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“
Who?” Eli
interrogated.

“
Clio. She
pushed me to come here. She keeps pushing at me until I can’t
sleep!”

Cora saw the
shock run across Clay’s face.

“
What is the
message?” Cora asked, finally finding her voice.

Tommy took a
deep breath. “I have to say it like it was given to me.”

“
Saying
something will be a great start!” Clay growled as he pushed back
his mop of blonde hair that now rested on his shoulders. Green eyes
glared at Tommy.

“
You must be
weary of Alex.” Tommy nodded, like this statement meant something
to them. He waited for them to speak.

“
Who is Alex?”
Iona asked them.

Cora was
shaking her head. “I haven’t got a clue. Who said that?”

“
Clio.”

“
Is that all
she said?” Clay asked, his eyes now pleading for something more
from his best friend.

Cora knew
exactly how Clay felt. She’d always longed for more when it came to
her real mum and adoptive mum.

“
No. That was
the first thing she told me. She was adamant I told you this, that
you had that information. She’s really nice when she’s not being so
damn scary.”

This comment
brought a whisper of a smile to Clay’s lips. Eli nodded like he
knew exactly what Tommy was saying. They all knew that Clio had a
way about her.

“
She told me to
tell you that she is with you every day, and that some days are so
boring that you need to start doing exciting things...”

Eli
laughed.

“
She also loves
the tree in the garden, it’s beautiful, and Clay, you need to get a
haircut and a new woman.”

Tommy looked
sheepish saying it, but Clay roared with laughter.

“
Okay, C, I
will get it cut. On the women front, leave it with me as I’m a
little busy at the moment.”

The weight
lifted off Clay’s shoulders. Only now Cora could see that it had
been there for some time.

Tommy looked
at Cora. “That bump doesn’t suit you, sweetheart. Get rid of
it.”

Cora looked at
Tommy for a full minute before she laughed so much that tears were
gathering in her eyes. “All in good time, Mum.”

Tommy looked at
Cora and the bump. Lines of confusion exploded on his forehead. He
wouldn’t understand.
And he didn’t need to
know,
Cora thought.

“
Ayden must
give you away on your wedding day. He is more of a father to you
than anyone I could have met. He loves you, and I want to see him
give away our lovely daughter.”

As Tommy
spoke, Cora could no longer hear his voice. She heard her mother’s
voice and the softness of her words. Ayden looked like he was
holding it together, but Cora had lost the fight as tears, happy
tears, rolled over her cheeks.

“
Ayden, our boy
is well. I’ve called him Sage because we loved that name. I hold
him close to me every day. He looks like you, especially his eyes,
they are pure ice and they warm my soul every time I look into
them.”

Ayden held it
together until Tommy finished. Ember was sniffling. Tabitha was
smiling whilst tears gracefully glided along her cheeks. The Irish
coven didn’t understand the full story, but still, Iona, Evelyn and
Kayla were joining them with the tears. Brianna was struggling with
who to console first.

“
I can’t
believe I have a baby brother called Sage,” Cora
whispered.

“
We didn’t tell
anyone our name choices. After... well I didn’t think it
mattered...”

“
It matters,
Ayden,” Tommy said. “They continue in that life so they need names.
They are still whole, their souls continue to grow.”

Ayden
nodded.

Tommy
continued, “Cora. I’m so proud of you. You are such a strong,
amazing woman. Jack better appreciate what he has.”

Jack laughed.
“I do. I appreciate it every damn day.”

Tommy nodded.
“Don’t blame yourself for what happened. It was meant to be. That
was my ending. I loved every second of my life with you. Now I know
Ayden found my album, and you can see how much I loved it. Your
life is going to be amazing, so full of love and joy that the bad
things are just so small, and I don’t want you spending time
dwelling on them. I will be with you every step of the
way.”

Tommy halted
for a moment, allowing what he had said to sink in. “Now, I want
you to do something for me, I need you to go upstairs and pull the
bottom of the wardrobe out.”

“
Is she being
serious?” Cora asked.

“
Yes, I made
her repeat it several times just to make sure.”

“
She wants me
to do it now?”

“
Yes. She was
adamant.”

Cora laughed
and jumped up. Everyone scurried after her. The thud of their feet
on the stairs sounded like thunder. She dropped to her knees and
began pulling the bottom of the wardrobe out. It gave way after
several pulls.

“
I can’t see
anything,” Cora mumbled.

“
Here, let me,”
Tabitha said as she sat next to Cora. Tabitha’s hand
glowed.

“
Lift up the
floorboard.”

Cora did as
instructed and with Tabitha’s light, Cora could see a box. She
lifted it and blew off the dust before opening it. Everyone leaned
forward to peer into the box.

“
The wedding
ring belonged to Violet Hunt,” Tommy informed them, using her
mother’s words.

“
Oh my word,”
Tabitha whispered.

“
The ring has
been passed through the generations waiting for you to take it.
Waiting for the day you chose the man you loved. It is yours and
she loves you. That was the end of your mother’s
message.”

“
The ring is
perfect,” Ember swooned.

The white gold
ring had a twist to it. Along that twist sat a trail of jewels, a
ring that would sit perfectly alongside her engagement
ring.

“
Jack?” Cora
asked.

“
It is perfect,
babe. I couldn’t find a more perfect ring myself.”

“
Ayden,” Tommy
began, “she wants you...”

“
I know...Cora.
I would like to take this ring and add diamonds... I want to put
something in there too. If you would let me?”

“
Of course,
Ayden,” Cora whispered.

“
And now I will
take it for the time being...the best man role and everything,” Eli
grinned. “But Christ, I don’t know if I can cope with the
responsibility.”

Cora smiled
and then looked at Tommy. “Thank you for coming today, you did the
right thing.”

Tommy nodded
and smiled.

The messages
had meant that no one had been missing today. Everyone had been
here, in their own unique way. Including her brother,
Sage.

“
Let’s have a
drink,” Ayden said, “Tommy, you are welcome to join us.”

“
Thank you, I
would like that.”

Ciaran stepped
alongside Tommy as they made their way down the stairs. Cora could
hear Ciaran ask Tommy who else he’d spoken with. By the questions
he asked, Ciaran was very interested in Freddie Mercury. Cora
smiled as Jack’s hand warmed hers and squeezed.

“
You
okay?”

“
Yeah, I’m
good.”

Jack’s lips
brushed her forehead before resting on her nose. Brianna stood at
the bottom of the stairs, looking at the two of them. Brianna
nodded, happy with what she saw and left. Cora laughed.

“
Cora! Jack! If
you want any dessert, you’ll be needin’ to move your ass!” Flynn
shouted from the kitchen.

Jack kissed
her quick and then launched himself down the stairs without
touching a single step. She shook her head and smiled, allowing
herself to feel happy. To let all the information settle into place
and warm her. This little information from Tommy had just changed
the entire dimensions of her coven, for the better. Her mother had
helped, even when she wasn’t exactly present. Cora took a deep
breath, whispered her thanks, and headed down the stairs towards
the sounds of everyone in the kitchen.

12

SUMMONS

Jack sat back
and watched Cora play with Brianna and her many toys. She looked
relaxed and happy. The bump was still small, but it got in Cora’s
way on more than one occasion, and he watched how she frowned and
then heard her tut before she shuffled and continued to play. She
always forgot it was there, which gave him peace of mind, knowing
she didn’t stress about it every day.

Give it a few
more years yet, but he wanted to experience Cora carrying his
child. Right now, they needed to get to the whole baby making
business first. The fun was in the trying as Clay liked to tell him
often. He wished he had the peace and quiet to test that
theory.

The large tree
twinkled in the corner of the room as Tabitha sat in the chair
playing with her new laptop. Ayden and Ciaran were in the kitchen
tucking into the ever expanding buffet. A buffet Iona and Kayla
were adding to. Flynn was grunting as he played on a hand held game
that Eli was testing on him.

“
Jack, I
thought you might need a drink,” Cian said, passing him a cold,
dark pint of the sweet stuff.

“
Where is
mine?” Flynn grunted.

“
In the
kitchen.”

“
And you’ll be
needin’ to soak up that deadly drink with some food,” Iona
chuckled.

“
Aye, lass!”
Cian said, smacking his lips together.

Iona set the
plate down on Jack’s lap. It was heaped with food. It amazed him
that he could feel hungry after the Christmas dinner
yesterday.

“
Charmin’,
where’s mine?” Cian asked with dismay.

“
You could do
with holding off a few extra pounds. But, if you want anything, it
is in the kitchen.”

Flynn laughed,
“It’s not nice, is it?”

“
Hmmm...” Cian
responded as he snatched a sandwich from Jack’s plate before
grinning at his wife.

Iona left the
room smiling.

The front door
opened and noise blasted into the house, as did the cold
air.

“
Jesus! Jesus!”
Ciaran hobbled into the room and bent over, panting.

Jack laughed
as Clay and Ember waltzed in. Both of them were a little red faced
from the cold outside but that was nothing compared to
Ciaran.

“
You don’t look
well, son,” Cian chuckled.

“
I...I...”
Ciaran gasped.

“
He is very
unfit,” Ember announced.

“
I could’ve
kept up with you, darlin’” Flynn said, his attention now focused on
Ember.

“
You could
never keep up with me, Flynn,” Ember teased.

Flynn stood
and sauntered over to Ember. Jack could see everyone watching the
two of them. It was fascinating, seeing the chemistry between the
two of them, and then watching Ember fight it.

“
Do you want to
start now, darling?” Flynn murmured.

“
I’m not
unfit...just...hungover!” Ciaran protested, cutting through the
chemistry and making everyone laugh.

Ayden ventured
into the room with a pint in one hand and a pork pie in the other.
Ciaran snatched the pint and started guzzling it down.

“
Ciaran, you
need water,” Cora laughed.

Ciaran was
shaking his head as he continued to drink.

“
You stole my
pint!” Ayden looked at his empty hand.

“
I blame Ma, it
is all her fault,” Ciaran said. Wiping his mouth, after finishing
the pint, he collapsed on a chair.

“
Hey!” Jack
protested as Ayden took his pint.

“
Hey back at
you, Kiddo.”

The house
phone rang and Jack nodded at Tabitha who stood to answer it. Jack
watched her face. She never gave much away, you had to know Tabitha
well enough, had to know her little expressions. He saw a quiver of
annoyance as she hung up the phone.

“
Tab?” Cora
asked. She’d also noticed. Cora noticed everything.

Jack already
knew. “It was Alastair.”

“
Yes. He wanted
to know about your Christmas.”

“
Why would he
care?” Ember blurted, whilst moving around Flynn.

“
He is checking
up on me. He just goes about it in a sly way.”

Jack nodded.
Cora was right. If you were to look up the definition of sly, you
would see Alastair’s picture.

“
He left a
message...” Tabitha began.

“
Tab?” Eli
asked.

“
Jack, he said
you would understand it...”

Jack felt his
relaxed feeling slide away. Alastair had a way of doing that. “What
was it?”

“
Don’t forget
what I can do...”