“How did you know about that? Are you who the flood brought back?”
“The flood brings everyone back, my sweet, darling niece. And speaking of my sweet, darling niece, where’s my sweet, darling nephew?” she asked as their clothes started to soak through.
“Can’t we get out of the rain now?” Sadie asked, ignoring her aunt’s question.
“Almost.”
Before the word was fully out of her mouth, a bolt of lightning so bright it was nearly purple flashed across the sky. It forked out, seeming to cover the entire neighborhood. And by the time it died down, the rain had stopped.
“There we are!” Aunt Tava clapped her hands together. “You know, baby, family is everything. Sometimes they’re awful. And you want nothing more than to cut them out of your life like cancer, but you can’t. Because that kind of loyalty, that kind of dedication, it won’t wash out in the water. It’s in the blood.”
“Screw the blood.” Sadie sighed, wringing water out of her sweater.
“What’s good is never easy. Now, let’s go get ourselves a cup of honeysuckle tea.” She patted her pocket secretively, and Sadie’s spirits lifted. Aunt Tava’s honeysuckle tea was legendary and could make even the darkest day like noon in summer.
“Gigi know you’re here?” Sadie asked again as they walked the rest of the way to the house.
“Doesn’t she always?”
“But did you tell her?” Sadie laughed. “You know, pick up the phone like a normal person?”
“Don’t need to. Like telling a bird it’s going to rain. They just know. See?” She gestured to the house.
Sadie saw Gigi’s sparkling maroon PT Cruiser back in the driveway, but that wasn’t what caught her eye. Though it would appear white to any passerby, Revelare eyes knew that the smoke billowing out of the chimney was a soft lavender color, a sign that Gigi had sprinkled the wood with dried mayflower. A welcome for unexpected guests. Abby and Bambi were both at the window, barking, tails wagging, and Sadie shook her head.
“Told you.” Aunt Tava smiled. “Mothers always know.”
Fried Chicken
Just because it’s damn good. Your hands will get messy, your clothes will smell like grease, and it’ll all be worth it. The only magic here is good food.
Ingredients
5 lb. bag of boneless, skinless chicken breasts （thawed）
1 large egg
? c. buttermilk （half and half or milk will also work）
2 c. cornflakes （crushed）
2 c. flour
? teaspoon salt
1 tsp. pepper
? tsp. basil
? teaspoon oregano
4 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. garlic salt
? tsp. thyme
peanut oil （vegetable oil will also work, but peanut is better）
Directions
1.?Whisk together egg and milk, and set aside. Put cornflakes in a plastic bag and crush lightly with your fist. Add flour salt, pepper, and herbs. Shake up, then dump into a bowl.
2.?Heat a generous helping of oil in a large skillet. While it heats, sprinkle the chicken breast with more salt and pepper.
3.?Dredge a piece of chicken in the egg mixture, then transfer to cornflake bowl, press down to help coating adhere, then flip and do the same to the other side. Repeat for the rest of the pieces, and then place in the hot oil.
4.?Fry chicken until golden, turning it only once so you don’t make it tough, about five to six minutes, depending on the thickness of the breast. Drain on paper towels.
??8??
“YOU LITTLE SHIT ASS,” Gigi’s voice called as soon as they were through the front door. Abby and Bambi were going wild, jumping all over Aunt Tava until she picked up the one and pet the other. The grandfather clock was chiming its hello, and the flames in the fireplace jumped dangerously high. Wherever Sadie’s aunt Tava went, a joyful pandemonium followed.
“Mother!” Aunt Tava feigned shock. “Such language!”
“Get over here.” Gigi laughed reluctantly as she hugged her oldest daughter. “You didn’t need to come.”
“That’s just utter nonsense now, isn’t it, you precious little pup?” she asked in her high, girlish voice, speaking to Abby instead of her mother. “And speaking of nonsense!” She walked over to the fire, reached into her pocket, and threw something into the flames that turned them bright turquoise for a brief moment. A second later the scent of cedarwood curled in the air, and Sadie’s clothes were dry before she even realized she wasn’t shivering anymore.
“Ready for the chaos, my darling niece?” she asked with a grin. “And by the way, while I was on Main Street, window shopping at the antiques shop, I ran into the most delightful firefighter. Can you say yummy! I started chatting him up, and when he found out I was a Revelare, he said he knew you both, so I invited him to dinner.”