Chapter Sixteen #2
We turn the corner toward the shop, but instead of the bright windows full of books that I expect, the windows are covered with brown paper. “No! They can’t be closed! This place was an Oak Spires institution.”
Xander continues past the closed door and points at a sign. “Something new is moving in.”
I hurry to his side. The cheery font takes a moment to register, but when it does, it lands like a punch.
Coming this spring: Coffee, Charms, & Crystals—Oak Spires!
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Anger and frustration swirl inside me, growing bigger and bigger to block out the grief and shame and worry I know are lurking underneath.
“Un-fucking-believable.” My phone is in my hand before I’m consciously aware of what I’m doing, stabbing out a text to Dea and snapping a photo of the sign.
“You know this place?” Xander asks.
“It’s C3. The same shop that’s running my business into the ground.
” I rake my hands through my hair, tugging until I can convince myself that the sting of tears is from physical pain.
“I can’t get away from these goddamn leeches.
What are they doing in Oak Spires? Fuck.
And why did they have to take over Books and Beverages, of all places? ”
My phone buzzes with a text from Dea.
Sorry, boss.
“Maybe they’re moving here?” Xander suggests, though he can’t hide the doubt in his voice. “If the shop in Windsfell is closing, you won’t have to compete with them anymore. This could be a good thing.”
I’m too busy pulling up C3’s social media accounts to respond. There’s nothing on their grid, but I click over to their main website, and—
Coffee, Charms, & Crystals is pleased to announce the opening of our second location! Nestled just steps from historic Main Street, the Oak Spires location of C3 will mark the official launch of our new candle magic line!
“Not moving. Expanding.” I force the words out, a sinking sense of inadequacy threatening to drown me.
If I were a pettier person, and didn’t have personal minefields there, I’d be tempted to report C3 to NACOW.
Making magic accessible to mundanes must increase the risk of accidents that could make us look bad.
Surely the staunch traditionalists would take issue with that.
But no matter how much it might help my business, I’d never betray another witch like that. I won’t give the traditionalists the satisfaction of pretending I agree with their fearmongering.
My anger morphs into bitter desperation.
I don’t get why C3 is thriving while I flounder.
It doesn’t make sense. I shove my phone in my pocket and stare at the sidewalk like I can divine answers from the web of cracks.
“What am I doing wrong? I’m good at what I do.
I charge fair rates. I do the stupid marketing. I—”
“Hey,” Xander soothes, resting his hands on my shoulders. “I know this spiral, Pip. There is nothing wrong with you. Nothing. Business isn’t easy. Sometimes you have to pivot, but that doesn’t mean you failed the first time.”
Before I can argue, my phone buzzes in my hand. I expect to see Dea’s name on the screen, calling with some helpful intel, but instead, the caller ID says Jackie.
It takes a moment to place her name, but when I do, my side aches with the memory of the poltergeist possession and the now-healed Taser burn.
Worry churns in my stomach as I answer. “Jackie? Everything okay?”
“Everything is amazing,” she says, her voice thick with emotion. “I’m a mom! Marisol gave birth last night.”
The whiplash of emotions makes my eyes prickle with sympathetic tears. “That’s incredible. I’m so happy for you both.”
“I know this is last minute, but I wanted to ask for a favor.”
“What kind of favor?” I glance up at Xander, who raises that single brow in question.
“We’d like you to provide the protection blessing before we go home.”
“Oh. Wow. That’s such an honor.” Hesitation creeps into my heart.
There aren’t enough witches skilled in advanced healing to staff every medical office, but most hospitals have at least one.
Plus, blessings don’t count as healing magic.
Anyone can cast them. “Isn’t there a witch on staff who can do that for you?
Or your brother-in-law? I’ve never done one before.
” I bite back the bigger fear. I don’t want to screw it up like I do with everything else.
“There is someone here,” Jackie admits. “But we want someone who knows us. Reggie is out of town, so we’d love for it to be you. What you did for us made these last few weeks of pregnancy so much easier for Mari. It feels right that you be the one to bless our sweet boy.”
I glance up at Xander, considering. I’d planned to spend the rest of the day working on the ghost room again, but Xander did say that the ghost glasses and spirit boards were sufficient. And besides, a day away from the room could give my subconscious the space to find a creative solution.
“Okay, I’m in. Text me the location and details?”
“Thank you, Pippa! I’ll send everything now.” Somewhere in the distance, a high-pitched voice wails. “Hold on, baby. Mama’s coming.”
“Go on,” I tell her. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
“Thank you!” The line goes dead, and a moment later, details for the regional hospital come through.
“What was that about?” Xander asks.
“I’m blessing a baby?”
Xander quirks the corner of his lips into a smirk. “You might want to work on saying that with more confidence. No one wants a nervous witch blessing their newborn.”
“Hilarious.” I tuck my arm through his and lead us back toward the car. “Let’s get you back to the manor so I can get my Camry.”
“Actually, I think I’ll stick around here. There’s a local chef I’ve been scoping out for the B&B.” Xander pulls the car keys from his pocket and drops them in my hand. “Go ahead and take my car. I’ve got one of those rideshare apps on my phone.”
“You sure?” I ask as my fingers close over the keys. I can’t tell if the swirl in my stomach is nerves or excitement.
“Go bless the baby, Pip. I’ll be fine.”
At the hospital, a staff member is already waiting for me at reception. I’m checked in swiftly, provided with a bag of properly sanitized crystals, and guided through the maze of hallways to the maternity wing.
Jackie is waiting for me in the hall outside room 222, looking exhausted but full of joy.
She crushes me in a hug when the staff member drops me off.
“I’m so glad you agreed to do this.” Her voice is thick with emotion, and when she pulls away, there are tears in her eyes.
“Don’t mind me. I’ve been a crying mess all day,” she says with a chuckle.
“I think that’s pretty common.” I squeeze her hands and glance into the room, where a nurse is checking Marisol’s vitals.
We wait for the nurse to finish up, and then I follow Jackie into the room. She perches on the edge of Marisol’s bed and reaches for her wife’s hand. “Look who I found out in the hallway.”
Marisol finally turns to look at me, and the exhausted smile that brightens her face soothes away some of the concern I had about doing this. The woman radiates pure love. “Pippa. You made it.”
“I’m honored you wanted me here.” I glance past the new mothers to the bassinet on the other side of Marisol’s bed. From here, all I can see is a small, swaddled lump with a bald head sticking out the top. “How are you feeling?”
“Great doctors. Great healers. Great drugs.” She grins. “So, I’m great.”
“And the baby?” I step closer to Marisol and Jackie, and from the change in vantage point, I get my first real look at the little one’s face. His tiny nose. Itty-bitty lips. Eyes shut tight while he sleeps.
Marisol follows my gaze, and the intense love that lights up her face pokes at the hole in my heart where my family used to be. “He’s perfect. He’s got all his fingers and toes. All his tests are coming back great.”
“Does he have a name?”
“Rykelan,” they say in unison.
“Rykelan,” I repeat, and Jackie nods, confirming I’ve said his name correctly. “Should I get started?”
Once they give their consent, I wash my hands in the sink and get to work.
Though I’ve never given a newborn blessing before, it’s a traditional type of magic, which means instructions were readily available in NACOW’s database.
I studied the ritual in the car before I made the drive, and thankfully, the process seems well within my capabilities.