Page 18 of Brews and Banishments
“I think you can say that for everywhere in Willowbrook.”
Daisy blurted out a laugh. “Touche.”
The Wilted Garden sat at the very end of the block and was built in the traditional style of a diner. The floors were a square black-and-white pattern, with red barstools and booths with squeaky leather seats. Behind the bar counter, the entire kitchen was on display, the tall cooks flipping pancakes and building sandwiches. Most townspeople found themselves in the mock diner regularly, using it as their time for mingling and gossiping. While Old Lady Witherford often sat at the counter directly beside the cash register, Daisy didn’t expect to see her there today.
When they entered, The Wilted Garden was already bustling with lively energy. Daisy led the way to her favorite booth, one that was directly in the middle of the row with a delightful view of the storefront down the way.
“Can’t keep your mind away for even one second, can you?” Tessa teased as they slid into the booth.
Daisy shrugged. “Can you blame me?”
“Sure,” Tessa said, “but I won’t today.”
They laughed together as the waitress came up to the table.
“Good morning, Lucy,” Daisy greeted. “How’s the tonic doing for you?”
The waitress, Lucy, attended the local community college on the outskirts of Willowbrook. She was an attentive student, one who’d left high school in the south with more accolades than Daisy could count. Lucy, however, struggled to mergeinto college life after the ease of high school, and had trouble concentrating when it came time to get her work done. She came to Fields’ Herbals the previous week and ordered a custom-made tonic, fit around her needs specifically.
“Holy Lord, Daisy,” Lucy drawled, her heavy southern accent quickly filling the already noisy restaurant, “You damn near saved my entire semester.”
“I guess that means it’s working for you?”
“It’s more than working,” Lucy said. “I feel like myself again. How about some of Jesse’s famous chicken salad sandwiches for you both, on the house? Extra sweet potato fries on the side?”
Before Daisy could speak, Tessa piped up.
“How kind of you, Lucy!” Tessa exclaimed with a wide smile. “I think some sweet teas might sweeten the deal.”
Lucy finger gunned her before twisting around and disappearing behind the counter.
“You’re something else, Tess,” Daisy teased.
Tessa shrugged sheepishly. “If business skyrocketing means free lunch, I’ll take it faster than you can say ‘witch’!”
After the teas were delivered, Daisy sipped leisurely, her gaze focused out the window. From where they sat, she watched a handful of young people trickle into Fields’ Herbals.For a moment, her immediate instinct was to rush out of there and assist Anne, but she settled herself just as fast. Anne wouldn’t have told them to leave if she couldn’t handle it herself, and with how everything had been going the past few days, she needed a moment or two to sit in a cozy diner.
“Look at what the cat dragged in,” Tessa quietly mused, her eyes following someone behind them.
Daisy glanced over her shoulder. “Blessed be,” she grumbled. “Rebecca Mitchel.”
“Good gracious,” Tessa said. “Who dresses up like that for a place like The Wilted Garden?”
“Don’t be so surprised,” Daisy muttered as she turned back around. “She was just the same in grade school.”
Rebecca’s silver hair was pulled into a bun at the top of her head, a few particular strands pulled to frame her angular face. There wasn’t a wrinkle across her deeply olive skin. The white dress suit she wore showed off her collarbones in a deep ‘V’ cut. If the woman was as beautiful within as she was on the outside, Daisy wouldn’t have had a single problem with her. She might’ve even been jealous.
“I heard she doesn’t go to Ronald’s anymore after one of the servers got her order wrong,” Daisy whispered, running her hands over the condensation on her cup. “Apparently, Rebecca thought blowing up on the server was the way to handle the situation.”
“Why am I not surprised?” Tessa rolled her eyes. “Don’t tell me she’s about to cause a scene here, too.”
Daisy shrugged. “The sooner she leaves, the better I’ll feel. The last thing I need today is to be politely insulted by an old classmate.”
“Do you think she remembers?”
“Remembers what?”
Tessa leaned forward. “How she poured the punch all over your prom dress?”
