“Good thing I didn’t wait for you, then. I guess you have questions. Well, ask away.” My chest tightens while I brace for his attack.
“I was super angry when Spence blurted that out, but I’ve had time to think. There must have been a good reason you kept it from me.” He breathes into the phone. “Please, tell me you have an explanation.”
My heart rate decreases, and I sigh. “I thought the Fellowship was off their rocker. Ronnie and Archie convinced me to join them in their witch’s circle for Samhain. A blue haze appeared near the ceiling, and your father’s image materialized. At first, I figured someone was playing a cruel joke. Then your father spoke to me.”
“Fuck,” Tyler says, his breathing becoming erratic. “What did he say to you?”
I glance at Archie, and he shifts closer to me on the loveseat, squeezing my hand and nodding to continue. I grind my teeth.
“He asked about Cassandra. How she was doing.”
“What? Didn’t he ask about me?” His voice cracks, and he huffs.
“No, Tyler. He wanted to find out how Cassandra was doing.”
He growls into the phone. “Well, fuck him. We’re both better off without his cheating ass.”
“I got pissed and screamed at him. When I mentioned you, he said he wasn’t worried about you because you had me. It doesn’t change how he felt about you, son. He loved you. I didn’t tell you what happened because I wanted you to remember your time with him when he was alive. He’s different in the Otherworld. So, now you know why I kept the conversation a secret. You’re right, though. I shouldn’t have.” I tighten my grip around Archie’s fingers.
He pants for a few seconds, stopping to swallow. Then he speaks.
“I’m not mad, Mom, but I wish you hadn’t gone through that experience. In a way, I’m glad.”
My jaw drops. “You are?”
“Think about it. If you hadn’t stayed for the ritual… If you had not talked to Dad… Would we even know about our witch ancestry? I would have never met Zoe. You and Archie might not be together. Our lives would have followed different paths. Personally, I like this one. Don’t you?”
I gaze into Archie’s loving eyes. “Yes, son. I actually do. I’m tired. It was such a long day. Are you going to Agnes’s in the morning?”
“Oh, yeah. I almost forgot we’re putting in time on the database. Don’t forget we have dinner at Tanner and Spence’s tomorrow.”
“I won’t. I love you, son. Goodnight.”
“Night, Mom. I love you, too.”
I swipe the red icon and fall into Archie’s embrace. For a moment, I imagine where my journey would have led me had I taken a right at the fork in the road. What a tedious life it would have been.
Archie stands in the mudroom doorway in a T-shirt and lounge pants, scratching his head. “I don’t understand why I can’t ride over with you. If you want, I can wait in the kitchen while Agnes gives you some tips.”
“I’d be distracted knowing you were in there. You’re not even dressed yet.” I finish tying my sneaker and shift next to him, wrapping my arms around his middle.
“Give us about an hour. Frankly, I’m not impressed with her suggestions. I mean, she usually wings it when she’s practicing the craft. But she really doesn’t know what she is doing. It’s a bit funny to watch her falter when she’s always so competent.” If Seamus would show me some of his intuition secrets, I wouldn’t need her help.
He kisses me. “Agnes prides herself on figuring things out even when they fail. I bet she comes through for you.”
“Maybe. See you in an hour, honey.” I kiss him goodbye and slip on my fleece jacket over a long-sleeved tee.
As I walk to my Prius, I bask in the warmth of the sun’s rays. Mid-50 isn’t the spring-like temperature we had on Samhain, but I’ll take the cloudless blue skies over the deluge we had yesterday. After the short ride to Agnes’s farmhouse, I knock on the front door and enter.
“Hey, Agnes.” I peek into the living room and kitchen.
She shouts from the magic room in the back, “In here, Gwyn! Trying something new!”
I amble in to find her lying on the rug Leslie bought to brighten the space. A bluish-green crystal rests on her forehead. She’s dressed in a loose blouse and knit pants for the practice session. How did she mange to lie down on the floor? Surely she won’t get back up.
“What are you doing?” I ask, setting my purse on the wooden table. “Is that labradorite?”
She hisses at me and closes her eyes. “Shhh. I’m trying to activate my third eye chakra.”
I tiptoe to my mentor and kneel on the ground while she continues with—whatever she’s doing. She turns her hands over, her palms facing up, and summons her magic. But she shakes out the amber glow and grumbles. She removes the crystal and sits up on her elbows.
“Why do you think it’s not working?” I ask.
She twists a side of her mouth, adding to the wrinkles on her sun-damaged skin. “I don’t fucking know. You need a fuck ton of patience to meditate and align your chakras. Never worked for me. Who has time for this shit?”
I snicker. “Someone with patience.”
“Are you mocking me? Ungrateful witch. Here. You try.” She passes the labradorite to me.
“I hope the nightly meditation I performed with the amethyst geode helps. How do I facilitate this? Should I clear my head? Mediate for a few minutes first? Call on my ancestors? Should I—”
“For fuck’s sake, Gwyn. You talk too fucking much. I’d forgotten how frustrating it was to teach you.” She rolls onto her side and supports her upper body on an elbow.
I laugh and lie down next to her on the rug. “Oh, you love the admiration, you old hedge witch.”
“Yeah, yeah,” she says, quashing a smile. “Place the crystal on your forehead near your eyes and close them. Try to empty your head of everything. I fail at this part, but maybe you’ll have more success.”
