Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Eight
T o Sirena there was nothing more witchy and alluring than a full moon.
She stood out on the porch studying the celestial object and bathing in the moonlight. It was the Monday after Thanksgiving, so the fridge was nearly empty of leftovers. Rather than let Sirena cook the entire meal per previous tradition, everyone pitched in and cooked a dish for the dinner. The young’uns made leaf rubbings and traced their hands to make turkeys as decorations, which were taped all over the walls next to family pictures. Lucy and Ursula rallied people in their magical circle and made sure that there was enough food for all the guests and family.
Sirena cooked the huge turkey and stuffing, making sure to rub it down with the herb butter recipe Nana and Great-Aunt Winnie had handed down to her. Lucy and Alex cooked the sides: mashed potatoes, collard greens, and sweet peas. Alex even made seaweed-wrapped appetizers, which Uncle Leo devoured while watching football. Auntie Niesha and Ursula took care of the desserts, making sure to bring sweet potato pie, German chocolate cake, and coffee cake that had people going back for seconds. Xavier and his godmother, Whitney, being fae, brought vegetarian dishes that were savory and delicious. Poe and Theo brought over paper leaf decorations and strung up banners on the walls and archways. Gus brought two coolers filled with sodas, water, seltzers, and every kind of drink anyone could request or want.
Quentin, being the ultimate organizer, helped utilize the space to pack as many people in the Caraway house as possible comfortably. All day, the house was filled with friendly conversations, screams of victory from board games being played, and magic spells being cast. People from all over the Grove dropped in and gathered with the Caraways to celebrate their community and break bread with them. With every bite of food and hug, Sirena felt the love and support of her family and friends and had to keep from weeping.
So far November had been filled with pleasant surprises and memories. Now that the month was ending, she had one last memory to make. Sirena sat on the front porch, scribbling down a few notes in her recipe book.
The front door opened, and Lucy poked her head out. “There you are. Are you ready?”
Sirena held up her notebook. “I’m ready. I got inspired by the moonlight. I was just writing down a few recipe ideas.”
Lucy joined Sirena on the porch. “Are these new ideas for Lighthouse?”
“No, these recipes are all for me,” Sirena said.
Lucy glanced at the stained, thick notebook and grinned. “It’s almost full. I know what I’m getting you for the holidays.”
“I’d like that,” Sirena said.
Lucy bent her head slightly forward. “It’s great to see you writing again.”
Inwardly, Sirena beamed with pride, delighted that she’d managed to get her writing mojo back. In the mornings, before she checked her phone, she reached for her notebook and wrote down any cooking ideas and magical thoughts that had come to her overnight. At night, she experimented with new dishes and had fun with making meals with Lucy and Alex. There were moments in the kitchen when she burnt toast or forgot to turn down the flame, but she laughed it off. If she cooked with love and trusted in her magic, then she’d never fail herself or her family.
Lucy held out her pinky finger to Sirena. “Let’s make a promise.”
Sirena laughed. “Okay.”
Lucy sighed. “Promise me we won’t let wishes or magic keep us from talking to each other. Husbands. Lovers. Gnomes. Jeans. No matter where life takes us—to Ocean City or Osaka—we’ll always talk and listen.”
Sirena hooked her pinky with Lucy’s. “I promise. Always.”
Lucy took her by the hand and held it. She sobered up, as though the importance of the last month had finally hit her. Lucy’s voice came out in a shaky tremble. “You stayed. You fed us. You healed us. I’ll always love you, Si.”
And I’d do it again in a heartbeat , Sirena thought, but she couldn’t bring herself to speak. She was too overwhelmed by her emotions at that moment.
Lucy took her hand back and waved at her face, as if trying to keep her tears at bay.
“Let’s get inside before Ursula starts charging the crystals without us.”
Sirena nodded. They went back into the house and went into the living room. Callie, in a cream sweater and jeans, was flipping through the spellbook, jotting down a few notes on a piece of paper. Ursula, in a blousy dress that reached her ankles, lined up her crystals on the mantel, polishing an amethyst as big as her palm. Her eyes went expectantly to Sirena, then to Lucy.
“Hey y’all hey. What’s the plan for tonight?”
It was time for Sirena to work her magic. She took out her notebook. “I wrote a new spell I’d like to add to our book.”
Callie spun around, her mouth slightly ajar. Ursula, stunned, put her amethyst into her pocket. Lucy stared at the paper as if it were a million-dollar check.
“Really? You’ve never added anything, have you?” she said.
Sirena glanced at the spellbook; its pages shone in response to her words. “That book’s given me so much. It’s about time I added to it.”
Callie made a grabby hand motion for Sirena’s paper, but she moved it out of her reach.
“Come on! Tell us what mischief we’re going to do tonight.”
Sirena held the lined paper in front of her. “I’ll read it. I’m open to feedback, so let me know what you think. I’m not as talented as you all are.”
Lucy snorted in disbelief. Ursula rolled her eyes, amused. Callie rolled her wrist, motioning for her to get on with it.
Sirena read off the paper. “To Invoke the Elements, by S. Caraway. To be performed during a full moon. Gather four together and sit in a circle. Light a candle to invoke the element of fire. The first person will say, ‘I invoke fire to fuel my [state goal].’ Each person will present a gift representing one of the other four classical elements with their wish for the first person. Once everyone has properly presented their element, then the eldest of the group will end the spell by saying, ‘We invoke these elements for [state member name] to [repeat intention/goal].’ Give thanks. Extinguish the candle. Make modifications and accommodations when needed to allow those who might need to present their elements in another way, like describing the element through touch or drawing the element if gathering the element is an issue.”
Sirena glanced up, meeting her sisters’ and cousin’s faces.
Her stomach churned. “Is that okay? Should I revise it? I want to make sure future Caraways know that you don’t need money to practice your craft. That magic can meet you where you’re at, no matter what.”
Lucy, Callie, and Ursula traded a look, then faced Sirena.
Ursula spoke for the group. “It’s perfect. Let’s get to work.”
The uneasiness faded from Sirena’s stomach and was replaced with calmness.
Lucy, Callie, and Ursula shuffled around the room while Sirena prepped the table for their work. She brought a pillar candle and a box of matches from their stash in the kitchen. Her hands buzzed with the familiar sense of homegrown magic. She placed her items on the table, and soon they were all gathered. Sirena retrieved a match, struck it on the side of the box, and whoosh —the match sparked to life. She lit the pillar candle but held on to the lit match.
Sirena let it burn for a second, then spoke. “I invoke fire to fuel my heart and ignite my spark.”
She stared at the flame; then with a quick breath, she blew out the match.
Lucy placed a small jar of ocean water on the table. “I invoke water to aid you and nourish your body.”
Ursula presented a heart-shaped crystal stone that glittered. “I invoke earth to ground you in success and fortune.”
Callie gave a cone of incense. “I invoke air to carry your talent to the right ears and minds.”
Lucy turned to Sirena. Her chin trembled as she spoke, her words reverberating with the authority of a firstborn witch. “We invoke these elements to support our sister Sirena to embark on her journey. Let water nourish her body, let earth support her feet, let the air fill her lungs, and let the fire warm her soul. Let our love and magic be with you to guide you and protect you always. We give our thanks.”
Sirena rose and blew out the candle. She brought in Lucy for a tight hug, and they held each other for a few heartbeats. Callie and Ursula joined in, and the four of them held one another.
They’d talk over tea tomorrow morning and many teas afterward. Her imagination conjured up a vision of her, Lucy, Callie, and Ursula sitting together at a kitchen table, showing off pictures of their respective families and friends on their phones. In that image, they were all either turning gray or had their hair dyed a fun, bright color. Their faces were covered in the wrinkles, laugh lines, and moles they’d gain through age and time. Sirena’s heart rejoiced at this image of the four of them cackling like gleeful crones filled with absolute joy.