12. Sparkle #2
“No.” Mother turns to him. “I did, with my years of service to the covens. They erased the debt because of me, not because of what you sent home. You chose to run away, to live on the run, trying to chase away your truth. But you can’t.
This never should have been a permanent solution, but that’s what you chose.
This.” She pats my hand. “Over your family.”
“I chose to make a living.”
“And like I pointed out earlier,” I say, “Mama’s income does more than enough to take care of the entire family.
Besides that, Hex always takes care of her people.
If we needed food, we could go to the community garden or ask the grocery, and they would give us food.
That’s how it works here, and you know it.
I don’t understand why you felt the need to leave. ”
Mother drops a hand to my shoulder and squeezes. “There’s a lot you don’t know. And I do understand his feelings, but I don’t love that he put his shame on you. You deserve to live your most whimsical life. And if that means leaving home, I give you my blessing.”
“I’m not leaving Hex,” I say. “But I think I will find someplace else to live, if you’re okay with that.” I look back to papa. “If you think he’ll be able to help you with everything you need.”
Mom chuckles again. “I don’t think he’ll ever be as good as you at helping me run my business and the household.
But you do deserve to live the life that you want.
You shouldn’t have to run around after little ones that aren’t even yours.
They’re your siblings, not your children.
You deserve to go find love, romance, enjoy an evening to yourself without wondering if anyone will hear you. ”
Heat creeps up my skin, and I laugh. “Yeah, I’m not talking about masturbation with my mother.”
She just chuckles again.
Papa rolls his eyes. “Well, I guess that’s settled. If you don’t want to leave tonight, you don’t have to. You’re a grown man. You can do what you want.” He throws his hands in the air and stomps toward the living room.
Mama sighs. “He’ll be fine. And we’ll love him until he loves himself. Like I tried before he ran away.” Her face drops, and I hold her again.
“It’s okay if you need to leave him.”
“I’m aware.” She laughs. “But he’s different with me.”
“That’s because you never made him stay and be part of the family,” I say.
Ferris wraps his arms around my waist. “He won’t hate me, right?” He looks at Mom with big eyes.
“Baby, he’ll never hate you. And he doesn’t hate you either, Sparkle. He hates himself. And it projects.”
“Yeah, it projects quite a bit,” I mumble. “I don’t appreciate it.”
“Neither do I,” Mother says. “I’ll work on him. We’ll get therapy. Something. But I’m just glad that he’s home.” She closes my hand over the pendant. “Use this wisely. Don’t let it take over your life like it did his.”
“I promise,” I say. “But why has no one told me that my father and I shared the same partial shift?” We could have bonded over it.
Mother sighs again. “Because the pendant helps erase the memory of those who knew before. But now that I’ve taken the crutch away, his parents and siblings and nieces and nephews, who all knew before, will remember now.”
“Try it on,” Ferris says.
I swallow, looking up at Mother, and she nods as well. “We should make sure that it works for you before we send you off.”
I pull the last charm from Drake from my pocket. “I used to sneak out of Hex.”
Mama smiles. “I know. I tried working harder to get a second pendant, but they’re so expensive. We just couldn’t afford it.”
“I didn’t need you to do that,” I say.
Mama swipes hair from my face. “I wanted to make sure my children were happy, and you deserved to leave Hex if you wanted to.”
I shake my head. “I don’t want to leave Hex.
Hex is amazing. But I did want the option to travel, and the charms only gave me about four hours.
Four to six. But I was always too scared to push them too far.
I only went out into the human world around Halloween after Drake died.
” Didn’t wanna waste my charms if I didn’t have to.
Her face drops, and she looks away. “I wish we could have gotten a second pendant.”
“No, it’s better this way. And I like myself. That’s all that matters,” I say.
There’s a knock at the front door before it slams open.
“Surprise!” my twin sisters say in unison.
They’re the second oldest, and they’ve been traveling the country after graduating high school.
“Did you miss us?” Fiona says.
“Because we missed you,” says Francine.
I had missed them, but perhaps more for selfish reasons than because I couldn’t see them daily.
They stroll in with their suitcases rolling behind them.
We all dole out hugs with Ferris bouncing on his toes.
The twins are tanner than when they were at home.
They talk over each other trying to tell us stories and a bit of jealousy wants to rise in my heart, but I stomp it down.
They deserve to live how they wish, as we all do.
Mama gives them both long hugs and holds them tight. “How about we hold off until dinner before you tell us the fun stuff?”
Papa continues to sulk wherever he went. I don’t care. He won’t ruin this homecoming for my sisters.
I still clutch the pendant. I’m not sure I’m ready to see if it works for me or not. Mama seems to notice, and she presses a kiss to my temple.
“It’ll be there when you’re ready.” No one noticed our little exchange because the twins entertain Ferris.
My other three siblings, Flora, Faye, and Frances, all waltz in as well, each with their book bags and gossip from the classes they just came from.
Mama smiles. The whole family is home again. It’s been so long.
“Won’t you stay for dinner?” she asks me. “And stay the night. You can leave in the morning if you want. But let’s be one happy family again, just for the evening.”
“Okay,” I say. “I’ll do it for you.”