Spirit

Mayflower Robbins

"I'm like a runaway, don't care what they say..."

-Brihony Dawson (Ladyhood lead singer), "Bad Girl" 

After Sarafina leaves my house, I walk into my kitchen. Mom is still brewing some mysterious potion. I can hear her pot boiling, and the air smells of herbs. I'm not sure which kind of herbs, but they smell beautifully.

"Hello, Anna," she says. 

"Hey, Mom," I reply.

My mom's potion bubbles with more vigor. She turns the heat down on the stove, and the potion calms down. My mom turns away from her pot. She walks toward the table, where I am sitting. She takes a seat next to me. 

"What potion are you making?" I ask.

"It's a potion of wisdom," she replies. 

She rests her chin on her hands. "So, Anna, I believe I saw Sarafina walk outside with your Book of Shadows." She looks at me. Her face is accusing, and her eyebrows are raised. "Can you explain that?"

I sigh. I wish Sarafina could have been more subtle, and hidden the book in her bag. My mom is going to be pretty pissed that I basically converted a Christian to Wicca. She is very strict about me following the Wicca rede, and we both know conversion contradicts that. "I don't know," I say, "She probably stole it or something." 

My mom tilts her head to the side. It feels like she can see right through my lies. "Why would a Catholic girl want to read a book about witchcraft?" 

I look up at the ceiling. Shit. My mom is so witty. Why does she have to be like this? What am I supposed to say? So many nervous questions run through my head. I feel like throwing up.

"Um...Maybe she wants to burn it?" I say.

"Anna Lily Robbins, did you convert our neighbor to Wicca?" My mom asks me, in a somewhat angry tone.

I grunt. "Not necessarily," I say. "I noticed she was a witch yesterday. We had a telepathic conversation. I just couldn't resist telling her about her gifts, Mom! And I thought I would give her the Book of Shadows, so she could learn how to use them without hurting anyone."

"You know better than that," My mom replies. "Religious freedom always comes first. You have to respect people's beliefs."

I smack my right hand on the table. I don't smack it that hard, but somehow, the table trembles. It scares my mom, so she gets up and goes back to her potion making. "Be careful, Anna," she says. 

"I'm sorry," I say, "I didn't mean to shake the table. But anyway, I really think she should know how to use her inner magick, so she doesn't go insane and use it for destruction or other evil purposes."

"Cut it, Anna!" My mom practically shouts. "We don't convert our neighbors to Wicca! And we certainly don't go around telling people we've only known for a day that we're witches!" 

"Jeez, I'm sorry!" I say.

My mom stirs the potion of wisdom. She shakes her head. I know she is ashamed of me. I am her daughter, and I have let her down. I broke the Wicca Rede, too. I must be a huge disappointment. 

"Imagine what her dad will think when he finds her with that book. What if she gets kicked out of the house, Anna? You know that happened to me when my mom first caught me practicing Wicca! I was only 17, too!" She yells. "I had to runaway, get a fake ID, and change my name. Do you think starting a life was easy for me?" 

My shoulders drop. I suddenly realize I have made a terrible mistake. I really shouldn't have told Sarafina anything about witchcraft and Wicca. I should have let her just carry on with her life. She would go back home, and sing hymnals with her father. She would probably even throw a fundraiser for the church with her family. It would be a fun party, and she might even invite me. She also wouldn't have to worry. She wouldn't have any secrets to keep from her parents. She could go back to being naïve.

 I should have thought of the consequences of my actions. Sarafina is a good girl. I don't want her to end up in my mom's situation. Nobody deserves to be disowned by their parents. 

"I...I really didn't think about all that," I say.

"Clearly," mumbles my mother.

"Hey, Anna, honey, I need you to do me a favor. I need some rosemary and lilac for this potion. Can you go to the garden and pick some for me?" She asks.

"Sure," I say. I stand up, walk out, and head to our herbal garden in the backyard. It takes me a while to find the plants I need. There are so many other herbs in our garden that look just like rosemary and lilac. If you ask me, they all look identical. I do manage to pick them and deliver them to my mom, though.

"Thank you, Anna," She says. "I will cut these up. Why don't you go to your room and think about what you did?" 

Shit. Now I'm being punished. And for what? Showing a fellow witch the light? My mom is being such an idiot. 

"Alright," I say. I head upstairs, and shut my door. Sure, I will stay in here as long as Mom expects me to. But I'm not going to dwell on this mistake. I decide to spend my time texting Leisha instead. 

Me: Hey.

Leisha: What's up?

Me: NM. Just chilling.

Leisha: Nice. I'm at the mall with Nate.

Me: Who's he?

Leisha: That hottie in our chemistry class, duh!

Me: Still don't know him.

Leisha: The one with the curly blonde hair and nice figure?

Me: Ohhhh that guy. Yeah, I'm always forgetting his name.

Leisha: Whatev. He just bought me a bunch of makeup from Sephora. Total BF material, right?

Me: I guess so. 

Leisha: I wish I could marry him, omg.

Me: Calm down, Leisha.

Leisha: OMG I was just kidding.  But he's seriously sexy tho. 

Me: Cool. Want to hang out after school on Friday? We could go to that new restaurant downtown.

Leisha: I'm seeing Tyler that day. Thanks 4 the offer, tho. :) 

Me: Okay, cool. SYL.

Leisha: Byyye! :D 

How come Leisha is so boy crazy? It's like she has a new date with a different guy every other day. What is up with her? 

5 minutes pass by. My mom calls me downstairs. She has prepared a dinner of Italian spaghetti with olive sauce. I've never actually had spaghetti, or even olive sauce. I feel adventurous enough to try it, though.

I run downstairs, and sit at the head of the table, opposite my mom. A plate of long noodles covered in a purple mess sits in front of me. I dig in, and realize it's not as good as I thought it would be. It tastes too salty and sour, which bothers me. 

"So," says my mother, "Do you like this?"

"It's okay," I lie. I hate it. It's the most disgusting dish I've had.

"I won't make it again. I know you hate it," My mom replies. 

"Sounds good," I say.

Mom takes a few bites of her spaghetti. "Anyway, I met someone at the gym today."

I smile. My mom has been single for far too long. "Who are they?" I ask.

"Their name is Asher. They are a lovely doctor, and they have 2 sons. They are also single, I may add. I have a date with them on Wednesday night. Can I trust you to stay home alone for a few hours?" She says.

"Sure!" I say. "You have a wonderful time."

"Alright. Just don't do any love spells for us while I'm gone. I'll take care of that myself," She says. 

I laugh. I love my mom. She knows me so well, and is so great. I really hope Asher is nice enough for her. If they aren't...well, I may have to hex them. And their 2 sons.