“I’m fine, honey, but I doubt I can say the same about this.” I bent over the mirror. It had fallen facedown, concealing the extent of the damage. Gently, I flipped it onto its side, listening to the sickening crunch of broken glass coming loose from the frame and crashing onto the ground.
I sighed in relief. The delicate birds and flowers were unscathed. There was a small scratch on the right-hand side that could be easily repaired with a dab of stain and the glass could be replaced by the local art supply store. I’d seen their custom frame jobs and knew they’d have my mirror fixed in no time.
Trey disappeared to fetch a broom and a dustpan, but my mother stayed rooted in place, her features pinched in concern.
“Mom,” I said softly, touched that she was so upset over the thought of my being injured. “I’m okay. See?” I presented both of my pink, healthy palms as proof.
She shook her head and did not meet my eyes. She couldn’t seem to tear her gaze from the jagged shards of glass. “Oh, darlin’. It’s not fine. Not at all.”
To my surprise, she knelt down on the floor and picked up a piece of glass shaped like a lightning bolt and began muttering under her breath.
“Mom?” I began to feel a stirring of alarm.
She waved Trey away when he appeared with the broom, insisting that she needed to collect the pieces and take them far away from the house.
“Whatever for?” I asked her, utterly perplexed. “All that nonsense about broken mirrors and seven years of bad luck is just that. Nonsense.”
She took a deep breath and answered in a tremulous voice. “You should believe. I’m takin’ these to protect you, Lila. Trouble’s comin’. It’s comin’ hard and fast as a runaway train.”
My uneasiness grew. “That was this summer. It’s all over now.”
She pointed at the debris on the floor, and I was disturbed to note that her finger shook as she said, “You’re wrong, Lila. This is only the beginning.”