Chapter 168 - Adele

“Daddy! Is she...is she...okay?” asked Jewel fearing the worst.
Cordell breathed a sigh of relief. “Her pulse is strong. I think, I hope, she just passed out from the energy this took from her,” then more to himself the said, “I knew I shouldn't have allowed this.”

“Cordell, look,” said Donnovan, “it worked. Adele is with us as Delia said she would be but she appears confused and disoriented.”

Cordell lifted Delia off the ground and held her trying to get her comfortable. “Right now,” growled Cordell, “I don't give a shit. Get out - all of you!”

Jewel winced as her father’s words. She wasn’t leaving and Donnovan certainly wasn’t either. The other’s were so enraptured with Adele they didn’t even notice what was happening.

Cordell needed Delia closer to him. He gently pulled her into his lap holding her and rocking her like a small child. He began whispering her name over and over, begging her to forgive him, “Please wake up pretty lady, don’t leave me, I need you.” His sole focus was on his wife in his arms. He was totally oblivious to anything else going on around him.


“Daddy,” said Jewel gently, “can you carry her out of here?” When Cordell didn't respond she repeated herself a little louder, “Daddy, we need to get her out of here.”

Finally he heard Jewel. “What? Okay, out of here. Yes, I can carry her.”

“Donnovan,” instructed Jewel, “I will go with Daddy, will you please check on Adele?”

Cordell picked up Delia and headed out of the basement, Jewel close behind. Delia came to on the way. “Mmmm. Cordell? she said groggily, “Where am I? What happened?”

Cordell said a silent prayer of thanks. Then said gently, “Shhhh baby.  It's okay. Don't try to talk yet. I am taking you upstairs. Just relax.” Delia was too exhausted to argue so she closed her eyes and let her husband carry upstairs to their bedroom, Jewel following.

Cordell laid Delia in their bed. “How do you feel?” he asked.

“Like I just ran a marathon. I am completely exhausted…Cordell...what happened? Why is Jewel here?” she said trying to shake the cobwebs out of her head.

“What is the last thing you remember?” asked Cordell as he leaned over to smooth back her hair. He needed to touch her.

Delia frowned for a minute trying to think. Then it came back to her. The ritual. “Oh God. Cordell, the basement. We were in the basement, the ritual. We started it. The emerald crystal began to rise and that is all I remember - after that I just have flashes of images - Troy, Victoria, Francisco, they were all trying to get to me but - it was like a weird dream.” Then she looked at both Jewel and Cordell. “What happened? Is everyone okay?”

“Mom,” said Jewel, "you did it. You brought your mother’s ghost into our world. Donnovan is downstairs with everyone. They are all okay. They are trying to talk to her.”

Delia looked back at Cordell, “What? NO! She will be so frightened! I need to see her.”

“Mom, I left Donnovan downstairs. He will handle it. He will be able to talk to her.”

* * * Downstairs * * * 

Donnovan walked over to the Thorns and Newt who were doing nothing but upsetting Adele and themselves. Newt and Dee were distraught that she didn’t seem to have any idea who they were. Niall was trying to calm his wife and Adele was furious and wanted to go back where she came from and kept telling them to send her back.

“Dee and Newt, please calm down and let me talk to her,” said Donnovan. Then he turned to Adele, “Adele Newton?”

"No - Jamison," interjected Newt.

Donnovan shot him a ‘shut the hell up’ look. Newt gratefully stopped talking and just glared. “Adele Newton?” he asked again.

She looked at this new person who seemed to know who she was. “Can you send me back?”

“Adele, your daughter, Delia, she is here. She called your spirit over to this world. She wants to help you.”

“Delia? You lie! She is human. She can’t do this. And you - you are a witch! Evil - all of you! Send me back!”

“Adele, please. Let me take you to her. My name is Donnovan Steel. I am married to HER daughter, Jewel. Your grandchild.”

“Liar! Delia would never allow her daughter to marry a witch. I told her to be wary of the Occult. She loved me and was a good girl. She would have listened to me. You are all evil. Only humans are not.”

“Adele, talk to your daughter. If you still want to return to the netherworld after you see her, I will personally help you do that.”

“NO!” shouted Dee and Niall gripped her shoulder harder to keep her from interfering. He could see that Donnovan’s approach was the right one as much as he hated to admit it.

“Shut up Dee, this isn’t your call,” ground out Donnovan, then turning back to Adele asked gently, “What do you say Adele?”

Adele let a smile take over her face at the thought of seeing her daughter, “Take me to her, but let me tell you, if this is a hoax, there will be hell to pay and YOU, evil witch, will pay it!”

Donnovan sighed with relief. She seemed more receptive. He walked over to the seething trio. “You need to leave. Someone will call you later,” then as an afterthought added, “thank you for your help tonight.”

* * * Back upstairs * * *

Delia sat up in bed. “Cordell, let me up! I need to see my mother!” pleaded Delia.

Just then Donnovan and Adele walked in - well Adele ‘floated’ in behind him. When she heard Delia’s voice she called out, “Delia, baby - is that really you?”

Delia jumped out of bed and ran to her mother, Cordell and Jewel helpless to stop her. “Mother!” she exclaimed, and pulled her into a hug.

When they parted, Adele asked, “So it’s true? You did this? You brought me over as a ghost? You are human, how? And your daughter married a witch?”

“Oh...Mother, there is much we need to discuss. Please, let me explain…”

“I want to return. I can’t…”

“Mom, please...hear me out before you decide.”

“Humph! I am not sure I want to know why your daughter is married to a witch. Evil. Supernaturals only want to help themselves, they don’t care about people.”

Delia’s heart was breaking. Of course she thought that way, “Mom, you can go back whenever you want, but before you do, please give me a few hours. I worked for years to get this opportunity to talk to you. I know you loved me. Please allow it.”

“Fine, two hours. Who are these others? The black headed girl. She is also a witch and that other one - a GENIE? What are you involved in?”

“My daughter Jewel, his wife,” she said motioning to Donnovan, “and my husband, Cordell.”

“Oh Delia, what have you done. You can’t trust these supernaturals. They only want what’s best for them and their species.”

“Mom. I will tell you everything. But Jewel and Donnovan need to go home. They have to get back to the kids.” Delia turned to Donnovan and hugged him. “Thank you. Thank you for everything. I will call you as soon as I can. Can you keep Mira and Stone another night please?”

“Of course Delia. I already sent the three musketeers home. Good luck with Adele. She is certainly a feisty one,” he said as he returned her embrace and Jewel made her way over to them.

Adele seemed satisfied that the witches were leaving, but there was still a genie in the room - that her daughter was married to - a genie!

“He needs to leave too!" she said pointing at Cordell, "I am not talking to a genie. What the hell Delia?” said Adele.

“He stays Mom. He is my husband. I trust him and love him very much. He helped me get you here. Not for him, but for me,” said Delia firmly, “Now, let’s all have a seat. I am pretty worn out and need to sit down before I fall down.”

Adele relented and sat on the loveseat with Delia. Cordell took the chair.

“Mom, I am not sure where to start. The story is a long one.”

“How about why you couldn’t let me stay gone. It was bad enough I had to live without the love of a family during the short life I had on this earth, and now you bring me here in some sort of half-life to see the only family I had left married a genie and allowed her daughter to marry a witch! Wait, how is SHE a witch? Did he place a spell on her?”

“Don’t worry about Jewel right now. That has nothing to do with why you are here. The whole reason is because you were wrongly sentenced to live without the love of your family and your husband. We are trying to right that wrong.”

“Girl, in case you haven’t noticed, I am only half alive. I don’t belong in this world and my husband is dead.”

“I can fix that,” said Delia simply.

“How? Use your genie to grant you a ‘wish’ that we could all go back in time? Did he trick you into marrying him by telling you that you would get unlimited and otherwise impossible wishes granted?”

Cordell had had enough, “Adele! Let your daughter talk. She almost died trying to bring your ass back against my better judgement. But I supported her and did everything I could to make it a success. She was willing to risk her life for you.”

Adele looked at Delia, “Are you going to let that thing talk to me like that?”

“Mother. You insulted me and he is defending me. If the tables were turned, I would undoubtedly do the same. Look, I understand you are upset and frightened. Perhaps, we should all get some sleep and continue this in the morning.”

“No. 2 hours. That is it.”

“Okay, then let me talk and don’t you dare insult my husband again.”

“Fine. Tic-toc - talk.”

Delia sighed, “As I was saying, I can make you whole again. After you died I discovered your secret room and have spent the last 200 years researching magic and the occult. I discovered I am very good at making powerful potions. That is how I am still living. Along the way I also discovered that not everyone is out for themselves. Some are. Human included. I have seen both the good and the bad along the way. Part of my journey led me to procreate with a ghost. He gave me a child like you are now. Caught between two worlds. I researched and found a recipe for ambrosia that restores life. I was able to bring him over fully. He married the girl he dated in high school and they had quite human and normal children.”

“You mean you can make me wholly human again?”

“Yes.”

“But, I will be an old lady - the same age as I was when I passed?”

“True. But remember, I am over 200 years old. I also discovered a youth potion. I have used it several times over the years to restore my youth for various reasons.”

 “So, you can make me human and young? So, why would I want to do that? What is here for me - other than you and your ridiculous family. I don’t want to be a part of a supernatural family.”

“Mom, my father…”

“Is DEAD! Killed by MY father! All in the name of the great Thorn Legacy,” said Adele bitterly.

“We read your journals and Cordell found your parents. Mom, he also found my father. He is alive.”

“Okay - I am done. Delia, I love you but I can’t deal with this bullshit. Send me back. Newt was human. If you are 200 then he is 220 - humans don’t live that long.”

Cordell growled, “Adele. Stop it. Stop it now or I will send you back where no one will EVER be able to find you. Dammit, listen to Delia. Hell, listen to yourself. You are a bitter, sick, old woman. She is trying to give you a precious gift that few if any have ever had. If you don’t want a second chance at happiness, then by all means leave NOW!”

“A second chance at happiness? Phfft! All I see is me reliving my pitiful life all over again. No thank you. Once was enough!” said Adele glaring at Cordell.

“Mom, I still have an hour. Please let me finish,” said Delia on the verge of tears.

“Fine - one hour.”

“As I said, Cordell found your parents - and before you go off about them - just listen. Niall did NOT kill my father. He threw him in a locked room. The next morning he went to tell you that he was going to give you and Newt his blessing and allow you to marry. He was going to restore your wings. But it was too late. You were long gone and had the spell your mother placed on you to keep you hidden. She couldn’t even remove it. They spent 17 years looking for you. At the same time you passed, Newt became inconsolable. He lost the will to live. It was as if he had a connection to you that gave him hope and when you passed, it severed. Dee and Niall placed him under a sleeping spell and continued to search for another 50 years before they gave up knowing as a human that you would have had an extremely shortened life span.”

“But mother sent me away. She was afraid for me...and you…”

“Adele! Listen!” warned Cordell and she stopped talking.

Delia continued. “I told Cordell about my past before we married. One of our children has wings - is a fairy. He is the first of my many children to have manifested them. We think that maybe Cordell has some Fae blood in his ancestry and even Newt may have some. When we found out, Cordell insisted we read your journals, to see if we could figure out why he was a fairy. That is how Cordell was able to find Dee and Niall, he pieced together bits of information in your journal. He went alone and confronted them. He wasn’t sure I was their granddaughter but when he saw them he knew. That is when he found out Newt was alive but in a deep sleep. They awakened him. That was almost 2 years ago which led up to this day.”

“This is a wild tale, but without talking to my parents how would you know this?" Then Adele gasped with a realization, “Those other people - the ones in the basement - that was them - my parents and Newt? Oh God, he saw me … like … like this?”

“Yes," said Cordell simply.

“Jamison - he said Jamison when the witch - Donnovan - called me Adele Newton. No one ever knew I was really Adele Jamison. It’s been so long I didn’t even think...I was so confused. I - I don’t know what to say. Newt is really alive?”

“Yes. Very much.”

“Adele began to cry silent tears. I can’t see him like I am - old and a ghost. It would hurt him so bad. But, I need to see him.”

“He was fully prepared to see you has you are now. He knows what we have to do for you to fully transform. Mom, I can also restore your wings, but I would prefer that you allow Niall to do that. I think it would be healing for both of you.”

“I DON’T WANT TO SEE THAT MAN! And if my mother is still with him, I don’t want to see her either!”

“That’s okay. One step at a time. But just so you know, they were instrumental in helping get us this far. This was by far the hardest part of what we had to do. So, Mother, does this mean you want to go through with this and not return to the netherworld?”

“Yes. I - I think so. But I don’t know if I am ready to see anyone yet.”

“Mom,” said Delia softly, “we can do this now if you like. The ambrosia is ready as are two vials of youth potion.” Delia stole a glance at Cordell when she mentioned two bottles. She intended to use one of them. She had made up her mind.

Delia couldn’t help but smile. “Let’s go downstairs. I have everything ready.”

Go To Chapter 169

Go Back to Chapter 167