A Charming Christmas

by Tonya Kappes

  “I don’t know. I thought he and Colton job sharing was going to be a plus. But now I’m thinking Oscar is down about it.” I bit my lip trying to hold back the burning tears about to trickle over my lids. “He went into Locust Grove yesterday and he got snowed in. I had Madame Torres look in on him.”

  “No,” Petunia gasped, shooing Clyde away and motioning for the hedgehog to have his turn. “You aren’t supposed to do that. Rule Number One.”

  “I wasn’t reading him.” I corrected her. “I just wanted to see him. But he wasn’t alone.”

  “Oh June.” Petunia’s hand flew over her mouth. “And I thought I had problems.” Her hand moved down over her belly and she rubbed. She glared. “What did she look like?”

  “I don’t know,” I whispered and watched the squirrel scurry off up the tree and perch next to Mr. Prince Charming. “He was asleep on the couch. A fire in the fireplace. And there was a table set for two and candles.”

  “But you didn’t see the girl?”

  “No.” I shook my head.

  “You must go to Locust Grove and figure this out,” Petunia demanded, smacking the brush on the floor. “Just like Gerald. The economy has him so torn up, he’d do anything to help out.” She threw her hands in the air. “Like this bazaar. And now we have a bad economy and a thief.”

  “What do you mean by bad? Real bad?” I asked brushing the next animal.

  “Not like going under and shutting down the village, but down more than this time last year. But I’m not worried.” She tried to push herself up off the ground. I stood up and lent her a hand. “I think it’s just this time of the year. Everyone is with family. Don’t get me wrong.” She used both hands to rub her tummy. “I’m all about family and holidays, but I’ve seen how stress makes it no fun. I tried to tell the council that we needed to get through the holidays and maybe have a spring fling to welcome in the spring solstice, which is our time of the year. Not Christmas.”

  “I’m sure everything will be fine.” I planted a smile on my face, trying to cover up the heartache. My intuition told me the economy was going to be fine, but it said nothing to me about my love life.

  I ran my hand over my charm bracelet and found the gold circle with the dove charm Mr. Prince Charming had given me right before Oscar had proposed. Nothing but heartache ran through my body.

  “Maybe you should just reach out to Oscar instead of assuming he’s doing something he shouldn’t be.” She walked up to the puppies and picked one up. “Who wouldn’t want to wake up to one of these little babies on Christmas morning.” She ran her hand down the black pup and kissed it on the forehead.

  “I think you need to give Gerald some slack. He’s hurting and would never do anything to upset you.” I put my hand on her shoulder. “He is walking a fine line. You are his wife and the Village President, but he’s on the council. He has to be able to separate the two and so do you.”

  She shook her head. A jingle bell fell out. “You are right.” She shoved the puppy in my arms and ran out of her door.

  I bent down and picked up the bell, putting it in my pocket along with Patience’s.

  “I’ll give this back to her when I see her.” I held the puppy up and looked into his little black eyes before putting him back in the window display with his brothers and sisters, and locked up behind Mr. Prince Charming and me.

  Chapter Seven

  The only thing I could do about Oscar was to confront him. Whether I drove to Locust Grove, risking my own life driving on the snow covered streets, or confronted him here, I would have my answers and I wouldn’t be so stressed.

  Petunia was right. The air was filled with stress and I couldn’t help but think it was because of the Whispering Falls Grinch. There had to be something I could do, I wondered standing on the steps of A Charming Cure and looking at the bare window boxes.

  “This is ridiculous!” Arabella Paxton screamed from Magical Moments; which was next door. “I’m going to protest and I hope you are with me.” She cocked a brow, planting her hand on her small hip.

  “I’m going to look into it.” I gave a weak smile. My heart just wasn’t into the spirit everyone so wanted the village to be in. Of course I wanted to figure out who was bringing so much chaos to our town.

  My phone chirped from my bag. I dug down and grabbed it along with my keys.

  When I saw it was Oscar calling, I said, “Come see me when you have your ideas figured out.” I held the phone in the air. “I need to take this.”

  I hurried inside the shop with Mr. Prince Charming at my feet.

  “Oscar, are you okay?” I asked.

  My need to know if he was okay overcame the idea of him cheating on me.

  “I’m fine.” His deep voice came through the phone sending goosebumps down my arms. “I miss you.”

  His words stung, my eyes watered.

  “It’s not the same in Locust Grove without you.” He chuckled. “I couldn’t help but look over at your house all night.”

  All night? A lump was stuck in my throat. I tried to swallow the image of the two bottles of beer and candles set on the romantic dinner table.

  “I had the fire going and I stayed on the couch all night.” His voice lowered to a whisper. “Are you there?”

  “I’m here. When are you coming home?” I asked, deciding I was going to confront him when he got home. If the economy was as bad as everyone seemed to think, I better keep my shop open and do some business.

  I walked through the shop and straightened up the display tables, flipped on the apple cider cauldron and my potion cauldron behind the partition before heading to the storage room in the back of the store and gathering a few premade bottles of inventory to restock the shelves before I flipped the sign.

  “I’m hoping the roads will be cleared soon.” There was a funny tone to his voice that made my intuition jump. “June?”

  “Yes.”

  “We need to have a very serious conversation when I get home.” He paused. “I know the big tree lighting ceremony is tonight so I was hoping to talk to you before that.”

  Tree lighting. I did a palm plant on my forehead. I had completely forgotten about doing the smudging of the tree before the ceremony that the council had asked me to do.

  “Yeah,” I muttered, playing with my ring, moving my hand over my wrist. “Sounds good.”

  “Great. I hope to be home soon.” Oscar didn’t say I love you or even ’bye. The phone went dead, sending my heart plummeting.

  “There has to be something done about this madness,” Eloise walked into the shop, dusting the snowflakes off her fur-lined cloak. “I have cleansed this city every morning and even put in some extra incense.” She blew on her hands to warm them. “Are you okay?”

  I let out a deep sigh. If anyone would know something about Oscar—other than me—it would be Eloise, his aunt. But when did my problems become my problems and not anyone else’s?

  “I’m good.” I was getting good at putting on a happy face. If Oscar was coming to dump me, everyone would know soon enough. I just had to get through the day. “Oscar just reminded me about the tree lighting.”

  “Oh,” Her emerald eyes sparkled. She picked the edges of her short hair. “Is he on his way back?”

  “You knew he was snowed in at the house in Locust Grove?”

  “Yes. He was determined to get back here but called when he couldn’t get through the roads.” She picked up a cup from the apple cider table and poured herself a nice warm cup.

  The country road between Locust Grove and Whispering Falls was winding and without lights. The county was in charge of plowing it, which meant it was last on the list when the city of Locust Grove was their main priority. Still, it didn’t give Oscar the right to cheat on me. One night away and he forgot he was engaged?

  My heartache was starting to go away and anger began to take hold.

  “I’m sure he’ll be back when he can.” I threw the bottles on the tables.

  “Whoa.” El
oise walked over and took some bottles from my arms. “Let me help you with those before you break them.”

  “Thank you.” I didn’t make eye contact with her. She would be able to tell I was becoming angrier by the second.

  “Listen, are you sure you are okay?” She walked on my heels to the back of the shop.

  “I’m fine. I didn’t sleep much last night.” I sucked in a deep breath to help calm my shaking hands.

  “Oh, honey.” She pulled me into a tight hug. “I know you are used to Oscar next to you, but he will be back soon.”

  “Say,” I had almost forgotten. “Can I get you to donate some organic vegetables to Amethyst over at Full Moon? She’s got a full house because of the snow and there are some people who will only eat organic. And we need to do all we can to keep the economy up.”

  “Sure.” She clapped her hands together. “I have so much and I was afraid the snow was going to kill my crop so I spent most of yesterday gathering what I could from the garden.”

  She pointed toward the front of the store. “Look. Sunshine.”

  The sun was bound to melt away some of the snow-covered surfaces, mainly the road. A ray of sunshine filtered through the window, shining on the mojo bag display that was nestled in the front right cubby.

  “Oscar will be home in no time.” She rushed to the door. “Do you want me to flip the sign on my way out?”

  “Yes. Please.” I noticed there were customers already waiting outside, Tiffany was one of them. Eloise flipped the sign and I grabbed a mojo bag of stress relief for Constance before they were snatched up. “I will see you at the lighting,” I said before she opened the door, letting the customers in.

  “I’m going to see Amethyst right now.” She wiggled her fingers goodbye.

  I waved ’bye and walked back to the counter. I grabbed a Sharpie and wrote Constance’s name on the bag.

  As the customers mingled around, I took Madame Torres out of my bag and set her on the counter. It was festive having her ball create snow scenes and add a bit of music to the shop. I took the antlers out of my bag too and pulled out the drawer from the counter to retrieve my traveling sewing kit I kept in there. It was perfect for the small amount I needed to sew when I made the mojo bags. With just a few stitches and a quick double tie, Patience’s antlers were ready to go and jingle more.

  “June, I have been dying for you to open.” Tiffany peeled back her fur hood and tapped her fingernail on Madame Torres. “I will pay whatever to have this little gem.”

  I pulled Madame Torres closer to me.

  “I’m sorry. I can’t sell her. . . er. . .it.” I patted the glass globe. “It’s a family thing.” I pointed to the picture of my parents on the wall, the only one I had of all of us together. “My parents are deceased and this is important to our legacy.”

  “I understand.” She tilted her head.

  “And I wanted to let you know the organic farmer has delivered amazing veggies to the Full Moon Treesort especially for you.” I wanted to make sure she didn’t give Amethyst any more grief.

  “Wonderful.” She clasped her hands. “And I wanted to let you know that the stress reliever you gave me did the trick! I’m so happy today.”

  “That’s great.” I knew the little extra ingredient was going to do the trick. And her aura was much better today. More relaxed.

  “Can I get a few more bottles?” she asked. “I’d like to give some as Christmas gifts.”

  The problem with her request was the special ingredient was meant for her. That was how my gift worked. I could make a generic stress reliever, but the true magic was how I tapped into my intuition giving them exactly what they needed.

  “What if I gave you some samples and a gift card?” I asked.

  This was a great idea. Not only could I put in a special ingredient for the intended recipient that created a need to come to the shop, but they would also want to visit the other shops in Whispering Falls. This would help bring visitors to the village and help the economy. Why hadn’t I thought of this before?

  “That is a wonderful idea. That way they can come and get something especially for them.” Tiffany took a couple of steps back. “I’m going to look around.”

  I stepped behind the partition and began to make the special ingredients I was going to put in all the sold bottles today. The “need to come back” ingredient.

  The cauldron had a little residue left over from the last use and I wasn’t about to cross-contaminate the potions. My cleaning solution was almost gone and it gave me a good reason to go to Wands, Potions, and More at Hidden Hall, A Spiritualist University. While I was there, I would visit with my Aunt Helena who was the Dean of the University. Plus it would be good for my soul to visit with a true blood family member. The only one I have.

  I tried to put the phone conversation with Oscar behind me. It was not going to help my intuition and others; which my future relied on as well as the economy of Whispering Falls.

  I plucked a couple bottles of dried Marigold from the shelf and threw them in the pot with the economy in my heart and mind. Calendula officinalis, Marigold for short, was really good to heal wounds of any kind. My intuition told me it was a good ingredient to use to help heal the wounds of the economy. With a pinch of cinnamon, mint, and bay added to the frothy mixture, I was well on my way to finishing the potion. The thin elixir turned sapphire with obsidian flecks, letting me know it was ready for the final ingredient. A couple of drips of wax from a green candle.

  I grabbed one of the green candles out from underneath the counter and lit it. Carefully I held the candle over the cauldron and watched as the two drops of melted wax bubbled the tonic to a crimson, shutting off the cauldron automatically; letting me know it was finished brewing. If I would’ve known the state of the economy, I would have made up this potion a long time ago and let it simmer under the sky until the new full moon.

  “Perfect,” I said, brushing my hands off over top the cauldron making sure I got all the herbs off my hands. There was no need to waste any part of a good potion.

  Madame Torres lit up, causing me to look over at her. Oscar filled the globe. He was dressed in old dirty clothes. His neat brown hair was greasy and pasted down on his head. His steel blue eyes were dull and intense. The whiskers on his face were thicker than I had ever seen them.

  I grabbed my crystal ball and rushed back to the storage room. I sat her on the small table in front of the sofa and sat on the edge, trying to get a good look at where he was. He acted as though he didn’t know who he was.

  “Pull out,” I ordered her to show the entire scene.

  Oscar was standing in the middle of the Locust Grove Piggly Wiggly. He had his hand out, taking money from people passing by. He needed me. It wasn’t too long ago he had denounced his heritage in order to save me, erasing from his mind his spiritualist gifts. Was he having residual effects of that? Was he sick?

  “I’ve got to go.” I grabbed Madame Torres and rushed out of the storage room. I dug deep in my bag and snatched my phone from the bottom. “Faith,” I called Faith Mortimer. She worked for me in the shop from time-to-time. “Can you please come work the day here? I have an emergency.”

  True to her word, she was down the street and behind the counter in no time.

  “Are you okay?” Her thin, pale face grew still and serious.

  “I’m fine.” I didn’t have time to confide in anyone else. I had to go rescue the man I loved. “I’m not sure if I will be back before closing, but I’ll be back for the ceremony.”

  I grabbed my bag with Madame Torres rolling around in the bottom, Mr. Prince Charming at my feet. I had to get to Oscar as quick as I could. Faith would be able to take care of Tiffany and anyone else in the shop.

  “Oh!” I snapped my fingers and twirled around on my toes. “Constance should be in here to get the mojo bag on the counter with her name on it. Give her Patience’s antlers too, please.”

  “Aye, aye, Captain.” Faith saluted me.


  “June!” Ophelia rushed in on my way out. The bell over the door rapidly dinged back and forth. “I need your help,” she cried. There was a look of despair on her face.

  “I’m in a bit of a hurry.” I shoved past her.

  “But I need you!” Ophelia grabbed my arm. Her tears stung the edges of her eyes. “The Whispering Falls Grinch stole all my holly, wreath, and garland along with the song books and Santa’s kettle! Santa quit and so did the carolers. What am I going to do?”

  “Ophelia,” I pulled her out onto the steps of the shop and out of the way of incoming customers. I smiled and nodded at them politely as they passed. “I have to get somewhere really fast. So I’m going to have to talk about this with you later.”

  “But, June,” she stammered, “you said you’d help me whenever I needed you.”

  “I will.” I gripped my bag, wishing I had grabbed my cape, but there was no time. “I have someone else who needs me a little bit more right now.”

  I bolted down the steps, throwing my bag across my body, and around the shop, up the hill to my cottage where the Green Machine, my ’88 two-toned green El Camino, was buried under the snow.

  I used my whole arm and ran it down the hood, side and windshield of the car to brush off the snow, not caring if I got frostbite. Oscar was in trouble. Madame Torres showed me that and if I didn’t get to the Piggly Wiggly in time, he might wander off.

  The Green Machine rattled from the cold, but started right up. I pushed the heat all the way to the right and cranked the old style knob. Mr. Prince Charming jumped up on the dash and curled up near the heating duct, though it was still blowing cold. It would heat up pretty quickly.

  “Are we ready?” I rubbed the dash for luck and looked at Mr. Prince Charming. He looked back at me without lifting his head.

  I pulled the gearshift down into drive. The snow groaned as the tires rolled over it. I prayed I wouldn’t get stuck in the snow. Surely the sunshine had melted enough to get me into Locust Grove.