Page 60 of The Neighborhood Witch

Max followed close behind. She tried to squeeze past Hugo, but he was prepared for her this time. He descended to the base of the steps.

“It’s probably Ez,” Alice shouted up through the open basement door. “She’s great. You’ll love her.”

Hugo grabbed the ornate, diamond shaped doorknob. Max tried to worm her way around to see who was knocking at the door.

“Get back,” Hugo commanded Max.

She didn’t listen. She fought her way through, anxiously awaiting the door to open. Hugo positioned his body between her and the wall.

“Back!”

He opened the door. The crisp, cold late-November air rushed inside. Standing on the porch was an older woman in a fashionably warm coat. Short of stature, but standing tall with personality. Her hair made up into a beehive style.

“You wouldn’t believe the night I had,” her voice trailed as she was greeted not by Alice, but by an unknown man. “You’re not Alice.”

She took a step back and checked she didn’t approach the wrong purple house.

“Nope. I’m not Alice,” he replied. “Hugo Dodds. I take it you’re Ez. Alice has told me so much about you.”

He extended out to shake her hand. His body blocked Max from trying to peek out the door. Her tail wagged and beat against the wall.

She lingered on the hand in front of her before glaring up at Hugo. Esmerelda raised a discerning eyebrow and shook his hand. “Charmed,” she said. “Aren’t you going to invite an old woman in from the cold?”

Hugo backed away from the door. “Ah, yes. Please come on in.”

Esmeralda Honeydew entered the purple house, and Hugo closed the door. She removed her coat.

“I can take that for you,” Hugo offered.

“Thank you,” she replied as she handed it over.

He placed it on the coat rack, next to Alice’s tailcoat. Max sat next to her, pressing her head against Esmerelda’s body. Max’s tail wagged, knocking the shoes on the floor back and forth.

“Hello.” She patted Max on the head. She rubbed the underside of Max’s chin; her tail wagged faster and faster to display her excitement.

“Max, leave her alone,” Hugo commanded. She didn’t listen.

“He’s fine,” Esmerelda replied. “He just wants scratches.”

“Her name is Maxine, but we…” His voice trailed off. “I call her Max for short.”

“Well, she’s a good girl, aren’t you?” Esmerelda scratched behind Max’s ears.

“I’ll be right up,” Alice shouted from the basement.

Three distinct knocks came from upstairs.

Esmerelda focused her attention up the stairs and shouted, “I hear you, good buddy!”

The knocks stopped.

Alice ran up the stairs and greeted her friend. “Ez! I hope you didn’t have any trouble on the way over.”

“Nothing I couldn’t handle, kiddo,” she replied as she gave Alice a hug. She backed away and pointed at Hugo with her thumb.

“Oh, that’s Hugo,” Alice said. “Hugo, this is Esmerelda Honeydew.”

“We met,” she replied. “Maybe we can go somewhere and talk business?”

---