Moon Tears

Chapter ♡ 15

I return to the art class and I zone out while everyone shares their paintings with Hailey and Seth, who apologized for walking out.

I can't meet his eye while I'm deep in my head.

Eventually Hailey's mother, Sail arrives. She's in a wheelchair as she's very frail, but her smile is big for her daughter and Seth.

"This is my mother, Sail," Hailey brings her closer, positioning her at the front, next to Seth's seat, "She's a very wise witch. She knows your story just by looking into your eyes."

"How?" Audrey asks, wanting to know.

"It's her special power," Hailey explains, "Back in the day Sail was called a fortune teller, but she really can see your whole past and your entire future."

"So you can foretell when we'll die too?" Clyde asks, laughing nervously.

"I do not share such things," Sail explains, "Unless I'm asked."

"I inherited my mother's ability to see... she only has a week left," Hailey explains this as stoically as possible, "I've known since I was a teenager."

"I am not afraid," Sail reassures Hailey.

"Sail wanted to come here and talk to you all to impart some wisdom," Seth explains, he seems at ease once again.

"Yes, I have some things to say and some things to give," Sail picks up a small bag on her lap and unzips it, reaching in and taking out a perfume bottle – she looks straight to Jim, who has frozen on his stool, "Come take this, Jim."

"My mother's perfume," he murmurs, "I recognise it."

"It's one of my own and I felt I should give this away today," Sail holds out her shaking hand and Jim comes forward to take the bottle. He turns and sits back down, withdrawn into thought. He didn't say thank you, but Sail doesn't mind, she keeps talking to him, "Seth told me you all had questions about witchcraft. It is not for werewolves without mortal or witches blood to connect to such sympathy," Sail looks at me, "You are the only one, Elizabeth. Your mother was half a witch."

"I didn't know that. She's very religious now," I answer, "And I don't have any powers."

"Your mother was a sympathetic witch, though only half, she spent her life helping others. She does not help you because she knows what I know. Your path she has known since I told her before you were born," Sail must have known my mother decades ago. I quietly listen, I don't really understand her with how vague she is, but I don't wish to interrupt, "This is for you," Sail reaches into her bag and she takes out a pocket mirror. Made of pearl and clasped shut in the middle. I stand up and walk over, unable to thank her either. As the product seems weirdly familiar to me. I can't say how or why. It's just a feeling. I take it and move back to my seat. I unclasp it and peek inside, confirming a mirror is in it. I am unable to open it completely as I'm not a big fan of my reflection. I keep it shut in my palm, "In that you will find all your answers," Sail gives me a small smile and moves on to the next. I know Seth told me Sail was extremely kind, I'm also thinking she might be a little odd. I'm not sure how a pocket mirror is going to give me answers. I don't even know what questions I'd ask.

I hold it tight in my hand anyway, glancing at Seth, who's looking at my lap and the pocket mirror. He seems to be trying to work it out too, in his head he must be as unsure as I am.

Audrey receives a bandana. Lynda receives a small doll. Violet is handed a shell and Clyde is given a war medal from Sail's husband who passed already.

Each item represents something expressively personal.

Sail tells Clyde to honour the fallen, as in his own story, he witnessed a lot of abuse around him. Violet is told it'll be best to marry on the beach. Lynda cries because the doll is one she lost as a child, Sail had found it and kept it safe to return to her this day. Audrey's bandana reminds her of her passion for playing drums in years prior. Each thing helps heal something small for everyone. With connections to their biggest traumas.