The Curiosity Shop: A comedy of errors about witchcraft

by Francken, Lillian

  Slowly Mitch walked up the three flights of stairs to his apartment. As he walked in, Rosy Lopez rushed out of the bathroom, hopping as she put on her other shoe. Rosy was a brassy-looking brunette with a lot of make-up, a tight-fitting black top, and a short skirt that left little to the imagination. Mitch just looked at her. So unlike Cassandra, he thought to himself. All he could do was raise his eyebrows but he knew enough not to complain about her outfit.

  He wondered what he had ever seen in Rosy six months ago, but that was not a question that he had to answer at the moment as Rosy walked up to him and wrapped her arms around him. For some reason it did not instill the desire it used to. It troubled him as he tried to shake free of what he was feeling. Mitch put his arms around Rosy and kissed the nape of her neck, working his way over to her lips. He desperately tried to get back those old feelings, but none came. It was as if he were kissing a wet noodle. Part of the problem was Rosy was not accepting of his advances, but the fact was his heart was not in it. It was as if he were trying to prove something to himself.

  “My make-up,” Rosy snapped as she pulled herself free of his hold. “You know how long it took me.”

  Rosy quickly broke free of Mitch’s embrace. She walked over to the mirror outside the bathroom door. She rubbed her cheek to smooth out the blush. Mitch walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. All she did was try to wiggle free, but his hold was too firm.

  “Call in sick,” Mitch whispered softly in her ear.

  “I can’t,” Rosy said, as she struggled free of Mitch’s embrace.

  “Spend the rest of the day with me.”

  “Rocco would not be happy,” Rosy snapped, as she put her hands on her cocked hip and just stared up at Mitch.

  “To hell with Rocco.”

  “Gino got me this job. It would reflect badly on him.”

  “To hell with him, too.”

  Rosy looked sternly at Mitch. There was something different about him, for some reason. Normally he was easier going. It was unlike him to be so insistent. It was a trait she didn’t like about Mitch, and now she would soon have to deal with this change in him. She liked the fact she could come and go as she pleased but didn’t like the idea that Mitch would place demands on her for more time. Rosy took a deep breath and then just stared up at Mitch.

  “He’s my cousin, I got to show up. Besides, Rocco is giving a big party. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

  Rosy knew that her cousin and his boss were conflicted with Mitch being a cop. Up until now it had never bothered Mitch, and he never made demands on her because of it. She liked it that way. He had his life and she had hers. Rosy liked the nightlife that working at the nightclub gave her. She also liked seeing how the other half lived, and envied that lifestyle.

  Mitch let go of Rosy and just walked over to the recliner on the other side of the room and sat down, sulking. But it had no effect on Rosy or her mood. She just stared at him sarcastically.

  “I wouldn’t have to work these hours if you’d take the job and work for Gino,” she snapped.

  Mitch laughed mockingly, which angered Rosy all the more. “We’ve been over this numerous times.”

  “Yeah! I know. But we’re still living from paycheck to paycheck,” Rosy sniped.

  Rosy loved throwing it up to Mitch that he didn’t make enough money to support her in the lap of luxury that she would like. It was her only defense when they argued over anything, no matter how trivial the argument.

  Mitch just rolled his eyes in disbelief. “The spare room is filled with your wardrobe instead of the patter of little feet. How many pairs of shoes do you need?” he asked, as if expecting an answer. Mitch glanced around and then turned back to Rosy. “You in some sort of competition with Imelda Marcos?”

  “That’s not very nice,” Rosy retorted. For some reason she was losing this argument with him. It might have been the fact she’d used it so much that Mitch finally found a way to combat her argument about his not making enough money to support her.

  “Well, running numbers for Gino isn’t my idea of making a living,” Mitch snapped and then pointed an accusing finger at Rosy. “Neither is looking the other way.”

  “It beats working for the city. Look at the rat trap we live in,” she said, motioning with her hand around the apartment.

  “I like my job. I like the people, and if you’d curtail your spending, we’d have more than enough to live on.”

  Rosy walked over to the kitchen counter and started throwing pots and pans at Mitch. “You would be content with the poverty level,” she yelled. “I want more,” she glared at Mitch for the longest time, rubbed her belly, and quickly continued, “For the kids I bring into the world.”

  Mitch just deflected the dishpan she threw at him. He walked over to the recliner and picked up Moby Dick and started to read, angering Rosy even further than what she already was.

  Rosy just picked up her purse, swung it over her shoulder, and stormed out of the apartment while muttering curses at Mitch in Spanish. She had such great hopes for him early on in their relationship. But as time passed it became clear he was satisfied with his lot in life. Early on she thought there was hope of getting him to quit the force and work for Gino, but as time passed it became very evident that it was not going to be the case. The most Mitch could ever be with his education was a sergeant, and they didn’t make too much more than he was making now. It frustrated her, working in the Imperial Room and seeing all the girls she grew up with on the arms of their boyfriends, dancing the night away while she waited on tables. The fact that they purposely looked down on her irritated her.

  By the time Rosy got to the door leading outside she was stewing to the point of being close to making a drastic change in her life. Once she exited the street, she glanced up at their apartment. Rosy would not be able to make any changes in her life yet, at least not until she had an action plan. That included finding someone else to care for her. Whom that was, she wasn’t sure. But a change would have to be made soon, because she feared that her relationship with Mitch was nearing its end.

  Mitch was standing at the window looking at the street below. But it wasn’t Rosy he was looking at, but The Curiosity Shop across the street. He wasn’t sure what it was that was attracting him to that little shop now. He certainly never gave it much thought before, but for some reason he couldn’t stop thinking about it, or the niece of its owner.

  *

  By the time Rosy got to the Imperial Room she was totally ready to make changes in her life. She wasn’t sure exactly what she would do, but she was not going to spend the rest of her life waiting on people who thought they were better than her. Rosy desperately wanted to spend her evenings being waited on, not being the one waiting on strangers. She slowly walked into the upscale restaurant. As she entered, Gino Lopez, her cousin, strutted in with an air of confidence that came from having to fight his way to the top of Rocco’s crime family. She didn’t care what Mitch said or thought. She admired Gino and all he did to be in the position he was in. The beautiful blonde hanging onto his arm only added to the pretense of someone of importance. It was a persona she wished she could achieve.

  Gino and his lady friend walked past Rosy with an air that Rosy envied. Gino turned to her and nodded. It was all Rosy needed as she pranced around like a peacock because Gino acknowledged her, as if that put credibility to her existence, but no one at the restaurant took notice.

  Once Gino was seated at his table, all he had to do was snap his fingers and Rosy would come running. He never had to wait for his food. Rosy made sure the kitchen staff put his order above the rest. Giving him the kind of service that had nothing to do with getting a good tip, because Gino never felt the need to leave one for Rosy. All the time and energy she spent in making him feel important was not to her benefit.

  “Bring a bottle of Champagne, and not the cheap house stuff,” Gino commanded.

  “Anything for you,” Rosy quickly replied and then disappeared ove
r to the bar.

  Gino sat with an air about him that made people’s heads turn, yet in the real world he was nothing but a punk who bullied people weaker than himself. It was his way of making himself feel good about who he was. Like most punks in the neighborhood, he had yet to earn an honest day’s pay, only living off the backs of others by running numbers and having the shop owners pay protection money that actually brought no protection except from the one receiving the money. Because if they didn’t pay up, then damage was done to their property, making an example of them for anyone else who chose not to pay for protection.

  Rosy was busy tending a customer, but there was always the ever-present need to keep an eye open to see if Gino needed anything. He seemed to make a point of keeping her busy and away from anyone who actually left her a tip for good service.

  Gino snapped his fingers once more, testing Rosy’s response time. She was in the middle of taking an order when out of the corner of her eye she saw him raise his hand for her again. Rosy just rolled her eyes and took a deep breath. She turned to the man placing the order and held up her finger. “One moment please,” she said, and then quickly walked over to Gino’s table.

  “What is it?” she asked, trying not to sound perturbed.

  “Has Rocco been in yet?”

  “No. He should be in soon though, he has reservations,” was all Rosy managed to say. She was a little annoyed with the minor intrusions Gino put on her.

  Gino motioned with his hand that she was dismissed, which angered Rosy further, but there was nothing she could do. Her job was to keep the customers happy, nothing more. Rosy just glared at the blonde snuggling into Gino’s side as she started nibbling on Gino’s neck.

  “I got to feed you more,” Gino said jokingly.

  The blonde snuggled more and then glanced up at Rosy with a snide grin on her face. Rosy just turned and walked over to the bar, grabbed the bucket of ice with the Champagne bottle in it, and took it back to Gino’s table. All the while she did this, the man waiting for her to take his order was getting angrier.

  Rosy quickly uncorked the bottle and poured Gino and his girlfriend their glasses of Champagne. Once that was done she rushed back to the customer, who by then was flagging the owner, but when he saw Rosy approach he had a change of heart and decided to give her another chance. Luckily, she was done taking the order when Gino snapped his fingers again. Rosy just shrugged. Before giving the kitchen staff the man’s order, she went to see what Gino wanted, which angered the male customer even further. Rosy knew she blew that tip, but there was nothing more to do. She stood at the corner of Gino’s table.

  “What is it now?”

  “I wanted your best stuff,” Gino said with a smirk.

  “This is,” Rosy replied.

  Actually, Rosy knew Gino had no clue what the good stuff tasted like and was only making a scene to impress the bimbo he was with. It was going to be a long night, and she had no patience for his antics tonight. She started to walk away, but then Gino called her back.

  “You talk to Mitch?”

  Rosy turned to Gino. It was not a subject she cared to talk about just then. “Lot of good it did,” she snapped.

  Gino raised his eyebrows while shaking his head. “I won’t be responsible for what happens if he gets in the way.”

  Rosy stared at Gino for the longest time. She swallowed hard with the realization that he was serious.

  “We all come from the old neighborhood,” she said, hoping Gino would have second thoughts on getting Mitch to work with the crew.

  “Yeah, but we all don’t want the same thing.”

  “What’s wrong with the way things are?” Rosy said. Granted, she wasn’t happy with Mitch lately, but for some reason she kind of felt sorry for him. He had such a righteous upbringing that caused him to only see things in black and white. There were no gray areas for him. He had a hard time looking the other way when it came to obeying the law.

  “Progress.”

  “And Mitch is against it?” Rosy asked.

  “He doesn’t want the neighborhood to develop.”

  “You never really said what your plans were. I just figured...” she started to say, but Gino cut her off.

  “Don’t worry your pretty little head about details. It’s enough for you to just get him to go along with the action.”

  Rosy looked troubled. She knew Gino, and she knew how he always took the easy way out. As much as she wanted the easy life, there was a part of her that sided with Mitch. She only hoped that Gino was on the up-and-up with this job offer, and Mitch was just being a hard-ass not wanting to work for her cousin, but then there was this other part that knew anything Gino was involved in was not always legal.

  “I know Mitch. If it’s legit, he’ll give you no trouble,” she said, looking suspiciously at Gino.

  “Just get him to go along with this, or have him look the other way. It’s for his own good!”

  Gino suddenly grabbed hold of Rosy’s arm and twisted it. He pulled her closer to him and whispered in her ear, “Yo comprendo?”

  Rosy just stared into Gino’s eyes and nodded. Gino quickly let go of Rosy’s arm and then smiled at her, showing off his missing teeth. He quickly pulled a twenty-dollar bill out of his pocket and slapped it into her palm. Rosy just stared at the bill for the longest time and then slowly tucked it into her pocket. She tried forcing a smile as her eyes teared over. All she could do was walk away and hope Gino was done with her.

  She thought back to Mitch and their argument earlier. Granted, she wasn’t in love with him; she never had been, for that matter. But for some reason, being with him was safer than the alternative. She knew if she were to stay with him, she would have to start working on their relationship.

  Chapter 4

  Lucinda walked into the shop carrying a tray of sandwiches and two tall glasses of milk. She glanced around and it struck her how proud she was of her little emporium. It took her years to build and stock it with the items she wanted to have available for her customers. After her recent illness Lucinda now feared what would become of it once she was gone. Slowly she walked over to the counter and set the tray down. She then took the wooden box off the tray and set it under the counter for now. Lucinda was determined that all her hard work would not be in vain. She glanced around the shop.

  Spider was sitting on the front window sill, sunning himself. Cassandra was busy dusting off a shelf at the far end of the shop. Lucinda liked everything neat and orderly, and when there were no customers in the shop it was time to restock and straighten things up on the shelves. Lucinda liked the fact that Cassandra was such a hard worker. She never would have rested knowing things were unattended to. Customers had a habit of going through all the items but things were never put back where they belonged. Order was something that Lucinda was adamant about. Before closing for the evening, she always went through the shop to make sure that everything was in its proper place.

  Hearing movement, Cassandra quickly turned around to see Lucinda.

  “That looks good,” Cassandra said, taking a step backward off the stool she was standing on.

  “I figured as long as you won’t take a break, I’d just bring you something to eat in the shop.”

  Cassandra set the duster down on the stool and walked over to the counter where Lucinda was waiting.

  “It was a busy morning.”

  Lucinda glanced around the shop. “We get a lot of traffic through those doors.”

  “Curiosity seekers mostly. But they usually manage to find something after looking through all the stock.”

  Cassandra walked over to the stools up against the wall and dragged them over to the counter.

  Lucinda sat down quickly, took the wooden box out from under the counter, and put it on her lap. She carefully opened the box and took out the red silk cloth with gold fringes on the edges and placed it on the end of the counter.

  Cassandra just picked up her sandwich and nibbled on it while never taking her eyes
off Lucinda. She was a little angry with Lucinda when she realized what it was she was doing.

  “You know I don’t believe in that,” Cassandra said, in a manner designed not to offend Lucinda.

  “No matter,” was all Lucinda said as she carefully took the tarot cards out of the box. They were wrapped in another piece of red silk cloth. She unwrapped the cards meticulously from the cloth that protected them from unwanted energy. Lucinda, with great care, shuffled the cards, while Cassandra glared suspiciously at the old woman.

  Cassandra’s mother always warned her about dabbling in the spirit world and the unknown. That there were people in institutions because they had experimented with the unknown and could not deal with the results. When she was thirteen she bought a ouija board for an overnight sleepover she was having with her friends. Her mother went off the wall and made her take it back before any of her friends came over.

  Lucinda, without saying a word, laid out the cards on the silk cloth that lay on the counter. Once they were all laid out in a specific formation, she stared at them for the longest time. Cassandra just watched Lucinda, looking for a hint as to what the cards’ meaning was.

  “Interesting,” was all Lucinda finally said in hardly above a whisper.

  “What is it?” Cassandra asked, curious now what Lucinda saw.

  “There is a man in your life.”

  Cassandra laughed at the absurdity of the remark. “How convenient.”

  Lucinda put her fingers to her mouth for Cassandra to be silent. It was important while reading the cards that she concentrate on the various cards to get their meaning right. Lucinda flipped over another card and abruptly had a look of concern on her face that bothered Cassandra.

  “What is it?” Cassandra asked finally.

  Spider jumped up on the counter and suddenly scattered the cards, which startled the two women. Lucinda just sat back and gasped. After a few moments Lucinda slowly regained her composure and finally turned to Cassandra.