Marielle.

Another Witch.

Marielle wakes up, she feels bad for treating Celeste bad, she realises her dad can't be in mourning forever, so she apologises to Celeste, who graciously accepts and tells her she understands her. It looks like the weekend might turn out to be a good one after all. They sit and have breakfast together and Marielle says, "dad, Celeste, I don't know what you are to each other, but I've thought about my behaviour last night, I'm sorry and I realise you can't be single forever, if you're together, I hope it works out for you." James and Celeste look at each other and smile, they both say, "thank you, we don't know what we are either,"Celeste says, "I've wanted to meet you since your dad told me you weren't that far away. Near Salem huh?" Marielle says, "yes, it's actually Salem, I love it there. Do you know it?" Celeste replies, "are you kidding? I'm from Salem." Marielle asks, "how long have you been away?" Celeste replies, "since college, I have family there, my sister goes to Salem High, Alisa Hutchison. Do you know her?" Marielle says, "wow, small world, she happens to be a friend of mine." Celeste can't believe it, she says, "it's been a while since I've spent time with her. When you see her again, tell her to call me, it's been about 6 months since we last spoke." Marielle says, "sure, but she's calling me this weekend on FaceTime if you want to talk to her?" Celeste says, "wonderful, I'm glad you and her are friends, she needs good people in her life. I know how small that town is and the Jocks and cheerleaders that are just mean girls and boys." Marielle says, "do you know a lad named Marc?" Celeste says, "if you're talking about Marc Ramsbottom, he's a great lad, although I know the kids are afraid of him, but he had his reasons for burning the school down and he was right to do it. Stupid kids playing with things that they have no comprehension of." Marielle replies, "are you a witch too?" Celeste says, "not everyone from Salem are witches, Marielle. However to answer your question, yes, I am. My family come from a long line of witches, they of course fled from Salem before the trials began, it's only been in the last 100+ years we've decided it was safe to return. We kick ourselves for running and allowing innocent people to die, but it was our covens orders for us to evacuate about 6 months before. I don't practice but I do know I have powers and mine is telekinesis. I've just never used it, I just couldn't bring myself to. I know Alisa might be the same. One day we must embrace it according to our mother." Marielle says, "such candor, we're not to speak openly about this. However, it is refreshing to share it. It's funny my dad has found another witch, not a practising witch, but a witch nonetheless." They both laugh.

James, Marielle and Celeste visit the White House, they spend the day with some senators and congressmen and women. They couldn't meet the President as he was in Camp David. Celeste tells Marielle that she'll get to meet him at some point during her dad's deployment. They then head to Theodore Roosevelt Park among others. They then drive from Washington D.C. they have booked a cabin in Fort Meade. They can swim in Burba Lake, even though it's almost the end of September, the weather is still extremely warm, they are glad to have packed swimwear, although Celeste couldn't forget her marshmallows, she loves her campfire s'mores. James has hired a boat, they can relax in the sun, they can swim in the tepid waters. It's a fun packed weekend. Celeste asks Marielle what she thinks about America? Marielle says she likes it, she would love to become a citizen one day, Celeste says she could make it happen, given the fact her mother is American. Marielle says she would like that, so she can have dual citizenship, come and go as she pleases, without the need for a visa, especially now that she must make regular trips back and forth since learning about her heritage. Celeste says, "you're really embracing it, I wish I had the balls, but a gust of wind and I'm chickenshit." Marielle laughs, "it's really not frightening, it's overwhelming but as Iris says, I must have a life outside of it, it's all about the balance." Celeste says, "my mom said the same, she gave up practising after getting ill, my dad of course blamed it on witchcraft, it kinda was as she was hexed. I think that's why I'm so afraid, in case it happens to me." Marielle tells her that she's been possessed once as a four year old and since she arrived in Salem, by her aunt who dabbles in dark Magick. Celeste says, "don't tell me, it was Agnes?" Marielle asks, "how did you guess?" Celeste tells her it's well known Agnes embraced darkness about 30 years ago, she done it because she was too hexed and to get rid of the hex, she made a pact with a demon. Celeste goes on and tells her, "our families used to work together, until Agnes threatened to hex us, then one day, years down the line she hexed my mom." Marielle can't believe how bad Agnes truly is, all in the name of power. Celeste tells her, "Agnes never had a true witches gift, so she hijacked the covens, kinda siphoned the magick from them. From the outset she was shunned from every Sabbat and meeting circle. Then she was outcast from the village, I guess the hexing and the possession of you, was pure vengeance."