Melanie's Story Continued

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Chapter 23

Melanie’s mom called the next as if she knew her daughter had purified their home. Melanie and her mom chit chatted away about nothing until her mom asked if she could come for a visit. Her mother said she missed them both so very much since Ireland and she needed to be with them. Melanie could tell her mother was not telling her what was going on, but that her mom needed to escape whatever it was. Melanie smiled and said “Of course” and with that they planned the time for her mom’s arrival and no departure date. 

Melanie’s mom arrived two weeks after the phone call. She had hopped an earlier flight and got a taxi to Melanie’s. She knew the ride would be too much for her grandson and did not want him tired and grumpy upon her arrival. Lucious was in the living room playing on his toy guitar. He wanted to be just like his dad since his mom spoke so highly of him. Lucious heard grandma’s voice before he saw her and he came running to her. He grabbed her legs and wrapped himself around her. “Grandma! Grandma!” he burst out. Her heart damns near burst with joy at the sight of her grandson for he looked so much happier and healthier than the last time she had left him. She dropped her bags, kissed her daughter, and went to the living room to play with her grandson. Melanie just shook her head. It is just like her mom to not call and tell her she changed flights, but Melanie was elated to see her again and carried her bags to the guest room. Earlier she made sure the room was cleaned, purified again, and set up for her mom. She had put a pitcher of water on the nightstand for her. She had a vase full or rosemary and thyme next to the bed. She was ready just in case her mom showed up. After their call, Melanie could feel the tension through the air even though her mom lived so far away. 

Melanie joined everyone in the living room. They all played for hours. Lucious played his guitar for everyone while Melanie played hers and grandma sang for them all. It was a perfect moment. Melanie comprehended there was more to come from her mother, but for now she was content with not asking. After a few hours of playing Melanie excused herself to go make dinner. Her mother appeared and asked her what she was in the mood for. Her mother was itching to use her magic. Melanie reminded her that here they cooked and tried to keep magic out of their lives as much as possible. Melanie spoke “Mom; Magic always attracts evil. I won’t have it done in my home! Ok?” Melanie’s mom nodded and said I have another magic. She picked up the phone, called a restaurant she had checked out online from her home, called them, and placed a huge order to be delivered. Melanie looked stunned. Her mom looked back and blurted out “What? I can go on the internet and do things.” Melanie and her mom both started laughing and forty minutes later they had enough food for at least a week. They ate together and kept the conversation light, but Melanie knew something was underfoot and she just had to wait till she and her mother were alone so she could ask her what was going on. It was killed Melanie to play this game with her mom all day. They both pretended it was just a visit. Griffin rubbed on Melanie’s leg and she leaned down to pet him. He knew too that was no ordinary visit.

The next morning over coffee Melanie and her mom stayed silent. Melanie knew her mom needed to tell her something and Melanie was not going to be the one to ask what it was. Melanie’s mom started crying. She sobbed for the loss of her mother. She told Melanie “There is a whole in my heart that is filled with a vengeance in it and I miss mom so very much.” Melanie got up, walked over to her and just held her in her arms until she was cried out. She kissed her cheek and stated that she too missed grandma so very much. Neither spoke of Ireland, but just of their loss. It was as if she died in her sleep and nothing else happened. They both needed to pretend that was how she died for their own piece of mind. They drank coffee, nibbled on some toast, and talked about grandma until Lucious woke up. They struggled to compose their selves, but he was a perceptive little boy and knew something was wrong. They told him they were just missing grandma and he knew they were telling the truth. He told them with his gift of light he could still talk to grandma and she was fine. She was in the light, happy, and waiting for them to all join up again.

Melanie gave her son a hug and then they all started about the day. Everyone showered and they decided they needed to get outside. Melanie suggested a museum that had exhibits Lucious could play in. The rain outside only allowed them the luxury of doing something inside someone else, but it wasn’t here, so they yearned to go. They all grabbed their wellies and put them on, and then their slickers and they were all ready to go. They all sighed with heavy hearts, but needed a day of fun and headed to the museum. At the museum, Lucious could bang, climb, and dismantle some. The exhibits were interpretive so there was no wrong way of assembly. Lucious made stimulating exhibits. They were filled with his heart. They were light, fun, and made you contemplate what he was trying to say. After they stopped trying to figure out what he was doing, they sat on a nearby bench to watch him. They talked about how far Melanie’s mom lived. Although Melanie thought her mom was going to tell her of something dark and wicked, she finally told her the reason for the visit. Melanie’s mom no longer wanted to be so far away from her daughter and grandson. She said that her mom left her some money and when he own house sold she could afford a brownstone nearby. Melanie hugged her mom so tightly. Lucious saw them out of the corner of his eye and ran over and yelled “What, What tell me!!!” Melanie said grandma is moving closer to us. Grandma said, “Actually I am moving a few blocks away from you.” Melanie and Lucious were so happy. All three of them hugged. Lucious let it slip about mom needing help and Grandma asked what he meant. Lucious continued with “There is evil trying to get her into the birdcage” and with that, he skipped off. Melanie’s mom looked at her and she had a concerned look in her eyes. Melanie promised to tell her mom about it later. This was not the place to speak of such darkness. Her mom nodded and held her daughter a little bit tighter. 

After the museum, no one felt like going home. They decided to go to a café on the outskirts of Melanie and Lucious’s favorite park. The rain had let up to an insignificant mist so they all decided to walk. Lucious walked holding grandma’s hand and chattering away and all she could do was a nod and smile to try and keep up with her grandson’s energy. They arrived at a half-empty café. The rain had kept a lot of people indoors and they were rewarded with their pick of the litter of tables. There was one table in the back middle wall that sat up against the huge tri-window where they could see almost the entire park. They asked to sit there. The waiter said no problem even though the table was for a party of six. No one else was coming in so he simply did not care where they sat. They all ordered hot drinks. They started playing eye spy and kept Lucious busy. Soon Lucious said “I spy with my little eye something black” and Melanie and her mom started looking around the café. At the same times, their eyes both fell on a rather tall and lanky man in a corner booth. He had on a black full-length jacket, black boots, and next to him on the other chair was a rather chunky black hat. It had a large brim to shield him from the rain, but his eyes and hair still looked soaked. Melanie and her mom tried to remain calm, but they had heard of the black men before. It was an old legend of high priest from the dark realm that walked the earth in all black. He could have been an ordinary man and their imaginations were running away from them, but soon he got up, walked by their table on the way out, and tipped his hat on the way out. He stopped for only a second, but they swore he said “Hello Master Lucious.” The hair on all their necks stood up. Melanie and her mother tried to pretend like nothing happened, but the silence was broken when Lucious asked “How does that man know my name? I do not like him; he is filled with the darkness.” Melanie and her mom glanced at each other again. They knew this was another hint of the darkness coming for them. The birdcage was the first attempt, this man was an omen of darkness to come, and all they wanted to do was run home and hide. They were not ready for another battle by any means. They just wanted to be left alone, to enjoy normal lives, and to live in peace. They finished their meal without words and walked home in silence. 

A somber air fell over Melanie’s place. The family inside the cocoon felt stressed. They also felt remorse at losing grandma. Melanie’s Mom sat for a minute contemplating and then grabbed her cell phone. She called her real estate agent and told her to put her bid in for her brownstone, she had waited to tell Melanie and now with the new development of darkness, she knew she had to move now. Within an hour her real estate agent told her the brownstone was hers. She just needed to come in and finish the paperwork. She told her she would be on the next day. Melanie felt a little better that her mom was going to be so near. She had wanted to ask her to move in, or move to the city, a while ago, but did not want to pressure her mom or make her think she could not handle single motherhood on her own. The air in the apartment seemed to be disappearing and even though it was still misting Melanie opened a window. She lit a fire in the hearth and they felt safer, calmer, and more assured of themselves. They were powerful Kellyn women who had defeated Gerd and they needed to remember that. Together they could do it all, but the key was they needed to be together. And now they would be.

Thanks for following along,

your story teller/poet

Debbie

xo