Page 17 of Brews and Banishments
“Morning, Daisy!” Anne greeted as she came into the backroom and set down her shawl and frayed old purse. Herrustically brown skin was glowing in the dim light, those wide chestnut-colored eyes warming up the room immediately. “Quite the crowd you’ve got out there.”
Daisy peeled herself away from her worktable. “I don’t know what I’d do without you, Anne. The day’s just started and I’m behind already.”
“Isn’t that a good thing?”
“Well, it’s more than good, I suppose,” Daisy mused.
Anne raised a thick brow. “And?”
“And what?”
“Now, now, dear,” Anne cooed, “I’ve had five children myself, and they’ve gone on to give me over ten grandchildren. I think I know a cloudy mind when I see one.” Anne drew nearer, placing a wrinkled hand over Daisy’s. “The worst thing you can do is trap it inside. We are humans, after all. God never intended to have us holding so much within. That’s why we’ve got each other.”
Daisy let a smile cross her face. She’d never considered herself to be religious as an adult, though she attended church every Sunday alongside her family. Hearing the words come from Anne made her feel small again, like she would head home soon to her parents cooking a roast in the oven and asking about her day. It was one of the reasons why she greedily loved having Anne around. Sometimes, feeling like a child again was enough to brighten Daisy’s troubled mind.
Daisy squeezed her hand. “Get us through this rush, and I’ll talk to you till your ears fall off.”
Anne gave her a quick wink before scurrying back out into the storefront. The older woman’s voice carried through the room as she greeted the guests, knowing most of the Willowbrook residents by name. Her addition to the business gave Daisy enough comfort to leave the counter in her hands. Not only was Tessa a brilliant conversationalist - much due to her ongoing empath studies - but the involvement of Anneturned them into an unstoppable pairing. There wouldn’t be a frowning patron in all of Willowbrook.
Daisy continued her work for a few more hours, till it was late morning and her stomach grumbled. She’d just finished brewing a series of insomnia elixirs, which happened to be the second most popular after her skincare kits. People of all ages came for a reprieve from their restlessness and returned with empty bottles, praising Daisy for how well and quickly the elixirs worked. Doctors familiar with her practices quickly began referring their patients to her as well.
Tessa slipped into the arcane room just as Daisy finished pouring the elixir through a funnel, and into a series of short vials. Tessa swiped a rag across her forehead before laying it across the back of her neck.
“I gotta tell you,” Tessa breathed, “this crazy business has me beat before the clock even strikes noon.”
Daisy chuckled, though she felt the exhaustion all the same. “They say that comes with old age, Tess.”
She gaped. “Don’t offend me, now! Or you’ll have to makemea private batch of that deaging cream.” Tessa chuckled to herself as she crossed the room, looking over the ledger of all the tonics and brews Daisy had marked off her list. She let out a low, impressed whistle. “How do you feel after all that potion making?”
Daisy shrugged. “You know.” She chugged down the rest of her water, the depletion of her energy holding onto her more than it usually did. “It is what it normally is.”
“You should eat something.”
“Don’t you think it’s too busy?”
Tessa nodded towards the storefront. “Take a look at it yourself.”
With a heavy sigh, Daisy pushed herself up, ignoring the cracks and aches that began in her knees. Her long cardiganreached down to her ankles as she stood, the warm fabric clinging onto her in the already stuffy building.
The storefront was surprisingly quiet. Anne swept within the aisles, whistling a cheery tune as she worked. A faint smile remained on her lips. Passersby lingered outside the front door, glancing through the windows before deciding if they wanted to come in or not. Despite already having a large amount of sales, the extra tonics Daisy worked on kept the shelves full and ready for more purchases. Daisy breathed a sigh of relief. Theycouldhandle the busy shift after all.
Anne came back around the counter. “Why don’t you two get some lunch?”
“What about you?” Daisy asked. “You’ve already done so much.”
The older woman waved a dismissive hand in the air. “There’s a cluttered shelf calling my name. Take a break to enjoy this fine day, won’t you?”
Daisy breathed in deeply. Even from within the shop, she could tell that the sky was a cloudless blue. The sun rose steadily over the trees, bringing a steady heat throughout the town. A gentle breeze coaxed the trees into a delicate sway. Daisy felt her shoulders sag. Perhaps she was craving a moment or two out in the fresh air.
“As long as you’re comfortable with it, Anne,” she said.
Anne was already making her way to the crowded shelves positioned at the wall, where a few vials and squat containers were tumbling into each other.
With Tessa following close behind, Daisy made her way out of Fields’ Herbals.The weekday was surprisingly busy in downtown Willowbrook. Tourists were more common at that time of year, when the trees had a magnificent color and the flowers bloomed all along the streets. The pair began to maketheir way in the opposite direction, where a small diner a few doors down from the shop sat.
“How does The Wilted Garden sound for lunch?” Tessa asked.
Daisy nodded. “We’ll probably run into every person we know in town, but -”
