“Wash your hands, and join us,” Mom says.
I remove the necklace woven with copper and Pietersite from my purse and slip it over my head. The dark gray and rusty reddish-orange stone represents earth. Today I am the grounding magic wielder. I will weave the strands of magic together harmoniously while Mémé steps back. In her own words: ‘The time for hand-holding has passed. You have a lot to prove to me and everyone else watching your every move.’
“Why don’t you tell everyone what we’re preparing and why?” Mémé says. I feel like I’m at Show and Tell with much higher stakes.
“I chose this meal carefully. We need to come together as a family, to heal old wounds and move forward, so I focused on grounding, love, healing, and protection. Mémé and I prepared the roast last night, so it could slow cook. We focused on strength, protection, and grounding. I’m worried about Av and Vit with their mother gone. Every sheep is precious in this flock. The roasted potatoes and honey-glazed carrots will echo the grounding, as well as providing more healing and protection. The homemade bread is the binding element, representing kinship, and the Mead is love. I want you to focus on these attributes, and the healing, cleansing, and rebuilding of the Esçhete name. Let all the pain and dissonance of the past stay behind us where it belongs. “
“That’s easier said than done,” my mother says quietly. I feel for her. She and Aunt Odette always clashed the most.
“Have we become so petty and small-minded we’d let bickering and disagreements impede our magical legacy? Our numbers are dwindling, and yet we remain at odds. This family is close to falling out of favor with the ancestors and facing extinction. The universe has not been kind nor giving to us in recent times. If we hadn’t distanced ourselves from the old ways, we might’ve noticed. The cracks started small. Our separation was a slow process. The rebuild will be much the same way.” I gave them all time to get used to being in the same space regularly. I cannot afford to be delicate any longer.
“We had our grieving period. Now we move forward. We’ll honor her memory by making a better future possible. You are the heads of your family. I expect you to be the backbones of this family the women have always been. Tonight we start the task of mending our foundation.” I glance at Mémé who gives a nod of her head. I meet the eyes of the women I’ve grown up respecting. They’ve placed their trust in me. I can’t let them down.
“Old habits die hard, cher. We can learn new tricks, but it won’t happen in a day,” Tante Heloise says.
“All I ask for is an open mind and genuine effort. The rest will take care of itself in time,” I assure her.
I can see the cynicism in their gazes. They think this small step is pointless. There’s a method to my madness. We can’t work bigger spells without trust. Forgiveness has to start somewhere. “Aimee and Vit have always followed their mother’s lead. Right now, they’re lost. If we don’t guide them, someone else will. I won’t let the darkness take them the way it did their mother.” I ignore their looks as I move to the sink to wash my hand and settle in beside Fel. “What do you say we take the roasted potatoes?” I ask.
“I’m game.” Fel’s voice is cheery. I draw strength from her unflagging support. As my first cousin, literally months apart from me in age, she’s been my built-in partner-in-crime.
“I want us to all make an effort with Aimee and Vit. I invited them, and I’m hoping they’ll show up soon. We need to come together, or everything I have planned is going to be for naught. Our power is only as strong as our bond. We’ve got all eyes on us, and we ne
ed to seal those cracks in our foundation and paint them over.” I harden my tone, letting them know without words this is not negotiable. Being a leader means ruffling feathers. I feel like I’ve been in constant conflict since Mémé announced that I’d be taking over. We’re a broken lot, but it’s not irreparable.
“This has been a long time coming. I should’ve acted long before now. A mother can be blind to the realities of her children’s fault. I downplayed the animosity that sprung up, allowing a wedge to form. Because of my ignorance, Louella has a lot of work ahead of her.” Mémé’s voice shakes.
“Mama, it’s not your fault,” my mother says.
“Yes, it is. As the matriarch of this family, everything that happens or doesn’t is my business. It’s the burden we agree to carry when we take on the title. I have hope for the future. It won’t be easy. I won’t lie to you.” Mémé shakes her head. “It’ll be a rocky ride. Esçhetes have never been weak-willed. We can fix what’s broken. The lean, hard times build character. They teach us about who we truly are what abilities we have, or in some cases, lack.”
“You’ve seen something,” I state.
“Non.” Mémé shakes her head. “It’s more of a feeling …” she places a hand on her belly, “here.” Her lips twist. “A sick feeling tells me the darkness isn’t done with us. It’s gotten a taste of Esçhete blood, and it’s hungry for more. With power, comes danger. We’ve had a great period of peace after the last uprising. It’s made us soft. None of you has had to fight or live through casualties. By the time I was twenty-five, it was a way of life. Bargaining with the Weres and vampires wasn’t something we took lightly. It was necessary. The losses we took were significant.”
I hang on every word. Mémé doesn’t talk a lot about the Reaping. The period when hunters pooled their resources and launched a coordinated assault on our area and the magical beings inhabiting it is a sore topic for all involved. The Reaping pushed the vampires and witches into a tentative truce. The chain of events set of the start of a co-mingled paranormal community and the shrinking of prominent families. I lean forward, holding my breath as I wait for her to continue.
“But that is a story for another time.”
The breath rushes from my lungs. Mémé smiles sadly. Soon, she mouths. I nod my head as we return our attention to our dishes.
“Is it me, or is Mémé spilling secrets like tea these days?” Fel whispers.
I chuckle. “It’s not just you. I mean, I knew Mémé was a bad ass, but now I’m wondering just what she’s gotten into over the years. I spent a lot of time researching paranormal things while I was gone. I’m ashamed to confess I neglected our history. I know the things Mémé’s mentioned over the years, but that’s nothing but a drop in the bucket.” We cut up potatoes, onions, and garlic, place them in a large white bowl with mustard yellow designs that’s older than the both of us, sprinkle on spices, and mix them up. We make bundles with tinfoil and carry them out to the grill.
Free from eyes and ears, I feel the stress roll off my shoulders. We take a seat at the long, wooden picnic bench.
“I never realized how stubborn the women in our family are,” I mumble.
Fel snorts. “Really? ’Cause you’re one of the most mule-headed.”
“What?” I laugh. “Come on, I’m not that bad.”
“That’s just what a stubborn person would say,” Fel taunts.
I narrow my eyes. “Uh huh. I suppose you’re not stubborn?”
“I’m far more agreeable. Mostly because I take after my father in that aspect.” She shrugs.