“What did you do!!?”

“I, I did what you told me to do! Why are you so angry?” asked the little one.

“You did not do what I told you to do.” said Mama. “I give up, young lady. I don’t know why you can’t follow simple directions!”

Bewildered by her mother’s outburst, the little one sat, wistfully staring out the window. The moon was full tonight, her favorite time to watch it. “I don’t understand, Moon. She is so angry with me.” Of course, the moon didn’t answer. She just kept hanging around in a clouded sky. The little one just sighed. She had been doing that a lot lately. Mama expected so much from her, and she was only seven. Why wasn’t she allowed to be a child?

Born into witchcraft, Hailey was expected to be trained in the ways of the witches. But she had no desire to do so, and it showed. She kept messing up spells, and not listening when Mama told her what to do. She thought by now Mama would understand and stop pressing her. But it got worse. This time she had really done it.

“I don’t get it, any of it, “ she continued talking to the moon. “I don’t want to be a witch. I want to be a normal child. Do you think that will ever be? Oh, Moon, why won’t you talk to me?”

Hailey heard Mama coming back to the room, and she came to sit next to her. Hailey’s head was hanging down, and Mama gently lifted it with her hand. She saw the anguish in Hailey’s face, and realized, that perhaps, this life wasn’t going to work for her. She had dreamt of the day she would have a daughter, one to carry on after she had passed. But her daughter wasn’t like the others. She had a special quality about her, a glow none of the other children had. She folded her daughter into her arms, giving her a big hug.

“I’m sorry Mama…” Hailey began.

“Hush, child. It’s okay. I realize now, you aren’t meant to be a witch.”

“No, Mama, I don’t think I am. But I have a question. Why did you get so mad? I did what you told me to do.”

“Hailey, when I said take your hat and look for a sign, that wasn’t exactly what I had in mind!”

They both laughed, and the warmth of mother and child shined, a radiance like no other had ever seen.

©2019 Dorinda Duclos All Rights Reserved
Photo ©Sue Vincent – Sign