Cornbread & Crossroads

by Bella Falls

  Big Willie replaced the hat on his head. “Son, did you just threaten a council member in front of the sheriff?”

  “No, I don’t believe I did,” Dash countered. “All I’m doing is giving you advice based on what had to happen with my pack. We plucked out the bad so the good could grow again. How you do your weeding, well, that’s kinda up to them.” He pointed at my brother and me.

  His words filtered through my brain until I understood his meaning. If we did nothing and allowed Aunt Nora to gain control, then we’d be setting up Honeysuckle Hollow up for failure. The lights dimmed and flickered until we lost power again.

  “Maybe that’s a sign,” I said into the slightly darkened room.

  “Of what?” Matt asked.

  “Of what will happen if we don’t do something. I’ll need someone to take me home,” I requested.

  Dash growled in protest. “Why?”

  Taking a deep breath, I stepped away from my brother and stood on my own. “Because if I’m going to confront Aunt Nora and stop her from ruining our town, then I want to be dressed to kill.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Matt and I snuck in a side door of the town hall. With all the changes going on, we didn’t know who we could trust other than the small handful from Nana’s house. After hearing about Ben’s proposal, I questioned how many of my friends had experienced a sudden change.

  The heels I wore to match my sunflower dress clicked as I walked, and Matt raised his eyebrows at me in annoyance.

  “Sorry,” I mouthed at him, slipping off the shoes and holding the straps in my hand.

  Since the stage was used for so many different functions, the long velvet curtains that hung in strategic places provided a perfect way for me and my brother to hide out of sight of the audience.

  Another nearby metal door swung open with a clang, and our aunt strode in. “Your wife is my daughter. I don’t think it’s very wise for you to vote against me,” she said as Tucker followed right behind her.

  “Don’t threaten me, Nora,” my cousin’s husband warned. “When the time comes, I’ll be voting with my conscience.”

  My aunt turned on her heels and closed the distance between her and her son-in-law. “Listen,” she said, poking his chest with her painted fingernail. “In a little less than nine months, my daughter will be giving birth to your child.”

  An involuntary squeal burst out of my lips, and Matt clamped his hand over my mouth.

  Aunt Nora looked around but dismissed the noise. “You might want to tell your conscience that I can make your life a living hell or heaven on earth. Clementine’s my daughter first and will be loyal to me. With my influence, I can make sure to alienate you from your future family. If I were you, I would think about what part you want to play in that picture. Present and happy dad or one that gets to see his child once a year? It’s your choice.”

  I moved to go reassure Tucker that he didn’t have to listen to my aunt’s threats. After getting to know my cousin better, especially spending time with her recently, I knew Clem would never give her mother that kind of power over her life anymore. Matt held me back when Flint entered the area. I hoped the gnome would help Tucker see that Aunt Nora’s threats were empty.

  “So, what’s the plan then? We skulk about on the side?” I whispered to Matt.

  “I don’t know yet. But the only thing we have going for us is a possible element of surprise. And it’ll get a bigger reaction if we do it onstage in front of everyone,” he murmured to me.

  My stomach growled, and I held my breath, hoping the other council members hadn’t heard it. Flint glanced our way but said nothing. Waiting his turn, he filed onto the stage and took his seat.

  The crowd didn’t quiet down like normal. Instead, as soon as the council members were in place, they shouted their concerns until they whipped themselves into a loud frenzy.

  Aunt Nora stood behind her chair, having let the others take their seats. She took advantage of her power play and raised her hand to gain control.

  “Everyone, please settle down. Talking all at once will get us nowhere, and there’s much we need to accomplish tonight,” she instructed.

  Keeping hidden behind the curtain, I pulled it aside far enough to be able to see most of the audience. My cousin Clementine sat in the front row, her hand cradling her stomach. I’d have to make sure to congratulate her at a more appropriate time.

  I couldn’t see my friends from my current angle, so I risked stepping out a little further. Lily kept turning around and checking the entrance as if she was waiting on someone to fill the empty seat next to her. Lily and Ben cuddled together in a rare show of public affection. My advocate friend kissed her more than once, and I grimaced at the strange display.

  “What are you going to do about the power outages?” someone shouted from the back.

  “And what about the damage to our shops?” Ms. Patty asked. “Someone should pay for my broken window.”

  “We’re still trying to sort out the mess from the unfortunate encounter the other night,” Aunt Nora said. “But I can understand your displeasure at such awful and targeted actions by such an ugly group. To that point, I think it’s best if we get straight to the purpose of this meeting.”

  Flint stood up so fast his pointed red hat flew off his head. His bald pate glistened under the stage lights. “So, you would be judge and jury, casting dispersions at those who aren’t even here to defend themselves? Using the fear from the one-off incident is low, even for you, Leonora.”

  My aunt sniffed, staring down at the gnome. “Spoken as one who’s been allowed to live here by the good graces of the rest of us.”

  “There you go again, saying things like us and them. If you look at our town’s history, we’re all supposed to be equal here,” Flint challenged. “And under the right leadership, that’s how things would be.”

  “Speaking of the right leadership, should I take your meaning to be that you intend to resign your position on the council?” Aunt Nora batted her eyelashes in mock innocence.

  “Of course not. I just think—”

  “You are not here to think, Mr. Hollyspring,” she interrupted. “Your position was created to placate a certain small percentage of our residents. Surely now, the majority of us can see how giving non-witches a position on the council has contributed to the sad state we find ourselves in tonight.”

  I waited for outrage and protests to her words from the audience. Although a few murmurs rose, no one stood up to her. Perhaps they suffered from shock at her outrageous claims.

  “And so,” Aunt Nora ignored the gnome and addressed the residents, “to keep Honeysuckle safe from those who would shatter our peaceful existence, I propose that we hold an immediate election for the high seat position. Am I seconded on this council?”

  Flint crossed his arms and sat back down. My aunt snorted and confronted Tucker. “Mr. Hawthorne?”

  My aunt had managed to bully and trap my former fiancé. Tucker glanced down at Clementine with uncertainty and regret. My cousin tilted her head in confusion, but her husband hung his head in resignation.

  “I second the motion to hold an emergency vote,” he mumbled under his breath.

  Aunt Nora put her fingers to her ear. “What was that? I’m not sure that everyone heard you.”

  “Seconded,” he grumbled a little louder.

  My aunt beamed at the gnome. “Seems the vote is two to three, so—”

  “Hold on!” Matt bellowed, stepping out from behind the curtain and making his way onstage. “There’s one more vote to be counted.”

  Aunt Nora narrowed her beady eyes at my brother. “If Vivian is too unwell to attend the meeting, then she cannot have her vote counted.”

  I joined my brother in solidarity. “Nana isn’t the only Goodwin in town.”

  “And you think you qualify? You’re not even related.” She sneered at me with absolute contempt.

  My blood boiled and a little power zapped down my arm and danced at t
he end of my fingertips. Even if I ended up in jail tonight, it would be worth it to hex my aunt’s hiney with absolutely no blessing of her heart.

  “Mother, stop being ridiculous.” Clementine popped out of her chair and approached the edge of the stage. “You’re making a fool of yourself,” she hissed.

  Aunt Nora’s arrogance wavered. “Shouldn’t you be sitting down?” she asked, gazing at her daughter’s stomach area.

  “Not until you recognize once and for all that Charli is just as much family to Vivian as she is to you and me.” She slapped the stage floor to keep her mother from interjecting, turning her eyes in my direction. “After all, love makes a family. And there is no doubt that she is loved.”

  If we weren’t in the middle of a crisis, I would fly off the stage and sweep my cousin into the most enormous hug of her lifetime. My gratitude would have to wait until we took care of her mother first.

  “Fine. She’s family,” Aunt Nora said through gritted teeth. “Now, please sit back down and don’t overexcite yourself.” Waiting until her daughter obeyed her request, she addressed Matt and me. “So, what do you hope to accomplish?”

  “If someone has to vote on the Goodwin family’s behalf, then one of us will,” my brother challenged.

  Aunt Nora paused as she processed the demand. A sly grin spread on her lips, curdling my blood. “But as your grandmother has yet to resign her position or step down, I’m afraid that the Goodwin’s place on the council is still filled.”

  I walked to the edge of the stage. “Ben, what did the covenant say about who can serve on the council?”

  My friend ignored me, spending all of his time gazing at Lily and whispering something in her ear.

  I clapped my hands. “Hey, Mr. Advocate. Stop wooing your girlfriend and pay attention.”

  Someone tapped Ben on the shoulder, and his focus on Lily broke. He finally noticed my attempts to get through to him. “Oh, hey, Charli. Did you hear? I asked her to marry me and Lily said yes. Isn’t that amazing?”

  Ignoring the scattered applause his declaration earned him, I placed my hand on my hip. “That’s great, and we’ll celebrate later. But right now, I need your legal expertise as to whether or not Matt or I can vote in proxy for Nana.”

  The advocate stood, a goofy smile still spread on his face. “Based on my reading of the town covenant, which we found hidden in a secret safe in Tipper’s old house,” he pointed at me and winked, “either you or your brother is going to have to declare that your grandmother is unfit to fulfill her duties and then take her place on the council.”

  “How did Tipper get his hands on the covenant, and why was she involved in the retrieving of it?” Aunt Nora asked, referring to me.

  “If you haven’t noticed by now, Auntie, I run a business called Lost & Found. It’s my job to find things,” I snarked.

  Matt pulled me aside by my elbow. “What do you want to do? If we do what Ben says, then one of us will take Nana’s position away from her. Permanently.”

  It took a second for that reality to sink in. “And with Nana off the council, it’ll open the high seat position for anyone to take.”

  “Which is already our aunt’s goal. But if one of us claims the Goodwin seat, then we can vote against her.” Matt grimaced. “It’s not an easy choice to make.”

  The pathway to the right choice seemed clear enough to me. “Sure it is.” I touched his arm. “You should take it.”

  “Come on, Birdy, you’re not listening to the absolute drivel Aunt Nora’s spouting.” He jerked a thumb towards our cousin. “Clementine just went up in my esteem because she’s right. You are just as much a Goodwin, no matter what blood flows in your veins.”

  Our aunt cleared her throat. “If you could kindly finish your private discussion, we could get on with things.”

  The lights in the hall flickered on and off again a few times before everything went pitch black. A few light orbs materialized when conjured but became unnecessary when the power returned again.

  I saw doubt and caution consuming my brother. “Take the position,” I insisted. “As a deputy warden, you’ve earned everyone’s respect. Also, it’ll set you up nicely to one day sit in the high seat yourself.”

  Matt opened his mouth to protest but stopped himself. He threw back his shoulders as he accepted my challenge. “You really think I could do the position justice?”

  I beamed at him. “Of course. I’ve always assumed that’s what would happen. We’re just getting you there a little sooner than expected.”

  My brother drew in a steadying breath and stepped forward. “I, Matthew Duane Goodwin, declare that my grandmother, Vivian Goodwin, can no longer fulfill her duties on this council.”

  And just like that, our grandmother’s time as leader of Honeysuckle Hollow ended. Murmurs and comments rose from the crowd.

  Tucker caught my eye, his face drooping in stress and regret. “I’m sorry,” he mouthed at me.

  “It’s okay,” I answered back with silent words. He didn’t know that my brother and I had our plans.

  “Does the council recognize my claim to the Goodwin seat?” Matt pushed.

  “Seconded,” popped off Flint.

  Tucker folded his hands in front of him. “It is so recognized.”

  “What do I do now?” Matt whispered to me out of the side of his mouth.

  Placing my hands on his back, I pushed him to move. “You go sit in Nana’s seat.”

  As he made his way with slow steps, someone clapped for him. By the time my brother got closer, the whole room erupted with applause.

  Matt pushed our grandmother’s seat back to sit down, but Aunt Nora yanked it away from him. “What do you think you’re doing? This is the high seat, and although you may have taken over the Goodwin position, you do not inherit Vivian’s position of power.”

  “Then you expect me to stand for the rest of the meeting? Or shall I cast my vote now, which is actually against you, Aunt Nora.” My brother turned to face the audience. “Here’s where I stand. I see no need to fill the high seat with too much haste and during such a troubled climate. The wardens have everything in hand, and there is no indication that there should be any further problems at this time.”

  After encouraging my brother to take the biggest step of his life after marriage and fatherhood, I’d climbed down the stage stairs and grabbed the chair next to Clementine.

  As her mother argued with Matt, my cousin laid a gentle hand on my arm. Leaning over, she whispered in my ear. “I’m so sorry for everything she’s putting you both through. I tried my best to convince her not to push so hard for something that doesn’t matter, but it’s like my father’s brush with mortality flicked on some sort of switch inside her. If he weren’t still recovering, I would have enlisted him to help me hold her back.”

  “It’s okay,” I reassured her, nodding up at my brother. “I think he can handle things from here.”

  A debate raged between my head and heart whether or not to tell my cousin about her mother’s strong-arming of Tucker. Her disappointment was already overwhelming, and sure, Aunt Nora had said some truly foul things. But this was Clementine’s mother and my mom’s sister. If I told her, would it screw up their relationship? And did I want to be the cause of any possible rifts?

  Flint listened to Matt and Aunt Nora argue their points until he couldn’t take it anymore. When they both refused to back down at the gnome’s request, he climbed on top of his chair, stomping on it.

  “Enough!” he bellowed, his beard wagging from Flint’s headshaking. “At this point, the vote is tied two against two.”

  “I don’t understand why Tucker would side with my mother,” Clementine said.

  Her husband glanced between the two of us. “If it’s a tie amongst the council, then I see no reason to force the issue.” Keeping his eyes on his wife, he ignored the heated glare from his mother-in-law.

  “Then I move for this farce of a meeting to be ended,” Matt proposed, acting with an air of
authority I always knew he could achieve.

  “I don’t know who you think you are, but—” Aunt Nora began.

  “Seconded,” Flint agreed, crumpling onto his chair with relief.

  Tucker blew out a breath and smiled at Clementine. “Then, since there is no other business, we should—”

  The door to the hall clunked open. Bagan ran down the aisle, yelling for Flint.

  “Help! It’s not my fault. They just drove straight through the barriers!” Breathless, the new guard stood at the foot of the stage, waving his hands in distress.

  Aunt Nora wrinkled her nose in disgust. “What are you talking about?”

  “Humans!” Bagan shouted.

  “Let me handle this, Leonora. It is my job,” Flint insisted. He crouched down on the edge of the stage and tried to get his new employee to calm down. “Now, say again and try to be as clear as possible. What’s the problem?”

  The new guard shook where he stood as he delivered the news. “It’s mortals, sir. Two of them. They’ve breached our barriers and are standing in the middle of Main Street.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Curiosity and fear swept over the entire hall as the meeting ended in sheer panic. A mass exodus clogged the nearby exits.

  Clementine clutched my arm. “What do we do?”

  I took her hand and pulled her with me in the opposite direction, climbing the stairs to the stage. “We are doing nothing. You need to keep yourself safe.”

  Tucker rushed over to us and gathered his wife in his arms. “Thanks, Charli. I’m sorry about everything—”

  “We don’t have time for explanations and stuff,” I cut him off. “You two should stay inside until you’re sure it’s safe. With all the craziness and emotions running high, there’s no point in putting your family’s safety at risk.” Without meaning to, my gaze darted to my cousin’s belly.

  “How did you know?” she asked.

  I gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. “We’ll talk later. Congratulations, by the way,” I yelled over my shoulder as I rushed barefoot out the door off the side of the stage.