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Chapter 14

THE BROOM CUPBOARD

Cora woke, the pounding in her head setting her teeth on edge. She tentatively rolled over trying not to anger the beast but it growled causing her to wince. She'd avoided her mum last night. Her heart jumped around in her chest when she thought of having that conversation with her today. Maybe they could just avoid it all together?

             
Reluctantly climbing from the warmth of her bed, she fished around in her wardrobe which was otherwise known as the not so neat pile of clothes on the computer desk. Her room was too small for a wardrobe. She settled on soft grey trousers, a white shirt and a long beige cardigan. She headed to the bathroom, washed her face and pushed her hair into a ponytail. She blew out a breath, she couldn’t put it off any longer.

             
She crept quietly towards the muffled sounds in the kitchen. How was she going to handle this mess? She’d barely got a grasp on it herself. She pushed the door open to see her mother standing over the hob. The smell of scrambled eggs drifted across the room towards her.

“Morning,” she murmured, her head down, her steps quick so she could reach the fridge and avoid her mother.

She gave herself a pat on the back for being so brave.

She poured orange juice for the two of them and sat at the table observing her mother. Blue bruises hung like sunken bags under her eyes. Her hair, usually spring curled, hung around her face like wet washing on a line.

             
Taking a deep breath, she gave in knowing that she had to approach the subject at some point. The elephant in the room was too hard to ignore.

“Mum, are you okay?”

Nibbling on scrambled eggs she swallowed taking her time to answer. Cora tried not to let this annoy her.

“You're a witch, I’ve known this the majority of my life. My grandmother told me you were precious when I was a little girl. At that age I believed she called everyone precious.” Her mother stopped talking and started playing with her scrambled eggs.

“I used to play with you,” she smiled at Cora’s shocked expression.

“We used to run around the garden playing hide and seek. It’s unbelievable to think that I am now the adult. You don’t remember any of this of course.”

Her mother pushed her plate aside as Cora nibbled on her nails nervously waiting for her to continue.

“Tabitha had researched many families after the witch trial that killed your mother. She met with my ancestors and Tabitha believed we were the best family to place you with. She wanted you to live with humans, to live a somewhat normal life. I was eighteen when I was told about you. I remember that day clearly, it was a warm Saturday afternoon in late July. My mother sat me down and explained everything. She started with your history, your mother, what you’d survived. I remember sitting there and letting the whole conversation wash over me, waiting for the hysterical laughter, waiting for the April’s fool even though it was the wrong month. It wasn’t a joke. Somehow I always knew you were different. You were our family tre
asure and I felt honoured that I
was the next to look after you. It was the day I met Tabitha for the first time.”

“Thank yo
u for taking on the role of m
y m
um.”

“You are most welcome. I do not regret it for one single minute. I'm sorry that I moved you around all the time.”

             
Knowing what she knew now, how could she blame her? She loved this woman, her mother, more than words could begin to express. She had always loved her despite the mother, daughter arguments.

“I'm so sorry about the way I've treated you about this move and the other moves in the year. I now know why you did it. I’m sorry that you had to give up your life for me.”

“Cora, that doesn't matter to me. I have had the best life so far and that is down to you. I don't need you to apologise, darling. I love you. You are my daughter and as far as I’m concerned you always will be.  I have been your friend, your aunt, and now your mother, who can say they have been through as many stages with their daughter? I know you inside out.”

“I’m still so very sorry,” she apologised as tears pricked her eyes.

Her mother pushed some of the hair behind her ears. “No, you listen to me. Don't be sorry, I'm not. My life with you has been one hundred percent worth it. You are so strong. To have survived what you did and still become the woman you are today is an amazing feat.”

Cora took a deep breath blowing the stored up air out of her lungs. Her throat felt tight with tears.

“You’ve still moved around your entire life, you've never lived in one place long enough to call it home.”

“It was hard,” her mother agreed. “The loss of your memories helped with every move. You would become so disconcerted after your sessions with Tabitha that I could control what we were to each other. You will not apologise for who you are, I won't allow it. I've lived in and seen more beautiful places than other people dream about, for that I'm thankful.”

“How did we afford to live in all these places?” They weren't poor by any means but they'd never been swimming in money.

“Your inheritance.”

“Eh?”

“Your mother’s family were rather wealthy but at that time they chose to live a rather simple life. They didn’t want the attention that came with wealth. Tabitha had full ownership of it until now. Now, it goes to you. We decided as your guardians that moving you around the world using your money wasn't such a bad thing. I'm sorry if you think so.”

“You did the right thing.” She nodded. “I'll be honest, I don’t know what to do with everything I've learnt. You’re my mother and always will be. I couldn’t even put into words how much you mean to me. How selfless you are for doing what you’ve done. I don’t remember my real mother and I don’t remember my past life but I would like to. I hope that doesn’t hurt you?”

Her mother smiled a real smile for the first time that morning. “Of course you’re curious, why wouldn't you be? I want you to remember your life too. I know that Tabitha said it may never happen but I sincerely hope it does. You do have one memory that I know of,” her mother spoke softly. “Tabitha was never able to take it away.”

“My baby memory?” she whispered.

             
It was her only memory. She could remember the sound of the waves roaring, the loud crash and sigh as water caressed sand. She could remember the sun beating down on her hat covered head, the itch of sand between her toes. That was all she remembered but she clung to the memory like it was much needed oxygen.

“You've told me the memory before and I said we'd been there. I'm sorry I lied to you but I couldn't tell you the truth for obvious reasons. You went to the coast that day with your mother and Tabitha. Tabitha told me that you put sand in a bag and you brought it back with you. You fed it to the pigs, your mother laughed until she cried.”

Cora should feel happy knowing her memory was one with her mother but the pain in her chest made it difficult to breathe.

“Cora, I was wondering what you can do... as a witch? Tabitha didn't know what sort of power you would have.”

Now this type of conversation she could handle a little better. “I know I can control some aspects of the wind. When I was with the Jack boy, do you know about the Jack boy?” Her mother was already nodding. “Well I was able to push him very far. There was also thunder, I don’t know if I controlled that too,” she smiled sheepishly.

Cora thought of her two meetings with Jack, he wasn’t weak. She had a funny feeling that he would force an opportunity to attack her.

“He can levitate and he is very strong. I don't know how to handle the intense hatred I feel when I'm near him. It scares me.”

“Cora, love, you’re not a violent person and there is something deeper happening here. It doesn’t matter what power he has, it sounds like you can control something very big.”

“Yeah,” she smiled sheepishly. Her gift was growing stronger by the hour, she could feel it.

“Plus we have our first home. We don't have to move,” her mother sighed happily.

She grinned. Jack would not take that away from her. “Do you want to see what I can do,
if
I can do it again?”

Her mother was nodding enthusiastically, her eyes lit up which made her entire face glow.

             
Cora picked at the small knot of power and played with it. She smiled at her mother and held up her right hand. Laughter echoed around her and that was when she knew she was ready.  A gust of wind exploded around her as the pan launched itself towards the window spraying scrambled eggs as it flew. Landing with a
thump
it rattled on the floor. She looked at the mess and knew her mother was going to kill her.

             
Debris littered the kitchen window, the counters and the floor. Floppy pieces of egg clung precariously to the ceiling, she watched as one sticky piece of egg let go and plopped loudly on the floor. The look on her mother’s face was thunderous.

Oh Lord.

Cora took a breath ready to blame her for asking what she could do, she'd never have done it otherwise. She opened her mouth to plead her case when her mother abruptly burst into laughter.

“That was fantastic, Cora.” Clapping her hands together, she grinned at her. “You have such a fantastic gift! Now, off you go, you don’t want to be late on your first day.”

Her mother stood brushing her hands on her jeans and then she started pushing her towards the front door.

“Wait, how did you know that...?” Sighing, she gave in.

Her mother knew most things. For any
normal
teenager that was a curse, in her case, it was a blessing.

*

The bell tinkled above her head as warm cinnamon engulfed her. Tabitha was stood at the till ripping open packets of money and emptying them into the chunky slots of the till. Cora shook her head, she was wearing robes again. It was lovely despite its lack of normalcy; the colour a rich burgundy with the slim green belt placed around her hips.

“Morning, you can find an apron in the room behind me.” 

“Morning,” she mumbled and made her way to the door.

             
The room she entered was small. A lone window let little light in but Tabitha had placed several lamps around the room. The lamps were covered with thin coloured material that cast a pastel explosion making the room feel warm and inviting. Finding the green apron she tried to tie it around her waist, the slight shake in her hands a sign that she was nervous. The last time she’d spoken to Tabitha she’d had some sort of meltdown. She was sure it was going to be awkward between them. She left her coat and bag on the floor and stepped back into the shop.

“You won’t need to use the till today,” Tabitha smiled at her as her hands continued moving money around. “I will show you how to use it another day, but for now you can tidy the books and the displays as you go along, trust me, the customers will take up your time. This right here,” Tabitha turned away from the till and motioned for her to move with her, “is the stock room. Everything is labelled and ready to go. On the back of the door is a stock list. If we run low on anything you need to write it down. I'm no mind reader, that's one element I don't have, so remember to write it down. Here you go.” Tabitha gave her a duster and left her standing in the doorway.

“Just one thing,” she whispered making Tabitha turn and look at her. “I would like for you to do the spell, the one that means I can remain here and the locals don’t notice.”

Tabitha’s face lit up. “Wonderful. Of course I will do that for you.”

Cora nodded and made her way to the bookcases.

             
She glanced at Tabitha as a customer walked in; Tabitha gave her a slight nod. The woman stood looking around the shop, her small hand absently rubbed her swelling stomach. Smiling, she walked towards the customer. She had a feeling this was going to be a long day.

*

The last customer left the shop precisely 30 seconds before closing, she’d been right; her day had indeed been long.

“For such a small shop you have a lot of customers,” she sighed as she sat down at the table holding a cup of Tabitha’s hot chocolate.

Tabitha blew the hot chocolate before taking a sip. “People are curious about witches. Of course, everyone knows I am one, to a certain extent. They visit the shop to see if I am sat over a cauldron casting spells,” Tabitha laughed.

If people were curious about Tabitha that could only mean they would be curious about her. She wasn't sure how she felt about that. She was a witch, she would come to terms with that, eventually, but having people look at her in
that
way made her feel like she was some walking freak show.

“Have you enjoyed your first day here?” Tabitha asked, breaking the silence.

“Yeah, I have. I wanted to ask you something, the first customer, was that the woman, you know?”