SO SWEET AS MAGIC, PART FIVE

Jordan Stark was not having a good day. First came a phonecall from his flunky, Zack Wilder.

"We've got a problem," he said, "Rachel Hutchins has decided not to sell you her art collection after all."

"Why not?"

"She didn't say."

While Stark was pondering that, Marly called.

"Rachel found an investor for Cory Publishing." she told him.

"That was not supposed to happen!" said Stark, "Who is he?"

"His name is Akageno."

"Get back over there and find out more about him!"

****

"Welcome home, Jasmine Cory!" said Matthew, as he ushered Lila and the baby into the Cory Mansion.

"She's lovely!" said Rachel, looking at her new grand-daughter.

"Would y'all laik to hold her?" said Lila.

Rachel smiled radiantly as Lila put the baby into her arms. "Say hello to Grandma."

"Hey, You!" said Rachel, "You look like your mother."

The doorbell rang. Matthew answered it.

"Marly!" he said, "Hello."

"Have I come at a bad time?"

"Of course not!" he said, "Come in and meet my daughter."

"Jasmine." said Lila, "'Cause she's jist as sweet and pretty as a flowah."

"Is Amanda here?" said Marly, getting down to business.

"I'm afraid not." said Rachel, "Can we help you?"

"Maybe." said Marly, "That orphanage I used to run in China always needs money. I was thinking Amanda could do an article about it for BRAVA. I've got plenty of photos of the cute little orphans."

"That sounds like a good idea." said Rachel, "Why don't you talk to Amanda about it this evening? We're having a few friends over to celebrate Jasmine's homecoming. We'd be delighted if you'd join us."

"Thanks. I will."

"Good." said Rachel, then looked at her watch. "Uh-oh! I've got to run. I'm having lunch with our new investor."

****

"A party?" said Stark when Marly called him, "Ask if you can bring a date."

****

That evening:

"Hello, Rachel."

"Donna, you can talk! I'm so happy for you!" said Rachel.

"I'm hoping that one of these days, she'll be able to walk, too," said Vicky.

"I'm afraid that's asking for a miracle, Darling." said Donna.

"Miracles happen!" said Rachel.

"The doctors told you that there's no reason why you can't walk." said Jake, "Maybe all you need is to stop punishing yourself."

Meanwhile, Rachel was greeting new arrivals. "Cass! How are you?"

"I'm ME."

"Now that we're warned, I'm sure no imposter could fool us again." said Felicia, soothingly.

The doorbell rang. Rachel answered it.

"Hello, Marly."

"Hello. Rachel Hutchins, allow me to introduce David Halliday."

"How do you do, Mrs. Hutchins?" He bowed over her hand.

"Rachel, please!"

Before he could say anything more, the doorbell rang again. This time it was Sofia. She and Matthew kissed.

"Now that everyone's here, I'll go get Jasmine." said Matthew.

"Not quite everyone, Darling." said Rachel, "Wait a few more minutes."

Matthew counted heads: "Sofia, Cass, Felicia, Jake, Vicky, Donna, Marly, Amanda, Paulina, Joe - who's missing?"

"A very special guest." said Rachel, as the doorbell rang again. "Ah, there he is!"

She opened the door, and smiled. "Good evening. I'm glad you could make it."

"How could I possibly stay away?" said Akageno, kissing her hand. Matthew stood there with his mouth open.

"Sanpaku Akageno - my son, Matthew Cory. Mr Akageno is our new investor."

"Then the Corys owe you a debt of gratitude." said Matthew, pulling himself together .

"I expect our association to be mutually beneficial." said Akageno.

Matthew nodded and headed upstairs. Rachel crossed to the door of the living room.

"Everybody!" she said, "We arranged this party to introduce our friends to the newest member of the Cory family - my grand-daughter Jasmine - and here she is!"

Everyone applauded as Lila came slowly down the stairs, with Jasmine in her arms, while Matthew hovered protectively at her elbow.

"What the heck?" said Sofia, "What's Lila doin' here?"

"Didn't Matt warn you?" said Paulina, "She and Jasmine are living here."

"Introduce me to Amanda Cory."

"Okay, but then I want another chance at Jake." she replied.

Stark nodded.

"Amanda!" said Marly, "Have you met David Halliday? David is an old friend of mine, from San Francisco."

"It's a great pleasure to meet you, Amanda." said Stark.

"So, David, what brings you to Bay City?''

"You do!" said Stark, "That's to say, the Cory Family does. I'm hoping to invest in Cory Publishing."

"We already have an investor." said Amanda, "But still, it never hurts to have more than one. Come and meet my mother."

****

"What's goin' on , Matt?" Sofia demanded, "You said that once the baby was born, you'd pay Lila to leave town!"

"I know I did." said Matthew, "But when I said that, I took for granted that Lila would be a lousy mother. Only she's not; you just have to see her with Jasmine to know that our daughter is the most important person in Lila's life."

"Yeah, so?"

"So Lila would never agree to give me custody!"

"Offer Lila enough money, and she'll agree to do anything!"

"You don't know her." said Matthew.

****

"We've met." said Rachel, "Although we didn't have chance to talk about Cory. Have you met Mr Akageno? He's already investing with us."

As the two men shook hands, Stark sent a powerful compulsion spell into Akageno's brain: "* Don't * invest * in * Cory* Publishing *! *"

Not only did Akageno give no sign of noticing, but the effect was the mental equivalent of running full-tilt into a brick wall. Whoever this Akageno was, he had a formidable mind-shield. Stark gasped as the force of his spell recoiled upon him.

"Are you all right?" said Amanda, "You're white as a sheet!"

"Just - a slight - headache." said Stark, "Excuse me, please."

" Do what you promised, " she hissed, "Give me back my face! Oh, and you'd better change my dress too, so it looks like what Vicky's wearing."

"Very well," he said, as they stepped into the foyer, where they wouldn't be seen by the other guests. "There! Happy?"

"Not yet." said Marly, looking at herself in the mirror, "But I will be!"

Stark shook his head and exited.

****

Lila and Sofia ran into each other - literally - at the buffet table.

"Get outa my way!" said Sofia, not bothering to disguise her hostility.

"Yo' in MY way, Liddle Girl." said Lila.

****

Marly watched from hiding until Vicky left the room, then made her move.

"Jake! Let's dance!"

"That old black magic has me in its spell," Nat King Cole sang, "That old black magic that you weave so well!/ Those icy fingers running down my spine/ that same old witchcraft when your eyes meet mine..."

"Shall we dance?" Mr Akageno asked Rachel.

"I'd love to."

"I should stay away, but what could I do?/ I hear your name, and I'm aflame/ Aflame with such a burning desire/ that only your lips can put out the fire!/ Oh, you're the one that I have waited for/ You're the mate that fate had me created for ..."

Marly had wrapped herself around Jake like an anaconda. "Vicky!" he said, "Let me breathe, will you? We're supposed to be dancing."

"I want you, Jake!" said Marly, "Let's go find an empty bedroom!"

"What - here?"

"It's a big house. Nobody will even notice if we slip away."

"Can't you wait until we get home?"

"No!"

"You're gonna have to!" said Jake, freeing himself from her grasp. "I gotta go take a leak."

Marly ground her teeth in frustration as Jake headed for the bathroom.

"Under that old black magic called love!" sang Nat King Cole.

Then she spotted Vicky coming downstairs, and fled out the French doors, only to come upon Rachel kissing Mr Akageno.

"Coming through!" said Marly, barrelling past them and into the garden.

"Victoria?" called Rachel, then shrugged. "We should go back inside."

"Must we?"

"'Fraid so."

****

"Where did Jake go?" said Vicky, looking around the living room.

"He was here a minute ago." said Donna, "Oh, here he is!"

"Jake, I'm ready to head home." said Vicky, "How about you?"

"You bet." said Jake, "And once we get there - " He whispered in her ear.

"Not tonight, Jake." said Vicky, "I'm not in the mood, okay?"

"Is this some game you're playing?" said Jake, "First you blow hot, then cold - you're driving me crazy!"

She pushed Donna's wheelchair towards the door. Jake followed, shaking his head.