Page 19 of Witch's Promise

Sean pressed his palms against the cool grass, imagining he could feel his mother's presence rising up through the soil, enveloping him in a ghostly embrace.

"I miss you," he whispered, his voice cracking. "Every damn day. I keep thinking, if you were here, maybe things would be different. Maybe I wouldn't have fucked everything up so badly."

The guilt rose in his throat, thick and choking. His mother had been the heart of their family, the glue that held them together. And when she died everything fell apart.

"Dad's... Dad," Sean continued, opening his eyes to stare at the carved name on the stone. "Sometimes I wonder if he had something to do with with what happened to you."

The words hung in the air, heavy with accusation and doubt. Sean had never voiced that suspicion aloud before, had barely allowed himself to think it. But here, in this place where secrets seemed to matter less, the truth spilled out.

"I don't know what to do, Mom," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'm trying to be better, to fix the things I've broken. But sometimes it feels like I'm just making everything worse."

The wind picked up, sending leaves skittering across the clearing. Sean imagined it was his mother's response, urging him to continue, to unburden himself of the weight he'd been carrying for so long.

"I met someone," Sean said, a small smile tugging at his lips despite the pain in his chest. "His name is Gabe. Was Gabe, I guess. I fucked that up too."

He told her about Gabe then, about the way his smile could light up a room, about his unwavering belief in doing what was right. He told her about the fear that had gripped him when he'd learned about Gabe's magical abilities, the prejudice and misunderstanding that had driven a wedge between them.

"You would have loved him, Mom," Sean said softly. "He's... he's everything I'm not. Kind, brave, selfless. And I threw it all away because I was too scared to face the truth."

The admission hung in the air, heavy with regret and longing. Sean had never spoken those words aloud before, had barely allowed himself to think them. But here, in this place where the veil between worlds felt thin, the truth spilled out.

"I don't know how to make it right," he continued, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't even know if I deserve the chance to try. But I miss him, Mom. I miss the person I was when I was with him."

Sean fell silent, listening to the whisper of the wind through the trees, the distant call of a bird. It was peaceful here, in a way that nowhere else was. For a moment, he could almost believe that his mother was really listening, that she might have some wisdom to impart that would make everything okay again.

But the only response was the rustle of leaves and the soft thud of his own heartbeat. Sean sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"I'm scared, Mom," he admitted, the words barely audible.

The guilt washed over him anew, a tidal wave of shame and regret.

"I wish you were here," Sean whispered, his fingers tracing the carved letters of his mother's name. "You always knew what to say, how to make things better. I feel so lost without you."

The breeze rustled through the trees, carrying with it the earthy scent of the forest. Sean closed his eyes, allowing himself to be lulled by the peaceful sounds of nature. For a moment, he could almost pretend that everything was okay, that he wasn't carrying the weight of guilt and regret on his shoulders.

"I knew I would find you here."

The voice shattered Sean's moment of peace like a sledgehammer through glass. His eyes snapped open, body tensing as if preparing for a fight. Slowly, he turned to face the intruder, though he already knew who it was.

His father stood at the edge of the clearing, a bouquet of lilies clutched in one hand. He looked older than Sean remembered, the lines on his face deeper, his hair more gray than black now. But his eyes were the same - cold, calculating, always searching for weakness.

"Dad," Sean said, the word feeling foreign on his tongue. "What are you doing here?"

His father stepped forward, his expensive shoes sinking slightly into the soft earth. "Is it so strange that I'd want to visit my wife's grave?"

Sean bit back a bitter laugh. Strange? No. Unexpected? Absolutely. In all the years since his mother's death, he could count on one hand the number of times he'd seen his father here.

"You brought flowers," Sean observed, nodding towards the lilies.

"Your mother always loved lilies," his father said, his voice softening slightly as he placed the bouquet next to Sean's tulips.

For a moment, they stood in awkward silence, the weight of unspoken words hanging heavy between them. Sean watched his father out of the corner of his eye, trying to reconcile this man with the larger-than-life figure of his childhood. It was hard to believe that this was the same person he'd once idolized, the man he'd been so desperate to please.

"How long are you going to keep this up, Sean?" His father asked finally, his tone sharp.

Sean's jaw clenched. "Keep what up?"

"This rebellion," His father waved a hand dismissively. "Playing at being normal, pretending you don't have responsibilities to the family, to the organization."

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