by Jane Tara
“Because…it’s a small town.”
“Do you know it?”
Brigid looked uncomfortable. “Why would I?”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“It wasn’t that long ago they were killing our kind in small towns,” Brigid snapped.
Rhi laughed. “Mom, I appreciate the concern, but the burning times ended a while ago.”
“Not in small towns, Rhiannon.”
“I promise I’ll leave quickly if they start building a pyre.”
“I was burnt at the stake three times and let me tell you, it’s nothing to joke about.”
Rhi rolled her eyes. “You wouldn’t even know about that if you hadn’t done past-life therapy.”
“Rubbish. I always sensed it. Just talking about this makes my feet burn.”
“It’s not common practice in modern-day America.”
“Obviously you’ve never been to Mississippi.”
“Mom!”
“You are a witch, Rhiannon. You can’t escape that.”
Rhi felt like she was about to cry, which would be embarrassing in the middle of the restaurant. “I can try.”
“You’ll never fit in. And surely you don’t want to, there.”
“Actually, I do. People won’t know me, Mom. For once I will fit in. I’ll just be me, rather than the lord and lady’s daughter.”
Brigid reeled back slightly. “Are you ashamed of us?”
“Ashamed? No.”
“You’ll be there five minutes before someone finds out who you are,” Brigid said. “Unless they don’t have the internet there.”
Rhi prepared for battle. “I changed my name.”
“You what?” Brigid looked thunderous.
“I’m using Dad’s surname.”
“Ours is a matrilineal line.”
Rhi was unmoved. “You decided that, Mom. It’s not like I’m breaking with generations of tradition.” She glanced at her father, who actually looked proud of her. “Please understand, Mom, I need this.”
Lugh reached out a hand to calm his wife. “Now, now, Brigid, we know that it’s been tough for Rhi to find work. This might be what she needs. She won’t be recognized.”
“And what is wrong with being recognized?” Brigid gripped the edge of the table. “We’ve worked our asses off so as she can have this life she’s rejecting.”
“I’m not rejecting it, Mom.”
“Be reasonable, love, she wants to work. She’s a gifted actress but is often overlooked because of us.” Lugh pushed a tendril of hair off his wife’s face. “Let her go somewhere where she can work this out. It’s what she wants.”
“Thank you, Dad. And this is exactly what I want.”
Brigid refused to believe it. “Tonight perhaps, but given a week you’ll have forgotten all about it.”
“Given a week, I’ll be gone. I’ve already rented a house…I’ve rented a theater. My stuff is packed. I leave next Tuesday.”
Chapter 9
Rhiannon parked her overloaded car in front of the Callahan cottage and stared at it for a moment. It was a blue, two-story bungalow with a front porch, surrounded by large trees. Most of the homes on Maple Drive were tucked away, at least partially out of sight, which gave the road a deserted feel.
She was glad she was alone. She’d dropped in to Captain’s Realty to pick up the keys and Annie initially insisted she’d bring her over to the house.
“Don’t put yourself out, Annie.”
“It’s not a problem.”
How would she put this? “It’s just…I need to do this alone.”
Annie gave a nod and handed Rhi the mound of keys. “They’re all labeled. The red one is for the front door. Let me know if there’s anything you want moved from the house.”
“Do you think the owner would mind if I got rid of one of the couches?”
“Which one?”
“The hideous one that looks like a fruit bowl. Everything else is perfect, but that just makes me want to scream.” Rhi widened her eyes for comedic effect.
“I’ll organize someone to pick it up.”
“Should you check with the owner first?”
Annie was obviously trying not to laugh. “I’m the owner.”
“I’d apologize but I don’t want to choke on my foot.”
Annie brushed her off with a laugh. “Don’t worry about it, Rhi.”
“You rented me your house?”
“One of them. I thought you’d be happy there.”
“I will be. I love the house.” Rhi was embarrassed now and tried to backtrack. “And the lounge isn’t too bad.”
“It’s hideous. It was fine for summer rentals, but asking you to live with it is cruel. I’ll get Dan West to pick it up. He’s a good option for helping clear the debris at the theater too. He can rent you a dumpster.”
“I thought I’d go in tomorrow and make a list of what needs to be done. I’ll start the dirty work on the weekend.”
“Great.” Annie guided Rhi toward the door. “Come, I’ll walk you to your car.” Annie ushered her out the door and down the street, pointing out stores and people along the way.
“There are two grocery stores in town and I try to buy from both. Although Sweeney’s has a better selection of cheese.” Annie gave an attractive woman a wave. “That’s Annabelle Hampton. She was a dancer in New York, if you ever need a dance teacher or choreographer at the theater.” Annie placed her hand on Rhi’s arm and guided her to one side of the pavement as she nodded to a guy who was approaching. “Morning, Keith.” Once he’d passed she whispered, “It’s pretty much a given that he’ll try to hit on you within a month. He hits on everyone except his wife.” She led Rhi past Crystal’s Balls.
“The coffee here is excellent, much better than at Cafe Max,” said Annie.
“I’ve already tried it. It was one of the things that sent me into your agency in the first place.”
“Oh, so you’ve met Tye? She’s my dearest friend.”
Rhi thought of Victoria, and felt a wave of grief. There was a huge gap in Rhi’s life for one of those. “This is my car.”
Annie turned to Rhi and gave her a warm but evaluating stare. “So ’fess up, why did you decide to move here?
“Why not?”
“Why open a theater so far from New York?”
Rhi paused and stared out the window. What could she say? That New York had chipped away at her spirit until she was afraid there was so little left she would dissolve? That her boyfriend and best friend had betrayed her? That her parents were infamous in New York and had dragged her along for the ride? That her mother was so overbearing that sometimes Rhi felt she couldn’t breathe? She decided less was best.
“I need some time out.”
“You’re an actress?”
“Yeah.”
“Have I seen you in anything?” Annie’s eyes narrowed slightly. “You look kind of familiar.”
Kind of familiar! How many times had Rhi heard that? “I’ve done a couple of commercials. You’ve probably seen those,” said Rhi.
That seemed to satisfy Annie’s curiosity. “Well, I’m glad you’re here. Let’s have a drink once you’ve settled in.”
“I’d love to.”
Annie gave Rhi a hug. “Welcome to Hamlet. And enjoy my cottage. That house has a lovely heart.”
Standing before it now, Rhi had to agree. She grabbed the bags of groceries she’d bought and carried them over to the front door, where she fumbled for the keys. All three locks were bolted which, although probably unnecessary here, calmed her New York–bred mind. She stepped into the entrance and put the shopping on the floor.
Annie had taken her through once, on the trip she’d made to Hamlet to sign the contracts, but this time the house was hers. She stood for a moment and absorbed the silence. She was alone. She’d never lived alone. She’d moved from her parents’ house to various share houses with friends, and then in with Chandra. This was the first time she’d had her own
place, and the realization petrified and thrilled her all at once.
She wandered from room to room. There was a large combined living and dining room, a kitchen and a small sitting room at the back with windows overlooking the garden. Upstairs there were two large bedrooms, a bathroom and one small room she’d use as an office.
Rhi opened the windows and then the blue shutters in the bedroom she’d chosen for her own and let the afternoon sun in. There was plenty of cupboard space. The ceiling was high, and the windows large. The bed frame was vintage mahogany, but the mattress looked brand new and was firm.
She took mental notes of what needed doing. There wasn’t a lot. The cottage had been freshly painted, and new curtains hung. The colors were warm, the rooms bright and the hardwood floors shone beneath the freshly shampooed rugs. Apart from one hideous sofa, she would keep all the furniture that came with the house. The place had character, but it would be up to Rhi to make it feel like home with her own belongings. The few she had. She’d walked out of the apartment she’d shared with Chandra with only her personal belongings. Despite buying furniture and art with him, she’d left it all behind; she didn’t want any reminders of him here. Anything that was important to her was in her car. She headed out there now and started unloading her bags and boxes and carrying them inside.
Box by box she unpacked. Her suitcases, bathroom box and linen went upstairs. Hours passed as she unwrapped each item and found a place for it in the cottage. There were throws and pillows, candles and photo frames for the living room. She shoved her books into the bookcase, promising herself that she’d arrange them properly later. The kitchen was well stocked with the basics, but she added her small but sentimental collection of fine bone china cups and saucers. She hung a quirky little sign that said, Dinner is ready when you hear the smoke alarm, then slapped a bunch of magnets on the fridge.
You had me at Merlot.
I only have a kitchen because it came with the house.
If you think I’m a bitch you should meet my mother. A gift from Taran.
She stalled as she held a photo of her parents that she usually attached to her fridge. Her mother was stunning, even at nearly sixty. Especially at nearly sixty. She was one of those genetically blessed women who started out beautiful and got better with age. But she was also one of those women who had used those looks to get her own way constantly, so she wasn’t used to hearing no. Rhi thought about the conversation she’d had with her mother just yesterday.
“If you leave New York, I’ll disown you.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Mom,” said Rhi. “I’d like you to visit me.”
“I know you don’t mean that.”
Her mother was right. She didn’t. “Would you feel the same way if I said I was moving to Paris for a while?”
“Paris I could understand.” There was a catch in Brigid’s voice. “Stay in New York. We can work on our relationship with each other.”
“Mom, I need to work on my relationship with myself first.”
And her mother hung up.
Rhi took the photo and shoved it in a drawer.
Next she leaned Taran’s artwork against various walls, deciding on where best to display them. Annie had given her permission to hammer hooks into the walls, so she hung them one by one. She adored Taran’s work. He was supremely gifted, and his work spoke directly to her soul. Each piece was a tale, but never an obvious one. Each painting had layers and layers of stories to observe and understand. Hanging each piece now meant she felt immediately at home. The house looked like a home. Her home. And Rhi loved it.
She opened a bottle of wine and poured herself a glass, and then stepped out onto the back terrace. The garden was a mass of tangles and weeds that ended at a huge old oak tree. Rhi stared up at the moon that was already rising in the late afternoon sky. She breathed her in and silently apologized for rejecting her in any way. It wasn’t so much her faith that she needed to escape, but her parents. They had become symbols for witchcraft and had done a lot of good for followers of the old ways by bringing the religion out of the broom closet. They had educated people on a mass scale. Yet most still missed the essence of the craft, and instead concentrated on the eccentricity of Brigid and Lugh Dee and their wacky ways. Rhi would never miss the notoriety, or the way her faith had been packaged and marketed for a modern American audience. But she did yearn, constantly, for that connection to the Goddess. It was as essential to her as the air she breathed.
It was the air she breathed.
She turned to go back inside but something caught her eye near the old oak tree. The trunk seemed to be shimmering, glowing. She paused, afraid to move, when suddenly a woman stepped out of the tree. She was tall and radiant, with glistening green skin and long flowing hair. She appeared as though underwater, her hair drifting around her, her body gently undulating. She stared straight at Rhi, tilting her head to one side as she watched her.
“Who are you?”
Rhi stepped back, startled. “I’m Rhi.”
The dryad didn’t respond, so finally Rhi spoke again. “And your name is?”
“Pip,” the nymph said. “This garden needs some care.”
“I can do that.”
“You’re not like the others.”
“No, I’ve signed a long-term lease.”
“I mean you can see me.”
Rhi wished that weren’t true. “Yes, I can.”
“You’re a witch.”
Rhi felt uncomfortable. “Not really…now.”
“It’s not a light switch, Rhiiiiiiiii. Can’t just turn it on and off.”
Wow, an annoying dryad. “I can try.”
“You are what you are. I can’t just turn around and go, ‘Oh, I want to be an elf, or a human.’” Pip shimmered brightly. “Wouldn’t want to anyway.”
“Good for you.” Rhi didn’t mean to snap.
Pip put her hands on her hips. “I liked Ishbel better.”
Rhi had no idea what the dryad was talking about, and wasn’t given time to ask. Pip looked like a pouty teenager as she flicked her hair. “Remember the garden.” And in a rush of glittering green, she flowed back into the tree.
Great! So much for escaping the supernatural. But Rhi was determined to claim this place as her own. She wasn’t going to be bossed around by a moody dryad.
Behind the garden were the woods that led to the beach. Rhi placed her wine glass on a step and headed for them now. The wooded area wasn’t large, but it still sang of spirits found in untouched environments. She heard the ocean before she saw it, but then, running up over an embankment, the beach…her beach. Empty as far as the eye could see.
She ran down to the water’s edge, tossed her shoes off and dipped her toes in the icy water. She felt free. She was free.
And with that, she sat down in the sand and began to cry, as the waves washed up around her.
Chapter 10
Rhi pushed open the door of the Majestic. It was cool inside, and smelled musty. She actually felt quite ill. There was no going back now. It was hers. The Majestic was hers. And so was the work that needed to be done to it.
She’d been inside before, but with the knowledge that the theater now belonged to her, it took on a special radiance. She saw beyond the work and the rubbish and the dank smell. She heard laughter, and applause and the camaraderie of late-night rehearsals.
She walked into the hall and sat on the edge of the stage. She would set up an office eventually, but this would be where it all began. On the stage. And as overwhelming as the job in front of her appeared right now, she needed to start immediately, one step at a time.
She pulled her iPad out of her bag and started writing lists: things to buy; things to do; people to find. She intended to be hands-on, but would never manage it all alone. She’d already received a phone call from Dan West. He’d agreed to provide a couple of dumpsters and collect them later. She also needed a plumber, a builder and an electrician. The gardens needed to be cleaned up, and the f
ront repaved. Opening a theater was going to be a bigger challenge than she’d ever imagined, but she was up for that challenge…and then some. Every new note she made on her growing list fed the fire in her belly. She couldn’t contain her excitement at the thought of forming the Hamlet Players, but to begin with she needed to turn this space into a viable business. When had she last been this motivated and excited about anything? Had she ever?
“Congratulations,” boomed a voice from the back of the auditorium.
Rhi screamed.
“Sorry, sorry, I’ve done it again. I keep scaring you.”
Rhi had her hand on her chest and could feel her heart beating wildly beneath. “It’s fine. I just drift off into my own little world when I’m here. Any interruption makes me jump.”
“You’ve just scored yourself some back-breaking work.”
Rhi smiled. She was actually extremely pleased to see her new landlord. She put her iPad back into her bag and walked over to him. “Thanks for agreeing to lease the theater to me.” She didn’t mention the long wait before he’d agreed to it.
“Nothing to do with me,” he said. “Your persistence paid off.”
“I’ve got a long way to go,” Rhi said, looking around.
“This is all minor. Moving here was the big step. What do you think of Hamlet?”
“I like it.”
“Small, isn’t it?” He seemed to be fishing for something although Rhi wasn’t sure what. “What’s the population nowadays?”
“Twenty thousand.”
“Christ, you’re kidding?”
“I know it’s not large, but there are also nearby communities that would access this theater.” Rhi didn’t want him being negative. She already had enough negativity to battle from her mother. Not to mention her own fears. “The town is small, but it needs this.”
“Oh, I agree. Was it Olivier who said, ‘I believe that in a great city, or even in a small city or a village, a great theater is the outward and visible sign of an inward and probable culture’?” He moved onto the stage, a position in the theater that suited him. He clearly knew it too, and grinned down at Rhi, his audience of one. “Did you leave behind family in New York?”
