Will's Redemption and
NorthernLass: Thanks so much for the feedback. It makes my day when I see someone comments. It also makes me want to write more.
Note: My idea of Willow's powers comes from
JustSkipIt's Paths Diverged/Divulged and a story I wrote for the 2020 Celexacon Anthology (Lots of good stories if anyone wants to purchase it. Sapphire Books). A lot of my ideas for covens comes from Amber's witch series.
It is the day before the Solstice, and I felt that I had to get this done. I hope to have Christmas 1985 occurring close to 2020, but I have a lot planned for these days between the two holidays, so I suspect that Christmas will last into early 2021.
Learning to LaughG
Taranwillow4ever
Josh, Mutant Enemy, Amber, and Sapphire Books make money on all of it. JustSkipIt, I think did it for the joy as do I. The prayers have their internet addresses as citations.
Part 40
***
Willow was glad that she and Tara had gotten the opportunity to spend some solitary time while watching the fire, because as soon as they returned to the house, they were caught up in the frenzy of the holiday preparations. There were multiple people in all of the rooms and the sound of everyone talking at times seemed deafening to Willow. She spent much of her time working parallel to Tara; helping her mother prepare the food. The only exception was when Mr. Maclay asked Willow to go outside to his shop and help him finish a present that he was making Mrs. Maclay.
“What can I help you do sir?” asked Willow as they entered the shop. Willow looked around and was surprised to see so many different power tools arranged neatly by type.
“I need to make some of the decorations for the side of the cabinet. You said that you were pretty good on a bandsaw. I’ve traced them out, can you cut them, and then we can both work on sanding them down.”
“Ok,” responded Willow.
Is this a ruse to get me alone and tell me something? Of all those people in the house, no one is crafty? It doesn’t make sense.Mr. Maclay handed Willow some wood with scrollwork and a pair of safety goggles. Willow put them on and turned on the machine.
Can’t talk much with the bandsaw on ‘ she assured herself.
The details were not particularly difficult, and Willow was able to make fairly quick work of cutting out the patterns. As she looked at the leftover wood, and idea for small presents for others came into her mind. “Could I use some of the scrap wood to make something?”
“Sure, I didn’t have any plans for it. I’ve got a bunch more scraps over in that bin.” He pointed to a place that was overflowing with scrap wood.
Willow picked up some of the pieces she’d cut and began hand sanding the pieces.
“If you want to do your own project, that is fine,” said Mr. Maclay.
“No, I’m good. I said I’d help you.”
“I really just wanted the company.” He watched Willow continue to conscientiously sand the decoration. “I’ve got some detail sanders if you don’t want to do your project by hand.” He pointed to an area of hand tools.
“Oh, Ok. I’m going to run back to the house quickly, I’ll be right back.” Willow went back to the house and found Tara. After giving her a quick kiss, she asked, “Where does your mom keep her cookie cutters? I got a good idea for quickly making some presents for some of your family.”
Tara looked intrigued and showed Willow where to find them. She grabbed several cookie cutters, kissed Tara again, and went back to the shop.
Willow took a half-moon cookie cutter and traced the design several times on a piece of thin wood. She did the same with several other cutters and began cutting out her homemade decorations. Mr. Maclay continued to sand and apply the decorations to the ornate cabinet.
They sat there in silence for a period of time.
Maybe this isn’t an interrogation? She thought to herself. As if she had been daring the universe, Mr. Maclay asked,
“You seem really comfortable in the shop. Did you and your father used to do things like this?”
Willow struggled to keep herself from laughing. “No, sir. My father was probably the most unhandy man you could ever meet. I don’t know if he could tell a screwdriver from a hammer. If something needed to be put up on the wall, my parents always hired someone. I used to like to watch the handymen do stuff, and often they’d give me a piece of wood to practice hammering or
screwing? Say something different, quick you are pausing too long …using the screwdriver.”
It seemed that Mr. Maclay had noticed Willow’s pause and had a mischievous grin on his face. “Isn’t it a shame that a good descriptive verb has been perverted?”
Willow looked at Mr. Maclay and didn’t know what to say. “I guess, sir.”
I cannot be having this conversation with my girlfriend’s father .
It seemed that Mr. Maclay sensed Willow’s discomfort and went back to sanding a piece of wood. Willow looked at the shapes before her and began using a series of sandpaper to make the wood smooth. Willow was getting back in her groove when Mr. Maclay interrupted again.
“Tara says that you don’t talk to your parents.”
“It’s more that they don’t talk to me, but yes sir.”
“And it’s just because you don’t like boys romantically?”
“That was the final straw for my mother.”
“What about your father?”
“My father pretty much follows my mother. He doesn’t like to argue, and my mother can be quite difficult if she is unhappy. If it was between me and my mom, he always chose my mom.”
“Presenting a united front is important, it is one of the keys of my wife and I surviving five kids. But if Anne ever made a decision that would separate me from any of the five of them, we’d have difficulties. Especially the girls, girls need their fathers…”
Willow could tell that Mr. Maclay was rethinking the sexism in his comment, “all kids need their fathers… their parents, “he rephrased his comment. “I can’t imagine being on my own at 20. I was in the Army and my mother and father wrote me every week.”
“You get used to it. If that is the way, it is. I try not to think about it too much. My parents were never ‘normal’ parents. Their work always came first. I was an afterthought…” This acknowledgement made Willow feel sad.
“I have trouble believing that is true,” responded Mr. Maclay. “From what I see of you, you seem to be a nice young lady, with a smart head on your shoulders, and a caring heart. My Tara’s in love with you and says you are the ‘one’,” he made air quotes. “Other than who you choose to date, I can’t see what parent wouldn’t be proud to call you their own.”
“I suspect that they don’t tell anyone that they’ve disowned me. I am sure that there are lots of stories about how busy I am, and how I can’t accompany them on their various trips because of my own interests.”
“Where are they now?”
“They could be anywhere in the world right now, but the last card I got from my father was from New Jersey, so I am guessing Princeton…”
“Your father does write you.”
“If you count, -Dad” as writing, yes, once or twice a year. This year it wasn’t’ even ‘love Dad.”
“I’m sorry, Willow. You don’t seem to deserve that kind of thing. Maybe your father will come around?”
“I have more hope in him, than I do my mother. It has been over 18 months, and there have been three cards. I suspect they may pop up for graduation unless they are able to determine an appropriate excuse to miss it.”
“I wish I could talk some sense into them.”
“I’d love to see that, sir.” Willow went back to sanding the ornament in her hand.
***
Willow had gotten into ‘the zone’ and was surprised when Tara opened the shop door. She had a large bulky hat, mitten, and scarf in her hand. “Do you want to go to the circle, or stay here with Dad?”
Willow looked at her watch, “Oh, it has gotten late. I lost track of time. Definitely, I want to go.” She glanced at the sawdust and half-finished ornaments in front of her.”
“Mr. Maclay, is it ok if I come back tomorrow and finish these?” she gestured to the ornaments.
“Definitely, you are welcome whenever. It’s nice to share the space with someone,” he replied.
“Thanks,” Willow answered, as she put on the hat, scarf, and mittens.
“See you later, Dad,” said Tara as she opened the door.
After the exited the shop, Willow asked, “Does your Dad ever come?”
“Not that I remember. He happily attends the party, but I think the circles are just too much for him.”
“It seems too odd that he doesn’t believe.”
“Belief is a big part of magic. Unless you are a very strong practitioner, you can’t use it unless you believe in it.”
“Do you think that’s why I never knew?”
“What, that you had magic powers?”
“Yeah, I still have a hard time believing, but your aunt and grandmother were so adamant. Your Aunt Gertie must have told me five times that she wanted me to join the circle today.”
“They’ve never been wrong before…”
Tara and Willow were the last to get to the clearing. Willow looked around and saw several people that she did not recognize. She figured that the lone unidentified man was Tara’s uncle, Giles, but it was hard to determine through proximity who was Belle and who was Jenny. She figured the youngest looking of the bunch was Heather. Aunt Gertie and Tara’s grandmother were already casting the circle. Willow could hear their quiet praying and noticed once again that the candles were lit without out the help of matches or lighter. Once the circle was cast, they lined up to enter it. Giles, Heather, and Jenny entered first
now I know who is who , followed by Mrs. Maclay, Belle, Andy and Tanya, and Trinity. Tara took Willow’s hand and they entered together, followed by Alison, Kyle, and Kathy.
Similar to the morning, it felt as though the circle was an invisible wall and it was significantly warmer inside. People peeled off their outerwear and put it in a pile on a stone. The group circled the fire in the order that they had entered.
Everyone, other than Willow and Heather began chanting:
"The longest night has come once more,
the sun has set, and darkness fallen.
The trees are bare, the earth asleep,
and the skies are cold and black.
Yet tonight we rejoice, in this longest night,
embracing the darkness that enfolds us.
We welcome the night and all that it holds,
as the light of the stars shines down."
The food is put away for the winter,
the crops are set aside to feed us,
the cattle are come down from their fields,
and the sheep are in from the pasture.
The land is cold, the sea is stormy, the sky is gray.
The nights are dark, but we have our family,
kin and clan around the hearth,
staying warm in the midst of darkness,
our spirit and love a flame,
a beacon burning brightly
in the night."
As the earth grows colder,
the winds blow faster,
the fire dwindles smaller,
and the rains fall harder,
let the light of the sun
find its way home."
"Great sun, wheel of fire, sun god in your glory,
hear me as I honor you
on this, the shortest day of the year.
Summer has gone, passed us by,
the fields are dead and cold,
all of earth sleeps in your absence.
Even in the darkest times,
you light the way for those who need a beacon,
of hope, of brightness,
shining in the night.
Winter is here, and colder days coming,
the fields are bare and the livestock thin.
We light these candles in your honor,
that you might gather your strength
and bring life back to the world.
O mighty sun above us,
we ask you to return, to bring back to us
the light and the warmth of your fire.
Bring life back to earth.
Bring light back to earth.
Hail the sun!"
https://www.learnreligions.com/about-yu ... rs-4072720Then a basket filled with paper, sticks and various writing tools was passed around. Willow followed Tara’s lead and took a few pieces of paper, an equal number of sticks and a bright red pen out of the basket and handed it to Alison.
“We write down something that we want to ‘release’ or get rid of. Something that we want to leave behind us as we enter the new beginning of the sun returning,” instructed Tara. “Then we wrap the paper around the stick and throw it into the fire.”
Willow watched as the others completed their papers. She noted that when Giles threw his into the fire, the fire became brighter.
it must be his fire power Willow realized that most people were throwing their sticks, so she wrote “doubt”, “manic depression”, and “insecurity” and wrapped the paper around the sticks. Tara and she threw their sticks in simultaneously, and the bonfire burst up to the treetops and then settled back to the way it had been moments previously. Willow looked around to see if anyone else had seen this happen and was somewhat surprised to see that nobody seemed phased. Everyone chanted, "
May the blessings of light be on you, light without and light within. May the blessed sunshine shine on you and warm your heart till it glows like a great peat fire, so that the stranger may come and warm himself at it, and also a friend. And may the light shine out of the two eyes of you, like a candle set in the two windows of a house, bidding the wanderer come out of the storm.” – Traditional Irish Blessing
https://www.wildgratitude.com/winter-so ... ebrations/Then, everyone began singing a variation of silent night.
https://www.bing.com/images/search?view ... t=0&sim=11After the song, Aunt Gertie said, “We have at least one new member, and I wish to test their powers. I ask that everyone but Giles, Jenny, Heather, Willow and Tara remain in the circle.” She went to the area near the four wheelers and cut open a door. Once everyone else had exited, she closed the circle once more.
“Heather and Willow, I sense power in both of you. We are going to ask you to do a few things. Don’t worry if you can’t do some or all of the things. For some it comes easily, for others it is a process,” said Tara’s grandmother.
“Heather, you are the daughter of Giles and Jenny who have fire and water power, so I am going to test you for those first,” said Gertie.
She took a few sticks and placed them just outside the fire. Willow saw Heather take a deep breath, let it out, and then she began concentrating on the twigs. Nothing happened for a few minutes, but soon small puffs of smoke began to come out of the pile, but no matter what she did, the fire did not ignite.
“We’ll work on that,” commented Tara’s grandmother. “Now, see if you can make it snow. There should be plenty of moisture in the air.”
The girl took another deep breath and closed her eyes. Rather quickly, small flakes of snow began to fall within the circle. Willow looked outside the circle and saw that there was no snow.
I guess that is her power .
“Ok, Heather, now I want you to try to make this feather float off my hand,” guided Aunt Gertie.
Heather took another breath and focused her attention on the feather. They all waited for five minutes, but the feather remained solidly in Aunt Gertie’s hand.
“We can work on that too,” commented their grandmother, “…and finally, she held up a rock that was about as big as a babies head. “Can you crack this?”
Heather focused on the rock, nothing happened. After a few minutes, their grandmother looked at the rock and a small fissure appeared on it. “Can you make the crack go away?”
Heather stared at the fissure. Willow could see the perspiration on her forehead. The girl was concentrating, but nothing was happening to the rock.
“Ok, so it seems that water is your primary and natural power. Your parents will help you develop your rudimentary skills. “Congratulations on your entrance to the coven. “
Giles, Jenny, Aunt Gertie, and Grandma hugged Heather. Gertie then walked back to ‘the door’, opened it, and allowed Giles, Jenny and Heather to exit. She then closed it again.”
Gertie turned to Willow. “Usually, we don’t have other members in for the initial tests, but I wanted you to have an idea of what we will be asking you to do.”
Willow gulped.
What if they are wrong, what if I can’t do anything, what if I am a failure?? She released Tara’s hand that she’d been holding the entire time other than when Tara went to hug her cousin.
The older women noticed her concern, “Don’t worry, we know that you have power. You aren’t going to fail.”
How did she know that was what I was thinking about. “Let’s try the fire first, Willow.” Tara’s grandmother pointed to the pile that they’d made for Heather. “Center yourself, and imagine the sticks bursting into flame. Silently ask the Goddess to give you the power to light the flame.”
Willow took a deep breath and looked at the sticks. She imagined the sticks igniting.
Please Goddess, help me not to make a fool out of myself A small tongue of flame appeared on the sticks and one ignited.
Cool, fire power. “Well, that shouldn’t be a surprise based on the red hair,” commented Gertie.
“Can you imagine a wind gently fanning the flames and making it bigger?” asked Grandma.
Willow concentrated on the flames to no avail. The small flame continued, but it remained the same.
Willow must have looked upset, because she felt a warm hand touch hers, all of the sticks burst into flames.”
“Just as I thought. Tara dear, please don’t touch Willow until we ask,” said Grandma.
“S…Sorry, it is hard to resist.”
“We know, the healer in you wants to help,” replied Gertie. “Willow, try to make it snow.”
Willow took a centering breath, and imagined soft flakes drifting in the circle. Possibly one flake appeared, but Willow wasn’t sure if it was her imagination.
“Tara, take her hand,” ordered Aunt Gertie.
Willow felt the familiar warm hand touch her own. Flurries began to fall in the circle. As soon as Tara released Willow’s hand at the nonverbal demand of one of the elders. The snow disappeared.
“Interesting…” commented Grandma.
“And last but certainly not least, Willow imagine a small crack appearing in this rock.” Gertie held up the baby head sized rock. Willow thought about a crack like Tara’s grandmother had made. She concentrated and the rock split in half, one piece falling very close to Gertie’s foot.
“Sorry, are you alright?” exclaimed Willow.
“Yes, dear.” She bent over and picked up the rock, placing one piece in both hands, and placing her hands together.
“Imagine the rocks fusing together again,” commanded Tara’s grandmother.
Willow tried hard to remember how the rocks fit together. She imagined the two pieces being made into one. She tried multiple ways.
ok, I suck at being a healer “Tara?” she heard one of the elders say.
Willow felt a warm touch on her arm and the two pieces pulled together and fused.
“Just as I suspected,” exclaimed Aunt Gertie.
“What?” asked Tara and Willow simultaneously.
“Willow’s power is primarily as an augmentor.”
“What is an augmentor?”
“An augmentor is someone who is sort of like a boosts the power of another.” Gertie turned to Willow, “you look exhausted, Willow. Do you think you have the energy for one more test?”
“Yes, ma’am,” replied Willow.
“I have very little water power,” shared Tara’s aunt. The woman began to concentrate and a few flakes of snow drifted in the circle. “Now Willow, put your hand on my arm.”
Willow did as asked and the flurries became more numerous.
“Now Tara, you try the same thing.”
Tara started making snow.
“Willow, take her hand,” commanded Gertie.
Willow did as asked, and the snow within the circle increased exponentially.
“You two were made for each other. You superaugment Tara. I’ve only met one other dyad that had this kind of affinity. I told you that your auras were complementary,” boasted Aunt Gertie.
“It really is cool, Aunt Gertie,” said Tara. “but I feel like we’ve got to get back to the house before they send out a search party and the party is over.”
“Ok, sweetie,” answered her grandmother, “Gertie and I will close the circle, and then we can all go back to your house. Willow, do you have the energy to walk? I could walk and you could take the four wheeler.”
“No, ma’am. I am fine.”
Willow and Tara stood as the elders closed the circle, extinguished the fire, and got on their vehicles to go back to the Maclay homestead.
Once they were out of sound range, Tara asked Willow, “You ok, you look exhausted. I never imagined that they were going to test you tonight. If I had, I might have warned you.”
“I don’t think you could have given me a real idea. It was fine how it is. I just think I’ll probably have to go to bed early. I am beat.”
“You did so well.”
“That’s because I’ve got the best augmenti in the world.” Willow leaned into Tara and they kissed for a few minutes until the cold began to seep into their bones and they quickly left the area.