Ambrosine

by Noreen Harrison

  “Are you sure you’re dancing with the right girl?”

  Looking around the room, he replied, “Hmm, well maybe you’re right. That little brunette over there is cute. What do you think?” I elbowed him lightly.

  “Really?”

  We laughed and walked back to the punchbowl. Before I could have a sip of punch though, Libby came over. “Your mother wants to see you in the dining room and she said now.”

  “Oh, okay, thanks for the dance, Robert.”

  “Any time.”

  Mother was standing by the cake with Madame Ambrosine. They were both admiring her creative work. Mother enjoyed designing my cakes and this year she really outdid herself.

  “There you are, Alixia. I want to talk to you about something important before we cut your cake. I’m going to be announcing something tonight…” she hesitated as Madame Ambrosine touched her arm.

  “Announcing what?”

  She looked anxious. “Ah… listen, I was going to tell you after your birthday party, but something has come up, and I will have to make my announcement now to our friends, while I have them all here.”

  “It must be important,” I looked at her curiously, “if you can’t wait until after the party. What is it?”

  She looked at Madame Ambrosine for reassurance. “We’re moving to New Orleans.”

  “What?” My heart dropped. “Mother, what are you saying?”

  “I said we are moving.”

  “When did you decide this?” I asked angrily. My confusion set in. She took my hand and said, “Not now. The guests, Alixia. Compose yourself. I’ll explain it all later.”

  The guests were already gathering in the dining room singing "Happy Birthday.” Mother lit the candle and said, “Make a wish.”

  I’ll make a wish all right!

  I closed my eyes and wished this day had never happened and I blew out the candle.

  While the cake was being served, Mother made her announcement that we were moving to New Orleans. Our friends were shocked, especially Libby and Claire.

  Libby came up to me with tears in her eyes. “Why didn’t you tell us you were moving?” Claire reached out for me and added, “Alixia, we’re your friends, why would you keep this from us?”

  I stood between them, wondering why myself. “I just found out, too! I don’t know what’s going on, but I am going to find out, I can promise you that!”

  As we were eating the cake, I overheard Mother telling her friends that after Father’s passing, she just wanted to be around her family again.

  What family?

  I waited patiently, glaring at her. She turned her head, trying to avoid eye contact, keeping busy with our guests.

  Finally, the party came to an end. We said our goodbyes and the last guests left.

  This was not a birthday I want to remember at all.

  The Secret

  We watched as the last guests drove away, and walked back up to the house.

  “All right, Mother, everyone is gone, so tell me - what’s going on?” I asked as I held the door.

  “Come with me.” She said curtly, walking past me.

  We walked into the library with Madame Ambrosine following us. As we sat down, I could think only about Mother taking me away from the place where I grew up, taking away my security. It wasn’t fair. I was so angry and upset, I couldn’t wait for an explanation. I spoke first.

  “Why are you telling everyone we’re moving to New Orleans to be close to your family? We have no family there!”

  “Alixia, we do have family there.”

  She looked and nodded toward Madame Ambrosine. I turned my gaze to her and remembered my first impression of her, the same green eyes as Mother and me and feeling that connection to her.

  “I am an Ambrosine.” She swallowed hard. “That’s my lineage, and it’s yours too. This is my sister.”

  I looked at her, baffled.

  “I don’t understand. Why the secrecy? Why would you hide that you have a family in New Orleans?”

  Madame Ambrosine interrupted.

  “It wasn’t all your mother’s doing that you weren’t told of this. Your father had a lot to do with it.”

  “My father! What did he have to do with me not knowing Mother’s family?”

  “Your father was…” Madame Ambrosine began, but Mother quickly took her arm, shaking her head quickly from side to side. They exchanged words in French with Mother nodding in agreement.

  “What’s going on?” I demanded.

  Mother looked at me intensely.

  “Let me explain. I should have told you about my family when we visited New Orleans last March, and why it was kept hidden from you.”

  “All right, tell me now, and what did Father have to do this?”

  Haltingly, she answered,

  “I am going to tell you, but try to keep an open mind, please.”

  “Okay, Mother. Just tell me! Geez!”

  She fidgeted in her chair. “The reason you were never told is because your father didn’t want you to be a part of my family. In truth, I promised him I’d never bring up my true Ambrosine lineage to you.”

  “Why?” I interrupted.

  I couldn’t believe my father would make her even promise such a thing!

  She frowned and said, “He thought of my family as evil and dealt with the occult.”

  “What? Are you kidding?!” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing about my own father.

  “Why would he think your family dealt with the occult?”

  “Because he observed something during one of our Gatherings that he thought was black magic and immoral.”

  “What do you mean? You do charity work. How could he even think that was immoral?”

  The tone in her voice went noticeably quieter.

  “Alixia, this has nothing to do with my charity work. Your father witnessed what I actually do—”

  I interrupted.

  “What you actually do?”

  She lowered her eyes and said softly, “I have supernatural abilities.”

  “You have what?!”

  “I have abilities, Alixia.”

  “Abilities?”

  “Yes.” Her expression changed and she went on. “You have them, also. They just haven’t been brought forward yet. That’s the reason we have to move, so you can fulfill your destiny as an Ambrosine.”

  I looked at her like she had lost her mind. “You’re joking, right?” I eyed her with cynicism. “Father didn’t want me to know about your family because he thought they had some kind of evil superpowers, and I have to fulfill a destiny? You’ve got to be kidding.”

  “This is no joke!” She stressed. “I‘ve been having visions about you—especially today. They have been warning me you’re in some kind of danger, and my sister and I thought—”

  “What? This is too much! Let me understand this, you’re telling me you have visions and that’s why we’re leaving?” I shook my head.

  She has gone insane! I stared at her in disbelief. “You can’t be serious with all of this, Mother—”

  Madame Ambrosine interrupted sharply, “Alixia! What your Mother is saying is true. We can’t wait any longer. There’s a reason for those dreams you’ve been having, and your destiny needs to start now. You must acknowledge who you are and the abilities you hold before something happens to you. New Orleans will be safer for you.”

  I look intently at both of them. "This is ridiculous. You expect me to believe all this mumbo-jumbo?”

  “Yes!” Mother retorted, “I do expect you to believe what we’re telling you, and it’s not mumbo-jumbo.”

  She stood up and paced back and forth a minute, then turned to me angrily. “You’re just like your father. I tried to warn him about the vision I had with that train, but he didn’t believe me either.”

  “Mother, you knew about the train wreck that killed Father?” Tears welled up in her eyes and her face went pale.

  “Yes,” she said softly, “and so did y
our father. I warned him not to take that train. He promised he wouldn’t, that he would stay in the hotel until the next…” Her voice started quivering. “He…didn’t keep his promise to me.”

  She began crying uncontrollably. I went over and hugged her, and tried to console her.

  “I’m so sorry.” I said.

  We held onto each other for what seemed like an eternity. I knew her heart was breaking all over again, and so was mine.

  I whispered, “Mother, why did you keep this from me?” She stepped away from me. “I can’t talk anymore tonight. We will talk again in the morning.”

  “But, Mother!”

  “Alixia, tomorrow.”

  Madame Ambrosine wrapped her arm around Mother and said, “Tomorrow will be better, Alixia.” And with that, they left. I stood in the library feeling both numb and confused.

  When I woke the next morning, I wondered what other secrets were out there. I was afraid to get up. I still couldn’t believe that all this was happening to me. I wanted to pull the blankets over my head and forget. It was bad enough having crazy dreams each night, but now I had to deal with Mother’s family.

  A knock on the door brought me out of my thoughts. It was Madame Ambrosine, or Aunt Cecilia, now. How strange it was to say that. She peeked her head in.

  “Are you awake, Alixia?”

  “Oui.” I said as I gazed over the covers at her. I couldn’t believe how much she looked like Mother. I should have questioned it when I first noticed their similarities. She sat down beside me on the bed. “So, you had quite a birthday, didn’t you?”

  “I guess so. I’m still trying to absorb all this new family history I’ve been made privy to.” I said sarcastically. I thought of how she and Mother disrupted my birthday - and my life - in one night.

  She tried hugging me, but I pulled away from her. She ignored my attitude and said,

  “I am sorry that your birthday was such a letdown for you.”

  I looked at her strangely.

  Did she know what I was thinking? No, that’s crazy. I continued listening to the end of her apology.

  “But, I’m glad I can finally be part of your life again.”

  I got up and moved to the middle of the bed so I could talk face-to-face with her. It still bugged me that Father kept her out of our lives.

  “How come you couldn’t be part of our family? I know Mother said Father was upset about some family rituals or something.”

  She looked toward the door. “I shouldn’t even be talking to you about this. It’s up to your mother to tell you; but, I will tell you this, your father did refuse to have anything to do with the Ambrosines. Even the mere mention of our name was not allowed in his home.”

  “Why?”

  “Alixia, like your mother said, he thought we were part of the occult.” She hesitated for a second and her expression changed to an ominous look. “Your father should not have been so hard-headed. Anyway, I can’t say anymore. I promised your mother.” She reached over and took my hand. “But, we are together now and the past is the past, as your mother said.”

  I felt a sadness for her that she had been kept away from me.

  “So, you’re my aunt, huh?”

  “Yes, I am.” She smiled openly. I looked into her eyes.

  This is too weird. Could this all be true, especially about their powers?

  Nervously, I gathered my hair in a ponytail and started twisting it in a bun. Then I released it, letting my hair fall past my shoulders. I wanted to ask her a question, just to ease my curiosity.

  “Ah… about the Ambrosines,” I struggled getting out the words, “you know, what Mother said…does she really have powers?”

  “Yes. We all do.” She said without any hesitation.

  “This is crazy.”

  She stood up and walked to the foot of the bed and mused,

  “You know, I wouldn’t believe it either if I was from the outside world. But hopefully you will change your mind when you get to know who you are and the powers you hold.”

  I moved to the edge of the bed. “Well, out of inquisitiveness, what kind of powers do I have? I mean…uh… if I did believe in all this you’re telling me.”

  She grimaced. “I can’t tell you. Your Mother wants to reveal more about the family and their beliefs before I can answer that question. You will just have to wait.”

  “Why?”

  “Because, like I told you, I promised her. I have to respect her judgment about how much she wants you to know. However, when you do come to New Orleans, I will help you understand your abilities. But for now, we have to follow your mother’s wishes. Now, I must get ready to leave. I will meet you downstairs to say goodbye, so get dressed.”

  As she went out the door, I wondered if this could all be true. I could believe the aunt part to be true, but the powers? Mother did say she knew ahead of time about Father’s…I sighed. I didn’t want to think about it anymore.

  I dressed quickly and went to breakfast. Everyone had already eaten, so I just grabbed a pastry and went outside to sit on the porch. The morning was perfect, with the warmth of the day just beginning. I was looking toward the countryside when Mother joined me.

  “Good morning, Alixia.”

  “Good morning.”

  We sat side-by-side quietly, neither of us wanting to bring up last night’s conversation just yet. We just took at the serenity around us.

  The silence was broken with the honk of a horn. It was Madame Ambrosine’s driver. The screen door opened, and Madame Ambrosine came out onto the porch. She looked radiant in the morning sun as she walked over to us. She spoke to Mother about a house that was outside of New Orleans. Mother’s voice was filled with excitement as she talked about moving back to her childhood home. I sat quietly and listened as they talked about the repairs that had to be done on the house.

  Madame Ambrosine said, “It should be ready to move into in a few weeks.”

  “Did you hear that, Alixia? We will be able to move in a few weeks.”

  “I heard, Mother.”

  The driver came up on the porch and picked up Madame Ambrosine’s luggage and took it to the car.

  “Well, I must be going.” She said with a little hesitancy in her voice. We walked her to the car. The driver was holding the door open as she kissed us both and then got into the car.

  “It’s nice you’re finally returning home, Lucida.” She said. Mother nodded and replied, “I know. We will be together again soon.”

  “Goodbye, Alixia.”

  We watched as they pulled away and headed down the road and out of sight.

  “Well,” Mother took my hand in hers, “you haven’t said a word about anything we talked about last night. Don’t you have any questions?”

  “I don’t know what to ask. It’s just hard for me to believe all of this is really true.”

  “Alixia.”

  “Wait,” I stepped away from her, “before you start lecturing me, what I’m trying to say is, it’s going to take some time to get used to these changes in my life. The moving, leaving my friends and the craziness of my new supposed family with their special powers. You have to admit, it’s a little out there.”

  She sighed. “All right, I agree this should be hard for you to understand, but the Ambrosines are powerful and we all have some kind of ability to offer the world.”

  I put my hands up. “Ooh… what’s mine?” I laughed. “Am I going to be able to read people’s minds, like you? That would be cool.”

  “Alixia! I expect you to be a little more respectful, do you understand me?” She snapped. I could tell she was more than a little upset about my disrespect.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

  “You have to start taking this seriously! As for your powers, I don’t know what you’re going to be capable of, we just have to wait and see.”

  “Okay, if you can’t answer that question, can you answer this one?”

  “What is it?”

&nb
sp; “Why did you let Father keep me away from your family?”

  She sighed and looked toward the orchards where Father was buried. She was either trying to choose the right words before speaking, or she really didn’t know how to answer my question.

  “Okay, I will tell you. It’s time you knew the truth. When we were married, I really didn’t want to keep secrets from your father, so I asked my family members if I could be open with him about who we really were. Of course my request was denied, and they warned me that our supernatural abilities and beliefs must always stay cryptic to outsiders. They stressed that if your father ever found out who we were, there would be consequences.”

  “So that’s why you kept us away from your family, you were afraid they would hurt us?”

  “No, I’m not saying that.” She put her hand up to her forehead pushed a strand of her hair back nervously. ”Something happened during Mardi Gras just before you were born.”

  “What happened?”

  She took a deep breath, and went into the story with no hesitation, as if she was elated to finally talk about this part of her life.

  “Well, the night it occurred, we had just arrived in New Orleans and went directly to my sister’s home, as we usually did during Mardi Gras. The staff greeted us at the door and informed us Madame Ambrosine was out, but she would be returning shortly. We made ourselves comfortable in the study and waited. Little Millie had been anticipating our return and burst into the room. She was about four years old then. Your father had bonded with her the first time they met, so Millie and your father picked up where they had left off the year before, playing games and teasing each other. I watched them interact with each other until Cecilia arrived home. We hugged and she informed me there was a Gathering that night.”

  “Wait!” I interrupted her. “So the Gatherings are your charities, right?”

  “Yes and no.” Mother said shaking her head. “They weren’t exactly charities.”

  “What were they?”

  “Just let me finish telling you what happened.” Gathering her thoughts, she continued.