My Three Cousins

Chapter Sixteen

It felt like my world should have somehow changed the next morning but other than my cousins not speaking to each other everything was pretty much the same.  Mom asked when someone had moved the car, but Ruth took the blame saying she pulled it forward after she hid out there for a late-night phone call with Miguel.  For the rest of us this would have been a suspicious thing to do, but for Ruth it made sense, so mom let it go.  It was my day to watch Vivian, so I mostly followed her around while she played and showed me things she found in the yard.  Breakfast then lunch then dinner silently came and went.  It wasn't until I had brushed my teeth before bed that Joan grabbed my arm and told me we were all meeting tonight.  She didn't seem happy to have to include me, but I felt a flutter in my chest at the thought of being part of the group, even though the more logical side of me told me it was a very dangerous group to be a part of.

After everyone went to bed and I laid awake listening for Ruth to get up.  Once I heard her door open, I slipped on my shoes and followed her into the hall.  We walked together but didn't talk until we were safely closed away in Aunt Maggie's room.  "Are they still fighting?"

"I'm sure they are but they'll put it aside."  Ruth said, opening the passage to the tunnel.

Helen and Joan were already waiting in the room at the end, not speaking to one another.  The tension was obvious as soon as we walked in, but Joan also wasn't ready to pass up a moment to assert herself as the leader.  "I think we should contact mom." 

I felt my eyes go wide in shock, I had already seen them contact Aunt Maggie once, but it hadn't occurred to me that I would be there in the room when they did it.

"Of course that's your plan," Helen said bitterly, "you just want something where I can't give any input."

"No Helen," Joan said with a cold edge to her tone, "not everything is about you.  I want mom's input and anyway I was thinking we could use Addison.  If she has to be here, then she needs to do her part."

I didn't like of "using Addison" but I looked to Ruth before I panicked, and she didn't seem appalled by the idea.  

"That would let us all work together to develop the plan..." Ruth said slowly then she turned to me, "but it is really Addy's decision."

All three sets of eyes turned to me and despite their fight I knew all the sisters were in agreement.  "What does this entail?"  I asked with the feeling that my asking questions was just delaying the inevitable.

"To contact mom our spell requires one person to give energy to keep her here.  It's draining but it won't hurt you," Ruth said, "you won't be able to move or talk while she's here, but you'll be able to see and hear everything that's going on."

I was feeling my old sense of distrust creep back in, but being locked in the secret room with the three of them all wanting the same thing made me feel as though I didn't have a way to say no.  "I guess so," I said with a catch in my voice that revealed my uncertainty.

There was hesitation before Helen spoke up, "Its usually me who does it.  If you don't want to I can."  Her offer seemed genuine.  "You shouldn't do it if you're uncomfortable, it won't hurt but it is weird."

Something about her sincerity made me feel more comfortable, "No I can do it."  I had wanted to be included and this is what being included entailed.

Once I had agreed in earnest, Ruth pulled over a comfy chair with a back and arms.  "You'll sit here."

"Have you ever passed out before?  It's going to feel kind of like you want to pass out, but try not to," Joan said.

I mumbled ok but I hadn't ever passed out before, so I didn't really know what she meant.  "Do you like say a spell or something?"  I asked.

"No," Ruth answered, "we're not really those kinds of witches.  We just channel our powers and then, if mom is also trying to get to us, which she is usually, we'll be able to see her in the room."

They then began turning down the lights and lighting candles, which Ruth explained would help them see her since she would only be half in our plane.  I tried to ignore many of the details of what they were doing because the more I thought about what was going to happen the more I began to freak out.  

After they had the room set to their liking, they confirmed with me that I was ready for them to begin and once I said yes, they focused in on each other.  They placed their hands together, holding on to one another as Joan's hand began to twitch and Ruth and Helen's began to glow.  The glow started to flicker and above their hands the air began to shimmer.  The more it shimmered the more tired I began to feel.  At first it felt like I had a strong desire to go to bed, then I began to struggle to keep my eyes open.  Eventually the shimmer started to turn into a hazy shape, and I felt more awake but more physically exhausted.  As I saw my aunt's frame appear from the shimmer, coming to stand beside my cousins, I could no longer lift my head or arms.  I wanted to tell them to stop but my tongue felt heavy in my mouth and I was trapped inside my body unable to speak.  

At first my aunt looked around the room confused, seemingly unsure how her daughters could all be standing there before her, but then her eyes drifted to me, "Oh Addison."  She said  with a worried tenderness to her voice.  It sounded much different than she had when she was alive as if dying had somehow aged her.