Ilooked over at the window to the kitchen. Marge was yelling something at Herbin a hushed but angry tirade, pointing in our direction.
"Mother?Why is it that you just can't be human for once in your life?"
"BecauseI'm a witch, Dear," she answered without looking at me from over her menu.
"DoI even want to know what happened?" I'd given up on Mother and asked Nana.
"Sheaccidentally spilled a hot open-faced turkey platter in your mother's lap!"
Margeheaded back in our direction, and for the first time I noticed her limp. "Mother?What did you do?"
"Nothing."
"Mother?"
Withouta word, Marge set our drinks down on the edge of the table, muttered somethingabout being right back, and headed for the back of the restaurant. Hopefully,not to arm herself.
"Whatdid you do?" I hissed the question.
"Gaveher a penis."
"Whyis she fucking limping, Mother?"
"Itwas a big penis dear. I can't imagine trying to walk with that thing tuckedwherever she hid the damn thing. If Herb is limping, I guess we'd know theanswer to that question."
Nanaspilled her tea.
Istared in horrified shock.
Mymother wiggled her eyebrows at me over the menu.
"Fuckme."
"That'swhat he said!"
Somewhatcomposed, Marge came out of the back and pulled out her ordering book as shetilted her head at Nana.
"I'llhave the pork cutlet with mashed potatoes, please."
Shenodded, wrote it down and looked at me. "Dot?"
Reachingout, I touched her arm and whispered, "Mar a bhí tú."I watched as Marge visibly shuddered and I tried very hard not to think about what was goingon under her teal skirt. "I'll have a burger, please."
"Thankyou," shemouthed the words, giving me a look of utter gratitude, and shot my mother adisgusted look. "What do you want, Hagdeline?"
"I'llhave the Salisbury horse steak."
"Ithought you didn't like it?"
"Thebits and reins were rather distracting, but on a whole, the meal was almost edible,Barge."
"Huh.Thought you would be used to having a bit in your mouth."
"Onlywhen I'm being ridden, Dear." Mother smiled saucily and handed Marge themenu.
"Oh.Then you must not be used to wearing one." Marge smiled back and took ourorder to the kitchen.
Allin all, I was quite proud of Marge. If I were keeping score, I might have evensaid the match went to her. If I could just get my mother from altering herreproductive organs in the future, that would definitelybe a win.
"Mother.Knock it the fuck off. She's good people."
"Butshe's still people, Darling."
Andthere it was.
Themood at the table shifted as I frowned at my mother. Nana could feel the stormcoming and became very interested in the happenings outside the diner window.
"Don'tyou ever fucking say that again, Mother."
"Watchyour tone, Daughter." She wasn't even trying to look sorry as she staredme down over the table.
"Iwill not watch my fucking tone," I hissed back at her. "You're as badas they are."
"Who?"
"Thehumans that hate us. The ones that used to round us up with pitchforks andtorches. The ones that spray paint our garages and want to gather us up in thecenter square and burn us because we're different."
"Idon't want to burn anybody, Dear."
"Thehell you don't." I lowered my head closer to the table as if that wouldhelp keep my whispers from being overheard. "Those two people right there,"I paused and pointed at the window to the kitchen, "have done more good for the people of this town than Icould ever hope to do. So, if you're going to be aracist asshole, go the fuck home, Mother. Go back to Ashville, fix your brokenfucking coven, and stay out of my life."
Powerslid down her arms as the anger flared in her eyes. I swear there was a lowrumble of thunder that spread through the diner. "I said, watch your tone,Daughter."
"AndI should have been a little clearer. Fuck off, Mother."
Ithad been a long time coming. Truth be told, I was afraid. Afraid of both mymother and my grandmother. Their power was immeasurable. Against a coupleplatoons of marines, I would have bet all my money on the two of them without asecond thought. For the first time in my life, my anger outweighed my betterjudgement.
Thelights above us dimmed as the shadows pulled from beneath every table and cornerin the diner. The windows darkened as the sky blackened. Somebody in a booth onthe far end of the diner screamed as they looked out the window at the overheadsun. Their fear only fueled my fire.
"Knockit off, the both of you." Nana slapped us both in the head. When theshadows abated and the sky cleared, only then did she shoot us a reprovinglook. "Daughter, Dorothea is right. I think it is time for you to leave."
"What?"
"Youheard me. Go. Goddess knows what her purpose was bidding you to stay, but thebenefits could not possibly outweigh your moronic outlook on life. I did not raise you to look down your noseat mortals. Your power, and your position, have gone to your head. How they gotthrough that thick skull of yours, I shall never know. But go." Shepointed at the door.
"Areyou serious?"
Nananodded.
Motherlooked back at me and found only a smoldering glare. The slap Nana had placedupside my head hadn't shocked me into forgiveness, it had only stopped me from doingsomething monumentally stupid. For that, I was grateful.
Withouta word, my mother got up and burst through the diner door without so much as asingle word.
Youcould feel the tension drain from the diner when she was gone. "Well. Thatwent well." Nana shot me a reproving look.
"What?"
"Imay have sided with you, Granddaughter, but that does not put you in the right."
"Areyou kidding me, Nana? She was being a stodgy elitist douche."
"Shewas. That is why I agreed with you. However, you lack the experience to wage awar with your mother in a town full of innocent people." She motioned to thepeople behind us.
"Huh?"
"Inall our disputes over hundreds of years, how many people do you think wereinjured in our squabbles?" She cocked an eyebrow at me.
"Uh…none?"
"Precisely.And do you think you could accomplish the same?"The disappointment in her look and voice was real. "Especially with allthese newfound powers that you can't control? You blotted out the sun,Granddaughter."
"Justfor a moment."
Nanajust shook her head.
"Everythingokay?" Marge
