The Gem

Chapter 2

"Momma? Daddy? Can I talk to you?" I asked when I got home.

"Of course sweetheart. What's up?" Momma asked.

"Well I went to The Shop today after school and Aunty Chlo gave me something." I started. "She said that it was a family heirloom. But I was in the car with Claira and I said 'I wonder how my family got this'. And I heard a voice. What do you think that voice told me?" I asked as politely as possible.

"It was given to them to protect the one witch who would be more powerful than any other. Only the rightful owner, this witch, can tell what type of gem is in the middle all others just see a gold star." My mom said immediately.

"That's-that's right. Word for word. How did you know that?" I asked her.

"Because it told me the same thing when I first wore it. I don't know why I'm telling you this. It's like someone cast a spell on me to tell the truth." She said...

"If it told both of us that does that mean that we're both witches?" I asked carefully.

"Yes. Again I should not be telling you this yet. Not until you first get your powers."

"Umm, when you cast a spell does a tingle go through your body?" I asked.

"How did you know that?" Mom asked

"Umm, I may have cast a spell when I said I hoped you and dad tell the truth."

"Really?! You aren't supposed to be able to cast until you're 18 and you're not even 17."

"Umm, there is something else. Did anyone ever tell you what type of gem this really was after they confirmed that you weren't the rightful owner?" I asked.

"Yes... you don't see a gold star, do you? What do you see?!"

"A ruby..." I said hesitantly hoping not to get it wrong and sound stupid.

"Thomas? Did I just hear her right? Please tell me I just heard her right." My mom asked my dad while looking at me.

"Molly. I think you did. You need to call her mom." My dad said before realizing what he just said.

"WHAT?! MY MOM? YOU AREN'T MY PARENTS?!" I screamed.

"No, we aren't." My mom sighed. "Chloe and Jerry are."

"Aunt Chloe is my mom? So that means that Scarlett is my sister?" I asked.

"No, she is still your cousin. She's my daughter. Our family has a tradition where your brother or sister raise your child. I raised Chloe's and Chloe raised mine." Mom said

"I-I need to go see Aunt Chloe," I said. It was still too soon to call her my mom.

"Okay, Tess we'll talk more when you get home. I promise I'll explain everything."

"Fine," I said and walked out the door.

***

"Aunty Chlo? I really need to talk to you." It was 5 till 10 so The Shop was about to close.

"Tessa? Are you okay?"

"I went home to talk to mom and dad and they told me a lot. By the way, your family tradition is stupid."

"I'm sorry I couldn't be there when you found out. We were supposed to tell you and Scarlett at the same time. I wonder what made them tell you early?" She said thinking out loud.

"I think that was my fault."

"How?"

"Well erm on my way home I said that I had to talk to them and I hoped they would tell the truth. I apparently cast a spell on them to tell the truth."

"Casting at such an early age? Weird..."

"Not really. Mom told me something else..." I started. "I guess you were never told what type of gem it was, were you?" She shook her head no. "What type of gem did you see?"

"I saw a dark pink diamond." She said.

"So that's how it works..." Aunt Ch-mom gave me a questioning look. "Well, I guess the closer it gets to that witch the closer to the actual gem you see. Mo-Aunt Molly told me what gem it really was. You know how I asked if the ruby was real?" She nodded. "Aunt Molly told me that the real gem is a ruby."

"You mean...?"

"Apparently."

"Let me go get Scarlett and Jerry then we have to go back to your house. We have to tell Scarlett the truth."

"Like mother like daughter. I was thinking the same exact thing." I said before she rushed upstairs to her apartment.