BooksBarbecue
Back Spells for Lost Things
Chapters (42)
  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Dedication
  4. Prologue
  5. – 1 – Willow
  6. – 2 – Mason
  7. – 3 – Willow
  8. – 4 – Mason
  9. – 5 – Willow
  10. – 6 – Mason
  11. – 7 – Willow
  12. – 8 – Mason
  13. – 9 – Willow
  14. – 10 – Mason
  15. – 11 – Willow
  16. – 12 – Mason
  17. – 13 – Willow
  18. – 14 – Mason
  19. – 15 – Willow
  20. – 16 – Mason
  21. – 17 – Willow
  22. – 18 – Mason
  23. – 19 – Willow
  24. – 20 – Mason
  25. – 21 – Willow
  26. – 22 – Mason
  27. – 23 – Willow
  28. – 24 – Mason
  29. – 25 – Willow
  30. – 26 – Mason
  31. – 27 – Willow
  32. – 28 – Mason
  33. – 29 – Willow
  34. – 30 – Mason
  35. – 31 – Willow
  36. – 32 – Mason
  37. – 33 – Willow
  38. – 34 – Mason
  39. Acknowledgments
  40. More from the Author
  41. About the Author
  42. ALSO BY JENNA EVANS WELCH

“And my mom. And… a relationship too.” She glances over at the house next door and I remember what Marigold had said during the moon ceremony. It’s always a boy. I’m dying to ask her about him, but I’m scared if I interrupt her that she’ll lose her momentum.

She sighs again. “Losing Sage was the absolute worst thing that ever happened to me. Harder than the divorce, harder than losing my mom, all of it. I think because I was left with so many questions. It was so painful here, I had to leave. I never thought I’d come back.”

I’m holding my breath, my heart heavy. No wonder my mom hated it here so much. It reminded her of all the worst parts of her life.

She leans into me slightly. “Willow, I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you before. You were right about me being afraid. Everyone I loved left me at some point, but that wasn’t your burden. I’m sorry it affected you so much.”

My heart is bursting. And now that she’s opened up to me, it’s my turn to open up to her.

I take a deep breath. “After the divorce… it’s like you went dark on me. We used to be so close, but then we moved to LA and it was like you turned into a stranger. And I miss you. I really, really miss you.” As soon as I say the words, I feel them, deep down in my chest.

Her eyes are welling up now. “When I got pregnant with you, I was so scared of messing up the way my mother did that I decided I was going to be the perfect mother. I bought all the books and went to all the classes. I was going to get motherhood right. But none of those books tell you that motherhood is one long goodbye. From the moment your child is born, you are preparing them to leave you. It’s the entire goal.”

She looks up at the house. “Willow, I’m so sorry about our fight back home. When you told me about your idea to spend your senior year in Paris, I panicked. I knew graduation was coming soon, but the thought of it coming a whole year earlier…” She exhales, and my heart tightens, and suddenly my brain is repatterning every interaction I’ve had with my mom over the past few years. She’s been so distant and worried. Most of all, she’s been afraid because she doesn’t want me to leave. She really, really doesn’t.