Violet and I didn’t get much sleep last night, but we didn’t let that stop us from keeping up with the rest of the girls while we were shopping this morning.
Before we could get to that, though, everyone was up early; and we basically ran around like crazy getting ready for the day; having breakfast; and helping our guests – including Violet – to pack and load up their cars and SUV for the trip home. Once Dawn was packed, we bout helped Violet when we had time; and we managed to have all of the work done by the time the stores started opening for the last big shopping day of the summer.
Try not to be shocked, but I actually only bought three things all morning. I know – it really is hard to believe! Rowen and Dawn did better than I did with their shopping, but in my case, I didn’t pick out more clothes mostly because there really wasn’t anything I didn’t already have for back-to-school and Fall-weather clothes. At the rate that Rowen and I are both growing at right now, there’s no point in buying anything that won’t fit anymore three to six months from now.
It’s a bit scary just how much that sounded like my Mom. Maybe Aunt Leanne’s right, and I need to get away from them more often!
Anyway, so the shopping was fun, but ended too soon when we needed to meet up with everyone at the Inn for the first buffet at noon. The boys, including Ethan, had done their own shopping, and the girls had ended up in three groups; so it took ten minutes or so before we were all seated in the dining room at a handful of tables. Dillon was working all day, but Stephanie and Miranda had him take an extra break so he could have lunch with Violet and say goodbye to her before getting back to work again. I’m not sure if that was easier or harder for them, but they were still happy to have just a little extra time together before Violet had to go home. I hadn’t really thought about Aunt Grace and Mark being in the same position, though in their case they’d only spent a week together; but Aunt Leanne might have been; since she had both couples sitting with her and Uncle Adam.
That last hour and a half or so together felt more like minutes, and then it was time for a too-short round of goodbyes outside of the Inn before all of our visiting guests headed out toward the highway. Rowen was helping out at the computer store for the rest of the day, so I went home with Mom, Dad, Ethan, and Ehlana; and helped Mom get started on the loads of laundry, and post-holiday weekend cleaning. Ethan and Ehlana helped out too for a while when Mom let them join in for a bit of Magi-powered cleaning, though that tired them out; and they had a late afternoon nap. Dad was working in the office all afternoon and evening, and he only took breaks for the snack dinner we had at around six o’clock, and to do the bedtime snack and story with Ethan and Ehlana.
I don’t think it’s going to become an annual event, but the twins and I had a long after-dinner future plans chat that included another look into our collective futures to see if anything new had become clearer as we moved forward. Tomorrow isn’t just a big day because it’s the first day back to school for the kids and teens – or the start of Ethan and Ehlana’s high school education. Nearly everything we’ve done up until now has been behind the scenes. Twenty-four hours from now, there are going to be the first visible signs of our plans taking shape that everyone will see. That’s going to be amazing to watch as it all comes together!
You’re probably reading those last sentences and wondering whether we did see anything new.
Yes.
Some day, I’ll be able to write about that in this journal, but that won’t be anytime soon. Trust me; you’re better off not having the burden and responsibility that goes along with having the Sight. There are times when Ethan, Ehlana, and I didn’t know what we do.
I have been thinking about our future plans all evening, though, and sometimes it all seems a bit overwhelming. Having a long soak in my Jacuzzi after Ethan and Ehlana went to bed helped, and so did a computer chat with Rowen and some email exchanges with Aunt Grace, Mark, Dawn, and Violet. My nightly computing included some extra research to be ready for school in the morning – all the usual news, entertainment, and sports information that an average, informed, seventh-grader needs to know even in a small town school.
The last thing I was doing before writing this was a Hathorne Industries check. Mom, Dad, and Aunt Leanne keep regular tabs on the Hathornes, and keep me posted of anything important; but I still like to do my own snooping now and then too; and they usually have more going on around long weekends. They had a party out at their estate today.
Note to all Hathorne employees: You’re corporate calls, emails, and messages are all saved on the company systems. You might want to think about that before you type or say anything – especially if it has to do with your bosses or their family.
Of course, I appreciate the information those saved communications provide us. For instance, while Ethan and Ehlana are advancing their education in leaps and bounds that only a few people know about; Gwyneth’s brilliance is being trumpeted and bragged about to anyone and everyone. I’m sure she’s more advanced in her studies than they’re publicizing. If I had to guess, she’s using the development path from one or more of the recent kid phenoms as a guide for her genius-level development. Of course she also seems to need to be just a little better than the best too. Hopefully, getting that kind of attention won’t bring more trouble on her than she already needs to worry about just from being the Magi Master of a family with a lot of very dangerous enemies.
There have been some changes at Hathorne Industries too. Kellie and Gawain are doing some things differently now, but unfortunately, that doesn’t really mean better; except from their perspective. From what I’ve seen, the only real difference is that the pain and suffering they cause is strictly for power and money; where nearly everything Corwyn had done was for the dark joy and satisfaction he got out of inflicting his will and power on others. If the end results are the same, though, their victims could care less about the motivation behind the actions.
That’s a fairly dark tone to end today’s journal entry on, but I do always need to remember what the Magi of the Light are up against – even when we’re not directly in conflict with the Dark Magi. The Hathornes, and the others around the world like them, won’t give up their power easily, but the Ascension of the Light is coming, and when it does; we’re going to change the world!
Live from Witch Falls; this is Cassie Proctor, signing off!
