Epilogue
Sephy had lit candles in every window of her home to lead the way back for their loved ones and ancestors.
The veil was at its thinnest and she had prepared a beautiful feast – her special chicken and vegetable crock pot stew with the aromas of fresh thyme and parsley filling the air; kneading the dough for the rosemary bread by hand to dip into it; freshly baked pumpkin pie; homemade vanilla and lavender ice cream that she had lovingly crafted, infusing it with her love and magic for them all to share after the last of the trick or treaters had gone home, washed down with some hot apple cider.
In the hallway, Dora was filling the huge plastic cauldrons full of candy. She opened the cupboard door and took out the bag with the witch hats inside.
‘I have a gift for you, Lenny and Sephy.’
‘Ooh, I love surprises.’ Sephy clapped her hands together.
Lenny did not look amused as Dora pulled a purple, white and black witch hat out of the bag. Sephy took the deep purple crushed velvet hat into her fingers and sighed.
‘This is truly beautiful.’ She placed it on her head much to Lenny’s disgust.
Dora held the black hat towards her aunt.
‘Dora, you can keep it, I am not wearing that thing for love or money.’
‘Don’t be so rude, dear, at least try it on.’
Sephy was grinning at her sister, and Dora thought that Lenny might just explode into a thousand bats and fly away to get away from this.
‘Here.’ Sephy took the black hat and placed it on Lenny’s head.
‘Dora, put the white one on, these are beautiful. Stephanie did a wonderful job, did she not? Morana, can you take a photograph of us, please, on the front porch? Dora, grab the cauldron full of candy; Lenny, you stand next to the carved pumpkins on the left and Hades, you sit on my arm.’
Sephy was clapping her hands with glee. Lenny rolled her eyes but followed them out onto the porch. Morana was grinning at all three of them. She put them into position then stepped back to snap some photos.
‘You all look amazing.’
‘We all look stupid,’ growled Lenny.
‘Ladies, you look like the most beautiful witches Salem has ever seen.’
Ambrose was leaning across the garden gate, dressed as a scarecrow, tufts of straw falling all over the sidewalk that Hades kept scooping up to make a nest with. Dora blew him a kiss that he caught with his hands, holding them to his heart, and she giggled with delight.
‘Have you quite finished?’ asked Lenny, tugging the hat off her head and handing it to Morana. ‘I’m too old for this, but you would look fabulous wearing it. Let me take a picture of you and Dora.’
Morana’s cheeks blushed deep red, but she took the hat and held it out to Dora to swap with her. Dora then grabbed her arm, linking hers through it and whispered, ‘See, light and dark, sisters forever.’
Morana didn’t pull away. She squeezed Dora’s arm and said a silent prayer of thanks to whoever was listening for letting her find these beautiful women that she would protect for all of eternity, the same way they had stepped forward to protect her when they never had to do that.
All of Morana’s wishes had come true. She had never really wanted money or power, just a family to call her own, a family who would take away the loneliness and pain she had felt since losing her mom.
And she couldn’t think of anyone better than the English women who were just perfect for the job.
***
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