Page 4 of Charmed, I'm Sure
She blew out an exasperated breath. “Fine.Taylor, no.”
“No?”
“That’s what I said. You do know what ‘no’ means, right? And that it’s a complete sentence?” Her tone was cocky, like it was the highlight of her day to turn me down. And maybe it was, but I smiled anyway. She was no longer the meek, quiet girl who walked the halls of Bellevue High. No. Magnolia Bellevue had grown claws since the last time I saw her, and she kept them sharp.
Pushing up from where I’d leaned against the counter, I turned toward her companion, who was desperately trying to focus on her task despite overhearing everything. Her eyes were wide as she carefully placed confections in the glass case next to the counter. “Those look good.”
The woman flicked her eyes up to mine, offering a terse smile as she nodded.
“They are, but unfortunately, we aren’t open yet, so you’ll have to come back once we are.” Magnolia’s voice drew my attention back to where she stood at the register, tapping away at the screen. “Your total is $50 plus tax, which brings it to $54.50. We take a fifty percent deposit upfront, and you pay the rest when you pick it up.”
When she looked up at me, her expression dared me to argue with her prices. Fifty dollars for a board of deconstructed cake and fruit? Ridiculous. Did I pull out my debit card anyway? Yes. Yes, I did.
After she handed me my receipt, I headed toward the door. No need to stay and embarrass myself any further. I cast a glance back toward the counter as I pulled the door open, but Magnolia was already back in the kitchen, dancing along toDear Maria, Count Me Inby All Time Low, the volume rising as the door closed behind me.
2
The Firefly
Magnolia
Pullingupthegraveldriveway that led to Bellevue Manor never got old. It was lined with towering oak trees on either side, their branches so dense they wove together to form a canopy over the ground. Even this close to Halloween, the trees were lush, thanks to a spell Aunt Evie had cast over the flora.
I put my sunshine-yellow Xterra in park, hopped out, and sent a wisp of magic toward the carved pumpkins lining the steps. The tiny tealights inside flickered to life, illuminating the intricate designs and standing out against the growing darkness.
“Aunt Evie? Maddie? Anyone home?” I called as I stepped through the door, a rush of magic tickling my skin as the house welcomed me home.
As I pressed the door closed behind me, the soft jingle of bells announced the family familiars’ approach. “Hey, guys! Meowfoy, you’re looking dapper today in your jack-o-lantern bow tie. Very festive. And, Hermeownie, did you get brushed today? Your coat is extra shiny.” Both cats trilled in response, bumping against my shins, each caress laced with meaning.I’m hungry, feed me.Every press of their heads was a link to their minds, their thoughts filtering through my consciousness as though they were speaking aloud.
“Evie’s in the greenhouse tending the lavender plants. Mama Jo called—she needs more for Samhain, and she’s out with the influx of tourists,”Hermeownie, our orange Maine Coon, informed me through our connection.
“Maddie’s in the study working on her latest novel. Asked not to be disturbed,” added Meowfoy, our snow-white Maine Coon.
Stooping down, I scooped Meowfoy into my arms and rested my forehead against his fuzzy head. “Has she at least eaten today?”
He purred, but through our mental link, told me she hadn’t.
“Well, alrighty then,” I said, setting the familiar back on the floor. “Time to pry her out of her world and bring her back into this one. But first, I need to talk to Aunt Evie.”
Behind the manor were beautiful gardens and a small pond, home to a few fish whose species I could never remember. Beyond that stood Aunt Evie’s greenhouse, brimming with lavender, chamomile, and rosemary. Though our small coven used it, most of the herbs were sent to Mama Jo in New Orleans.
I pushed open the door to the glasshouse and spotted Aunt Evie kneeling in the dirt, clipping sprigs of lavender and placing them in her wicker basket.
“Close the door; you’re letting the bugs in,” she chided without turning around.
Chuckling under my breath, I stepped fully inside and sealed the door behind me. “You and I both know that’s not true.”
She shrugged, placing her shears in the basket before turning my way. “What’s up, Magpie?”
Leave it to my aunt to combine my name with my love of baking and come up with a bird as a nickname. “Nothing much. Hermeownie told me you were cutting sprigs for Mama Jo. Did you need me to make a run down there for you?”
Mama Jo ranCrescent Witcheryin New Orleans, a tiny occult shop in the French Quarter that catered to tourists and natural witches alike. We supplied most of the herbs she used for her smudge sticks and teas.
“Would you? I don’t want to put you out.”
I knelt beside her, picking up her shears. Lavender was my favorite scent—its magical properties for happiness and healing were just an added bonus. “I don’t mind at all, as long as you don’t mind me hanging out for a day or two to spend Halloween with Jae on Bourbon Street?”
Jae had asked me earlier if I wanted to go with her. We used to go all the time, but now we could only make it when Halloween fell on a Friday or the weekend.
