Chapter 22 #2
I swung my legs over the couch and patted the seat beside me. “Come over here.”
“But you’re sick.” Pale, guileless eyes blinked at me.
My heart softened. “I’m not sick. Only wounded, and I’m already on the mend.”
Tess rose and came over, curling her feet underneath her. I put an arm around her shoulders and hugged her close. “Are you okay?”
She nodded. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
Tess was young and unusual even among her peers. She had one foot in the world and the other in the land of the dead. As much as it pained me to think about, Tess might always have a difficult time in the world. Banshees weren’t common in Joy Springs, and Tess was unusual even for one of her kind.
“Sometimes people can say something that hurts us, even when they don’t mean to. It’s okay to be upset by those words, Tess. We don’t always have to be strong.”
Tess swallowed and looked down at her lap. “Ash is hurting. Because of me.”
“I know he is, honey. But he’s going to be okay. I promise.”
She sniffed. “I can’t help but be what I am. I tried really hard to be what he wanted, but I couldn’t.”
Oh, to be young again. I blinked away the tears forming in my eyes. “You don’t have to be anything other than Tess. Someday, someone will come along and love you in all the ways you need them to. Maybe that person will be Ash. Maybe it won’t. But I promise you, it will happen.”
Tess’s gaze lingered on the still-closed door Ash and Moira lingered behind. “I want us to be okay. But when he looks at me, I see pain. And it hurts me here.” She laid a hand over her heart. “I don’t know how to fix it.”
“Again, Tess, it will take time. Everything is new and like any wound, it needs time to heal.”
Tess nodded. “I’ll try to do better.”
I shook my head. “No.” I pulled her closer and kissed her temple. “You don’t need to do anything.” Whether she would listen only time would tell. “Keep being you. That’s all we can do.”
The door opened. Moira came out, her eyes flashing a bright emerald. Ash walked out with his head lowered and his hands in his pockets.
“You ready to go?” he asked Tess.
She slid out of my arms and walked to the door. “Ready when you are.”
Moira went to the kitchen and put the kettle on. Her shoulders were tight, and her mouth was pressed into a white line.
“Evie,” Ash said. “I’m glad to see you’re doing okay.”
“I’ll be at work before the end of the week. Hopefully in the next couple of days.”
“Don’t rush on our account. Everything is fine.” He bent to brush a kiss over my cheek. “Get some rest.”
I waved at Tess who smiled shyly.
A moment later they were gone.
Moira didn’t speak for several minutes until she set a steaming cup before me. “Drink one more of these. I want you to go to bed early.”
“Aw Mom. But I wanna watch tv!”
A reluctant smile tugged at her lips. “Brat.” She flopped onto the chair. “Ash is an idiot.”
“Did he really say she wasn’t normal?”
She sighed and nodded. “He put his foot in it. I don’t think he’ll do it again.”
“Not after that tongue lashing I suspect you gave him.”
Moira groaned and curled her feet underneath her. “Men can be so dumb when it comes to the opposite sex.”
“True story.” I tilted my mug in a salute. “Bottoms up.”
When I finished, Moira took the mug. “We’ll look at your weird lock tomorrow. I can see in your eyes you’re exhausted.” She motioned for me to get up. “I’ll tuck you in.”
I laughed and shoved her shoulder. “Jerk.”
She looped her arm within mine and lay her head on my shoulder, though it was awkward because she was a little taller than me. When I went into the closet to get my pajamas on, she turned down the covers and waited.
My stomach still pulled a little, but I was worlds better than I was this morning. I took my shirt off and examined the still healing skin, the angry pink scar already lighter than earlier. Once I was ready and had brushed my teeth and washed my face, I slid under the covers next to Moira.
“Want me to stay here or sleep in the guest room?”
“I’m fine to sleep alone. Whatever the hell was in that brew was miraculous. You could sell that stuff and be a millionaire.”
She wiggled her fingers. “It’s magic!”
“Uh huh. Keep your secrets for now, but one day I hope you trust me enough to share them.”
Moira rolled onto her side and watched me, her dark eyes serious. She reached a pale hand out, and I entwined our fingers. “I trust you more than anyone in my entire life,” she said quietly.
“Then why don’t you share things about your life with me?”
A small smile touched her lips. “Because I don’t want to look back. Looking forward is the only way I can survive.” She reached out and touched my cheek before pulling away. “One day, maybe,” she promised. “But not today.”
Moira reached over and adjusted the blankets, making me laugh when she tucked my feet in like a little kid.
“If you’re good, I’ll make waffles tomorrow,” she said.
“As long as you use real maple syrup.” A yawn escaped me.
“We’ll see.” She flipped the lamp light off. “Night, Evie.”
“Night. Don’t eat all my cookies.”
Her soft chuckle made me grin.