Wishful Thinking
A
smile tugged at Mia's lips, despite the fact that Clara knew she tried to hold itback. "Couldn't sleep, either. I noticed the back door open, and I figured you had to beout here. No one else is nuts enough to go running around in the dark yard at this timeof night…er, morning. What I still don't understand is why. What crazy scheme haveyou come up with this time, Aunt Clara?"
Clara sighed. The young. They never understood anything. "Many spells areperformed at night, Mia. You, of all people, should know that."
"Oh, believe me, I understand. What I don't get is all the secrecy. You only sneak around behind everyone's back if you've got some idea cooked up, or if there'ssomething seriously wrong." Mia frowned, her expression darkening. "Please tell methere isn't something seriously wrong with you or Uncle Lou."
"Oh for Goddess' sake, I'm fine. I was making a wish. That's all." "Awish." Mia repeated, not looking at all sure that she believed it.
Clara nodded as she picked up her crutches and made her way to the gazebo steps."It seems to be the only way I'm going to get what I want." She ignored Mia's silentoffer of help and hobbled down the steps, leaning on the metal crutches for support.She was halfway across the yard before Mia followed her.
"Slow down before you fall and do some more damage to yourself," she said,stopping on the stone path in front of her so Clara had to come to a halt or knock herniece over.
"I'm sixty-four, not a hundred and four. I'm perfectly aware of what my limitationsare," Clara told her, ignoring Mia's pointed gaze at the cast on her leg. "You need toworry about yourself and stop trying to mother everyone else. Especially those of uswho are older than you."
Mia wasn't deterred that easily, no matter how much Clara had hoped she'd be.
"What is it that you could possibly want? You've got everything you need righthere." Mia sighed heavily and shook her head. Clara felt the annoyance radiating fromher niece and felt guilty for causing it. But, in the end, it would be worth it.
"It's nothing you need to worry about, Mia. Honestly, you're much too serious forsomeone so young. Live a little."
She just wanted Mia to be happy. The girl had been alone for too long. She deserveda home and a father for Frances. She had such a nurturing, caring manner, and Clarahated to see it wasted on an aging couple and a tiny bed and breakfast when she couldput it to much better use.
Mia
said
she was happy here, but Clara wondered. There had to be some small partof her itching to leave, to live her life the way she was meant to. The girl was onlytwenty-eight. If her life kept going along its current path, she'd stay single and alone,and never leave Bennett Island.
Mia argued that she had Frances, and yes, Clara understood that the child took a lotof her time. But Frances was happy and healthy, if not a little bit mischievous, and
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