“Oh Rommy,” Nana said. “He likes you.”
Great! Rufus, the freaky Frankenpup, likes me. I couldn’t be more excited. I slowly started to back away.
“Nice dog,” I said. Before I could take another step, Cassie grabbed my arm in a death grip. As she took a step forward, she dragged me along with her. Reaching out, she gave him a couple of pats, murmuring something that sounded like, “Eww…eww…eww,” before saying, “Good dog,” out loud.
After the two quick pats, she abruptly turned practically running back to the safety of the stool behind the counter. Before she took even one step, Rufus toppled over, brushing up against the back of Cassie’s leg.
“It’s after me,” she shrieked, and instead of running to the stool, she changed direction and sprinted out of the shop.
I looked at the stuffed dog now lying on his side, his bowed legs making him wobble back and forth a bit, and then I looked over at my mom.
Her eyes were a bit wild-looking, and she made a strange choking noise.
“Poor Rufus,” Nana crooned. “All this excitement. Meeting new people has you all tuckered out. Let’s take you in the back for a nap.”
She yanked on the leash, but instead of popping back upright Rufus just spun around on his side.
“Up, boy, up!” Nana commanded, jerking on the leash. I don’t know how she managed it, but Rufus popped to his feet.
“Good boy!” she praised, scratching behind his ears. “Let’s go get you a treat.”
The moment Nana and Rufus cleared the office door, Mom broke down laughing. She was laughing so hard, she had to lean on the counter for support.
“It’s after me! It’s after me!” she whooped. When she said that, I remembered Cassie scream and run for the door. I started laughing, too.
The bell rang above the door, and Cassie poked her head in.
“Toss me my stuff,” she hissed. “I’m outta here.”
Mom giggled and wiped her streaming eyes. “Come back in, honey,” she called to Cassie. “Nana took Rufus back into the office.”
When Cassie stomped back into the shop, Mom and I started laughing again. Here was my elegant sister in a very sexy red-and-black evening gown, one of her nightly uniforms, with no shoes. I could only imagine what the passersby, making their daily commute to work, thought of her standing outside peeking in.
“It isn’t funny,” she snapped. “There is something wrong with that thing.”
“Oh, lovey,” Mom giggled. “It’s just a poor old stuffed dog.”
“Where in the world did Nana find that?” I asked.
Mom gave Cassie a pat on her back as she passed, going back to the stool behind the counter.
“We were at Beaumont’s Antiques,” Mom told us. “Gregory and Linda found this stunning mahogany altar stand. They’re planning to give it to the coven as an offering for the next solstice celebration. They wanted my opinion before they presented it. Nana and I followed Linda back into the storeroom to view the altar, and apparently Nana’s purse strap managed to catch hold of the stuffed dog. When it wheeled after her, she thought it was following her. Needless to say, it was love at first sight.”
“What in the world was that thing doing at Beaumont’s Antiques?” Cassie inquired. “I can’t believe Gregory or Linda would buy such a monstrosity.”
“You’re right.” Mom smiled. “They didn’t intentionally buy it. He came in a lot they purchased from an estate sale. Linda was going to get rid of it, by way of tossing it in their Dumpster, that afternoon. That is, until Nana came along.”
Mom started cleaning up our coffee and doughnut mess. “Oh, Rommy, I meant to ask you about Rita and Mike’s new house,” she said. “Have you been able to get back to see if there are any spirits there?”
I shook my head no. Uncle Mike and Aunt Rita were convinced they had one or more ghosts living in their new house. A while back I tried to find out, but with the coven there at the time, not to mention the very obnoxious Anthony Fontaine, I left without discovering a thing. What with working with the police, finding kidnapped children, and my near-death experience, I hadn’t had a chance to return.
“I was going to go by this evening,” I told her. “Aunt Rita said they were going out to dinner and I could have the place to myself.”
The bell above the door rang as Mom’s first appointment sauntered in.
“Morning, all,” said Monica, one of Mom’s regular customers. “I’m sorry I’m a few minutes late.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Mom told her. “I was just having a nice visit with my daughters. Let me tell you the funniest thing that happened this morning…”
Mom’s voice faded as she led Monica into one of the back rooms reserved for readings.
“Oh God,” Cassie moaned. “She’s going to tell everyone!” She covered her face with her hands.
“Yep!” I said with glee.
Cassie peeked between her fingers at me.
“You’re just loving this, aren’t you?” she accused.
“Yep!” I said with a big smile. “Karma’s a bitch, isn’t it?” I laughed outright at the look on her face.
Cassie will always be my little sister. As my little sister, she feels it is her duty to keep me on my toes by playing jokes on me. She’s never malicious and it’s really all in good fun…for her. It’s usually nothing but a great big pain in the ass for me.
Now, I thought, rubbing my hands together as I continued to laugh, it’s finally time for a little payback and I won’t even have to lift a finger. Mom will do it all for me.
For once Cassie, not me, would be the topic of conversation at Mom’s coven gatherings. Cassie groaned as she slipped on her shoes and grabbed her purse. Walking past me, she suddenly smiled, and I became nervous.
“I would rather be the hottest topic at Mom’s coven gathering than be stuck here with Rufus,” she said.
Since I am regularly the topic of conversation at all of the coven gatherings, I still thought that I was the luckier of the two of us.
About The Author
Theresa Parker was born in California, where she continues to live with her husband and sons.
Theresa has always been an avid reader. Whenever she finished reading a book, she would imagine new characters and insert them into the existing story. She loves anything crafty and going to the local Indian casinos with her husband.
Her greatest passion is writing, and she loves to make people laugh. She believes there is no better feeling than putting a smile on someone’s face or making them laugh out loud. She knows her books may not change someone’s life, but she hopes that they will make people forget their problems for just a little while and lighten their hearts.
When she’s not pounding away on the keyboard, you might be able to find her lurking on her FaceBook page, giggling over funny pictures and exclaiming over shiny crystals and gemstones. Stop by, like the page, and give her a shout-out. Don’t forget to visit her website and sign up for her monthly newsletter for news on upcoming release dates, contests, and more.
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