Florence told them how she’d been at rock bottom, wondering what her damnation would be if she were to take her own life, when in reality she knew she never could. Never would. Not without seeing Sadie and Seth again. And that’s when she decided maybe she could have a second chance.
She performed a ritual, fully believing it wouldn’t work. She found a man with no name, and two months later was shocked to find out she was pregnant with Sage.
“It was my chance to start over. To try again. To do it right this time. Because even though the curse isn’t my fault, even though I’m not the one who killed Julian, it was my fault. It was all my fault.” She broke down then, covering her face with her hands, trying to keep her sobs quiet so as not to wake her second-chance daughter upstairs.
“And now Mom is dead. She sacrificed everything for me. For my kids. And I couldn’t even hold her hand at the end.”
“She knew,” Anne reassured her. “I promise. She always knew.”
“I’m more grateful to her for raising you than you’ll ever know,” Florence added, turning to the twins. “I know she did a better job than I ever could have. I’m sorry I wasn’t there. I’m sorry I fell in love with the wrong man.”
Her apologies piled up, a burning mess scattered on the floor between them, charring the wood until the smell of cherries burned Sadie’s nose. Seth, by his own measure, drank in every word of her story. In his eyes, there was nothing to forgive, there was only time lost that he could finally attempt to regain. Sadie’s heart, on the other hand, was like the pile of apologies glowing amber on the floor.
The longer Florence spoke, the more Sadie’s teeth set on edge. Every word clawed its way in, establishing roots. Her mother wanted to be a family: that much was clear, though Sadie doubted she’d ever say it. But what was family other than blood? It was time and love and memories. It was arguments and forgiveness and compromise. Her thoughts drifted unwillingly toward Jake.
“I know mom tied one of your lives to her own,” she added, grabbing Seth’s hand across the table. “I know her death unleashed all kinds of things. I promise, I swear, I’ll help you figure it out. If that’s what you want,” she added, looking to Sadie this time.
As Sadie watched her brother, the way he looked at their mother, the hunger in his eyes, she wondered if she was going to lose him all over again. She’d had him to herself their whole lives. And then he’d left. And now that he was back, their mother threatened to capture his heart.
“It doesn’t have to be like that, sugar,” she heard Gigi’s voice whisper in her ear. “There’s always enough love to go around. You’ve learned to be stingy with it because of your curse. But it’s time to let that go.”
“Do you know which one of us is the conduit?” Sadie asked.
“I don’t. But Sage can help us with that tomorrow. We’ll figure something out. I promise.” Florence smiled reassuringly. “Now, there’s nothing more we can do tonight. So, it’s time for everyone to tell me what I’ve missed.”
Kay started, of course, and told Florence about every detail of her job and the misery of it and the string of younger men she’d had brief flings with, until Anne finally cut her off. She chimed in about Steven, their kids, and the new grandbaby. Then it was Seth’s turn.
“I guess I’m kind of like you. I never wanted my magic. Jesus”—he ran a hand through his hair—“I never even knew what it was, really. Or how to explain it, I guess. And then about a year and a half ago or so, it started getting worse. I didn’t want it. I’d never wanted it. I always wanted to just—I don’t know—be normal, I guess.”
“Hard thing to be in this family,” Florence said with a small smile. “What exactly is your magic, if you don’t mind my asking?”
Sadie held her breath. She’d been wondering about that since time beyond memory.
“I guess I’m pretty good at knowing what people want. Or what they need. Even if they don’t know it themselves. I know their deepest secrets,” he said, his face etched in misery. “Everything from their greatest desire to their most inane wish—I know fucking all of it.”
“Oh, honey,” Florence said, her voice soft with sympathy, “that’s got to be so tough.”
“But Seth,” Sadie broke in, shaking her head with brow furrowed in confusion, “that’s amazing.”