Page 102 of Clearly Charmed

Her arms tightened around me. ‘I know,’ she said in a small voice that reminded me too much of our complicated childhood.

Aster moved in and we held on to each other. Shockingly, Lia was the last one to let go. My beautiful sister, who was ferocious, smart and incredibly brave, gave me and Aster a sad smile before fleeing for the stairs.

Lia would eventually want to hear the truth, but she understood her own limits, and it was clear she was at her breaking point.

As much as I wanted to pretend that I hadn’t been a witness to Belladonna’s behavior in the forest today, in my heart I understood it was time for the darkness in our lives to recede. For the truth about who we were as sisters, mothers, daughters and granddaughters to finally be ushered into the light.

Chapter Thirty-Three

Another Striking Blow

Belladonna stood near the mantel. She’d tied her hair up in a messy bun, more of that gray poking out from her roots. She pressed her hand over the photo of Grandpa Beau standing near the edge of the lake. A bright smile lifted his lips as he showed off his latest catch.

Whenever she would reappear at the house, Grandpa would pick her up in a big bear hug and swirl her around in a circle. Belladonna would protest, especially if she was pregnant again. Grandpa would carefully set her on her feet. Crow about how happy he was to have her home.

It took longer for Clo to warm up. I think that had a lot to do with me. How I’d stare at this mysterious creature who claimed to be my mother but was rarely a part of our lives.

I took the open spot next to Aster on the couch, the room still tilting and shifting like a ship on a stormy sea.

‘Lia get a call from the station?’ Clo asked.

‘No.’ I gave her a firm look. ‘She said she couldn’t stay. I think you know why.’

In the fading light, Clo looked small and fragile sitting in Grandpa Beau’s favorite chair. Her words about keeping the secret until his death stung. There’d been so many times I’d seen their heads close together, shoulders up around their ears, as they tried to mask their harsh words. I always assumed it was about the challenges of raising us three girls. How they’d thought they’d have a quiet retirement, not be parenting small children again. All these years Clo had continued to keep this secret, and I needed to know why.

‘Clo, please help me understand what is happening. The reasons you kept the truth from me. From all of us,’ I said.

‘That’s not her fault,’ Belladonna said. ‘She was honoring a request I’d made of her a long time ago.’

‘What kind of request?’ Aster said.

Belladonna focused on the line of pictures documenting our family’s history. Her fingers trembled as she reached out to touch the old photo of Ambrosia and Sylvia. ‘When I ran from Harvest Moon at eighteen, I felt free. Lighter. It was liberating not to have people constantly watching me like I was some kind of freak. I could wear what I wanted. Date whoever came along. I finally had control. Power over the things I hated about who I was.’

‘I don’t understand. What didn’t you have control over?’ Aster pressed.

‘Give her a chance to talk, sweetheart,’ Clo said.

‘For a short time, I was lulled into a childish belief that I could steer the path of my life, and then I got pregnant with you, Dani.’ She turned watery eyes on me. ‘I was terrified, but you were this normal little cherubic being that filled a space in my heart I didn’t know was empty. It gave me such hope and joy. Made me believe everything was okay. So I had Lia, and you, Aster. My sweet final baby.’

‘What changed? Why did you leave us with Clo and Grandpa Beau?’ I said, unable to keep the anger from my voice.

‘That was never my intention in the beginning. But then my world crashed down when animals started seeking you out, Dani. I understood you had a gift. At that time, Lia and Aster were still so small.’ She clasped her hands in front of her. ‘I’d convinced myself that because you all had different fathers I’d shifted the fates. But the Perkins blood is stronger than I gave it credit for.’

‘We know all this.’ Aster pressed her hands down firmer into the couch. ‘What is it that you wanted Clo to keep from us? That made you stay away all these years?’

Belladonna pressed a shaky hand to her mouth, and Clo gave her a reassuring nod. ‘The summer I turned thirteen, I was invited to a swimming party. It was a big deal, because most of the kids at school were mean to me. One of the girls made fun of my bathing suit because it was pink and orange and green, and she said it made me look like a watermelon. It was just a mean girl being cruel, but you’re so tender, vulnerable, at that age.’ Her breaths became more stuttered. ‘The kids all laughed, and it ignited a tornado of fury inside of me. The stronger my rage grew, the more the water in the pool shifted and swirled around the girl. The power of it tugged her under. A boy managed to rip her loose from the grip of it before she drowned. Her parents were angry. Told the family who owned the pool that their drain was dangerous. That it nearly killed their daughter, but I knew better.’

Belladonna moved to the wall of windows that faced the lake. The water thrashed and churned against the dirt shore, kicking up into tall spouts.

Aster’s mouth fell open. I stayed frozen in place. All these years, none of us had ever noticed the way the lake reacted to her.

‘I kept that day a secret from your grandmother.’ Belladonna’s breath warmed the glass. ‘But as I got older, my power grew. By just looking at water, I could get it to wave up, splash onto the shore. In the winter, I could focus on the ice, make it shift. Crack. Up on the ski mountain one year, I got into a fight with a boyfriend and caused a small avalanche. Your grandmother heard about it. Confronted me when I got home.’ Like all the fight had gone out of her, she whispered, ‘You can tell the rest, Mama.’

‘That night your mother told me everything. She was terrified. Wasn’t sure what was happening to her. I told her about the history of the Perkins women. Their power over water.’ She shot me a pained look before saying, ‘And fire.’

The revelation was a stinging slap. I’d always counted on Clo to be honest. To not hide any hard truths from us. But with one sentence, she’d proven how naïve I’d been.

‘Wait.’ Aster’s beautiful green eyes widened. ‘Clo can control fire? And… out in the woods earlier? Mother used water to stop the flames from eating up the forest?’