I inhale and exhale slowly. I have to stay calm. And casual. “Where do the aunts live?”

She drops her phone into her purse, then heads for the hotel steps. “I don’t think it’s a good idea. I’m working tonight. I have to do a Zoom meeting for the McArthur wedding—”

“That’s fine, I can go on my own!” My voice comes out way too excited, which is a mistake. I mean, yes, unhindered access to the aunts is clearly what I need right now, but my mom can’t know that.

Her face swivels toward me suspiciously. “You want to spend time with them on your own?”

“Well… yeah.” I soften my tone and shrug casually.

“Why?” She’s really studying me now, her jaw starting to set in that way it does when she’s about to dig her heels in. I have to act like this isn’t so big of a deal.

“I mean, why not? We’re here, right?” I’m struggling to keep the desperation out of my voice.

We’re at the hotel now, and she pulls out her key, fitting it into the lock, and her voice takes on the brassy I’m in charge tone I’m more used to.

“Willow, I don’t think you spending time alone with them is a good idea. We’ll set up lunch with them or—”

I drop the forced nonchalance. If she didn’t want me to know about her family, she should have left me at home. “Don’t you think it would be good for me to get to know people I’m related to? They’re my family. I already spend lots of time moving back and forth. Don’t you think I deserve to at least know who these humans are?”

I don’t bring up the split-families thing often because I know it makes her feel bad that we live so far from my dad and his family and that she has to work so much, but this is an emergency. I have no idea where to go with the curse story, and if she isn’t going to be the one to explain this whole bizarre Bell-family dynamic to me, then I’m going to need to see the aunts.

She bites her lower lip, conflicted, but I can see she’s relenting a bit. “I don’t know, Willow.”

“What’s the worst that could happen?”

Her eyes dart to mine, sharp and worried. Okay, she obviously thinks a lot could happen. Which makes sense if she believes in a family curse. Except she doesn’t, right?

She exhales, running her hand through her hair. She’s thinking, which means I have a shot. I take it.