It was a fine evening on the Boiling Isles, and at the Owl House, Amity was standing in front of a mirror while brushing her hair, and pretty soon, she was all done.
"That should do it", Amity said, "Luz, are you about ready yet?"
"Almost", Luz said.
Luz walked down the stairs and over to Amity.
"Here I am", Luz said, "so, are you excited for our big date tonight?"
"I sure am", Amity said.
"Glad to hear it", Luz said.
Then, Hunter walked over to them dressed in a black turtleneck sweater, a dark gray blazer, dark gray pants, and black shoes.
"Sorry guys, I need to use this mirror real quick", Hunter said, "I'm taking Emira to this new seafood restaurant that opened up in Latissa earlier this week."
He pulled a comb out of his pocket and began combing his hair.
"Well, Luz and I are going out on a date too", Amity said, "we're going to Freak E. Funtimes."
"Freak E. Funtimes", Hunter asked, "don't you guys think you might be too old to go to that place?"
"Hunter, you're never too old to go to an arcade restaurant like that one", Luz said.
"Well, still, why such an odd choice for a place to go on a date", Hunter asked.
"Because it's very special to me", Amity said, "it's where we had our unofficial first date."
"Unofficial", Hunter asked, "what made it unofficial?"
"Because we were only friends when I asked her to go there with me", Luz said, "but she thought of it as a date and got all excited about it."
"I see", Hunter said.
"I'll admit, I was a little disappointed when it turned out to be nothing like I imagined it would be", Amity said, "but in the end, I actually had a pretty good time."
"So did I", Luz said, "it's one of the most fun memories I've shared with Amity."
Hearing Luz say that made Amity feel very happy.
"Well, we better get going", Luz said, "we need to get there soon before too many little kids show up."
"Good call", Amity said.
"I should be going too", Hunter said, "I'd hate to be late picking Emira up."
The three teens grabbed their staffs and walked towards the door, and on their way out, they let Eda know that they were leaving.
"Okay Eda, we're leaving now", Luz said.
"Alright, have fun", Eda said.
"We will", Amity said.
"And remember to be back by 10", Eda said.
"You got it, Mom", Hunter said.
The three teens left the house and went out to go on their dates, and Eda sat down on the couch and began thinking to herself.
"Looks like I've got the whole place to myself", Eda said, "what should I do now?"
Eda spent a good amount of time thinking about what to do, and after a while, she came up with an idea.
"I think I'll go fix myself a nice, refreshing drink of Apple Blood", Eda said.
Eda walked into the kitchen and opened up the refrigerator, but when she pulled out her jug of apple blood, she found that there wasn't enough in it to fill her mug.
"Dang it", Eda said, "I forgot to get some more at the store the other day."
She opened the jug and just drank what was left in it, and after throwing it away, she went back into the living room, thinking about other ideas for what she could do.
"I guess maybe I could watch a movie", Eda said, "let's see what my options are."
Eda walked over to a cardboard box full of human movies she had collected over the years and began digging around in it, and she soon pulled out a VHS box for an anime called "Dragon Claw Z" and looked over it, but put it back in the box.
"Nah", Eda said, "too old."
She dug around in the box some more and pulled out a DVD adaptation of "Good Witch Azura 2: The Field of Deadly Fates" and looked it over, but like the last movie she found, she put it back in the box.
"No way", Eda said, "too flowery."
She dug through the box once again, and pulled out a VHS tape for a movie titled "The Duchess Approves", and like the two movies before it, she put it back in the box.
"Definitely not", Eda said.
Eda dug around in the box some more, but she couldn't find any movies that she was really in the mood to watch, and pretty soon, she gave up and went back to thinking of ideas for stuff she could do, but pretty soon, a new one came to her head.
"Maybe I could call Lily and see if she wants to have a girls night", Eda said.
Eda took out her crow phone and dialed in a number, and after waiting for a minute, Lilith answered.
"Hello", Lilith asked.
"Hey there, sis", Eda said.
"Oh, Edalyn", Lilith said, "what can I do for you?"
"I was wondering if maybe you'd like to join me for a girls' night out", Eda said, "you know, the two of us going around town having fun just like when we were kids?"
"Sorry, I can't", Lilith said, "I'm busy with something tonight."
"What is it", Eda asked.
"There have been a series of riots in certain parts of the Boiling Isles", Lilith said, "I'm trying to help get to the bottom of them."
"Well that's a bummer", Eda said.
"As the Emperor of the Boiling Isles, it is my duty to ensure the safety of my people", Lilith said, "but maybe we can have a girls' night some other time, when I'm not so busy."
"Sure, I guess", Eda said.
"I'll talk to you later", Lilith said.
"You too", Eda said.
Eda hung up and lied down on the couch, frustrated about not finding anything good for her to do, and when she looked at a clock on the wall, she saw that it was almost 7:00, and an idea came to her head that she was a little unsure about, so she thought about it for a little while, and pretty soon, she came to a decision, letting out a sigh as she did so.
"I was hoping it wouldn't come to this", Eda said, "but it looks like I've got no other choice."
She picked up her crow phone and dialed in another number, and then waited for a while, and pretty soon, someone answered.
"Hey, Mom", Eda said, "it's me, Edalyn..."
A little later, Eda was flying through the air on her staff to reach her destination, and soon, she arrived at hers and Lilith's childhood home.
"Here it is", Eda said, "home sweet home."
She knocked on the door, and her mother, Gwendolyn, answered it.
"Edalyn, you made it", Gwendolyn said.
"That's right", Eda said.
"Come on in", Gwendolyn said.
Eda entered the house, with Gwendolyn shutting the door behind her.
"Thanks again for letting me join you for dinner, Mom", Eda said.
"Thanks for coming", Gwendolyn said, "it's so good to see you."
"By the way, is Dad around", Eda asked.
"Not right now", Gwendolyn said, "he's out drinking with some old friends."
"Oh, okay", Eda said, "just wanted to know."
Eda was relieved to hear that her father wasn't home because of something that happened with him back when she was younger that she felt very guilty about.
"Why don't you take a seat", Gwendolyn said, "dinner will be ready soon."
"Alright", Eda said.
Eda sat down at the dinner table, and soon, she and Gwendolyn were enjoying some delicious baked squash for dinner.
"Mmm, this is good", Eda said, "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I really miss your cooking."
"Then perhaps you should come by for dinner more often", Gwendolyn said, "how does once a week sound?"
"Let's crawl before we walk", Eda said.
The two of them continued eating their dinner, and Gwendolyn decided to talk about some news she had heard recently.
"So", Gwendolyn said, "I hear that the former Golden Guard is actually your son."
"You mean Hunter", Eda asked, "yes, it's true."
"I didn't know you gave birth to another child before Amity", Gwendolyn said, "what happened to him?"
"I thought I killed him as the Owl Beast", Eda said, "but not too long ago, I learned that it was actually a ruse cooked up by my psychotic late ex husband because he didn't want a powerless witch as a son."
"Oh, yes", Gwendolyn said, "I also heard about Paxton Delacroix and his True Magic Coven."
"Then you must also know about all the stuff that went down", Eda said.
"I do", Gwendolyn said, "if you ask me, it sounds like he got what he deserved."
"I'll say he did", Eda said, "but it's all over now, and all of us are living together as one happy family."
"That's nice to hear", Gwendolyn said, "what are the kids doing tonight?"
"Amity and Luz are on a date at Freak E. Funtimes, and Hunter's taking his girlfriend, Emira, out to dinner at the Beached Kraken in Latissa", Eda said.
"Sounds like you were bored without the kids around", Gwendolyn said.
"You could say that", Eda said.
"Maybe you should consider following their lead", Gwendolyn said.
"What do you mean", Eda asked.
"I think you should get back out there and start dating again", Gwendolyn said, "I mean, when was the last time you went out on a date?"
"I can't remember", Eda said, "I didn't really do much dating after Paxton left me."
"Then perhaps it's time you gave love another chance", Gwendolyn said.
"I don't know", Eda said, "who would I even consider dating?"
"How about your old friend, Raine Whispers", Gwendolyn said, "didn't you two used to date one another?"
Hearing her mother bring up Raine and her long-ended romantic relationship with them made Eda feel a little upset.
"We did", Eda said, "but that was a long time ago."
"Well, maybe you two should see about picking up where you left off", Gwendolyn said.
"I don't think we can", Eda said, "our relationship ended on pretty bad terms."
"That doesn't mean it's too late to try it again", Gwendolyn said, "I know love when I see it, and I can tell you still have feelings for Raine."
"I don't know what you're talking about", Eda said.
"I can tell based on the way you look at them whenever you see them, and also the way your face turns red whenever they greet you", Gwendolyn said, "you've still got feelings for them."
"No I don't", Eda said, "I think Raine's a very good friend, but I do not have any romantic feelings for them whatsoever."
"But Edalyn, you do", Gwendolyn said, "can't you see it?"
Eda didn't want to talk about it anymore, so she got up out of her seat.
"I have to go", Eda said, "the kids are probably home by now."
She took her plate and silverware and set them in the kitchen, then walked over to the door.
"Thanks for dinner, Mom", Eda said, "it was delicious."
"You're welcome", Gwendolyn said.
Eda went out the door so she could go back to the Owl House, and Gwendolyn let out a sigh.
"I'm certain that Edalyn still loves Raine", Gwendolyn said, "hopefully she'll realize it for herself."
Eda soon arrived back at the Owl House, and after she went inside, she found that Luz, Amity, and Hunter had all returned from their dates.
"There you are, Mom", Amity said, "we were wondering where you were."
"I guess you decided to have a little fun for yourself while we were out on our dates", Luz said, "so, what did you end up doing?"
"Oh, nothing much", Eda said, "I just went to my parents' house for dinner."
"That sounds like fun", Hunter said, "think you could take me next time so I can meet them?"
"We'll see", Eda said, "but right now, I'm ready for bed."
"I'm with you", Luz said, "we had a pretty wild time at Freak E. Funtimes, didn't we, Amity?"
"You can say that again", Amity said.
"I'm gonna go up to my room now", Eda said, "goodnight, kids."
"Goodnight", Luz, Amity, and Hunter said.
Eda walked up to her bedroom and began changing into her pajamas, and as she did do, she thought about how her night had gone.
"Well, dinner was dinner, and I it was nice to see Mom again", Eda said, "but I wish she hadn't brought back all those painful memories."
Once Eda finished changing, she walked over to her nest and stepped into it, and as she got ready to go to sleep, she looked at a picture of Raine that she had on her nightstand and sighed sadly.
"If only things had gone differently", Eda said.
Eda lied down and soon fell asleep, completely unaware of what was to come for her and Raine.