Why was she looking at me? Now, not only was my heart racing for the obvious, but also for whatever it was that Lu was insinuating. Did she already know what I was about to say? Was I that transparent—or worse, predictable?
“Either way, my attic has a few things in it since we redecorated after my mother. You are welcome to anything if you have time to poke around a bit,” Celeste offered.
Any other time, I would be more shocked by the exchange between her and Lu, who were consistently at odds.
“I’m not sure if it would suit your needs, but it’s there.”
“That would be great actually. Thank you.” Lu’s attention turned back to Faith. “You need to stop by soon, like you said you would.”
“I will.”
“Will you?” Lu clearly wasn’t convinced.
“Next week,” said Faith, reaching for a cup of tea. “Promise. I’ll be your end-of-year emotional support as you fly out of the university nest and into the world.”
Gertie shook her head but smiled at Faith’s attempt at metaphor.
“About that. It actually turns out that I am going to be walking across the stage for graduation after all,” Lu announced. She tapped her hand once against the table.
Faith gasped, giving a little hop before she found her usual seat on the small stool on the other side of the wooden table. “I knew you’d make the right decision.”
Lu’s eyes flicked up toward the ceiling, even as Essie nodded.
The youngest of the group was still finding her feet within meetings and raising her voice. “How exciting.”
“She even looks nice in the cap and gown,” said Gertie, taking a sip from her nearly empty cup. Another round of whatever she was drinking from the kettle looked to be near screaming with steam on the stove.
I never knew how a kettle must’ve felt until tonight.
“I do not. I look like an oversize green trash bag,” complained Lu.
Essie laughed, covering the sound with her hand.
“Well, now that I am officially a graduating Barnett student …” Lu flushed as the words settled in—as they should after the past so long of her not being sure if she wanted to graduate, let alone, if she did, where she’d end up afterward. Now, here she was. At home. With a boy who loved her more than the moon and stars put together. Building her dream. “I have a few tickets for family at graduation. I know it’s a lot to ask at the last minute …”
“Of course we’ll come!” someone shouted.
My eyes ping-ponged between them all. They gushed about how Lu was going to be so amazing and how much she deserved to celebrate her accomplishment. Celeste asked how Ryan reacted when she finally caved to his good-natured will. Lu blushed. Everything was so wholesome and right that it made me question how I’d ever fit in with my coven and these wonderfully full-hearted women.
Because I had cursed someone.
I had cursed someone.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, but I have to tell you all something,” I said, though clearly, it was not loud enough.
No one even looked at me. No one had probably ever expected me to say anything at all. In most meetings, I added my jokes and my comments and nothing more, but today … today was different.
They all continued their chatter.
Lu glanced my way for a second, not hearing me, but seeing my face.
“I need help.”
“What was that?” Lu cocked her head around Faith’s enthusiastic form.
Everyone kept laughing about graduation plans and the possible party perfect for Beltane the week after.
I just needed to get it out. I wanted to turn my heel right back out of the kitchen and out of the house and forget the whole thing, but this was it. There was no way around it. I needed to do it now before it got worse. Though Lu’s life and the rest of my coven sisters were thriving, I had torn someone down, and I needed to fix it.
