Chapter 12

Winston

"Stupid, blasted, idiotic, thing." I slammed the door shut, ready to throw everything on the cookie sheet in the trash.

Charlotte poked her head in, concern written all over her face.

"Boss? You okay?"

"What?" I almost snapped, but was confused. Then I realized I was standing there screaming at the oven and probably looked like a maniac.

"I… Yes. I'm fine. I just burned something."

"You've never burned anything since you got here. You sure you don't need a break? We have enough…"

A break would give me time to think. And I didn't want to think… It always led back to…

"No. I'm good. Just let me know if you need help out there."

"I mean, honestly, when you were in here this morning, and looking like you might rip someone's head off if they moved wrong, I think you scared off more people than helped… Maybe just stay back here and make more cookies?"

She popped back into the café before I could come up with an excuse.

The cookie sheet was still hot, so I set it on top of the oven after dumping the burnt to a crisp cookies into the trash. An entire batch wasted. I'd never burned food before. What was wrong with me?

And then I remembered why I'd been in such a foul mood this morning. Willow hadn't come by today. And though I kept waiting for her she hadn't shown up yet. So, I kept waiting, like a lovesick puppy for her to show.

I was not that pathetic. I didn't need to know what had happened. Clearly, the kiss had scared her off. Or landing in my lap, maybe. She wanted nothing to do with me like that. Fine. That was fine. She'd said it was okay, but I hadn't heard from her since.

Tomorrow was Friday though, and the full moon, and we had a love potion to brew together of all things. How on Goddess' Earth did I manage to get into such situations?

Gathering ingredients again, I tried to lose myself in the baking. An hour later, I had peppermint mocha cookies that were to die for, and that did not by any means remind me of Willow. Or hopefully magically call to her with her favorite things.

If I could make cookies like that… Was that possible? So much of potion making was ingredients and intent. I'd certainly seen potions put in things… So perhaps it wasn't far off the mark. A thing to explore in the future.

For now, I had cookies… and no one to talk to.

My phone rang in my pocket, and Brian's face, so like mine, popped up on the screen. I answered.

"Hey! What's up?"

"Man, what's eating you? I just got a text from our aunt to call you."

"Figures. Why didn't she call?"

"Who knows? Probably partying. Anyway, no changing the subject on me. Dish."

I sat heavily on one of the kitchen chairs, surveying the disaster I had left in my wake. It was going to take a while to clean all of this up.

"Dude? Seriously?"

"Sorry, sorry. I… kissed someone." I heard the tremor in my voice, and laid my forehead down onto the table.

"Oooo, nice. She hot?"

"That's your first question?" My voice dripped annoyance. My brother, always asking the important questions.

"Well, duh."

"Yes. She's hot." That was easy enough to answer.

"So, what's the problem?"

"She ran out and I haven't seen her since then? I mean, it was only yesterday, but…"

"Ouch. That is a bit of a problem. Did you call?" His voice sounded reassuring, and I was glad he had called, even if I didn't really want to talk about it.

"No. I… she comes by the café like routine. When she didn't show after… well I figured that was a message in and of itself. That, and I may not have her number. She was always here. We just hadn't exchanged them."

"Okay, so no biggie. Maybe she just needs to process, right?"

"Maybe. We have a thing scheduled tomorrow evening. Maybe she is just waiting to talk."

"Exactly it. Don't lose all hope. Besides, you've been there like what, less than a month? How well can you know her?"

"It feels like forever. And we spark when we touch."

"Romantic." I could hear the laughter in his voice.

"No, like, I literally feel an electric jolt."

"She a witch?" And that question brought it all home.

"That is the difficult part."

"Mom's gonna flip on you, dude." I could hear his voice get a bit higher. He knew the pressure she put on me.

"Couldn't you have taken longer to get married?" I whined. "Now Mom spends all her energy on matchmaking me instead of the both of us."

"Sorry man, Jill was perfect, it's just a bonus she's a witch. Though we had a rocky start, too. Listen, if you like the girl, go for it. Mom can get over it. And marrying someone you do not love is miserable, if mom and dad are any indication."

"Ha. Yeah."

"So, I say go for it. Pull out all the stops. Win her over." He sounded excited at the prospect. I would have, before that kiss.

"Don't you even want to know anything else?"

"You like her. You have good taste. That seems enough. I'm sorry, do you wanna gush over her?"

I heard Jill holler in the background, and my brother laughed. "Jill agrees, because she wants to hear it. Putting you on speakerphone."

"Hey, I didn't agree with any of this."

Jill apparently joined the call, asking, "Please? Come on, I need something in this life besides the baby."

I laugh, and decide what the hell. "Her name is Willow. She's a professor at the university here. Teaches History of Magic."

"And she's not a witch?"

"Nope. Just always loved it. Her best friend is a witch. She also has a coffee addiction, loves peppermint, and thinks bread is the best smell on earth."

"That's cool. You two might just be meant for each other." My brother sounded sarcastic.

Jill retorted, "Oh shut it! She sounds wonderful. So she likes the café?"

"Yep. She came in all the time and also talked to Aunt Maggie, so she knew it well."

"I hope you two work it out. You sound like you respect her, and like her. That's important."

"R-E-S-P-" my brother started, before I heard Jill wallop him one. Then a baby cried, and Jill sighed. "Thanks for the break," and I heard her take off.

"You forgot the description part, though."

"What do you mean?" My brother could be annoying as hell sometimes, but he'd managed to make me feel less crappy.

"What's she look like?"

I laughed, "Shorter side, hair dyed bright multi-colored. Dresses in a lot of black, but mostly professional clothes for work that honestly… do great things for her figure."

"Nice. I can't wait to see a picture. Okay. Let me know how it goes, yeah?"

"Yeah. Thanks."

"Anytime. We'll have to come visit soon. Laters!"

I was alone again in the kitchen. But suddenly, it didn't seem too awful anymore.

Over the next couple of hours, I constantly pulled my phone out multiple times, trying to decide whether I wanted to try and find Willow's number. Honestly, Charlotte or Lyzzie or my aunt probably had it… Or I could find her on socials. Or her school email…

Could I just send a message asking if we were on for tomorrow?

Would she respond? Would it be unfair to place that one her? I needed to know though. There were things to set up and ingredients to gather.

Even with my brother's encouragement, I worried about whether this was a good choice. My mother would be furious. Did I care? I wasn't sure. At some point, it would probably upset me, but overall, it was my life.

My mother had tried for years to get me to marry a woman of her choosing. A witch of her choosing. And even the witches I had met myself and dated had never enchanted me the way that Willow had.

I deserved to be happy, even if it meant that I wouldn't continue the Sullivan line. Maybe witches were meant to decline. Maybe the magic was changing. As long as those we married were okay with who and what we were, it shouldn't matter who we fell in love with.

I nearly dropped the dish I was washing back into the water.

Love? Had I just thought love? Did I love her?

Maybe. I didn't know her well enough to decide that yet.

What did it matter if she ran away when kissed?

I could text her….

Lyzzie poked her head into the kitchen. "Hey boss. It's pretty slow in here. Why don't you take a break?"

I raised an eyebrow at her. "Why are you guys telling me to take breaks now?"

"Honestly? Charlotte and I decided you need pushing and taking care. You hardly ever stop to eat. So go take a walk and eat something. It'll be fine in here."

I stored the dishes and drained the sink. Everything was caught up. The university was close by. It was after 3 pm, so Willow would probably be home. I wouldn't run into her there.

With that plan in mind, I packed a sandwich and chips, and bundled up in a jacket and scarf. I waved to Lyzzie and headed out. The wind from yesterday had gone, leaving leaves scattered everywhere.

Though I used to visit as a kid, the place looked different these days. The campus was the same old brick buildings, towering over the rest of the neighborhood which consisted of Victorian homes, owned by professors or rentals for students. Lights hung around campus, twinkling in the dusk light. Atmospherically, it was easy to fall in love with, so magical.

The campus map showed several buildings, each named after someone in the key below. Probably someone who had donated a lot of money, or helped create the new school or department. Typical. I decided to walk around instead of going to any one building.

Finding a statue of a fairy with her wings furled out, hovering over a unicorn, I stood looking up at it. The stone seemed to shimmer in the light. It made me feel free, looking at it. There were so many magical creatures and people in the world.

A picnic bench sat nearby with no one at it, so I went over and sat down. I pulled out my sandwich and ate, breathing in the fall air. The campus was alive at this hour, with the sounds of students laughing and music playing in the distance.

During warmer days, I wondered how many students stayed out and about, studying in the sun. There was something to be said for college life. When you could study, learn, and party, with so fewer cares and fears in the world. At least, for some students, this must be the time of their life.

I looked at the statue again, wondering at what life had brought. Witches had always been in the open, even during the attacks that should have driven us off. Luckily, people had wanted the magic more than they had feared us. Some creatures had not been so lucky.

The sculptor had captured the unicorn so realistically; I felt as if it would move at any moment.

Unicorns had been hunted to near extinction, because people–including witches–had wanted their horns. Elves had stepped in, taking the remaining unicorns to their vast forests and hiding them behind their own protections.

I'd seen a unicorn once at a sanctuary run by Elves in California. It had been beautiful—shining white, with a glow that made you feel as if you had never known true majesty.

As for faeries—I'd met a few. Many of them also lived with the elves. They did not like technology. Said it messed with their ability to speak with nature. And so they retreated from the world as it became more and more modern. The natural parks and other sanctuaries had given them a way to stay true to who they were.

It didn't matter how public we were, all non-humans and those gifted with magic alike. Normal humans outnumbered us in all our iterations. Magic had to fight to stay in this world. We had to fight to stay protected. And in every century there seemed to be a group that wanted to blame us or take us out as their scapegoats.

An hour later, I decided it was time to head back to the café. I felt refreshed and excited. There had been perhaps too many days spent at the café without leaving. Besides, I had interviews to get to.

The fresh air had done my brain some good—and given me a chance to think about other things. I had another spell I could work on in the meantime, between today and tomorrow afternoon. I could work on that and concentrate on being ready. If Willow showed, she showed. If not, I had all the answers I needed.

There was no line when I got back to the café, and Lyzzie smiled broadly at me.

"Better?"

"Better. Thanks. Has W…." And I cut myself off.

Lyzzie knew, though, and shook her head. "The first interviewee is here though."

I went behind the counter, checking to see that we had enough pastries and other things needed for the rest of the evening. It looked stocked, and a full coffee pot waited for those who needed it. A few students sat around tables chatting, and I spotted at least one other professor I had met.

I should rename The Witches' Brew for something more academic. We sure attracted them all. I was even interviewing students. Speaking of…

"Lyzzie? Which one is it?"

She waved at someone, a chipper looking dude, and he came over. That start a string of four interviews that mostly went well.

Relaxing again, I went back into my kitchen and then up to my apartment. Lyzzie could holler at me if she needed me, and I didn't need to hang out in the kitchen to make anything. The dining table awaited me, the spell sitting where I had left it.

Grabbing my coloring pencils and laptop, I once again sat down to figure out what I needed to know. What was the spell, and what were the ingredients?

Time passed, and I still wasn't sure I had accomplished anything. Some names I had thought I had traced seemed foreign to me. My mother might know better what I was looking at. I could call her… but I really didn't want to. There was no way I'd listen to another lecture from her.

Then again, she might be what I needed to figure this out for Willow, and it'd be easier now than later when she knew about that.

Before I tackled that, though, I needed to check on the café. Stretching, I leaned against the wall, and counted, feeling my back burn from sitting still for so long. The café was still quiet, and Lyzzie told me to quit worrying.

"You know, we hardly saw your aunt. Food appeared, we sold it, and off we went."

"Yeah, but there were more of you."

"Ah, Charlotte and I were the most talented. You are working on hiring someone else, right? It'll be fine."

"Two someones, at least. And thanks. How much longer till you graduate?"

"You've got Charlotte and I both for another year."

"Perfect. Okay, remind me to have you train your replacements too, before you leave."

Lyzzie laughed, and I went back into the kitchen. I already fixed much of what we needed in the morning and it was ready to go out. I didn't need to bake anything. It was still a couple hours till closing, too.

Time to face the music, and call my mother.

Upstairs in the apartment, I found myself trying to push it off again. I grabbed something for dinner, started laundry, and kept trying to find small tasks to distract myself. When at last I'd exhausted every possibility, I gave up and fell back onto the couch.

I could just scroll on my phone instead…

And that's when it rang.

Mother.

Had my brother said something to her?

"Hello?"

"Winston? I haven't heard from you in days, and your brother just mentioned you. Are you okay?"

Of course he had. I owed him now.

"I'm fine, mother, really. You?"

"Doing great! The museum is doing well. We are getting in a few new pieces today."

"Sounds great. Hey—speaking of pieces. A friend of mine found some old spells in the back of a book. Looked like they were stitched into a new grimoire instead of copied. She was having trouble figuring out one of them and asked for my help."

"A witch, hmm? Maybe it isn't wasted that you moved down there. Why your help?"

I decided, after keeping myself from correcting her, that it'd be easier to pretend I hadn't heard her assumption.

"We ran into each other. She comes to the café a lot. She's a professor at the university here and was writing a book on them. Has a deadline, and was worried about meeting it."

"Academic witches are such an odd bunch. Of all the ones you had to pick, an academic doesn't seem like it'd suit you."

"Anyway," I said, avoiding that landmine, "do you think you could help me figure out a couple of these? I didn't really mess with old ingredients at all. I usually learned by following someone else doing the spell. I didn't read many recipes."

"Much of spell making is taught by oral tradition, and by simply showing someone younger than you. That practice could also help keep precious spells used to make money in the family. You say she's working on a book?"

"Yes. It's some history of magic and witches, common spells, and the like. Plus, this book she found."

"Some spells are better left forgotten. What is it for?"

"I don't even know. I can't get that far."

"Fine. Tell me some names then."

I could hear the annoyance in her voice. But I wasn't being yelled at, or given the silent treatment, so there was that.

"So first there is Skin of Man. Then Semen of Hermes. I figured out that Blind Eyes was supposed to be Poppy."

"Well, the first is easy. That's Fern Leaf for Skin of Man, and the second is dill. As to the third… I'm not sure. I'd say consult your aunt."

"That helps. Are you sure about the first two?"

"Positively."

I made several notes and rubbed my forehead. If that was the case, I needed to look up pictures of these and compare them to what I had drawn. I wondered if fern leaf in a spell ready capacity was easy to get or not.

"Thanks mom."

"Those are strange combinations. When you figure it out, let me know. Perhaps this spell was lost for a reason."

"Yeah, yeah. You guys made several go away. What's the harm in sharing a spell? It's in a textbook, anyway. Mostly only students will read it."

"Not so. It's a good way to get several new spells, or try out other versions of your own. And there are many reasons to not share everything. We banned love spells because they are extremely tricky and can have dire consequences. Same with ones to induce passion, or hatred. Curses should never be shared."

"People can always try to make their own."

"True, and I'm sure they do. But no reason to make it easy for them."

"Okay. I'll let you know if I figure out the potion and the spell. If you figure out that third ingredient before hearing from me, call or text it, please."

"Of course. I…"

Lyzzie hollered up from downstairs, "Winston? I'm almost done closing and fixing to head out!"

"Oh, I'll be there in a minute!"

I stood up, stretching as I did so. I'd been at this a lot longer than I had meant to be. "Sorry mom, gotta go. The café is closing."

"You have to be there for that?"

"Yes, mom. Night. And thanks."

"Hmmm, just wait. And I want to hear more about this girl."

"Night, mom. Love you."

As soon as she replied with "Love you," I hung up. Otherwise, she'd keep bringing up something else. I stuck my phone in my pocket and hurried downstairs. Lyzzie was hanging up her apron.

"Hey! It's all set. You didn't have to come down."

"Ah, but I enjoy making sure everything is okay. Plus, I need to check stock for tomorrow. Sorry, did we get busy? I meant to come back down earlier and check on you."

Shrugging on her jacket, Lyzzie shook her head. Bright red hair fell into her face, which she pushed back as she wound a scarf around her neck. "It was fine. Thursdays normally are slower. I think there was quite a bit in the pastry case, so I wouldn't sweat it too much. I'll see you tomorrow evening."

"See you then!"

Lyzzie went out the back door, and I locked it behind her.

Time to bake some cares away, and keep working on that spell.