Page 11 of Air Of Mystery
“Come downstairs when you’ve finished,” she said. After giving me a supportive pat on the shoulder, Amanda exited the bathroom, closing the door behind her.
The shower helped enormously. After scrubbing off, I wrapped myself in a towel, patted my skin dry, and discovered that at some point Amanda had slipped in and picked up my clothes from the floor.
On the counter beside my purse, a T-shirt and a pair of soft shorts were waiting for me that I slipped on. They were too big, but I was covered; and most importantly, they weren’t oozing with negative vibes or dark magick residue.
I checked my reflection in the mirror. My makeup was gone, revealing some dark circles of fatigue under my eyes. With a shrug, I finger fluffed my short hair, gathered up my purse and the towel I had used, and exited the bathroom.
Following the voices, I went back downstairs and saw that Amanda and her family were taking a batch of cookies from the oven. The mess I’d seen upon arrival was all cleaned up and the girls were dancing in place, wanting a cookie.
“Have a seat.” Amanda inclined her head toward a large sturdy kitchen table. “I’ll make you some tea.”
My butt had barely hit the seat when a scruffy black cat hopped up on the tabletop and strutted over to get in my face for a better look.
“Nyx!” Amanda gently scolded the cat. “You know you’re not allowed on the table.”
In response the cat looked over at its mistress and yawned.
I held my fingers out for the cat to sniff and was rewarded when she rubbed her face against my hand. “Hi Nyx,” I said.
“I’ll get her Mama,” Tori said and began to march over toward the cat.
Nyx, seeing that the girl was coming, hopped right off the table and into my lap.
“Want me to take her?” Tori asked.
“Nah,” I said, running my hand over Nyx’s ears. “She can stay. I like cats.”
Tori smiled. “Do you have a cat?”
“No,” I said. “But we do have chickens.”
“Chickens?” Tabitha toddled over.
“Yes.” I nodded. “We have a dozen chickens—for eggs.”
“Do they live in your house?” Tori wanted to know.
“No.” I smiled at her question. “They have a coop and a run in the backyard.”
Tabitha appeared very serious as she thought that over.
“Some of our chickens lay blue eggs,” I told the girls.
“Really?” Tori asked.
I nodded. “Others lay brown, and a few lay green.”
“Greeneggs?” Tabitha frowned. “That’s so silly.”
“It is, isn’t it?”
Amanda brought me a mug of tea. An offer of milk and sugar followed, and I found myself sitting at her cozy kitchen table, having tea and some cookies with her family and the cat.
Within ten minutes, I felt like I’d known them all for years. It was a comfortable and comforting house, especially the kitchen with its deep green cabinets, herbs drying from the ceiling, and clever witchy décor. Sure, I knew Amanda by association—with our sisters being friends—but regardless, I liked the Parker family. They were warm, loving, and fun.
“I love that sign,” I told Amanda, pointing to a rustic hand-painted plaque on the kitchen wall that read:There’s a little Witch in all of us…
Amanda smiled. “I’m very partial to it.”
