Page 118 of Witchily

It hadn’t worked for Shanna, but it worked for Sage, and in the end, that’s all she needed. She already had everything she wanted out of life. Gran, Jinx, the best man she could ever hope for, and a spirited daughter. Shanna accepted her curse, but she was glad Sage would never have to. The O’Connell way of finding solutions to their predicament stopped here.

And there was no better time to bump into another O’Connell. Inspecting Sage’s new friend, Shanna ran through the information she’d written down about the woman who, once upon a time, used to be her mom. The appearance and the name matched, but even if she didn’t have that, she’d know. She’d sensed it—like Sage had, perhaps.

“Bella? I think we’ve met before,” she said, extending her hand. “Didn’t you run a witchy shop in Queenstown a few years ago?”

“That’s me.” Bella’s eyes, the same pale, grayish blue as Shanna’s—and Sage’s—widened. “I didn’t think anyone would remember me from back then.”

“I have a good memory.”

“Well then, it’s a pleasure to meet you—”

“Shanna.”

Bella squeezed her hand in a firm but warm handshake. “And this sprightly little fairy is …”

“Sage!” she proudly announced. “And this is my daddy.”

“Simon,” he said, also shaking hands with Bella.

“Are you tourists?”

Shanna and Simon shared a look. “We’ve been here before, some time ago,” Shanna said. “It feels like more than a tourist destination, but for now, I suppose we are.”

“Mommy and Daddy are on their wedding anniversary trip,” Sage explained. “But I convinced them to take me with them.”

“You do sound like a very convincing young lady.” Bella raised her eyes from Sage to Shanna. “Congratulations. Which anniversary is it?”

“Seven to ten years,” Shanna said. “It’s complicated.”

“The best things in life are,” Bella said. “That’s why, when you get weary, you come here and look at the mountains. They cleanse your soul, don’t they?”

Shanna agreed with a simple, happy smile.

“Next, we’re gonna go see the dolphins,” Sage proclaimed. “When I grow up, I’m gonna be a dolphin, too.”

“And you’re going to make a splendid one,” Bella said. “Are you planning to go on a hike as well? Given that you’re on the road.”

“The easier one, yes. To the mountain lake,” Simon said.

“Not because of me, though. I could do the hard one.” Sage puffed out her chest.

“I’m sure you could.” Bella patted her shoulder. “I’m going there as well. If you wouldn’t mind keeping an old lady company? In turn, maybe I can play a guide. I’ve been around these mountains plenty.”

“We’d love that,” Shanna said.

“I’ll show you our caaaaar!” Sage flew away again.

“I suppose I have to follow,” Bella said, amused, and went after Sage.

“How is it? Seeing her again?” Simon asked when they were alone.

Shanna searched her heart but found only peace in it. “Fine. I hadn’t written down all the details we spoke of the last time, but whatever we said to each other, it must have worked.” Mom was Bella now—a kind lady they met on their journey who felt like they’d known her for much longer. Felt like family, perhaps.

Because wherever you went in the world, you could always count on finding family.

***

There was nothing like marrying a stranger, Simon thought, to blow away the stress of several days of meetings and presentations. It helped that the stranger was a very pretty young woman with hair straight out of a fairytale and the smile of his dreams, and that he was three cocktails in, and it was Vegas.

Those cocktails would eventually come crashing down, but at the moment, he was insanely, absurdly happy.

“And do you, unnamed man, take this woman to be your wife and promise to love her sweet?” their fake-Elvis wedding officiant said.

Simon couldn’t help but smile. “I do.”

And as Elvis proclaimed he could kiss the bride and Simon leaned in, a surprisingly coherent thought shot through him. Maybe this was it. Maybe she was the one. Maybe the tales about Jason the Adventurer he’d told her wouldn’t need to be a lie.

They could have one grand adventure together.

The End