Trajectory

“No, I don’t know how to read tea leaves, you just seemed upset and I wanted to help.”

“Thanks, Aunt Z, it helped. I’m going to head to the house and try to get some rest. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

“Wait, we’re going to have to go somewhere special tomorrow.”

“What do you mean somewhere special, Aunt Z?” He was almost to the door and had turned around to look at her.

“We’ve got to go see my mother,” she said.

“Your mother is still alive?” Brent walked back over and sat down across from her again.

“I’m not even sixty yet, Brent, you act like I’m ancient.”

“No, it’s just, she would be my grandma. I’ve never met my grandma. Dad led on that she was dead.”

“He would, he’s probably ashamed of her profession, but Mother is here in town and she’s well.”

“What kind of profession?” He couldn’t imagine what his grandma could have done to bring shame to his father.

“She works from her house,” Zazie said, taking out a flyer.

“As a fortune-teller.”

“As a what?” Brent took the flyer and saw an advertisement for Madame Visionary. “What the hell is Madame Visionary?”

“It’s Mama’s stage name. Her real name is Regina Perry. I’d imagine she didn’t think it sounded mysterious enough.”

“So what’s she going to do, peer into her crystal ball?” he asked.

“No, don’t be ridiculous, that’s just for looks. She’ll look into the water, though, and tell us who is killing shifters.”

“Oh, well, that’s new. I do want to know who killed Layla and I know Chloe wants to know.”

“Yes, we’ll go and see Mama tomorrow. She’ll be so surprised to see me out of the home and out in the world.” She finished her tea and started drinking his.

“Aunt Z, if Grandma is alive and here, why didn’t you ever get out of the home having her sign you out?”

“She came to see me. I just never had a reason to want to come out. I’d dreamed of teaching my Samuel how to do magic, how to learn his gift, and now I can help you learn. I have a purpose again. We will go at noon sharp. She’s good at being a real bitch in the morning if it’s too early.”

Brent smiled at his aunt again, thinking in the back of his mind that he’d not been able to prove she knew any magic at all. He would have to believe it when he saw it, but right then he was tired.

When he got back to his truck he texted Chloe.

Sleep tight, Chloe. I hope you really think about what I told you.

She didn’t respond, but he hadn’t actually expected her to. He’d go see her before he and Zazie went to meet his grandma. He couldn’t wait to tell her he had one still alive in Woodland Creek. She wouldn’t believe it.

He drove home, took a shower, and went straight to bed, ready to see what the next day was going to bring him.

* * *

The gentleman pulled Chloe’s door shut slowly. The crow flew back to him, landing on her porch. Well, it really crash landed onto the porch, clumsy as it was, then hopped up and tilted its head at him like it was his fault.

He’d had the crow go to Zazie’s home so he could keep up with what she was doing. She was trying really hard to find him, looking into her bowl of water. It was who she was going to enlist help from that made him nervous. Her mother was powerful and she would be able to tell them who he was. He just had to beat them there and once he was there, he’d simply threaten Regina into keeping her stupid mouth shut.

He’d made sure Chloe made it home without seeing anyone who would question her behavior. He’d dodged a bullet when that annoying boy Brent had come to confess his love for her. He laughed to himself. She wouldn’t remember any of that. If he came to talk to her, hopefully she would kick him out because she thought he was crazy.

He’d helped her in her bed, and she kept asking why he was in her house.