The Next Step Forward

SPLAT! The popsicle slid off of its stick and onto the ground. Clutched tight, the stick almost snapped in the hands of the unlucky loser of a popsicle. Slowly, tears formed in her eyes, just as they had when she was little.

“Come on Cherry, don’t cry. You’re not five anymore.”

“I’m not crying, for goodness sake.” This was true, yet the tears started to slowly well in Cherry’s eyes.

“Whatever, spelleing. And when you Spelle, you cry.”

“Not true! This is how I Spelle, and it’s not crying.” The tears of magic slowly dripped down Cherry’s face, glowing slightly as they dripped onto the ground next to the popsicle. Slowly, the popsicle rose and reformed itself back onto the stick.

“Sometimes I wish you got a better spelleing, other times I think that it’s pretty cool. Now, It’s just weird. You’re going to eat your tears.”

“They don’t taste like anything Meg.” Cherry took a bite out of the top of her popsicle. Meg shivered.

“You know I don’t like it when you do that.”

“What, this?” Cherry slow bite out of the top of her popsicle. Meg felt a chill run down her spine. She gave a little jump.

“Don’t do that.” Out of Meg’s fingertips, crystals of ice started to creep out slowly, spreading across her skin.

“Okay, I’ll stop. Better learn to control that power of yours, Meg.”

“At least I don’t have to cry whenever I Spelle.”

“I don’t have to cry, it’s just the easiest way I can Spelle, and I’ve learned to cry on command anyway, and… and I don’t need to use those eye drops anymore so there.” Cherry stomped her foot lightly on the floor.

“Whatever. We gotta go inside before Pa gets mad at us, and also I have to pump the ice into the AC.”

“Then I have to fix the AC. Why can’t we just use it like normal.”

“Ask Rei. She’s the one who insists on the ice.”

“ARE YOU TWO DONE OUT THERE? I NEED YOUR ICE IN HERE MEG!” A deep rumble of a voice aroused into the two girl’s heads.

“COMING PA! Give the ice cream man the money, Cherry. I’m going inside.” Meg handed Cherry a five-dollar bill and turned to run into the house. “Oh, and get a cone for Amourie.” As Meg ran off, the summer heat came back, hitting Cherry in the back of the head like a truck.

“Stupid Meg, stupid Spelle, stupid ice,” Cherry grumbled as she paid the truck and trudged slowly back into the house.

***

“Cherry, the AC broke again.”

“I wonder why, Rexi. I wonder why.” Cherry stomped over to the living room, where Rei was hanging from the ceiling.

“I’m just letting you know. You don’t have to do it, but then we won’t have air condition so…” Rei shrugged.

“Ugh, stop being so annoying.” Slowly, Cherry’s eyes started to well up.

“Don’t cry now, little sis. Just go fix the AC.”

“Maybe I won’t, maybe I’ll have all the water I could want.” Cherry’s tears floated up to the ceiling where Rei was standing, building the floor underneath her and turning it around so Rei was standing right side up again.

“Yeah, but then the rest of us have to suffer too.”

“I’m the one who suffers from having to constantly fix things around this house. At least buy me an ice cream next time the truck comes around and then we’re even.”

“Cone, cone!” Amourie was sitting at the kitchen table in her high chair, gnawing on her ice cream cone.

“Whatever you say. Now put me back up on the ceiling.” the platform underneath Rei was lifted back up, but before it could make a full circle, it disappeared and Rei was dropped to the ground.

“Hey!”

“Oops, sorry. I should save my Spelleing for the AC.” Cherry walked off, leaving Amourie clapping and giggling in her chair, and Rei grumbling on the floor.

***

“Ughh! I can’t work in this heat!”

“Says the one who can conjure ice.”

“Yeah, but it all melts.”

“You have a frikin cold aura that surrounds you. Don’t tell me about how hot it is.” Cherry approached Meg, who was working on the AC.

“Wait a bit more, and I’ll have enough sweat to fix the AC again.”

“That’s so gross Cherry, you know that?”

“Which is exactly why I use my tears, stupid. I can either cry, sweat, or spit onto that AC. Which do you prefer?”

“You don’t have to prove your point every time.”

“But I do, that’s the thing. Now move over so I can slave away while you all enjoy the AC. Go help Pa or something.”

“Whatever.” Meg walked away, probably off to her room, to do whatever she did when she was alone

***

“Thanks for the meal, Holly.”

“My pleasure! It’s always so nice to see you.”

“Yeah, why can’t you be home more?”

“You know I have a busy job.” 

“Yeah, but you and Pa have been married for almost three years now. I feel like you should spend more time here.”

“As soon as we have the money and the house ready, we can move, and then I promise that we’ll be able to spend more time together, okay?”

“Alright then.” Meg looked down at her food before taking a bite. “Ah! Hot, hot, hot!” Meg stuck out her tongue and fanned on it, heavily breathing in and out. Ice started forming on the table, where Meg had placed her hand.

“Careful Meg.” Rei blew softly on hers before taking a bite.

“Why don’t you eat your food, Cerise?”

“It’s Cherry,” Cherry grumbled as she poked at her food with a fork.

“Cherry, sorry, my mistake. I’ll get it one of these days.” Holly smiled. 

“Yeah, okay.” Cherry took a slow bite of her food. She didn’t want to eat it, she didn’t want to have anything to do with Holly. It wasn’t that she was a bad mom or anything, but she just was kind of… clueless. And she wasn’t nearly the same as Ma.

“I know I’m not a replacement, but I really would be so happy once you all finally accepted me into your family and all. I do really hope you will.” Holly looked at Cherry for a moment.

“And of course, all of your Spelles are absolutely wonderful! Oh my, I do hope Amourie gets her own Spelle. I do believe we all have Spelles, of course. Talents and whatnot. Just some more, shall I say pungent than others.” Holly smiled, then took a bite of her food. I silence settled upon the family.

“Can I go to my room, Pa?”

“Hmph.” He grunted, then nodded a curt yes. He hardly ever talked, with the exception of long-distance, where he communicated through his Spelleing.

“Thanks, Pa.” Cherry pushed back her chair, leaving her untouched food on the table, and left for her room.

***

“Here comes the truck!” Outside, the jingle of the ice cream truck could be heard as it pulled onto the street.

“It’s so hot today, let’s get ice cream.” Rei walked in vertically, walking along the wall.

“We get ice cream every day anyway, and you’re the one who always demands there be ice in the AC vents, which ends up freezing everything then I have to fix it.” Cherry walked in on the floor to join the rest of the family in the family room, making the collective group an interesting bunch: A large, stoic man sitting next to a short young woman with a baby on her lap, a teenager standing on the wall, another conjuring ice, and another looking like she was going to cry.

“I’ll get everyone ice cream, come one let’s go.” Holly handed Amourie to Pa.

“Cone, cone!” Amourie clapped her hands happily.

Out by the ice cream truck, Holly ordered everyone’s favorites: a scoop of coconut for Rei, a snowcone for Meg, a popsicle for Cherry, a plain cone for Amourie, and Neapolitan for herself.

“Thanks, Holly.” Meg gave Holly a quick squeeze and then dug into her snowcone.

“My pleasure girls. Let’s get inside before it all melts.”

“It’s not that hot out, though, cuz we have Meg.”

“It’s still really hot though.” Rei pointed out.

“For you.” 

“Don’t fight girls, come on.” Holly herded everyone into the house.

***

“Cherry, come here please!” Holly called Cherry into the kitchen. “I know you haven’t been the same since your Mom died.” Cherry stayed silent.

“You used to be so fun, huh?” Cherry looked down.

“Come on, your Pa says you used to bake. Wanna make cookies with me?” Cherry was silent, then looked up slowly, before nodding hesitantly.

“Okay, well I found a recipe- according to your Pa it was your mom’s favorite?” Cherry looked surprised.

“Ma... Ma’s cookie recipe?”

“Took me some searching, but you could say I have a knack for finding things.” Holly smiled meaningly. 

“Thank you, Holly.” Cherry reluctantly stepped forward before wrapping her arms tightly around Holly. When she pulled away, she looked like she was close to crying for real.

***

“Yum yum!”

“You said it, Amourie.” Meg reached forward for her fourth cookie.

“Ah-ah.” Rei moved her hand away. “Leave some for everyone else.”

“Can’t you make more, Cherry?”

“Not these cookies. These taste best when you make them by hand. The effort and love make them better than just crying them out of my eyes.”

“I just want more cookies, Cherry. All I ask is more cookies.” Meg slouched grumpily in her chair.

“Thanks for all this, Holly.” Cherry turned to face Holly, meeting her eyes for the first time either of them could remember.

“Of course, Cherry. Even though you all have your Spelles, it’s good for you to reach out and discover what else you can do.” Holly smiled, reaching for the cookie plate. “I think you’ve just started on your path towards recovering from everything that’s happened, and you’re going to start finding what else you’re capable of.” Holly looked out lovingly to everyone at the table. “And together, we can all take the next step forward.” At that moment, for the first time any of them could remember, they all felt like a family.