beatrix bobbit returns to witch camp

Mrs. Bobbit was crouched in the garden, misting her dahlias, and occasionally her own face. It was rather warm for October, after all. Though, she appreciated the shade provided by the black Witch Hat she was adorning. She only hoped no one would wake to see her like this.

"Oh, my," Mrs. Bobbit jumped as the bunny door squeaked. "Oh, Penny, dear. It's just you. Good morning."

Penny's ears twitched in response. In a rare show of frivolity, Mrs. Bobbit cut a single stem from her dahlias and offered the flower to Penny.

"Sometimes I have a pre-breakfast cookie," Mrs. Bobbit pulled a maple cookie from a neatly folded napkin inside her robe pocket. "If you'd care to join me in a morning treat."

Mrs. Bobbit set the flower at Penny's front paws, and was nibbling her own cookie when the back door swung open unceremoniously.

"Mom, have you seen my wi--" Beatrix stormed outside. "There it is."

Beatrix stood beside Mrs. Bobbit with her hands on her hips and a crooked smile. Mrs. Bobbit had shoved the full cookie into her mouth and was still trying to chew and meet Beatrix's knowing stare.

"I'm packing for my Witch Camp Reunion, and was looking for my hat. I can get it later," Beatrix twisted her long black hair.

Mrs. Bobbit stood very still. She could not, in good conscience, remove the Witch Hat with her fingers covered in cookie crumbs. As if she could hear the dilemma playing out, Beatrix handed Mrs. Bobbit a yellow napkin and plucked the hat from her head.

"Thanks!" Beatrix scooped Penny from the midst of the dahlias where she was feasting, and darted inside.

Mrs. Bobbit discreetly wiped her hands on the yellow napkin, and squinted at the naked stems before her. "Perhaps, another cookie is in order."

Once inside, Mrs. Bobbit beelined to the piano bench. Which was where she hid the cookies, tucked between sheet music. When she arrived at the piano, however, she froze and gulped.

"Sybil, dear, why are you up so early?" Sybil was rifling through mounds of sheet music and munching on cookies. Crumbs covered every surface.

"Morning, Mommy! I'm looking for music for my next recital. Can you really play all this?" Sybil's blue eyes were wide in awe. She handed a broken cookie to Mrs. Bobbit.

Mrs. Bobbit shook her head at the cookie, immediately regretted it and accidentally lunged at Sybil before she could bite it herself. Somehow, Mrs. Bobbit did a somersault and landed with her back against the windowsill, and a flower pot on her head.

Sybil leapt up at once and removed the flowerpot from its precarious perch, "Are you okay?"

Two Sybils and two Beatrixes appeared before her then. In the middle of the room, Mr. Bobbit was assembling a pile of dahlia petals for Penny to hop through.

"Oh my, too many cookies," Mrs. Bobbit said before she passed out.

"Do something, Bea!" Sybil cried.

"Don't worry, Sybie. I'm on it," Beatrix dashed upstairs to pull a pre-made Wakening Draught from her packed trunk. She rifled through an assortment of bottles and books and powders before she found what she needed. On her way out of the room, Beatrix looked back and saw the black Witch Hat propped on the bed. She'd bought the hat at a garage sale when she was five. It had served her well over the years since, but something had changed about it today.

Beatrix sighed, and walked to the hat, holding it close to her ear. "I see," she said after listening to the hat for a few seconds. Then, she reached for her newly earned wand and tapped the hat thrice, muttering quietly all the while. In a flash of smoke, she was downstairs.

Sybil didn't so much as flinch when Beatrix suddenly appeared holding the Wakening Draught in one hand, and the Witch Hat in the other.

Beatrix opened Mrs. Bobbit's mouth and poured two drops of the draught in. Then, she placed the Witch Hat atop her head.

Mrs. Bobbit stirred at once, smacking her lips before letting out a single, loud burp. Her eyes shot open, darting between Sybil and Beatrix and Penny. Then up to the Witch Hat.

"What's this? What happened?" Mrs. Bobbit asked.

"You lunge--" Sybil began, "I mean, fell. You were helping me pick music! For my recital!"

"How do you feel now?" Beatrix asked.

Mrs. Bobbit considered the question. She felt...marvelous. Truly. She hadn't felt this good in ages. Her creaky limbs were light and springy and she was smiling for no reason at all.

"Glorious," Mrs. Bobbit hopped to her feet with such agility that both girls gasped.

"What did you do, Bea?!" Sybil muttered.

"Just gave her my hat," Beatrix smirked.

Several strange hours passed, where Mrs. Bobbit sang and danced and laughed with abandon. The remaining Bobbits exchanged curious glances, but otherwise rather enjoyed this carefree Mrs. Bobbit dressed in a floral kimono robe that had only been ironed once.

As Mr. Bobbit stopped the car outside Witch Camp, Mrs. Bobbit erupted in a fit of giggles.

"Judy, what is this? What's gotten into you?" Mr. Bobbit asked, scratching his head.

"I think we should go dancing, Jack!" Mrs. Bobbit sang.

Sybil glanced at Beatrix with pleading eyes, but Beatrix merely put a finger to her lips and winked. They pulled up to the red building with the chipped paint. To everyone's surprise, Mrs. Bobbit was the first to leap from the car.

Sybil and Mr. Bobbit ambled out after her, while Beatrix gathered her things and sauntered slowly over to where Mrs. Bobbit was staring.

"You know, Beatrix, dear, my sister had a Witch Hat once," Mrs. Bobbit whispered to Beatrix. "She used to let me borrow it sometimes to iron. And, to wear, occasionally."

"Oh?" Beatrix said, taken a back. For a moment, she caught a glimpse of Mrs. Bobbit as she had once been, a sister before she was a mother. "What happened to it?"

"Pansy said the Witch Hat enhanced her spells and broom-flying abilities. For a while, I thought I believed it. Until one day, I didn't anymore. I was too grown up, you see. Pansy, however, still believed in the power of the Witch Hat, even though she was older. She was quite angry with me. You see dear, I couldn't simply pretend something that wasn't true any more. She and I stopped doing things together then, we were never as close as those years when we were pretend Witch Sisters. I suppose, I've always regretted it. You remind me of her so, I wish you girls knew her better," Mrs. Bobbit held a hand to Beatrix's small, pale face and patted her cheek. "Putting on this Witch Hat, however, made me feel what I used to feel. I don't know if it's Witch Nonsense, or something else. I wish I could tell Pansy that I understand."

"Maybe it wasn't about pretending or not, Mom. Maybe she just wanted you to believe," Beatrix pointed out.

"Of course, dear. That is very wise. I only fear it's too late," Mrs. Bobbit sighed.

"It's not too late, Mom! You brought me to Witch Camp! AND back for the reunion! And you haven't commented on the chipping paint but three times," Beatrix exclaimed.

"If that's not pretending..." Mrs. Bobbit examined the chipping paint but said no more for the Witch Hat perched on her head wiggled a little. At first, to and fro with the wind. Then, a bit faster. Until the hat was vibrating wildly.

When it stopped, a woman in a long sleeve green dress stood before them. She was holding a pug in one arm, and her long black hair was wound in a bun.

"Surprise!" Pansy squealed before throwing her arms and pug around Mrs. Bobbit.

"Pansy, dear! Oh my! I don't believe it. How did you get here?" Mrs. Bobbit asked as her feet danced.

"Beatrix invited me to spend the weekend at Witch Camp teaching a Witch Hat-Making Workshop," the pug panted steadily while Pansy grinned.

Mrs. Bobbit's cheeks were very pink. She patted the Witch Hat tenderly. "Beatrix, dear. You did this all behind my back?"

Beatrix shrugged and looked at Sybil who was enraptured by the scene. "I can't imagine not talking to Sybie all the time. I didn't want you to miss more time with your sister, either."

Tears spilled down Mrs. Bobbit's pink cheeks, "Why that's simply wonderful, Beatrix, dear. What's next?"

Beatrix and Pansy and the pug exchanged a knowing glance, and grabbed hold of Mrs. Bobbit. With a dramatic poof of glimmering purple smoke and a shouted, "Don't forget to eat dinner!" they were gone.

"It really does run in the family," Sybil giggled.

"Do you think Penny would be willing to share some of her carrots for dinner?" Mr. Bobbit grunted. "Never mind. Of course, she shouldn't have to."

"Oh, Dad. Don't worry. We'll make spaghetti!" Sybil chirped.

"HOW?!" Mr. Bobbit's mustache twitched like Penny's ears.

"Beatrix left a Cooking Spell Book behind..."

Mr. Bobbit considered for a moment, "That sounds fine. Can we make a carrot cake for Penn--I mean dessert?"

"I don't know, Dad. Can YOU?" Sybil pointed at Mr. Bobbit then hopped back in the little car clicking her heels along the way.

Mr. Bobbit stared at the place where Sybil had been, not moving for some time. He turned his face towards the sky and smiled, just once. It quickly disappeared behind his mustache, but the effects stayed with him until the creaking kitchen table was set with bowls of spaghetti and a large, slightly drooping carrot cake.