Page 24 of Wicche Hunt

“She asked me to come see you. I’m going to call Sam now and she can pass on Pearl’s message, okay?”

Hester nodded, her eyes glowing.

I extricated one hand, swiped through my contacts, hitSamand then the speakerphone.

It rang a few times and then, “Hey, Arwyn. Give me a minute. Owen?” she called. “Can you cover for me? I need to go in back for a bit.” The sound changed, the background noise getting quieter.

We heard a growled, “Get out.” Hester and I both jumped and then I shook my head grinning.

“That’s Dave, her cook,” I explained. “He’s just grumpy.”

“That he is,” Sam said. “By the way, thanks for all the recipes you sent him. Those meringue cookies? Ridiculous.” She was quiet for a moment. “Pearl? I’ll ask. She wants to know if you have her mother with you?”

Like a miracle, tears began flowing from Hester’s dry eyes.

“She’s here. You’re on speakerphone,” I said.

Mom came out the back door and then stood still, not wanting to disturb what was happening.

“Okay,” Sam said. “Everything I say now is Pearl. When I’m speaking as myself, I’ll let you know. Go ahead. Your mom’s listening… I love you, Mom. I’m so sorry. I was stupid to trust—”

“No,” Hester said, grabbing the phone from my lap. “You’ve never been stupid. You’re my brilliant, beautiful girl, the light of my life.” She scrubbed at her streaming tears. “I’d give anything to change places with you. To take your pain. You’re the one who should still be here.”

“I need you to promise me something,” Pearl said.

“Anything.”

“I need you to take care of yourself, okay? I need you to live and be happy without me.”

Hester shook her head, trying to hold back a sob. Finally, she choked out, “I can’t.”

“Maybe not now, but with time. You don’t need to worry about me. I’m okay. There’s no more pain or fear. I just worry about you now.”

Hester took a minute, breathing slowly. When she finally spoke, her voice was steadier. “You don’t have to worry about me. I’ll be okay.”

“Liar.”

“Someday,” Hester said.

“So, I was thinking,” Pearl began, causing Hester to release a breath on an almost-laugh.

“Have you, now?” It felt like a familiar pattern between the two.

“Yes, and I’ve had a scathingly brilliant idea.”

“Let’s hear it,” Hester said, smiling and weeping.

“That poor guy next door needs your help, and you need something to do. Plus, his daughter really needs a fairy garden.”

Hester glanced over at a tall fence between her property and the one next door. “I don’t know…”

“You don’t have to. I know. They’re a nice little family of two, just like us, and they could use your friendship and expertise. Besides, you need a project. Our garden is perfect. Theirs is sad. You could make sure the garden is safe for her and her dog to explore and play in.”

Hester wiped at her face again. “Why does it matter?”

She was quiet for a while. “I don’t know. I guess I just see things clearer on this side. I worried about so many things, avoided things that could have made me happy. I just want better for you. I want everything for you, Mom.”

My heart hurt listening to them. Like my own mother and me, they were on their own, my Uncle Roger having left when Pearl was small. We had such a different relationship than these two, though. I looked up, wondering if Mom was as affected as I was and found the porch empty. She’d gone back inside.

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