going to tell you something, and I want you to listen to me. All right?”
“Yeah.”
“Gypsy magic is mostly farce. It’s guesswork and fraud. Manipulation. For the most part, that’s all it will ever be. There are times when something else pokes through, something beyond the veil. Vadoma can do those things. I can’t explain it, but I can’t explain your magic either. You can do things that I can never even dream of. But the only thing that matters to me is that you’re making the choice you are, not because of what others want, but because it’s what you believe in. Prophecies, no matter who they come from, no matter what they say, are never written in stone. You can change the future, Sam. No matter what anyone else says, nothing is set in stone. You are your own destiny.”
I looked up at her then. Her eyes were wet, but she had that fierce set to her jaw she sometimes did when she was readying herself for an argument. I didn’t think I’d ever seen her look more beautiful.
“I love you,” I told her, because I couldn’t not.
She laughed. “Oh, I know. And I you, more than all the stars in the sky.”
TWO DAYS later:
“Are we there yet?”
“No, Gary.”
“Oh.” Then, “How about now?”
“No, Gary.”
“Hey, Sam.”
“Yes, Gary.”
“Did you know that unicorns aren’t meant to survive in harsh conditions?”
“One can only hope, Gary,” I said.
“Rude. Hey, Sam.”
“Yes, Gary.”
“Do you think I’ll ever find love again?”
“I don’t—”
“Oh, here we go again. You know what, Gary? I was trying to have some bonding with my son, seeing as you already claimed him for the holidays. Again. And now you’re trying to make it all about you.”
“Maybe we should just—”
“About me? About me? I’ll show you making it about me, you overgrown sex reptile whose muscles I don’t give the smallest of shits about! Just because you’re going to have to move into that postdivorce depressing singles apartment when we get back, doesn’t mean you get to act like an asshat!”
“For fuck’s sake.”
“Hey! I like that apartment! It’s a bachelor pad, and I am going to live my life now that I’m not held back by the ball and chain of spousal tyranny! You know how many bitches I’m going to have? So many bitches.”
“Good! I hope your dick rots off!”
And then they were off again.
DAD AND I walked in Mom’s garden, making our way to the secret part toward the back that only a few seemed to know about. We hadn’t said much between the two of us, but it helped just having him at my side.
Finally, he said, “This is some fucked-up shit.”
I couldn’t help it; I laughed. “Yeah. It is.”
“Star dragons and prophecies and shadow men. Never thought I’d see the day.”