"Why do you want me to come to dinner?" Tiffany asked her aunt. "You were thrilled when I moved out and now you want me to come over for veal piccata? I don't think so."
"Now, darling," Aunt Mavis cooed, "I want you to come over for dinner because you're my niece and I love you. Do I need more of a reason than that?"
"We didn't eat together all that much when I was living at your house," Tiffany pointed out.
"That was different. When one sees another person all the time--even a relative--one yearns for solitude. But when one doesn't see that person as much, suddenly one misses them."
"Aunt Mavis, can't you ever say 'I' instead of 'one'? That's a really annoying habit of yours."
Aunt Mavis laughed but Tiffany could tell that she was gritting her teeth at the same time. "Oh, Tiffany, I certainly miss that spirited attitude you have. It's so...adolescent. Now tell me: will you join me for dinner tonight?"
"I don't think so. I don't like veal all that much. I think it's cruel how they're raised in the dark like that and then slaughtered."
"Well, then, Rosanne will make fried chicken or hamburgers or whatever else you want. How about lasagna? You always liked Rosanne's lasagna."
Tiffany hesitated. Rosanne did make fantastic lasagna, better than any restaurant's. Gooey and dripping with cheese. "I don't know..."
"Come over at seven," Mavis ordered, sensing a weakness in Tiffany's defense system. "I have a surprise for you."
"What is it? A car?"
"No, it's better than a car."
"What could be better than a car?"
"You'll see," Aunt Mavis said in a very mysterious tone. "Just be here at seven and dress up a little. No sweat pants."
"This isn't some freaky blind date, is it? Because if it is, count me out. Your taste in guys plain sucks, Aunt Mavis."
"Tiffany, just be here at seven," Aunt Mavis snapped before hanging up.
Tiffany put down her cell phone. How odd. That was the first contact she'd had with her aunt since moving in with her dad. What was Aunt Mavis being so friendly about? Well, Tiffany decided, maybe her aunt was tired of being a witch. Maybe she really did miss having Tiffany around. It had to be lonely in Schuyler Manor without her aunt's live-in boyfriend. Tyler was still there but he wasn't exactly what anyone would call a sparkling conversationalist.
"OK, Aunt Mavis," Tiffany said out loud. "I'll be there for dinner but whatever kind of surprise you have had better be good and it had better be more than just lasagna."
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