Suddenly, the phone in the kitchen rang, interrupting their mother-daughter moment. When Linda went to answer it, she was greeted by the rather frantic voice of her neighbor, Mrs. Wilson, who had witnessed the shattering of Zoe's window while she was in her garden. The old woman grudgingly accepted the explanation that Zoe's science experiment had exploded near the window. It was not a complete lie.
Inwardly, Linda braced herself for the wave of rumors this would cause among the neighbors. With Zoe's powers in full bloom, damage control would be more of a challenge. Hopefully, the teen's lapse in judgment was a momentary thing, and she would behave more maturely from now on.
Linda had to roll her eyes at the thought. Oh well. A mother was entitled to her fantasies now and then.
No sooner had she ended the call when the phone rang again. This time, the voice on the other side was a lot less shrill, though just as grating on her nerves. "Linda? Are you alright?"
"Oh, hello, Stella," Linda answered, trying not to sound too guilty. "I'm just fine. Why do you ask?"
"Well, I was just out handling some preparations for another important dinner party when I sensed a very disturbing burst of raw magic from the direction of your house. I'm aware that your daughter is turning sixteen today. Would I be correct in assuming there is a connection?"
"Um, yes. There is. But everything's under control now. Thank you for your concern."
"Now, Linda, I can tell you're hiding something. What really happened?"
"This isn't really a good time, Stella. Could I explain later?"
"Not if you don't want the Witch's Association on your doorstep. They detected the anomaly, too, but luckily, they decided to contact me first, me being their primary liaison and all. I told them I would look into it, since I was more familiar with the area. They're expecting an answer within the hour, or they'll be sending their own investigators. They take these sorts of issues very seriously, you know."
Linda winced. For a brief second, she indulged in a mental stream of invectives that wisely never reached her lips. Then, taking a deep breath, she explained all that had happened.
"Oh my. So Jon reached threshold mere seconds after being transformed?"
"It seems like it."
"That is both impressive and troubling, given your son's Reading results. The Association won't be happy, mark my words."
"But readings aren't definitive, right? Fates have been changed before. I'm sure, with a bit of guidance, Jon can-"
"Changing ones fate is rare. Especially with boys. You should know that, Linda. He may be your son, but you can't deny the risks."
"Are you saying I should just give up hope then?"
"I'm saying you should be prepared to make some difficult decisions. Your case isn't special, Linda. Many families have had to make sacrifices for the safety of our community. Will you ignore your responsibilities?"
"I'm not in the mood for lectures, Stella. You wanted a report. Well, now you have one. So I think our business is concluded. Goodbye." Linda slammed the phone down. This was one of the good things about having a landline. She took some satisfaction imagining Stella jumping at the sharp crack in her ear.
"Mom? Who was that?"
Linda turned to find Zoe in the doorway. "It was nobody important, sweetie. What are you up to?"
The girl eyed the phone before shrugging. "I moved Jon to my bed, and I was just heading to the garage for a broom."
"Do you need any help cleaning up? I just need to call someone to fix the window first."
"I got it, thanks." Zoe continued past to the door that led to the garage. Then, she stopped and looked back. "Mom, did I get Jon in trouble?"
