said warily.
“Well, I had a little chat with him and told him I wished he had erectile issues for the rest of his life. I thought it was just talk, but I recently learned that when my ire is up, my wishes have been turning into actual curses. Total accident.”
“Who else have you cursed?” Alyssa asked.
“Bill and Shondra, oh, and Nina at work. But that curse wore off. I’m not sure about Bill and Shondra’s.”
“Good lord, what did you curse them with?” Alyssa asked.
“Erectile disfunction—”
“That seems to be a favorite of yours,” Bronwyn said.
Grace chuckled. “Yeah, when it comes to assholes, sure. Shondra was unlucky and ended up with genital warts.”
All three of them gasped.
“Aunt Grace,” Lex said, sounding scandalized. “That’s terrible.”
“I know. Like I said, I had no idea my wishes were coming true. But then Nina got acne after I wished it on her, and Jackson told me he heard a rumor about Shondra cheating and that due to her genital warts there was no denying it. My anger management issues were a little out of control, and my uncharitable thoughts turned into actual curses.”
Alyssa snorted her amusement. “I’m not sure what Nina did, but the other three certainly deserved what they got.”
Grace grimaced. “I don’t care about Charlie, but I need to make a neutralizing potion for Bill and Shondra. They were assholes to me, but that doesn’t mean I’m comfortable stooping to their level.”
“You didn’t really if it was just an accident,” Bronwyn reasoned.
“Sure, but now that I know…” Grace lifted her hands palms up. “I need to reverse any lingering effects.”
“It’s the right thing to do,” Alyssa agreed. “But don’t you dare do anything about Charlie. That bastard deserves to rot.”
“What happened tonight, Mom?” Lex asked, moving to sit next to Alyssa on the couch.
“Oh, baby.” Alyssa closed her eyes, and when she opened them, there was real pain in her expression. “I’m so sorry. I owe you such a huge apology.”
“Mom, I—”
“Shh, now. I’ve been a terrible mother this past year. The things I’ve said to you about Jackson, my dismissive comments about you and Bronwyn. I know I’ve hurt you. When Charlie parroted my words back to me tonight, I heard them. Really heard how that talk about Jackson must’ve felt to you, and I just…” Her words got caught on a sob. “You deserve so much better. You and Bronwyn both do. I’m so sorry.” Alyssa reached over and hugged her daughter with her one good arm. “Can you forgive me?”
“I… um, think so,” Lex said as she met Bronwyn’s eyes. Bronwyn nodded and gave her girlfriend a reassuring smile.
“Okay.” Alyssa pulled back and dabbed at her eyes again. “I’m sorry. I’ll do better.”
Grace was skeptical that her sister wouldn’t hurt Lex again with thoughtless comments, but it was a start. And that’s what mattered.
“Mom, you still haven’t really told us what happened tonight,” Lex said, and Grace was grateful she knew how to keep Alyssa on track.
“Oh. Charlie was drinking again.” Alyssa wrinkled her nose in disgust. “I’d had it. The man hasn’t worked in I don’t know how long, so I told him to get his ass out. That’s when he blew up and started talking shit about Grace and then you. When I told him to knock it off, he said why and started shouting at me all the things I’d said to you as if I was just as bad as he was. But the worst was when he started talking about how he should’ve moved on to you and Bronwyn already, that I was too old and boring, and that it was too bad the hot piece of ass had already moved out.”
Grace’s stomach turned. Charlie was such bad news she couldn’t understand why her sister hadn’t thrown him out earlier. She imagined he was usually better behaved around his cash cow and kept most of his sick comments to himself. But she was glad Alyssa had finally had enough.
“It was then that I hauled off and decked him,” Alyssa said, her voice strong and full of ire. “No one talks about my daughter like that. No one.”
“That’s why you don’t want to talk to the police,” Grace said, understanding that Alyssa had assaulted him first.
“That’s right. And if you don’t mind, can I stay here for a while until I can find a new place? The lease is up on that house at the end of the month. If I just move out, Charlie will have