All the cards

43

True to her word, Amity went to visit Davina the next day. The young witch had taken up residence in a home Marcel had set up for her, years back. She was upset, more so than Amity had realised. Amity tried to talk to the young girl, even mentioning her conversation with Kol. She told Davina how Kol had asked about her, and was still thinking about her. How she almost had a solution for Kol, but just needed time. She assured the girl that she didn't really need the witches. She had Amity, and the only reason she'd wanted to join the witches in the first place was to help Kol. She ended up helping the young witch all morning. Eventually she and Davina parted ways and she went to spend time with Amira and Freya.

"Okay, the two of you dragged me out for the day, why?"
"Because the three of us never hang out together." Amira tried to sound innocent.
"I should probably check in on Cami. She is a new vampire, after all."
"Funny thing," Freya started. "When I was making her a daylight ring, she made a remark about her decision to turn being your influence."
"Huh, did she now?"
"What did you say to her? I would've thought after a chat with you, she'd want to die a human." Amity shrugged.
"My views on immortality have changed since having Isaiah. I just told Cami the truth."
"Which was what, exactly?" Freya pressed.
"I just told her how I felt about vampirism. That if she found something worth living for, she shouldn't let go so easily. Mine was my family, my son. I guess she found her own motivation." She said indifferently. "What are you two up to?"
"Why would you think we're up to anything? Is it so hard to believe we both want to spend time with you?"
"No, but I also know the both of you, so... what are you up to?"
"Nothing, grandma." Amira smiled sweetly.
"If this is about the whole Abraham stuff- I'm fine." She said.
"No, you're not. But that's okay." Freya said softly.
"Yes, I am."
"We weren't going to bring it up," Amira sighed. "But you really aren't."
"Amira-"
"You're in love with him. And knowing he's watching over you doesn't help."
"I'm okay. Really. I am."
"When I lost Mathias, I was... upset, to say the least. I was devastated and I couldn't bear to live without him. I didn't know him or love him as long as you had known and loved Abraham, but I was head over heels and I couldn't imagine life without him." Amity looked at her sister sympathetically. "But eventually I let him go."
"Maybe it's time you let grandpa go."
"I don't know how to."
"Well, it's a long process." Freya said. "Will you let us help you?"
"Sure."

Freya led her sister out to the woods. Once they were deep amongst the foliage, she stopped.
"Do you have something of his?" She asked.
"No." Amity crossed her arms. Amira unclasped her necklace.
"She's lying." Amira said, taking the ring out from the chain.
"Hey!" Amity tried to take it back. Amira held it out of reach.
"Grandpa gave her this ring." Amira continued and Freya nodded.
"Perfect." Freya placed her hand on the tree, closing her eyes, and pieces of the bark started chipping off until Abraham's name became visible. She crouched down and started digging away the dirt. Once there was a small, but deep hole, she stood back up, taking the ring from Amira and holding it out to her sister. Amity took it and looked down reluctantly. "Time to say goodbye, little sister." Amity crouched down, a tear falling down her face as she placed the ring in the hole. She kissed two of her fingers and gently touched the ring. She covered the hole back up, patting the ground softly.
"Goodbye, Abraham." She whispered before standing. She brushed her hands on her pants and wiped away her tears. "Now what?"
"Now, you heal. It'll take time and it'll hurt, but we'll be right here every step of the way."
"I think I want to go home now."
"Of course. Whatever you need." They all trudged back home. Amity headed straight to the nursery, but neither child was there. She went to Hayley's room next, and found her with both children.
"Hey." Hayley looked exhausted.
"Hi." Amity smiled softly. "How are you?"
"Dealing." Amity walked forward, giving Hayley a hug.
"He was a really good man."
"I know. And I know he was your friend too."
"Not many would be so understanding of my rather mannerless habit of randomly popping in without warning." Hayley let out a small laugh, despite herself.
"That's Jackson for you. I loved him and I don't think he really knew how much I actually cared about him."
"I'm sure he did. Don't torture yourself with what you should have said, or how things should have been. Trust me, that's not a place you want to go."
"I can't help it. Loving us- it might as well be a death sentence."
"Don't think like that, Hayley." Amity stopped her. "It's hard, but it is not a death sentence. Jackson's death was not your fault. It was Tristan's, and Tristan's alone. And you know Jackson would agree."
"I can't stop feeling guilty. I brought him into all this. All he ever wanted was for us to live a quiet and safe life."
"Listen to me, Hayley. It was not your fault. It was not."
"Sure feels like it."
"What would Jackson say if he could see you right now?"
"He'd tell me... he'd say I was talking crazy."
"Exactly. And he'd disapprove of the way you're thinking. You're dishonouring his memory by blaming yourself."
"Amity-"
"It's true. He wanted you happy, and you're blaming yourself knowing he would never want you to."
"Yeah."
"Stop blaming yourself. Grieve. Don't do what I did, or you'll end up a thousand years down the line hung up on the same guy."
"Right." Suddenly, Izzy appeared in Hayley's arms. He was hugging her, as though he could sense she was upset. Hayley smiled at him as he looked at her earnestly.
"No cry." He said firmly and Hayley just hugged him tighter. Hope started crying, wanting attention so Amity picked her up.

A little while later Hayley said she would try to get some sleep, so Amity walked away with both children. She walked into Elijah, who held the box from Abraham.
"Perhaps you can inform me what this is?" He asked.
"That..." she started. "Is supposed to be in Freya's room, under her bed, hidden from sight." She walked away but he followed.
"Amity-"
"I think it's time Hope and Izzy went down for their nap." She said.
"Sister, please. Answer me."
"Where did you come across it? Were you in Freya's room?"
"What? No! Of course not. It was on my desk in my study."
"He's right." Freya stepped between them, taking the box from Elijah. "Like you said, under my bed wasn't a really good hiding spot. So I left it in Elijah's study, with the intent to hide it."
"I think under your bed is more hidden than the top of Elijah's table."
"I'll just go and hide this." She walked off.
"Was that from-?"
"Yeah."
"Amity-"
"I'm going out for a walk." Amity stalked off, pushing past him. She went into the kids' room and clothed them, to get them ready for the park. They were out when Lia appeared beside her.
"Can't you tell Mal to leave me alone?" She groaned. "He's infuriating and annoying and I swear to god, if he doesn't stop I'll curse him into the next century. You two aren't linked, are you?" She looked at her and frowned. "If it upsets you, then I'll try to refrain from the cursing."
"He's just trying to make it up to you."
"I know." She sighed. "But following me around every second of the day is not gonna help. Look, forget Mal. What's wrong?"
"Why would you think that something's wrong?"
"You have your 'life sucks' face on."
"My 'life sucks' face?"
"Yeah. It usually comes out when you're missing Abraham." Amity rolled her eyes. Mal appeared.
"Hey, why wasn't I invited to the family outing?" Aeliana groaned.
"Hey, Mal. Try a subtler approach when apologising, would you? Lia won't forgive you if you get on her nerves." Amity sighed.
"I'm not trying to apologise." He insisted, and Amity looked at him, doubtfully. "I'm not! Do I want to be on better terms? Well, sure. But I don't apologise."
"Okay. So go away."
"But I'm bored."
"Don't you have another life? Other people to bother?"
"Who better than my big sisters?" Aeliana scoffed.
"Both of you, please. The kids are just about ready to fall asleep." Lia sighed and nodded and they kept walking, the three of them in silence.

After a half hour, both Izzy and Hope had drifted off completely, and the sibling continued walking. Amity glanced around and noticed Isaac sitting in a coffee shop, looking at his phone. A young woman walked up to him, touching his shoulder to get his attention. He smiled at her, politely. Aeliana followed her gaze.
"Come on, you should probably be getting home now." She said, attempting to block Amity's view to the duo. Amity gripped the stroller tight, until her knuckles were white, before relaxing.
"Why? I'm out on a walk with my family."
"I think Lia's just trying to get you to avoid seeing your boyfriend flirting with another woman." Aeliana glared at Malum's lack of tact.
"He's not my boyfriend." Amity told Mal, patiently. "Which means he can flirt with whoever he wants."
"Oh? And you're not jealous?"
"I don't have the right to be." She said. "I made it clear I'm not emotionally available enough to date."
"Are you ready to rethink your stance?"
"No, not yet."
"Can you handle watching him flirt with someone else? Fall in love with another woman?" Malum provoked. Amity refused to let her face betray any emotion as she continued to walk.
"That's his business, isn't it? And why are you so interested?"
"I'm bored, and this is pretty much the most interesting thing in town."
"You could always help out with the other stuff, like the supernatural organisation dedicated to killing my family."
"Nah, that can be fixed magically and instantly. I can't magically get you to go out with the cute human."
"Cute human?" Amity raised a brow and Malum shrugged.
"I don't discriminate between gender. I do have a thing about age, though."
"Your millennia older than everyone. What thing could you have about age?" Aeliana frowned.
"Well, I'm not in the habit of sleeping with children, nor am I in the habit of sleeping with elderly."
"You are the elderly." Amity teased.
"You're the oldest here." They moved past the street, and continued walking. "Not that I'm not... thoroughly riveted by this silence, but I'm gonna go." He disappeared. Aeliana and Amity looked at each other as Amity smiled at their brother's antics.
"You do know this was all engineered by him? We didn't simply happen on this street just as a woman was flirting with your boyfriend."
"Isaac's not my boyfriend."
"Whatever."
"And I know. I've come to recognise Mal's influence." Aeliana scoffed.