Page 16 of Charmed, I'm Sure
“Now, now. Samhain is not a night to go lookin’ for trouble, ya hear?”
“Yes, Mama Jo,” we responded in unison, both of us curling our lips inward to suppress a laugh.
Mama Jo narrowed her eyes at us, her lips pursing as she raised an accusatory finger in my direction. “Magpie, don’t you go lookin’ for things you’re not prepared todealwith. I taught you better than that, and so did your Auntie.”
I grasped her hand in mine and gave her a gentle squeeze. Though Jae was oblivious to the implications Mama Jo was throwing my way, I wasn’t. “I promise we won’t go looking for trouble.”
She harrumphed in response, then shook her head. “Did your auntie send you with the supplies I asked for, or is this just a friendly visit?”
“Can’t it be both?” I teased before turning to my friend, “Jae, can you grab the boxes of lavender from the trunk for me?” With a nod,Jae headed for the door, and as it latched behind her, I turned back toward Jo. “I added some of my own goodies to your order, and Aunt Evie put some tea blends in there and restocked your candles, too.”
Stars sparkled in her old brown eyes. “You girls are too good to me.”
“We’re not nearly good enough. You do so much for us, for the community, and for all of the local covens. It’s the least that we can do. But if you need anything—”
“I’ll let you know.”
“Good.”
“Now, before your friend comes back, I have something for you to keep you safe tonight.”
“You didn’t need to—”
“Shush, girl. The veil is thinner tonight; you need all the protection you can get. Even if it’s just from nasty men.”
“Mama Jo!”
“Baby, I may be old, but I’m not blind. And this is New Orleans,” she said, winking as she headed behind her counter and pulled out a decent-sized box. “I have a few sage sticks to cleanse wherever you’re stayin’. Can’t be too careful down here, ya’ know. Lots of spirits wandering about, especially tonight. Black candles, clear quartz, and black obsidian to put by the door for protection—plus two black tourmaline pendants—one for you and your friend.”
With the size of the box, there was no way that was all that was in there. As I peered over the edge of the counter to look inside, my gasp was audible, and my eyes fell to a deep red candle at the bottom of the box. But as I reached for it, Mama Jo snapped the lid closed.
“What’s with the red candle, Mama Jo?” I teased, knowing full well that they were for.
“Get your head out of the gutter, chile! It’s for strength, courage,and action.”
“And sex.”
“Magnolia Bellevue!”
“Well, it is!” I laughed as her lips pursed, and she shook her head. “Come on, Mama Jo, I’m just teasing.”
She’d just opened her mouth to retort—likely tear me a new one—when the bell chimed over the door, a couple holding it open as Jaelyn entered with the boxes from the car.
“You’re lucky I’ve got customers, baby girl.” Though her tone was serious, the slight tilt at the corner of her mouth said she found the conversation just as amusing as I did. “Now give me a hug, and then git. I have work to do.”
Jae set the lavender on the counter as I boxed up the goodies from Mama Jo, her brows raised as she watched. “We doing a seance later or something?”
Laughing, I shook my head and rounded the counter to loop my arm with hers. “Come on, let’s go have some fun.”
It didn’t matter how cold it got in Louisiana in October. Pack a few hundred people onto one street, decked to the nines in costumes, throw in some alcohol, and you’ve got all the makings of a sauna.
Music filtered out into the street from every bar. From pop and country to jazz, each of them added to the cacophony that was Bourbon Street. Sweat trickled down my back as I tightened my grip on Jaelyn’s hand and wove my way through the throng of people, all while I attempted to avoid the puddles of unknown liquid on the ground. People stood on balconies, hollering down at passersby to showsomethingto get beads that most of the hosts of those suites supplied. Was it Mardi Gras? No, not even close. But did that stoppeople from yelling, “Throw me something, mister”, while raising their shirts in public? Also, no.
Welcome to Bourbon Street.
It’s amazing how my brain blocked outthis particularpart of this holiday adventure. All I ever reminisced on was the fun time we had—the music, the dancing. But the heat from bodies pressed together and the sticky feeling of one too many drinks being sloshed onto my person as we made our way throughanywheresomehow vanished from memory when the opportunity to repeat it appeared.
“Where are we going?!” Jae hollered above the chaos.
