Page 27 of Witch Way to the Diapers

Tabitha stepped forward, her blue eyes filled with concern. “Someone who doesn’t want you raising Vienna, perhaps? Someone who thinks they have a claim on her?”

The implication hung heavy in the air. Fia’s mind raced, thinking of her estranged family.

“I can’t say for certain who’s behind this,” Luna said carefully, “but I can tell you it was done with ill intent. This wasn’t a prank or a misguided spell. Whoever cast this hex meant to harm you and potentially separate you from Vienna.”

Sera, who had been quiet until now, spoke up. “The good news is, now that we know what we’re dealing with, we can protect against it. We’ll set up wards and teach you detection spells. They won’t catch you off guard again.”

“We’ll also talk to Sheriff Reed so he’s aware of what’s going on. Don’t you worry about. We got this.”

Fia nodded, feeling a surge of determination cut through her exhaustion. “Thank you, all of you. I... I don’t know what I would have done without you.”

“That’s what friends are for,” Celeste said warmly. “Now, let’s get you rested up. We’ll do a restful sleep spell on you. You need energy and to be clear headed. You’ll need your strength to face whatever comes next.”

As her friends began the sleep spell, Fia felt a mix of gratitude and resolve wash over her. Someone had tried to break her and separate her from Vienna. But they had underestimated her resilience, her support system, and most of all, the fierce love she had for her niece. Whoever was behind this would soon learn they had picked the wrong witch to mess with.

With that thought, Fia drifted off into a deep, restorative sleep, her body and magic beginning the process of healing and strengthening for the challenges ahead.

Her last conscious thought before drifting off was a silent prayer of thanks for the amazing women surrounding her and a flicker of worry about who might have hexed her baby’s crib.

As sleep claimed her, Fia’s mind finally quieted.

FOURTEEN

Sayer stepped into the house, the familiar weight of Vienna nestled against his chest in her carrier. The scent of something delicious wafting from the kitchen caught him off guard. He hadn’t expected anyone to be home, let alone cooking.

“Fia?” he called out, carefully unhooking Vienna from the carrier. The baby gurgled contentedly, her chubby fingers grasping at his shirt.

As he rounded the corner into the kitchen, he stopped short. Luna, Celeste, Tabitha, and Sera were bustling around, chopping vegetables, stirring pots, and wiping down counters. The scene was so unexpected that for a moment, Sayer wondered if he’d walked into the wrong house.

“Ladies?” he managed, his brow furrowing in confusion. “What’s going on? Where’s Fia?”

Luna turned from the stove, a warm smile on her face. “Sayer, hey. Fia called us earlier. She was... well, she was pretty overwhelmed.”

A knot formed in Sayer’s stomach. He’d known Fia was struggling with Vienna and her lack of sleep, but she hadn’t told him it was this bad. He should’ve fought to take Vienna moreeven if she cried. “Is she okay?” he asked, his voice tight with concern.

Celeste stepped forward, gently taking Vienna from his arms. “She’s resting now, sweetie. We put her under a sleep spell – don’t worry, it’s perfectly safe. She just needs some uninterrupted rest.”

Sayer ran a hand through his hair, guilt gnawing at him. “We’ve been having trouble with Vienna not sleeping at night. I’ve been trying to give Fia breaks during the day, but she had trouble sleeping more than two hours...” He trailed off, the weight of his failure settling heavily on his shoulders.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Sera said, her voice gentle. “New parenthood is tough, even without magical complications.”

“Magical complications?” Sayer echoed, his confusion deepening.

Tabitha nodded grimly. “We found a hex on Vienna’s crib. It was designed to keep Fia exhausted and prevent the baby from sleeping at night.”

The words hit Sayer like a physical blow. He stumbled back, gripping the edge of the counter for support. “Someone hexed our baby’s crib?” he choked out, anger and disbelief warring in his voice. “Who would do something so cruel?”

“We don’t know yet,” Luna said, her expression serious. “But we’ve cleared it now. Vienna should sleep much better, and so should Fia.”

As if on cue, Vienna let out a big yawn in Celeste’s arms. “I think someone’s ready for her nap,” Celeste cooed. “Sayer, why don’t you put her down?”

Still reeling from the revelation, Sayer nodded numbly and took Vienna. He walked to the nursery in a daze, his mind racing. How long had Fia been suffering? How had he not noticed sooner?

To his amazement, the moment he laid Vienna in her crib, she drifted off to sleep without a fuss. The sight of her peaceful face only intensified the tumult of emotions in his chest – relief, guilt, anger, love – all swirling together in a chaotic storm.

When he returned to the kitchen, the women were waiting with sympathetic smiles and a steaming mug of tea. “She went right to sleep,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “I can’t believe... all this time...”

“You couldn’t have known,” Luna assured him, squeezing his arm.

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