Page 19 of Midlife Witch Unexpected

“It most certainly is not your fault he works for you and your garden is right outside your kitchen window,” Bianca agreed. “I mean, ‘Hello.’”

“Yeah, the truth is I don’t really care. He’s nice to look at,” I smiled. “But he’s also kind of nice to talk to.”

“So?” Bianca gave me a sly sideways glance.

“He’s fifteen years younger than me,” I said. “At least.”

“I don’t get why you care so much about age. It’s not like you’re going to have kids with him,” Bianca said.

I nearly spit out my tea. “As if!” I exclaimed. I was so way done with those years of my life.

“Exactly. So, what bugs you about it?” Bianca asked. “Is it what will people think? Or is it because you might age faster than him? Like what troubles you about it?”

"All of that." I turned away from watching Branson's muscles bulging as he prepared the ground for bulbs. "And everything else. I just got to town the last thing I need is to have flying with the gardener."

“Suit yourself,” Bianca said. “Maybe you need to lay down your roots in a different way.”

“I didn’t say I was laying down any roots,” I said.

“This place is going to grow on you,” Bianca said. “I just know it. Besides, you already have roots here. You just aren’t really feeling them yet.”

“Speaking of feeling, did you have any strange sensations from the absinthe last night?” I asked.

“Nope.” Bianca looked at me curiously. “I haven’t heard of absinthe being served around here for a hundred years. Why?”

"Oh," I murmured. The weird optics last night must be from the shock of moving to a new location. "I was hallucinating last night I guess." I suddenly felt like a complete idiot. "I'm not crazy."

Bianca laughed. “Don’t worry, we all have our own little brand of crazy going on. But no. To answer your question very succinctly, there was no absinthe in your drink, and I don’t know anyone who would have it around here. Though if anyone did it probably be here at The Estate.” She glanced around the kitchen. “This place has got to have so many nooks and crannies that haven’t been explored in years. I bet there’s a basement!”

She looked at me hopefully. I frowned. “I’m not sure I’m ready for that yet. I need to get a handle on it myself first. Then maybe we can look around.”

I wasn’t sure what to think. Bianca wasn’t a perfect stranger. I mean, I knew where she worked: at the police station. We’d gone for drinks, for a walk, and now she was at my house. But I didn’t really know her, and it wasn’t so much that I didn’t trust her, it was more that I suddenly felt very protective of the house. I didn’t want people just coming in and walking around and looking at it. And I still definitely needed to change the locks.

“I tried calling the locksmith,” I said. “Apparently, they’re closed weekends. They’re sending someone over on Monday.”

“I’ve got a call the locksmith on Monday,” I murmured.

“Well, the locksmith will definitely let your ownership be known,” Bianca said. “You’ll be the only person in Cougar Creek who locks the front door. But if I owned The Estate, I’d probably do the same thing. It’s such a magnificent Victorian house can’t imagine why it’s taken you so long to come up here and claim it.”

“Well, I’m probably going to sell it,” I said, knowing it sounded harsh, but I didn’t want to get attached. But even as I said the words, they had a false ring to them, as if something inside me had twisted and changed. It was more than just me. It was me in relation not only to the house but to my heritage in it; to my history, my family’s story, even to the weirdo guy who made the gargoyle statues to watch over this little town.

I was growing attached to the idea of being The Hayes. I wonder if I could get my kid to actually address me with that title.

“You know what we should do?” Bianca asked.

“I steadfastly refuse to consider Branson,” I said.

Bianca snorted.” He’s not what I’m talking about. Let’s go down to Hilda’s Garden and get you a plant. A potted plant. It’ll be like putting down roots.”

“Wouldn’t it be better if I bought a plant and then put it directly in the ground?” I asked.

“So yes,” she said slowly. “But if you’re so dead set on selling this place, maybe we want to start with something a little moveable. You can place it in the ground if something compels you to stay.” Bianca wiggled her eyebrows at me.

Chapter 13

It didn't take much convincing to get me to go down to the plant shop. The local nursery was a vibrant multi-acre property that was scattered on a hillside on the edge of town. It was full of decadent flowers, trees, shrubbery, and anything you could imagine that would grow up here was in Up The Creek Garden Shop.

There were sculptures in the garden scattered among the plants. You would turn a corner and find a sprite or a fairy or a frog or a giant mushroom or something made of steel and painted. The colors were lovely, hidden amongst the flowers, creating a whimsical, fairytale nursery.

---