Happy Father's Day

"¿Listas para partir, mijas?" Camila called.

"Si mamá," said Vee.

"En un minuto, mamá," said Luz.

The sisters came downstairs, looking semi-formal. The cemetery didn't exactly have a dress code, but jeans, slacks, or t-shirts didn't feel appropriate. Both girls were holding different types of flowers for the occasion. "Thank you, girls," said Camila, accepted both bouquets from her daughters, placed half of each in a vase behind her, and held onto the rest. "These are beautiful. I'm sure Papi will love them too."

Knock knock knock. Someone was at the door.

"I'll get it!" Luz went to answer it and was taken by surprise to find Amity and Eda on the front porch, along with King under his concealment stone. Each of them holding some different flowers of their own.

"Heya kiddo," said Eda.

"Hey yourself," said Luz, still a bit taken aback. "I didn't expect to see you all until later." Once again, this day had coincided with the annual Bonesborough Brawl. Luz had planned on going with her Owl Family to cheer Amity on. Maybe she'd bring home the belt this time around.

"We all know what day it is," said King.

"After what you went through last year," said Amity, "we decided you and your mom might appreciate some additional emotional support."

Luz's lip quivered. "You really didn't need to, but it means a lot that you did." She fell forward and wrapped her arms around Eda. Amity and King followed suit and wrapped their arms around Luz just as Camila and Vee stepped into view.

"Well, to what do we owe this pleasant surprise?"

"Just wanted to be here for our favorite human on what was probably gonna be a rough day," said Eda, offering her bouquet to Camila. Amity and King did the same.

"Willow grew these for us," said Amity. "If the Entrails could've postponed their Flyer Derby match, she and the others would probably be here too."

"The car would be awfully crowded if they were," said Vee.

"Nonetheless, it's good to see you all," said Camila. "I'll put some of these in water and then we can be on our way."

While she went to the kitchen, Eda and the kids made their way to the car.

"It's been a long time since I got inside one of these," said Eda. "I wonder if I still remember how to drive..."

King grabbed her hook and pulled her to the passenger side. "Maybe find that out on our next visit."

Luz nodded in agreement, helping her girlfriend and siblings into the car before getting in herself. Camila followed shortly after with the flowers, and they were soon on their way.

Amity was relieved to see this was not the same graveyard they'd found themselves in while Hunter was possessed. Most of the crypts and tombstones were far more recent. The only bodies of water were small ponds and reflecting pools. Plenty of trees for shade and benches for sitting and getting lost in thought. It was all beautiful in a way. She heard her girlfriend let out a heavy sigh, and instinctively reached for her hand, squeezing it gently. Luz looked over to her with watery eyes, smiled and squeezed back.

"Here he is," said Camila after a short walk. The group stopped in front of a headstone.

Here lies

MANUEL NOCEDA

Beloved husband, devoted father

A patch had been engraved into the stone under the inscription.

"What does that mean?" King asked, pointing to it.

"My dad was a paramedic before he got sick," Luz answered. "He saved people, driving them to a healer when they needed one, even treating some injuries himself."

"That takes guts," said Eda. "Must've been special."

"He was...amazing, and the most wonderful man I've ever known," said Camila, placing a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "Ready, mija?"

Luz took a deep breath, then looked around at her loved ones. "Yeah, Mom. I'm ready." Camila handed her some of the flowers and, and the girl walked slowly to the tombstone. "Hola papá. I'm really sorry I couldn't make it last year. You probably wouldn't believe me if I told you...but you'd hang onto every word like you always did when I made up a story, so I'm gonna tell you anyway. Magic is real. An owl stole the book you gave me and led me through a door to a whole other realm full of witches and demons! For a few months, I even got to be a witch, casting spells and everything! I made real friends who like me and didn't just make fun of me all the time. Sure, I messed up a lot...maybe a little too much...but they all stuck around in spite of all that. I even fell in love." She glanced over to the cotton candy haired witch and held her hand out. Camila gave her a nod and handed her some of the flowers. Luz turned back to the tombstone as Amity approached. "So it turns out I'm bi, just like you!" She lowered her voice to a whisper and leaned into the grave. "Mom told me after I came out. Hope you don't mind." Then she stood back up and put her arm around her girlfriend. "Dad, this is Amity. We...kinda got off on the wrong foot, but once we discovered some things we had in common, we became friends, and then we became more than friends! She's smart, cool, classy, and oh so beautiful." Amity couldn't help but blush and smile nervously. "Sometimes I wonder how someone this awesome would ever want to be with someone like me, but I'm so grateful that she does."

The couple exchanged a loving gaze and a quick kiss on the lips before Luz nudged Amity closer to the tombstone. She cleared her throat and straightened her posture. "Um, hello Mr. Noceda. I wish I could have met you properly, tell you how wonderful your daughter is, and just how much she means to me. Luz tells me you gave her the Good Witch Azura book when she was little. She changed my life, and I might never have met her if not for that book, so...thank you." Together with her girlfriend, Amity knelt down and they both placed their flowers on the grave.

"Does anyone else wanna say something?" asked Luz.

The Clawthornes looked at Camila, who nodded, and proceeded to divide the remaining flowers among them, herself, and her other daughter. "Go ahead, I'm sure he'd appreciate it."

Eda stepped up first. "You raised one heck of a kid here, Noceda. You should be proud of her. I know I am." She flashed Luz a smile before placing down her flowers.

Then Vee came forward. "Hi, um...Am I allowed to call you Dad? Camila's my mom now, and Luz is my sister...not to mention I had to borrow her face for a while before I settled on this one...but I've only ever got to know you through their stories. You were everything to them, and now, they're everything to me. The circumstances of my adoption...weren't ideal, but I wouldn't be who or where I am today if not for them." She knelt down and laid her flowers with the rest. "...and in a way, I have to thank you for that too."

King approached from behind Vee. "I never got to know my dad...even though he was always there, looking out for me in his own way. Maybe that's what you're doing for Luz right now. I'm so happy I get to have her as a big sister. Thanks for being her dad. If you happen to run into him, say hi for me and let him know...I loaf him too. He'll know what it means."

And at last, it was Camila's turn to step up. Luz motioned to the others to give her some room, and they acquiesced. "Hola amorcito. I wish you could be here to see the beautiful good witch our daughter has grown into. But if you were...that's probably not who she'd be." Her mind started going down a rabbit hole of mistakes and alternate scenarios that she really didn't want to dwell upon as she knelt down and rested the flowers right under the paramedic badge. "What matters is that she's still here, and she still has that spark you lit inside her...no matter who or what tries to snuff it out." Camila turned her head away from the headstone, and allowed herself a moment to cry before resuming. "The Padre tried to tell me something at the funeral, when I was so worried about raising our little girl alone, wondering if things would ever get easier or if the grief would consume us both. He told me 'Las cosas no se ponen más fáciles. Simplemente se vuelven diferentes.' I didn't really understand it at the time, but I think I do now. It's never been easy since we lost you..." Luz and Vee came over to rejoin their mom, giving her reason to smile. "...but it's always been worth it." She kissed her fingers to her lips and pressed them against her husband's name. "Te echo de menos mi amor." The girls helped her to her feet and gave Camila a big hug. "I don't know about the rest of you, but today's left me famished. How about we stop into your dad's favorite diner?"

"Is that the place we got milkshakes?" Amity asked, and Luz nodded. "I suppose we have enough time before Brawl starts."

"Yeah," said Eda, nonchalantly. "I could eat."

"I know I could," said King.

"Well then, let's get...going?" Vee and the others watched as Luz turned back to the grave one more time, sniffling and sobbing.

"Need a little more time, sweetie?"

Luz nodded and squeaked in the affirmative. "I'll..." she sniffed. "I'll catch up, you guys go...go on ahead..." The flood gates were open and tears wouldn't stop. Her knees gave out. Amity, being closest, rushed over and threw her arms around her girlfriend. "I still miss him so much!"

Eda and Camila followed suit. "It's okay, kid. Take your time. Sometimes you just gotta let it all out." The Owl Lady comforted her while her mom stroked her hair and shushed her gently, with the group hug allowing Luz to fall to her knees more gently, her siblings able to join in once she reached the ground.

"Pobrecita mi niña." Camila kissed her daughter's forehead, ran her fingers through her hair and continued to shush her. "It's okay, baby. It's okay." It wasn't until she started singing one of Manny's old lullabies that Luz truly started to calm down.

Slowly, but surely, her sobs turned to shudders, until she was just breathing deeply. Finally, she sighed and smiled at her family. "Gracias a todos," she finally said, still breathing heavily. "I really needed that."

"Anytime, sis," said King, making eye contact and sharing a nod with Vee.

"Need help getting up?" asked Eda.

Luz held her hands out. "Maybe a little?"

Vee took one arm, Amity took the other, and they gradually got Luz back on her feet.

"All that crying really worked up an appetite. We still going to the diner, Mom?"

"Por supuesto mija," said Camila.

The group made their way back to the car. Vee and Amity supported Luz the whole walk back. They helped her into the car and into a window seat. She kept her eyes on the location of her father's headstone, looking away only briefly as her girlfriend took her hand and kissed her on the cheek. As the car started moving, she kept her eyes on the graveyard, sighing as it eventually faded from sight. "Bye Daddy," she whispered. "See you next year."

17 years ago today, my dad had a heart attack and subsequently passed away after a week in a coma. I think that's one of the big reasons why Luz's character resonated with me, along with why I found "Reaching Out" and "Thanks To Them" so impactful. She tried to brush off her grief because Manny died a long time ago, but she was much younger than I was when she lost her dad, and it was for more recent for her in-story. All these years later, I'm still feel that loss. Those anniversaries are always going to be hard, and it's important to work through that grief however you can, with others who care about you and/or them.

The Padre's words to Camila: "Things don't get easier, they just get different." It was something my sister was told as we were all preparing for the inevitable. She brought it up once, and the words stuck with me.