“I don’t like this,” I tell her as I lean my head into the abandoned room.
It was clearly meant for a baby. The white railed crib is full of light purple blankets and different stuffed animals. The mobile above the crib is the lunar cycle of the moon. There’s a rocking chair that’s similar to the ones we were just sitting on the back porch.
The last thing that catches my eye is a white chest, dead center in the middle of the room.
Violet makes the first step in the room, not sharing her thoughts, but I swear her light blue eyes are watery with tears.
She gets down on to her knees and tugs at the chest, to no avail. She pulls her wand out, placing the tip at the lock and saying words under her breath, and the lock goes flying open.
Fuck it. Tonight can’t get any weirder, so I come and sit beside her. Her hands shake as she touches the lid to the chest.
“Do you want me to do it?” I ask and she nods as I push the lid back.
I expected it to be full of stuff, but there’s only one thing inside, a legal sized manilla envelope.
Violet’s hands are trembling as she reaches in, and swirls the thread to open it, delicately emptying its contents onto the floor.
There’s a ripped picture, the half she still has is of a pregnant woman, white blonde hair, cradling her stomach. Violet rubs her thumb over the portrait and grabs the next one.
They’re all ripped in half, but all of her mother being pregnant with her.
“She looked happy,” Violet whispers.
“She does,” I agree.
Violet gasps as she sees a postcard with a picture of the French Quarter that says Welcome to New Orleans on the back.
“Holy shit,” she whispers, her eyes scanning the letter over and over.
Her tears threaten to drip on to the page and she wipes them away. “Is there a necklace in there?” she asks and I double check the envelope.
“No,” I reply with a shake of my head, and Violet looks up to the ceiling before handing me the postcard.
My Dearest Violet,
I dream of you every night. I knew the moment the healer told me I was pregnant that your name would be Violet. You’re our world and as excited as I am to hold you in my arms, I fear I’ll never get the chance.
I hope you’re reading this letter next to me on the gazebo on the back of the property. But if what I fear has come true, there’s a chance I failed you.
Know that I love you.
Know that magic always binds us.
The moon necklace will always protect you.
I love you to the moon and back.
Mom
I furrow my brows, not knowing what to do. There’s a deep part of me that wants to console Violet, my mate. There’s another part of me that wants to leave this uncomfortable emotional situation.
Violet flattens all the photos next to each other, along with the postcard.
“They were all taken in the French Quarter,” she says, pointing to every single photo.
“Listen, Violet. I’m glad you found something out about your mother. But I don’t see how this helps with our situation.”
She glares at me before looking back down at the photos.
