by M.E. Timmons
Chapter 16
Things seemed to return to normal by the next day; at least for most people. It was almost as if nothing happened at all, though the very public killing of a beast still lingered in many minds. Of course, it played a bigger role in Selene’s thoughts than anyone else’s.
She was back to helping her mother with making potions while Dahlia did the laundry. All of the men were out working, since Jenson had found a job without much trouble the day before. Instead of working on a farm like Velkan and Henry, he was hired to work at the bank. Apparently he was quite good with numbers.
Selene didn’t like how things were. It wasn’t because things had gone back to the way they were, or because Jenson was out working, or even because the previous day’s attempt had been unsuccessful. It was because she felt like no one cared about Tornado. She wondered how people could so blatantly ignore his death. She knew that no one else in the village was as close to him as she was, but she still felt like he deserved more respect and recognition. He had, at the very least, died trying to help everyone. Selene was stung by the way no one even mentioned him. It was like he never existed.
Selene thought about that while she was outside by the cauldron. She was sitting under the roof with it because it was raining hard, which matched her mood quite nicely. She also thought about Amber.
Selene remembered the look on Amber’s face right before she went off to get the watchers. She had proved that she stilled cared, even if she didn’t care enough to do the right thing. While Selene could certainly blame Amber for betraying not only herself but also all of the beasts and villagers, in a way she couldn’t blame her for following her aunt. Not only was she Amber’s family, but she was also powerful, and even Amber had always feared her a little bit. Selene expected that that fear had something to do with her decision. Amber wasn’t exactly what she would call brave.
Still, Selene didn’t forgive her. If she had been arrested, she could have been killed. She couldn’t help but wonder how Amber would have felt about that. Would she feel any guilt?
It was unavoidable for Selene to see Amber again. They lived in the same village after all, and attended the same events. She hoped she could sort out her feelings before that happened because she didn’t want to end up doing or saying something she would later regret. She had a bad habit of acting impulsively when angry.
Dahlia had been doing laundry on the other side of the house, and in the rain. After she hung the clothes up in every available space she could find indoors for them to dry, she came out and joined Selene, interrupting her thoughts.
“How are you doing today?” she asked, pulling up a stool.
“I’ve been better,” Selene said bitterly. “You?”
Dahlia smiled. “I don’t think you really need to ask how I am. My life hasn’t changed quite as much as yours. I’m sure you miss your friend. If you ever need to talk I’m here for you.”
“Thanks, Dahlia. I’m not really ready for that yet. I’m mostly just trying to not think about yesterday and blaming everyone else for doing the same. I guess that makes me a hypocrite.”
“It was an awful thing to see,” Dahlia said quietly, almost to herself.
“Yeah,” Selene said dismissively. “Can you pass me that chopped radish?”
Dahlia did so, and then she got up and made an excuse to leave. She was too worried about hurting her sister, so she didn’t really know what to say. She figured it might be best to leave her alone for a while. She went inside to see if her mother needed help with anything.
Selene felt bad. She knew her sister found her difficult to talk to. She thought of going inside and apologizing, but she didn’t know where that would lead, so she stayed by the cauldron. She had work to do anyway.
By the middle of the day Selene felt a horrible urge to go to the forest, which she knew was pointless. The feeling was leftover from her many days of looking for time to sneak off to see Tornado. Now she couldn’t get into the forest at all. Even if she just wanted to go to the clearing just to sit, she wouldn’t be able to. There was no point in that though, since Tornado wouldn’t meet her there ever again. She hated the way such thoughts kept attacking her, but she knew it would be her reality for a long time.
Instead of going to the forest, Selene set out with a different plan in mind. She had promised Mrs. Redwing that she would perform a spell to fix a mirror she had broken, and she figured it would be a good time to talk to the woman about her son. She didn’t know if Mrs. Redwing had heard that Jenson was living with them, but either way Selene wanted to tell her. She also hoped to invite her over for dinner so that she would get to meet her son. She asked her mother first if that would be alright, and Frieda said it was a wonderful idea, and she even promised to make something good for supper.
Selene knew that April Redwing had lost her husband a few years before, and she lived with her three daughters, who were all younger than Jenson. He was the only son she had.
Mrs. Redwing, who was a fairly tall and slim woman with a stooping posture, was outside when Selene arrived. The Redwing house was a little bigger than hers, though not by much. Mrs. Redwing and her girls were the best bakers in town, so they got a fair amount of business. They worked hard to earn their income, like most people in the village.
“Selene, dear! How good to see you,” Mrs. Redwing said brightly when she noticed the girl walking up to her. She was walking to the house from the chicken coup, where she had just gathered a basketful of eggs. “Why don’t you come inside with me? A batch of biscuits just came out of the oven, and I don’t mind parting with one or two of them. They’re for us anyway, not customers.”
Selene followed her inside, where the air was rich with the scents of fresh baked goods. There were pies and loaves of bread cooling on the counter, and Vida, the youngest daughter, was busy at the table with her arms elbow-deep in batter. She smiled at Selene, but didn’t say anything. She was only eleven, and tended to be shy around people she didn’t know well.
“That’s very kind of you, but I think I’ll pass,” Selene said. She wasn’t very hungry, even with all the delicious smells.
“Are you sure, dear? There really are plenty. How about some tea? No? Oh, well. What can I help you with, then? Did you come to make an order?”
They went into the living room and sat down across from one another on the two sofas in the room.
“Actually, I came to see if you still needed help with your mirror,” Selene told Mrs. Redwing. “I have some free time at the moment.”
Mrs. Redwing clasped her long hands together and beamed at Selene. “Oh, that would be wonderful!” she exclaimed. “It has been dreadfully difficult getting along without it, since it was the only one we had. I’ve laid all the pieces together like you asked the last time I talked to you, so it should be ready. I’ll go get it now, and you do whatever you need to do to prepare.”
She got up and exited the room. All Selene had to do to prepare for the spell was take out her spell book and find the right page, which wasn’t a difficult task. She waited for Mrs. Redwing to return, while listening to the sounds of dough being kneaded from the kitchen. She also looked around the room. Since they did business at home, the room was suited to having visitors. The wallpaper was a pleasant shade of teal and featured a pattern of ivy, and the furniture was slightly worn but well-maintained, and the sofas were covered in an off-white material. The floor was a polished dark wood that matched the end tables well, and the room featured a large set of windows that would offer much light if they were open. They were closed to keep the rain out, so the room was lit with a few candles instead.
Selene was studying a painting of the capitol when Mrs. Redwing bustled back into the room. She was carrying the small mirror frame so that it was flat. She set it gently on the coffee table between the two sofas. The pieces of the broken mirror were all arranged perfectly so that it was hard to tell it was
broken, but the cracks were still visible upon close inspection.
“Do you think you can fix it?” Mrs. Redwing asked.
“It shouldn’t be a problem,” Selene assured her. She read from her spell book.
Spirits of light and image,
Surely you wish to be seen,
And what would be better for that,
Than a surface reflective in its sheen.
This mirror has been broken,
Its image distorted and untrue.
It would remain so imperfect,
If only fixed with glue.
Help me to repair it,
So that it may be whole.
For to see myself in it clearly,
Is now my main goal.
The magic flowed from the tip of Selene’s finger and blanketed the broken glass. It was an interesting shade of purple that was almost silvery. The blanket of magic was so thick they couldn’t see through it at first, but then it seeped into the mirror. When it vanished completely the mirror was fixed, and it reflected their faces as they leaned over to look at it.
Mrs. Redwing gingerly picked it up to examine it. “Oh, would you look at that. There isn’t even a scratch in the glass anymore. It clearer than it’s ever been. You truly are quite the witch, Selene.”
Selene looked down at her dirty black boots. “Thanks, Mrs. Redwing,” she mumbled.
“Why don’t you stay for dinner? I’m sure the girls wouldn’t mind having you here. I’d love to be able to repay you.”
“That will never be necessary,” Selene assured her. “In fact, I would like to invite you over to my house for dinner tonight instead. Mom’s roasting a turkey, so there should be plenty.”
“Roast turkey? That’s quite a treat. Is it a special occasion?”
“Well, actually...” Selene hesitated. Because Mrs. Redwing hadn’t mentioned Jenson, Selene had to assume that she didn’t know he was living with her. It was big news to give someone. “It would be a special occasion if you were to join us. We have a guest staying with us who we would very much like you to meet.”
“Does that mean I don’t already know the person?”
“Well, you’ve seen him once before, but that was a long time ago.”
Mrs. Redwing paled slightly and drew in a sharp breath. “How long ago?” she asked.
“About twenty-one years, I believe,” Selene told her, not looking directly at her as she spoke.
Mrs. Redwing surprised Selene by not asking any further questions about the matter. “I shall certainly be there,” she said instead, and quite seriously. “I hope you don’t mind if I leave the girls at home. I don’t want to give you too many mouths to feed, and there is always much to be done here.”
“I suppose that will work out just fine, then. Supper will be at around six o’clock, but feel free to show up whenever you’d like. There’s almost always at least one person home, now that our house is so full.”
Mrs. Redwing appeared distracted. “Sure, dear. Like I said, I’ll be there. Thank you very much for your help with the mirror. They are dreadfully expensive things to replace, so I am sure I could not afford another one. Now I must get back to work.” She stood and offered her hand.
Selene stood as well and shook her hand before departing. She thought the meeting had gone fairly well. Now all she had to worry about was what Jenson would think. She hoped he’d be happy to meet his mother.
Once home, Selene helped her mother make supper. Frieda had always liked Mrs. Redwing, and often ordered bread from her when she didn’t have time to make any herself. It was considered a treat by the family, since the Redwings’ bread was always delicious. Frieda was keen on making a good impression on the woman.
Jenson arrived home shortly before six o’clock. He greeted Selene, who was reading a book on the couch by that time, with a kiss on the cheek. She smiled at him, which startled him a little. She had been depressed since Tornado’s death, and her smiles had become almost extinct.
“What are you so happy about?” he asked, joining her on the couch. He couldn’t help but smile in return.
“That wasn’t a happy smile; it was a nervous smile,” Selene admitted.
“Well, I find it very difficult to distinguish between the two. I believe your nervous smile is brighter than your happy smile.”
Selene laughed. “If you say so.”
It was good to hear her laugh again. “What are you nervous about, anyway?” Jenson asked. “Is something going on? I can smell turkey cooking. Who’s coming over for supper?”
“You are very perceptive,” Selene said. “There is someone coming for supper. I invited her to come today when I was at her house earlier. She had a broken mirror that she had asked me to fix for her, and I figured it would be a good excuse to go over and see her. I fixed the mirror, and then I-”
“Selene. Calm down, please.” She had been talking fast, which was something she wasn’t in the habit of doing, unless she was avoiding something. Jenson grabbed her hand in an attempt to reassure her. “Who is coming over for supper?”
“Mrs. Redwing,” Selene finally admitted. Then she started babbling again before Jenson could react. “I didn’t tell her you were here, and she didn’t seem to know. I kind of hinted, and I think she knew what I meant, but I didn’t explicitly say it was you, and she didn’t ask. She said she’d come, anyway. She has three daughters, you know... well, I suppose you might not have known that. Anyway, they won’t be coming because Mrs. Redwing didn’t want to be too much of a burden on us, and they have work to do at home. Mrs. Redwing and her girls are all bakers, and they make the very best bread in the whole village. We’ve ordered a cake or two from them in the past as well for special occasions. We had one for Dahlia’s last birthday, and it was the most amazing thing I’d ever tasted.”
Jenson just kind of stared at her with his mouth half open.
“What?” Selene asked.
Jenson was surprised that she didn’t start babbling again, and he smiled. He found it kind of endearing. “Um, nothing. Do you know when she’ll be here?”
Selene bit her lip. “You aren’t mad that I invited her, are you? I don’t know how you feel about meeting your mother. I really should have asked first.”
“Yes, you should have asked. Then you could have saved yourself all of this worrying. I’m actually excited to meet my mother. I never had a chance to do so before, and I used to be worried that I never would.”
“I think you’ll like her,” Selene said. “I know I do. She’ll like you, too. She’s a very friendly woman.”
“Is my father dead?” Jenson asked solemnly. He already expected the answer.
“Yes. I’m sorry, Jenson. He died a couple of years ago. I can’t really tell you anything about him because I never really knew him. I saw him around a few times, and I can say that you looked like him, though he had dark eyes. Mrs. Redwing will be able to tell you about him, I hope.”
Mrs. Redwing arrived a few minutes later. Supper was cooked and set out by that time, and Jenson and Selene were still chatting in the living room. When the knock on the door was heard, they both jumped up. Selene nervously patted her hair and smoothed the wrinkles in her dress, and Jenson went into the kitchen instead of going to the door. Selene answered it herself.
“How do you do?” Mrs. Redwing greeted Selene when she opened the door. She was still looking a little pale.
“I’m alright. Please come in, Mrs. Redwing. Supper is all ready and waiting in the kitchen.”
“It does smell delicious. Please Selene, call me April. There is no need for formalities.”
Selene noticed that Mrs. Redwing was peering around, as if she were looking for something. Or, more specifically, for someone. “He is in the kitchen. Shall we go and sit down? The whole family should be in there by now.”
Indeed, when they entered the kitchen, everyone else was sitting down. Frieda, Velkan,
Dahlia, Henry, and Jenson where arranged about the small table. The two remaining seats at the crowded table were on either side of Jenson, who looked up nervously at his mother. Then he smiled.
“I think you’ve met everyone else here, but this is Jenson Redwing,” Selene told Mrs. Redwing before sitting down.
Mrs. Redwing took her seat next to Jenson and stared at him. Then she reached out and pulled him into her arms. “Oh, Jenson; I thought I’d never get to see you again. The day they took you from me was the most difficult day of my life.” When she pulled back they both had tears in their eyes.
“It’s good to see you too, Mom,” Jenson said. He tried to keep his voice calm, but it shook slightly.
There was a loud sniffing sound, and Selene looked over to her other side and saw her mother dabbing her eyes with a napkin. When she saw everyone looking at her she shrugged. “It’s a beautiful moment. I wish I could experience the same with my boys. At least I got to see them yesterday.”
Mrs. Redwing looked over at her. “You know, I heard about what happened in the square yesterday, but I wasn’t there myself. I was too busy working to even notice that there was something going on.” She turned to Selene. “If I had been there, I certainly would have supported you, dear.”
“Thanks, Mrs. Redwing,” Selene said. “I doubt that it would have made much of a difference, though. There wasn’t much we could do after Wicesla showed up.”
“Yes, I heard she’s quite powerful. I’m just glad that my boy got out of the forest in time. How did you become normal, anyway?”
Jenson glanced quickly at Selene. “I fell in love, just like the others.”
Mrs. Redwing was quick to realize who he had fallen in love with. She didn’t comment on the fact that Selene was only seventeen. “Well, congratulations you two. I hope you’ll invite me to your wedding, whenever it is.”
Jenson grinned at the realization that they could get married. At least, they could get married when Selene turned eighteen. “Of course you’ll be invited. You are my mother, after all. Of course, Selene has to agree to marry me first.” He winked at her.
She pretended to look at him appraisingly. “I don’t know... I might find someone else before then,” she joked.
Everyone laughed, even Mrs. Redwing.