Hello, everyone.
In recent events that are going on in the world, or really my country I would just like to say that you all are loved. Love is a much powerful weapon than hate...And love will triumph over hate. So much has been going on, and I just wanted to tell everyone reading this that you are loved and that we cannot let hate win. There is so much beauty in this world and the people in it, but it seems that has gotten away from us at the moment. It is still there along with love so let's keep that in mind as we move forward in our day to day lives.
Anyway, thank you for all the follows, favorites, and comments. It is wonderful to hear from you all and it means the world to me!
Enjoy!
Chapter 7:
"Mildred!" Hecate cried, as Mildred suddenly woke up from her spot on the floor, "What happened?"
"I was running down here because I thought I was going to be late! A-A-And I just got too dizzy!" Mildred explained, she looked so tired like all the sudden it was like her whole being was being drained of energy.
"You passed out, Mildred! You had me-" Then a realization hit Hecate, and her eyes glared deeply into the pits of Mildred's brown eyes, "You didn't eat this morning like I asked, did you?" Mildred's face whitens at her statement, Hecate was livid, "Out of all the things you could disobey you choose not to eat! What a stupid, foolish way to have yourself be wasted away to nothing!"
"I wouldn't waste away to nothing!" Mildred pouts, crossing her arms like a toddler would over not wanting to eat their vegetables.
"Slowly you would! You'd be nothing but skin and bones then to dust! Do you want to be a skeleton?" The girl shakes her head vigorously, "You've disappointed me today. Disobeying me, and none the less lying to me!"
Mildred uncrosses her arms and looks sad by this, "Miss Hardbroom, I'm sorry! I-I won't do it again!"
"You won't be doing it again because I'm going to be making sure you will be eating from now on." Hecate said sternly, "Can you stand?"
"I, yeah, I think…" She pulls herself off of the floor, but almost falls again, but Hecate catches her, "Thanks."
Hecate scoops her up into her arms carrying her into the kitchen, and putting her into a chair, "Stay put and do not move." Mildred looked mortified to be carried by Hecate just nods and stays quiet not to anger Hecate anymore.
Hecate moves into the kitchen and tries to whip up a meal that would give Mildred her strength back, and not be too much on her stomach. She almost decides when Pippa pops in front of her giving her the biggest of smiles, "Well met, Hiccup!"
Hecate wants to roll her eyes at the witch's cheerfulness, but she restrains herself, "Well met, Pipsqueak."
Pippa eyebrows quirked up into confusion, "A bad morning?"
"A naughty girl more like it." Hecate chews out, crossing her arms glaring at Mildred who had turned to see what they were chatting about, "Turn around, and be still, Mildred." The girl squeaked and did as she was told. She was shaking a bit, but Hecate didn't care if she was scared the girl had practically given her a heart attack passing out like she did.
"What in the name of the Great Wizard happened?" Pippa asked looking between Mildred and Hecate.
"Mildred decided that she would disobey me and not eat her breakfast…She then passed out due to the lack of nutrition she has in her."
"Mildred!" Pippa scolded, putting her hands on her hips.
Mildred shook even more, but didn't turn around instead she offered, "I'm sorry, alright?"
"Not alright! You could have-Mildred, it could have been much worse what if you passed out on your way down the stairs you could've cracked your skull open or worse!" Hecate argued with her.
Mildred then turned around giving an innocent look to Hecate that made her think of her own brother, "But I didn't though."
Hecate pinched the bridge of her nose, "It doesn't matter, you still injured yourself into exhaustion. You are going to eat everything that I give you, and then you are going to take a nap."
"A nap? Naps are for toddlers though!" Mildred insisted.
"Well, you are acting like one right now!" Hecate argued back.
"I am not!" Mildred shouted back.
"Mildred, I am not going to keep arguing with you. You need to rest your body requires it and food." Hecate turns away from the girl to look for food to feed the girl. She can hear Mildred stomp her feet to turn herself away from Pippa and Hecate. She can even hear the little huff of air that she lets out. Oh, yes. The girl was getting a nap.
"Hecate, why don't you let me fix her something?" Pippa offers, "I am a better cook than you are, and why don't you sit down with her and talk about what happened today."
Hecate sighed, "Alright, but I am just as good as a cook as you are."
"Ha! You wish!" Pippa scoffed.
Hecate rolled her eyes, but strolled towards a chair beside Mildred, "I think you and I need to have a talk."
"About what?" Mildred snapped, and Hecate gave her a warning look, "I'm sorry, maybe I am a little tired."
"You don't think it could also be about what's been going on the past few days. You haven't said much about the news about me being…related to you. Or anything about your mother?" Mildred kept quiet at that, "I know the reason you aren't eating is that right now I think guilt is making you not want too, but Mildred you can't do that to yourself. I mean look what happened today."
Mildred quietly says, "I know, but it's just…I can't help, but feel like all of this is my fault. That I could have saved her…And that I could have saved you."
"Me?" Hecate was taken back.
"Saved you the trouble of well…me." Mildred downcast her eyes away from Hecate, "I know that you think of me as the worst witch ever, and I know you probably share the same feelings as your brother-"
"Mildred!" Hecate took the girl's shoulders, "I know you may not be the best of your age, but you are a witch where it counts the most. And I have never shared the same thoughts as my brother. I know that I can be…cynical, and distant, but I do want you to know that I do not think of you as the way my brother does. If anything, I am happy to have you."
Mildred's eyes dripped with shed tears, "R-R-Really?"
"Really, now will you please eat?" Hecate proposed to her, taking out a handkerchief out of her pocket and handing it to her.
"Okay," Mildred sniffed, taking the handkerchief to wipe away the tears.
Pippa came to the table to deliver her a scoop of chicken salad along with a small piece of bread, carrots, broccoli, and a glass of grape juice, "Ta-da! Eat up!"
Mildred's stomach grumbled at the sight, and it did look pretty good to her. And her throat wasn't feeling like it was blocked right now either. She took a piece of her bread and scooped a little of the chicken salad onto it. She ate it lightly, and swallow. Her face lit up with enjoyment, and she gave Pippa a thumbs up, "This is really good, Miss Pentangle!"
"I'm glad, Mildred…And Mildred, I think it will be okay for now for you to call me Pippa until school starts back again, okay?" Pippa offered.
Mildred blinked at her, then looked at Hecate with a question, "What is it, Mildred?"
"Could I call you something else other than Miss Hardbroom?" Mildred asked shyly, eating another carrot.
Hecate wanted to say no, but she couldn't say no. Not when the little brat was giving her doe eyes. Also, she didn't want Mildred to keep calling her Miss Hardbroom, especially since the girl was family. She also didn't want to be called something absurd like Auntie or Aunt HB. She rolled her eyes, "I suppose you could call me by my first name, Hecate."
"I can't call you Aunt Hecate?" Mildred questioned, and Hecate could hear Pippa snort at the face she made when Mildred asked.
"No, I don't think we are quite ready for that do you?" Hecate inquired.
Mildred looked a little disappointed and out of the heart with Hecate's quick reply, "No, I guess not…" She then moved on smiling, "You can both call me Millie then it's what Enid and Maud use sometimes."
Pippa pinches her cheeks, "Aw, but I wanted to call you my Millie-bear!"
"Miss Pent-Pippa!" Mildred whined trying to get out of reach of the pink witch.
Hecate shares a small smile, but is happier to see Mildred's plate growing empty, "Pippa, that's enough teasing for now. Mildred needs rest now."
"But-" Mildred starts.
Hecate gives her a look, "No, go to your room and rest. Think of this as a minor punishment to your actions."
Mildred sulked but scooted out of her chair and into her room without another complaint. Hecate smirked watching her slouch into her room the child was being too over dramatic for a simple nap. Later, she would find naps essential when she was older. For now, she would hate them because she thought they were too childish.
"I think you handle the situation well, Hecate." Pippa encouraged, smiling at her.
"You think so?" Hecate mused, "You did well with lunch. Thank you, Pippa."
"As I've said before I'm a much better cook than you." Pippa grinned more, "If anyone can get Mildred to eat it would be my own food."
"Now I see I've given you a big head or did you already have that before?" Hecate droned, feeling the corners of her lips quirking up to smile at her friend.
Pippa huffed her pink cheeks were coated with an even darker pink, "I do not have a big head."
Hecate nodded casually, "Whatever you say, Pipsqueak."
"Hecate!" Pippa squeaked, "I do not!"
"Says the woman with her own school named after her!" Hecate teased more.
"Hecate, if you don't stop teasing-"
"What your head will get bigger?" Hecate laughed, seeing Pippa's face as red as it would get, "Oh, Pippa, I'm just picking at you!"
Pippa then calms down, and smoothly says, "You know what they say about people who pick on you?" Hecate quirks an eyebrow at this not knowing the answer, "They like the person a lot."
It was Hecate's turn to blush this time around, "Well, I-"
"Is that what it is, Hecate?" Pippa asked, suddenly getting closer and closer to Hecate, "Do you like me?"
Hecate heart was about to beat out of her chest when Pippa was finding herself a seat in Hecate's lap. Hecate did like her friend, and she was glad that their friendship had rekindled. She also liked, liked Pippa more than a friend in her heart. She always did, but she would die of embarrassment to say it out loud, especially if Pippa didn't return the feelings back. But Pippa was doing her very best flirting right now, and Hecate's heart couldn't take that much more.
Hecate whispered, "Well, do you like me, Pippa?"
"Ah, ah, ah, I asked first!" Pippa taunted at her.
Hecate growled, she couldn't take it. She took both her hands onto the slender cheeks of Pippa to pull her into a magnificent kiss. Pippa's lips tasted as sweet as she was like warm chocolate, candy floss, and pink roses. She didn't want the moment to end because the sweet bliss Hecate was receiving felt like it was reviving her. Hecate pushed away from their attraction, and whispered, "Yes, I very much do."
Pippa put her forehead onto Hecate's, "I do too."
A cough echoed into the room, Mildred, standing a few feet away trying her best to look away at them both. She was blushing madly at the scene before her, and Hecate's face too burned it was practically was going to melt off from the embarrassment. Mildred mumbled, "I can't find, Boomer."
The only one who seemed unfazed by the embarrassing moment was Pippa who even perked up seeing Mildred. Maybe it was from Hecate's kiss, but Hecate didn't think it was possible that her kiss would make someone that happy. Pippa jumped off of Hecate's lap, and skipped over to Mildred, "Okay, Millie-bear, why don't we both look for it while Hecate's face cools down?"
Hecate would've snapped at her if she wasn't so speechless. Did she really just kiss Pippa Pentangle? And did Mildred Hubble just see them both share a kiss as well? Hecate wanted to believe it was all a dream, but it wasn't. That kiss was too real that she had stolen off of Pippa's sweet, sweet lips…And the thing of it was, she was going to do it again too.
"Love is love is love is love is love is love." - Lin Manuel Miranda
...Okay so I felt like I rushed Pippa and Hecate's relationship, but at the same time, it felt like the right moment to do it. What about you guys what do you think?