Chapter 4

ChapterFour

Garden Gnome Bed and Breakfast, Lucky Valley, Colorado

Jesse had seen the Victorian home that Lily had converted into a bed-and-breakfast while on video calls with her siblings. The lone house stood like a solitary pink blight on the mountainous countryside. She hadn’t been a fan of the girly color when she saw it on screen, but now it blended with the reds and purples of the sun setting in the background.

The Victorian seemed to be at a natural crossroads where the forest met mountains met a valley. Trees arched around the back of the house. Mountains filled the view to the left of the house with a valley rolling to the right.

Chubby faces stared at them from all around the lawn, like a garden gnome welcome committee. Their pointy hats and long beards were cute, if not a little kitschy. None of this made her think of Dante and Lily.

“There doesn’t seem to be any guests,” Jesse said, eyeing the one car in the driveway. When they came to a stop, she didn’t get out. She had a difficult time imagining her siblings being happy here.

“Nolan put up cabins. They rent those out. I don’t think many guests stay in the house anymore,” Mal said. After a long moment of her staring, he lightly touched her arm. “Are you all right being here?”

The contact took her by surprise, pulling her out of her stupor. She took a deep breath and nodded. His eyes held hers, and his hand didn’t leave her. There was a calmness to his presence. How had she not noticed that before? “I can’t believe I’m here. I told myself I’d never step foot in this place.”

“I can give you a ride to town for the night if you’d rather,” he offered.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Polly stated, popping up between the seats to break their eye contact. His hand dropped from her arm. “She belongs here.”

Jesse leaned forward to reconnect her gaze with Mal’s. “Lily said they were in the city limits. I thought this was in town. It looks like the middle of nowhere.”

“Technically, this is in city limits,” he said, clearing his throat. “Before we were able to locate Marigold’s heirs, there was a rezoning that took place. It was supposed to make it easier for the town to take over the property as abandoned.”

“Steal it,” Polly inserted. “Like little goblins in the night after porridge.”

“Polly, can we have a moment?” Jesse asked.

“I’ll tell Lily you’re here.” Polly gathered Herman and got out of the car. “The stars told me you wouldn’t kiss her yet, so I’m not missing anything.”

Jesse grimaced as Polly shut the door. “I’m sorry about her. She’s…”

“Interesting,” Mal finished.

Jesse nodded. Polly’s words hung between them as if predicting what may come. It only made the moment awkward.

“Did you want to talk to me about something now that she’s gone?” he asked.

“I think I have magical powers,” Jesse said.

He simply nodded. She had expected a bigger reaction.

“Like magic.”

“I know. You come from a family of witches. Everyone here knows about it. Most of the locals have something supernatural in their bloodline.” Mal smiled. “I’m one-quarter elf.”

“Elf?” She started to laugh, only to realize he was serious.

“Lily’s boyfriend is a werewolf,” he continued.

“I was going to say Polly drugged me, and I need you to please keep an eye on me for signs of hallucinations.” She searched his face. “Maybe I need to keep an eye on you.”

“Jess?” Lily’s excited voice screamed from the other side of the window.

Jesse turned to see her sister rushing down the stairs. Lily wore an oversized flannel shirt, denim jeans, and wool socks. Wavy brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail. She came off the porch onto the drive without shoes. She hopped and waved.

Jesse hurried out of the car to embrace her sister.

“I can’t believe you’re actually here!” Lily held her tight. “Polly said you wanted to move in.”

“Uh…” Jesse started to shake her head.

“No?” Lily’s smile fell a little. “So, Polly is just being Polly. Well, never mind all that. I’m glad you’re here. Finally.”

“Lily,” Mal acknowledged, coming up behind Jesse.

“Oh, hey, Mal,” Lily said. “Thank you for bringing her. Polly said you’re staying with us tonight?”

“I don’t wish to intrude,” he denied half-heartedly.

“We’re practically a hotel. Everyone intrudes.” Lily laughed. “Come on. We have plenty of food left over from dinner. I’ll make you a plate.”

“A plate?” Jesse arched a brow. “Look at you, all domesticated.”

“And profitable,” Lily said quietly, hooking Jesse by the arm. “Six months now, in the green. Not trust fund money, our money. I can’t tell you how good that feels.”

“Is Dante here?” she asked.

“He’s on a date tonight,” Lily said. “I normally don’t like when he flirts with the guests, but our brother hasn’t had the best of luck with the ladies, so I pretended not to notice this time. Anyway, let me show you around.”

Lily pointed toward the mountains. “Mara is at the mining ghost town with some friends, which is that way. They call it Unlucky Valley. And I do mean ghost town, not just abandoned, but actual ghosts.” She then pointed toward the valley. “The town of Lucky Valley is that way. It’s much smaller than you’re used to in the city, but it grows on you even if the locals don’t always.”

“What’s with all the gnomes?” Jesse glanced along the porch. Their painted eyes seemed to watch her through the railing. “You kind of embraced the whole B&B theme, didn’t you?”

“Ignore them. They’re nosy. They like to move around, so be sure to lock the bathroom door when you take a shower.” Lily pulled her by the arm into the home.

When Jesse bumped the doorframe, energy radiated from the wood like tiny shocks of electricity. She jerked away from the odd sensation.

Lily didn’t notice as she chatted about the various rooms and antique furniture. Next to the stairs by the front door was a living room. The gold and red of the velvet couch did not look inviting. Wooden legs were carved into swirling patterns. A stone fireplace stood barren.

A library with striped cushioned chairs and a writing desk held more books than any home Jesse had ever been inside. In the dining room, a stately table set had space for fourteen people. Three of the chairs were occupied by gnome statues. Their pointy hats peaked over the top of the table. Herman tapped across the wood as if dancing for them. Polly clapped her hands, laughing.

Distracted by the show, Jesse nearly tripped on a gnome sitting on a toilet in the middle of the floor.

“You get used to them,” Lily said, picking up the toilet gnome and moving him closer to the wall. “They actually make quite good gardeners.”

The smell of food came from a back kitchen, luring her in that direction.

“Are you hungry? I just put everything in the fridge, so it shouldn’t be too cold yet,” Lily said. “I can show you upstairs to a room later.”

Jesse nodded. She turned, expecting Mal to be behind her. He wasn’t.

A bulldog snored on a dog bed in the corner near a back door in the kitchen. The animal opened one eye to look at her, but the sound didn’t stop.

“That’s my familiar. Winston.” Lily said it like it was completely normal to have a familiar. “If you see a spiteful cat, that’s Mara’s creature. Stay clear. It has a temper. Much like Mara.”

“And Dante said he has a pet raccoon?” Jesse said.

“Familiar,” Lily corrected. She reached into the fridge and started pulling out leftover containers. “Bartholomew. Which I thought was weird at first, but it makes sense when you get to know him.”

Lily took out a pan of lasagna.

Jesse nodded. “So you’re accepting the whole family of witches thing, aren’t you?”

“Not publicly or anything. I don’t tell guests.” Lily took plates out of the cupboard and started making three servings. “It helps our lives make sense. Haven’t you had anything at all strange happen yet?”

Jesse thought of all the strange confessions. “Like what?”

Lily glanced at Winston. “Animal voice in your head?”

Jesse eyed the English Bulldog. She wasn’t sure what that squishy fur ball would say. More food? More nap? Rub my belly?

“No.” She shook her head.

“How about objects moving?” Lily looked toward the doorway. A gnome statue of a woman in a pointed shower cap had appeared next to the entryway as if to stand guard. She held a towel around her curvy middle and had a surprised expression.

“No.”

Lily put a plate in the microwave. “Do you see ghosts?”

“No.”

Lily sighed. “So, nothing strange?”

Jesse shrugged. Part of her was so happy to see her sister, but this version of Lily felt different. It was as if Lily had grown up without her. She had a home, a business, a man, a dog. She had a belief in something, even if that something was magic. She seemed…happy.

“Some kids stole my car and set it on fire. Insurance has been a joke,” Jesse said, just to have an answer to her sister’s questions. “And my kitchen sink exploded this morning. Soaked everything right before I had to go to work. Then Polly showed up and got me fired, drugged me with a potion—at least, I think she did, as I was hallucinating for the entire trip here, which felt like it took a few hours instead of the normal one or two days.”

Lily frowned. “Car and sink? Have more things like that been happening? Things that you would chalk up to very bad luck?”

“I haven’t exactly been rolling in the good luck,” Jesse gave a small laugh, though she really didn’t think it was funny. “Someone stole my bank card and went on a shopping spree. I had to fight with the bank to get the charges reversed. It took months, and now I’m behind on bills because of all the late fees.”

“Are you okay? Do you need money?” Lily asked, trying to touch Jesse’s arm.

“I didn’t come for your money.” Jesse let her sister touch her, but she didn’t like feeling pitied. Actually, she hadn’t chosen to come to Lucky Valley at all.

She remembered saying yes when Polly asked her, but she didn’t feel like she was in her right mind when she did.

Jesse thought of Mal and the fact that he wanted her to close Marigold’s will. “I’m here to sign away whatever it is that Marigold left me in that box. I keep telling them I don’t want it. I figured the only way they’ll stop harassing me is if I sign some papers.”

“How can you say no if you don’t know what’s in the safe deposit box? Don’t you think you owe it to yourself to give this a chance? What is keeping you in Spokane? Your family is here. I’m here. Dante is here. Even Mara. Don’t you want to get to know your sister?”

Jessie couldn’t say she felt a connection to Mara.

The microwave beeped, and Lily took the food out, only to replace the plate with another. She put a fork and garlic bread next to the lasagna and carried it toward the dining room. Mal sat at the table with Polly, watching Herman’s performance. He glanced up at her as she appeared in the entryway from the kitchen. He gave her a slight smile and nodded his head.

Lily placed the plate in front of him and said, “I hope you like Italian.”

“Yes, thank you,” he answered.

“Herman?” Lily looked at the lobster expectantly. The crustacean tapped his feet on the table in what looked to be excitement. Her sister nodded her head. “Small lasagna, coming right up.”

Jesse followed her sister back to the kitchen. “I don’t think lobsters eat pasta.”

“That one does,” Lily laughed. “He has a surprisingly big appetite. I learned not to question it. Herman is as strange as Polly. I think it has to do with all the spells she’s cast around him. I think the magical residue has rubbed off or something.”

“You look really happy, Lily.” Jesse rubbed her sister’s arm briefly before pulling away. “I’m glad you found a place where you belong.”

“I want you to feel like you belong here too because you do.”

“I’m visiting now,” Jesse said. She had a few weeks before rent was due to figure something out. It’s not like she had to get back to Spokane for a work shift.

“You were so young when mom did what she did.” Lily sighed sadly.

“I remember things,” Jesse said. “I remember how it affected you and Dante.”

“Do you remember Suellen Grace?” Lily asked.

“Our imaginary friend? Yeah. So what? A lot of kids have imaginary friends.”

“One that we all could describe the same way. You know she wasn’t imaginary,” Lily insisted.

The transparent girl had seemed real.

“The flying dolls?” Lily continued.

“I…” Jesse shook her head. “You guys always blamed me for throwing them. That counselor said we were coping with our unstable early childhood living in a car with a mentally unhinged mother. But I never touched them. I might have been messed up, but I was never a liar. Dante was the one always telling stories.”

“With everything that you know in mind, doesn’t this make sense?”

Jesse glanced around the bed-and-breakfast kitchen.

“This.” Lily lifted her hand. Tiny sparks of light came off her fingertips before fizzling out.

Jesse leaped back. Winston lifted his head to watch.

“Magic,” Lily said. “Real magic. Don’t you want to learn how to use it? Control it?”

Jesse looked at her hand, unable to answer. Nothing in life came free. Magic would have a cost. She wanted normal.

The microwave beeped, and her sister took the second plate out. Lily put in a third dish.

Jesse looked at her sister’s hand. Lily showed she wasn’t holding anything to have caused sparks before taking a teacup saucer and placing little portions of the heated food onto it for the lobster. Then she carried both plates out for Polly and Herman.

Jesse shied away from the gnome in the doorway as she passed. She purposefully bumped the back of her hand against the entryway. The flow of electricity rolled from the wood into her hand. This time she didn’t jerk away.

“This is delicious,” Mal told Lily. “Thank you.”

Jesse sat next to him as Lily returned to the kitchen. Her legs shook nervously as if the electricity went down her body.

She watched as Herman examined his small plate. She leaned towards Mal and whispered, “This is so strange. Don’t you think this is strange?”

“Around here, you’ll see stranger,” he answered, apparently unaffected by seeing a lobster eat lasagna.

“I want to see a happy plate, Herman,” Polly said in a voice that sounded like a mother speaking to a small child.

Herman kicked the plate with one of his feet.

“Don’t talk back,” Polly scolded in a low tone.

“You all right?” Mal whispered while Polly and Herman continued to have their conversation.

“You mean, am I hallucinating?” Jesse shrugged and nodded toward the crustacean. “Logically, the answer to that question would be yes.”

“I’m sorry if you feel like we forced you to come. When I came to see you, I never intended to make you come here. I was hoping I could convince you.” Mal looked genuinely apologetic.

Something about the deepness of his eyes made her want to trust him. Nothing about this town or this house, or these people was logical. But Lily was right. In a way, it made things from her childhood make sense.

Jesse looked at her hand on her lap and wiggled her fingers, trying to see if sparkly light would come out of them like Lily’s. Nothing did.

“That’s not how magic works, pumpkin doodle,” Polly said. “You have to have intent and focus, but not think about it.”

Jesse glanced up. How did Polly know what she was trying to do?

“Eat up.” Lily set a plate of food in front of Jesse before sitting down. “I can’t believe you’re finally here. I want to hear everything that’s been going on with you.”

“We talk every week,” Jesse said.

“I didn’t know about the bad luck,” Lily countered. “Why didn’t you tell me your bank card was stolen? What else don’t I know? Spill.”

Jesse took a bite of her food and nodded. “Mm, sis, did you make this? Wow. This is a really good lasagna.”