Sonny and the others approached, and Leo huffed out a laugh when he noticed Maddel was riding Ravenpaw. He hadn’t even noticed their cat going to Sonny.
Sonny’s eyes were sad as he watched the earthen box. “What did they say?”
Leo shifted, unconcerned with his nudity, and pulled Sonny into his arms. “Does it matter? Remember what you told me about Litha? It’s a time to let the past go and look toward the future. Those people aren’t your parents. Myrtle is. They aren’t your family. We are.” He gave Sonny a gentle kiss. “Let’s forget those assholes exist and get to our celebration.”
Sonny gave him a slow smile. “That’s a good idea.” He looked over his shoulder. “Let go of the past, Myrtle. Gnomes aren’t so bad. That cake looked really good.”
Myrtle scowled. “Don’t sass me, Somerset. You being pregnant doesn’t mean I can’t turn your skin purple and your hair orange.”
Sonny gave her a horrified look. “I wouldn’t match at all.”
The old witch smiled smugly. “Exactly.”
Chapter 5
Sonny was a bit tired after his morning run for his life. He leaned back against a tree and watched as Thorwald and some of the Rocchi cousins got the bonfire going. The bear shifters joked as they tossed wood in, bodies already loose limbed from the beer they’d been drinking. Fortunately, Niels was there to supervise so no one ended up in the fire.
Tilisha and her family worked with some of the other guests to hang strings of summer flowers from the low branches of the trees in the clearing they had chosen for the celebration. Mugwort for divination, wisteria for harmony and peace, and verbena to bring us closer to the God and Goddess.
Ravenpaw was a short distance away, playing with the gnomes. Sonny had been shocked to find out that gnomes were very good with animals. They had fallen in love with Ravenpaw and Flufflepuff and were currently making flower crowns for his cats. Gnomes really aren’t that bad, he thought, fighting the wiggle of doubt that filled his mind. Janine trusts them.
Gemma was still in her rabbit form. She hadn’t moved from Sonny’s side all morning, which made him think his parents’ threats had been particularly nasty.
She curled against him, head pressed to his abdomen. Wendy sprawled over her with her chubby bunny butt pointed toward the sky.
Aaron bumped his shoulder. “Look at your bear, Sonny.”
Sonny turned his head and watched Leo as he helped Myrtle and Hester decorate the altar they would use for the scrying and blessing. My honey bear learned his flowers, he thought with a smile.
Flufflepuff stretched across his shoulders as Leo placed the handful of mistletoe and St. John’s wort they had picked beside the circle of amber stones. Mistletoe for divination and health, St. John’s wort for protection from those who would harm us, and amber to heal that which is broken.
He rubbed his chest, hating that his parents still had the ability to hurt him.
Aaron took his hand and laced their fingers together. “Remember when you were afraid to talk to Leo when you two first met? You thought he would hate you.”
Sonny gave his friend an irritated look. “Do you have to remind me of that now?”
Aaron watched him with wide blue eyes. “You thought he could never accept your genderfluidity because your parents didn’t. They’ve fucked with your head long enough, Sonny. Over this past year, I’ve watched Leo grow to accept himself. He’s pushed himself to learn about witch culture so he can love you as you deserve. He’s pulled you into his family, and they’ve made you their own.”
Sonny’s heartbeat quickened. “He’s my honey bear and the best mate in the world.”
Aaron nodded. “I’ve also seen you become more you. You do more than accept Leo and his family; you always try to make life better for them. You’ve become one of them, and while you were taking care of them, something happened. Before, you would hide yourself away as much as possible. The only places you felt safe were at home or in the shop. Now, you’re just you everywhere you go, and it’s so beautiful, Sonny. You’re beautiful.”
Sonny closed his eyes, trapping his tears away. “I am beautiful. No matter what I wear, no matter what gender I’m feeling or not feeling today. I’m a beautiful person. We all are.” He squeezed Aaron’s hand. “I have an amazing family and the best brother in the world.” Gemma rubbed her head against his abdomen, making him laugh. “The best sister too.”
He watched as his mate looked up and smiled at him. Leo always smiled at him. He always looked at Sonny as if he was everything important in life.
“I think,” he said, voice soft, “that life is about loving. Loving our mates, families, and friends, of course, but also loving the world around us and everything in it. I can’t hate my parents. I want to, and they deserve it, but I don’t want that weight on me. They don’t love me and it haunts them. Everything I do that they don’t approve of eats at them and pulls them down. That’s what they choose to carry. I’m choosing love.”
“They really don’t deserve it,” Aaron said, growling.
Sonny shrugged. “I’m not forgiving them what they’ve done, but I’m choosing to let them go. They can sink under all that hate of theirs. That’s their decision. Me? I’m going to focus on loving me and mine. That’s what I want in my head and heart.”
Leo said something to Myrtle, making her laugh, then turned and walked toward them. He’s so easy to love.
Leo grinned and knelt in front of him. “Myrtle says they’re ready, sunshine. Do you want to do the blessing or the scrying first?”
“Blessing,” he said quickly, catching Flufflepuff when she jumped into his arms. “The scrying is for fun, but the blessing is the most important part.”
Leo nudged Gemma and Wendy off Sonny’s lap and helped him stand.
Aaron gathered his wife and daughter in his arms, laughing when they both refused to shift to their human forms. “You two are going full bunny, huh? I guess there are worse ways to enjoy a party.”
An hour later, all their guests gathered around the altar. Miles and his parents were nearby, and Ravenpaw and Flufflepuff were curled up with Cookie and some of the other familiars.
Myrtle looked around them. “Any who wish to join in for a Litha blessing and baby scrying, come on up.”
Sonny looked around hopefully. There were a lot of people here today, so surely someone else was pregnant too.
Rosemarie and Kate stepped forward, hand in hand. “We’ll take that baby scrying and the blessing, please,” Rosemaire said with a smile.
Sonny squealed and rushed to hug her. “Kate, you’re pregnant?”
“Scent changed yesterday,” Kate said, cheeks flushing.
Jesse and Katrin joined in the hug and soon all the Rocchi family was congratulating the young couple.
After six more people came forward, they all settled down around the altar. Leo and Sonny held hands as they knelt on one side while Myrtle sat on the other with her rune bag in her lap. Hester and Blackwood sat on either side of her, offering their strength for the rituals.
They all joined hands and Myrtle gave Sonny a wink before putting on her serious face. “The wheel of life turns and we find ourselves in the day of light and fire. Blessed be this Midsummer Solstice. The sun is at its peak, and the Goddess is heavy with child. Today we celebrate the light, for tomorrow that light will wane. Today we acknowledge the end of the waxing year and the beginning of the waning time. We say goodbye to the time of growth and fertility and welcome the seasons of harvest and wisdom. We say goodbye to a past of burdens and welcome a future of our own making.”