Chapter Nineteen: Visitation (Warning: Mild Profanity)
The next morning, Mildred was hanging out with all her friends, including Ethel. As they went to class, Midred thought about how much her life had changed over the last seven-a week shy of eight months. She'd lost her parents, found out her true bloodline, started to get closer to Constance Hardbroom, helped banish Hecketty Broomhead, was there for Constance when Star was born early, resulting in the uterine rupture, and hemrrhage, became a full Alchemist...Mildred didn't want to think of the grief and stress associated with her parents' deaths caisuing the seizure.
The group entered the classroom. Amelia was there to meet the Fourth Years.
"Do you know if Miss Hardbroom will stop by with the baby, Miss?" Asked Jadu.
"She might, but she is still recovering following the surgery on the eve of Star's birth."Answered Amelia. "You know that there was a tear in her uterus and it was beginning to wreak havoc on her body. Why do you think this happened? Can anyone tell me their interpretation?"
"Age?" Asked Ruby.
"The older a pregnant woman is, the higher chance of this happening. But that is not the reason."
"How well they look after themselves during pregnancy, or rather, if they do not take care of themselves..." Said Jadu.
"That can be a reason this happens to a woman." Amelia replied.
"It can also depend on how many pregnancies the woman has had. " Drusilla said.
"Quite right, Drusilla." Amelia told her.
"Or sometimes this just happens and nobody knows why..." Said Mildred after a moment. "If it is not caught in time, both the baby and the mother can die. That is why it was caught as quick as it was.. If the doctor had waited much longer...Miss Hardbroom would not be here today. Star was already out of the womb when it happened."
Constance had heard the last part of the conversation and she knocked on the door with Star in her arms. She didn't want Mildred to get upset. She opened the door and everyone turned to look at her.
"Come in, Miss Hardbroom." Amelia said, smiling. "The girls were wondering if you were going to come for a little visit."
"Yes, I thought that it might be nice for the girls to see Star again, Miss Cackle." Constance answered. "Are you going to open your eyes so you can see the girls, Kitten? She asked Star. The baby opened her birth-dark eyes and looked around. "Look, there's Mildred, and Ethel. And here are the other girls: Ruby, Jadu, Maud, Drusilla, Enid, Tansy, Daphne, Dawn and Gloria." Constance told her.
"She is so cute, Miss." Said Ruby.
"Thank you." Constance replied. "She's my little girl."
"She's still so small." Said Drusilla. "But she will gain more weight."
"She's gained half a pound." Answered Constance, a bit worried about that. "I hope she'll start gaining at a faster rate."
After the class, Constance's parents visited the knew all about Mildred, as Persephone was their younger daughter, and about Star as Constance had told them about the pregnancy and the early birth.
"Mother, Dad, these are your grandchildren. This is Mildred Isolt Hardbroom-Hubble, Persephone and Arthur's daughter. And this is Constance Nightstar Lynn Hardbroom, my baby daughter." Constane introduced. Constantine and Samantha Hardbroom beamed.
"They're beautiful. Mildred looks like a perfect combination of her parents and the baby looks just like you. What do you call her to differentiate between the two of you?" Asked Constantine.
"I call her Star, or affectionately my Constance Nightstar." Constance replied.
"She's gorgeous. Your father and I are so proud of you, Connie." Samantha grinned.
Constance only let three people call her Connie in her life:her parents and Persephone.
"She's so tiny..." Murmured Constantine.
"She is...Well, she was born six weeks premature." Constance told them. "She's already gained half a pound in just six days. She weighs four and a half pounds." She looked down at the baby in her arms. "Star, I would like you to meet your Grandmother and Granddad. Open your eyes, Star. Come on, Princess, open your eyes." Constance coaxed. Star opened her eyes and her head wobbled slightly. Constance supported her head and held her close.
"It makes us both happy to see you so happy." Constantine told her. "When Persephone and Arthur died, we thought that you would take it badly."
"Of course I took the news badly. But I am a figure of authority at this Academy. I had to pull myself together for Mildred." Constance replied. "And then when Star arrived early, I had to deal with both a prematue infant and recovery from surgery."
"Miss Cackle told us about the uterine rupture as well as the hemorrhage. The doctor had informed us of it once it had been taken care of." Said Samantha.
"Because she was born early, she's scared of her surroundings. I know she's basically a week old and will be tomorrow, but everything frightens her because it is all so new to her." Constance said, a little worried.
"That is perfectly normal even for full term babies. They are quite used to being inside their mothers. Then birth happens and they are forced out, either naturally or by Caesarean section." Answered Samantha.
"So this is normal?" Asked Constance.
"Yes it is, Connie. Once Star gets used to everything, it will get easier." Samantha told her. Star let out a fussy cry. Constance winced. She looked over at her mother for help.
"Give her to me." Samantha said, taking Star in her arms. "You know, Star.. You've got to give Mummy a break. I know, it's scary, isn't it? Believe it or not, Mummy was just like you when she was born. She came into the world not knowing the evild in it. And then when my mother Hecketty began to tortur her..." Samantha shuddered at the thought. "She quickly learned that there could be evil."
"Did she do the same to you, Mother?" Constance asked.
"She did..." Samantha was trembling. "I thought that the same thing wouldn't happen to you, but I was wrong. As long as she was allowed near my family, the cycle would continue..."
"She is no longer allowed to be near our family or near any of the magickal schools or the teachers and pupils of any of them. A restraining order has been put in effect. She has been expelled from OFWITCH and from teaching, and everything that was given to her as punishment was given by the Witches' Guild. and by Mr. Hallow, Chair of Governors. If she breaks the restraining order, she will then go to jail for the rest of her life." Constance told her.
Star had gone quiet, noticing the change of emotions in the room. Samantha rocked her gently. "We will not let anything happen to you, precious girl." She told her "I have never wished so hard for something as I do now. I wish that Hecketty Broomhead was dead so that we would truly be free. I refuse to call her Mother because she instilled that in me first of all, but also because I never saw her as my mother. A mother is not supposed to harm her child. It is not right."
Mildred let out a low growl at the mention of Hecketty's name. Consance's head snapped up. "Oh, no..." She said with a gulp. "Mother, Dad, we have to get Mildred to calm down,,,This has happened once before...Mistress Broomhead's name was mentioned and Mildred became so angry that it caused her to have a massive seizure. She was nearly killed..."
Both of Constance's parents gasped.
"Calm down, Millie. You know she can't hurt us..." Constance pleaded. "Please...I don't want you to die."
"Mildred, please... We have just been reunited with you. We haven't seen you since you were born." Constantine added. Mildred crumpled into her Aunt's arms, trembling.
"Shh-shh-shh" Constance murmured, rubbing her back in rhythmic circles. "Everything's all right." Mildred laid her head on Constance's shoulder, looking directly at her as she sobbed. " It's all right, sweetheart. I'm here now." Constance soothed, stroking her face. with one hand, the other one cradled Mildred against her. "Calm down, love,... just calm down" Constance gulped back her own tears. "Shhh..."
Constantine and Samantha embraced their daughter and granddaughter while Samantha cradled their newest granddaughter in one arm.
"No one will ever hurt any of us ever again." Samantha vowed. "Conatance you are not the only one with those scars...I have them as well... When I first saw those same scars on your body, I was mortified. I knew exactly what Hecketty had done and what weapon she had used to do it. I know that leather whip very well...Heacketty Broomhead feels no remorse. She can put on an act to make others like her, but she is still the same woman she always was underneath."
"The dragon..."Constance seethed.
"She is a vile snake." Samantha agreed. "Ready to strike at just the right moment.
"She is a frigid, frosty bitch." Mildred swore.
"Profanity, Mildred." Constance smirked. She knew Mildred was right.