An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chloe woke up from a very restless sleep in the bed she shared with Beca, her girlfriend’s good arm loosely draped over her waist.
She felt Beca stir, and then she heard a loud clunk as Beca’s cast banged against the bed frame. “Shit! Ow!”
Chloe gave her a kiss on the cheek. “I guess your arm still hurts?”
“Like a bitch.”
“Let’s get you some breakfast and some more pain medicine.”
Beca groaned, but she slowly got out of bed. Chloe helped her put her casted arm in a sling.
Chloe made some pancakes for Beca, making sure to leave a stack for any other Bella who might get hungry.
As they were eating, Chloe tried to get Beca to tell her more about the previous day’s incident.
“It was weird. I was walking out of the radio station, and then I was on the ground. It’s like someone pushed me, but that’s impossible. Jesse and I were the only ones at the station, and Jesse was definitely in the booth. I’m positive of that because I remember hearing his voice as I stepped out.”
“And nobody was walking by?”
“Does anybody walk by the station?”
“No. I always wondered why they put it so far away from most of the campus.”
Beca shrugged.
“So, anyway, I called my dad. Something told me to call him and not you guys. Besides, you were all getting ready for the circus.” Beca paused for a beat. “You know, it’s weird how my dad didn’t even seem all that surprised I was calling. He just sighed and said he’d come and get me.”
“Weird.”
“I know.”
Before the two women could talk more, Beca’s cell phone rang.
“Speak of the devil…” she picked up the phone. “Hi, Dad.”
“Hey, Bec. How’s the arm?”
“It hurts. I just took my medicine, so hopefully not for long.”
“Good.”
“Dad, can I ask you something?”
“You just did.”
“Very funny, Dad. Why weren’t you surprised when I called you yesterday?”
“What do you mean?”
“I called you, told you I had fallen and was pretty sure I’d broken my arm. And you just sighed and said you’d come and get me.”
Beca’s dad took a few beats to respond. “I…I did a stupid thing, Beca.”
“Huh?”
“Look, I…I made a mistake. I met a woman at a bar after work last week. I’d been grading papers and dealing with a very demanding student, and I had a few drinks too many. A pretty lady caught my eye, and…”
“And you cheated on Sheila with her. God, Dad. What the hell? You cheated on Mom with Sheila. And then you cheated on Sheila with…with…?“
“Hilda.”
“With a woman named Hilda? That just screams ‘old lady’. Gross, Dad. How old is she?”
Beca’s dad let out a nervous laugh. “It turns out she’s four hundred.”
“What?!!!”
“Yeah. She spotted you, me, and Sheila at the restaurant the next day. She told me she was a witch and then cursed me. She said the most important woman in my life would suffer a fall on Halloween.”
“Dad?” Beca thought for a moment. “That’s me?”
“Since the day you were born.”
Beca softened. “I’m touched, but I’m still mad at you for cheating. And, how is she four hundred years old?”
“I guess witches can live longer. She doesn’t look a day over 35. She only told me when she called me that night. She hollered something about having lived over four hundred years when she cursed me.”
“She cursed you over the phone?”
“And it obviously worked. I guess I’m relieved that it wasn’t anything worse than a broken arm.”
“I guess. Did you tell Sheila?”
“No. It was a one-time thing. I swear. And, really, it didn’t seem appropriate.”
“I guess not, but, seriously? Cheating?”
“I know, I know.”
“Did Hilda mention anything else? Should I be worried?”
“She didn’t, but I don’t know anything about witches,” said Dr. Mitchell.
“Right,” said Beca. “I need to go now, Dad. The pain medicine is kicking in and I’m a little woozy.”
“Okay, Bec. I’ll call and check on you again later. And, I’m really sorry I got you cursed.”
Beca hung up without responding.
“I guess Mom was right. Once a cheater, always a cheater,” said Beca.
“So, you’re not woozy?” Chloe asked.
“Not even a little bit. Do you think any of the Bellas knows anything about witchcraft?”
“I have no idea. I’m sure they’ll be down for breakfast soon, though.”
Chloe’s prediction was correct, and everyone was in the kitchen within a half-hour. Chloe even made a second batch of pancakes.
“So, everybody,” Chloe began. “Beca has a question for everyone.”
Beca sighed. “Way too formal, Chlo. Anyway, I have a weird question for everyone.” Beca cleared her throat. “I know this sounds super weird, but…”
“But, what?” Stacie asked.
“I can’t believe I’m asking this. Does anyone know anything about witchcraft?”
Stacie gave a raised eyebrow, and Fat Amy barely even looked up from her stack of pancakes. Just as Beca was about to thank everyone, she was surprised when Jessica and Ashley spoke up.
“We do!”
“You do?” The two of them nodded. “I would have guessed that Lilly, if anyone, would have the answer.”
Lilly said something that nobody could hear.
Aubrey opened her mouth to ask but stopped once she saw the rest of the group vigorously shake their heads.
Jessica and Ashley agreed to talk to Beca after breakfast.
Beca met Jessica and Ashley in their shared room.
“Wait a minute,” Beca said, looking around their room. “You guys have a double bed?”
The two women nodded.
“Are you two dating?” she asked.
Jessica and Ashley looked at Beca incredulously. “Ever since Hood Night,” one of them said. “You didn’t know?”
“I’m not even sure which one of you is which.”
Both women said, in unison, “I’m Jessica!”
The blonde turned to the brunette. “For the last time, I’m Jessica.”
“Right. I’m Ashley.”
Jessica sighed. “Sorry about that. So, what do you need?”
“So, I wasn’t at the Halloween circus yesterday because a witch cursed my dad.”
“What?” asked Ashley.
“I know. It’s stupid. My dad cheated on Sheila with someone named Hilda who’s four hundred? I know it sounds absurd.”
“We know Hilda. She’s the leader of our coven, and she hates when a guy mistreats her.”
“I swear she has an eye for cheaters,” Ashley added. “This happens a lot.”
“It does?” Beca asked.
“Yeah. It’s almost always the same curse, too. It’s meant to get the guy’s wife or girlfriend, but sometimes it doesn’t quite hit the intended target. I don’t know why Hilda isn’t more specific,” Jessica said.
“I think she’s hoping she’ll be the person who falls on Halloween,” said Ashley. “But it’s usually the guy’s wife or girlfriend, but sometimes it’s his mother, sister, or daughter.”
“So...am I going to fall on every Halloween?” Beca asked.
“You will unless you are no longer the most important woman in his life,” said Jessica. “But I think we can help you.”
“I’ll get Hilda,” said Ashley. She waved a finger and vanished into thin air.
“What just happened?”
“She’ll be back,” said Jessica. “We don’t usually travel this way, but the power does come in handy sometimes.”
Before Beca could ask further questions, Ashley appeared with a blonde woman.
“Are you Hilda?” Beca asked.
“I am,” she said. “I guess you’re the most important woman in Francis’s life.”
Beca shrugged. “I guess so, considering he cheated on my mom and now the stepmonster.”
“That does make sense.”
“And, if it helps, I’m upset with him as well. He cheated on my mom, and then he moved across the country to be with the new woman. I hardly talked to him for a long time afterward. If you really want to get him, you should curse him directly. I’d tell you to turn him into a frog, but that sounds cliche. You could give him boils or something the next time he cheats. Because I’m sure there will be a next time.”
Hilda waved a finger. “Done.”
“What? I was kidding.”
Hilda shrugged. “Oh well. Too bad.”
She waved a finger and disappeared.
Three weeks later
Beca got a text from her dad, canceling their dinner plans.
Dad: I need to cancel tonight, Bec, I’m sorry. Beca: What’s wrong, Dad? Dad: I’ve come down with boils all over my skin Dad: Sheila is taking me to the hospital
Beca snickered to herself. “Once a cheater, always a cheater.”
