A Hidden Curse: A Novel
Chapter 1
Sometimes things have to fall apart so they can be put back together the right way. Alethea woke from her dream with a start, sitting straight up in bed, her heart pounding. Those words spoken from that familiar voice still echoing in her mind. She looked down, suddenly aware of a sharp sensation. She was squeezing her right hand so tightly that her fingernails were digging into her palm. Releasing her grip and flexing her fingers a few times, the blood began flowing back to her white knuckles. Turning her hand over and studying the little half moon imprints in her skin, Alethea tried to snatch at the remaining fragments of her dream before they faded away. That’s right, she was in a field of flowers…holding something. No, more like clutching it tightly. Something important. That voice was so familiar. What did it say again? Something about things falling apart? Well, that certainly seemed appropriate.
Brushing away the hair clinging to the sides of her face that was damp with sweat, she let out a long, slow exhale. “Whoa, what a dream.” Dandelion blinked at that but then continued to stare at Alethea from her cozy perch atop a stack of pillows. Her tail lightly flicked back and forth in what was either mild concern or mild disapproval, Alethea couldn’t tell which. “Well good morning to you too, Princess and the Pea.” Alethea had just the slightest hint of mockery in her tone. The sleek black feline had a knack for finding the softest, most well-padded spot to curl up in, hence earning her the fairy tale nickname. “How the heck did you end up with all the pillows?” Alethea looked at her cat suspiciously. “Boy, I must’ve really been thrashing around from that dream.”
Alethea grabbed her cellphone off the night stand and glanced at the time. “Whoops, well there goes yoga!” She let out a little groan. She’d certainly be hearing about this from Danica. Summoning as much willpower as she had, she pushed off the covers and untangled herself from the fluffy, lilac-colored linen duvet. “Oh well. Guess it’s time for me to get my butt in gear, huh?” Dandelion seemed to nod approvingly, as if saying, well it’s about time you got up to tend to my breakfast.
Getting out of bed in the morning was harder and harder to do lately. Danica was convinced that a rigorous regimen of yoga, meditation, and bitter tasting liquid concoctions was just what Alethea needed to snap her out of her funk in no time. While she appreciated her caring friend’s good intentions, she did find her bootcamp-style approach to mindfulness pretty comical. But that was Danica, through and through. Some thought her headstrong and stubborn, but Alethea saw her for what she really was, determined and fierce.
Alethea rummaged through the bottom drawer in her dresser until she found a pair of yoga pants brightly printed with images of the milky way. Bingo! Throwing on a flowy tank top and flip-flops to complete the look, she fished under her bed for the yoga mat with no luck. “MEEEEEEEEEEEEEOW!” A sharp wail came from the kitchen. It sounded distinctly like UMM, EXCUSE ME AREN’T YOU FORGETTING SOMETHING? Alethea chuckled. “Hold your horses, Princess! I’m coming, I’m coming.”
“Did you think I could forget about your breakfast, Dandelion? Hmmm? I sure hope not,” Alethea murmured affectionately to the cat who was now weaving in and out around her ankles as she tried to walk toward the food bowl. “Here you go, Princess.” She bent down to fill the bowl and to scratch Dandelion lightly behind her ears, eliciting a light purr.
All things considered,Dandelion thought she was being extremely patient with the routine changes. Well, given the circumstances, did she really have another choice? Jackson had been an early riser and always tended to Dandelion’s food and water before the sun came up. Successful people don’t sleep in, he’d always say. Jackson had said a lot of things about what successful people did, most of it absurd nonsense to Dandelion’s ears. She never could fathom what Alethea had seen in that human. Couldn’t she smell he wasn’t really what he pretended to be?
She was quite happy that he was gone now, even despite the erratic feeding times. He had done so much to hurt Alethea, good riddance! She just couldn’t understand why Alethea didn’t see his departure that way. Mulling this over while she finished the last few bites of her meal, she looked up and saw Alethea on her hands and knees in front of the couch. “Ugh, not there either!” Alethea muttered as Dandelion sauntered over and rubbed against her leg reassuringly. Her poor human really was a mess lately. She’d need to seriously intervene if things didn’t change soon.
Weaving in and out of the noisy sea of people as she made her way out of the subway and out onto the sidewalk, Alethea gratefully gulped down a breath of fresh air. Well, maybe not fresh per se, but certainly less stagnant than the stale, stuffiness of the subway. The loud noise and smells of the busy weekend crowds tended to overload her system. There were some aspects of urban life that Alethea suspected she’d never really get used to. As she rounded the corner, the yoga studio’s decorative teal doors came into view. They were still shut tightly so Danica’s class must not be over yet. Well at least I look the part, Alethea thought to herself, with her reusable water bottle and dusty yoga mat in hand, self-consciously readjusting the strap of her aqua-colored tank top. Maybe Danica wouldn’t even notice that she hadn’t been in the class, it was always so packed. Feeling vaguely like a naughty teenager playing hooky, she scurried past the studio doors and ducked into the neighboring cafe.
As she opened the heavy glass door, the heavenly scent of dark-roasted coffee beans wafted up to greet her and she couldn’t help allowing herself a small smile. Drawing in a long, deep breath, she filled her nose with notes of caramel, cocoa powder and burnt toffee. Were there hints of lavender and sweet cream too? Ah yes, there on the countertop underneath a glass cloche proclaiming the Baked Treat of the Day! were a heaping pile of lavender scones.
There was something Alethea found so comforting about cafes. Maybe it was the background chatter and gentle whir of the steam-wand frothing the milk for the fancy espresso drinks. Or maybe it was the quiet respite they offered from the hustle and bustle of the city outside. Nah, it’s definitely the coffee and pastries, Alethea admitted to herself. She had a major weakness for…well, for freshly baked anything actually. As Jackson had often reminded her, for someone with absolutely zero culinary skills she sure did have a lot to say on the subject. Thinking about Jackson caused any remnants of that smile on her lips to dissolve away. How could she have been so stupid, so blind? She had been so sure of her perfectly planned future, steadily climbing the ranks to the top of the advertising agency where she worked with her equally successful and supportive fiancé by her side. Yet now, after the events of one truly horrible day, a day so awful her friends had dubbed it Black Tuesday, everything had changed. Now here she stood, single and unemployed.
Bringing her thoughts back to the present, she scanned the chalkboard menu hanging above the counter. After placing her order for a large oat milk latte, and not one but two scones, she finally managed to find an open table with enough seats and made her way over to sit down. Nestled in between the yoga center and a New Age shop, the cafe was always brimming with would-be yogis getting their post-practice spirulina smoothies and avocado toast. Despite being packed to the brim with patrons, the cafe still managed to maintain an open and airy feel, no doubt helped along by the high ceilings and bright white walls. Planter boxes made from repurposed industrial pallets were mounted along the far end, with multitudes of different colored succulents cascading down in what looked like a rainbow made of plants.
“Phew!” An exasperated voice came from behind and before Alethea could even turn her head, Priya had all but fallen into the chair directly across from her. Despite the disheveled way she had flopped down into her seat, Priya’s demeanor was anything but. Her crisply ironed dress was a rich shade of coral and flattered her delicate features. “I thought I was going to have to body check a woman in a pink fedora to make my way over here!” Her friend’s round cheeks looked slightly flushed as she laughed. Alethea smiled at that image, made even more comical by the fact that her petite beauty of a friend was only 5 feet 4 inches. And that was even with the help of her signature kitten heels!
“Tell me about it, this place is always so crowded.” Alethea didn’t think she had ever come to this cafe without waiting for a table.
“Well, yeah…,” Priya said slowly. “But that’s not the reason she almost got body checked, silly. Did you not hear me about the pink fedora?! It has sequins!” At that Alethea couldn’t help but laugh. She knew her friends were worried about her and cracking jokes was Priya’s way of trying to cheer her up.
“Finally! I was beginning to worry that the world would never see you laugh again.” Priya gave her a quick wink and scooted her seat closer to the table. She piled her expensive-looking vintage purse and multiple canvas shopping bags on the empty seat to her left, next to Alethea’s teal yoga mat. “So anyway, how are you holding up? You haven’t texted more than one word answers all week and lord knows for you that’s like the equivalent of taking a vow of silence for a year.” Priya’s tone was light and her grin wide as she gently teased.
That huge, disarming smile was just one of the many traits that Alethea appreciated about her dear friend. Thinking back to how they met during their freshman year at Cedar Bay University, Alethea realized that Priya didn’t actually look all that different from their college days. Even back then, her put together friend was always dressed to perfection. It wasn’t that she kept up with mainstream fashion trends or had to have the newest designer shoes. Rather, Priya had an eye for vintage clothing and accessories. When Alethea had met her, she was deep into her Rockabilly phase and coordinated her poodle skirts with matching bandanas wrapped around her Betty Page haircut. Nowadays, with her Brian Setzer records and cat eye sunglasses long since packed away, Priya tended to channel her inner Jackie O. more than Rosie the Riveter. The summer of their freshman year had been so much fun, as the two of them had made it their mission to explore all of the tiny consignment shops tucked away in the endless nooks and crannies of the city.
“And now why would you be wearing that?” Danica’s loud voice somehow perfectly conveyed an even mix of both playfulness and condescending sass. Snapping out of her daydream down memory lane, Alethea looked up and made a loud groan as their friend approached the table. Danica’s armful of brightly colored enamel bracelets gently clanged against one another as she gracefully squeezed into the remaining empty seat. “HMMMMMM?” she added for emphasis while looking Alethea’s yoga outfit up and down, her large brown eyes wide in mock exaggeration as she teased. Danica’s trademark smirk spread across her lips before she turned her attention away to unload the large duffle bag from her shoulders. Somehow she managed to balance it on top of the now teetering pile of her friends’ belongings.
Priya looked back and forth between the two of them, clearly confused. “What do you mean?” She turned to Danica with a puzzled expression. “Why wouldn’t Alethea be wearing workout clothes for yoga?”
“Well…,” Alethea stalled, drawing out the word. “Actually…I may have overslept just a teensy bit.” She held her thumb and forefinger about half an inch apart to illustrate just how teensy.
Danica cleared her throat and arched an eyebrow in response.
“Oh yeah and by teensy I mean 45 minutes.” Alethea grinned sheepishly while she spoke.
“Oh, 45 minutes? Well then, I guess you weren’t actually late after all.” Danica rolled her eyes but couldn’t stop the laughter from coming. “It seems that you perfectly timed your arrival to when I had the class start savasana…your favorite.” By now all three women were erupting in giggles, lightening the collective energy of the group considerably. It was a running joke that the only part of yoga that Alethea liked was the pose typically at the end of the session. The one where you lay flat on your back, perhaps under a blanket and with an eye mask on if you’re lucky.
“Okay, okay I know yoga is not your thing, so I promise I will stop trying to force you to go. But it did manage to finally get you out of that apartment, even if you didn’t actually get into a single pose.”
Alethea was glad Danica had twisted her arm about coming today. It felt good to laugh and to be out, meeting up with her friends instead of being alone, surrounded by memories of Jackson. She knew it was time for her to start picking up the pieces of her shattered life, but she just didn’t seem to have the energy.
Jackson had moved out 21 days ago. Could it possibly be that long already? But who was counting, right? Her coffee table was now a pile of empty takeout containers and half-filled coffee cups that had been delivered by a menagerie of gig drivers. The older gentleman who had brought the late night delivery of two quarts of Ben Jerry’s ice cream to her door had a clear look of concern in his eyes that Alethea had forced herself to ignore. “This is why you gotta love the big city! Any flavor of ice cream - any time you want!” she had said with forced laughter, trying her best to sound enthusiastic. Unfortunately, her overcompensation had made her sound more unstable than cheery, standing in the doorway at midnight in an old pair of ratty pajamas she’d had on for a few days and mismatched socks.
In fact, Alethea probably wouldn’t have left the apartment at all if it wasn’t for Dandelion going through one of her finicky episodes. Of course, her spoiled feline had chosen now of all times to go on a hunger strike. Oh she had done this in the past, refusing to eat until whatever specific delicacy she had been craving was brought to her. The last time it had been salmon. This time, after two unsuccessful seafood options, it had apparently been rotisserie chicken.
“Anyone else want anything?” Priya asked the other two as she hopped up from her seat. Alethea shook her head and took another sip of her still steaming hot latte.
“Nothing for me, thanks.” Danica checked her Fitbit. “I’ve got exactly 22 minutes until my next class starts and lord knows I don’t want to be in pigeon pose with a full bladder.”
“I hear that!” Priya laughed in understanding, as she headed across the room towards the counter.
Turning her attention back to Alethea, Danica gave her friend a leveling look. “We’re worried about you, honey,” she said, taking a serious tone for the first time.
“I know.” It was all Alethea could manage to respond with, as she wondered how in the world she ever would’ve survived this mess without the support of her two best friends. “So you never did tell me, how’s the virtual class launch going?” she asked, quickly changing the subject. She felt too emotionally raw to talk about how much she appreciated having these two caring women in her life without the risk of getting teary-eyed in the middle of the cafe. Losing both of her parents when she was 16 years old, Alethea’s only real family left was her Aunt Scarlet. But since moving to the city ten years ago, Danica and Priya had been like the sisters she never had but had always longed for.
“Oh, it’s going,” Danica said sarcastically, her bracelets clinking against one another as she laughed. “You know how most of the other instructors thought I had taken crazy pills for wanting to start an on-online yoga class? Well, I’m starting to think maybe they were right. I mean, with how much you need to know about streaming and the headache of video editing, who could blame them for not wanting to touch it with a ten foot pole? Tech and yoga aren’t exactly a match made in heaven you know.” She laughed again while shaking her head in exasperation. “We had our first session last week and let’s just say it was…an experience.” She emphasized the last word for plenty of effect.
“Oh, I’m sure it wasn’t that bad!” Alethea knew her friend could be overly dramatic sometimes. Apparently though, the class did not have a very zen-like start. A few of the attendees, including her longtime student Celeste, couldn’t figure out how to use the mute button. Danica’s patient explanation on how to mute their microphones was completely drowned out when Celeste’s little chihuahua started barking hysterically at all of the various faces on her owner’s computer screen, and utter chaos ensued.
“Anyway, once we finally worked out all the technical issues, it ended up being a pretty good session, at least. I was actually kinda shocked to see that all of the students signed up again for this week’s class.”
“Every single one?” Alethea was incredulous. “Wow, a hundred percent retention rate is like, unheard of! See, the class definitely couldn’t have gone as bad as you thought. Aren’t I always telling you that you’re too hard on yourself? I’m really proud of you for going outside of your comfort zone and doing this, Danica.” She gave her friend a genuine smile and a quick squeeze.
“You filling her in on your supposed virtual nightmare?” Priya jumped into the conversation as she came back to the table, carefully balancing a blue ceramic mug filled to the brim. “Which I still say did not go nearly as bad as you think it did.”
“That’s exactly what I told her!” Alethea cut in before Danica could answer, then she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply through her nose. “Mocha chai latte?” The cinnamon and star anise tickled her senses from Priya’s mug across the table.
“How the heck do you do that?!” Priya sighed with exasperation. “I’m supposed to be the foodie of the group. I didn’t spend two years in culinary school to be upstaged by the woman who can’t boil a pot of pasta.” The three friends laughed hard at that. It hadn’t really been a shock when Priya announced that she was dropping out of Cedar Bay their junior year and attending the city’s prestigious culinary academy instead. Priya was always trying to “educate” her friends on the finer points of gastronomy, sadly none of it ever seemed to rub off on Alethea. She just knew what tasted good.
“Speaking of culinary school, when do classes officially end for the summer, Ms. Professor?” asked Danica.
“Two weeks left!” Priya was almost giddy. Immediately being hired on as a culinary professor once she graduated, Priya genuinely loved her job. She was just as passionate about teaching as she was about cooking, and Alethea knew how lucky her friend felt to be able to combine the two into a career. And of course, the culinary school was where she had met her now husband, Jake. Their first year together, they had decided not to teach summer courses and had spent two glorious months traveling together through Europe instead. And that’s what they continued to do every summer since, traveling to several exciting new destinations over the last few years. Truth be told, Priya might have enjoyed planning the trips as much as actually taking them. Snuggled up with Jake on the couch, the two of them keeping warm under their oversized faux-fur throw, she loved nothing more than to spend a gray February day planning out itinerary details and searching for the best-kept-secret spots that only locals knew about.
“Alright ladies.” Danica sighed as she checked her Fitbit again. “Sadly, I must get back to it.” Standing up and grabbing her gear, she smiled. “Love you both!” She waved and blew an air kiss as she crossed the cafe towards the exit. “Oh! And Alethea!” She raised her voice to make herself heard over the other patrons. “Make sure you download that MeditationSpace app I sent you the link for!”
“Okay, okay, I promise!” Alethea gave in, shaking her head and laughing. “She seriously never gives up.”
Priya wholeheartedly agreed. “Danica? Give up? Please. Remember that time she wanted to find a signed first edition of The Princess Bride for her nephew Riley? Tenacious doesn’t even begin to describe our friend.” Even though she was teasing, her tone was still one of strong admiration. “Ok, so are you ready to head out, too? You still up for going back to your place to sort through your finances?”
Alethea sighed. “I don’t know if ‘up for’ is exactly the phrase I would use but at this point I really don’t think I’ve got much of a choice. The last thing I need to add to my pile of misery is an eviction notice from a bounced check. Thanks again for offering to help me out with this. I’m so overwhelmed by it all and I just can’t seem to think clearly.”
“Are you kidding? You know how much I love messing around in spreadsheets!” Priya gathered up her things from the chair beside her.
“Ok, just remember you said that.” Alethea grimaced. “Jackson started handling all of the finances as soon as we moved in together so I don’t even know where to start.”
“We’ll start at the beginning. It’ll be ok, Alethea.” Priya was trying to be reassuring. And then in a softer yet somehow more firm voice, “You’ll be ok. I promise.” And at that moment, Alethea thought she just might.