Page 82 of Scars Like Wings

Ms. Repond’s mouth was agape. She shook her head in shock. “Those kids still struggle to cast spells to this day. They always backfire back on them. Most of them don’t even practice out of safety. You always told me it was an accident and you didn’t mean to do it.”

Maisie shrugged. “I kind of didn’t. But I also kind of did. I was too young to have any real control of my powers back then. But… I think I’ve always known the power of intention when it comes to magic. I don’t know… I wanted to be strong for the both of us and keep us safe?—”

“You are the child, Marceline. You shouldn’t have?—”

“It doesn’t matter now, Momma?—”

“It does though?—”

Maisie’s eyes met her mom’s matching ones. “Tell me about my father.”

“Do not change the subject, Marceline Jade.”

“I’m not. I’m procrastinating, if anything.”

“What does that?—?”

“That isn’t why I called you, okay, Momma? We can have the whole therapy session where we talk about our feelings and how great of a mom you were and whatever else later. That isn’t important rightnow,though. Right now, I want to know about Father. Not because I care about the fucking prick but because of my doctorate and…” Maisie hesitated, quickly glancing at me sitting just out of eyesight of her mom’s projection. She returned her eyes to her mom. “For Byrd.”

“For Byrd?” Ms. Repond’s eyebrows furrowed with concern for me. It made my heart break. “Is she okay?”

“She’s fine, Momma. But I—I can’t get into it all right now. Later, okay? After I have this all figured out?”

Maisie’s Mom was quiet. Her mouth was set into a thin line as she considered her daughter. Maisie returned her stare without relenting. While her mother’s glare had the unwavering hardness of a parent, Maisie’s eyes held the stubborn, fierce fire of a teenager ever still. I was ready to believe that Ms. Repond’s parental discipline was going to win when her eyes softened ever so slightly. Ms. Repond would give her daughter the world if she asked. It reminded me so much of my own parents, their unconditional love that drove everything they did. There was a pang of pain deep within me that I did my best to ignore as Ms. Repond’s shoulders sank with exhaustion.

Maisie pressed. “You never talked about him. I get that you didn’t want me to know I was a witch-fae to keep me safe. But you never had to tell me about my father being a fairy. You could have told me about him: who he was, how you met, what happened to him. You could have said all of that without mentioning he was fae. But you didn’t. So, I want to know now.Please.”

Maisie’s Mom shook her head. “Why now? After all this time, all these years?”

Maisie shrugged halfheartedly. “I don’t have any other leads honestly. I don’t know what else to do.”

Suddenly, Ms. Repond just looked tired and worn down. I noticed, now, the extra bags under her eyes and more wrinkles around her face that I had missed before. She sighed. Her eyes looked faraway and distant as she spoke.

“Your father is a very,verypowerful fairy. He is cunning, tenacious, and bold. But he’s also a sleazy, manipulative, narcissistic parasite. He’s a con-man and will do anything and everything he can to get what he wants. Once he wants something, he’s relentless in getting it. He’s like an unstoppable freight train, plowing through everything to just gain more speed and get to his destination.”

Maisie’s Mom sighed, her eyes teary. “I loved him once. It’s so stupid. I knew I couldn’t change him. I knew he would never give me what I needed most. Yet, I imagined us getting married, building a life together. I wanted him to make me happy and be happy with me. I just thought—” She shook her head. “Well, that doesn’t matter now. When I got pregnant with you, he knew immediately that you were going to be a witch-fae and he wanted to use you to gain more status and power. He didn’t see you as a person. He saw you as a means to an end. I realized that’s how he saw me, too.”

“Momma—” Maisie started.

“Aran.”

“What?”

“Your father. His name is Aran Hiro Kikumoto. You can use his name to find him. Just… Be careful, Maisie-Daisie. Your father is bad news, but you have the best parts of him. You always did like to touch the stove instead of listening to me. You never grew out of that. You always had to learn everythingyourself. But I always respected that about you. It was one of the many things that made you the best of me.” Ms. Repond smiled fondly at her daughter.

“Momma,” Maisie’s voice broke as a sob racked through her body. “I wish you were here. I love you so much. Thank you.”

“I hope you can forgive me one day. I truly didn’t?—”

“I know, Momma, I know. I love you so much.”

“I love you more, my baby girl. Good luck with him. Give Simone and Byrd my love. Tell them next time you both visit. I will make them their favorite scone pizza.”

Maisie wiped away a tear. “I will! Love you, Momma.”

Ms. Repond waved before Maisie tapped on the crystal ball to end the call. Her Mom’s form shimmered and faded away. Silence fell on us with her absence. I couldn’t speak for Simone, but I had no clue what to say. I was reeling from everything I had learned today, and this was just one part of that crazy pile. I think Maisie felt the same, as she just stared at where her mom had been sitting just a few moments before. She looked as emotionally exhausted as I felt.

“Maisie? You okay?” Simone quietly asked.

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