Sell you a Bridge chapter 271

June 7th 2016 The Nightside 12:00 PM EDT

The  next day found us all gathered together, waiting to head out on a  little trip that Sindella had arranged. Despite multiple rounds of  questioning she categorically refused to tell us what the Arcadia  Project was, though she sent Taylor out to secure us a few entry spots.  Julian had actually had to go with him because apparently the place was  exclusive enough that even Taylor's terrifying rep couldn't get him in.  Suzie had gone along too, mostly because she seemed to want to be away  from Sindella, who she'd been openly glaring at for the entire night.

Sindella,  aside from being friendly, sweet, and as warm as my own mom was,  impressed me by not flinching even a bit at the glower. Suzie was a  scary woman, not just to us but in general people seemed to treat her  like a walking nightmare. Sindella just ignored her obvious animosity  though, being perfectly friendly the few times they had actually  interacted. Say what you wanted about Mama Zatara, but no one could  claim she didn't have guts. Hell, even I was kind of afraid of Suzie,  and I was basically unkillable by mundane means at this point.

While  we waited for everyone I pulled Zee against me for a long kiss. She  threw her arms around my shoulders and after she pulled back, rested her  forehead against mine. The feeling of love and affection through the  bond was indescribable as I held her against me. She stared up at me  with gleaming eyes. "I can't describe to you how happy I am Morgan. My  mom is just...she's everything I remembered and more. I feel so at peace  having her back. Talking to her, sharing all the things we've been  through..."

I stroked her cheek. "Of course. I'm glad I  could give her back to you. So, did you talk to her about everything  with your dad? She's going to find out what happened from someone. It's  better if it comes from you. Don't think I didn't notice all that spin  you put on the story you told her. It's clear that you don't want her to  hate him. Does he really deserve all the effort you're putting in after  everything he did?" Thinking about the nights since we'd been back that  I had to hold her while she cried because that coward couldn't shake  off his soup pot puppetmaster just made me crazy.

For a  second I thought I might have upset her but when she pulled back she  just gave me a soft smile. "I know you don't like him. You saw some of  his worst character traits, and I won't try to excuse that. He was  controlling and distant and he was especially awful to you. But he was  still my daddy. He taught me how to read, how to ride a bike. He took me  out to dinner to celebrate when I did well learning a new spell and put  on special magic shows on my birthdays just to see me smile. I love  him. I'll always love him." She gave me an arch look. "Or do I need to  explain why I care about my imperfect father."

I stepped  back, putting up my hands in surrender. "Of course not. I never asked  you to sever ties. The guy royally pissed me off but I'd never try to  control who you cared about. I know he had sides to him I didn't see.  Just saying that your mom maybe deserves the unedited version. I'm not  saying you should throw him under the bus, but she's been gone a long  time. If she goes into their meeting with rose colored glasses its only  going to hurt all the more when he shatters those illusions. If nothing  else he's been dwelling on her death for a long time. That can change a  person."

My tone was gentle. I didn't want her to feel  like I was trying to pressure her. They were her parents and this was  all her choice. I loved Zee, but I didn't own her. She'd given me space  to make my own mistakes and do things my way, and I'd give her the same.  From her despairing sigh though she knew I was right. "I'm afraid of  whats going to happen Morgan. My mother left behind a charming  charismatic husband and a loving father. She's coming back to a deeply  bitter and probably slightly broken older man. How do they make that  work?"

Drea's voice cut in, and I almost collapsed with  relief. She was much better at this. A factor of having some empathic  abilities. "It might not." Zee turned to look at her with hurt in her  purple eyes, but our goddess just smiled at her sadly. "It's the truth,  love. Nothing in this world is permanent except for change. Your mother  has been gone a long time. The person she is now might not have room in  her life for your father as he is. That doesn't mean she doesn't have  room for you. Your family unit hasn't existed for a long time, but you  never stopped being her daughter, and you never will."

She  stepped up and pulled Zee close to her, pulling me in with her for good  measure. We stood there like that for a while, me just holding my  girls. Finally though we heard a soft throat clearing noise. Sindella  was standing nearby. She'd been out of the room getting something ready  but had come back into Julian's entryway. I'd been too distracted to  notice. Even the best detection skills in the world only work if you use  them.

Zee looked conflicted, but Sindella stepped up as we retreated from our sorceress, pulling her into a hug. "Oh, askim none  of this is meant to be your burden. I am so proud of the strong and  loyal woman you've become, but you're still my child. Leave me to my  matters. I can handle more than you might think." She kept her tone  gentle, but firm. She turned to us. "The two of you impress me more  every moment I know you. I can see why she's so fierce about her care  for you. I'm glad she was able to find such love. Any mother would wish  for as much."

That actually made me blush. I'd only ever  been good at the emotional thing when talking to Zee or Drea. They both  got through my defenses in different ways, Zee because of her sunny  optimism and attentive care, and Drea because of her calm and helpful  affection. Aside from with my girls though, I didn't really discuss my  feelings with people, and having Zee's mom just lay that out there was  embarrassing. It was also flattering, and I stuttered out a thank you.

Despite  all the good vibes though, I had to ask a question that had been  burning a hole in my head since she got back."What does that mean for  you? Despite everything that has happened Zee is eighteen. Legally  and chronologically she's eligible to live on her own, are you planning to make her move back to  Shadowcrest with you? Not that we don't want you around, you're welcome  to live with us on the island if you like, but I don't think Zee really  wants to go back to the manor."

She gave a sad chuckle. "I  expected that question, as did my daughter. We discussed it. While I  would like nothing more, I recognize she's far too old and far too  different than the girl I used to put to bed to expect to take over her  life like that. I'm essentially a stranger, and as you said, legally  she's in her twenties in any case. I will happily take you up on your  offer to move to your island, at least for a time. I suspect my home is  not as I left it. Regardless, you need not worry about me taking her  away from you. I'm proud of the life she's made for herself. I won't do  anything to get in the way."

I exhaled in relief. Zee had  already covered that I guessed. At almost seventeen Zee was technically  eligible for emancipation even if it wasn't for the time skip, but it  was a lengthy and annoying process, and usually hurtful to the family.  If nothing else her dads bullshit with Doctor Fake had kept him from  trying to control what she did in her life after we got back, which was  nice.

As much as our ages made it seem to some that we  should be under the aegis of others, the truth was we didn't live in  that world. The world of combat and adventure where we spent our lives  had more in common with an ancient society. We were warriors, and  warriors matured early. We were also way too powerful for conventional  systems of limitation to actually affect us, so there was that. I  thanked the gods my mother was as understanding and supportive as she  was. I couldn't have imagined fighting about this with her all the time.  It seemed Zee's mom understood the same things.

Before  the situation became awkward, Sindella gave us all a wide smile. "No  need for any of this grim talk. It's a happy day. I'm back with my  daughter and I get to spend all day getting to know the people she loves  most in the world. In the spirit of that happiness I've arranged a  little day trip. I'd love to extend it for longer, but even managing to  wrangle enough slots for the lot of us for a single afternoon cost me  favors I wasn't sure I even had anymore, not to mention what poor Johnny  and Mr. Advent paid."

I  noticed she referred to Julian in a very respectful way, and I assumed  it was because he had been around for decades and had probably already  been a big name when she lived here as a girl. She was right though.  This was supposed to be a nice day out. I felt bad for derailing it,  even if I was also insanely relieved I wasn't going to have to resort to  constantly breaking into Shadowcrest to spend time with Zee. I would  have done it, but that whole process sounded tedious to an absurd  degree.

I  looked around and saw that Wally, Artemis, John, Suzie, Taylor, Jim,  Tommy, and Julian had all arrived and were getting ready to head out for  wherever we were going. Once everyone arrived, Sindella grinned widely  and led us out to the street to catch a carriage. The inside of the  thing resized to fit us all, which was interesting, but it was the same  kind we'd taken various places so in general the ride was pretty  unremarkable.

We  spent the whole time chatting with Sindella, who was trying to get to  know Drea, Artemis, and I, while deftly ignoring the vitriolic glares  she was getting from Suzie. I wondered how she was planning to deal with  that mess, because I didn't see the blonde bounty hunter as the type to  hug it out, but she'd known the woman way longer than I had so I didn't  see how I could do much about it.

When  we finally stopped and climbed out of the carriage we found ourself  in...an alley. I wanted to make a sarcastic comment about the alley so  badly I could taste it, but I was trying to earn brownie points with  Zee's mom so I kept my mouth shut and just waited. Sindella led us down  the alley to a steel door, which she rapped on smartly in a specific  pattern. After a minute of waiting a slot in the old dull metal door  slid open. Sindella passed a piece of paper through it and there was a  grunt before the slot closed and the door swung open. As the brilliant  light behind the metal flooded out, washing the alleyway in a warm glow I  thanked past me for not making a sarcastic remark. This had definitely  been worth the trip.