33: HM2V: O Hail No

1:22 pm, Vera Manor, Macy's Bedroom

"Harry," Macy's eyes narrowed upon spotting Abigael. "What is she doing at Vera Manor? And whyis she in my bedroom?" she all but hissed.

Harry fidgeted uncomfortably, wringing his hands. "So, love, Mel and I had a discussion—"

"Without me?" Macy interrupted him.

"Well, for your own good—" interjected Mel, "seeing as you're on bedrest for the next seven weeks. You gotta take it easy, for yourself and the twins, which is why Harry and I have come to you with…" Mel searched for the term, "a proposition." She moved closer to Macy's bed and sat on the chair directly opposite her. "Maya needs to start magical defense training as soon as possible, and she has a knack for horseback riding, all of which Abigael has excelled at all her life—"

Macy's eyes widened in horror. "No. NO. I—" she beseeched Harry helplessly. "Harry, do something!"

Harry stood back, concerned that Macy would rain down a pile of books with her telekinesis, if given the opportunity. "Love—"

"Don't you love me!" Macy shrieked. "I can't let our little girl spend time with—with that harpy!" As if on cue, an enormous hailstorm exploded outside of her bedroom window, and golf ball-sized ice could be heard pelting the Vera Manor Garden down below.

"Trust me, Macy, I'm not a fan of that proposition either," said Abigael, as all three swiveled to look across the room to where she was standing in the corner. "In fact—Mel hadn't even bothered to fill me in before we marched into your room, isn't that right, Mel?"

Now it was Mel's turn to look uncomfortable, but she quickly regained her composure. "Macy, I know you want to be in control of everything. This situation is anything but. We're only asking you to do this because our options are very limited and we have no other choice. Maya needs to learn from the best magical teacher possible, and since all of the Elders were killed, there is no one else."

Seeing Macy's expression unchanged, Harry turned to Mel and Abigael. "Would you mind stepping out a bit? I'll have a chat with Macy." They complied and he closed the door after them.

1:30 pm, Vera Manor, Outside Macy's Bedroom

"This is payback for SWS, isn't it?" Abigael spat at Mel, who appeared confused.

"SWS?"

"Y'know, Sundays With Scheherazade. This is your funny little way of making me pay for those sixty Sundays, right? Seven weeks of Macy's progeny?"

Abigael abruptly turned to leave but Mel clasped her hand tightly. "Wait—just—just hear me out, ok?" Surprisingly, Abigael stopped and turned toward her partner. "We've been searching for Tory—and I didn't have a chance to tell you before, but Morgana came up to me during the gender reveal and said she babysits orphans along with Maya and the other neighbor kids—one of whom is a little girl named Tory."

"You mean…" Abigael couldn't believe it. "You found Tory?"

"I can't make any promises—and I haven't seen any photos—but there's a chance," Mel replied. "And I know you want experience with kids before we have our own—I think being Maya's teacher would be an awesome opportunity—and it could bring us closer to Tory…" Mel trailed off. "If you're interested, that is."

Abigael mulled the proposition over. "But Maya already has a mother. A mother who can't stand the sight of me, in case you've already forgotten—"

"Abigael. Macy is in no position to take care of anyone, let alone Maya—she's on bedrest. Maya has powers she doesn't know how to control, and they could face attacks at any given time if evil forces sense their weakness. This girl needs a teacher to guide her in magical defense. And she has mad pony-conjuring skills, so I've heard."

"Oh, really?" The last bit regarding the pony piqued Abigael's interest. "Do tell…"

1:30 pm, Vera Manor, Macy's Bedroom

"Anybody but her, Harry!" Macy hissed, pointing at the door, behind which Abigael and Mel stood talking. Harry shook his head.

"Love—I mean," as Macy glared at him, "Macy, darling, you know precisely why we don't have any other tutors available. Many perished awhile ago, and Maya's magical skills are extremely advanced for her age—they surpass most people's already."

"Maya's only three, for crying out loud—she's too little for magical defense anything, or enchanted pony-riding, let alone actual horseback lessons!" Macy cried aloud.

"All the more reason this is the perfect time to begin her training, my dear," Harry attempted to calm his wife down. "Imagine if I weren't in daycare with Maya one day, and she lost her temper and injured one of her playmates. Can you imagine how frightened she'd feel? How terrified we'd be? Think back to your college years when you sang at a talent show and you nearly set a lecherous creep on fire." Macy reflected on this. "Remember how scared you were, because your magical abilities had been tampered down and hidden from you, along with the knowledge you had additional family members? Our family motto was 'no secrets'—no bad ones, right?"

Macy nodded, and remained silent as Harry continued speaking. "My heart is with you, and you alone. Any past dealings I ever had with Abigael is history; she and Mel love each other very much. In fact—" Harry hesitated. "Abigael and Mel are in the process of adopting a little girl. Abigael wants hands-on experience teaching kids but hasn't been able to obtain any—"

"I wonder why…" Macy sarcastically interjected.

Harry ignored Macy's interruption. "Abigael is a skilled magical equestrian and knows everything there is possibly to know of defensive magic. Our Maya has an inclination toward ponies and has exhibited profound magical prowess at such a young age. I think they'd make a good tutoring pair, don't you?"

"But what if Abigael hurts Maya?" asked Macy.

Harry laughed aloud. "Honestly, love, Maya's abilities are so strong that Abigael's more in danger of being injured more than anything else."

Macy pondered Harry's last remark for a few moments. "Even if what you're saying is true, that Abigael can be a good teacher for Maya…I feel like I'm failing our daughter."

Harry bent closer to Macy's face, brushing a stray curl away from a tear that had fallen upon her cheek. "Why on earth do you think you're failing Maya? You're an excellent mother—"

"A mother that can't read bedtime stories to her little girl. A mother who can't teach her child anything. A mother," Macy sniffed loudly, "who's pushing her child into the very hands of her own arch-nemesis."

"Love." The word lingered in the air. "You are expecting twins. Twins. You are growing two humans—two heads, two pairs of arms and legs and feet and everything. Maya has me to read her stories, remember? And—" Harry paused, collecting his thoughts. "Every day, parents send their kids to school, where they learn multivariable calculus concepts that their own parents have no idea about."

"True," said Macy, quieter this time.

"If we want to raise Maya to be her best possible self, we need to do what's best for her, however uncomfortable that makes us. Truth be told…" Harry trailed off. "…I'm scared too," he whispered.

Macy raised an eyebrow. "You, Harry, scared? I thought Whitelighters weren't afraid of anything—"

"Oh Macy," as Harry kissed her on the forehead. "We may be immortal, but we are human besides. I worry so much—about you, the twins, Maya, what our life could look like—my fears could fit an entire book…" He paused, peering into his wife's eyes.

"Ok."

"Ok…?" Harry was perplexed.

"I'll do it," said Macy. "Maya can do part-time daycare with Morgana and spend the other half of each week with Abigael for an hour or two at a time while I watch nearby, then longer if Abigael proves herself an effective tutor. But—" Macy paused. "I want reassurances."

"Reassurances?"

"That Maya and I will be safe," stated Macy. "I'm not willing to play all my cards, Mr. Valensi. You know that's not how I deal."

"Fine, agreed," Harry responded. "I think I have an idea…I'll work on it in the basement later tonight."

"Whatever you need to do, dear," Macy leaned back on the pillows once more, as Harry opened the door and brought Abigael back in, mouthing 'I'll fill you in later' to Mel, closing the door once more.

"So, ladies…have we reached an agreement?" Harry looked at Macy and Abigael in turn.

"Yes," both muttered, avoiding each other's eyes.

"Abigael, you'll provide 1-2 hours of part time tutoring each week on defensive magic and horseback riding. Macy will supervise from a distance, and will only intervene when absolutely necessary—right love?" Harry looked at Macy, who assented. "If the first sessions are effective, the times can be adjusted, et cetera, and this will be for a duration of seven weeks (renewable at the discretion of Macy, of course). How's that sound?"

"Fine," both Abigael and Macy spoke in unison.

Macy then beckoned Abigael closer to whisper into her ear. "Abigael," Macy fiercely whispered from where she sat, "if you so much as touch a hair on my Maya, or if she comes crying to me because you hurt her, I will personally flay your hide in a million different directions and leave your body so unrecognizable even the underworld won't touch it." Abigael's face displayed shock for half a second, then resumed its passive expression.

"Understood, Macy, understood." With that, Abigael departed from the room, and Harry made to do the same, after he kissed Macy once more.

"I'll be here…gestating…if you need anything," she called out to no one in particular.