Prologue #2
This just made her business partner much more agitated and defensive. “Look, I’m sorry I wasn’t back quickly, but that’s no excuse for you to treat me like this. Without me, this business would have failed a long time ago, with your non-existent people skills.”
Without pausing, Maya shot back, “And you wouldn’t have even gotten the idea off the ground without me. Since I’m the brains and coordinator, I’m telling you that you are not needed here. Please go shmooze with the people in the reception area so that I can focus on work.”
Naomi retorted, “Actually, I’m needed here. I told the bride I would get her before the ceremony.”
Nearly out of patience, Maya finally looked up from her work, her fingers itching to reach out and force her business partner to stop talking. “I feel certain she and her groom know what to do without you distracting them.”
“I’m not a distraction, Maya. Just because you have the personality of a corpse and zero emotional intelligence doesn’t mean you can treat me poorly.”
No. We don’t have time for this. Maya stretched out her mind for a second, ensuring that no one was paying attention to them.
She could sense that they were uncomfortable with the spectacle.
It was yet another reason to shut Naomi up.
Certain that people were too busy pretending not to be listening to them, Maya reached up and placed her hand on Naomi’s forehead.
Her business partner’s eyes glazed over as Maya pulled her hand away and hovered it over the tablet again, making it look like she had been actively working as usual. In a low tone, she said, “Now, you are going to chat with me like we’ve reached a resolution. Be logical, not reactionary, Naomi.”
Then Maya took a deep breath and said loud enough for anyone within earshot to hear, “I’m sorry, Naomi. But in the future, you really need to stay close by. I may not be close to Sasha, but I do know what she wants for this wedding.”
Naomi almost sounded normal as she replied, “I wasn’t sure. She seemed to be happy, though. I just wanted to make sure that everything was perfect for her big day. Especially after all of the rumors.”
“Yes.” It wasn’t at all what Maya was expecting her business partner to say, and she felt a pang of guilt.
She knew a lot more about her cousin’s experiences, and the rumors didn’t remotely touch the worst of what Sasha had been through.
“I can understand that. But the best way to do that is to manage the staff because you know that I’m horrible with people.
You just pointed it out.” She smiled a little, knowing that Naomi wouldn’t hear or remember anything they were talking about.
“I get it, Maya, I really do. But you can’t treat people the way you do, or even those who are close to you will eventually turn on you.”
It was jarring and went against what she had specifically told Naomi she should do.
The words acted more to heighten the situation, and Maya looked around them, nervous to see how the staff was reacting.
The looks of concern heightened her nerves.
“I understand, and I am sorry. I will try to do better.”
Maya sighed heavily, then looked at her business partner, who had a look on her face that suggested focus.
In reality, it was Maya’s magic keeping her under Maya’s control, if only for a little while.
Guilt made Maya look away, back at her tablet.
“I will take care of everyone here since things are under control. And don’t worry about Sasha, I’ve made sure that nothing will go wrong for her and Noel.
I have every reason to want to see her happy, Naomi, so you don’t need to worry about things here.
The same cannot be said about the reception, and based on my list, they are missing several deliveries.
Go take care of things there because there are several people there who are not … eager to see me again.”
She looked around again, making sure no one was paying attention.
Then Maya held up her hand slightly and created a little ball of magic.
It would expand her control over others at the reception area, but all of the direction would be through Naomi.
Whatever she told people to do would get done.
For a second, Maya considered telling Naomi how to manage the other venue, but she just as quickly decided against it.
She may not approve of the way Naomi handled some things, but Maya knew her business partner would be able to get things done at the reception.
Especially since Maya was going home as soon as the ceremony ended.
Naomi had repeatedly proven she was capable when Maya wasn’t around, which made it so much harder to understand why she allowed distractions to keep her from getting things done when they were in the same place.
It’s her family. She will never have confidence as long as she doesn’t stand up for herself.
Maya’s hands twitched as she was very tempted to initiate certain changes.
Just like the other times when she had been tempted, though, she knew that it wouldn’t last, and as soon as the spell wore off, Naomi would act the same way she always had.
And her family would likely make sure that she never felt confident again.
The best Maya could do for Naomi was to keep pointing out when she did things right.
But that was very difficult to do when things got stressful.
As soon as she started second-guessing herself, Maya knew that she needed to refocus on the here and now. There would be time for doubt later. Right now, there was a lot to finish, and far more eyes were on this event than any other event they had ever planned.
Almost as soon as Naomi left, Maya felt something bump into her legs.
Turning around and looking down, she found herself looking into the large, blue eyes of a boy who couldn’t have been older than five.
He looked down, his chocolate-covered hands quickly disappearing as he hid them behind his back.
Swiveling her legs and crouching down, Maya smiled a little. “Well, hello there, kiddo. Are you lost?”
His tongue flicked out and he turned his face so that he was looking behind him, as if he were planning on running off.
“It’s okay,” Maya said, reaching out and patting him on the top of his head.
“I won’t tell anyone you snuck into the treats.
” He looked at her, his long eyelashes brushing against his cheeks as he blinked a few times.
It was clear that he wanted to argue that he had done no such thing, but he was too shy to utter the lie. Maya smiled. “Hold on a minute.”
Closing her eyes, she sent out a small blast of her magic. It spread out until it reached someone who was frantically looking for a child. When she sensed the person getting a “hunch” where the kid had gone, Maya knew that she needed to stall the boy.
“I love chocolate too. My favorite is mint chocolate, especially in ice cream.”
The boy looked at her nervously. “I like ice cream,” his voice was small as he spoke.
“Summer will be here soon enough. What kind of ice cream would you like?”
“Wendell! There you are!” A frantic mother dressed for the wedding rushed toward them.
Maya looked at the boy, and with a quick motion, she removed the chocolate stains. As soon as the mother reached them, she lifted up the boy. “Wendell, I told you to wait for me outside of the bathroom!”
Maya rose and pointed toward one of the hallways in the opposite direction from where the mother had entered. “There is a restroom designated for families over that way. Should you need to use it again.”
“Thank you so much for taking care of him.” The woman finally looked at Maya, and for a second she stared. “I’m so sorry that he interrupted you.”
“It’s quite alright,” Maya said, smiling at the little boy. “He was no trouble.”
“Always better for strangers,” the mother said, bouncing the boy on her hip. “Thank you again. And, um, you have a bit of chocolate or mud on your legs.”
Maya looked down to see where the child had bumped into her. “Thank you. I will make sure to take care of that before the wedding starts. And you, mister, remember what I told you.”
The boy smiled and buried his face in his mother’s neck. They walked off toward the hallway Maya had pointed out.
“I’m really sorry about that.”
Maya turned and looked at the teen, who was shifting uncomfortably on his feet. The short interaction with the child had relaxed her a little, and she smiled. “It’s quite alright, Mr. Honeysett. And I apologize for being so snappish.”
She started looking over the remaining tasks, but she already knew there was little left that he could do.
This was the homestretch, and since he was a member of the wedding party, he would need to get ready all too soon.
Reaching up to push a couple of loose strands of her tightly styled blonde hair behind her ear, Maya thought quickly as she looked up into the teen’s hopeful face.
There was only one thing she could think of that he could do.
“Fire?” she asked him.
The teen blinked at her a few times, then said, “Oh, you mean do I breathe fire?”
“Yes. Because if you do, I have something very special that you and a couple of your siblings could do.”
“Well, yeah. All of us are fire breathers.”
“Very good.” Maya immediately pulled up another app on the tablet and started sketching her studio. “Here’s what I would like you to do.”
“I’m no good at drawing.”
Her face still tilted down, the wedding planner looked at the teen, who was at least a good foot taller than her. “No, I’m drawing something, and then I’ll explain.”
“Oh. Okay.” The kid stepped up next to her and watched as Maya quickly sketched everything in the studio behind her house.