Page 62 of The Gargoyle and the Songbird

“Oh, child,” she says. “Just having you here is medicine enough.”

But I owe her more than just a visit. After all, Velda was there for me during one of the toughest times in my life.

I turn to Graeme, wanting to explain.

“Did you know that Velda was my math teacher when I was younger? When my mom left, I didn’t get out of bed for a week. But when I finally came back to school, Velda put a rainbow in the sky for me every day for a month.”

Graeme’s eyes widen. “That’s incredible,” he rumbles, looking over at Velda.

Velda waves off our words, a wistful smile playing at her mouth.

“Oh, that? That was nothing, dear. Just a bit of magic to brighten your day.” She chuckles, a faraway look in her eyes. “You know, I had a bet going with Myrtle. She didn’t think I could keep the rainbows going for that long. But I was determined to prove her wrong.”

At the mention of Myrtle, Velda’s eyes grow misty, and her hands tremble, rattling her teacup against its saucer. She sets it down on the coffee table.

“If she were here now, she’d tell me to stop being such a baby. To just suck it up and tell this cold and snow to go away. She always had such vim, such spirit. She never had any patience for my little moods.”

My heart clenches as I watch Velda’s composure crumble, the older woman’s shoulders shaking with silent sobs.

I reach out and take her hand again, offering what little comfort I can.

“I’m so sorry, Velda. I can’t even imagine how hard this must be for you. To lose your other half, your soulmate...”

My own voice cracks, and Graeme’s arm wraps around my shoulders, pulling me close. In this moment, I’m grateful for his steady presence, even as my own emotions threaten to overwhelm me.

I want to be strong for Velda, but I can’t help but feel the echoes of her grief resonating in my own heart. My time with Graeme is temporary. We haven’t talked about what we are, yet,and I know he has to go back to his clan after this protection assignment.

The thought of losing Graeme, of facing a life without him… it’s almost too much to bear.

How did he become so important to me so quickly?

But I push those thoughts aside, focusing instead on the witch in front of me.

“We’re here for you, Velda,” I say, my voice gentle. “Whatever you need, whatever we can do. We’re not going anywhere.”

Velda swipes at her eyes with the corner of her quilt, a shuddering breath escaping her lips.

“I just can’t believe she’s really gone,” she says. “We knew it was coming, and I thought… I thought that would make it easier, somehow. But everywhere I turn, there are reminders of her. Of the life we shared. And without her, I’m so… so alone.”

Her words seem to fill the room with a palpable sense of loss.

I can see the way grief clings to her, like a specter that haunts her. It’s in the slump of her shoulders, the hollowness of her cheeks, the way her eyes seem to drift to some distant point beyond the confines of this cozy living room.

I turn our conversation back to gentle remembrances from my childhood, and time passes in quiet companionship, our conversation broken only by the occasional sniffle or hiccup as Velda’s tears slowly subside.

Eventually, Graeme and I take our leave, promising to check in on Velda again soon.

A heavy silence falls between us. It’s as if the weight of Velda’s sorrow has followed us out the door, clinging to our skin like a shroud.

We walk quietly together for a few moments, trudging through yet another new layer of freshly fallen snow, and as we make our way back towards the center of town, my mind begins to whirl with a sudden realization.

What if Velda’s illness, her inability to control her powers… what if it’s not a physical ailment at all?

What if the true sickness, the real root of her suffering, is the all-consuming grief that has taken hold of her heart?

The thought stops me in my tracks, and I feel Graeme’s questioning gaze on me as I turn to face him.

“I think I know what’s wrong with Velda,” I say, my words coming fast as I share my revelation. “It’s not the flu that’s keeping her magic in turmoil. It’s… it’s her broken heart. She’s lost the love of her life, and it’s tearing her apart from the inside out.”

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