Mother, Mates, and Magic

Emily. I woke to the soft sound of sniffling. Blinking away the fog of sleep, I turned my head to see Mom sitting beside my hospital bed, her eyes red-rimmed and puffy. "Mom?" I croaked, my voice still rough from disuse. She startled, quickly wiping at her eyes. "Oh, Emily, sweetheart. You're awake. How are you feeling?" I tried to sit up, wincing as my muscles protested. Mom was there in an instant, helping me adjust the bed so I could recline comfortably. "I'm okay," I said, though the words felt hollow even to my own ears. "Just tired, I guess." Mom's face crumpled, fresh tears welling in her eyes. "Oh, honey. I'm so sorry. I've been a terrible mother lately, haven't I? I've been so caught up in my own life, I haven't been there for you like I should have been." "What? No, Mom, that's not true at all," I protested, reaching out to grab her hand. "None of this is your fault, Mom." She shook her head, squeezing my hand. "But I should have been more attentive. If I had been around more