Matilda, Child of Fire

TFB: Cartwheels of Stars

35 TFB: Cartwheels of Stars

"Wise men say/Only fools rush in/But I can't help falling in love with you...Like a river flows/Surely to the sea/Darling, so it goes/Some things are meant to be..."

-Kina Grannis (cover), Elvis song "Can't Help Falling in Love With You"

9 pm, Vera Manor Garden, April 8th, 2046, Seattle, Washington

Phoebe interjected. "Every Cinderella needs a fairy godmother. Let us be yours," her large, expressive eyes entreated Matilda.

"Okay," whispered Matilda, as the three began scheming and dreaming once more.

10 am, Two Weekends Later, Matilda's Bedroom, Madalena Village, Epicenter Pico No. 23

Her eyes blinked once, then twice, absorbing the humid sunlight streaming in through her balcony window, the pungent scent of cilantro, cinnamon, cloves, and plumeria wafting in from her relative's balcony. Had it really been two weeks since the fearsome Portender had been successfully vanquished, bringing both sets of Charmed Ones together in the process? Indeed it had, she mused to herself as she rubbed the crocheted dark olive green coverlet with the tips of her toes, rolling herself to a seated position on her goldenrod-colored bedsheets that had been a fixture in her bedroom for as long as she could remember, its cheery color brightening the pallid walls.

The plants—all five of them—from the tallest two-foot zebra-like leaves to the tiniest, her pineapple-leaf succulent—were at the foot of her bed, as if nothing had happened at all. Two weekends ago, she had found herself at her aunt's funeral, mourning her loss with the rest of the clan. After, Wyatt had promised he would put forth the effort to plan a proposal worth her time, with the implicit assumption that the dust needed to settle a bit in order for things to properly progress.

Both had taken two weeks' worth of leave from their roles at Purgatory Corporation in the aftermath. Matilda had previously taken for granted seeing Wyatt daily during her morning commute from Gateway Station, walking past the artwork in the nearby park, traversing Stanwix, and ending up on the 88th floor, just in time for the morning's agenda meeting. Her heart was often heavy nowadays, digesting the details of Aunt Abi's death and waiting for whatever would happen in the weeks to follow.

Wyatt's Great-Aunt Phoebe had taken to popping by Epicenter Pico No. 23 every now and then via the Vera Manor laboratory she-shed portal, which Matilda's mother Macy interconnected to Halliwell Manor with surprising ease. Or perhaps not so surprising, Matilda mused to herself as she threw on a loose-fitting tank top and gym shorts, opening the door to the balcony, given both sets of Charmed Ones' powers and parallel histories.

10:20 am, Matilda's Balcony, Madalena Village, Epicenter Pico No. 23

The cold ash-colored marble cobblestones of the balcony chilled her feet as she traversed the threshold, sliding the door halfway closed behind her. The skies up above the enclosed balcony shone a flawless turquoise, the promise of yet another perfect day in paradise. So it would seem, were it not for her own raw, aching heart. She sat cross-legged on the thin rug before her and set about calming her mind, an exercise recommended by Morgana herself to quell anxious thoughts.

She checked her phone for easy meditation steps and accompanying background music.

1. Sit comfortably. Done and done, Matilda thought to herself, making sure the surrounding potted palm fronds weren't jutting into her elbows. She placed her arms outward in every direction. All clear. She checked for the next step: 2. Close your eyes. Noticing there were steps three and four, she reviewed those as well. 3. Simply breathe naturally, and finally, 4. Focus your attention on the breath and on how the body moves with each inhalation and exhalation.