Chapter 9
A few weeks later Aiden pulled his latest batch of scones out of the oven and stared at them in confusion. Despite the fact that he knew he’d shaped them into rounds – the cutter was still drying by the sink – every single one of them had morphed as they’d baked, reforming into hearts.
He moved them to the cooling rack and grabbed a slightly more lopsided one and headed into the shop garden where he whistled, and tore it into crumbs.
In less than a minute, the garden was filled with the mini flock of sparrows Rayenne had adopted – feeding and caring for them in exchange for them bringing her the news.
She’d always claimed they were much more interesting than actual papers or news sites – on the days her devices and internet signal played fair.
Even though he talked to Mist regularly now, Aiden felt a little weird about this – but it needed to be done, so he awkwardly cleared his throat. ‘May I speak with you? Please.’
A couple of pairs of bright black eyes turned to face him. After a few seconds of chattering, one of the birds – he thought female – hopped closer to him, regarding him curiously from the spot by his foot.
He stuck his hand in his pocket and pulled out the bag of seeds and dried fruit he’d prepared earlier, and poured some into his palm. He knelt down, offering it to the little bird, who daintily stepped onto his thumb.
‘I know these are your favourites, according to Rayenne at least. And I know that you’ve been friends with her for a long time. But I’d like to think we’re becoming friends too.’ He smiled when the bird peeped in agreement, and he felt the answer clearly in his mind.
She – the flock mama and queen – considered him with his clumpy feet, loud whistles and odd feathers a flock-friend too.
‘I’m honoured,’ he told her. ‘And I was wondering if you would consider doing me a favour. In exchange for appropriate payment, of course.’
The sparrow pecked at the food while she listened, cocking her head to one side to observe him every so often.
Mealworms, she told him. And the sticky red things.
He thought for a couple of moments. ‘Do you mean cherries? The sweet circles we chop into bits?’
Yes. We like cherries! Another bird chirped at her. And millet. The fluffy seeds that grow like long grass.
‘Yes, I know millet.’
Cherries, mealworms and millet and we will do as you ask. You may pet my head now.
‘Right, yes, of course.’ He dutifully did as he was bid.
We like Colourful-Rayenne. She feeds us nice foods and keeps us well.
When Bobs-His-Tail was scratched by the strange cat, Colourful-Rayenne looked after him until he was well again.
And Mist had yowls with the strange cat until he understood how to behave in Hudsbury.
And she guards our fledglings. But we like you too, Clumpy-Feet-Man. You can be flock.
‘I’m proud to be considered flock-worthy.’ He smiled. ‘Have we a deal?’
We do. She flew off to rejoin her flock. Though we’d have done it just for the cherries. We don’t care that much about what you food scatterers do.
‘Fair enough.’ Aiden chuckled. ‘And thank you.’ He turned around and headed back to the store.
Rayenne wasn’t back from lunch, and it sounded like Ophelia was upstairs, so he had some time.
‘Right… Frank…’ He felt a bit odd addressing the thin air, but he wasn’t taking any chances.
‘On the off chance that you were listening in, I’ll thank you very much to keep things to yourself.
’ The air around him vibrated slightly. ‘I don’t need your help with anything, thanks.
And it’s none of your business. It’s none of anyone’s business, and that’s the point.
I don’t want to threaten you, Frank, but I will not have you interfering with Mia again.
Or talking about us. I don’t know how to exorcise a ghost yet, but I’m a quick learner.
You don’t want me to learn how, do you?’
The air shimmered and grumbled, but he got the strong sense ‘Frank’ agreed.
The cheerful shop chimes made him look up, and then do a double take as a giant pumpkin wearing Rayenne’s purple boots staggered in.
‘Need a hand?’ He rushed to help.
‘Thanks.’
‘I would have happily helped you fetch this if you’d asked.’ He was surprised at the weight of it.
‘I hadn’t planned on it, but the farm had a stall out, and Lorraine had earmarked it for us…’
‘Next time, call me.’ He heaved it onto the shop counter. ‘This must weigh more than you!’
‘I’m stronger than I look.’
‘I guess this means we’re starting to decorate for Hallo… Samhain?’
Rayenne nodded, grinning.
‘But it’s only September.’
‘We told you – we start early here.’
‘With a thirty-inch pumpkin?’
‘Yup. Isn’t it beautiful?’
‘It’s certainly something.’
‘Obviously we’ll have more, but this will be a beautiful centrepiece. What do you think?’
‘What do I think?’ Aiden gawped at the monster gourd.
‘Well, you are the kitchen witch…’
‘I think I’m going to need a really big bowl for all the seeds and pulp. And probably more cocoa powder, because I have an idea for pumpkin spiced brownies…’
‘Sounds delicious. Do you want some help?’
‘I’m OK thanks. Like you said, I’m the kitchen witch.’ He chuckled, still getting used to it.
He’d just about finished with the squelchy, messy part of the pumpkin prep when people started arriving, and it turned into one of those days where customers seemed to be back-to-back with barely a chance to breathe in-between.
Rayenne had a client while Ophelia took a walk-in tarot reading, leaving Aiden handling the store.
He blasted through the day the best he could, relying on the shop to help guide him when it came to helping visitors find what they were looking for… whether they knew it or not.
He finally got back to the monster pumpkin and started carving out the face.
‘Owowowowow!’
Aiden shot back across the kitchen from where the knife still vibrated in the huge gourd. ‘What?’
‘I said Ow! Wouldna you say ow if someone stabbed a great big knife in your face?’
‘Ermm, Ophelia?’
She’s still reading. You sound… something. Did you explode more cakes? Mist sauntered to the kitchen door, careful not to set off the hygiene spells Ophelia had set.
‘No. But…’ Even knowing what he knew, he felt stupid saying it.
But what? Hurry up please, there’s a spot of sun I want to lie in some more.
‘The pumpkin… It’s, um… It’s saying I’m hurting it?’
Did you give it a mouth first?
‘Shouldn’t I have?’
Not if you want to carve in peace. Frank, he’s new. Leave him alone. Get out of the pumpkin if you want him to finish it.
‘This one’s mine still!’ The bright orange gourd vibrated and shook before the lid shot off and white mist swirled briefly while the pumpkin spun on the counter.
‘So, pumpkins can talk?’ Aiden gingerly reclaimed the knife. ‘And when Ophelia said Frank and his friends really like pumpkins, she meant…?’
They haunt them. Inhabit them. Animate them, to a certain extent. They are pests, but can be amusing.
‘Just another Hudsbury thing?’
Jack-o’-lanterns are designed for souls to haunt.
‘Really?’
Of course. According to ancient legend there was a trickster named Jack who – long story short because my sunspot is waiting – conned the Devil twice, including into agreeing to never claim his soul.
But Jack was not welcomed into heaven either, so when he died, he was left a-wandering – carrying only a burning coal the devil threw him out of spite.
Jack, allegedly, hollowed out a turnip and used it to carry the glowing ember as he endlessly searched for the rest he would never find…
his only comfort: curling up with that glowing light in the endless dark.
‘And pumpkins…?’
Bigger, showier and easier to carve. But still a handy place for spirits to rest.
‘And haunt?’
Well, it is Hudsbury.
‘I’m getting a feeling this October is going to be really interesting.’ Aiden grinned.
You have no idea.
There was something in the tone of the cat’s ‘voice’ that made Aiden hesitate. ‘What do you mean?’ But Mist had already trotted away.
He shook his head and went back to carving the pumpkin.
He was just about done when Ophelia stuck her head into the kitchen. ‘That’s looking really good, but finish up and get yourself off home. I’m closing the shop now.’
‘Will do, thanks.’
A knock at the door a few minutes later brought him out into the now empty store, and he grinned to see Mia standing there, swathed in a massive scarf. ‘Hello, Princess.’
‘This is a nice surprise, I didn’t think you’d be here still.’ Her hand went to his arm and squeezed, her thumb rubbing over his skin.
‘Didn’t think I was seeing you either until tomorrow night. That is, unless you’re here to cancel?’
‘No. In fact, I was kind of hoping Friday nights might become a sort of standing non-date?’ He couldn’t tell if the pink tint to her cheeks was the gorgeous flush she so often got when he teased her, or just coming from the cold outdoors to the warmth of the shop, but she was adorable, nonetheless.
‘Really?’
‘Maybe?’
‘That would work for me. Really well.’
‘Good. Me too.’ She smiled happily. ‘Are you still planning on arriving later and staying a bit longer?’
‘Yeah, if that’s OK.’ It was the highlight of his week – and for a lot more reasons than the obvious.
‘Definitely OK.’ She nodded.
‘So, if you weren’t here especially for me, who were you looking for?’
‘Katie. We’re off out. Drinks and then ghost-hunting.’
‘Really?’ He wondered – hoped – that meant Mia might be more ‘awake’ than the others thought, and that he could talk to her about all the amazing things he’d been experiencing.
‘I think it’s probably going to be a few ghost stories and some people in fancy dress jumping out and yelling Boo! a few times, but it should be a laugh.’
‘You don’t believe in ghosts and… stuff?’
‘Not really. Why, do you?’
‘You have seen where I work, right? And I seem to remember doing reiki on you…’
‘Yeah, but that’s different.’ She waved as Katie came down the stairs.
‘What’s different?’