“Yes. I’m listening.”
She set her palms flat on the desk before her and leaned forward. “No. Do not merely listen. You must understand. It is critical.” She stared deep into my eyes to convey the seriousness of her statement. I nodded.
“I have arranged for a visit from your grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend.”
I stared at my grandmother. I was frozen. Her words echoed in my mind. My mouth could only hang open uselessly. No words escaped, only a sound. A gasp of confusion and bewilderment.
My grandmother patiently sipped her tea in silence, waiting for me to process what she had said.
“They’re coming? Here?” I asked. The words themselves were understandable, the meaning behind them was almost too large to comprehend.
She nodded. “It has been set for today.”
“Today?”
Again, she nodded.
“But . . . They know nothing about Destiny Falls! What if they panic? What if they don’t understand?”
“We have had several long conversations. You underestimate them, Hayden.”
“You have spoken to Nana and Gran?”
“And to your friend, Luna. Yes.”
“And they know? They understand?”
“As best they can.”
I remembered how Luna ran screaming from the room. Of course, she had thought I was in danger. Once she realized I was safe, she’d embraced the bizarre situation that I found myself in.
“Are you ready to hear the conditions?” my grandmother asked.
“Yes, please.”
“Rare and powerful magic will bring them here. It is not something to be trifled with.”
She actually said the word ‘magic.’ I sat up taller in my chair and leaned forward, memorizing every word as she spoke.
“They will arrive at noon. They may not leave Caldwell Crest. Not one inch beyond the property borders. They will leave at midnight. Not one second beyond. If they aren’t at the portal at the departure time, they will be snatched from wherever they are, but will not necessarily be returned to their home.”
Grandmother paused and then repeated herself almost verbatim. “Do you understand?”
“I understand.”
“Very well. I will meet you at the top of the stairs at quarter till the hour. They will require an hour or so of rest upon arrival. The guest room directly across from the stairs will be theirs for the day. You will have time for a private visit. We will all greet them in the gardens at family dinner tonight. After which I’ll escort you all upstairs for your farewell.”
She pursed her lips and looked at me over her the top of her glasses. “That’s all.”
Then she smiled and winked at me. Very unlike Miranda Priestly.
39
I walked out of Grandmother’s office like a lady. Then I turned around and ran back in. I embraced her in a tight hug and was pleased to feel her hug me back.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
“My pleasure, granddaughter,” she replied.
I left her office with a bounce to my step and ran up the stairs to my room. I picked up Latifa and spun her around the room.
“Woah, woah, woah. Slow down, Giggles. You’re getting me dizzy.”
“Oh, Latifa!!! Guess what? Nana, Granana, and Luna are coming for a visit! Today!” I spun her around again.
“Seriously, Bubbles. Stop with the spinning.”
I plopped her down on the bed. “So, she pulled it off, did she? That woman has some high-ranking friends, I tell ya.”
“I can’t believe it! It’s too much!” I pressed my palms to my cheeks, trying to reign in my excitement.
Chanel and Lola were on the floor, batting around a toy mouse. Latifa mewed to them, then Chanel came up and rubbed her head against my leg.
“She’s happy for you,” said Latifa.
“Yes, I can see that. Thanks, Chanel.” I stroked her beautiful, white fur and she purred. Little Lola was still spinning on the floor, fighting with the toy mouse.
“Want some wardrobe assistance?” Latifa asked.
“Oh, I don’t need any help!” I laughed. “I could show up in a paper bag and the three of them wouldn’t even notice. That’s real love, you know. When someone sees your heart, not your outfit.”
There was no slow meandering down the hallway today. I was race walking.
I was a few minutes early, but Grandmother was already there. She was seated on a bench beside a door just past the stairs. A mysterious door that hadn’t been there in over a month. I recalled this door with a bit of a shiver. It had appeared once before. Jade had somehow arranged for an opening to the portal to try to send me home. But there was no way I could leave then. I never understood Jade’s motivation and wasn’t sure if it was even worth a moment of my memory. Especially today.
Grandmother stood up and opened the door. I followed her up the familiar stairs to the attic. It was exactly as I remembered. A clean and tidy attic filled with boxes and unused furniture. The centerpiece of the room was an antique dresser with a large mirror. A duplicate of the one I had in my childhood bedroom. The one in which I’d had my first glimpse of Destiny Falls when I was six.
Grandmother sat at one of the upholstered chairs across from the dresser. She advised me to sit in the other chair.
“Please remain seated until our guests arrive,” she said, as if we were waiting for friends to come over for tea. “It will prevent you from getting too close to the mirror and interfering with today’s purpose.” She looked at the time on her phone. “Just a few minutes now,” she said.
Grandmother sat with her hands in her lap. A picture of elegance and patience. I sat beside her, a picture of nerves and excitement. I couldn’t stop my legs from bouncing and I kept crossing, then uncrossing my arms. I stared at the mirror, seeing only the reflection of the attic.
Then the reflection began to change.
I looked in the mirror and saw Nana, Granana, and Luna standing there. They each had a rolling suitcase
