Some of them Witches

Chapter 9

"Baby, of course I'm not," said Violet, attempting to take Lily's hand.

The girl wrenched it away. Huckleberry barked and jumped at an astonished Violet. "Why not? The only magic I can ever seem to do is by accident. I made one of Marianne's glasses explode the other day."

"That is hardly the same thing. Marianne has had years of training so that kind of thing doesn't happen, so no one gets hurt."

"No one got hurt! It was just an accident!"

"Calm down," pleaded Violet.

Marianne had never been in a mother-daughter argument before but knew instinctively this was the wrong thing to say. Lily exploded.

"Not until you listen to me!"

"I'm listening," she entreated, hands out in front of her.

"Then you'll let Marianne stay," Lily stated matter of factly.

"Lily..."

Marianne wondered if Violet was drawing out the name to buy time against her daughter's fervor.

"See? You're not listening. You're just like everyone else. You think that because we're witches, we're dangerous," she hissed. "Would you be telling me to leave if it was me?"

"Of course not. It's not--" began Violet.

"Then maybe Marianne should have called you a hypocrite instead of a liar."

"I am your mother, you will not speak to me that way!" Violet was now red-faced with indignation, but Lily was not backing down.

"Only if you admit Marianne and I aren't dangerous and she should stay," said Lily with perfect serenity as though it was the most logical conclusion to be drawn from the situation.

"You and Marianne are not the same."

And there it was... the truth. Even Huckleberry had ceased growling but the dead silence was only a precursor to Lily's next affronted outburst.

"Why? Just because she's better at magic than me? Because she didn't grow up with a family!? Aunt Vee said we were her family now and if she were here, which by the way, don't think I've forgotten this is all her fault 'cause where the hell is she? But if she were here, she would say you don't give up on family!"

It wasn't the most articulate argument but it seemed to work on Violet, who looked fit to burst into tears. Before she could say anything, Lily scooped up Huckleberry, took Marianne's hand, and pulled her through the sliding door after her, moving fast so Marianne was half jogging to keep up with her. She took them past Hometree, all the way down to the little copse of trees Marianne had made into her sculpture garden, and only when they were both obscured from the house by the trees, did she release her.

"I hate it when she does that. She talks about being a witch like she knows what it's like. Like she could ever know what this is like."

"She's just looking out for you, Lily."

The girl raised an eyebrow at her. "Please, I'm not afraid of you."

"Touché," conceded Marianne. "Either way," she swallowed, "thanks for sticking up for me back there."

"Somebody had to. You looked like a kicked puppy," she scoffed, petting Huckleberry.

"Your mom's right though. You and I are different. There's no point in denying it."

"Just 'cause you don't have a mom? I don't have a dad. Who cares?"

Marianne bristled at the unfeeling dismissal of her situation. "I cared. A lot. And so would you if you grew up like I did."