That Witch! (22 page)

That content smile lasted all of five seconds, derailed by Nana asking, “Whose car could that be?”

Cassidy looked up, having been too wrapped up in trying to make Brynn happy to realize they’d made it into Majestic Hills, around the cul-de-sac, and were now slowing down as they neared Cassidy’s house. When she saw what Nana was talking about, she recognized the minivan from the driveway at Brynn’s house just as Brynn gasped and said, “Oh no.”

And those darn zombies began to munch away at her insides again.

Nana glanced back after pulling her car in beside the minivan. Her stare questioned them both, but she said nothing. Finally, Brynn said, “That’s my mom’s car,” as she unbuckled her seat belt with shaky hands.

“Oh, wonderful. I have a few things I’d like to talk to her about,” Nana said before bolting out of the car as fast as a woman in her mid-sixties could.

She started toward the house, walking with a determined gait. Cassidy recognized the impending horrors that would soon befall whatever member of the Michaels household might be sitting inside her house, so she darted out of the car and started after Nana.

“Nana!” she hissed. “They’re, like, super religious and super strict! Don’t go in there guns blazing in defense of lesbian rights, ’kay?” Her grandmother merely cocked a shaped brow. “Please?” Cassidy added.

The please must have done it because Nana sighed and nodded stubbornly. “Fine, but only for Brynn’s sake. Between you and me—” Her wise, steel-blue gaze shot up, probably making sure Brynn wasn’t within earshot. “—any parent who kicks their kid out of their home just for being gay makes them butt monkeys in my book.”

“Butt monkeys. Duly noted, Nana. Now can we please just go see what they want?”

Brynn finally made it over to stand at Cassidy’s side just as her grandmother nodded again and opened the front door.

With the nonchalance only Nana could pull off, she stepped into the foyer, and in a tone dripping with sweet charm, she said, “Miranda, the girls and I are home. We had a
lovely
time today. Oh, you should have seen how they were laughing and smiling together.”

Cassidy swore Nana was a Spartan in her past life, because there was no other person more ready to wage war than she was. All in a diplomatic, sort of in-your-face way. Thank gawd her grandmother was in town. She didn’t think she could survive this fiasco without Nana’s sage wisdom and easy-going attitude toward her newfound sexuality.

She even thought she heard a quiet giggle coming from Brynn, but that could have just been her imagination, because when she looked over at her girlfriend, her eyes were wide, and her already light complexion seemed a whiter shade of pale. Cassidy immediately clasped her hand around Brynn’s. She laced their fingers together and gave a small squeeze, attempting to channel some confidence into her.

The tone of her mother’s voice told Cassidy that things might not be as bad as she originally thought. She knew a lot of things, but most of all, she knew the different pitches of her mom’s voice. If Brynn’s parents were in there having a heart attack, then there would’ve been a slight edge to her mother’s speech. Nope, this tone was… calm.

“That’s great, Mom. I’m in the living room with Brynn’s mother. Come say hello.”

Nana, Brynn, and Cassidy all exchanged looks. Brynn took a visible deep breath, her chest rising and falling. Cassidy kept her viselike grip on Brynn’s hand, and Nana offered her a gentle pat on the shoulder before whispering, “Don’t worry, kiddo. We’re here for you,” and taking Brynn’s other hand in hers. Together, they walked toward the sunny living room.

For Cassidy, it felt like walking
The
Green Mile
, so she couldn’t fathom what Brynn must be going through at the moment. She expected Brynn to release her hand the minute she saw her mother, but Pinky did anything but. She actually held on a little tighter, white-knuckling Cassidy’s fingers until she felt the tips start to tingle.

Point one for team Pinky.

Cassidy walked into the living room with her head held high and her dainty shoulders squared. While Brynn might be intimidated by her family, Cassidy was proud of who she was, and there wasn’t a close-minded woman in the world who would change that. She locked gazes with Mrs. Michaels, who sat on the large loveseat opposite from the couch. A glass of ice water accompanied a napkin in her left hand. She looked like she’d been crying.

It was the same worn-down expression Cassidy’s mother donned when her father up and left them, taking his Bose sound system in one arm and a suitcase full of designer clothes in the other. The same sorrow-filled look to her eyes. The same questions probably clouding her thoughts. Why had this happened to her? What had she done? How could she fix it? The situations were on opposite ends of the spectrum, but the results were the same.

Cassidy opened her mouth to speak but was promptly interrupted by Nana, who broke their little circle of strength and walked over to offer Mrs. Michaels a hand.

“I’m Sylvia Donovan, Miranda’s mother and Cassidy’s grandmother. Your daughter is a beautiful young lady, Mrs. Michaels. Both inside and out.”

Brynn’s mom smiled politely, gave a small flick of her wrist, and said, “Thank you. That’s what I’m here about,” before turning her gaze to Brynn. “Do you two mind having a seat? There are some things that I need to speak to Brynn about, and I was hoping you would sit in as well, Cassidy.”

Brynn nervously looked at Cassidy. Cassidy gave a small shrug and nodded. She led Brynn to the couch, where they sat down beside one another. Neither one released the other’s hand, and neither one spoke.

Cassidy’s mother sat on the opposite end of the couch from them, smiling and picking at a fingernail. Brynn’s mother shifted and Nana… well, Nana cleared her throat, sat back in the lounge chair she’d taken up residence in, and said, “Well, this isn’t
The View
, so let’s get on with it, shall we? These girls have had a long day.”

“I
BROUGHT
your laptop, phone, and some clothes to you. Your favorite hoodie is in your backpack,” Brynn’s mom said. Her voice had a nervous waver to it. “Your school books are all—”

“Wait,” Brynn interrupted, bolting up from her spot on the couch beside Cassidy. “Are you trying to tell me I can’t come home?”

“Brynn….” Her mother lowered her head. She sniffled once, wrung her hands, and then looked up at Brynn again. There was so much sadness in her eyes Brynn almost didn’t want to be mad at her… almost. “Your father doesn’t agree with what you’ve chosen.”

“Chosen? Chosen!” Brynn tightened her jaw and crossed her arms over her chest. “You think I chose this? Do you honestly think I would willingly choose something so freaking hard? So scary? I can’t help that every time I look at Cassidy I want to kiss her. I can’t help wanting to be around her. I’ve never felt that way about a boy.”

“Maybe you just haven’t met the right boy yet,” her mom quietly offered, as if she wasn’t really sure she should be saying what she did.

At that point, Brynn saw Cassidy jump up from the couch, but Nana must’ve reached over and pulled her back down because she didn’t stay on her feet long. Brynn felt something prickle on her neck, making the fine hairs at her nape stand on end. She glanced over her shoulder, back to her girlfriend, and saw Cassidy staring daggers at her mother. The fizzle of energy grew stronger the longer Brynn stood there without taking up for herself, as if Cassidy’s powers were totally ready to take over.

Brynn looked back at her mom and said, “There won’t be a right boy. Ever. I love Cassidy.”

“Brynn, you’re seventeen years old. You don’t know what love is yet.”

“Obviously, I know better than you and Daddy.”

“Brynn Michaels!”

“Okay. All right.” Nana stood, pressing her palms to the air to back everyone down. Brynn didn’t know if Nana was taking charge for her sake or Cassidy’s, because the more Brynn’s mom spoke, the more Brynn became aware of her very witchy girlfriend. “How about we take a step back and look at this a little more rationally?”

Nana shot a glance at Brynn. Brynn lowered her head. Then she turned that same commanding stare on Cassidy, and the fizzle of energy filling the room immediately retreated. Nana looked to Cassidy’s mom, who gave her a curt nod, as if giving her the go-ahead to keep heading down the path she’d started on.

“Mrs. Michaels,” Nana said. “I think you might need a little guidance on this. Now, don’t take this as an insult or anything, but it’s sorta hard to know what’s going on in a homosexual child’s head when they first realize how they feel. I would suggest talking to parents who have been through this with their kids before you try to have a talk with Brynn about it. Because frankly, you’re coming off a bit judgmental and ignorant.”

“Mom!” Cassidy’s mother gasped.

Cassidy smirked.

Brynn sunk down in the couch. Unfortunately, she didn’t have her faithful hoodie to hide behind this time.

“I don’t think name-calling is conducive to this situation,” Brynn’s mother stoically offered.

“Oh, I’m not calling names,” Nana said. “If I was calling names, I would’ve said—”

“Mother!” Cassidy’s mom popped up from her seat. “Mrs. Michaels, forgive my mother. We think she’s going senile.”

“I’m not senile,” Nana declared. “I just think the woman could be better informed. Don’t you, Miranda?”

“Okay. Fine,” Brynn’s mother said as she stood from her seat. “Help me be better informed. Contrary to what you might think, I only want what’s best for my daughter.”

“That’s a great answer,” Nana said with a smile. “Tell you what. The place where I took Brynn and Cassidy today also hosts a local PFLAG chapter—”

“PFLAG?” Brynn’s mother frowned.

“Parents, friends, and family of lesbians and gays.” She paused, apparently waiting for some response from Brynn’s mother. Besides a silent “Oh,” Brynn’s mother didn’t say a word. “The people in that group are good people. Some I’ve known half my life. They’ve all been through, or their parents went through, the same thing you are. Maybe they can offer you a little insight, help you make rational decisions? Your husband is welcome to go too.”

“Right now, I don’t think he’s interested,” Brynn’s mother confessed.

The words ripped Brynn’s heart right out of her chest. Save for the thumping of her pulse in her temples, Brynn didn’t hear another sound after that. Was her father so close-minded he didn’t want to understand how she felt? Had she really disappointed him so badly he didn’t want to ever see her again?

Was being a lesbian really that bad?

Brynn lowered her head and began fidgeting with her shirt. If she counted the stitches at the hem, maybe she would forget how badly this whole situation hurt; maybe she wouldn’t cry again. She thought if she could just keep her mind busy, the pain of letting her parents down wouldn’t be so hard to bear.

“I would like to go to this meeting,” Brynn’s mother said, and Brynn’s head darted straight up.

“Really?” Brynn breathlessly asked.

“Yes, really. Brynn, I
do
want to understand. Even if I don’t like it, I want to understand how you feel, and I don’t want to alienate you. You’re my firstborn, sweetie. I love you.”

“I love you too, Mom.”

“That’s great,” Nana said with a glowing smile. “They meet on Thursday nights. Would you like me to go with you so you won’t be alone?”

“We’ll both go,” Cassidy’s mom offered.

“Thank you,” Brynn’s mother replied.

So maybe this whole being out thing could turn around. Maybe her parents would come to understand. That wasn’t too much to hope for, was it?

Brynn felt Cassidy’s hand on hers again. She found Cassidy giving her the softest, calmest smile. There was a new feeling of hope and light, not the tense, angry fizzle she’d felt from Cassidy before. She genuinely had the support system she’d so desperately wanted, and that seemed to make dealing with everything a lot easier.

“Why don’t we give Brynn and her mother a moment alone?” Cassidy’s mom suggested.

No. She really,
really
needed to keep holding Cassidy’s hand. She needed it so bad her fingers instinctively tightened around her girlfriend’s.
Please don’t go. Please don’t go.

“Everything will be fine,” Cassidy whispered. “I’ll be right upstairs waiting for you.”

Cassidy leaned over and kissed Brynn on the cheek. The feel of her soft, strawberry-scented lips against Brynn’s warm skin made Brynn close her eyes. Reluctantly, she let go of Cassidy’s hand, and only then did she realize her palm was sweating.

She watched as the three women she now considered her family left her alone with her mother. At first, Brynn couldn’t make herself look up at the woman who’d given her life. She feared seeing the hurt and sorrow in her mother’s eyes. She feared the disappointment. But she didn’t have to look up. The cushion beside her dipped down, and she felt her mother’s arms around her, then she was being pulled into a hug.

“Sweetie,” her mother said, “we’ll get through this. Don’t you worry, okay? Miranda says you can stay here as long as you need to, and I’m working on your father. He’s just… scared, okay?”