Spells and Cinders

Epilogue

THREE MONTHS LATER - June 2015

"Goodbye, Greenbay High, and say hello to college life!" Cassie cheered and held up her plastic cup of raspberry lemonade.

"Here, here!" I clanked my plastic cup with hers. "Goodbye, baby teenage years. Hello, grown adulthood!"

"Damn straight, chica!" Cassie chugged the last of her raspberry lemonade.

"Hey! What are you two knuckleheads doing?" asked Augustus, appearing out of nowhere. His tail swished back and forth as he walked up towards us.

"We're chillaxing," Cassie told Augustus. "We're chilling and relaxing."

Augustus rolled his eyes at Cassie and turned his full attention toward me. "You." He narrowed his green cat-eyes. "Why aren't you practicing your magic, Andrea?"

"It's Andrea and Cassie's first summer vacation before college, Augustus. Don't make a fuss," my mother announced appearing from behind the neatly trimmed hedge bushes.

She was wearing a peach blouse with beige slacks along with her peach wedges. Gucci sunglasses sat atop her head, nestled in between her blonde curls.

"Summer vacation or not, Andrea's still a witch in training and she needs to practice her magic," Augustus protested, irritation evident in his voice.

My mother rolled her eyes at him and with the snap of her fingers a martini glass appeared in her hand. "Ah. Nothing better than a chilled vodkatini with an olive," she declared and took a sip.

"Don't forget, lying on the beach with a hot lifeguard too," Cassie chimed in.

"Lying on the beach sounds wonderful, doesn't it?" my mother asked, giving us a wink. "Thank you, Cassie."

"Well, you're welcome, Ms. H," Cassie replied, a smile pulling at her lips.

"Heather . . . what are you doing?" Augustus questioned.

"Mother?" I asked, sitting up on my elbows in the chaise lounge.

Without responding or hesitating, my mother snapped her fingers once again and suddenly all three of us; Augustus, Cassie, and I, along with my mother found ourselves standing on the white sand looking out over the clear blue water at Siesta Key Beach in Siesta Key, Florida.

"God, we're at the beach!" Cassie squealed, jumping up and down.

"What the hell did you do, Heather?" Augustus hissed, narrowing his green kitty eyes at my mother. "You can't just randomly transport us to the beach!"

"Why not?" pouted my mother. She crossed her arms over her chest. "Andrea and Cassie deserve to have some fun."

"We're surrounded by morals, Heather. Someone could have seen something they shouldn't have," Augustus carried on, "Imagine what would've happened. Imagine the chaos."

My mother waved her hand dismissively at Augustus. "Hush, hush, little one. Non-magical beings are mindless. Give them something shiny and they'll forget all about what they saw or heard."

After a moment of silence, my mother sighed in defeat. "Okay, fine. God, Augustus, you always spoil my fun." she snapped her fingers, and before Cassie and I could even blink, all four of us were back in Aunt Celia and Uncle David's backyard.

"Well, that was a waste of a transportation spell." my mother pinched the bridge of her nose with her thumb and forefinger. "I need another vodkatini."

Without saying anything, Augustus shook his head and walked away, disappearing behind the trimmed hedge bush.

"Andi, look." Cassie nudged me with her elbow and I looked up to see Graham standing underneath the white archway with golden and silver lilies painted on it. "Your Prince Charming awaits you," she giggled.

When I didn't move nor say anything, Cassie nudged me again, only harder this time. "Go. Get. Him. Bitch."

Rolling my eyes, I stretched my hands above my head and stood up, walking towards Graham with a smile spread across my face.

"Andi."

"Graham."

He took my hands in his and smiled at me. "You look . . . gorgeous."

I blushed as he brought his lips down on mine. "So, are you ready for the new chapter of our story to begin?" I asked against his lips.

Graham pulled away and stared at me, tucking loose strands of blonde hair behind my ear. "Yes, but we're taking my car, not that broom of yours that's secretly disguised as a death trap."

I kissed his lips again and nodded. "Agreed."

Graham smiled and whispered, "I love you, Cinderella."