Chapter 2: The Big Day
The
sun seemed to rise especially early. Mara slipped into her dressing robe and
opened the curtains. She blinked at the light that flooded into the room and
lifted the window. Lush, green leaves blew inside, tangling in her hair.
The
door flew open. Standing in its frame was Fa Switch in her black coat, her eyes
shining with an energy that said she』d been awake and running about for hours.
「Well,」
her mother said, 「I hope you』re happy.」
Mara
picked the leaves from her hair and laid them on her bedside table.
「I
am,」 she said, 「It really couldn』t be a more perfect day.」
Fa
closed the double doors with both hands and swept her coat around to face her
oldest daughter.
「I
suppose you didn』t think it necessary,」 she said, walking towards the table
where Mara had sat and started to comb her hair, 「to inform your mother of the
details of this event.」
Fa
took the comb out of Mara』s hand and pulled it through her hair, yanking on
hard knots. Mara winced but kept her head still.
「I』ve
been all around town, making preparations, finalizing the menu,」 Ms. Switch
said. 「The streets are buzzing with talk. Excited people everywhere,
whispering, throwing sideways glances at me and running off to gossip to their
neighbor. Can you guess what they are saying?」
Mara
closed her eyes. 「I suppose they』re talking about the wedding?」
「Yes,」
Fa said. 「And what do you suppose they』re saying?」 Fa didn』t give her daughter
a chance to respond. 「They』re saying they』re so excited to see what will
happen, they』re guessing this and guessing that, they』re saying it』s going to
be the largest event in the history of the
town.」 Fa put down the comb. Mara』s hair gleamed in the mirror like
a polished stone surface.
「Now
when were you supposing to inform me,」 Ms. Switch continued, her voice rising
as she braided Mara』s hair into a perfect knot on the top of her head, 「When
were you planning on telling your mother that the entire
townwould be attending the wedding?」 She slipped one bobby pin into
the intricate bun she』d woven—miraculously, it stayed in place—and let out a deep
breath. The window slammed shut and cut off the light spring breeze that had
been gently playing inside. The air in the room stilled and became silent.
「I
thought you, of all the girls,
would know the importance of discretion.」 Fa』s hand』s held onto Mara』s
shoulders as she spoke, and Mara looked forward at her reflection. 「You』re the
one who has never once slipped in public, who blends so well into the crowd
that sometimes I wonder if you』re the same daughter I carried into this town.
Now not only are you marrying the son of the mayor, you have invited the
entire town of Ambrose to the ceremony. What am I to make of this? Where has
your head gone?」
Mara
spoke only after she saw her mother had finished. 「I only invited you and my
sisters. The rest of the guests must be Graham』s.」
At
the mention of Graham, Fa Switch strode to the bed and sat at its edge,
containing her discontent in a heavy silence. Mara knew that her mother had
disapproved of the match from the start. She understood: she, too, had been surprised
to find herself in such a situation, wary of her feelings and scared of losing
control.
Mara
had been waitressing at Fa』s Foods the summer prior—her mother』s famous
restaurant—when the Hunter family had dropped in to dine. Fa Switch had
straightened her apron, grabbed her shoulders and strode her out of the
kitchen, whispering furiously. 「The mayor』s family is here,」 she said. 「Table
17. Do not make any mistakes.」
Mara
had made no mistakes. Charming and personable, she recommended the best dishes
and brought the orders out simultaneously, steaming hot on a tray that would
have toppled precariously in any other hands but glided gracefully across the
busy dining room in Mara』s. From there the work was completed by the food:
despite the Switches』 shadowed reputation Fa』s Food was always bustling. There
was something indescribably delicious in Fa』s dishes that made her customers
unable to resist coming back for more.
Graham
Hunter came back for more, more of Fa』s food and more of Mara. He was returning
to Ambrose after spending his childhood years in New England, first in prep
school, then a prestigious college and law school. For his homecoming
celebration his father, Mayor Hunter, had decided in an uncharacteristic move
to take him to dine at the most talked-about restaurant in town, which he had
yet to visit. And so, Graham met Mara, and untainted by years of whispered
rumors of what the family became at night, he saw only her beauty and tranquil,
earthly grace. A covert courtship ensued, and soon despite her reservations
Mara found herself wholeheartedly attached to him, unable to say no to his
proposal of marriage.
She
had convinced herself that it would be a wonderful opportunity to refute the
Swithes』 reputation, and that was what she said to her mother now. 「Maybe it』ll
be a good thing,」 she said, taking Ms. Switch』s hand and holding it between her
own. 「If the whole town sees me marry Graham, the whole town will see that we
are not so different after all. This could be our chance to change everything.
Imagine it, mother! All those words behind closed doors, about how we』re just
not like them, how we can concoct strange spells, how we』re dangerous, imagine
all of that disappearing into air.」 Mara stood up and looked into her mother』s
eyes, pleading.
「This
is our chance to prove we』re not what they think we are,」 she said.
Fa
Switch took her hands out of Mara』s grasp and strode towards the doors. They
swung open, and she stopped briefly in the frame before they closed in front of
her, her eyes cold and unyielding.
「The
problem is,」 she said, 「we are.」