like mother.
And I know how she does it.
“Oh, here,” Pierre said in a rush and held the folded up parchment out to me.
I reached out and took it with trembling fingers. Breathe, Saffie. Carefully, I unfolded it — and gasped. Mother’s handwriting. My eyes watered. I collapsed onto the wooden bench beside me and forced my eyes to focus on the words on the page.
My dearest Saraphina.
A sob ripped its way out of my throat. I wiped my eyes with my arm and sniffled.
My dearest Saraphina. My Saffie. I dreamed of you this night and it filled me with hope, a hope I admit had worn thin since you were taken from me. I saw you standing there in our kitchen in that unusual purple gown…you looked beautiful. And grown up.
I choked on a gasp and covered my mouth with my other hand. My chest tightened and burned. My breath singed its way up and around the lump in my throat.
I went to Elizabeth with this dream, told her what I saw, only to have her say she’d had the same. You were coming back to Salem, we both knew it. I do not know how long it has been for you since we have seen each other, but Elizabeth assures me that for me it has only been a few weeks. Even if they feel like centuries. I have an idea to attain a longer life so that I may still be alive once your curse is broken. Now, I only pray it lasts long enough to see your face again.
A broken sob tore from my chest. Tears streaked down my cheeks. The paper trembled as my fingers shook. I sniffled and wiped at my eyes.
I love you, my darling daughter. My heart aches for you. I hope you do not suffer too much. I hope something brings you peace. And I long for the day we may be reunited, whether it be in this life or the next. Love always, Mom.
P.S. I have left something with Pierre for you…something that would not survive without you. Olli. I would have taken him with me and loved him with every beat of my heart, but once I saw you would return I knew he had to go with you. Take him. Elizabeth insisted as well.”
“What?” I peeled my eyes off of my mother’s letter, my voice breaking. “Y-y-you h-have…Olli?”
Pierre grinned wide, then he put his fingers in his mouth and whistled.
Goosebumps spread across my body. Olli. My puppy. My sweet little rambunctious hound. I’d found him as a young pup and I’d only celebrated his first birthday right before my curse. He’d been my dearest, most favorite companion until then. Losing him had broken my heart. I’d forced myself to push him deep into the back of my memory—
Nails clicked on the wooden steps and my breath caught in my throat.
Olli leapt inside the house and then slid to a stop in front of Pierre, his dipstick tail wagging. His long light brown ears perked up and he cocked his head to the side, like he was waiting for Pierre to do something. Tears brimmed on my eyelashes.
Pierre chuckled and pointed to me. “Got you a present—”
“Olli?” My voice broke.
His face snapped toward me and big brown droopy eyes spotted me in an instant. His long ears dropped and he charged for me. I grinned and sank to my knees on the floor a split second before he lunged and his big fat paws hit me right in the chest. He barked and whimpered and howled, then licked my face. I giggled and wrapped my arms around him but then he slipped out of my arms and ran circles around me with his butt tucked under. He was a hound, so although his body was nearly three feet long his belly was only a few inches off the ground. His short stumpy legs had rolls of white and light brown fur. He stuck his nose in the air and howled again. I ruffled his ears and he flipped upside down, showing me his spotted belly.
“O-o-olli.” I laughed. “I missed your little scrunchy face.”
He flipped back over and then dropped down into pounce mode, those droopy eyes staring up at me…and my heart soared with happiness. I laughed and cried as my sweet puppy zoomed around the room, spinning and barking and putting on a show for me.
I jumped back to my feet and hurried over to Pierre, then wrapped my