Page 21 of Bewitched & Bewildered
“I don’t knowwhatI would have done, but it would have been different.”
At least he’s honest. His warm eyes bore into me.
“How?” I ask.
“I would have talked to you about it first, especially if I knew you were planning on opening up the ol’ apothecaryagain. You know I love that place. I have good memories there.”
“Oh?” I lift a brow. “Like what?”
His cheeks turn red. “Uh…” He shrugs. “Learning how to read tarot. Your mom did a class every summer.”
“I remember.” I move closer, resting my hands on his table. “Stop trying to butter me up. There’s nothing you can do to make me happy about this.”
“I’m not trying to do anything. All I’m doing here is running a shop. People need supplies.”
“I know,” I say, “and I’m going to make sure they have them.”
“Are you?”
“I am.”
“Good for you.”
I think back to Laurel’s tarot reading. She said I was going to reunite with someone from the past—and I guess she was right—but she didn’t see that it’s not about the person.
It’s about reuniting withsomethingfrom the past. Our family apothecary. That’s what I’m focusing my energy on.
I set the flowers on his table. “You sprung for the vase. I’m impressed.”
“It’s the least I can do.”
“I don’t want it. It looks nicer in here.”
He shakes his head. “You can’t keep that here. You’ll have to throw it away yourself if you don’t want it.”
I narrow my eyes.
We both know it isn’t an option. If my mother taught me one thing, it was to make use of any and all ingredients.
“Are they edible?” I ask.
“No,” he says. “They’re commercial, from the Main Street Florist. Full of pesticides.”
“Great.” I roll my eyes. “You have bad taste in flowers, in addition to everything else that is wrong with you…”
“They still have their uses.”
“You don’t need to tellmeabout potion ingredients,” I say. “These can’t be used for any potion that needs to be consumed, which is most of them.”
I know the use of each flower in the vase. Daisies are for love, fertility, and joy. They expand upon the potion. Lilies are repelling. Carnations are perfect for healing.
“They can still work for spells,” he says.
“I’m not a spellcaster. You are. Goddess, even the gifts you give are selfish.”
“I’m just saying. I wouldn’t want to waste those if I were you.”
“I can’t trust ingredients coming from you. Source matters.Youshould know that.”
