That moment of tension may have been what pushed a few to drink more than they’d intended.By the end of dinner, I carried multiple empty wine bottles into the kitchen as I went to prepare and bake dessert.I vaguely heard people chatting about the gallery.Faith and Frank were explaining to my dad what they did.They said at first they’d worried they might not have jobs long if the gallery wasn’t popular, but that hadn’t been a problem.
Someone, I’m not sure who but it sounded like Elizabeth, made a comment about the family giving back the three million they’d stolen from me so I could pay my employees.Hester asked what Elizabeth was talking about and I raced back in to distract my dad but Elizabeth was already telling Hester I’d paid Gran three million for the cannery my dad had given me.
Dad bolted up as the building began to shake.“What?”he thundered.
I stood in front of him, my hands on his chest.“Please don’t destroy my home.”
Declan pulled me away and slid me behind him.
“Mac!”Mom shouted, standing as well.“Enough.You will not tear down our daughter’s new home.I’m dealing with it.”
The building stopped shaking.
“You knew your mother stole from our child, and you kept the secret?Kept the money?”
The look of disgust on his face hit Mom hard.She dropped back into her chair.“I just learned of it, and I’m working on giving it back.Mom didn’t hoard it.She loaned it to family members in need.Say what you will; Mother always put family first.”
“But stole from my daughter because she’s not real family, is that it?”His voice dripped with derision.
I ducked out from behind Declan.“Mom isn’t responsible for what Gran did.She was as horrified as you are now when she learned about it.Thank you for the cannery, though.I’ve always loved it.The fact that you noticed and got it for me means everything.”
Hands still fisted, he glared at Mom, not listening to me.“I’m not allowed to see her, to speak with her, to train her so she doesn’t experience pain with her visions.I try to give her gifts—the earrings and the cannery—and even those you stripmefrom.You are the one who left me, who refused to ever speak with me.Why am I forever being punished?”With one last rumble in the foundation, he disappeared.
TWENTY-NINE
Hatfields and McCoys
The room was silent as we all absorbed how close we’d come to ending up under a pile of rubble.Mom reached for her wine glass and finished it in one gulp.She closed her eyes a moment and straightened her shoulders.“Darling, I’m sorry your father and I ruined your dinner party.”
Elizabeth shook her head and rested her hand on Mom’s arm.“I’m the idiot who talked about the money.”She looked at Declan and me.“I’m so sorry.”
I patted Declan’s arm and he released me.“It’s no one’s fault.Let me get dessert baking and we can go back to planning without fear of a massacre.”I went to the kitchen and straight to the window.Something was happening out there.It didn’t feel like anyone was messing with my wards, though.I looked out and watched huge waves crash against the rocks and wash over the road.Yeah.He was pissed.
I understood where both were coming from, but I didn’t know how to bring them to the same spot.Putting that on the back burner, I began the process of filling, twirling, and placing the spiral croissants on a baking sheet.They had fifteen minutes to bake, so I went back out.
“Shall I make tea for anyone?”I asked.All the wicches said yes.“On it.”I went back to brew a large pot.
Declan, Mom, and Hester followed me with the empty plates and wine glasses.
“Dinner was delicious,” Hester said.“Thank you both.”She carefully placed the plates on the counter near the sink.“My goodness, what is that smell?”
I turned on the oven light to check their progress.“It’s an experiment.I’ve never made these before.I was zoning out a few nights ago, watching the travel channel, and they were visiting patisseries in Paris.One of them is known for spiral croissants with a pistachio and chocolate filling, so that’s what I’m making.So far, so good.”I clicked off the light.“We’ll see.If anyone doesn’t want that, I always have treats in the freezer I can warm up.”
Mom pulled down the cups and saucers.“Darling, where is your tea cart?”
Patting her on the back, I told her, “I don’t have one, but I’m sure we can make do without one.”To drive home the point, I flicked my fingers at the teacups and they disappeared.
“Ooh, these are so pretty too,” Faith said from the other room.
Mom looked through the doorway into the dining room, no doubt at the cups and saucers that were at every wicche’s place setting.
Hester stood next to Mom.“I wish I could do things like that.It’d save so much time and trouble.”
“I was teasing Mom,” I told Hester.“I shouldn’t have done that.If anyone was moving around, they might have accidentally knocked one of the cups over and broken it.I should have had my eyes on the destination before I did that.”
Hester returned to her seat, but Mom followed me back to the cabinet.“I’ll take the dessert plates out for you,” she said.
“Mom,” I whispered.“I’m really sorry about what Dad said.”She shook her head, but I plowed on.“You know Gran sets him off, but Gran wasn’t here.You were, so you ended up on the receiving end off all his anger and frustration.I’m not making excuses for him, only trying to explain why anything related to Gran and especially Gran using me in any way angers him.”
