had clawed back into our realm for the fourth time, her tactical plans had failed three times already, so maybe she wouldn’t be too difficult to defeat. Upon further review, although Zephora had only managed to remain in our dimension during the American Revolution and the American Civil War, she must have had improved her battle skills since her last incarnation had allowed her to remain on Earth from the late 1920s until the mid-1940s.
At this point, I didn’t know what to think or if I could trust Celestina, not because she had a duplicitous nature, but because I didn’t trust either Zephora or Alexis, and they might use my niece to get what they wanted.
“You should leave, Aunt Serena.”
I examined her face for any trace of uncertainty, but I saw only complete certainty. I nodded, stepped up to the door, and reached for the doorknob, but just as I reached it, I turned back and said, “Your mother and I may be sisters, but we don’t trust each other.” I didn’t want to say what came next, but I needed to, not only because Celestina needed to hear the truth, but also because I had to accept it. “We may be sisters, but we’ll never be friends. I wish I could promise you otherwise, but I can’t.” Now I had to tell her something that wounded my own heart. “We’re enemies and we always will be.” Hearing no answer, but sensing her disappointment, I knew she believed what I’d said.
I twisted the knob and opened the door. “Don’t trust Zephora. No matter what, never trust a word she says or a thing she does. She’s a liar. She’s a killer.”
“So are you, Aunt Serena,” she said in a soft, weary tone. “You told me you wouldn’t hurt Mom, but you did, and you killed Granny. She was a horrible woman, but you still killed her. Then you killed Darius. You even killed your own Granny.”
Mention of Grams misted my eyes immediately, and I had a difficult time swallowing, much less breathing. How dare she mention my killing Grams as though it meant nothing to me! Celestina had grown up with Alexis as her mother, with Delphine as her grandmother, which meant she had no idea what it felt like to have a caring parent. But the moment that thought hit my mind, I realized I shouldn’t hold it against Celestina. At least I had a parent who cared, a parent who loved me unconditionally. Celestina had a grandmother who physically abused her and a mother who verbally abused her. Tears slipped out of my eyes, not because I’d ended Grams’s life or because I no longer had her in my life, but because Celestina had never had a loving member of her family show her how to approach life and relationships.
There was nothing more to say, so I opened the screen door.
“I watched you kill Mom,” she said in the faintest voice. “It wasn’t a nightmare. Please…don’t take Mom away from me. If you do…” She lowered her gaze. “Please go, Aunt Serena.”
Celestina had mentioned a few times that she’d envisioned Alexis and I fighting, but this was the first time she’d stated that I’d actually ended my sister’s life. Alexis had admitted that not all of her daughter’s visions had panned out. Still, she’d been right about my killing Delphine, and Alexis and I continued to butt heads. Despite our differences, I didn’t want to hurt her. I just wanted to prevent her from taking Zephora’s side.
I just realized that I’d considered these last few thoughts because when it came to Celestina’s half-formed threat, I knew what she intended to say. She just didn’t want to admit it to herself. Maybe she didn’t want to believe herself capable of what had passed through her mind, so she didn’t utter those words. Since Celestina ordinarily had a pure heart, except for the few times her mother and I had fought, I wanted to believe she wouldn’t consider killing me. Then again, as evidenced by how she’d nearly choked the life out of me, my niece had a difficult time controlling her rage in those
At this point, I didn’t know what to think or if I could trust Celestina, not because she had a duplicitous nature, but because I didn’t trust either Zephora or Alexis, and they might use my niece to get what they wanted.
“You should leave, Aunt Serena.”
I examined her face for any trace of uncertainty, but I saw only complete certainty. I nodded, stepped up to the door, and reached for the doorknob, but just as I reached it, I turned back and said, “Your mother and I may be sisters, but we don’t trust each other.” I didn’t want to say what came next, but I needed to, not only because Celestina needed to hear the truth, but also because I had to accept it. “We may be sisters, but we’ll never be friends. I wish I could promise you otherwise, but I can’t.” Now I had to tell her something that wounded my own heart. “We’re enemies and we always will be.” Hearing no answer, but sensing her disappointment, I knew she believed what I’d said.
I twisted the knob and opened the door. “Don’t trust Zephora. No matter what, never trust a word she says or a thing she does. She’s a liar. She’s a killer.”
“So are you, Aunt Serena,” she said in a soft, weary tone. “You told me you wouldn’t hurt Mom, but you did, and you killed Granny. She was a horrible woman, but you still killed her. Then you killed Darius. You even killed your own Granny.”
Mention of Grams misted my eyes immediately, and I had a difficult time swallowing, much less breathing. How dare she mention my killing Grams as though it meant nothing to me! Celestina had grown up with Alexis as her mother, with Delphine as her grandmother, which meant she had no idea what it felt like to have a caring parent. But the moment that thought hit my mind, I realized I shouldn’t hold it against Celestina. At least I had a parent who cared, a parent who loved me unconditionally. Celestina had a grandmother who physically abused her and a mother who verbally abused her. Tears slipped out of my eyes, not because I’d ended Grams’s life or because I no longer had her in my life, but because Celestina had never had a loving member of her family show her how to approach life and relationships.
There was nothing more to say, so I opened the screen door.
“I watched you kill Mom,” she said in the faintest voice. “It wasn’t a nightmare. Please…don’t take Mom away from me. If you do…” She lowered her gaze. “Please go, Aunt Serena.”
Celestina had mentioned a few times that she’d envisioned Alexis and I fighting, but this was the first time she’d stated that I’d actually ended my sister’s life. Alexis had admitted that not all of her daughter’s visions had panned out. Still, she’d been right about my killing Delphine, and Alexis and I continued to butt heads. Despite our differences, I didn’t want to hurt her. I just wanted to prevent her from taking Zephora’s side.
I just realized that I’d considered these last few thoughts because when it came to Celestina’s half-formed threat, I knew what she intended to say. She just didn’t want to admit it to herself. Maybe she didn’t want to believe herself capable of what had passed through her mind, so she didn’t utter those words. Since Celestina ordinarily had a pure heart, except for the few times her mother and I had fought, I wanted to believe she wouldn’t consider killing me. Then again, as evidenced by how she’d nearly choked the life out of me, my niece had a difficult time controlling her rage in those
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