Aka Amy

She was scared, and to be honest so was I. I really had no idea what I was doing, and I was anything but comfortable at the idea of attempting it. But the bottom line was, I had to know. It felt like this was my best chance to learn the truth, and despite how anxious it made me I had to give it a shot.

Tess sat next to me on my left, with a worried look on her face. She'd finally stopped trying to talk me out of it, and she stopped trying to stall and delay it as well. I was glad for that, but I hated the thought of upsetting her.

I picked out how I wanted to phrase the wish-slash-request. I figured what I had in mind would be the least risky while still providing the most thorough answers. All that remained was to do it.

I gave Tess a little smile and a brief nodd, then before she could say anything I closed my eyes again and did it. I didn't speak it aloud, but I thought very clearly and deliberately in my head.

'I wish I knew what the relationship was between the goddess Amethyst and myself, the reason I was dragged into the magic when Theresa did her summoning spell, and why the goddess is still granting all my wishes. I also wish I knew how the magic works, if there are limits to it, and if anyone will ultimately have to pay a price for taking advantage of it.'

After that I kept my eyes closed as I waited. I had no idea how the answers might be presented, or if they'd be provided at all. For the next few seconds I remained tense, but nothing seemed to be happening. I almost wondered if maybe this wasn't going to work, maybe all our fear and worry was for nothing.

Then I got a flash of something. It was like a snapshot, like a memory so distant and all but forgotten, all that was left was a single still frame. It came and went so quickly I wasn't even sure what I'd seen.

I was still trying to parse that image when another one came.

Then another.

Then it was like a floodgate opened up. Not just still images but full visual memories, sounds, smells, even tastes and touch. Emotions too. I went from struggling to concentrate on a couple brief flickers to being overwhelmed by what seemed like a full lifetime of memories as they flooded into my mind.

I was just barely aware of Tess as she called my name. She sounded scared, and I felt her arms around me. She was holding me, one hand rubbed my back as she spoke. It was enough to help me focus, briefly. I realized my muscles were tense and trembling, like I was having some kind of seizure.

I didn't have a chance to speak or even acknowledge her before another wave of memories washed over my awareness. I felt myself being pulled along with the flow, like an errant swimmer caught in an undertow and dragged out to sea.

The last thing I was aware of was Tess's voice somewhere in the distance, faintly calling my name. I couldn't fight against the current though, and after another second or two the flood of memories swept me away completely.

• • • • •

I appeared in the summoning circle, dressed in my flowing white robes and holding my staff in my right hand. It was the first time I'd been summoned in four generations, I almost thought my name had been forgotten. And kneeling before me was the young redheaded woman who performed my ritual.

Her name was Mary Cleary, and she was the last of a long line of witches and wise women. Her family and the village they lived in had supplied me with prayers and offerings over countless generations. In return I served them, protected them, and granted them my support and blessings. And now young Mary needed my help. The poor girl looked forlorn, desperate.

At a glance I knew of the trauma she'd recently suffered, and what it was she hoped for. Despite knowing what to expect, I required her to ask it aloud before I could act.

"Why have you summoned me?" I asked her. "What do you wish of me?"

She gulped and in a nervous, emotional voice she told me of the assault she endured the month before, and of the way people treated her since then. They acted as though she was responsible for the violation, rather than being the victim. She told me if she were to stay here she'd spend the rest of her life as a pariah.

Mary wanted to move overseas to a foreign land. She wished to escape this small Irish town and go live across the ocean. She wished to be free and independent.

I took pity on her. Her story moved me, and the fact that she asked for neither revenge nor riches impressed me. As she was the only human to call my name in several generations, I decided not only to help her but to do it directly, in person.

It wouldn't be the first time I disguised myself as a mortal, to walk among them unknown. For this unfortunate young woman I would do so again. I knew it wouldn't take more than a month or two, to help her find a new home in a new land.

"Very well my child," I replied. "I will help you. Your opportunity will come tomorrow."

• • • • •

"Amy I can't believe we're really here!" she exclaimed with a wide grin.

I smiled back, "Me neither! It really is something though, isn't it Mary?"

We were in Toronto, Canada. We actually got here yesterday but the airport wasn't very scenic, then we had to figure out how to get into the city from there. Now we were really here, and after a good night's sleep in our hotel room Mary was refreshed and energized, ready to begin her new life.

The past month had been something of a whirlwind for both of us. I took on a mortal guise, I called myself Amy Sullivan. I claimed to be an heiress with a bit of a wild reputation. Mary and I met when she rushed to my aid after I crashed my automobile in the ditch across the road from her home.

We got to know each other, and I told her I was emigrating to Canada to start over and escape my unruly past. She remarked that she wished she could come with me, and I invited her on the spot. The two of us had been best friends ever since.

My estimate of about a month or two seemed fairly accurate. It took us one month to make all the arrangements and get here, I anticipated that one more was all I'd need to find her a home and get her established. Then I would return to the heavens and Mary could continue on without me.

• • • • •

"Oh Mary," I smiled as I fought back tears of joy. "She's beautiful!"

My friend lay half exhausted in her hospital bed. Her newborn daughter was cradled in her arms, while a winter storm raged in the night outside the window.

Mary sighed happily as she held her child. She finally looked up and her eyes met mine. The look of love and gratitude she had for me was almost overwhelming, as she beckoned me to come closer.

I carefully sat next to her on the edge of the bed, and Mary shifted over till she was leaning against my side.

"Thank you for everything Amy," she whispered as she rested her head on my shoulder. "I thought we'd never get here in time, not with the storm so bad tonight. I have no idea how you managed to drive through that."

I wrapped an arm around her shoulders and replied softly, "I think someone must have been smiling down on us."

"I think you're right," she agreed with a smile.

As far as I knew Mary was unaware of my true identity. Or if she suspected, she'd never said anything. And I wouldn't volunteer it, I didn't want to risk scaring her or alienating myself from her.

Mary and I had been together for the past eight months. I remained on the mortal realm well past the two months I originally planned. I enjoyed Mary's company and she enjoyed mine, so I kept finding excuses to stay. And with the arrival of her daughter, I knew she'd need me more than ever.

I'd never spent this much time as a mortal before, but so far nobody else had tried to summon me. I doubted anyone would, Mary was the first in ages. So for now, I chose to stay here with her. It wasn't so bad being a mortal, and I wasn't entirely helpless. I still had access to much of my power. More than enough to ensure safe passage through the storm, among other things.

• • • • •

As soon as I opened the door I was met with a child shouting, "Hi Aunt Amy!"

"Hello Jodie," I replied just as enthusiastically as I smiled at the rambunctious five-year-old.

The small girl ran past me into my living-room, while I greeted her mother with a hug and a chaste kiss on the cheek. "And hello Mary."

"Hello Amy," she smiled back at me. "How was your day?"

Mary and I lived on either side of a cozy little duplex in the north end of the city. We weren't entirely subtle about our relationship, but having separate homes provided us with some plausible deniability. Certainly the neighbours had plenty to gossip about, but we were mostly careful not to attract too much attention.

Despite the so-called scandalous nature of our lives, we were both very happy. She was a stay-at-home single mother raising her beautiful little girl. I was her best and closest friend, a single woman with a respectable job as a keypunch operator at a big firm downtown.

Some nights Mary and Jodie came to my side of the duplex, some nights I'd join them in their home. And the three of us would holiday together when I got time off from work.

It wasn't what you'd call a traditional family, and sadly there were parts of their lives that I was excluded from simply because it was impossible for Mary and I to make our partnership legal and official. But aside from that, life was almost perfect.

Almost.

Every now and then I'd experience a nagging sensation that there was something important I'd forgotten. A feeling I couldn't shake, that there was something else I was meant to do, or somewhere else I was meant to be.

But then all I had to do was look at Mary and Jodie, and I knew this was exactly where I was supposed to be.

• • • • •

I dabbed away some bittersweet tears as I watched Jodie walk down the aisle in her beautiful white gown, while Mary sat alone in the row ahead of me.

We talked it over at length, but in the end we'd played the role of 'just close friends' for too long. Mary worried what Jodie would think, and she didn't want to risk upsetting her daughter on her most important day. Not that I could blame her. Jodie seemed oblivious to our relationship, or maybe she was in denial. As she grew up she even stopped calling me 'Aunt Amy', now I was 'Miss Sullivan' to her.

I couldn't deny it made me sad to think that the young woman I helped raise might be opposed to relationships like the one her mother and I shared. And I couldn't help wonder if Jodie might have a different opinion on the subject if Mary and I had been more open about it, rather than treating our love as a shameful secret.

But this wasn't the time to dwell on that, and I pushed the unhappy thoughts away and focused on the ceremony. Despite what Jodie might think of me or my relationship with her mother, she was still the daughter of the woman I loved, and the girl I helped raise. Today was her big day, and I was happy for her.

• • • • •

My stomach felt cold and heavy as I let myself into our apartment. I had no idea how I was going to tell her, but I couldn't keep it from her. After all these years together, there were no secrets between the two of us.

Mary was sitting on the sofa with a book but she put it aside and smiled at me, "Amy I've got fantastic news! Jodie called while you were out, she's pregnant! We're going to be grandmothers!"

"That's wonderful," I replied as I forced a smile.

It wasn't convincing though and her expression shifted to worry as I sat next to her on the sofa.

"Amy what is it?" she asked anxiously. "What's wrong?"

I took her hand in mine and steeled myself, then looked her in the eyes and admitted "I was at the doctor's again Mary. He says it's cancer, and... He said there's not much they can do. It's already too far advanced."

With a sad smile I added, "You were right. I should have gone for tests back when the pain started, instead of toughing it out for so long."

There were tears in Mary's eyes as she stared at me. The look of forlorn desperation on her face stirred some ancient memory, but it slipped away again before I could catch hold of it.

• • • • •

"Mary she's beautiful," I whispered as I stared at the photographs in my hands. "What did you say her name was?"

She smiled at me and replied, "Theresa. After her father's grandmother, apparently."

I smiled back, but I was already feeling weary again. I had a tube under my nose supplying oxygen, while the one in my arm kept me hydrated and provided drugs to keep the pain at bay. It was tiring though, so very tiring. I'd only been in the hospital for two weeks and I already felt like I'd almost had enough of it.

I tried to sound strong and positive as I commented, "Jodie must be so happy."

Mary, my beloved lifelong friend did her best to look brave, she tried to be optimistic. She placed a gentle hand on my shoulder and smiled, "As soon as you're back home again we'll have them come over for a visit. I can't wait for you to meet our granddaughter in person."

I nodded weakly. "I'm looking forward to it. I think for now I need to rest again Mary."

I felt her give my shoulder a gentle squeeze, and her distant voice told me to get some sleep. I mumbled that I loved her, and I let my eyes close as I held the photographs of little Theresa and thought of my beloved Mary.