Introduction: This story is the fourth and final story in a series within a series. The overall series is the “Cynthia Chronicles”. This story is directly connected to “Simoné and the Second Time Around”, “Marti and the Doppelganger”, and Marti and the Doppelganger – a Follow Up”. Several of the stories in the Cynthia Chronicles left some unanswered questions. In “Bobbie and the Glass Ceiling” two of the antagonists are regressed to childhood. Now we will learn what happened to them. In “Randi and the College Professor” Randi and Frank Deere adopt Betty, a bit of a rogue witch. Betty was regressed to early childhood, but she kept her powers. As it turns out, Betty was a real blessing. We also learn a bit more about Cindy’s first born who is the first new wizard in probably close to a thousand years. Then there is a question that has been floated about. What about death?

It’s Tamesha and Wanda’s fifth wedding anniversary, and there is going to be a little party for the lovers. There is also a very nice surprise. Wanda’s parents show up. -->
 

Emily and Marianne had just finished their Sunday morning run around the neighborhood, and were jointly showering in their luxury bath. Anne, as Em preferred to call her, had persuaded Em to start a bit of an exercise program. The program included a couple of miles of gentle running. Being able to run again was a great joy for Marianne. Her horrible ankle injury that had ended her football or soccer career, depending which universe one was referring to, had made running impossible and walking any distance quite painful. That was fixed now, along with everything else.

They were gently lathering each other up a bit with a skin conditioning wash when Em paused in her loving task. “What do we have here?” she said as her hand paused on her lover’s lower abdomen.

“I don’t know, Em. It started showing up a couple of weeks ago. Frankly, I’m mystified.”

“Could it possibly have anything to do with the fact you are thoroughly knocked up?”

“You know, I hadn’t thought of that. That certainly could explain things that have been going on of late.”

“How are you feeling, my love?”

“Couldn’t be better now that the morning sickness has passed. Let me tell you that was really weird. Those dizzy spells and nausea would hit out of the blue. I was fine one minute, and racing for the bathroom the next. Thank heavens that all went away three weeks ago. I know His Wisdom said he could fix it, but I wasn’t about to miss something I wanted for most of my life. I want every bit of it: the itchy and swelling boobs, the sore back, having to pee every hour, having this little fellow deciding to do romper room, going through labor – everything. I couldn’t be happier. The fact that we are finally together just makes it that much better.

“We’d better hold off on the sex until later, although it wouldn’t take much to convince me to take you back to bed and ravish you. You are deliberately trying to turn me on, and we have shopping to do. We have to pick up the cake before the bakery closes.” It was Wanda and Tamesha’s wedding anniversary.

Later that afternoon, Anne and Em walked to Wanda and Tamesha’s home. It was one of the nice things about the little community where they lived. Em was carrying the cake in deference to Anne’s pregnancy. There were two cars in the guest slots in front of Wanda and Tamesha’s home. One was a rental car that Tamesha’s parents had picked up when they arrived at Bradley Field the day before. Anne and Em hadn’t met them yet, but they had seen their pictures. It was very obvious that Anita and Jim Jackson loved their daughter and daughter-in-law very much. It had also been obvious that Wanda was estranged from her parents. Wanda never mentioned them, nor did she talk about them.

Tamesha greeted them at the door. She had obviously been crying.

“Is everything okay?” Emily asked.

“Everything is fine. You won’t believe who’s here.”

“Everyone, I would like you to meet our friends from up the street. This beautiful redhead is Marianne Johnson. You might remember her from the Olympics a few years ago, and this cute brunette is Emily Warren, the love of her life. They got married earlier this year, and we’re so glad they’re here.

“Em and Anne, these are our parents, Anita and Ed Jackson, and Diane and Jim Cunningham. I’ll let you figure out who is who.”

“But, I thought …,” Emily spluttered.

“So did we,” Wanda said as she looked at her parents who were holding two of their four grandchildren in their laps. “However, it seems there was a little conspiracy going on behind our backs. My best high school friend, Lily, didn’t spill the beans, but she got my folks to talk to her pastor. She explained quite a bit to them. There was quite a bit more to it than that, actually. They met with the wonderful woman who took care of me and another girl for quite a while. I should probably let Mom and Dad explain.”

The next few hours were some of the most enjoyable the group had ever experienced. The joy expressed by Wanda and Tamesha filled the air. The obvious joy felt by their parents permeated the area. Wanda and Tamesha’s two older children obviously were taken by their two new grandparents. The younger two were just happy about all the attention they were receiving.

It wasn’t really that easy; however, the Cunninghams realized they were missing something in their lives. The LGBTQ community had become stronger and stronger since they’d lost custody of their daughter, and they began to realize that their homophobic attitude was not based on facts, only superstition, bigotry, and malice. Wanda’s mother actually went back to college and took courses on human behavior and sexuality. She and Jim studied her materials after every one of her classes. Then they began to understand, but it was only a beginning.

The breaking point had come when they met with the Chronisters who had fostered and sheltered their daughter for nearly six years. They were shocked to learn that their daughter was married – to another woman; a black woman! They were even more shocked to learn that they had two grandchildren and more on the way. Still, it was very difficult for them to accept the fact their daughter was not only gay, but that she was married to a black woman. It was against so many of the things they had ‘learned’ as they grew up going to their parents’ church. They weren’t really sure how to approach getting reacquainted with their daughter. Anita Jackson took care of that.

Anita and Ed knocked on the Cunninghams’ door on a Sunday afternoon. “May we come in? We’re getting some nasty stares from some of your neighbors,” Anita said to a gaping Diane Cunningham.

“May I ask who you are?”

“Certainly, we are Anita and Ed Jackson. Our daughters are married to each other, and their fifth wedding anniversary is coming up. We thought it might be nice if we could all get together and have a nice time celebrating their happiness.”

The Cunninghams were a bit apprehensive at first; however it didn’t take long for the dam to burst. They knew they had to make amends with their daughter, and there wasn’t going to be any better time. They made airline and hotel reservations, and a week later were flying to Hartford, Connecticut with the Jacksons. The Jacksons were at Tamesha and Wanda’s home when the Cunninghams arrived in their rented car. The tears and hugs lasted quite a while. Two families were united.

As many had suspected, Tamesha carried the witch gene from her mother. She and Wanda would pass the trait along. They saved many ‘unborn’, but they also had children who were totally their daughters. Every daughter carried the witch trait for future generations. Of course, The Wizard made sure of that.

The Cunninghams moved to Hartford six months later. One thing they didn’t understand was how their daughter and daughter in law were having children. Actually, that wasn’t correct. The question was how they were becoming pregnant. All four of their grandchildren were mixed race, and the resemblance to their parents was obvious. Their curiosity was not unwarranted.

“Wanda, I know this is a very personal question, but how are you and Tamesha doing this? I don’t think you are having relationships with men, and you’ve never said anything about going to a fertility clinic. I’m your mother, and I know things about being a parent. You are positively glowing. I think you’re pregnant. I can feel it.”

“You’re right. We just found out yesterday. Actually, we knew two weeks ago, but I just got a positive test yesterday.”

“I don’t think I understand. You haven’t been going to a doctor as far as I know, and suddenly you are pregnant. Who is the father if I may ask?”

“Mom, this is a bit complicated, but I’ll try to explain. Our little girl, yes she’s a girl, is my and Tamesha’s daughter. We planned it that way. We don’t know who the original parents were of our sons, but our girls are just Tamesha’s and mine.”

“This is the craziest thing I’ve ever heard o”

“Mom, do you believe in magic?”

“Well, your father and I have learned quite a bit over these last few years. It hasn’t been easy, but when we met Tamesha we could feel the magic between you two.”

“Mom, that magic hit me like a ton of bricks. As you know, we met at that camp. Lily and I were so bad, but there was something about Tamesha that hit me in a way I never expected. She was so tolerant of our rants. She never reacted negatively. She just smiled at me. It was a penetrating smile. She saw through the façade immediately. Lanu and Marti, they’re witches by the way, had us do a little exercise.”

“Witches?”

“Yes, the real thing. You’ll meet them. They’re not far away. Well, Marti isn’t. Lanu lives in American Samoa. They’re first cousins. We’ll tell you all about them. They are so nice and so cool and so pretty. Anyway, the exercise was designed to see how much we could tell about people through senses other than sight. All the participants were blindfolded, but one. That person was led around to the others. They could touch faces and hand; no hair. When I got to Tamesha, her touch almost set me on fire. I couldn’t help it. I kissed her. When it was her turn to come around, all she did was kiss me. She curled my toes. I knew it was her, and I broke down in tears. I was so damn happy.

“Mom, there’s something else. Do you remember my complexion problems?”

“What are you talking about? Your complexion has always been perfect.”

“Since I can talk about it, it must be okay. There are certain rules when magic is involved.”

“I don’t have a clue what you’re talking about.”

“Mom. I had horrible cystic acne. I had horrible scars all over my body. People called me pizza face. It hurt me deeply. Try to remember.”

“Oh my God, I do remember. I had totally forgotten. That was so long ago. What happened?”

“Lily and I were total bitches when we got to that camp. Marti and Lanu knew something had to be done. Lanu is a healer. She cured my acne and removed the scars in less than five minutes. She adjusted my hormone output, don’t ask me how, and I’ve never had a problem since. She also cured Lily’s chlamydia. I know you’ve heard a different version. The Wizard fixed that.”

“Who is this wizard you talk about?”

“He is a real wizard and he saved Penny Goretsky’s life.”

“Penny?”

“Well, she’s Penny Garrett, now.”

“The golfer? Your father has to watch her every time she plays. I think he’s a bit infatuated with her.”

“She is a wonderful friend. We were there when she won the LPGA Championship for the second time.

“Mom, you have no idea how happy I’ve been since you and Dad showed up. Ginny took care of Penny and me. She was a mother to us, but I never stopped loving you. Penny wasn’t that lucky.

“Just a minute, I need to talk with someone about something.”

Wanda’s mother looked a bit perplexed as Wanda called someone on her cell phone. “Your Wisdom, how far may I go talking to Mom and Dad about Penny?”

“Would it help if I showed up and helped explain things?” The Wizard asked.

“I think that would be great. Why don’t you come directly to the family room instead of showing up at the front door? The area in front of the fireplace is clear.”

“Yes, I can see that. Wolf and Padrona, and the children?”

“Certainly. Give us five minutes.”

Wanda turned to her mother, “Mom, I’m going to get the others. This should be a lot of fun.

“Actually, this is going to be more than fun. This is very important. Please just keep an open mind.”

Wanda and Tamesha had Wanda’s parents sit on the large sofa that faced the fireplace. Unlike many homes, there was no large screen television over the mantle. Little Rhonda and Lanu sat on either side of their grandparents. Two little boys were taking a nap.

“Mommy, Mommy Tammy said The Wizard was coming. He’s so nice. Maybe he’ll bring us surprise like he did the last time he was here.” The surprises were being gently held by the two little girls. They were two adorable little kittens (What kittens aren’t.). The Wizard had rescued them during a previous visit to Istanbul. The Turks like cats, but there are so many semi-feral cats that some have a pretty rough time.

Wanda’s parents are brought into the world of magic. Penny and Keith Garrett help convince them about the reality of magic. The Wizard, Wolf and Padrona don’t hurt the revelations.