Traditional Family Values

By Robin Wainwright

These family values are far from traditional...

Perpetual misfit Annie Martin is determined to live her life on her own terms. Just out of college, she decides to spend one last summer with her grandmother in the quaint, seaside village of Crescent Bay, the only place she ever felt comfortable and at home.

But this time, Crescent Bay isn't what she remembers...

When she uncovers a mysterious room, hidden deep within her grandmother's home, secrets are unleashed, forcing Annie to question her path in life. Now, just as Annie discovers the truth about her ancestry, a tragedy occurs and Annie's destiny is in jeopardy. Will her family lineage lose its tradition or can Annie find a way to save everything they cherish?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Robin Wainwright
• Release date: Aug 11, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005156947

Robin Wainwright

As a child, Robin Wainwright's Irish mother filled Robin's active imagination with stories of magic and the wee people. Her days were filled with other worlds where magic and the paranormal were an accepted way of life. As soon as Robin learned how to write, she continued her mother's tradition of storytelling. She shared her stories with her mother, but no one else. In 2013, Robin decided to begin sharing her stories with a broader audience and so The Widow's Walk trilogy was born. Robin lives in Southern California with her wonderful husband and two cats. She loves the rain, thunder, and lightning (although she doesn't see much of it where she lives) as well as chocolate, coffee, and Halloween. She continues to write (sometimes with the help of her cats) while sitting in her recliner, appearing to look out her window into her green yard, while in reality her vision is focused on other locales.

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GLOSSARY

Draíocht (dree-oct)

Secret lore and magical arts. In the Dúchas tradition, this term describes a witch’s magical tools and writings.

Dúchas (duh ghoo-huss)

Birthright or heritage.

Oidhreacht (eye – rahk — T)

Heritage. In the Dúchas tradition, Oidhreacht is the process of passing on ances¬tral knowledge through a ritual connection.

Tearmann (teer-muhn)

Sanctuary. In the Dúchas tradition, a Tearmann is the place where a witch keeps their Draíocht and perform rituals and spells.

ANNIE MARTIN TRIED not to fidget in her folding chair as the speaker at the podium droned on and on in the hot California sun.

Hang in there, I think he’s almost done, her friend Cindy whispered in her ear.

Finally, Annie heard the words she had been dying to hear since she had first stepped foot on the college campus five years ago.

The Dean of Humanities looked out over the vast sea of faces and said, I present to you this year’s graduating class.

Annie and Cindy jumped up and hugged as the audience erupted with shouts of joy and celebration which was quickly followed by a brass band playing.

That’s our cue, Cindy said as the graduates struggled to make an orderly exit from their seats to the reception area that waited beyond a large set of white archways.

Annie and Cindy were still giggling when Annie heard her name being called. Looking up, she saw her mother and father waving as they tried to catch her attention. She smiled and waved back. I’ll meet you back in our room, okay? Annie asked, and Cindy nodded as she wandered off in search of her own parents.

Annie’s mother Trudy swept her into a tight hug as soon as she was within reach. Oh Annie, we’re so proud of you, her mother said.

Thanks, Mom, Annie said when she pulled away to smile at her mother. She noticed that her mother’s eyes were red and that her cheeks were wet with tears. Annie’s eyes began to sting as she felt her own eyes filling with tears.

Now see, didn’t I tell you you’d make her cry? Annie’s father Mark chided her mother.

Oh, I’m sorry dear, Trudy said as she reached up to wipe away the tears on Annie’s face.

It never fails, Mark said as he took his turn giving Annie a hug. Annie had always been affected by the emotions of the people around her. She could start her morning in a happy and sunny mood, but if she ran into one grump at the coffee shop the rest of her day would be ruined.

Her father had hoped that Annie’s sensitivity was something that she would outgrow, but she never had; instead, she had learned various ways to hide her mood swings.

Sorry Dad, she said as she moved out of his embrace. Annie could feel the joy of her graduation leeching away as she reacted to her father’s disappointment. No, she thought, not today! Today was a celebration of the successful completion of five years of hard work. Five years of coping with not only the stress of learning new things, but also the stress that she experienced around new places, people, and situations. And dammit she had been successful. A few tears did not negate the fact that she had done it. She was a new graduate, and in a few weeks, she could proudly hang her new diploma on her wall. Of course, she’d have to figure out where that wall was going to be, but that was a concern for later. Right now, she needed to get back to her dorm room to finish packing, and then she was off for a much-deserved vacation with her beloved grandmother Anastasia.

Annie had been named for both of her grandmothers, Anastasia and Catherine, but she was closest to her grandmother Anastasia. In the early years, Annie’s parents hadn’t been able to afford summer childcare for Annie, and so they had shipped her off to her grandmother Anastasia’s home in Crescent Bay. Annie had found a sense of peace and freedom at her grandmother’s home. When Annie was a teenager, her parents had offered to send Annie to expensive summer camps, but Annie had refused. Instead, she had spent every summer at her grandmother’s up until she had entered college.

Annie was looking forward to spending her summer with her grandmother, especially since she knew that this might be the last one they would share together. After all, adults with real jobs couldn’t take a whole summer off for a vacation. Her heart ached a little when she thought about how much she would miss spending hot summer days lazing on the beaches of Crescent Bay where her grandmother lived.

As far as Annie was concerned, the village of Crescent Bay was a little pocket of heaven nestled along the California coast between Los Angeles and San Francisco. When Annie was in Crescent Bay, it felt as if the weight of the world had been lifted off her shoulders and she was able to relax and enjoy her life.

Are you sure you want to spend your last summer off with your grandmother? Trudy asked. She’s getting up in years, and I’m not sure she’ll feel like doing much.

All the more reason for me to visit her, Annie said.

You know a lot of your fellow graduates already have jobs lined up, I’m not sure taking the next couple of months off is such a good idea, Mark said.

Dad, we’ve already talked about this, Annie said. Grandma was adamant about wanting to share my last free summer, and I want to share it with her too. After this year I won’t be able to spend more than a few days at a time with her. Annie wanted her father to understand how important this last summer of freedom was to her, but she doubted he would.

I guess it doesn’t really matter, Mark said. I’m not sure what type of job you’re going to get with a B.A. in Humanities. You should probably think about going to graduate school. You’d have a better chance of landing a good job with a Masters or a Doctorate degree.

Annie cringed at the thought of attending more years in classes and seminars only to end up fighting for her degree by going through a dissertation. The mere thought of that battle made her stomach clench from the stress.

It hadn’t been her idea to go to college in the first place, her parents had assumed that she would be going and had set the ball rolling while she was still in middle school. The momentum of that ball had grown larger and larger until it had swept Annie up in its wake and carried her along like a piece of flotsam in the ocean. No one had asked her what she had wanted to do; they had just told her where to go and what was expected of her. She had fulfilled all of her parent’s expectations, as far as college went, although her father had tried to push her into obtaining a degree in something other than Humanities. Annie knew that her father only had her future in mind, and he didn’t see how a degree in Humanities was going to lead to a high paying career, but then he had never understood his sensitive daughter.

As a child, Annie had been more prone to daydreaming than she had been to interacting with the everyday world. She had always felt like there was something more lying just beyond her reach. A mystical something that was tucked away from the average person’s sight. At times Annie felt like the truth that she had been seeking was within her grasp, but it always elusive, like a beautiful melody whispered on the wind. It was loud enough for her to perceive, but it wasn’t loud enough for her to hear fully nor understand.

She had spent the first year of her college career seeking that elusive something. She had taken various classes hoping that she would find what had been missing in her life buried in some esoteric text or lecture, but in the end, all she had done was extend her four-year degree to five. In her second year of college, her father had sat her down and insisted that she declare her major and work toward graduation. When she had looked over her first year of college, and the various requirements for a degree, she had chosen Humanities. Much to her father’s dismay.

Right now, all I’m going to think about is finishing my packing and driving to Grandma’s, Annie said firmly.

You’re right, her father said. We can talk about this when you get back from your grandmother’s.

AS ANNIE DROVE HER car along Highway 101, she allowed the beautiful scenery of ocean and sky to drain away the stress of the past five years. She resolved to fill her summer with enough memories to tide her over as she went forward into so-called adulthood. She chuckled a little when she realized that at the age of twenty-three many people still considered her a child. It was as if the choices one made determined how mature they were. To those people, she wouldn’t be considered an adult until she had her first full-time job and a place of her own. Never mind the fact that she had been successfully living on her own and shouldering all the responsibilities of college life for years.

She shook her head to clear it of heavy thoughts and resolved that any thoughts that didn’t involve sunny beaches and warm moonlit nights were going to be labeled as September concerns and ignored until September rolled around.

Her first indication that she was getting close to Crescent Bay was the sight of a tall lighthouse standing on the edge of a cliff. It was said that the lighthouse was haunted by a weeping woman and although Annie had never seen a spirit at the lighthouse, the place had always given her the creeps.

The village of Crescent Bay had been founded by pirates and smugglers, and the current residents proudly promoted their privateer history. Crescent Bay was a tourist town and the little shops and restaurants that dotted the village’s streets had names that reflected that fact. Annie smiled as she drove past Crescent Crafts, Bay Books, and Java Junction.

The citizens of Crescent Bay were a colorful and tolerant lot, and it wasn’t unusual to see a patchouli-scented hippy-type sharing coffee with a suit and tie executive. During the summer months, the number of tourists eclipsed the number of villagers, but Annie had spent enough summers in Crescent Bay that she knew who the main movers and shakers in the village were. In fact, she had spent so much time in Crescent Bay that many of the villagers considered her a fellow resident. They all knew that she was Anastasia Pallas’s granddaughter, which was both a good thing and a bad thing. It was good because Annie’s acceptance into the tight-knit community felt nice, but it was also bad because she couldn’t get away with anything. During her summer visits, everything she had done during her free time away from her grandmother’s supervision had been reported on the village’s gossip chain which was affectionately named the Scuttlebutt.

Originally, a Scuttlebutt was the cask on a ship that contained drinking water. The residents of Crescent Bay believed that the shipboard Scuttlebutt had served as the first water cooler where sailors would gather to swap stories, jokes, and news. In honor of their ancestors, the villagers had named their daily gossip the Scuttlebutt, although they would never have thought of themselves as gossiping. In their minds, they were swapping news, important information, and in general being neighborly, and they insisted that by participating in the Scuttlebutt they were honoring their seafaring ancestors.

When Annie had been younger, the Scuttlebutt had been an annoyance and something to avoid becoming a part of, but as an adult, she found the Scuttlebutt charming. Most of the time it was filled with innocent if nosey tidbits like who had been seen having dinner with who, or which villagers were having a spat.

Annie pulled up in front of her grandmother’s three-story Victorian style house and was surprised to see a large sign in the front yard advertising Lady A. Tarot Readings and Divination.

Annie’s grandmother worked as the Director of the local library full time, and although Annie knew that her grandmother made some extra cash by giving tarot readings, Anastasia had never aggressively advertised her side gig.

Annie was pulling her suitcases out of the trunk when the front door opened, and her grandmother stepped out onto the porch.

Anastasia Pallas was a woman who radiated a powerful presence. Although she was barely 5’8", she seemed to tower over everyone else. Her shoulder-length silver hair was worn loose around her face, and she was wearing a black and purple tie-dyed dress that flowed around her flip-flops.

Annie, Anastasia called happily from the porch.

Annie left her bags on the ground and rushed up the steps and into her grandmother’s warm embrace. Annie breathed in the special scent that was her grandmother, a mix of herbs and flowers that Annie had never smelled anywhere else. In her grandmother’s arms, she felt safe, loved, and protected.

Anastasia moved back so that she could look at Annie’s face and Annie looked into her grandmother’s beautiful hazel eyes and smiled.

I’ve missed you, Annie said and was surprised to feel her eyes start burning with unshed tears.

I’ve missed you too, darling, Anastasia said as she pulled Annie back into her embrace and began to slowly rock her from side to side.

A feeling of peace flowed into Annie’s body as she relaxed into her grandmother’s arms, allowing tears of reunion to fall from her eyes. Her grandmother had never admonished her for her emotional outbursts; she had accepted them as a natural part of who Annie was. When Annie felt stronger, she pulled away from Anastasia and wiped a stray tear from her cheek.

Why don’t you go get your bags and then we can catch up over some coffee? Anastasia asked.

Will do, Annie said as she scurried back down the porch steps and walkway.

Annie left her bags in the foyer and made her way down the short hallway to the kitchen. She had always loved her grandmother’s home. It was filled with so many nooks and crannies that a large part of Annie’s summers had been spent exploring the old Victorian house. It had seemed to Annie that there was always a new room or hidden cabinet to discover. After all of those years, Annie felt like she had exposed all of the house’s secrets with the exception of the attic. She had never found a way up to the third floor. When she had asked her grandmother about it, Anastasia had laughed and told Annie to keep exploring and that if she were destined to discover the way to the attic she would discover it.

Anastasia’s answer had both annoyed and intrigued Annie. She had asked her grandmother what she had meant by her statement, but her grandmother had refused to elaborate. All she would say was, Life’s deepest mysteries must be discovered for one’s self. I can steer you in the right direction, but I would be doing you a disservice by giving you the answers without any effort on your part.

The last time Annie had asked her grandmother about the attic Annie had been fifteen, and in typical teenage fashion, she had shrugged off her grandmother’s answer as adult bullshit. Annie had convinced herself that the attic was probably crammed full of junk that her grandmother didn’t want her pawing through, and she had given up her search.

When Annie stepped into the large kitchen, she smiled to see that nothing had changed since her last visit. A square table and four chairs sat in the middle of a modern kitchen. Annie and Anastasia had shared countless cups of coffee, cocoa, and many meals while sitting across from each other at that table.

Through an archway to the right was the dining room which had been converted into a craft room. It contained a sewing machine, and shelves filled with glass jars, bottles, and books, plus a long wooden table with two bench seats. Drying herbs hung over the table, and the table top was covered in bits and pieces of Anastasia’s current projects. She and her grandmother had spent a lot of time at that table as well, making wonderful smelling crafts with herbs, oils, and flowers of all types.

Have a seat dear, Anastasia said gently. She was well aware of her granddaughter’s tendency to drift away on the wings of memory or fantasy, and she didn’t want to startle her.

Annie turned unfocused eyes to her grandmother and then she smiled when her attention shifted back to the present.

Thanks, Grandma, Annie said as she took her usual seat at the table.

Anastasia placed a steaming mug of coffee and a plate of peanut butter cookies in front of Annie.

My favorite, Annie said happily, as she picked up a crisp cookie and took a bite. She moaned in appreciation and Anastasia smiled.

How was your trip? Anastasia asked as she took a sip of her coffee.

Good, Annie said.

I’m sorry I couldn’t make it down to your graduation, but I don’t travel as well as I used to, Anastasia said.

Annie looked at her grandmother and noticed for the first time the signs of fatigue etched into her face.

Are you okay? Annie asked with concern.

Anastasia made a waving motion in the air as if she were sweeping away her granddaughter’s concern. I’m fine, but I’m no spring chicken as they say. I’ve discovered that I have a limited amount of energy to spend each day, and I have to be mindful of what I use it on, that’s all. That’s part of why I’ve started building my fortune telling business.

I saw your new sign out front. Lady A, Annie said with a teasing tone in her voice.

Hard to miss it, Anastasia said with a grin.

When do you have time to tell fortunes? Annie asked.

You know I’ve always done readings for folks, Anastasia said.

Sure, occasionally, but that sign seems more like something you’d have for a full-time business.

Exactly, Anastasia said. I’ve decided to retire from the library. I only have a couple more decades left in these old bones, and I’d rather spend them doing the things I love. When Annie began to protest Anastasia held up her hand to stop her. No dear, it’s true. Death is inevitable, and when you reach my age, you realize that you have more days behind you than you have before you. I don’t want to spend those years behind a desk.

The thought of her grandmother passing away soured Annie’s stomach, and she began to regret eating the cookies. Annie stood up to get a glass of water in the hopes that water would alleviate the burning in her gut.

I’ve upset you, Anastasia said. I’m sorry about that, but you know I’m speaking the truth.

Annie nodded her head, but she kept her back turned to her grandmother so that she wouldn’t see the tears sparkling in her eyes. The world without her grandmother’s love and support would be a bleak one.

Anastasia watched Annie’s back as her granddaughter sipped water and pretended to look out the window over the sink into the backyard, but she knew that Annie was trying to deal with the unpleasant knowledge of a loved one’s mortality. Anastasia had learned long ago to not offer her granddaughter sympathy unless she asked for it, so she moved the conversation away from the idea of death and toward her upcoming retirement.

I’ve worked at the library long enough that I have a nice pension, not to mention my 401K and social security, I have enough income to live comfortably as long as I’m frugal. Income from doing readings and such will help pay for any extras I want, Anastasia said. Plus, I have the cottage. I can always rent it out if I need extra cash.

Annie thought of the sweet little cottage nestled in the corner of her grandmother’s backyard. When Annie had been younger, she had fantasized about moving into her grandmother’s cottage and living happily in Crescent Bay.

So, you’re retiring from the library, that should make Marie happy, Annie said. Marie Taylor worked for her grandmother at the as a library as an assistant.

I think she’s a shoo-in for my position, Anastasia said. That’s part of what I wanted to talk to you about. Why don’t you come back to the table and have a seat?

The tone of Anastasia’s voice had shifted, and Annie turned back to study her grandmother’s expression. Something important was up. Annie sat back down and looked at her grandmother’s serious expression.

Here’s my proposition. When Marie is promoted, it’s going to leave her position open. I was wondering if you’d be interested in taking over her job and staying here in Crescent Bay. You could move in with me if you’d like or if you want a little more privacy you could take over the cottage.

Wow, Annie said as she looked at her grandmother in surprise.

I’m getting older, and it would be a blessing to have you living with me, Anastasia said.

Annie thought about living in Crescent Bay with her beloved grandmother, and it felt right. Then she thought of her parents and flinched. Dad would hate it, Annie said.

Anastasia had to bite her tongue so that she wouldn’t blurt out her opinion of Annie’s father, Mark. Mark was a good man who had taken care of Anastasia’s daughter Trudy, but he was too pragmatic for Anastasia’s taste. Mark couldn’t see that Annie was a free soul who needed more than the material things in life to make her happy.

This isn’t about your dad, this is about you, Anastasia said. The internal struggle that Annie was experiencing showed on her face and Anastasia decided that it would be best to back off for a while. There’s no reason for you to decide today. I’m not retiring until September. Why don’t you put it on a back burner and you can think more about it as the summer progresses?

Annie nodded her head and smiled gently, I’ll do that.

Good. I’ve booked us a table at the Foghorn Tavern for a celebration dinner. Why don’t you go upstairs and unpack? In fact, there’s time to lie down and take a nap if you’re tired from your long car trip, Anastasia said.

I am a little tired, I think I’ll do that, Annie said.

I’ll wake you up in time for a shower before we leave, Anastasia said.

Annie stood up to give her grandmother a kiss before she headed upstairs to her room.

THE FOGHORN TAVERN was owned by Maggie Foley who ran her business with a blend of ribald humor and efficiency that made it a popular watering hole for both tourists and villagers alike.

Maggie was at the hostess stand when Annie opened the large wooden door for her grandmother.

I’ll be damned, Maggie said It’s the first sign of summer, Annie has returned to Crescent Bay, Maggie teased as she swept forward to pull Annie into a close embrace. Welcome back. Are you here for the whole summer? Maggie asked.

I am, Annie said as she smiled at Maggie’s reaction.

Good, Maggie said then she turned to Anastasia. I saw you had a reservation for two. Right, this way. Maggie pulled two menus from a stack and led the women back into the restaurant portion of the business. When she stopped at a booth and indicated that they should have a seat, Anne and Anastasia slid into their seats.

Can I get you something to drink? Maggie asked.

We’ll start with a bottle of champagne, Anastasia said.

Champagne? Maggie asked in surprise. What are we celebrating?

Annie graduated, Anastasia said.

Well congratulations, Maggie said to Annie. In that case, the first bottle is on the house. I’ll go get that right now while you two decide what you’d like to eat.

As they watched Maggie walk away, Annie turned to her grandmother and asked, How long do you think it will be before everyone in this village knows I’m here for the summer and that I graduated?

I’d say you have until morning, Anastasia said. Maggie’s probably already set the Scuttlebutt in motion.

Annie nodded her head in agreement and turned her attention to the menu.

I hear that there are congratulations in order, a female voice said.

Annie looked up to see a large woman dressed in a bright blue dress covered in golden stars. The woman’s hair was a wild disarray of lush red locks.

Annie smiled up at Sinthia Gnome, one of her grandmother’s dearest friends. Thank you, Mrs. Gnome, Annie said.

I think we’re well past the Mrs. Gnome stage Annie, please call me Sinthia.

Annie nodded her head in agreement and then asked, So you heard about my graduation on the Scuttlebutt?

No, your grandmother told me last week. Although I’m sure, you’re about to be the number one topic on the Scuttlebutt shortly.

Annie groaned in response, making both Sinthia and Anastasia cackle with laughter.

Listen to you two witches, Maggie said as she returned with Annie and Anastasia’s champagne. If I didn’t know you better I’d say you were up to no good.

Give us time, Sinthia said as she gave Maggie a quick hug.

Would you like to join us? Annie asked Sinthia.

Sinthia shook her head no, Thank you, but I must be getting home to my hubby. Are we still on for Thursday? Sinthia asked Anastasia.

2:00, Anastasia said.

Good. Till then, Sinthia gave both Annie and Anastasia quick hugs before she wrapped her arm around Maggie’s waist and the two of them left the dining