Potions & Charms

Writing

Finding Esther turned out to be easier than Avi had thought (and expected). 

When he and Scott returned to Visalia on the 28th and had dinner that evening, they were startled by the sound of Aldrich pecking against the window in the kitchen. The bearded man groaned before he put down his silverware and got up. 

"This stupid bird! He knows exactly that he's supposed to come in through the front door but he keeps— ugh!" He got up and made his way to the kitchen to let the owl in. Then Avi reached for owl cookies, tossed them over to him and walked back to the dinner table with a letter in his hand. "I taught him not to bring me offers for book deals and stuff like this but he knows how to annoy me." Avi was about to toss it into the fireplace when Scott stopped him. 

"Are you sure it's not from Esther?"

The wizard paused before his eyes went wide. He looked at the envelope and then ripped it open. "Esther" he just said while he read the neatly written words on the smooth parchment and slowly sat down on the couch. 

Scott pushed his plate aside and joined him. "What is she writing? She used parchment, Avi. That's a good sign!" 

But the bearded man didn't pay attention to Scott. He was too busy with soaking in every word his sister had written and when he looked up again his eyes were filled with tears. "She wants to meet me as soon as possible and offered to travel to Visalia." 

"We found your Esther?"

Avi nodded and hugged Scott from the side. He pressed his face in the fabric of his boyfriend's hoodie and sniffled softly. "My Esther." 

Scott wrapped his arms around the smaller man, smiled and pressed a gentle kiss on top of his head. "I'm so happy for you, Av. May I?" He reached for the letter and read it once Avi let go. 

Avi,

I have spent more than a day thinking about what to write and how to reply to your letter, and so far I haven't come up with anything. I am just unbelievably happy and relieved to know that you are alive and well and looking for me! I can imagine that you have a lot of questions and I would love to answer as many of them as I can as soon as possible.

The sooner the better.
Love, Esther.

PS. You have a beautiful owl! 

"Well, we don't have anything planned for the next couple of days. Why don't you reply real quick and offer to meet her tomorrow?" Scott looked down at his boyfriend against his side and smiled lightly. "Hm?"

"Yeah. I should— yeah." With that he got up and disappeared. A few minutes later, Scott had finished his dinner, the bearded man returned with a sealed letter in his hand. He walked over to Aldrich, fluffed up his feathers and handed it to him. 

Avi smiled. "I know I've been mean to you but this needs to be delivered today, okay? Please. To Esther. She's part of the family, it's important." 

The bird turned its head, then looked at his owner for just a moment before it tucked the edge of the letter into its beak and disappeared through the still open kitchen window. Avi returned to the table and sat down. He was quiet as he was sorting his thoughts before he looked at Scott again. 

"I offered to come over tomorrow, or welcome her if she wanted to visit me. And thanked her for the letter. Told her I'm excited and looking forward to meeting her. It's so surreal, isn't it? I've spent the last 20 years wondering about her and now she's— there. Suddenly she's there. And maybe she has a husband, and a child! Maybe I'm an uncle!" Avi's whole face lit up with joy and excitement. 

"Maybe, yeah! I'm sure Esther will tell you everything you want to know. And she's magical, huh? She used parchment and a feather, not just a pen." 

Avi shrugged. "I wouldn't mind if she was a squib. She's still my sister, she will always be my sister. Witch or not."

They went home late that night. Avi had stayed up until midnight, until his owl had brought back an answer from Esther — she would be traveling to Visalia the next day and arrive after lunch — and once in bed he hadn't been able to fall asleep as quickly as he had imagined. 

"What's keeping you up?" Scott asked sleepily after he had woken up shortly after one. He looked at his boyfriend who was sitting propped up against the headboard and tried to focus on a book resting on his thighs. 

"Dunno. Thoughts."

"Excited for tomorrow?"

"Mhm. Still what if we don't get along? What if I have changed?"

Scott smiled lightly. "Avi, you grew up. She probably hasn't seen you since you were nine, of course you have changed. A whole lot. C'mere, put that book away." He waited until the bearded man had pushed the heavy book off his legs and got comfortable against his side. 

"You gotta sleep, tomorrow will be long and exhausting. And I don't think you have any reason to worry, Av." 

"Maybe." 

"No, pretty sure actually." Scott wrapped his arm around the smaller man and closed his eyes again. "Sleep, okay? We'll have a big breakfast tomorrow and then go for a walk before Esther shows up?"

Avriel sighed softly before he allowed the exhaustion in his body to take over. His eyes closed and he exhaled, surrounded by Scott's scent and the warmth coming from his skin, and while he felt himself slowly drifting off he realized how at peace he was. Christmas at the Hoying's had been wonderful and even though he had enjoyed his time with them he was happy to be back home with Scott.