A Charmed Life | Coven Corner #3

Chapter Twenty-One

Of course Phoebe wanted to see her mother again. But Nick was still reluctant to dive in head first, to welcome Marissa back into their lives as if three years of absence hadn't passed.

After a few phone calls back and forth, it was settled. Marissa would meet Nick, Phoebe, and Hazel for the first time at the Samhain celebration the following week.

Hazel tried not to let the meet rule her thoughts, especially with Sky's wedding and Samhain preparations to take care of. But she found her thoughts drifting back to Marissa.

What was she like? Was she out-going and friendly? Easy going and charming? Would Phoebe go back to loathing Hazel's presence as simply her dreaded school teacher again?

Nick had done his best to reassure Hazel that she was part of the family. But she couldn't stop the worries sneaking into her mind.

Once the day of Samhain arrived, Hazel forgot to worry. At least for a little while.

Pagan Posies was a chaotic whirl of colors, food, games, and laughter. Two buffet tables stretched the length of the clearing, full to bursting with baskets of crisp red apples, plate after plate of pies—from pumpkin to rhubarb to cherry—and dozens of bowls of handmade candy—toffees, caramels, marshmallows, and chocolates.

As was the Samhain tradition for Wildemoor, ghosts were summoned to partake in the celebration. The holiday marked the time of year when the veil between the two worlds was at its thinnest and loved ones who had passed on were welcomed into the Samhain party to join in the fun and visit with their families.

For one night, everything was normal. Perfect.

Until Hazel looked up and spotted Nick and Phoebe standing at the top of the hill. Next to them, holding Phoebe's hand, was a woman that could only be Marissa.

She was the spitting image of Phoebe. Long dark hair, icy blue eyes that were nearly silver-white, and a pretty flush to her cheeks from the cold evening air.

Phoebe was smiling from ear to ear as she held her mother's hand, pulling her down the hill to the buffet table. Tucked under one of Marissa's arms was a small container.

Marissa laughed. "Hold on, Phee, I'm coming!"

"But Mama, people are already eating. I told Seline I'd make her an extra cupcake. She might not be hungry anymore."

"I'm sure she'll be plenty hungry for your cupcakes, Phee. Now, who is Seline and when do I get to meet her?"

Hazel knew she should step forward and introduce herself. But she remained frozen to the spot.

Cupcakes.

Phoebe had asked Hazel to teach her how to make cupcakes. They never got around to it. They'd made other things—pancakes and cookies, fresh bread and pumpkin pie—but not those coveted cupcakes that Phoebe had been craving for so long.

Marissa had taught her instead. Her real mother.

I've been fooling myself all this time, Hazel thought. Believing I had a place in this family, that they had become my home.

Phoebe spotted Hazel and released Marissa's hand. She raised one arm high in the air until she was standing on tiptoe and waved. Then she hurtled down the hillside and careened toward Hazel.

"Miss Aven!" she said, breathless. "Come meet my mama."

Phoebe caught Hazel's hand and dragged her toward where Marissa was standing next to the buffet table, searching for a place to put the container of cupcakes.

Marissa glanced up as Phoebe and Hazel approached. Nick, Hazel noticed, was still making his way down the hill. It seemed to be taking an unusually long amount of time. He was probably hanging back, granting them a chance to get to know each other. But at the same time, she wanted to ring his neck for dragging his feet.

Marissa set the container on the edge of the table and stuck out her hand.

"You must be Hazel Aven," she said. "I want to thank you for everything you've done for my little Phee."

"Well, she's a brilliant witch," Hazel replied. "I merely nudged her in the right direction half the time and she took off on her own from there."

"It's more than that." Marissa ducked her head, fiddling with a corner of the buffet table cloth.

Phoebe stood between Hazel and Marissa, glancing back and forth between them. Her eyes were shining with delight that the two witches she looked up to the most were right in front of her.

A small smile touched Marissa's lips and she reached out and tickled Phoebe's cheek.

"Three years ago," she said. "I made the biggest mistake of my life, walking out on Nick and Phee. I haven't done right by either one of them. I'm hoping to change that."

"You sound...determined," Hazel said.

Her heart said she wanted to hate Marissa. To run her out of town. But her head said, no. Not when Phoebe was so happy to see her mother again.

"All the determination in the world won't make a bit of difference," Marissa replied. "Unless Phoebe and Nick..." She paused and gestured to Hazel. "And you, decide that it's best I kept my distance."

It was an olive branch. A gesture of peace and good will. A promise to start over and do better this time around. She wasn't pushing into Phoebe's life, demanding to reclaim the position of mother that she had abandoned years ago.

She knew there was a long road ahead and it would require work. If she broke Phoebe's trust again, she would have Nick and Hazel to contend with this time, backing up Phoebe, protecting her.

Before Hazel could respond, Nick finally reached them. He stepped up beside Hazel and interlaced his fingers with hers. He glanced at her with a look that said, is everything okay?

Hazel turned her head aside, hiding her face. She didn't know how to respond to that. And she was feeling as if she was unraveling at the edges, a little frazzled. She wanted to be fair and grant Marissa the second chance, for Phoebe's sake. But she was torn—she also wanted to turn Marissa away, to prevent Phoebe from any potential harm.

A hand on her shoulder snapped Hazel out of her thoughts. Bryony came up behind her and whispered in her ear.

"Sky is having some trouble with her dress in the house," she said. "Could you come help? You're better with dresses than I am."

An excuse to escape.

Hazel grabbed it and ran.

"I'm so sorry, please excuse me," she said to Nick, Phoebe, and Marissa. "There seems to be a slight problem with some wedding details. I'll be right back as soon as I can."

As Hazel followed Bryony back up to the house, tucked into a curved grove of willows, ash, and birch trees, Hazel glanced back over her shoulder.

Nick, Phoebe, and Marissa were grouped together like the perfect little family. And Hazel wasn't there to be a part of it.