," she says, reaching out and placing her hand over mine as I finish the piece of toast. Mum is silent for a moment, as am I because mum never mentions or speaks about her sisters. She had two of them who were killed along with mum's parents. No one ever knew who did it, and by that time, mum just had me, so she couldn't investigate. Dad told us that the higher gods said it was a human issue, but mum swears no human could have stabbed her entire family to death without them using magic to save themselves. Either way, the higher gods never change their mind about a verdict, no matter the evidence, and without their help, mum had to give up getting revenge. It's a horrible part of our past and likely why mum wanted so many children to make a big family to kind of replace what she lost. "My youngest sister, Maria, was terrible at her job. Always making a big mess, but she had a big heart under her attitude. She reminds me of you, and I think you guys would have gotten along."
"I didn't know my middle name was after your youngest sister," I whisper, knowing this is a really big moment between us. There is only one photo of mum and her sisters with her parents standing behind them all, hanging in the lounge. It’s in the middle of the room on the wall, and sometimes I would come in to find her just staring up, whispering to the photo. It’s heartbreaking, and any time we asked about it, dad would keep us busy and explain it upset mum. Mum wipes a tear away and reaches over, placing her hand on the side of my face.
