Page 53 of The Neighborhood Witch

Alice and her reflection wiped away their tears on the sleeves of their shirts.

There was a knock at Alice’s front door. The sound reverberated up the hallway walls and into her bedroom. Alice snapped toward the mirror. A shocked expression appeared on both of their faces.Galahad rushed through the open bathroom door. Excited, it bounced around in the air. More knocks reverberated through the walls. Galahad bounced and spun all around the bathroom.

Alice comforted the excited hickory horse-dog. “I know, boy. I know,” she said as she touched the slanted front of Galahad’s broom handle.

She scratched its chin and down the top of Galahad’s head, trying to soothe the excited flying broomstick. “You wait up here. I’ll go see who it is. You be good.”

Alice glanced back toward the mirror. The shocked expression on her reflection’s face was now a beaming smile. Her reflection tilted her head toward the exit, beckoning her to leave. Alice rushed through the bedroom, closing the door behind her, before pausing at the top of the stairs to compose herself.

A third set of knocks greeted Alice as she descended toward the door. A dark figure appeared through the black veil curtain. She paused.

Alice wiped her face once more. She ran her fingers through her hair to hide any clue of her bathroom therapy session. She took a deep breath. Her heart skipped a beat. She pulled back the curtain to see a rain drenched Hugo standing on the other side. She giggled and opened the door.

“Hugo!” Alice said. “You’re soaked.”

The short walk over had drenched Hugo. His hair was dripping wet. Beads of water flowed down the smooth leather of his jacket. His shoes were soaked. Hugo stood there like a love scorned puppy. A somber frown on his face. “I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“For leaving you the other night,” he replied.

“You don’t have to apologize. I—” Alice paused. “I should apologize to you. I shouldn’t have put you in that situation if you’re not comfortable yet.”

“No. I want to make it up to you.”

“This is now twice you’re having to make things up to me,” Alice replied with a smirk. “One more, and I’ll think it’s a habit with you.”

Hugo chuckled. “Can I come in?”

“Of course,” she replied. “Get out of the rain.”

Alice shut the door after he entered. Water pooled on the hardwood entryway.

“I’m making a mess,” Hugo said.

Alice snapped her fingers. The water evaporated from the floor and his jacket. His hair was still damp.

“I like the wet hair look on you,” she said with a smile.

Hugo rummaged his fingers through his hair, creating a messy hairdo. “How does it look now?”

“Perfect,” Alice replied with a grin that betrayed her excitement. “What can I do for you?”

“I thought maybe we could spend the day together or something,” Hugo said. “If you didn’t have other plans.”

Alice paused, unsure of what to say next. She immediately erased all other plans the moment he wanted to spend the day with her. “I was going to make some more wine—”

“I can help,” he interrupted as he took off his jacket and placed it on her coat rack.

“Yeah. I can always use… help,” Alice replied. “Head downstairs. I need to finish something upstairs first.”

He strutted toward the basement door. “Don’t keep me waiting too long,” he said before he disappeared into the darkness.

Alice bit her lip with a delightful grin as she wiped away a single tear.

The candlelightfrom the wall sconces danced and flickered off the stone walls, which gave the dark, damp place a welcoming warmth. The room was dimly lit, yet everything was visible in the low light. Hugocarried a cardboard box of destemmed grapes up a small set of wooden steps leading to the top of the platform. He dumped the contents into the wooden vats. They disappeared into the dark, purplish, liquid wine must. The stompers worked their unseen magick to liquify the grapes. He set the box down and turned toward Alice at her workbench.

Alice worked her witchy magick as she brewed a potion. Her shadow danced across the wall in the flickering light. He traced the arch in her back as she bent over to speak her dark, forbidden language into the bubbling cauldron.

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