Page 4 of Bewitched & Bewildered
I know, but I won’t.
She tore our relationship apart, and I won’t be the one to fix it. If she wants anything from me—closure or something else—she’ll have to reach out to me.
It won’t be me. I’ve done enough for this relationship.
“You know where to findme.” I duck my head as I leave through the small doorway.
It’s practically a habit to make sure I don’t bang my head on it, but it serves as a reminder, too. This place is too small for me. Most places are, considering my height, but this home is in more ways than one.
Technically, where I’m going next is smaller, but it’s exactly what I need.
I’m going home… back to Starbrook.
Chapter 2
Juniper
“I have closing duties.”I point my thumb at the door. “Do you mind if I…?”
Even though I just arrived at the office, I’m already looking for an escape. It’s more about avoiding the inevitable.
“Yes,” Denise says, “I mind.”
“Right. Sorry.”
My manager, Denise, is a witch, too. Sometimes, I think that’s why she hired me. It’s the only thing we have in common. She’s a tall, older woman who loves sports and beer. I’m a shorter, ample woman who enjoys wine and nights alone.
We’re both witches, but we’re incomparable.
She hired me quickly, and I agreed to the job too fast. I’ve had serving jobs before, and I hated them all. I didn’t pretend otherwise. This was always supposed to be a stepping stone to learning the art of mixology.
A year at Ace flew by.
By the time she’s available to talk, it’s already twoo’clock in the morning. My slipup was tiny. Who among us doesn’t snap at a customer or two?
The bar is peaceful now, with only a few of my coworkers lingering around to clean up.
“Sit down.” Denise gestures to the chair before her. There are only two seats in the tiny, cramped space.
The rest of the office is just as sparse. It has a filing cabinet, a desk, and a rundown computer. We don’t spend much time here. Every time I’ve been in this office, Denise has reprimanded me for something. If I’m here now, I know I royally messed up.
Well, that much is obvious. I had to listen as Jerry and his girlfriend—Christina—told Denise how rude I was. They weren’t wrong.
I need to learn to keep my mouth shut. I used to be a better worker. When I was young and full of life, I put my all into any job I could snag. I’m thirty now. I don’t know how people pretend to care for so long, and I can’t believe anyone out there is passionate about a serving position.
Maybe I’m the problem.
“Are you firing me?” I don’t bother sitting. “Because if you are—I would rather get it over with. I don’t want to waste your time. There’s a lot to clean up out there.”
I’ve fallen to the lowest of lows. It doesn’t hit me until I’m here, flat on the ground. There are two options. I can beg for a job I hate. Or I can be jobless for an undetermined amount of time.
There was a point when I was the most determined, driven person in the world. I miss those days. My education was important to me. Sadly, my degree in art history isn’t as helpful as I wanted it to be.
I moved back to Starbrook after college, and I cannotuse my degree in this small town. The nearest museum is a few hours away, and I already know teaching is not for me.
I should have studied something more practical… orperhapswe shouldn’t let teenagers invest thousands of dollars in their future. I’m an example.
I never found my footing in life, and it’s only getting worse.
