“You brushed my petals with a kiss,
I woke to gladness with a start,
And yielded up to you in bliss
The treasured fragrance of my heart; And then I knew
That I had waited there for you.”

-James Weldon Johnson

It was a sobering scene at the Harlem hospital center Emergency room, Where Sierra, Flora and Zekito anxiously sat as they waited for further news on Maritza’s current condition.

Sierra flickered her lighter on and off until the receptionist scolded her for it while pointing at a sign stating that there is oxygen in use nearby.

“Tia,” Zekito began, “Do you think my mom will be okay?”

“I dunno papito,” She answered as she put her lighter away, “I just know that I’ve never seen her get hurt before, so this is all pretty new to me.”

“Yeah I remember you and the Yuki girl talking. Y’all were saying our mother had...powers?” asked Flora.

“That she does,” explained Sierra, “She’d just been hiding them. Your mother has gone through hell and back, both literally and figuratively. You kids seem to forget that she had a whole other life before y’all two came, before she even met your father. She went through a lot of horrible shit, and this just… well this is just a whole new pile of it.”

Flora kept quiet for a bit, contemplating what to ask her auntie Sierra next.

“So,” She then asked her auntie, “How did, how did my mother become… whatever she is?”

Sierra just stared at her niece and nephew for a moment as she thought about what to even say next. She could not understand her cousin’s pure reluctance and neglect. He thought to herself “why the fuck would she never tell her own kids about her power? Why does she keep denying herself?”

Then she thought about the trip.

About the night at the hospital.

About her friend Virgil.

Then she began to understand.

Why would her cousin want to ever relive such a horrible tragedy? Why would she put her children through the trouble of ever carrying her burden, sadness and trauma?

“All you guys need to know,” Sierra told them, “Is that there is a reason she never told you two, and I’m gonna have to respect that. If she wants to tell you about it she will.”

The two children looked disappointed but nodded in agreement as they sat back and waited for further news.

“I’ll tell y’all what though, Sierra then muttered under her breath as she picked up a magazine next to her chair, “She’s much more more of a bad ass than most of those superhero movies you guys be watchin’. She just ain’t about that life no more I guess. I guess that’s why I do what I do in my store. To keep a little bit of her power alive or something. I…”

Sierra was interrupted as the doctor walked up to them.

“Ms. Mendez?” the doctor asked.

“Yes? What is it doc?”

“Your cousin Maritza is awake,” explained the doctor to Sierra and the two children, “You can go in to see her if you like, we’ve taken her off the respirator. Her recovery has been… to put it bluntly… miraculous. There doesn’t seem to be any internal damage and the wound is healing fairly quick.”

“Yeah, she’s a quick healer, my cuz…” Sierra stated as she got up and headed into the room where Maritza was in.

As they entered the room where Maritza was in they noticed a blue aura emanating throughout the room.

“Hey, cuz?” Sierra began, “You awake in here?”

“Close the door,” Maritza answered, “we… we need to talk.”

As Sierra closed the door Zekito looked at his mother and asked her: “Mom, why are covering your face?”

“Ezekiel, Flora, go outside. I need to talk to Sierra alone.”

“But ma…” Flora began to respond before Maritza curtly interrupted her.

“Now, Flora!” She said as she pointed towards the door.

“If this is about the glowing eyes thing,” Sierra responded, “don’t bother. To be honest, I feel it’s a little pointless trying to hide this from your own kids anymore. You might as well tell them about you. About your past. Just my opinion.”

Maritza then slowly sighed with a tinge of both fear and slight relief as she took off the sheet covering her face. “I’ve tried to hide this from everyone for so long, but now, someone is forcing me to face what I truly am. Kids… I’m… I’m cursed.”

As she said that, her eyes radiated a deep blue glimmer as tears slowly rolled down her cheeks.

Maritza then had Sierra close the door as she finally told her children about her horrific past.