magical cures 06.5 - a charming christmas (2 page)

“According to the Village Council, we should’ve already had it done,” Bella barked while climbing up the ladder with the armful of wreaths, placing one on the light.

A giggle escaped my lips. A little snow and green fir was sending all us spiritualists in a dizzy, tizzy.

I smiled, watching Bella and Arabella grab their decorations and ladder as they headed to the next light. I ran across the street, dashing through a gaggle of tourists. Patience Karima’s pet ostrich was tied up to the carriage light right in front of Wicked Good Bakery. The bird’s beak pecked the air. It was hard not to deeply inhale the warm scent of cinnamon, pumpkin and honey coming from the bakery. 

“Seriously, aren’t these adorable?” Raven Mortimer ran out of Wicked Good Bakery. Her coal-black hair was a fluffy mess; her Wicked Good apron was dusted with baking flour and stained with chocolate sauce. Her arm extended toward me with a delicious looking treat in her palm.  The ostrich pecked his beak, trying to get a nibble of the June’s Gem. “I’ve been up all night making sure I had exactly what Whispering Falls needed for the bazaar. June Gem’s Christmas trees.”

My jaw dropped at the chocolaty treat that was named after me. Normally they were round, but she had gone a step further and made them in the shape of a tree.

“I love it.” I could hardly contain my smile at the Christmas spirit spreading throughout the village. I was fortunate enough to grow up in a non-spiritualist town with a non-spiritualist mother. Not like the residents of Whispering Falls. All of them grew up in a spiritualist community where they didn’t celebrate Christmas. “Everyone is going to love them.” Raven’s gift was Aleuromancy. She was able to see visions through the dough she worked with while making her delicious treats.

“This one is for you.” She proudly shoved it toward me, snapping a Wicked Good green and pink bakery bag out of her pocket. She stuck the gem inside and handed me the bag. “I have to get back in there before Patience Karima stuffs her mouth with all the doughnuts that just came out of the oven. The oven is working overtime.” She rushed back into the bakery, sending a whiff of sweetness out on the sidewalk.

I glanced through the window at Patience, who was trying to grab as many doughnuts from the baking pan as she could before Raven shooed her away. Patience’s antler headband’s jingle bells chimed.

I pinched a piece of the treat off before sticking the treat in my bag, knowing I was going to need a little pick-me-up for later in the day. The feeling of a very busy day wasn’t leaving my gut.

“Here you go.” I held the piece up to the ostrich, who plucked it from my fingertips. “Goodness. Just like your momma. No wonder you make a perfect pet for her.” I laughed, walking next door.

The Gathering Grove was busy as usual. Isadora Solstice was grabbing her morning hot tea before she headed to Mystic Lights—her shop to help cover up her gift of reading the future using crystal balls. Ophelia Biblio had her hands full with a couple of breakfast soufflés before she rushed to open Whispering Falls’s only bookstore, Ever After Books. I stood in line and waited my turn, greeting everyone who walked past me.

“I can’t wait to see all the holiday decorations everyone has put up.” Izzy raised her tea in the air before she headed out into the snowy street.

Decorations?
I hadn’t put up any decorations. I thought we were just going to do specials throughout the bazaar, not actually decorate. The thought of a winter wonderland in Whispering Falls was a wonderful idea.

“This is so exciting.” Ophelia’s voice rose an octave, making her high-pitched voice even higher. Her curly honey hair framed her grin. “I’ve got Santa coming to read
The Night Before Christmas
, plus some carolers will be singing outside of the bookstore. And I have a the red kettle drive going on too.”

“I’m so glad you are having fun. The visitors are going to love it,” I assured her, wondering what in the world I was going to do about decorations before opening this morning.  “Your soufflés look delicious.”

“I can’t wait to give Colton one. He’s been working so hard lately.” Her eyes dipped, sadness crossed her face.

Colton was her boyfriend. Since he and Oscar were co-workers and we were the same age, Oscar and I did a lot of couple things with them.

“He has?” I questioned, knowing Oscar had been working a lot too.

Whispering Falls didn’t need both of them on duty. We rarely had crime and having the two of them was nice so they could cut down on the hours both of them worked. I had figured Colton was taking off for the holidays and that was why Oscar was working so much.

Her phone chirped. She juggled the food and grabbed her phone.

“I’ve got to go.” She rolled her eyes and rushed out the door.

 I pulled the edges of the cape around me a little tighter, hoping to ward off the chill of the rushing wind from the outside, skittering in through the open door of the tea shop.

“What can I get for you this wonderful snowy morning?” Gerald stood behind the counter rubbing his fingers over his mustache. He took the top off one of the many tea leaf jars behind the counter and sprinkled them in a cup of tea and handed it to one of his servers. Gerald had the spiritual gift of tea reading. I had to be very careful while drinking his fine brew. He was known to be a rule breaker. “I’ve got fresh out-of-the-oven scones, spinach soufflé, and the best cranberry muffins this side of the Mississippi River.”

I rubbed my hands together looking at all the goodies behind the glass display case. Everything looked and smelled so fresh, making it hard to decide.

“Or one of everything.” Gerald winked. He must’ve seen the internal dilemma I was having. “God knows Petunia has tried them all.”

“How is she feeling lately?” I asked, trying to nudge a little information from him.

Petunia and Gerald were going to have their first baby. Arabella was his daughter with his first wife, but there was no way I was going to think about her. She was evil and gone from Whispering Falls, though it was hard to forget about her since she did put a death wish next to my name in the Universe, swearing I would see her again. That was a day I wasn’t looking forward to.

“She’s eating me out of stock. I’m spending every single night in here trying to play catch up.” He fluffed up the branches on the small Christmas tree sitting on top of the glass counter. “This.” He shoved his hands toward the small fake evergreen. “Petunia refuses to participate in any of this.” He shook his head. His eyes came up to study my face.

I tried not to show any reaction to Petunia’s odd behavior.

“Well,” I sucked in a deep breath, “I hear hormones can do funny things when you are pregnant. Has she seen her doctor?”

“We go today.” He sounded like they had already talked about the hormone thing. “She refused to vote at the council meeting. It was a unanimous vote with the other council members. I just don’t get it.”

“I’m sure she will come around.” I pointed to the egg soufflé. “I’ll take one of those to go and a big cup of hot coffee.” I held my bag close to me knowing my June Gem’s was tucked inside and was going to come in handy later this afternoon. “Say, what can you tell me about the economy?” I asked.

“Excuse me.” A tall willowy woman with shoulder-length hair that had a glimpse of copper in the tea shop’s light shoved her way next to me. “I need a tea with some stress relief.” She tapped her finger on the counter, insisting her problems were more important than the line of customers behind her.

“I’m sorry, ma’am.” Gerald handed me my coffee and soufflé in a bag, I exchanged with him the exact cash for my breakfast. “You are going to have to get in line with the rest of the customers.”

“I never,” she called loudly, jerking off her coat. Her body resembled that of a dancer. “I’m sure these people will understand; I’m stressed due to the season.”

“We all are, lady,” a customer in line called out in a sarcastic tone.

“Hi,” I butted in. “I’m June Heal. I own A Charming Cure a couple of shops down. I have just the thing you need in homeopathic form to help relieve your stress.” I took her by the arm and gently guided her to the back of the line. “If you wait in line and get a to-go tea, come on down and I’ll give you a little something that is completely natural to help relieve your stress.”

One sharply pointed brow rose in interest. My nerves tingled waiting for her answer.

“Free?” Her tone held a note of triumph.

“Nothing is free.” I politely shook my head, touching her arm trying to get an intuition read out on what was the root of her stress. My intuitive gift gave me the inside scoop on the real reason for the stress this woman was feeling.
Family
. The image of this woman hosting the big family Christmas dinner hit my gut. I knew exactly what little extra oomph I needed to put in her homeopathic cure. “I’ll see you in a minute. Gerald doesn’t take very long. You’ll be through this line in no time.”

“Well, it’s not like I have anything else to do since we are staying at the Full Moon Treesort.” She straightened her shoulders, making her even more willowy and tall.

I turned back toward Gerald. His lips whispered a thank you under his mustache. I looked into his eyes and knew he and Petunia were going to be okay, but I was going to have to wait to find out about the state of the economy from him when he wasn’t so busy.

Before I knew it, I was out the tea shop door and back on the sidewalk making my way down to my shop with just enough time to get in there and open for the day.

“Dashing through the snow,” the sweet harmony of the carolers in front of Ever After Books echoed throughout the village.

They stood on the bookstore’s steps in long red robes with furry cuffs. The gentlemen were in top hats and black coat tails. Their chins pointed to the sky and their hands held the bells jingling out the rhythm. Ophelia had two tall nutcracker soldiers on each side of her shop door standing at attention over the carolers. The railing up the steps had garland twirled around it.

“Outta the way!” A loud shrill voice echoed from behind me, and the sounds of heavy footsteps followed.

A wave of queasiness overcame me and before I could get out of the way, a rush of cold wind flew by me. A flash flew by me. Patience Karima was riding on top of her pet ostrich. Her arms flailed in the air trying to grab ahold of the green Christmas tree tinsel wrapped around the bird’s neck as though it were a rein, only she was grabbing the poor bird’s feathers, plucking them out. It looked like the pinch of June’s Gem I gave the feathered creature had given him a sugary buzz.

“Whoa! Whoa!” Patience screamed as the bird darted in and out of the crowded sidewalk.

The roar of the ambulance barreling down the main street caused more chaos, creating even more crowded streets. There was a big red ball stuck on the hood of the ambulance and deer antlers on each side.

“I’m going to kill that bird!” Constance, Patience’s sister, had her head stuck out of the ambulance window. “Poke it in the eye! In the eye!” Constance yelled.

I glanced back at Two Sisters and a Funeral Home, the only funeral home in Whispering Falls; it was owned by the Karima sisters, who were Ghost Whisperers. The entire front yard of the funeral home was littered with every single inflatable Christmas decoration you could think of. The old Victorian funeral home was outlined with the lights. There was not a shingle to be seen on the roof. I was sure Two Sisters and a Funeral could be seen from outer space.

“Bah hum bug!” Constance yelled, pounding her fist into the air.

Chapter Two

A Charming Cure needed a little holiday cheer like the other shops. The purple and white wisteria vine that had grown up and around the door of my shop was still vibrant but didn’t give the Christmas cheer. Even the two window boxes underneath the shop window could use a little holiday spirit.

I stopped short of the shop gate. Arabella and Bella were already past my shop and up the ladder putting a wreath on the carriage light in front of A Cleansing Spirit Spa, the shop next to mine.

“Arabella, I know you are so busy, but do you think you could work your magic on my shop?” I twirled my finger toward the vine and window boxes.

“Of course. I have just the thing,” she called from over her shoulder, sticking the poinsettia leaves in the green wreath, topping it off with a big red bow. “We only have a couple more and I’ll get on it.”

“Thank you!” I shouted over the jingling bells, only I noticed they weren’t almost finished. They still had all the carriage lights on the other side of the street.

Mr. Prince Charming trotted up the shop steps, his tail sticking straight up in the air with jingle bells attached to the tip. He swayed his tail in the air giving a little jingle here and there before his tail deliberately darted in the air three times.

Jingle bells, jingle bells
,
jingle all the way
. His tail pulsed to the rhythm of the Christmas song. The voice from the bottom of my bag sang along with him.
Madame Torres.

“Not you too,” I groaned sticking my key into the shop door and opening it.

Mr. Prince Charming darted in, his tail not missing a beat. Neither did Madame Torres, though she was a wee-bit off tune. Neither of them got along great with the other, but the holiday cheer was sure bringing them together.

I shut the door behind me and flipped on the light, not without looking across the street at the Whispering Falls Police Station. There was even a Christmas tree in the station’s front window.

My mind drifted to Ophelia and how she had mentioned Colton had been working a lot. There was nothing going on in Whispering Falls that required both Colton and Oscar to work. Something wasn’t right because Oscar was also working a lot.  I would have to wait until tonight to ask Oscar.

The red tablecloths on the round display tables gave a nice holiday feel to the shop. The low lights gave the homeopathic cure shop a warm inviting atmosphere. I had even made one of my cauldrons into a hot apple cider station nestled next to the door for the shop guests to warm themselves on the snowy day as soon as they entered.