Cleo had to bring her mom to a doctor’s appointment that day, so even though she skipped the job interview, she did need to go back to Boston. Her mother wasn’t thrilled about it and frankly, neither was Cleo. But it was an opportunity to make sure her mom really was doing alright now that she and her father weren’t physically there as often.

This was actually her first time at Oakmont Residencies since she agreed to her mom’s request. Phone calls were fine, but it was impossible to get back on that quiet, somewhat distant relationship setup they’d had for so long. Not after everything that happened and no matter how much her mother would prefer that. Cleo had to be involved, but she would keep her physical presence to a minimum.

And she wasn’t even hurt by that. But if she wasn’t going to be with her mother, then (and God, Cleo couldn’t believe she was even thinking this) she’d rather be back in New Winslow. At least until the curse was broken. And for the first time in her life, they seemed to actually be somewhat close to achieving that. After a lifetime of just figuring it was a fact of life and having the town cover it up to the extent they had, they were about to solve the New Winslow curse.

Cleo was nervous about the cost, but that part wasn’t her decision to make.

But now the appointment was over and she was back at her apartment, grabbing a few more things before heading back to New Winslow. And she’d fully intended to pop in and out, but had apparently gotten too used to the place being empty. Because it hadn’t even occurred to her that Edie would be home.

“Cleo.”

She was in her room, searching for her laptop charger. Liv didn’t have good Wi-Fi, but it would be enough to get some cover letters going for yet more job applications. Applications that she’d be sending in to various corporate administration jobs in Boston while dealing with a paranormal mystery back in her hometown. But at least most of these would be for part-time positions if she could get up the guts to listen to both Andrew and her father.

“You’re back,” Edie continued, standing in the doorway. “Does that mean it’s done?”

Cleo laughed. “No,” she said. “God, not yet. I was here yesterday for my mom, but had to go back last night for… I just had to go back.”

She moved a few things on her dresser, but there was no sign of the charger. “I’m just here to pick up a few things while I’m in town.”

As though Boston was now the place where she popped in for a quick visit. The way New Winslow was supposed to be. 

This thought must have been visible on her face because Edie said, “You don’t have to go back.”

“Yes, I do!”

She hadn’t meant to raise her voice and it startled her as much as it startled Edie. “Please, just stop,” Cleo said. “I’m sorry. But I have to go back. I’m fucking exhausted, I had a terrible night last night and a not great afternoon today. And I just need to go back, okay?”

“I’m sorry.”

She didn’t want to have this argument again, she was so tired of the way everything in her life repeated itself over and over. “I’m sorry I broke up with you over this,” Edie said.

Cleo especially didn’t want that stupid, stupid little flicker of hope. But Edie was looking at her with tears in their eyes and fuck, now hers were filling too. “I had to,” Edie continued, as the little light died, “but Cleo, I’m so sorry.”

Cleo tried to shrug it off, like it didn’t actually bother her. She thought of Noah, drunk in the park on Christmas Eve, finally telling Andrew how he’d broken his heart. She didn’t want to think of that, it wasn’t the same. It wasn’t Edie’s fault, right? 

“I won’t ask you to come with me,” Cleo said. “But I miss you.”

God, why did she have to make herself completely vulnerable? She’d be better off taking off all her clothes and standing in the middle of Comm Ave, at least then she’d feel less exposed than she did right now.

“Cleo-”

“I know,” she said quickly, turning back to look for the power cord that had apparently gone for a stroll at the worst possible time. “I’m sorry, I know. It’s just… you said it didn’t matter. And it does, and I get that it has to. But you told me it didn’t and I believed you.”

There it was, the stupid thing was half hanging out from beside her bed, tucked between the blankets and the wall. She snatched it up and threw it in her bag. “I need to go,” she said. “I’ll be gone until the curse is broken this time. I’m sorry. Even if it doesn’t hit me, I’m staying.”

But of course now she wanted to stay here. Edie was looking at her with those heartbroken eyes and she wanted to drop her bag and stay. Or she wanted Edie to be the one to say fuck it and come with her. Just like they had for months until the curse had actually impacted them. And she was so fucking angry and so fucking in love and looking at Edie, she could see the exact same thing mirrored back at her. 

“I love you,” she blurted out, then hurried past Edie and out the door.

——

Mom was exhausted when she got back to The Countess, it was so obvious to Jamie. She didn’t want Dad going back to town to help her with what had happened at the shop, and Jamie felt the same way. What if he got trapped again? Did Dad even have another twenty years in him? It wasn’t worth it, no matter how much Dad disagreed. But that didn’t mean it wasn’t too much for Mom to handle on her own and that was where Jamie felt guilty.

He had asked if he could go with her to help clean up at the House of Pizza. Their actual house was fine, thankfully. He’d heard Mom and Dad talking about it quietly in the room, like they thought he wouldn’t understand. But he wasn’t a kid anymore, and he could help.

“Mom, let me come back with you,” Jamie said, catching his mother as she was about to leave for New Winslow again.

“Honey, no. It’s too dangerous to have you kids in town right now.”

“But I have powers now. I can help!”

Mom sighed in that way that made Jamie want to stomp his feet like a kid. “Jamie, I understand,” she said. “But this is too big. I can’t have you going back to town. Not after what happened to Andrew.”

Andrew… He tried to remember. Right, the fire. That nice guy with the accent who came over that one time to do magic in the backyard. He was the man in the building that caught fire. But he’d been alright. 

And now Mom was hugging Jamie and oh shit, she was crying. Shit, shit. He’d made her cry. “Mom, I’m sorry,” Jamie started desperately, his hands flailing behind her.

“You have nothing to apologize for,” she said from around his shoulder. “I’m sorry you’re dealing with this. It shouldn’t be your problem. You should be able to go home.”

She squeezed him one more time, then let go. “What you’re doing already is exactly what you should be,” she continued. “I need to go back out for a little while, but I’ll be back soon.”

She kissed him on the cheek, then slipped out, leaving Jamie alone in the room. This room was hardly ever so empty, but Dad had the kids out in the gardens to run off some energy. Normally Jamie would love the opportunity for some quiet. But now he didn’t want to be alone in here.

He walked out, locking the door behind him, and started aimlessly down the hall. He wouldn’t leave the building, it was safe here and he wasn’t going to do anything he wasn’t supposed to. But he just needed to walk around and think for a little while. 

If he could get his powers under control, he could go back and help Mom. She wouldn’t be able to say no if he was useful in the fight. So he had to get them controlled right now. 

He made his way up the stairs and back toward the room where he and Mom had been practicing before. As the door creaked open, he could see the candle still sitting on the little table in the center of the room. Closing the door behind him, Jamie came further in and sat down beside the candle. He focused, like Mom has said to, tugging on the energy he was learning to feel in the air. 

A burst of flame shot out of the candle, reaching for the ceiling. Jamie yelled and grabbed the fire extinguisher, but the flame receded just as quickly, as though it was being sucked back into the candle wick. Thankfully there was no damage left behind aside from a small scorch mark on the ceiling that Missy was sure to notice. 

Jamie set down the fire extinguisher and wiped his forehead with a shaking hand. Alright, maybe she was right. Maybe he wasn’t ready. 

Something outside the window caught his attention, a movement in the darkness. Fear rushed through him, but he reminded himself that they were warded up here. Like at home when that Roland asshole tried to get in. They were safe. 

But Jamie felt that lingering darkness behind him the whole way back downstairs. 

——–

CONTINUE TO EPISODE 42

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