by Rachel Wells
Another thing that was different was that since the release of Nana’s name in the article, there was a new and genuine interest in Mandy at school from people that probably wouldn’t have given her the time of day before. To some people this may have gone to their heads and they would have had a huge ego trip. To Mandy though, it was unwanted attention. She had had a feeling that it would come to this, although she hadn’t known whether to expect negative or positive attention. For the most part, it had been positive, curiousness even. She found a lot of people sneaking peeks at her when they thought she wasn’t looking and she got a lot of introductions from people wanting to make her acquaintance or perhaps even befriend her. She got a few weird looks, a bunch of questions, and even a few party invitations (which she politely declined). The two big negative consequences of her sudden popularity were the tangible tension between Ally and Mandy, and then the seemingly endless rose escapade.
Mandy chalked up Ally’s cold shoulder towards her as jealousy. Ally had been the popular one her whole life, and it was like suddenly her spotlight had been turned off. Mandy couldn’t ignore the fact that Ally had fallen to the bottom of her “to-do” list as well. Mandy felt bad, but she made herself believe she didn’t have time for friends, a boyfriend, school, her job, and magic. When it all slowed down she promised herself she would make it up to Ally.
The whole thing with the roses in her locker Mandy just couldn’t make sense of yet. It had happened only the two times, but even one incident like that seemed one too much to Mandy. She tried to push it out of her head, but in actuality the second incident had really alarmed her. Mandy had tried to brush it off to Steve because she didn’t want to unnecessarily worry him, but inside her stomach secretly twisted up with fear when she thought about dead rose with the note attached to its stem.
Luckily Mandy had not really had a lot of time to worry about that or anything else for that matter. Business at Nana’s little flower shop had picked up like wildfire in dead brush since the release of the third article last week. Apparently Nana’s interview, as well as Lucas’s dad’s, was the talk of the town, and consequently people seemed to be flocking to the shop in droves. Locals who had frequented Nana’s shop since its opening many years ago continued to frequent it, but also boasted that they knew Dolly personally. The one shop among all the kitschy souvenir shops that had previously been the normal, boring, unassuming flower shop, and not your typical beach fare, had now turned into something of a tourist trap. People started to trickle in from surrounding towns and even some of the closer New England states.
Some of the customers came in simply to take in the atmosphere and to acquire a bouquet from the “healer’s flower shop”. However, the majority of the new clients came in actively seeking magical help. Now that it was out in the open that Nana was a healer and that she was talented in the field, people were pursuing her abilities with a persistent hunger. It suddenly seemed that everyone had some sort of affliction they needed cured, and it suddenly seemed that there was a new appreciation and acceptance for magic in the community. As Nana offered what help she could, word spread of what she was accomplishing. Even those who before would have said they were non-believers in such nonsense were now proclaiming that healing was real and they were proof of it to boot.
It had gotten to the point that the onslaught of customers was too much for Nana to handle. She felt horribly guilty about it, but she asked Mandy if she’d be able to come in to the store more often than she typically scheduled her to work to help out. Nana didn’t want to cause Mandy to fall behind in her academic studies, but Mandy assured her that it wasn’t a big deal. She started going in daily after school and Saturdays and Sundays and worked alongside Nana in reading people and putting together the healing bouquets. It wasn’t long before Mandy’s name became known about the town and soon carried as much allure as Nana’s. Even with Mandy and Nana working overtime, and with Ally and Mandy’s mom assisting the best they could, the trickle of customers soon turned into a deluge and it simply wasn’t possible to continue on in such a fashion. People were lined up before the store even opened in the morning, waiting their turn to get a chance to talk with Nana and Mandy. There were no more lulls in business during the day, it was one customer after the other until closing time, and the little store seemed ready to burst at its seams.
Nana figured the best way to handle the sudden increase in business was to operate by appointment only, at least until the fascination died down. They put signs up in the store advertising their new operation for a week and handed out business cards with the shop’s phone number printed on them in shiny, purple ink. As they thanked their customers and passed them their flowers, they made sure to tell them to call for future appointments. They continued to take clients on a first come first serve basis until the end of the week and during that week the phone began to ring off the hook with people wanting to schedule appointments. Mandy’s mom took over as secretary and scheduled appointments until they were booked up for a full three months’ time.
The shop was busier than ever, but it was a relief to work on an appointments only basis because they knew what was ahead of them each day and they were able to work out a less taxing schedule, especially for Mandy. Mandy insisted she didn’t mind working daily, but it put Nana’s conscience at ease to be able to ease up on Mandy’s schedule, and inside Mandy was happy for the freed up time because she could see Steve a little bit more.
The onslaught of business at the flower seemed to spread to the surrounding shops as well. The once sleepy beach town seemed as awake, alive and thriving as ever. Crowds spilled out of Enchanted Dew Drops and onto the streets. The souvenir shops that were usually closed in the off-season now opened their doors to the curious people lingering about town. Along with flowers they took home souvenir shells from the “magic beach”, soaps scented with fresh sea breeze, and pictures of Mandy and Nana, the healers of York. The even went so far as to visit Mary Nasson’s once lonely grave. Now the stone stood amid a practical garden of cut flowers, trinkets, and notes to Mary.
Good business and good feelings seemed to be blessing everyone in York. Everyone that is, except for Lucas’s dad. At first the Goldenrod restaurant that was owned and run by Lucas’s family had seen an increase in business as well. A sort of morbid curiosity seemed to beckon the tourists in to see just who Lucas’s family was, to see what kind of people would be so ruthless to an innocent victim such as Mary Nasson. The fact that it was not actually Lucas’s family who had committed the atrocious crimes seemed to be lost on the visitors. Somewhere in the muddled minds who were just awakening to things once believed to be the makings of fairy tales was the fact that Lucas’s dad was a only a descendent of the doctor involved in the heinous events, but it was buried deep enough that they seemed to forget. People were eating at the Goldenrod to see who such a bastard was, and then they began to not eat at the Goldenrod because of the principal of the situation.
Whispered words seemed to linger in the air around the restaurant, warning people to avoid it like the plague. No one wanted to eat at the restaurant of a man who was associated with the innocent Mary Nasson’s death. Lucas’s father really couldn’t understand it or conceive of what was happening. The feelings in town towards him, his family, and the restaurant seemed to have taken a sudden turn towards hatred and ugliness. He went from a booming, profitable restaurant to a deserted hole in the wall seemingly overnight. A few unknown stragglers made their way into the restaurant each day, but not nearly enough to keep the restaurant afloat. Soon the arms of the metal taffy machines that had always pulled the sticky concoction for as long as Mandy could remember stopped moving. There was no more smells of hot molasses hanging in the air in downtown York, and it wasn’t long before the open sign that hung on the double doors was flipped to closed indefinitely.
Mandy felt a surge of sadness as she contemplated this change. She had loved the Goldenrod for as long as she had been coming to York. It represented a piece of chil
dhood nostalgia for her as well as many of the locals and summer vacationers. There was a certain stillness about the town now that the taffy machines no longer had anything to pull. It seemed silly to Mandy in a way, but it was almost as if the taffy machines were akin to the heartbeat of York, and she wondered what would happen now that they had been put to rest.
Mandy felt bad for Lucas and his family as well. She knew it must be turning into a financial nightmare for them. Kids stopped talking to Lucas at school. It was really almost as if they shunned him. Lucas stopped coming to the flower shop on his weekly errands. Lucas’s whole demeanor changed, which Mandy was not surprised at. She knew it must be taking a toll on Lucas. She couldn’t help feeling that he seemed not only more withdrawn and quiet, but almost menacing. As rumors swirled about Mandy and Nana, they also seemed to swirl about Lucas. As the rumors picked up stamina and almost seemed to morph into a storm in their own right, Lucas seemed to go from depressed to angry. The heat coming off of him was almost palpable to Mandy, and even though she felt bad about joining the crowd of people shunning Lucas, she found herself doing the same thing. Lucas seemed to have an icy glare painted on his eyes and when she happened to cross paths with Lucas, the once friendly, popular, outgoing kid seemed to be able to pierce Mandy’s heart with his cold expression.
* * *
Chapter 26
“Are they together now?” Mandy asked Steve, watching the backs of Lucas and Ally as they walked down the hall in near proximity to each other. They weren’t touching each other in any way or holding hands but for some reason, Mandy got the distinct impression that they wanted to. It was even stranger because for the past few weeks Lucas had seemed to turn into a loner. Any friends he had hung around with before all the recent events had been keeping their distance lately. Now it seemed everywhere Mandy looked she caught a glimpse of Lucas and Ally was always at his side. As far as Ally, she was giving Mandy the cold shoulder. Unless she had to talk to her, such as at work, she didn’t.
“I don’t know for sure, but that’s what I’ve heard,” Steve shrugged. “Supposedly they’re going to the Homecoming dance together.”
“Hmm. Weird. Well good for Ally, I know she really had a thing for Lucas anyway.”
“So what are you going to wear?” Steve asked, a teasing look on his face.
“Wear? What do you mean?” Mandy sounded as confused as she felt.
“To Homecoming? With me?” Steve grinned.
“Oh, are we going?” Mandy asked surprised. She had seen the posters of course. They were plastered everywhere there had been an empty space on campus, but she hadn’t really given the dance much thought, what with everything that had been going on.
“Well, I want to. If you do, that is…” Steve waited expectantly for Mandy’s answer.
“Sure. We’ll go. I think we’ve earned an evening of diversion,” Mandy agreed. “Aww man, now I’ve got to go shopping…” Mandy moaned dramatically. “You owe me for this!” she said fiercely, but gave Steve a teasing look.
“I’ll take you shopping. It’ll be fun. Want to go after school?” Steve asked good-naturedly.
“Um, you’re a guy, you’re not supposed to want to go shopping!” Mandy laughed.
“Well, it’s not so much the shopping I’m looking forward to as the time spent with the girl doing the shopping,” Steve smiled down at Mandy.
“Aw, ok, you win best boyfriend award! It’s a date then,” Mandy said squeezing Steve’s hand. Mandy didn’t really relish the whole idea of shopping. Having to find just the right thing, having to try on all the clothes, but Steve was right, it was worth it to spend time with each other. She was looking forward to that.
Mandy met Steve after school at his car and they drove down to Newington, New Hampshire. There was a Macy’s there, and Mandy figured that was her best bet to find a dress without wasting a lot of time or turning the afternoon into a major hassle. Steve played the part of the vigilant and chivalrous boyfriend exceptionally well. He sat in the little pink chair outside the dressing rooms with Mandy’s purse perched on his knee. He oohed and aahed over each dress Mandy tried on, stuffing her so full of compliments that Mandy was sure that soon her head would disengage and float away like a helium balloon. After five wardrobe changes, Mandy finally settled on an emerald green number. It was shorter than she normally would have gone, but she loved the other features of the dress and the color was so deep and rich that she decided to let her guard down, at least for this one time. It was a faux wrap dress, sleeveless. On the side, where the wrap would be tied, was an emerald green stone flanked by glittering diamond-like rhinestones surrounding it in a circle setting. Where the dress pulled away from the bauble it had a ruched-like look to it. The hem of the dress was cut on an angle so that it made an upside down V where the fabric met, showing off Mandy’s legs. Mandy felt like a million dollars in it, and she could tell Steve approved as well. Perhaps the best part was that Steve had told her that it really brought out her eyes. Her eyes had always been a source of disappointment for Mandy. She had a sort of eye-envy over girls who had those perfect wide set eyes, framed dramatically in thick, long lashes, and gleaming that perfect shade of blue or green. Her own were quite the opposite in her opinion. You couldn’t get much more boring and plain than brown, and with only stubby little lashes, they didn’t do a lot for Mandy. So to have them complicated was a big deal.
They were driving home when Mandy suddenly realized she didn’t even know the date of the dance. “So when’s this dance, anyway?” she asked.
“Friday. Haven’t you seen all the posters? They’ve been up for weeks,” Steve answered.
“This Friday? Geez, I guess I’ve been lost in my own world…” Mandy trailed off.
“Yeah, a bit.”
“Sorry, Steve. Thing should get back to normal soon, and then I’ll have time to just be…normal again…whatever normal is.”
“I know. It’s ok, I understand. But I’m glad we spent today together, and I’m glad we’re going to the dance together. There’s going to be a lot of jealous guys when they see you on my arm!”
“Yeah, right,” Mandy laughed. They pulled up to the school parking lot so Mandy could retrieve her car from where she had left it after school. “You really are the best boyfriend though, you know,” Mandy said looking Steve in the eyes.
“And I’ve got the best girl in the world,” Steve said, kissing Mandy on the forehead. Mandy wrapped her arms around Steve’s neck loving the feeling of being with someone who liked her for her.
“I better go. It’s getting late,” Mandy said reluctantly.
“Me too. See you tomorrow?”
“Of course,” Mandy said brushing her lips across Steve’s. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Mandy slipped into her car, and started the ignition, cranking the heat as she did so. It never seemed to be warm enough for her. She waved at Steve and pulled out of the parking lot, heading towards home and watching in the rearview as Steve turned the opposite way towards his house. That’s when she saw the third rose sitting alone on her passenger seat and she felt like the wind had been knocked out of her.
This time the rose was a deep shade of red, scarlet almost. Mandy pulled over to the side of the road. Her hands were shaking, but she was glad she was alone. She didn’t want to worry Steve. She felt her mind racing a million different directions at once as she reached for the single stem. How did this get in my car, why me, who is doing this, what next, what do I do? Mandy wished there was mute button on her brain. The soundtrack playing a million miles an hour wasn’t helping to calm her nerves. She picked up the rose, mistakenly pricking herself on one of the thorns in the process. “Ow!” Mandy said to no one, instinctively bringing her maimed finger to her mouth to soothe the puncture. She held the rose before her eyes. No doubt it was beautiful, a perfect specimen, but none the less it was ominous. The thorns seemed extra prickly as if someone had painstakingly sharpened each one, which was completely ridiculous.
There was a note hanging from the head of the blossom just like last time. Mandy felt a surge of dread course through her body. She didn’t even want to open it or look at the flower any more, much less read whatever it said, but she knew she had to.
Mandywitch,
Enough of your games. We’ll be playing by my rules now. First rule is to ditch the boyfriend…for good. If you don’t do as I say, actions that could have been deemed unnecessary will be taken. I can only imagine they will be unfortunate and regrettable. We’ll catch up soon, and I’m sure we’ll see eye to eye.
Until then,
Your Secret Admirer
Mandy felt her skin pucker up in goose bumps as if a hundred baby spiders were dancing their way up her arms. She had to struggle to compose herself. This was by far the most menacing and disturbing of the three flowers she had received. Ditch the boyfriend…something regrettable and unfortunate will happen. She couldn’t ditch Steve. Could she? But what if whoever wrote this note was serious? There was a definite threat hanging in the words. She didn’t want to ditch Steve, she didn’t want to hurt him, but she didn’t want him to get hurt physically either. She got the impression that this wasn’t just some stupid prank, this had turned serious. Mandy suddenly realized that she would do whatever this note and any other future notes told her to do because she didn’t want to be the cause of injury to anyone. And although she felt her heart shrivel up at the sheer thought of it, she knew that tomorrow she would break up with Steve. For his own good. Mandy wiped a tear off her cheek, threw the rose and the note out the window of the Buick, and drove on towards her future.
* * *
