Page 38 of Branches of the Willow

“How did I not sense this sooner?” She came over and put her hands on my still-shrunken stomach and her whole body hummed with a warm energy that I remember feeling from her as a child. It was odd, to me, that even though my stomach showed no sign of my pregnancy yet, everyone was suddenly enthralled by it, and wanting to touch me. It was part awe-inspiring, and partly creepy.

“I really wish everyone would stop doing that. There’s nothing to see there, yet, and it’s kind of creepy,” I mentioned as Mikael stepped in from the bathroom to see what I was complaining about. He laughed, and I thought he looked a little like Santa with his face covered in a white shaving foam. Disappointment sunk in deep because I hated when he shaved fully. Sure, his skin was smoother when he kissed me, and I didn’t get beard burn; but I loved the way he looked with the stubble sprouting up across his jaw and chin. When he was finished, he came to kneel beside where I was still lounging in bed and kissed my lips.

“Please, be a good girl, and stay home today.” His warm hand rested heavily on my belly as he spoke.

“You better be glad I love you, otherwise, you’d be in the doghouse for telling me to be a ‘good girl’.” I huffed at him, but he swallowed up my indignation with a fiery kiss. My mom cleared her throat to remind him that she was still in the room, but he didn’t ease up, and I didn’t let him go right away either.

When he finally did pull away it was to say goodbye. “I’ll be back around lunch time to check in on you. If you need anything, you call right away.”

“You better get going. Hopefully, you can get some information from her this time.” Mikael was already to the bedroom door and about to round the corner into the hallway when I called him back. “Mikael!”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t go to see her alone. Please, make sure there’s always someone else there.” I swallowed hard, thinking of what happened to me last time I underestimated Leanna and Annabelle. “Please,” I begged him.

The pained expression he wore was enough to tell me he’d listen, if for no other reason than to make me happy. “I promise, and I will call every hour with updates.”

The tension rolled out of my shoulders then. That would be good. I’d be able to measure the time he was away from me while waiting for each call. It seemed more manageable than half the day being gone before I heard from him again. A few minutes after he left, Serena came strolling into my bedroom.

“Good morning ladies.” Her sweet voice traveled like a warm blanket around the room. Somehow, it instantly made me feel safe and comfortable. I wondered briefly if my mother felt the same in Serena’s presence or if it was just me.

“Serena,” my mom offered her hand in greeting. I watched as Serena took it and shook. A smile played across her lips, and my mom looked like she was about to swoon. Nope, it wasn’t just me then.

“Sorry, I’m filled to the brim with power right now. It’s why I stayed away for a bit of time. A witch drunk on another’s powers can be a heady thing. I wondered why I didn’t feel anything right away after I took Sophia’s life, but apparently there is a bit of delayed reaction with the magic seeping into my bones.”

“What the hell is going on in here?” Ashley came barging into the room, holding her head. “I feel like I was out drinking last night, only I wasn’t, so this hangover sucks.”

Serena appeared apologetic, and then she started mumbling words I couldn’t quite make out, waving her hands about, and with a quick poof of air, the room exploded with a bunch of tiny little lights. My ceiling was almost swallowed up by the little pops of light and power that were exploding everywhere.

“Holy shit! It looks like someone threw up a mini-fireworks display in here.” Ashley came closer to the bed, head tilted back, in awe of the situation.

“Sorry, I had to burn off some of the energy, it was affecting all of you. Had I known it was still this potent I wouldn’t have come.” Serena removed the laundry basket that had been sitting in the chair across the room, and she then pulled the old wing chair a bit closer to the bed. Before she spoke, her eyes caught on the detailed woodwork that had been done. She traced down one column with her fingers and smiled. “So beautiful,” she hummed.

“Mikael did that work,” I told her, pride lacing each word as I did so.

She nodded. “I would expect no less of him. It seems he learned a great deal from his uncle before he passed.” She sat thoughtful for a moment while Ashley and my mom stayed quiet and waited for Serena to offer up another display of power or perhaps some wisdom. “So, I hear you’ve told everyone the good news now?”

“You knew too?” My mom asked Serena.

“Of course. I helped her put two and two together.” My mom looked hurt momentarily, but the emotion faded, and was replaced by what looked more like gratitude.

“I haven’t had the chance to thank you for saving my daughter.” My mom glanced over to me with tears in her eyes. “And my grandchild.”

“There is no need to do so, but you are welcome.”

“This is really weird.” Ashley was still staring at the mini explosions of light up near my ceiling.

“Tell me about it.” I answered her. “I hope it clears up before Mikael comes back, or he’ll expect fireworks all the time,” I joked.

Ashley burst out laughing, but it seemed to have gone directly over my mother’s and Serena’s heads, until that point. “Oh, Jess, really? Must you be so crude in front of company?”

“Mom, I’m pregnant. Something you were excited about minutes ago. How exactly did you think that happened?”

My mother rolled her eyes at me as Ashley climbed across my feet to lounge on the bed on my other side. “That doesn’t mean you have to tell everyone about what goes on in private.”

Serena laughed at my mother’s admonishment. “I miss the days of mother-daughter banter. Not with my own mother, of course. That woman was more like my sister, Sophia. I had some time to spend with my own daughter though before everyone realized what she was.” Her words were laced with sadness, but she smiled over at the three of us. “I’m glad you’re here, Ashley.”

“Me?” Ashley had the presence of mind to look nervous. “Why me?”

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