Bound By Blood (Book 7)

Chapter 5

"All conflict can be traced back to someone's feeling getting hurt, don't you think?" - Liane Moriarty

--xxxxxx--

Later that afternoon Christina messaged Katherine to confirm that she and Lauren were going to be at dinner with their father. She also let her know that she'd found out about Lauren's little sleepover with Aunt Stephanie. She walked down the high street and just happened to run into the person she was thinking about. 'Christina.' Stephanie said cheerfully. 'What brings you here?'

'Shopping.' Christina said bluntly.

'Well, you missed a lovely dinner last night.' Stephanie said.

'So I've been told.' Christina looked at her. 'What are you shopping for?'

'I need a new couch, the one that came with the apartment smells like death.'

'Lovely.' Christina said. 'You should put it on your credit card, you know, spread the cost out.'

'Yes, I think I'll do that.' Stephanie squinted her eyes at Christina.

'Oh and next time you decide to keep Lauren over night, tell Katherine. She deserves to know.' Christina advised.

'I'll tell you the same thing I told Amy, Lauren is a grown woman.' Stephanie said. 'You're words Christina, grown women can make their own decisions.'

'It's not about that Stephanie. It's about bing courteous, and having a little respect for Kath. She's doing a great job with them and deserves to be in the loop.'

'You should be there Christina.' Stephanie said, her tone darkening slightly.

'Not this again.' Christina shook her head.

'You don't like me very much do you?' Stephanie asked.

'I don't know you any more. And after everything we've been through, I don't trust easily.'

'I'm family Christina.' She said.

'By blood maybe.' Christina shot back.

'The girls were telling me about your father, about his drinking. That must have been hard.' Stephanie's voice softened.

'It was. And you would have known that if you'd bothered to stick around.' Christina said.

'What is it going to take to get on your good side Chris?' Stephanie asked.

'No more overnight stays, and do not teach them anything useless or morally wrong. Let's start there.' She said firmly.

'Magic isn't just about fighting demons Christina.' She said. 'There's a whole side you don't know about.'

'I know about it Aunt Steph, I choose not to play with it because it's against the rules.'

'The Supremes rules, not ours.'

'We all play by the same ones.' Christina said, her voice rising. Stephanie looked around and noticed a passing couple looking at them strangely. She took Christina by the arm and led her into a side alley.

'We don't have to Christina, that's what I'm trying to tell you. I know you don't have your mother any more but I can share my spells with you, I can be....'

'What? My mother?' Christina asked angrily. 'You're nothing like her.'

'No, and you're too much like her.' Stephanie got in her face. 'She used to tell me the exact same stuff. You can't do that Steph, it's wrong Steph, The Supremes won't like that Steph.'