Mildree wasn't as sure as she'd expected to be by now. This was to be expected, of course. Her expectations had been so high.
When she was younger, she had thought that one day, when she was older and wiser and less like herself, everything would make sense, and people would be able to control magic. And then everything would be perfect.
When the star first came, almost everyone thought it a blessing. This was before her time, of course. Before most people's. But she'd heard stories through old, wrinkled lips and spotted skin. They hadn't thought about the consequences of the new magic then, instead focusing on the thought of oh, how bright it made the children, and oh, how it made the stars shine, and oh, what wonders they could do.
But when the children turned thirteen, everything came crashing down like a thunderclap.
Decades later, when she was born, rules had been put in place, and things were mostly—mostly—put back in place again. And so, when her daughter supped on starlight, she ignored the tales and was happy. Because, well, how could her daughter be anything less than perfect? She loved her. She loved her so much.
Besides, she was unlike the enmagicked girls and boys down the street. She really was. All she ever had were accidents. Like the one today. Mildree knew she would have to tell her family about that over the dinner table soon. They would ask. But for now, things were going by just fine, and that was all she needed.
"Mildree!" Kimmia shrieked, opening her arms for a hug. Mildree smiled broadly and embraced her sister. She smelled like coffee.
"Kimmia!" Mildree exclaimed. "I've missed you!"
"Yes, it's been forever since I've been able to come." Kimmia grinned. "I'm so happy you invited me. My, isn't this a nice restaurant?"
Mildree turned toward the building. It was large and well-constructed, built with gold, and marble, and redwood. It was breathtaking and indeed very expensive. Really, how did she afford its costly meals anymore?
Analune hugged her aunt, smiling, and Mildree wrapped an arm protectively around her daughter. "The rest of the family is inside already," she said.
Kimmia grinned and opened the door with a flourish for Analune, who grinned and shrugged off her mother's arms. She had a talent for always slipping away from her. Mildree tried not to be offended.
Their family was at the back of the restaurant, so they had to wade through all the people eating at the front. They glared at Analune; they pointed; they slid away from her in their benches. Analune walked like it was no big deal, but Mildree wanted to slap their table and shout. Her daughter's skin glowed. So what, is what she wondered.
Familiar faces turned toward them as they approached the table. Launik. Florsh. Shanke. Rox. And dear, dear Andalin, who was grinning with a heaping pile of food on his plate, unkempt dirty blond hair tickling his eyebrows. He was twenty-one, but looked young, yet.
"Oh, Aunt Kimmia!" he said a bit too loudly. "I'm so happy you're here; you won't believe what happened!"
Florsh stabbed a piece of meat with a fork and grunted. "Don't get peoples' hopes up, Andalin. We don't know what happened still."
"Oh, hush, Florsh," Mildree chided. "Let the poor boy talk."
Andalin ducked his head like a child being caught sneaking sweets, then blushed."Well–" he swallowed a bite of salad– "Florsh said the Elders are planning something, is all."
"I wonder what it is," Mildree mused.
Rox sipped his large bowl of stew from the tiny silver spoon, much too small for his big, calloused hands. "Ridulous Elders. We're fine already; we should send them on their merry way. Not that I like politics, you see."
"Of course not." Kimmia smiled.
"Anyway, my dear, how's Analune doing?" Shanke asked, gesturing for the women to sit.
"Her magic is strong," Mildree said, raising a fist. She faltered. "Maybe a little too strong, is what I've told."
Launik looked down at her small plate, nearly untouched. "Another accident?" She said softly. The darling always spoke softly.
"Yes," Mildree said. "But she's getting better. It's been twenty days since the last little mishap."
"At least she's getting better," Shanke grunted. "Still never seen a child quite like her."
"I'm right here, uncle," Analune scowled.
A young woman with a long black braid appeared beside the table with a ready smile. "Hey guys, I'm Lazeil," she said, tapping her stylus on her pad. "I'm your waiter for tonight. What would you like?"
Analune and Mildree took their orders, and then the old television turned on with a sputter of sparks. Shrill static pierced the room. And from the static came voices.
"--Silika Sears and I." A chorus of murmurs spread across the people. "We are here with Elder Rhant to tell you the wonderful news–a new group of starpilots is going to the moon to test for life forms. Elder Rhant, could you tell us more?"
"Well. There's not much else–" Static overtook his voice, and a solemn-faced waiter quietly pushed a button on the remote to turn it off. The voices were gone as quickly as they had come.
"I swear..." Kimmia said, licking her lips. "We can't take an increase in taxes. Just look at all of those grimy faces in the streets. Poor dears. Those old toads should boil their heads."
The waitress paled, then stammered, "I should go."
Mildree winced as she left. "I... paying off taxes is hard already, for us," she said slowly. Mildree shook her head. "But there are sure to be protestors. We'll be okay."
Yes, you're going to be okay, she thought. You're fine.
She wished again, for the millionth time, that she could be more sure about this. A new weight had been added to her back, and a crack, thin as a pencil line, spread across her heart. She forced a smile to hide this.
