She nodded. “I just…I’m okay,” she said then pulled out her notepad and took notes for the next twenty minutes until the mayor called a break at which point she rose, shook hands with a few of the town leaders, then bolted out the door.
Without thinking twice, I headed out behind her.
“Viola?” I called.
She was digging in her purse for a tissue. She must have burst into tears the second she’d stepped outside. She stopped, and dabbed her eyes, but she was shaking violently.
“It’s okay,” I said, wrapping my arm around her. “Come on. Let’s walk a little, get you some air.”
Viola exhaled deeply then we turned and walked.
“My whole family is falling apart. First my mom, now my dad is losing it, treating Horatio and me like garbage. I…I don’t know what to do. Before my dad freaked, I remembered something my mom used to tell Horatio and me. ‘Follow your bliss. The grapes will grow without you.’ I’ve been so busy looking after Dad, after the business, I don’t even know who I am anymore.”
“Sometimes our world has to fall apart in order for us to really see ourselves.”
Viola sighed heavily.
When we reached the little park called The Grove, we stopped.
“It’s a pretty place. Have you checked it out?” Viola asked, sniffling a little.
I shook my head.
Steadying herself by gripping my shoulder, she reached down and pulled off her heels. “Come on. Shoes off,” she said, leading me into the trees.
From my view across the street, I could see the little park was wooded, but it wasn’t until I actually set foot among the trees that I realized that the tall trees had been planted in a circle. At the very center of the park was a reflecting pool. I could see the full moon overhead reflected in the water. The earth was cold under my feet, but the fallen leaves made a soft cushion. All around the reflecting pool were stumps of wood which served as seats. Careless about her designer suit, Viola sat down on the ground beside the water.
“It really is a beautiful place,” I said, but more than that, I could feel the electricity in the air. The place, which had been special to the witches of Chancellor, felt really magical. And more and more, I was beginning to suspect what my place might be in the grand scheme of things.
“My mom would bring me here sometimes. We would sip ice wine, even before I was twenty-one, and just talk about life. Our ice wine is the only wine my parents ever brewed together. All those flavor tests. All those trial blends. Finally, on a cold winter night, they got it just right and Frozen Kisses was born. Now, my dad is ripping everything apart. It’s like he’s lost sight of everything,” she said then sighed heavily. “God, Julie, I’m so sorry. We just met, but I feel like I can really talk to you. Must be your vibe with my family. Horatio seems to feel the same way.”
“Well, being fed up with life is something I understand well. As of last week I had no idea what I was doing with my life, but I’ve found new purpose, my own purpose, for the very first time. My mother died over the summer. She wanted me to be a dentist. I wanted to be a baker. It wasn’t until that,” I said, pointing to the property across the street, “happened, that I decided it was okay to give up on my mother’s dream and be my own person.”
“Your dad…is he behind you?”
“My dad always understood me. Now that it’s just him and me…”
Viola nodded and touched the surface of the reflecting pool. The water rippled. “I’m glad you came to Chancellor. Don’t go anywhere anytime soon, okay?”
I laughed. “Seems I’ve been adopted here. I’m staying.”
Viola rose, brushing leaves from her pants. “I need to go. I need to find Dad. He shouldn’t be alone right now. Thank you, Julie.”
I smiled, rose, and pulled her into a hug. “You’re welcome.”
“See you soon?” she said then let me go.
I nodded.
After she left, I sat down on one of the stumps and looked into the water. The reflection of the full moon was enchanting. It filled up the water in the pool almost completely. I took a deep breath and tried to get my mind to stop spinning. So much was happening so fast. Somehow I’d managed to get sucked into the heart of Chancellor before I’d even caught my footing, but it felt okay…almost right. It was like I was meant to be in this little town all along, like I’d been meant to take Mrs. Aster’s old place, like I’d been meant to find the recipe box. But how? Why?
The sound of low voices and rustling grass caught my attention. I rose and turned to find Tootie, Violet, and Betty standing there.
“Oh good,” Tootie said. “We won’t even have to go across the street to fetch you for the induction after all. How’d you know to come here?”
“I didn’t. Induction?”
“Of course,” Viola answered. “After the charm you just cast over everyone tonight, we figured we’d better get your training started right away before your powers run rampant.”
My mind boggled. “Powers? Training? What kind of training?”
It was then I realized that each of the three women were holding brooms. In fact, Tootie was carrying two. At the entrance of the park I saw other figures moving toward The Grove. More women, many of whom I recognized from the meeting, had arrived carrying brooms.
“Julie! So nice to see you again,” Dr. Franklin, a historian from the college who’d spoken about the history of The Grove, called. “Welcome to the sisterhood.”
“Tootie, what’s going on?” I asked.
“Emma Jane was always the best of us. Her spell work was divine. Those cupcakes you made…wow, more powerful than any Emma Jane had ever made. You had all of us calling up long-forgotten memories. You’ve got strong magic in you, Julie. Emma Jane chose her successor very well. Come now, my dear. Let’s get you dedicated,” she said then, holding out a broom toward me.
“To what?”
“To the sisterhood, of course. We are the witches of Chancellor, and this is our grove. Welcome, my dear, to the coven.”
Chapter 17: Julie
“Coven?” the word tumbled out of my mouth with more shock attached to it than I had intended.
“Julie, you’re a hearth witch at heart. Haven’t you always been good with herbs and spices? Don’t you understand how to make magic with ingredients? Emma Jane was the best hearth witch we’ve ever seen. We are, of course, good witches,” Violet said then began pointing to the others. “Stitch witch,” she said, pointing to Tootie, “soap witch,” she said, pointing to Betty, “And I’m not so bad at healing. We practice good magic, and clearly, you belong with us.”
I looked at the broom I was holding. The handle, much like the broom in Mrs. Aster’s house, was engraved.
“It’s too much for her to take in right now,” Dr. Franklin said. “She should just watch tonight then decide on her own. Let’s not put any pressure on her.”
“Agreed,” another woman, Mrs. Bradley, said. She’d given me a brochure for makeup sales at the meeting. “Let her come to it in her own time, Tootie. We loved Emma Jane, but she isn’t Emma Jane. We have to remember that…forget-me-not and all.”
Tootie nodded. “Of course. Well, how about you have a seat and watch then, dear?” Tootie said, motioning for me to take a stump. “Do you mind?”
“N…no,” I stammered, not sure if I should laugh, run off in fear, or hoist my broom and join them. I always ran pagan, but witchcraft? That was a new one even for me.
“Okay, girls,” Tootie said, “let’s have at it.”