I didn’t think I’lleverforget that moment—no matter how old I get.
I triedreallyhard not to laugh while my uncles bickered inside the wrong bodies.
Since I was technically in trouble, I wasn’tsupposedto smile…but every time Payne tried to talk to Aunt Joy from inside Uncle Sebastian’s body, she shut him down with a glare and said, “Not until you’re back in your own body.”
It only got more embarrassing when thewholefamily showed up.
While Mom and Aunt Isabella fixed my spell and switched everyone back, Dad pulled me aside for a lecture. But when I returned to the family room? Everyone was cracking jokes about it.
So, naturally, I acted like it was all part of my plan from the beginning.
Right in the middle of telling myvery dramaticversion of events, everything shifted. The air changed. The room quieted.
A little horned boy materialized beside Grandpa.
My eyes went wide. He was younger than me—maybe five—with black skin veined in pulsing orange light. His eyes were bright blue, glowing like embers. And he even had a tail.
He wassmilingup at Grandpa with such a sweet look on his face—kind of the same look my cousins and brother gave Grandpa when he told us one of his awesome stories.
Grandma’s lips trembled as she stepped toward him.
Grandpa was frozen, eyes locked on the little boy.
“Grandpa. Grandma,” the boy said happily, then began rattling off our names like he already knew us.
When he looked at me and said, “Chloe, we’re going to have so much fun,” Ibelievedhim.
I smiled back, curious. “Who are you?”
He laughed like I’d asked the silliest thing. “I’m your cousin. I’ve waited so long to see you guys!”
Grandma dropped to her knees, grabbing his hands. “What’s your name? What’s my grandson’s name?”
“I’m Damien,” he beamed. “Mom said to give you this.”
He hugged her. Grandma wrapped her arms around him, eyes glistening with tears.
“She also said for you guys to watch me for a few hours so she and Dad could havealonetime.”
That made some grownups chuckle through their shock.
Damien looked up at Grandpa, hopeful. “Are you happy to see me? Mom said you didn’t know I existed, but you’d be happy. She helped me learn how to fade here so I could visit. She can’t see you herself.”
Grandpa’s eyes welled. He gently patted Damien’s head. “Thank you for working so hard. I’m so glad to meet you, Damien. You have your mother’s eyes.” He cleared his throat. “Is your mom…okay?”
“Oh, yes!” Damien grinned. “We have so many pets. Mom loves them—but not as much as she loves me and Dad. And I’m gonna have a baby brother soon!”
He paused, looking around. “Can I come every day? Everyone always looks like they’re having fun.”
Grandma laughed softly. “I’ll be sad if you don’t.”
Damienbeamed.
“Oh, and I almost forgot!” he added. “Mom says she loves everyone. And she’s happy. She promised to see you again one day.”
Grandma and Grandpa pulled him into a tight hug, both crying freely now. Everyone got their turn to hug Damien, and he soaked up the attention like sunlight.
And me?
