Chapter 15: Apologies

I had the best day at school ever. So weird to breeze from class to class as if nothing bad ever happened to me, like I owned that freaking joint so hard not one person could say a thing to bring me down. In fact, when they did talk to me-a super rarity-it was with respectful words and not a hint of malice.

Even when I accidentally bumped into Morgan Joyce, one of the most irritating male witches in our coven with his penchant for piercing sarcasm and cruelty behind his handsome face, he just shrugged it off with a little smile and a gleam in his green eyes that made me wonder why I hadn't shifted my attitude long before now.

Well then, if this was the life I had to look forward to, I'd take it.

I fully expected, deep down and secretly where I could gnaw on my own nervousness without anyone noticing, that eventually the bubble would burst and I'd end up right back where I started-or worse. Instead, as I sat through class after class, actually engaging my teachers to the point they stared in open mouthed shock, my day just kept getting better.

By the time my sneakers pattered down the steps of the school and turned me for home, I felt like running out of sheer excessive energy. I'd found my mom's old soccer trophies and knew she'd been athletic back in the day, but I'd never felt an urge to take up a sport of my own.

Maybe I'd ask her if she'd show me a thing or two, kick the ball around in the park after supper.

Holy elemental balls of fire. Who was I and where did the real Ethie Hayle get her little self off to?

I skimmed through the kitchen door, kicking off my sneakers, backpack hitting the floor, not even noticing GreatGram until I was halfway to the fridge and a congratulatory after school snack. I froze in my tracks, socks skidding on the warm tiles, her blue eyes locked on me, arms

crossed over her dark sweater across her narrow chest. But there was no anger on her face, just a softened look of contemplation and curiosity.

Rather than eat, I committed to the one thing I'd been meaning to do all day and took a seat in the chair next to her, holding her gaze and my intent to make this work the entire time. The instant my butt hit wood she sighed and nodded slowly, arms dropping until her hands rested quietly in her lap as if they'd given up on her.

"We need to talk." We said it in unison, and honestly our voices were so similar in tone and timbre I had to giggle at the precise echo. Even our inflections were the same. GreatGram smiled, cackled a moment, then relaxed, the tension leaving her while a gleam danced in her eyes.

"Smartass great-granddaughter," she said.

I sat back in my chair, swinging one foot, the only outward expression of my pent up energy. I'd never felt so alive as I did right now, sitting with her, ready to unload everything and finally move forward.

"At your service," I said with cheek, then thought better of it. Before sighing in relief inwardly as she snorted.

Don't push it, Ethie. You're just getting started and the old lady could crack at any second. "I know I'm not an easy woman to live with." She swallowed, looking down at her limp

hands. They balled into fists as if she only then noticed the sad state of their rest. When she looked up again her vulnerability was gone, but the hard shell she wore around me hadn't returned. She seemed more like the witch who talked to Mom. That I'd happily accept.

"I haven't exactly been a treat myself," I said, willing to bend as she did.

She grinned, showing teeth. "There are times you're so like your mother I don't know what to do with you. And other times... you'll do just fine, Ethie. And I'm sorry if I didn't see that before."

She was sorry. GreatGram was apologizing to me. I would have choked on the satisfaction if she didn't go on and shatter the beginnings of the back patting festival I had planned for the next several hours.

"We both have a lot of work to do," she said. "Learning how to be with each other." She sounded grumbly, as if those weren't her words and I heard Nanna in that statement, caught myself grinning. She rolled her eyes at me, leaned forward to boop me on the nose. "I'll do my

best to let go and not hold on so tight," she said, "if you'll stop being a Hayle and behave yourself."

Did that mean I could leave Wilding Springs without constant supervision...? But the stipulation was impossible. "Like that will ever happen." I could tell she was joking, or trying to. As if either of us could ever for a heartbeat stop being Hayles. Sigh to the power of oh dear.

There was so much more I wanted to say, but GreatGram stood and moved away from me, heading for the kitchen door with her shoes tapping on the tile, her sweater tucked around her as if she needed protection. I should have at least hugged her but she didn't give me the chance, turning to wave a little, her fingers wiggling in my direction, before she hurried out. The screen door sighed closed behind her, cutting off the sound of someone cutting their lawn in the late September lingering warmth. The scent stayed with me, though, and I sat there a long time, savoring my life-with hope dancing a brand new routine inside me-until Coradine interrupted.

Don't be late tonight, she sent.

Wouldn't miss it, I sent in return, letting her feel my eager anticipation. Hope he's ready for round two. It's going to be a doozy.

She cut me off, the smarmy touch of her vanishing as I grinned to myself and climbed to my feet, heading for my room to plot her downfall. Because it wasn't me going down tonight, oh no, better believe it, sugar. Coradine was about to run headlong into so much trouble she'd be begging the school janitor to be her friend.

And I just couldn't wait.

Eager me wanted to just go when 8PM rolled around, but new, responsible me knew I had to tell someone. And Mom was the choice I settled on. I found her and Oliver in the back yard. I almost retreated at the sight of them talking on the bench that sat against the side of the house.

They were holding hands, heads bent close together, his over hers, broad shoulders almost blocking my view of her from this angle. But it was impossible to miss her happiness, the way her heart leached out her joy into the surrounds. I'd missed it so many times before, chalked it up to Yucksville McEwiness because there was no way anyone could find that lump of Order soldier attractive. Just blah. And yet, as I stood there and watched them, even that softened and I understood how much of my animosity toward Oliver was about my dad and how much my jealousy Mom's love for him took away from me.

Wow. If I had one more revelation in a twenty-four hour period I was going to collapse into a blubbering pile of uselessness and maybe become a nun or something.

Mom noticed me before I could slip away and leave them alone. She sat up, gestured for me to join them and I did, surprising myself, even offering Oliver a little smile that he accepted with a startled one of his own.

"I'm going out for a bit," I said. "Some of the kids are meeting and I want to be sure they understand coven rules are now back in play." I didn't say much more, but I think she knew what I was talking about because her face tightened before she nodded.

"You need anything?" A huge bubble of utter love and devotion for Mom burst within me and washed my insides with the kind of light that made me beam at her.

"I'm good," I said, putting my intent to shut this crap down into my words, my stance, my power so she would not, under any circumstances, doubt my sincerity.

Mom relaxed a little while Oliver looked back and forth between us, clearly lost. "Okay, Eth," she said, Mom of the Year award cemented in granite for the rest of her

impossibly long life. "See you later. Fill me in when you get home."

Happy leadering, her demon sent, sizzling but soft.

You show them what's what, Shaylee sent, a kiss to my power through hers making goosebumps rise on my arms.

We're very proud of you, Ethpeal, her vampire sent. Gasp. Thank you, I sent back.

Be careful, Mom sent then. And kick ass.

Her support was the world to me. I left the house, practically flying, knowing it was my turn to shine and that under no circumstances was I going to let my mother down.

Just try and stop me.

***