Chapter Twelve
-Together, Once More-
"We are almost there, Mildred, pay attention, so you descend when Pippa and I do."
Mildred didn't respond; she was too mesmerized by the broad and expansive field that seemed to contain every variety of wildflowers imaginable. It was a serene sight. It was made even more significant with the magnificent sunset that effortlessly blended and twisted the colors together as if it was a breathtaking watercolor done by Vincent van Gogh himself. Mildred closed her eyes and took in a deep lungful of the fresh air. This, she thought to herself, is pure bliss.
Precisely 32 minutes after their departure, Mildred followed as the two senior witches had begun to descend. At first, Mildred was confused when they landed in the middle of an empty field, but after Hecate and Pippa spoke a few words in unison, revealing a quaint two-story stone cottage. She followed behind Hecate and Pippa, who was already striding through the white picket fence threshold, which bordered the cottage's outside. With the squeak of the hinges, which were due for proper oiling, the gate closed shut with an audible click. Within the perimeter, she traipsed behind the older women, trying not to roll an ankle on the rickety stone path, which led to the sage green door.
Pippa held the door handle in her hand, with a smile, she turned around to address Mildred, "Are you ready?"
"Yes!" Mildred exclaimed, practically bursting with excitement.
Turning her attention back to the room, Mildred took a moment to close her eyes, breathing in the comforting aroma permeating from home. In that instant, a blissful feeling washed over her like a warm cozy blanket. She was finally 'home.' Accompanied by her feelings of happiness, the sense of heartache also came forth in her mind. It had dawned on her that this was the home she would have been raised in. She would have learned magic in, would have brewed her first potion in, but because of the tragic events, she never had the opportunity to do so. Coming out of her thoughts, Mildred looked up, only for her heart to give a painful twinge of the sight of her two mothers looking overwhelmed with emotion. She knew they, too, were thinking the same thoughts as she. In one stride, Mildred reached out, pulling both women into a hug, with herself in the middle. For a few silent seconds, they stayed just like that. Silently comforting and reassuring one another. Pippa was the first to pull away, using the handkerchief Hecate conjured up to wipe the tears from her eyes.
"Though bad things have happened here before, I think it is important that we all strive to move forward with our lives, and make new, happy memories," Pippa suggested with a smile that Mildred knew she was struggling to put on.
Once everyone pulled themselves together, the tour continued. For the most part, the first floor was an open floor plan, allowing for the last ruminants of light to trickle in the room, casting long shadows throughout the room. The large windows and light neutral colors painting the walls made the home light and airy. Balancing perfectly with the dark wooden furniture that stood in the different rooms. Towards the back of the house sat the breakfast nook and kitchen, which had a door that featured a glass window in the top half, which allowed access to the back garden.
Mildred glanced out the window, awed by the elaborate garden bursting in color due to the large variety of different potion ingredients. From where she stood inside, she could make out Chokeberry, Foxglove, and what looked to be Nightshade. Mildred wasn't exactly surprised to see it alive with what she recognized as potion ingredients. The next room, which was more towards the front, was a homey sitting room with a comfortable old cream colored sofa, sat alongside an armchair—both pieces posed in front of a large stone fireplace. On the back wall, opposite the front windows, a bookshelf adorned most of the wall, brimming with books. From where Mildred was standing, she could tell that the majority were on the topic of either potions or chanting, the subjects that both of her mothers were connoisseurs of.
At the top of the old wooden stairs that creaked and groaned with each step was a large landing area—adorned with a single armchair placed in front of the window and another bookcase. To the right, down the hall, Mildred was led to the Master Bedroom, which was still spacious, even with the king-sized four-poster bed.
Looking at the bedside table, Mildred could easily decipher whose side was whose, just by the contents. The left side was quite obviously Pippa's, Mildred noted, spotting a vase, filled with various flowers. Next to the vase, a bottle of pink hand lotion was neatly placed alongside a tube of Chapstick. The other side of the bed, Hecate's, the table was much more empty, containing a single book which Mildred assumed had something to do with either Botany or potions brewing. On the far wall stood French doors which opened up to the master bedroom's private bathroom. Mildred was then shown the opposite end of the hallway, where she was shown 'her' bathroom and finally her bedroom.
As soon as the door opened, Mildred was smiling ear to ear. The walls were painted a pastel lavender, which added a calming and inviting aura to the room. Next to her bed, which was clad in a white duvet, sat an easel for her art and a bookshelf, which already contained a few books. And next to the door, a desk, which Mildred suspected was for her to do homework at.
Turning on her heel, she quickly threw herself at the two older witches, "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I love it! It's the bats!"
While Mildred was upstairs unpacking, Hecate followed Pippa in the kitchen, where they both now stood, Pippa, boiling a pot of water for tea.
Hecate, seeing Pippa's look of unease, walked up behind her. She wrapped her arms around the smaller woman's stomach and rested her chin on her shoulder.
"Do you think this is a smart idea?" Pippa asked in barely more than a whisper.
"I do," Hecate responded as she placed kisses along the pink witch's neck. "Mildred is happy. She is happy to be here with us, Pips. And if you are questioning Mildred's safety, then you don't need to. Broomhead is gone, and I have set so many protection spells and alerts on the cottage and Mildred alike that nothing could touch her or us."
At the sounds of Mildred rushing down the steps, Hecate placed one final chaste kiss to the side of Pippa's head before pulling away to sit at the table. Mildred walked into the room and plopped down next to the dark-clad woman. Pippa, with a newfound smile on her face, removed the pot off from the stove and poured three cups of tea before passing them out.
"So… what are we going to do now?" Mildred asked, sipping from the tea in front of her, immediately recoiling as the hot liquid burnt her lip.
Hecate rolled her exasperatedly, before making a motion over Mildred's burnt red lip, causing the girl to smile.
"Thanks, sorry," Mildred said sheepishly as she ducked her head.
"Actually, Mildred, Pippa, and I have something we would like to give you first."
"Like a gift?" Mildred asked eagerly, head shooting up.
"You could say that," Stretching out her hand, a box wrapped in shiny silver wrapping paper with a red ribbon appeared. Looking at Pippa, who was smiling back at her, she turned towards Mildred, handing her the gift.
If Hecate had guessed, she would have assumed Mildred would have eagerly ripped the bow and paper off but was taken aback by how gently Mildred chose to remove the paper. She wondered if Mildred realized this was the first gift she had ever received from her birth mothers. Hecate couldn't help but chuckle a little as the girl's eyes grew wide after finally removing the lid.
"Let me help you put it on," Pippa exclaimed. Standing behind Mildred, Pippa latched the necklace before tenderly pulling the girl's plaits from the confines of the silver chain, careful not to pull her hair.
"It's just like yours," Mildred smiled as she held the silver pentagram between her thumb and forefinger as she looked down at it.
"Mine and Hecate's."
Hecate smiled at the girl as she reached in her dress's high collar, pulling out the silver pentagram that matched Mildred's and Pippa's.
"I love it," Mildred beamed.
Before going to bed for the night, the three decided to sit around the fire in the sitting room and look through old family albums. Since Mildred doesn't know any of her relatives, the two older women thought it was best for her to start learning now.
"Wow, she is beautiful," Mildred commented as she was handed a picture of Pippa's mother, "do you still see your parents?" she tentatively asked as she returned the image to Pippa.
Shaking her head, Pippa gave Mildred a sad smile, "No, both of my parents have passed."
"I am so sorry," Mildred said, taking the older witch's hand and squeezing it.
After having looked through Pippa's family album, Mildred moved closer to Hecate as the ebony clad witch showed different pictures of her family members and explaining who they are and if they are still alive or not.
Turning to the next page, Hecate felt as if she was having a moment of Deja Vu.
"That's odd," She murmured, more to herself than anything. Leaning forward, she scrutinized the picture of her Aunt Gertrude, trying to figure out why she felt like she was missing something. Glancing at Mildred, who was rubbing her neck, she returned her gaze to the image when it finally struck her.
"Mildred Hubble, would you like to explain to me why my Aunt Gertrude shares such a striking resemblance to the supply witch, Miss. Darkside?" Hecate sneered, daring the girl to lie to her.
Mildred blanched to the question, "Well… um, you see," she nervously started twisting her plate around her finger.
"Mildred," Hecate warned.
"I-I may have been… Miss. Darkside."
Pippa looked between her daughter and her lover, with evident confusion spread across her features. "Would someone please fill me in with what is going on?"
Mildred, with her head remaining facing the floors, relayed to Pippa all that had taken place with her poorly attempted wisdom spell and how she subsequently acted as the authoritative Miss. Darkside.
"Mildred," Pippa reprimanded in a disappointed tone.
"I didn't mean to... all right!?"
"The point is not whether you meant to or not; it's about how you handled the situation." She explained, pinching the bridge of her nose. "It is late," she closed the lid of her timepiece, turning her attention back to Mildred, "head upstairs and get washed up, Pippa will be in to check on you."
With her bottom lip beginning to tremble, Mildred turned on her heel, storming out of the room, in case she started to cry.
After having gotten ready for the night, Mildred pulled back her sheets and slipped into them. Hugging her stuffed bear, Puss, to her chest, she could not stop the tears that began to trickle down her face.
"Mildred, can I come in?" Pippa called outside the door.
After wiping away her tears, Mildred turned her back against the door, before responding.
The side of Mildred's bed dipped as Pippa perched on the bed. Pippa reached out, gently combing her finger through the girl's hair, still wet from her shower. Mildred rolled over to face Pippa, who was looking down at the girl with a soft expression.
"I really am sorry," Mildred said in a small voice.
Pippa, moving to sit with her back against the headboard, pulled Mildred closer to her until the girl's head was resting in her lap. "We know you are," She explained, tucking a lock of hair behind the girl's ear. "But as parental figures, as well as Hecate, being the Deputy Head of the school, we have roles to adhere by, even with you being our daughter."
"I know, It's just, I have been trying so hard to everything right lately. But all I do is mess things up."
"You are worried about letting us down," Pippa said knowingly, using her thumb, she gently wiped the tear that traveled down the girl's cheek.
Mildred didn't respond, only shaking her head.
"Oh sweetheart, part of growing up is making mistakes so you can learn from them. If you always got things right, you would never learn." Pippa held the girl a little tighter.
"I don't think Hecate sees it that way," Mildred added.
"Believe it or not, even Hecate makes mistakes. Did she ever tell you about the time she accidentally made an enlarging potion instead of a shrinking potion?" Pippa asked, with a smirk playing across her features. "Instead of shrinking a snail to the size of a one-pound coin, it grew to the size of a large dog, leaving large trails of slime, all through the classroom, as she tried to make a reversal potion." Pippa chuckled.
Mildred couldn't help but laugh as she imagined the always composed and collected Hecate Hardbroom frantically making a reversal potion as a giant snail slimed the classroom. Although she was still upset, it did help to know that even the master potioneer has made mistakes in her past.
Seeing that Mildred was in better spirits, Pippa pressed a kiss to the girl's head, wished her sweet dreams, and made her way to the master bedroom.
Sitting in the king-sized bed reading, Hecate looked up as Pippa entered the room.
"Did the unruly child plot you against me?" Hecate asked, not looking up from her book.
Pippa rolled her eyes, climbing into her side of the bed, she pulled the book from Hecate's hands, immediately receiving a glare. "She regrets it immensely."
The dark hair witch crossed her arms, pressing them to her chest, "Of course she does, she got caught." She bit out, not for a second believing Mildred felt guilty for what she did.
"She is trying, and you cannot pretend that you never made mistakes in school!" Pippa declared. "I told her about your snail fiasco."
Hecate's eyes grew wide, "You what!?"
"Mildred is stressed, Hiccup, she is trying her very best not to let us down. So I explained to her that part of learning and getting better is making mistakes." Pippa leaned closer to the older woman, cupping her cheek, "What is so wrong for our child to know that we too make mistakes."
Hecate let out a defeated sigh, "I guess you're right, Pips, but I get to tell her about the time you tried to turn your hair pink and ended up turning your skin pink instead." Hecate gave her partner an evil grin.
Still yawning from just having woke up, Hecate quietly made her way down the stairs towards the kitchen to make some tea.
"Mildred?" Hecate inquired, noticing the girl wrapped up in a blue blanket on the sofa, "Is everything alright?" she asked, convinced the girl must be ill or afraid to be awake at 5 am on a Saturday.
Mildred sat up some, looking down at her hands as she rubbed them together, "I-I couldn't sleep anymore," the girl mumbled so quietly Hecate had to strain to hear, "I feel awful about yesterday."
"Mildred, if you think you can get out of your punishment by—"
"No," Mildred interrupted, causing her eyes to widen when she realized what she just did, "no, I deserve my punishment, I do. I just don't like to disappoint you." She explained further, looking anywhere but at the older woman who walked over and perched next to Mildred on the sofa, if, be it, a little stiffly.
"Mildred, you do realize Pippa, and I don't expect you to be perfect?" Hecate asked sincerely.
Mildred shrugged her shoulders.
Hecate scooted closer to the young girl who still wouldn't look up at her. "Come on," She sighed, patting her lap for Mildred to lay her head in. Once Mildred was settled, Hecate began to comb her fingers through the girl's hair. "I just wish you would have taken responsibility and told either myself or Miss. Cackle after the incident occurred."
"I couldn't," Mildred mumbled, hiding her face in Hecate's lap as tears began to form.
Frowning, Hecate rolled the girl towards her, "Why in Merlin's name not?" She asked, a bit peeved.
"I-I-I was w-worried you would k-k-kick me o-out." She choked out, wiping the tears on the blanket.
Hecate surprised herself and planted a firm kiss on the girl's forehead, "and I was so wrong for ever thinking you did not deserve a place at Cackles," she murmured as she rocked the girl gently in her arms.
"You're not just saying that because I turned out to be your long lost daughter?" Mildred questioned as she wiped the tears from her eyes.
"No, Mildred, you have proven your worth." Hecate tucked a piece of hair behind Mildred's ear. "At times, you may be sloppy, disobedient, unruly," Hecate listed with a smirk on her lips, "but you are also loyal, compassionate, and bright spirited."
"If you don't mind, I would like to be the one to tell Miss. Cackle when we arrive back Sunday."
Hecate nodded her head, "that is commendable, Mildred." She told the girl with a subtle smile.
For a while after that, the two witches remained sitting on the sofa, a comfortable silence had fallen over them.
Mildred looked up at Hecate, whose eyes were closed shut and her head resting against the sofa's back. "Hecate," She muttered quietly, barely louder than a whisper.
Not moving her head from its resting position, Hecate opened one of her eyes to acknowledge Mildred, "hmmm?"
"Why didn't you..." Mildred began to say but stopped when her courage faltered.
Hearing the nervousness in the girl's tone, Hecate adjusted her position, sitting up straighter, allowing her gaze to land on Mildred's, "Why didn't I what?" She probed in a soft, even tone.
Mildred sat up from the older woman's lap, pulling her knees tightly to her chest, "I try not to let it worry me…" She began to say, her eyes looking anywhere, but at Hecate, whose eyebrows were drawn together, "When Ethel s-stole my summer project, why didn't you believe me?" She finally got out, albeit was said in a hurry, "I-I even tried to prove it was mine by casting the spell… and it worked… I just don't understand. Even after I proved it was mine, you still blamed me. You even said th-that I copied Ethel's project, I-I would have never." Mildred was now in tears, unable to stop herself from hiccupping after she worked herself up.
"I will be the first one to admit my faults," Hecate sighed, looking down at her hands, "I have been unfair with you. Instead of investigating when things went aware, more times than not, I just assumed you were to blame."
Mildred nodded, followed by a tear streaking down her cheek.
Hecate looked at Mildred, a small smile appearing on her lips, "I knew from the day you arrived, Mildred, that you harbor an impressive amount of magic for your age. At the time, I couldn't understand how a girl from a non-magical family could possess such a large quantity. And to be honest, it frustrated me. You frustrated me." She rolled her eyes at the girl playfully.
Mildred's tears had stopped, as she sat silently listening.
"You didn't know anything about magic or the code, and for someone, like myself who lives and breathes rules and structure, I found that hard to deal with. And I may still have my moments where I may come down on you too harsh. Or even been quick to blame you for things that had nothing to do with you. I cannot tell you I will change overnight." Hecate stroked Mildred's cheek lightly, "But hear me out, Mildred Hubble. I will work harder to be more understanding, less judgmental, and more open. And know, if you ever need me, no matter if it is 3 am, or I am in the middle of teaching, I will be there for you."
Mildred flung herself in the older witch's arms. She was unable to prevent the soft whimper from escaping her lips. Nuzzling into the crook of Hecate's neck, the girl whispered, "I love you, mum."