Whispers at Witching Hour

Chapter 81

Early in the morning, at dawn, Marie came back to Zelda's bedroom to check up on them. She found Zelda and Lilith both sleeping: Lilith on her back like she had left her with Zelda sitting by her side. Only that Zelda had fallen asleep on Lilith, her upper body resting on Lilith thighs, her head on the opposite hip, still holding Lilith's hand.

Marie smiled softly and strode over to wake them, squeezing Zelda's shoulder gently and rubbing Lilith's upper arm.

"Bonjour, mes chéris."

Lilith was the first whose eyes fluttered open, looking at Marie first then at her own fingers tangled in soft ginger curls, and smiled weakly as the memories of the previous night returned. Zelda started moving slowly as Lilith stroked her head. Marie watched their gentle interaction with a warm heart, wishing she could let them stay this way.

Zelda hardly managed to move her heavy eyelids and murmured a sweet "Good morning" to Lilith and Marie before she was able to summon some strength to get up.

"May I?", Marie asked Lilith as she was about to put her hand on her abdomen again to check for the baby.

Lilith nodded and Marie continued, closing her eyes to feel, and smiling when she discovered a recovered infant spirit under her palm.

"Is he okay?", Lilith asked.

Zelda pressed a kiss to the back of her hand, looking expectantly at Marie, who confirmed the baby's wellbeing to them. Their eyes met and they synchronously exhaled in relief as Zelda leaned in to kiss Lilith's forehead affectionately.

"Where do we go from here?", Zelda asked after a moment of silence, fearing the answer as they had not exactly solved their issues.

Lilith examined Zelda's face, considering everything that had been said, the hurt, the love and also what Marie had told her last night.

"We've both had our heartbreak now, and we're both far from forgiving each other", she paused and took in Zelda's anxious expression.

Every fiber of her body longed for the woman, needed her like air to breathe despite her wrongdoings. She was no saint either, she reminded herself as she made the maybe latently masochistic choice to let it go.

Zelda's hands were shaking while she was waiting impatiently for Lilith to continue. She tried to calm herself by brushing her thumb over Lilith's hand, recalling everything she had hurt her with and drowning in her shame.

"But as you are willing to forget, I am too. If you agree we must actively adopt certain changes, so we won't end up in such a horrendous situation ever again."

Before Zelda could say anything, Marie jumped in. "Zelda, I agree with Lilith, especially on behalf of the baby. You must tell your family. Today."

Zelda swallowed, processing Marie's advice that made her uncomfortable just thinking about it despite Sabrina already knowing and Hilda having been super supportive of them before. Her little sister would be disappointed she did not tell her and Ambrose... He was hard to predict in these matters. Plus, it would also mean the coven would find out sooner or later.

"Zee?", Lilith urged her, scratching her lower back shallowly with her fingertips.

"Yes. Yes, we'll do it", she confirmed getting over herself, "What else."

"No more kisses for Marie. I want to be the only one your lips touch."

Marie responded with an affirmative nod and Zelda tuned in. "But I can still spend time with her?"