date- August 17th 2024 location- Sage's home in Kent, England time- noon

interacting/mentioning- no one! Sage is interacting with her step-mum ooc notes: enjoy this little conversation with Sage and her step-mum song-

There were a few things Sage thought would never change in her life. One: she could always rely on Cassie to know what to do. Two: she was confident and proud of herself. Three: her father would leave her alone for the rest of her life. There were many other things, but those were the main ones. And now she wasn't so sure they were real.

Summer camp had just come to a close, and Sage was back home in Kent. The letter felt heavy in her hand, but she knew she had to tell Cassie about it. If she had no idea what to do, she knew Cassie would.

"Um, Cassie?" Sage called, poking her head into the kitchen where her step-mum was busy writing something.

Cassie looked up, a smear of ink on her cheek. "Can you give me a minute? I've gotta finish this."

Normally Sage would have nodded and waited, but this was important. This was an emergency to her. She couldn't wait a minute; she'd waited years. "No. No, I can't wait." She slammed the letter down on the table. "We need to talk about this."

Cassie took the letter, dropping her quill when she saw who the author of the letter was. "When did you get this?" Cassie asked, her voice hardly more than a whisper and the letter in her hands shaking.

Sage took a seat at the table. "The last day of school."

"The last day of school?! That... that... idiot waited until you were about to start your summer to attempt reaching out to you?"

"Yeah. I've been trying to find a way to tell you about it. I- I don't know what to do with it."

"You don't have to do anything. He's waited this long to try reaching out to you; you don't owe him a response. He hasn't acted like your father, so you don't have to treat him like he is one."

Sage looked down at her hands. "But he is my dad. And before you say he hasn't acted like one, remember he was the only one there for me after my mum died. He made sure I was safe. He... he cared. At least, he cared for those few years. Then you came along. Then I learned the truth about myself, and Dad got scared away."


"Sage, I know you think you have to forgive everyone, but you really don't. You don't have to give him something he doesn't deserve. In fact, I've been thinking long and hard about what I want to do about my relationship with him...
"But that isn't what we're talking about now. Yes, Sage, biologically he is your father. But in my opinion, you can choose who your real family is. Your dad doesn't have to be part of that."

Sage wasn't sure what had triggered it, but tears had started rolling down her face. The words she wanted to say got caught in her throat. She knew her dad and her weren't close, but she never thought he wouldn't be part of her chosen family. Him reaching out had ruined one of the things she thought she knew for sure.

Cassie sighed and took her hands. "You, Sage Lyla Willows, are one of the strongest people I know. You lost your mom. But you got right back up. You lost a leg. But you just kept running. Your family didn't stop to help you. But you didn't let that bother you. You got kicked out of your own home. But you kept smiling. So don't let a silly thing like this bring you down. You get to choose if you want to forgive him, but you don't have to. Don't let anyone make that decision for you."

Sage took a shuddering breath and met Cassie's eyes. "Cassie- Mum- do you think he's actually sorry?"

Cassie began to reply, but stopped short. "Mum?" she repeated. "Did you call me mum?"

Sage had never called Cassie her mum before. She thought she owed it to her late mother that she should never call another motherly figure in her life 'mum'. But Sage couldn't think of a better word to describe who Cassie was in her life. She wasn't the evil step-mum in fairy tales. She loved Sage and made sure she was safe, loved, comfortable, and happy. She provided for her and took her out of unsafe situations. She helped her figure out her magical abilities, learn to run, study healing, and determine who she was as a person.

That, to Sage, was what a mum was. Cassie was the exact definition of that. And what had Cassie been saying about chosen family? Well, Sage chose Cassie as her mum. Now she just had to figure out if she would chose Christopher Albert Willows as her father.


"Yeah... I guess I did."

Cassie wiped her eyes and pulled her daughter close. "I'll take it. Thank you, Sage."

Sage gently pulled away and said, "What did you mean that you were thinking about your relationship with my dad?"

Cassie paused, her eyes widening. "Oh... I'm not sure yet, Sage. I'm still thinking about it, but... I'm considering getting a divorce from your father."