I'm not her - A witch from the fairy tale (11.)

He stared into her eyes.

 

"I'm sorry," he apologized to her for the umpteenth time in that moment. In doing so, he lifted his free hand and wiped away a tear that was streaming down her cheek with his thumb.

 

"When I found out from Melissa yesterday," he continued, "what happened to you, I thought... or it seemed that way at first, that you had gotten married and had another child, but once Melissa led me out of my mistake and showed me a picture of her daughter while telling me the rest of your story, it became clear..."

 

"You don't have to feel sorry for me," Anna said, jumping into his speech and lowering her gaze. Suddenly, a strange feeling came over her that she couldn't describe. She had no idea how Mel knew that this man was the one she had told her all about.

 

"I don't feel sorry for you, quite the opposite, my little one." His voice lowered to a whisper that made her shiver just as much as it once had, and the large, warm palm that stroked her cheek gently didn't help matters either.

 

"You've been through so much pain because of my stupidity." Anna was about to retort that their daughter was no mistake or stupidity, but he quickly continued.

 

"I don't mean Bel, but the suffering you must have gone through..." He probably had a lot more he wanted to say to her, but he didn't get a chance to as there was a voice from the other room:

"Dad!" A frightened child's voice echoed, and then there was a quick cupping sound. It took Anna a moment to realize what was happening.

 

Oh my God, Julie! The thought ran through her head like a cold hurricane, and from Michael's horrified expression, he was in a similar state. She watched as he closed his eyes for a moment. Anna took advantage of this to tear herself away from him and run to the other end of the room where she stood, trying to compose herself.

 

Meanwhile, Michael's daughter ran into the room.

 

"Yes, sweetheart, what is it?" He knelt down beside his daughter, whose face was as white as a wall. This caused Anna, who had somehow pulled herself together in the meantime, to have a feeling she thought she would never have again. The little girl suddenly looked fragile and frightened. Her eyes were as wide as a groundhog's, and her chin was trembling. Anna took a step towards her as Julie hummed softly.

 

"That wicked lady is standing at the door again, looking in."

 

"What evil pa...?" Michael paused mid-sentence and hissed something softly, then began to soothe his child. "Come on, Julie, that lady won't hurt you. Come here!" He said, slowly pulling himself and his daughter, clinging to the back of his neck like a tick, to a standing position.

 

Anna watched this silently and, at the same time, wanted to ask what was going on because she was getting rather uneasy, but before she could open her mouth, there was a rather loud banging on the shop's door.

 

*

 

It took Anna a moment to recover from what she was seeing. And also from what Michael had told her a little while ago about what had happened last night when she fell asleep. And now it was probably going to have a sequel.

For standing outside the shop was the esteemed Madam, Glotylda. A woman who was like a fairy tale witch, except she looked rather elegant.

 

Grey hair combed into her typical tight bun and wearing a ton of makeup, followed by a long white fur coat.

The memory of the day she had last seen this woman flashed through Anna's mind and her mind shook at the foundations, but she hoped to the wind that it was somehow unrecognizable.

"If you want, I'll handle it, after all I have practice from yesterday."