30.12.2014, The Brooklyn House, 9:23 am
Sadie Kane
I am exhausted. It's snowing on the balcony. The House's magical barriers are no longer keeping the cold away. Soon Carter is going to notice I'm out here and tell me to get inside. I don't want to. I can't bare to see uncle like that. He hasn't eaten since we were in Phoenix, probably not a good sign. I wonder if he'll ever get better. I miss the uncle of my memories.
And that leads us to my memories. Now this has been a hard pill to swallow. After mum's death, the House of Life had sealed off all memories surrounding the magical world. When Isis and I merged, those seals broke down. I remember visiting Brooklyn when I was little and staying in my, now broken, room. I remember playing in First Nome with Ayanna. I remember more about my past then I ever have. And yet, my memories of mum are still dizzy. For hours I've been trying to make myself remember how her voice sounded. I heard it in Isis's memory, I should be able to! I've been trying to remember how her hair smelled. The older I get, the more all those little details start slipping away, the more I find myself clinging onto them. There is, however, something new in my head. A little goodbye present from Isis – I can feel my mum's love, all the way from the Duat.
I can't believe Christmas Eve was last week. I've been thinking about my parents a lot today. For years I didn't allow myself to grieve, afraid of the pain. Never thought the end of the world is when I finally will.
Right. It's the end of the world. And I have one more task for today.
I take uncle's phone out of my pocket. It was dead when we arrived in the mansion, so I had to postpone the call. What am I going to say, anyways? 'Hi! Haven't seen you in six years. Your house is destroyed. Your dad is depressed. Your uncle is dead. A giant snake is trying to eat the sun. Nice hearing you again!'? Does she even remember me? And even if she remembers, does she care? Me and Carter were distant and we still got to see each other twice a year. I don't want to get my hopes up, thinking I'm reuniting with my best friend, only to find a stranger on the other side.
Whatever. This is not about me. Ayanna deserves to know what's going on. And she deserves to hear it from one of us, not from some random magician or, gods forbid, from Desjardins.
I lean the phone on a glass of water before facetiming her. This is not going to be a quick conversation.
Ayanna picks up almost immediately. She opens her mouth, most likely ready to yell at uncle, but freezes when she sees me. You never realize how time passes until moments like this come along. Ayanna has grown up. But then, so have I. We're not five anymore, are we? My cousin appears to have just woken up. Her hair is up in a loose bun, that a few curls have escaped from. She's still in bed, her pillow propped up behind her. Her wall is purple. Cool.
I try my best to smile. It's been a hot minute since I have. "Hi, Aya. It's Sadie, your cousin. Remember me?"
I don't know what I was expecting her reaction to be. Excitement maybe? Joy? Either way, I find myself disappointed when she chooses suspicion.
"Where did you find dad's phone?"
"In the library."
"Where are you?"
"Brooklyn. I'm glad you're happy to see me."
Ayanna sighs. "I am. I've missed you. But you should be in London right now, having a normal life! I doubt the House has changed its mind."
"The House is, okay maybe not the last of our troubles. But, like, the second of them. Or the third. Definitely in top five, for sure. But not my top priority right now."
"What's going on? I've been calling dad on alarm for days now. I always spend Yule with mom and Christmas with dad. But this year he's been ignoring me and everyone here is avoiding my questions."
Here goes nothing. "Can you make it here till tomorrow?"
"Can't open a portal during the Demon Days. And there is no way mom is going to let me travel alone." Aya must see the desperation on my face, because she sighs. "Aunt is flying to Manhattan tonight for some witchcraft fair. I'll try and convince to take me with."
"Thank you. We really need you here."
"Of course, what are cousins for? I've been missing you three so much, anyways. Dad is probably even more excited than me to have you, Carter and uncle around. Tel them I love them, could you?"
I smile and nod. "I've missed you, too."
Right now I just don't have the hearth to tell her.
