comment on it. So they got on their brooms and took off, Hilda setting their course to the spot where he had arrived in this interesting and fascinating world.
They landed almost on top of the truck. Hilda was feeling quite tired, as she had not slept well that night. The looping and the lifting-stunt at the lake had taken some out of her also, and now the fast flight to the mountains. That had made for a not too fabulous landing. She was secretly glad that William had not noticed it. She sat and relaxed on a big chunk of rock as William was going through his stuff in the truck. She hoped his pile would not be extremely large, they still had to fly back.
All that duo-flying of the last days was quite a bigger strain on her than she cared to admit, and she'd be damned before she was going to make a mention about it to him.
William took his time to select the books he wanted to take back. Of course there was the special book in the silk scarf. He had not forgotten it when Hilda had offered to take him along, but clothes and a safe place had seemed more important then. He decided on eight books. From the back of his truck he watched Hilda sitting on the rock. What a special creature, he thought, and such an amazing woman. He sat on his truck for a while, so he could sort out his head a bit.
It suited Hilda fine, it gave her time for the same.
"Well, looks like I am done," he said when he walked up to Hilda, a modest stack of books under his arm.
The wicked witch was secretly relieved to find he only had the eight books with him. "Are you sure that is all you want to take with you?"
"Yes, that will be all. Those are my most precious ones."
"Okay then. Best to put them down before I make them portable," Hilda grinned. "I might forget myself and include you."
Grinning, William put down the books and stood at what he hoped was a safe distance. "I would be curious what it is like to ride along in your pocket, Hilda."
She frowned at him for a moment, then grinned and shrunk the books.
William picked up the dice that remained of them. "Amazing, simply amazing." He slipped the books in the secure pocket, next to the crystal ball. As Hilda did not make any signs towards leaving, he sat down next to her and looked at the barren rocky landscape, with the large boulders, the cracked mountain walls.
"Do you miss your world?", Hilda suddenly asked.
William needed a while to consider her question. Life here, and arriving at this place, had been so overwhelming and filled with surprises that he had not had the time to wonder about that. He then reached a decision. "No. Not really."
Hilda nodded. "I think I understand. But can you explain it to me anyway?"
"I will try. Is it okay if I hold your hand while I talk?" William held out his hand and felt good when she put her hand in it. "My world is not bad. Work, fun, friends and things like that. But it is a solo trip nonetheless. I'm always on my own, since the people I meet are not the people I can connect to . Don't get me wrong, they are nice and friendly and helpful, but they are never what I could call my close friends. Except perhaps Bert, but he is an oddball if ever there lived one. Well, you met him." William grinned. He also felt Hilda's fingers closing just a bit tighter around his hand for a moment. "And now I am here, in this crazy world of yours-"
"It's not crazy!", Hilda threw at him. "Well, not to me. To me, your world's crazy."
"In this crazy world of yours," William repeated, "where everything is new, fascinating. And where you are." This time it was his turn to lightly squeeze his fingers a bit more for a second, and Hilda looked at him. "I can't say that I miss my world. The coffee perhaps. The murky monasteries where I snoop around for books. But if I had to choose, I would gladly trade that for you. Your world, I mean."
Hilda kept her eyes on the man next to her, his words making her heart beat faster again, the feeling of his hand in hers sending a rush into her blood. She noticed all that and still was distrusting herself. "When I hear you talk, I'd almost get the impression that you like it here. Even with me around."
Without any hurry, William raised his other hand and gently knocked the top of Hilda's head.
"Hey, go suck an elf, will you? Why are you doing that?"
"Just testing how thick your skull is. You really don't get it, do you?"
"Get what?" Hilda wanted to throw up all her defenses, but she couldn't. The way he looked at her, the calmness she felt while he was sitting there holding her hand, all that made it impossible to get totally angry and turn witchy bitchy on him. The tone of her voice apparently made that clear to William, as he did not react immediately.
The wicked witch lifted his hand up and folded her other hand around it. She then rested her hands, holding his between them, on her knee. "I do get it," she said as she kept her eyes locked on her hands. "I really do, William, because I have... I have missed you."
The book salesman looked at her, but her face was hidden from his view by the hair hanging down. He waited for her to go on.
"Damn," the witch muttered, "why is it so hard to say this? Why is it so hard to tell you that I am glad you are here, that I feel happy about it, that I am happy you are living in my house. I'm not good at saying things like that, William, because I am scared." She turned her head, so she could look at him. "Do you understand that?"
He gently squeezed her hand. "I'd be lying if I said I understand you completely, but I can understand that you are scared. You don't have to explain now if you can't, or are afraid to do so."
Hilda held William's hand even tighter as he spoke.
"See, I am scared too. Perhaps for some of the same reasons that you are. I really like you a lot, Hilda, and I am deliberatly avoiding stronger words now. The way things are now, it looks as if I am going to be around for a while, and I am glad that I can be around with you near. Near... and also close. I don't have the faintest idea what I am getting myself into, what more things this world of yours has in store for me. Or, dare I say, for us? But if I have to take on this world, you are the best person for me to do it with."
"Uhuh," nodded Hilda. "Some of that goes for me as well." A shiver ran down her spine, while there was no wind. In fact, a nice bit of sunshine was warming them. Suddenly suffering a shyness she had no experience with, she let his hand slip away. "Maybe, uhm, we should go home again now. I mean, you have your books, and we have talked and all that, right?"
The wicked witch did not wait for his answer. She hopped off the rock and made the brooms lift and wait for their riders.
William nodded. They had talked enough for now. He mounted his broom and looked at Hilda who smiled at him for a split second.
"Ready?" As he nodded, she made them fly up and with a wide circle got their bristles pointing towards her house.
15. Cookery
They had been flying in silence since their departure. As they were passing over a large lake, much different in colour than Mirror Lake, as Hilda suddenly turned to William. "I don't know if this is an appropriate question, William, but have you had female... uhm... friends in your world?"
William nodded. "Yes. There were a few ladies. Quite a while ago. Years." As he thought of it, he could with a sincere heart say 'many years'. "And how about you, if you want to share?"
She grinned. "I can share that, without a problem. There were or are no ladies in my life whatsoever."
William stared at her, then he nearly fell off his broom for laughter.
Hilda grinned widely as she saw how much her remark had thrown William.
"You might be surprised, but I was not actually asking about ladies in your life, Hilda. More about male friends. Boyfriends. And such."
She grinned again. "I thought so, but your reaction was worth the twisted answer. I've had a man, yes. But that is really long ago. Was not a nice ending, so I really don't feel like talking about that. Not now. Maybe another time."
William accepted that, without a moment's thought. "Of course."
After another period of silent flight, the house with the red roof came into view, and Hilda
made them land less gently as she usually did.
William picked up his broom and hers also, as they remained on the ground. "Hilda, are you okay?"
"Yeah, fine, just tired. Sorry about the crash." She touched his hand for a moment, smiled a tired smile and walked to the door that swung open.
William shook his head. "Stubborn woman."
"I heard that, and you'd better get used to it!", he heard her yell from inside.
He laughed loudly and with the brooms in hand he walked to the door. He noticed three arrows next to the door. He shook his head, and pulled them from the wood, then he walked inside.
The door remained open.
"Hello, house? We're inside now," William remarked.
"I know," was the door's response. "Is there something wrong with your hands?"
"Nothing wrong with them, but they are full with stuff."
"Oh. Good point." The door closed.
William put the brooms near the fireplace and put the arrows on the table. He looked around but could not see Hilda.
"Bedroom," said the house. "I assume you are looking for the witch."
"Yes, I am. Thank you."
The goldfish silently followed the exchange, wondering why the house was getting so familiar with this strange ordinary.
As William went up the stairs, one of the fish asked: "Why are you talking so much to him?"
The house said: "I think he's okay. He's polite at least."
The door to Hilda's bedroom was wide open. William hesitated to go in, but then he saw