I shut out all thoughts of Viola Hunter and set my mind on Alice once more. I tuned into the sounds of nature: the humming of the bees, the rustling of the new leaves, and the feel of the warm sunlight on my skin. This time, I lifted the willow wand sitting in my lap and gave it a wave as I intoned:
Over hill, over dale,
Through brush, through brier,
Over park, over pale,
Through flood, through fire
Bring Alice her love!
This time when I said the enchantment, I could feel the magic. A little sound, like the chiming of a hundred small bells, told me that the spell had worked. I could almost see my words glimmering like gold on the wind, twisting and turning upward toward the sky in search of the one who would bring Alice’s heart joy.
I opened my eyes and looked down at the wand. For a moment, I wished I could just give it a wave and have everything I wanted. But that wasn’t how this worked. Whatever I wanted, I was going to have to work for it. Good thing I didn’t need much. But the moment I thought it, Viola came to mind once more.
My phone, lying in the grass beside me, buzzed. I picked it up to see I’d received a text from Alice. So soon? When I opened the message, however, I was perplexed.
Crisis, she’d written.
What’s wrong? I answered back.
Dumped again. Bring chocolate.
I sighed heavily. When Alice started dating Tom, Chancellor’s local sheriff, I knew it wasn’t meant to be. He wasn’t a bad guy, but they were completely wrong for one another. And I also knew that uniting Alice with her true love meant that Tom would have to go away. But that fast? Wow, maybe I was getting better at this than I thought. Or maybe, it was just time.
On my way into town now. I replied.
There was no answer. It was the midday lunch rush at Alice’s bagel shop. No doubt that would keep her busy, her mind occupied. I frowned. Also, it was the worst time of day to get dumped.
“Time to get to work,” I told the bees. They stopped their tasks then and swarmed, making a passing spiral around me, from my feet to my head. I could sense their questions, their excitement.
“Help me?” I asked. “Help me find the one for Alice?”
With an excited buzz, they flew off happily. I had no doubt they’d do everything they could.
“Thank you,” I called behind them then headed out of the orchard.
My old pickup sat waiting near the barn. Shielding my eyes with my hand, I gazed across the horizon at the row after row of vines owned by Viola’s family’s business, Blushing Grape Vineyards. I could just make out the roof of the Hunter family’s elaborate mansion sitting along the shore of Lake Erie. So close, but so far away. I sighed and looked out at the lake; the waves were dark blue that morning. The wind blowing off the lake was still cold, even though it was April, but I could feel the earth coming back to life. Spring had come again.
I picked up the cases of honey I’d packed up earlier that day and set them in the back of my truck. Sliding into the driver’s seat, I glanced once more at the Hunter family mansion. Where was Viola today? Working at the estate? Was she busy at the family restaurant downtown? Or was she over at the college where she’d started taking classes once more? The image of her laughing and running through the orchard played again through my mind.
Alice. I needed to focus on Alice.
I lifted my phone again. Still no reply from Alice.
“Sorry, Alice. I’ll try to do better. Looks like you’re stuck with the worst fairy godfather ever.”
Chapter 2: Viola
“For next class, be sure to finish the equations on pages seventy-six and seventy-seven and prepare for your exam on chapter thirty-two,” Professor Wallace said, scribbling on the board.
I quickly scrawled the assignment down in my notes while wondering when in the world I was going to get everything done. I needed to give up sleep. That was all there was do it.
I cast a glance at Meredith who was sitting beside me.
She shook her head. “And in a few weeks, finals. Are we having fun yet?”
“Of course,” I replied with an eye roll. But the truth was, as hard as it was to work and study, I was having fun. In fact, I was the happiest I’d been in a long time. My first three years of college had been amazing. My grades had been great, I’d made lots of friends, and I was starting to get a good grasp on where I was going in life. And then, Mom had died and my world had fallen apart. Dad needed my help at the family business so I’d set my goals aside to help out. But then everything just snowballed. Dad took Mom’s death hard. It changed him. And little by little, I found myself running more aspects of Blushing Grape Vineyards than I’d ever intended. I didn’t mind my family’s business. In fact, I actually loved enology. I loved to create new vintages, new flavors. It wasn’t a far leap from my true passion, which was perfumery. But that passion had been put on hold. I didn’t want to play the role of wine heiress any more than my brother Horatio had wanted to play a wine baron. But, thank goodness, those darker days were over now. My dad was back to his old self, taking over aspects of the company once more. My brother had a new job, a new girlfriend, and a new life. And me, I’d reenrolled in college and was just coming to the end of my first semester back. In a year, I’d have my degree and be able to start chasing my dream.
“See ya,” Meredith called then headed out.
I waved to her then finished packing up my things.
“Viola?” Professor Wallace called.
Hoisting my bag over my shoulder, I approached the podium. Professor Wallace was a slip of a man, perhaps my father’s age, with thinning white hair. He was touted as one of the hardest chemistry professors on campus, and while the work was tough, I knew I was learning a lot. I wanted to understand the science of what I was doing, and a degree in chemistry was just what I needed. While other students in the class were, no doubt, studying to become doctors or scientists, my motivations were much different, and Professor Wallace was one of the few who knew about my passion.
“Professor?” I asked politely.
“Thank you very much for preparing the programs for the symposium. I know our department administrative assistant appreciated your help.”
“Anything, professor. The symposium is going to be a wonderful event,” I replied. In was, in fact, honored when Professor Wallace asked me to help out in preparation for the chemistry symposium that would be held that week. If working at my father’s company had taught me anything, I knew that networking was a key to success. Wherever people were doing things I was interested in, that’s where I needed to be. And this week, that was the research symposium.
“Oh yes, oh yes. We have some really excellent minds coming in. The sister city group is sending a delegation from Japan. I think your brother is working on the sister city event?”
I nodded. In addition to the research symposium, this was a busy week in Chancellor. Every spring, Chancellor celebrated its relationship with our sister city, Narashino, Japan. And this year, my brother was organizing the festivities. “Yes, Horatio is overseeing that project. He’s organizing the Cherry Blossom Ball.”
“Very good,” Professor Wallace said with a nod. “Now, Miss Hunter, I was hoping I might ask your help once more?” he said as he slipped his yellowing lecture notes into his worn, brown satchel.