Stephen and Tello sat in a small house nestled just beside the plot of land. From the window, they could see the front of the lot which was likely how Rumm had spotted them earlier.
"Would you like some tea?" Rumm asked, moving around the sink, which stood in the same room. "I don't know why Gila's taking so long."
"You could sell the land and move somewhere bigger," Stephen said, glancing around. "Or does that not interest you?"
"Not at all," Rumm replied. "A modest life is always best."
"I see." Stephen turned back toward the window. "You've been guarding that lot a long time. Why give it up now, just because your daughter gets married?"
"That land belonged to my late wife," Rumm said, pouring hot water into a few cups. "She wanted our daughter to use it once she married and started her own life."
He picked up the cups and carried them over. "She always dreamed of having grandchildren... it pains me she never got to see them."
"I'm sorry," Tello said softly, watching as Rumm placed the tea on the table. Each cup came with a few sugar cubes. Stephen grabbed four and dropped them into his.
"It doesn't matter," Rumm said, settling into a chair opposite them. "You'll give me grandchildren. And as long as I see them, I can describe them to her in the afterlife."
Tello coughed, raising the cup to his lips to hide his reaction.
Stephen sipped, then added another cube and stirred.
"Too much sugar is bad for you," Rumm warned, blowing on his tea.
"This world's devoid of BA** energy," Stephen muttered. "This is the only substitute."
"What a strange young man," Rumm said.
For a few minutes, the room settled into quiet. Stephen pulled out the now cold pancakes and ate them with his syrupy tea. He offered some to Darla, who waited outside, but she didn't seem too interested.
Just as Rumm stood to collect their cups, a knock came at the door. Once. Then again.
A gust of wind blew through the room and he was already there, hand on the knob.
When the door opened, it revealed a woman in a white dress, her orange hair catching the light. She stepped inside, scanning the room before turning to Rumm.
"Gila, you took so long." He said, folding his arms. "Keeping your future husband waiting on your first meeting is unacceptable behavior."
"So this is why you called me?" she said, pushing up her glasses with a sigh. "You said you were dying in your letter."
"I am... dying to introduce you to your new husband." Rumm grinned and pointed straight at them.
Gila glanced at them, and while Stephen met her eyes calmly, Tello quickly raised his cup to his lips, then higher still, using it like a shield the longer her gaze stayed on him.
"Look, Dad," She said with a sigh, "I understand you want me to get married and all that. But forcing me into it isn't going to make me any more interested."
"But—" Rumm began.
"But it's my life." She cut him off firmly. "I know you mean well. I know you want what's best for me. But if having grandchildren meant that much to you, maybe you should've had more kids or something. I don't know."
"This plot... this life. It was your mother's dream," Rumm said, tapping his chest. "If not for me, can't you at least do it for her?"
Gila closed her eyes and brought her hand to her face. "Dad, we've had this conversation before."
"And every time you've been so selfish!" Rumm snapped. "You know how much she wanted this! You know how much she loved the idea of—"
"Well, Mom's not here anymore, is she?" Gila shouted, voice cracking. "Every damn day it's Mom this, Mom that. She's gone, Dad!"
Rumm recoiled slightly, and she continued.
"You talk about her dream like it's some holy mission. But what about me?" Gila pressed her hand to her chest. "What about what I want?"
"What you want can wait... you can—"
"What I want can wait?" Gila said, with a scoff. "Are you even hearing yourself?"
Stephen looked up at her, unsure whether to step in. It wasn't his place and while Gila was right to not want to be forced, there was a raw anger in her words that made the room feel like it was caving in.
"But your mother—"
"Stop talking about her!" she snapped. "She's gone. She doesn't want anything anymore. So stop using her memory to control me!"
"Alright, let's all calm down—" Stephen tried to interject.
"You could at least try to understand him better." Tello suddenly said, and the room instantly fell silent.
Stephen turned to him.
Tello continued, much quieter now. "Like you said... your mother is already gone. And if you keep wasting time like this, so will your father. I get that you don't want to rush into something you're not ready for... but he's not trying to hurt you. He's just trying to hold on."
Gila turned her gaze on him. "And who are you, exactly?"
"Nobody..." Tello murmured, instantly retreating, curling behind his cup again like a turtle into its shell.
Stephen watched him for a second, then sighed. "Alright... how about we just sit and talk this through properly? I think we got off on the wrong foot."
Gila exhaled hard, then turned toward the door. "There's no point to this."
She looked at Rumm one last time. "And if this is the only reason you're going to keep calling me... then maybe it's better if we stop talking altogether."
Then she was gone.
The door shut behind her with a thud, silence overtaking the room instantly, only broken by the faint rustle of Darla pacing outside.
"...That didn't go well," Stephen muttered, poking at the last bite of cold pancake. "Seems like you've brought this up a lot before."
"Every day," Rumm said, his forehead resting on the table. "I just wanted her to understand how much it means to me, to her mother."
"Well, you can't pressure her like that," Stephen said. "It's a big ask and like she said, she's her own person, with her own life to live."
"...you're right," Rumm murmured, rubbing his face with both hands. "I messed up. I really did."
"It happens." Stephen gave a small shrug. "Don't sweat it too much. She's your daughter. She'll come around eventually—"
"She won't," Rumm said. "Gila always means what she says. She won't talk to me again..."
Then came the hard shatter of concrete as Rumm's fist slammed the wall, hand going through cleanly. Only then did they realize how many holes had been patched up in the house. "I pushed her away, what should I do..."
"You can try talking to her for one," Stephen said, "Get her to calm down and understand where exactly you're coming from, and drop the child thing. It'll only strain your relationship more."
"...I'll drop it." He hesitated. "If that's what it takes to talk to her again... I'll let it go. But how do I even begin? She won't speak to me."
"Hmm."
Stephen leaned back, eyes flicking toward Tello, who had just lowered the cup he'd been using to hide his face.
"Can we make a deal?"
Tello instantly glanced at Stephen, what the hell was he planning now?
"A deal?" Rumm echoed.
"If we manage to get your daughter on board, or rather get her to talk to you again. Would you throw in something other than the lot?"
"That would be amazing," Rumm said, pacing toward him. "Getting her on board would be so much better though!"
"You're pushy." Stephen muttered, then he licked his fingers. "Alright then, I'd like you to teach me the basics of magic."
"Hmm..." Rumm voiced, "Magic is not a path opened to all. If you have no affinity for it, there is nothing I can do."
"Is that a yes?"
"...I suppose," Rumm muttered.
Stephen turned toward Tello. "Alright. Go out there and tell her you've loved her since the second you met."
"I am not doing that!" Tello screamed, hands outstretched.
Stephen laughed softly. "I'm just kidding. But seriously... You want to talk to her, don't you? You understand her and you get her father, too. That puts you in the perfect position. Even if it doesn't work, even if all she does is vent and complain, if she can say that to him, then we still win."
"But I'm not good with words, Stephen. You know that."
"That doesn't matter." Stephen shook his head. "This isn't a speech. Just talk to her."
Tello looked unsure. "...What do I even say?"
Stephen stood and grabbed him by the arms, pulling him up too.
"Say whatever's in here," he said, tapping Tello's chest. "This kind of thing only works when it's honest."
"And if it doesn't?"
Stephen gave a lopsided smile. "Then we deal with that. But there's only one way to find out."
With a gentle push, Tello stumbled toward the door, then broke into a run. His footsteps echoed through the sand, growing fainter as he disappeared from view.
Stephen sat back down slowly. Truth was, that might've been the most hypocritical thing he'd done all day. If he were the one in that situation, and had to speak from the heart, he'd probably implode on the spot.
But Tello wasn't him. Tello was sincere, honest, painfully shy, and terrified of ghosts and sudden noises and yet, he was still braver than Stephen could ever be.
He could do this.
"You sure he'll be alright?" Rumm asked, going back to his seat.
Stephen didn't hesitate. "Yeah. Don't worry. It's as good as done."
"You're sure?"
"Completely." Stephen watched him settle into the chair. "Now. Let's get started on that magic lesson."