Page 7 of Bewitched & Bewildered
“I know.” She sighs, but there’s still a smile on her face. “Money is money, right?”
“Right.”
And we need more of that now, considering how my evening went. I press my lips together, not ready to tell Maple what happened.
“Are you off to bed?” Maple lifts her mug to her lips.
I slip off my shoes and settle into a chair at our kitchen table. “I will be soon… maybe. I don’t know if I can sleep tonight.”
The table is cluttered. I don’t mean for it to get this bad, but we’re all busy. I’m the most likely to keep a tidy house between my sisters and me. It’s my job, and I’ve been slacking.
Cookbooks have piled up near Maple, and they’ve been there for a few days. Even though it’s October, a box of tree ornaments rests on the table.
It’s too late to take care of it now. December will be here in a few months.
I pick up an orange flyer from the table. The design is familiar to me—the Haunted Harvest Festival.
Right. That’s coming up soon. For the first time in years, I have no reason to attend.
“Why not?” Maple’s smile finally drops, and her brow wrinkles. “Do you need some chamomile tea?”
I don’t want to ruin her morning. Maple is going to have a long day. She’s hard-working—more than me—and I don’t need to bring her down with my troubles.
But, out of all my sisters, I want to tellher. I tell her everything.
“Tea may not be enough to help me today,” I say. “I’ve been through the wringer.”
That’s a big deal. Tea can cure most problems for a witch. One of our earliest introductions to magic is usually brewing a lovely tea.
She gasps. “What do you mean? You’re scaring me!”
Maple doesn’tlookall that worried. She lets out a soft giggle, as carefree as can be.
“I talked with my boss…” I look down at my hands. “Or my ex-boss, I guess.”
It takes a moment for the words to hit her. Her lips part, and her eyes widen. “Oh!”
“I know. It’s bad.”
I’m supposed to be the one to hold our family together, and I can’t even keep a job. Talking to my younger sister about this is embarrassing. It would be different if Maple would come to mefor comfort. I’mherbig sister; I’m supposed to be helping her, not the other way around.
“But what happened?” she asks. “I thought we liked Denise!”
“We do—or I do—but that doesn’t mean I’m good at the job.”
“So, you were the personality hire?”
I snort. “I guess you could say that… except my personality lost me the job.”
Timber nudges my hand with his wet nose. I turn my attention to him and stroke his soft fur.
“I can get you a new serving job.” Maple is quick to jump to action. “Say the word. We’re always hiring!”
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”
The last time I worked with Maple, it didn’t go well. It’s not her fault. She loves what she does, which makes her intense in the kitchen.
I don’t want to let my sister down like I did Denise.
