Page 93 of Wicked Warlock
I sighed. “No. Neither of you were.”
“I can prove it to you.” She rose to her feet. “Come on. We have arrangements to make.”
“How can I believe anything you’ve ever said to me?” I crossed my arms over my chest.
She moved to stand in front of me and met my gaze. “Because I’m your mom and I will always be here for you. Always.”
Her eyes were so like my own. Everything about her was warm and familiar. This was the stuff that Tilly and I always dreamed of. I wanted to believe her. To know that I was loved and wanted. Evermore was a cruel world to live in. But it was my world and hers and Beckett’s. It might be cruel but I’d never felt stronger or more like myself here. We all belonged here…together. If we didn’t have each other then we had nothing. “I want to believe you.”
“Just give me time and you’ll know the truth. That I love you, I have always loved you. How could I not? You’re amazing and I am here to stay.”
Could it be true? Was she always there in the shadows making sure I was okay? I gave her single nod. It was time for all of us to look to the future. I wanted my family back together with Beckett, my mom, and Tilly. It was going to take work, but looking at her warm smile I knew it would be worth it.
“Time, is something I have to give.”
Epilogue
Astrid
2 Days Later—Thanksgiving
“Whatever you do, don’t make a river through this apartment again,” Beckett teased as he threw his arm over my shoulder and pulled me closer.
“Very funny.” Truth was, I was super nervous. My dad was going to see my mom for the first time since she left us, and although she told me he was in on it, I found it really hard to believe.
Beckett lowered his head down next to mine to whisper in my ear. “It’ll be okay.”
My mother, Ophelia, Cross, Catherine, Zinnia, Tuck, and Penny all stood outside the door of the apartment. Ophelia shuffled from one foot to the other. “Does everyone have everything?”
Cross sighed. “Yes, all three hundred pounds of it.”
“Hey.” She whirled around on him. “It’s my first family Thanksgiving, and you all will eat every single piece of food that I conjured up. Do you know how hard it is to fight off Maze and that damn demon cat?”
A pang of pain shot through my chest. I always did Thanksgiving with Tilly. But this year she wouldn’t come, and now I was doing a true first Thanksgiving and I didn’t know how it felt. Beckett chuckled. “My first Thanksgiving too.”
Cross’ brow furrowed. “Mine too.”
“I’m not sure what Thanksgiving really is.” Penny sniffed at the plate in her hand. “But I think these mashed potatoes smell amazing. So, I’m ready to eat.”
“So are you gonna knock on the door or not?” Zinnia took a step toward it. “Because I’m starving. If you don’t knock, then I will.”
“No, I got it.” I didn’t knock. I just grabbed the doorknob and twisted it and shoved the door open.
My dad stood in the living room, waiting. It had been so long since I’d last seen him and so much had changed. Yet there he was, looking exactly as I remembered him. He was tall and slender with dark brown hair that was trimmed closely to his head and combed back perfectly. He wore tailored black dress pants and a blue button-down shirt. He shoved his hands into his pockets. “Hi, honey.”
“Dad, hi.” Though he hadn’t been around, part of me reverted back to that little girl. The one who wanted her parents with her and wanted so desperately to believe all the things my mother had said. He opened his arms to me, and I walked to him to give our traditional little bitty hug, but when I got to him, he threw his arms around me and pulled me in tightly. It was very different, warmer.
He squeezed me then let me go. “Are these your friends?”
“Oh, yeah. This is Zinnia and Tuck her, um, boyfriend? Ophelia and Cross. Catherine and Penndolyn. And this…” I motioned to Beckett. “This is my boyfriend, Beckett.”
The others all filtered into the apartment. Ophelia pointed toward the table and started ordering everyone around. “Okay, I saw it on TV. The turkey goes in the middle.”
“Boyfriend.” Beckett chuckled under his breath. “Yeah, that sums it up.”
He extended his hand out toward my father. “Nice to meet you, sir.”
“Please call me George.”
