Chapter 10 Calliope
CALLIOPE
Iwas in awe. I have no idea how I pulled off my Grand Opening on time, but I did.
Well, actually, that’s not true. I knew exactly who deserved the credit, but he wouldn’t let me thank him.
The only form of gratitude he’d accepted was a blowjob in the back storage room of the store, out of sight from our judgmental pets, and where all of Main Street couldn’t see us through the glass windows.
I’d practiced with dildos over the years.
I wasn’t great at blowjobs because it was hard to determine if I was doing a good enough job on a plastic phallus.
But Starbucks voiced no complaints. And despite what he claimed, I had my suspicions that he came because I asked him to teach me how to deepthroat him instead of my current oral talents.
I’d let him keep to his version of the event, though, because he was being so helpful.
He spent Wednesday night and last night with me at my parents’ house, and I knew he planned on staying with me tonight too.
My parents didn’t mind, but Starbucks still talked with them to ensure they were comfortable with him staying at their house too.
I thought that was very mature and sweet of him.
I was an adult, but it was still their house.
My Grand Opening started at four this afternoon.
We spent the morning getting kits together for adults and kids to make their own besoms, or brooms, for Samhain.
This was an important holiday to me, not just a celebration of my new business.
I wanted to share my traditions with the town, in addition to their own filled with costumes and candy.
Dosia, Pumpkin, JJ, SJ, my parents, Starbucks, and I already dined with our ancestors for lunch.
Normally, it was dinner, but it didn’t have to be.
I was so busy getting my store ready this year that I didn’t have time to prep the meal with my mom as I usually did.
Thankfully, Dosia and JJ stepped up to help, as did my dad.
I was very grateful and lucky to have such a supporting family.
Dosia and my mom came early to my Grand Opening to help me set up a dining table at the store so others could see what is commonly referred to as the Dinner with the Dead. Starbucks and two prospects named Darrin and Viktor set up long tables the club had for the crafting area.
Many of my siblings, nieces, nephews, and their families also came to celebrate.
They also pitched in to help when I got pulled in too many directions.
Starbucks forcibly sat me down at one point to make me take a breather and to drink some water.
No matter what I needed, he was right there to help me.
True to his word, he had Grumpy, one of his club brothers, take a look at my car on Wednesday.
He changed my oil, switched out my air filter, and rotated my tires, but all in all, gave my car a clean bill of health.
Yet, I continued to hear a car backfiring.
To ease my worries, Starbucks also had Grumpy take a look at my mom and dad’s cars.
There was also talk of getting me a new car, but I didn’t drive mine enough to make that even remotely necessary.
He still wasn’t convinced, which I thought was sweet.
I got to meet most of the club at the Grand Opening. My store was so packed that I doubted I was in compliance with the fire code. But since there was a good amount of the town’s fire department in my store, I chose to ignore it.
I nearly sold out of all my honey stock within hours of opening.
My flavored sticks were the first to go, and I had to have my dad and Darrin drive to get me more from my stock at home.
I had eight ounce, sixteen ounce, and thirty-two ounce jars with a variety of flavors.
There was also a sample station that I had to move behind my counter after people were taking multiple teaspoons like it was a free buffet.
My brother’s oldest, Fern, took charge of the honey samples after that.
Beyond my honey, I also sold honeycomb in strips or cubes and homemade beeswax lip balm, candles, and body butter.
When I got too busy reading tarot cards to keep up with the register, my sister Savory took over for me.
My mom could have also read tarot, but I wanted my customers to get a feel for my readings.
The last customer didn’t leave until after midnight, almost an hour after when I was scheduled to close. A good amount of my family was still around, most slumped over in whatever seats they could find, but I only had eyes for one man.
As soon as I flipped the lock and turned my door sign to Closed, Starbucks swooped me up in his arms and spun me around in a circle. I clung to his neck, holding tight and thanking the gods that I was possessive enough over this man to bid on his auction when I wasn’t supposed to.
“Congratulations, Winnie.”
“I still can’t believe it!” I had not expected that sort of turnout.
Business in the bookstore had been declining recently.
Dosia had been working her ass off to bring it back up in the short time since she’d taken it over again.
I had no idea what the town would think of my New Age store, but if tonight was any indication, they loved it!
I got to see Paige tonight too. She was interested in holding an acupressure class here and even talked about working part time next year once her youngest started going to preschool.
“Believe it, Calliope.” I felt his lips against my neck. “You were amazing tonight!”
Slowly, he set me down. Like all of the club tonight, he was wearing his cut.
Keys would be coming by in the morning to set me up with a new security system.
Apparently any business affiliated with the club got one, and while my store wasn’t a club business, I was an ol’ lady.
I also got a sticker in my window that proclaimed I was part of the club.
There’d been no hesitation in Starbucks tonight, introducing me as his ol’ lady to his club brothers from the start.
As he’d told me two days ago, he was jumping in with both feet. Some were surprised, others were not.
One, whose cut had named him Bones, complained that the club’s single men were now an endangered species.
When I saw Ghost again, I gave him a big hug for helping Kora out—and had to clamp my mouth shut when I got a flash of a woman with white-blonde hair standing beside him. He was also wearing a phantom crown on his head in the vision, though I had no idea why.
Meeting Jenna and Steel, officially, had been difficult.
I got a vision of a rainy graveyard when I shook Steel’s hand while Jenna had an owl perched on her shoulder.
It was common knowledge around town that she was diagnosed last year with late-onset Multiple Sclerosis, or LOMS. The owl had numerous interpretations, but in this case, I didn’t need to question its dark omen.
I wished them the best. The bond between those two was strong, and I knew it would transcend even death.
My parents were slouched in folding chairs with Joe in my dad’s arms and Oolong on my mom’s shoulder.
Our pets had been the center of attention tonight, and many customers took pictures with them.
When I got asked when the wedding was tonight, it took me a moment to realize that the woman wasn’t asking about Starbucks and me, but Oolong and Joe’s wedding.
Starbucks also did a live video on his channel earlier today, encouraging support for a local business.
He did not announce that this was my store or his relationship with me.
He said that was for my safety, as he had some fans who bordered on fanatic and didn’t want to claim me online until I had a cut on my back.
I’d seen some of the nastier comments on his page as well as some of the ones that were more creepy than sweet.
As far as I could tell, only the good fans came by tonight.
If anything else happened, he took care of it without bringing it to my attention, which I appreciated.
I hugged my siblings. They were so much older than me, that many mistook them for being my aunt and uncle.
As they took me into their arms, I felt a ghostly arm press against my shoulders and knew that Stella was joining in on our embrace too.
I loved that she came for a visit tonight of all nights.
I couldn’t see spirits as others could, but I could feel her.
Especially tonight when the veil between the worlds was at its thinnest.
“Thank you for coming.”
Fennel and Savory both congratulated me, but it was Fennel who said, “I’ve been watching your man all night. He’s a good one. I like him.”
I smiled at my big brother. “I like him too.” It was an understatement, and we both knew it.
Dosia and Ambrose had been raised with me, but they weren’t my only niece and nephew.
They were just the closest in age to me.
My oldest niece, Fern, was fourteen years older than me.
I loved how my family didn’t hesitate to buy plane tickets or to drive home to support me.
It wasn’t even a question of if they were coming, just when.
Mom and Dad’s house was going to be packed tonight.
Some were crashing at a motel but would be coming to Mom’s for breakfast. Though Dosia and Pumpkin had left around nine to get their kids to bed, they’d also promised to come to breakfast in the morning.
It would be an early breakfast as many of them had flights or jobs to get back to.
Dosia and I also would be opening our stores at eight.
I thanked my parents last, holding onto both as tightly as I could. I owed them so much, beyond their unwavering support. I literally wouldn’t be here without their love.
“We can stay to help you close up,” my dad offered.