Wingspan - Chapter 22, Goodbye Gemma

In today’s episode we read Chapter 22 – Goodbye Gemma - in which Magpie flies back to Pocket to visit her mother and attend a memorial for someone very special, and begins to come to an unbelievable conclusion regarding Lucas' disappearance.

Brought to you by: Phaeton Starling Publishing and Things with Wings Productions.

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Author/Producer: Melissa Oliveri - http://www.melissaoliveri.com

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This week's Boopod Network podcast partner is The Nightcap: https://linktr.ee/thenightcappodcast

FULL TRANSCRIPT:

Things with Wings Productions presents: Episode 22 of The Skylark Bell, Wingspan. I am your host, Melissa Oliveri.

In our previous episode, Magpie and Julien Sarcelle spent some time together, and Lucas met Farfalla Shearwater at last.

In today’s episode we read Chapter 22 – Goodbye Gemma - in which Magpie flies back to Pocket to visit her mother and attend a memorial for someone very special.

Be sure to stay tuned at the end of the episode for a preview of a podcast I quite enjoy called The Nightcap.

Now, it’s time to settle in... grab a blanket, and a warm drink... and let’s get started.

Magpie sits up in bed and looks around at the walls of her old room, it feels like she’s traveled back in time. The room strangely feels both foreign and familiar. This is Magpie’s first time back in Pocket since she and Lucas set off for Carnifex House 3 years ago. It is a bittersweet return. Lucas’ Grandmother, Gemma, has passed away, and Magpie has flown in to pay her respects.

The smell of pancakes rouses Magpie from her bed. She throws on a bathrobe and slippers and heads downstairs to the kitchen. “Good morning, sweet bird!” says Mrs. Phaeton.

“Hi mom, this smells amazing! What are you making?” asks Magpie, suppressing a yawn as she takes a seat on one of the stools at the kitchen island.

“I made blackberry chocolate chip pancakes, Gemma’s specialty,” says her mom, a nostalgic and sad smile on her face. Magpie presses her lips together, feeling the lump in her throat.

“It’s so sad she died never knowing what happened to Lucas. I feel so guilty,” says Magpie, her voice cracking with emotion.

“Oh honey, I agree it’s incredibly tragic, but it’s not your fault. You’ve done everything you can, and she never stopped being grateful that Lucas had you in his life. She always held hope that he would someday return, and I do too,” says her mom, coming around the counter to give her a warm, comforting hug.

They eat their breakfast, catching up on local gossip, then Magpie heads back upstairs to get ready for the service. She digs her shoes out of her suitcase, then opens the door to her closet to grab her dress. She sees the opening at the back of the closet that leads to the attic, and the memory of her and Lucas climbing up those stairs seizes her heart like a clenched fist. Tears instantly spring up in her eyes, but she blinks them back decisively. This trip is going to be difficult, there will be many hard moments to come, she will have to work hard to keep it together.

“Ready to go?” asks her mom gently as Magpie is coming down the stairs. Magpie nods and they head out to the car.

The memorial service is being held on the front lawn of the library in downtown Pocket. As they pull up, Magpie realizes that every resident of Pocket seems to be in attendance, as well as some people she doesn’t recognize who have probably come from the neighbouring town of Brighthaven, where Gemma volunteered at a nursing home for several years. They sit and listen as person after person steps up to share their memories of Gemma. Magpie ponders stepping up as well, but she just doesn’t feel like she can do it without breaking down, so she sits quietly and listens to everyone else’s stories. As the service is coming to an end, Mr. Swift claps his hands and uses his booming voice to inform the crowd that refreshments are available inside the school for those who want to keep sharing their memories of Gemma.

“Would you like to go?” asks Mrs. Phaeton.

“I suppose I should. I don’t know what to expect though. Do you think people blame me, for Lucas’ disappearance?” she asks, a small tremor in her voice.

“Oh love, of course not! All this time I’ve only ever heard people sympathize. When I run into people in town, they always ask how you are doing, and ask me to pass along their best wishes. You have nothing to be afraid of,” replies Mrs. Phaeton in a soothing tone.

With that they m...