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“I did exactly as you instructed. I have it set up outside my mother’s bedroom.”
“Perfect.” She went outside to the mantel, and cleansed it, along with her tools, with salt and water.
Jon went to his mother’s room and pushed the door open. Picking her up, he carried her out to the back yard. Luckily, the fence and tall hedges provided privacy. “The time has come. You won’t have to wait any longer.”
He looked up at the sky where a luminous moon shined brightly and placed his mother on a lounge chair. She folded her hands as if she were already in her coffin.
Monique lit the candles, set up the oils, and faced them to the moon. “Come next to me.” She made a circle by running her broom along an area of dirt.
Jon took his place.
Monique dropped to her knees and lowered her head, chanting. “I call on you, Eirene, the Greek goddess of peace and tranquility. Join us in this rite tonight. Help us remove the curse.” Her chanting got louder as she held the pendant above her head.
It swung back and forth as if it had come to life. Monique steadied herself, grasping tightly to the special jeweled piece, but it flew out of her hand and floated in mid-air.
“With the help of the goddess of peace and tranquility, I set you free.”
A loud, shrill ringing filled the space, and the candles flickered until his mother closed her eyes, a serene expression on her face. They both watched her chest rise and waited. A freezing cold breeze swept over the area as if a tornado were imminent. Monique reached up and took hold of the pendant, placing it in a wooden box.
“Do you think it worked?” he asked, his heart hammering as fast as a train.
Years of torture sat before him, and in one minute, everything had changed. The lines on his mother’s face seemed to disappear and her skin was smooth, yet pale. Her once flaky lips were silky. Had a miracle transformed her?
“May I leave the circle?” he asked.
“For a moment.”
Holding his breath, he slowly approached her. On one knee, he put his head to her chest. No rise. With his finger on her carotid artery, he searched for a pulse. “Nothing… She is gone.” He returned to Monique’s side.
“Thank you, Eirene, goddess of peace and tranquility, for your help. I now release the area.” Monique ran her broom along the dirt in the opposite direction, removing the circle. “You may leave the circle,” she said.
Jon scooped his mother into his arms, her limp body at rest. “It’s over.” His eyes widened, his jaw was tight. Tears trickled down his face, relieved the nightmare was over. “Let’s go inside, I’ll call Mr. Flynn, the undertaker. It’s long overdue. Thank you so much for accomplishing the impossible. I can never repay you.”
His heart light, amazingly so, he found solace. He placed his mother on the bed. His spirit was at peace, although it hurt deeply to relive her death. This time, she’d be gone forever. At least she was free and at peace. He breathed a heavy sigh.
Monique followed him. “You don’t have to do a thing other than make the call to the man from the funeral parlor, then you can move forward and enjoy your life. That’s what your mother would want you to do.”
The doorbell sounded.
“Are you expecting anyone?” she asked.
“No, I’m not. I’ll see who it is.” His heart was still pounding.
“I’ll remain by her side.” She waved him on.
He hurried to the front door, checking in the peephole first. Sometimes the neighbor’s children played jokes and ran away after ringing the bell.
Never expecting to find Krista standing on his porch, he stood frozen in place. His body shook, and the floor underneath him felt uneven. Grasping the knob tightly, he turned it and opened the door. It was nearly impossible to speak, but he managed to force a single word out. “Krista!”
She stepped inside, reached for him and held him close. “No more hiding for either of us.” She let him go and stared into his eyes. “I ran from my heritage, but your mother reminded me how important it is to follow your heart. I’m so sorry I wasn’t here with you. I’m here now. I hope your mother is at rest.”
“How did you find out what we had planned tonight?”
“I’m a witch, as you are. Your mother told me how important it is to stay true to oneself.” She wiped a tear from her cheek. “My great-grandmother left me two precious gems. The pendants. I wear one around my neck. I didn’t need both of them. I was willing to let the other piece go to allow your mother to cross over to the other side.” She lifted the necklace from underneath her blouse. “Here it is. I wore it the first day we met. Your mother and I spoke that day. I’m here because she sent for me to love you, now and forever. I later learned that the woman in the foyer was not the help, it was her, your mother, who summoned me to you. Monique filled me in on the rest.”
He buried his head in her chest, clutching onto her. Tears of joy and relief streamed down his face. It meant the world to him to receive the precious gift of love from the woman who gave so much of herself. He sighed as Krista ran her hand over his head. Now, his life could begin. He broke away, glanced up at the sky, and slowly closed the door.
Together, they walked toward his mother’s bedroom. When they arrived Monique nodded to Krista and smiled. “Well done.”
“You were in on it? I can’t believe it,” he said.
Monique reached for the young woman’s hand.
Krista turned to face him. “Welcome to the rest of your life, my love.”
