“Before you freak out again, there hasn’t been another reading.” She sighed, clearly frustrated that I would worry regardless. “Fate isn’t promised and neither is tomorrow.”
Hazel headed toward the door, stopping in its frame to glance over her shoulder. “Take advantage of whatever joy you can in the present or you’ll be left with regret.”
The way she said the last word felt like a knife had been slammed into my ribs, but somehow the advice seemed to cleave her just as sharply.
“Hazel?” I asked, wondering whatregretshe spoke of.
“I’ll watch Aspen once you’re done so you can finish getting ready.”
And just like that, her own armor of secrets had been put back on.
Chapter17
Oakley
“Hubba-hubba,” Hazel crooned at me. She adjusted the lapels of her cropped blazer while I grabbed the last few items for the diaper bag. Then I stood, fluffing out my skirt and taking a deep breath.
I didn’t like having any tension between us, especially now that she was back.
“You look incredible, Haze,” I said with a smile. Legs for days, the sleek trousers hugged the curve of her hips, and crisscross straps draped over her bra, accentuating her chest.
“Yeah, my boobs look amazing in this bra thanks to you.”
Hazel was always self-conscious about being small chested. Meanwhile, I would give anything to donate some of my assets to my older sister.
We all had our crosses to bear, it seemed.
As I looked down for one final appraisal, I realized this was definitely the most dolled up I’d been since having Aspen. Swathed in delicate lace and tulle that left very little to the imagination, I felt like walking sin.
Our heels clacked against the garage floor, Hazel nudging me out of the way to push the stroller. Pressing the key code with my finger, the garage door groaned, lowering behind us. Some of the other neighbors were already out in their masquerade finest migrating toward the foggy hands curling in a seductive come-hither motion toward 5 Blessed Crescent.
A few, like us, were headed toward the Coven Community Center to drop off our little ones first. Ruby and some of the other neighbors were keeping watch of the witchlings tonight.
A stunning teenager with blonde waves ushered us in with a radiant smile. “Happy Halloween!”
“Happy Halloween,” Hazel and I replied in unison.
“Chrys,” Ruby’s voice called from deep within the community center, “come help me set up the snack station.”
Chrys, as in Chrysanthemum Wells, Aurora and Fitz’s daughter. I hadn’t met her yet, only having seen her from afar a few times when she drove off to school. She waved us to follow her into the large meeting room. It was all set up with different crafts and stations for the witchlings to enjoy, a play area with puzzles and toys, and a reading corner with festive books scattered around a rocking chair.
“Wow.” Aspen couldn’t enjoy most of the things here yet, but this would be wonderful as he got older.
“We’ve set up a bunch of travel cribs and cots in the side rooms for when they are tuckered out, so make sure to enjoy yourselves,” Chrysanthemum said quickly, rattling off details about the stations and activities they’d prepped for the young witches. She pointed over to the refrigerator in the center’s kitchenette. “You can put any milk for him in there. I left some Sharpies there, so make sure his name is on it, along with any special instructions. We have all been trained in warming spells to help get them to the exact specifications your witchling might want.”
“Thank you so much,” I replied, taking it all in, more at ease leaving Aspen here for a few hours. I could suddenly breathe better. Hazel got us signed in while I headed to the fridge, opening the freezer to stick the bags of milk in before dropping his diaper bag in his designated cubby.
When I got to the sign-in table to meet up with Hazel, she handed Aspen over to me to give my goodbye kisses while she slipped on an iridescent-onyx beaded bracelet, matching the one around his wrist, onto her own.
“I’ve got this, sis.” She waved her wrist at me. “Let Auntie Hazel take care of her bestie. I have a feeling you’ll have three distractions tonight.”
I shot her a glare.
Ruby handed me one more bracelet. “Don’t worry, we’ve got an extra, but I still think you should take her up on her offer.” The coveness winked, sending heat creeping across my cheeks.
I wasn’t ready to think about those three distractions yet.
We waved to Aspen on our way out the door, both donning our spelled bracelets in case we were summoned. The autumn air wrapped around us like a frigid blanket as we followed the foggy hands beckoning us toward number 5.
