Chapter Eleven: Carys

"Morning!" Carys breezed into the kitchen, the smell of her aunt's specially blended coffee having summoned her from her bed.

The aroma of cinnamon and nutmeg wafted through the air, mingling with the rich scent of the dark roast, letting her know Elsbeth had broken out her Christmas blend. Carys inhaled deeply, savoring the familiar smell. There had been many mornings during her travels where she wished for nothing more than a cup of her aunt's carefully prepared coffee.

"Good morning." Aunt Elsbeth handed Carys a steaming mug, a sly smile on her face. "Did you sleep well?"

Carys eyed her for a moment. Was her aunt expecting her to be groggy after the party? They'd barely touched the elderberry wine, and she wasn't expecting a hangover from the tea.

"Like a log." Carys yawned before gratefully accepting the coffee. She took a sip, letting the velvety liquid roll over her tongue. A contented sigh escaped her lips as she leaned against the counter, looking out at the distant snowcapped mountains. "I forgot how much I missed this."

"And we missed you." Elsbeth cupped her coffee cup in her hand and studied her niece.

"You are staring, Aunt Elsbeth." Carys turned to face her aunt.

"I was just wondering what your plans were for the day." Elsbeth arched an eyebrow at her.

"I thought I would go and visit Liselle. I didn't spend much time with her yesterday and I'd like to dote on that sweet little baby of hers." Carys sipped her coffee as she tried to decipher her aunt's confused expression.

"Oh," Elsbeth said and tilted her head as she looked away. "I thought you would have other plans."

"Oh?" Carys frowned. Had she forgotten something? That was most unlike her. She was known to recall every meticulous detail of a meeting, no matter how long and arduous.

She cast her mind back to the previous day, but nothing stuck out to her.

"Yes." Elsbeth gave Carys a knowing look.

But whatever Carys was supposed to know, she didn't.

She put her fingers to her forehead as she tried to remember. There might have been something that had slipped her mind in all the excitement of her return, and meeting everyone.

Perhaps she had partaken in more of the wine than she realized, or perhaps the Earl Grey had been another of her aunt's ‘special blends.'

"Morning!" Marilla entered the kitchen and kissed her mom on the cheek. "And how are you this morning?" she asked Carys before pouring herself a cup of coffee, unable to keep a smirk off her face as she side-eyed Carys.

"I'm good, thanks." Carys sipped her coffee as Marilla and Elsbeth exchanged looks. "What?"

"You're… good ?" Marilla asked.

"Yes." The feeling that she was not on the same page as her aunt and cousin grew. "Or did something happen that means I should be feeling bad on this morning?"

"No." Marilla shook her head and then her eyes narrowed. "Unless it…did."

"Oh, did it?" Elsbeth asked with concern. "You seemed so happy last night. We thought everything went…well, more than good ."

"Oh yes, you were smiling so brightly I thought you might outshine the moon." Marilla nodded, her gaze fixed on Carys.

Carys cocked her head. "That would be because I was happy. I'm always happy to be back here and visit everyone." Carys tugged her brows closer together. She was happy to be back, but for her to be walking around with such a big grin? She couldn't recall anything in particular. Perhaps the tea was spiked with wine after all.

"Don't worry, we aren't going to pry," Elsbeth said with a wave of her hand. "Pancakes?" She went to the cupboard and took out a pan, setting it down on the stovetop.

"I thought you were going to serve us the leftovers from last night," Marilla said.

"Hmm. Cake for breakfast." Elsbeth paused and eyed the Tupperware containers stacked on the counter. "If I didn't know better, I would think you are trying to lead me astray."

"Oh, I have learned everything from you, Mom," Marilla replied with a laugh.

"You two never change." Carys watched the playful banter between her aunt and cousin, a twinge of longing tugging at her heart. She had missed these simple moments during her time away. "And I'm so glad."

She went to Elsbeth and hugged her and then beckoned to Marilla to join in.

Marilla didn't need asking twice, and the three women stood together, arms wrapped around each other for a long moment.

"It's good to have you home," Elsbeth pulled away, her voice thick with emotion.

"And maybe we might see more of you now." Marilla went back to drinking her coffee as Elsbeth began whipping up a batch of pancakes, the sizzle of batter hitting the hot pan filling the air, and Carys found her thoughts drifting back to the previous night.

The cakes. The tea. The coven.

Had she said something to make the others think she was homesick? That she wanted to spend more time here?

Carys certainly got the feeling something had changed. That she had changed. Or that other people thought she had, at least. But she felt exactly the same as before.

Her job was important to her. In some ways, it defined her, and although she planned to be a more frequent visitor to Wishing Moon Bay, she certainly didn't plan to leave her job and settle down here for good.

As Elsbeth flipped the pancakes, the aroma of vanilla and cinnamon wafted through the cozy kitchen. Carys leaned against the counter, her brow furrowed in concentration as she thought over the events of the previous night. It was as if there was something else, just out of reach, like a word on the tip of her tongue.

"So, what are you going to get up to today?" Marilla asked as she placed her coffee cup down on the counter and fetched the plates from the cupboard. "It's a beautiful day for a walk on the beach, even if it is going to be covered in snow. Or perhaps a hike?"

"Carys plans to visit Liselle and the baby," Elsbeth said without turning away from the stove.

"Really?" Marilla asked, taken aback.

"...Yeah." Carys squinted her eyes at them. "I won't be here long and by the time I come back here again, the baby will have grown so much…" she trailed off, her gaze drifting to the window where the snow-capped mountains loomed in the distance.

"Oh, I thought you might have had other plans," Marilla said as she placed the utensils on the table, avoiding eye contact.

"No, no plans. At least not yet." Carys cracked a smile. "But the day is young."

"It certainly is." Elsbeth slid a stack of golden pancakes onto a plate and handed it to Carys. "Guests first. You'll need to keep your strength up if yesterday was anything to go by."

"The voyage?" Carys asked as she sat down at the table, drizzled some maple syrup over the fluffy stack, and took a bite, savoring the warm, comforting flavors.

"And The Lonely Tavern," Marilla prompted.

"Oh, the bar with the strange witch… What was her name, Morwenna." She picked up her fork and dug into the pancakes. "Oh, these are the best pancakes I have ever tasted."

"So you remember Morwenna?" Elsbeth poured more batter into the pan and watched Carys out of the corner of her eye as the pan sizzled.

"Of course. And the Regulars. And…Brushworth was it?" As she ate, Carys couldn't shake the sense that something significant had happened last night, something that everyone else seemed to know about except her. It was disconcerting, like trying to remember a vivid dream that slips away upon waking.

"So you remember The Lonely Tavern. Morwenna and the Regulars," Marilla asked as if she were the sheriff checking an alibi. "And Brushworth."

"Yes. I went there with Liselle, and we met Flint there." Carys paused, her fork hovering over the pancakes. "And then Morwenna and the Regulars."

"No one else?" Elsbeth asked as she wriggled her fingers and muttered a spell, setting the pancakes to make themselves as she turned with her hands on her hips.

"No." Carys wrinkled her brow. "Should there have been?"

"You tell me," Elsbeth said, her eyes boring into Carys.

"Because we weren't there," Marilla said and gave her mother a sharp look.

"And there are always so many interesting people in The Lonely Tavern," Elsbeth reached for the coffeepot, and it lifted itself up off the counter and slid into her hand. "More coffee?"

"Yes, please." Carys still had the distinct impression that she was missing something important, but try as she might, the memories remained frustratingly out of reach. She accepted the refill of coffee from Elsbeth with an innocent smile and took a sip, hoping the rich brew would help clear the fog in her mind.

She really had forgotten something important, and it had got these two really riled up. Was there someone she was supposed to meet today? A baby shower, perhaps?

"Well, I'm sure it will come back to you," Marilla said breezily as she helped herself to a stack of pancakes. "In the meantime, you should definitely visit Liselle and the baby. They'll be thrilled to see you."

Elsbeth nodded in agreement. "Perhaps by way of The Lonely Tavern."

"Oh, I wasn't…"

"Yes," Marilla agreed quickly, with a wave of her fork. "Good thinking."

"And we'll come with you," Elsbeth offered.

"I thought you were busy," Carys said.

Elsbeth shook her head. "Nonsense. Nothing is more important than spending time with family. Besides, I could use a visit to The Lonely Tavern myself. You never know what interesting characters you might meet there."

"So true," Marilla agreed, as she twirled her fork thoughtfully.

"In fact, why don't we get Flint and Liselle to meet us there," Elsbeth said, warming to the idea. "Yes. It would be good if everyone was assembled there. It's a lovely spot to meet."

"You're right. That is a fantastic idea." Marilla's eyes widened as she forked her pancakes into her mouth.

Carys couldn't help but smile. Her aunt's enthusiasm was infectious, even if it was a little odd. "All right then, it's settled. We'll all go together."

They finished their breakfast, the conversation turning to talk of the weather, the Yuletide Festival and snippets of gossip Neave had passed on last night. None of it was too scandalous, but through it all, Marilla and Elsbeth kept casting strange looks toward Carys when they thought she wasn't looking.

"I'll send a message to Liselle and Flint." Marilla got out her phone and tapped out a message. "Let them know to meet us at the tavern around noon."

"Perfect," Elsbeth nodded, waving her hand to set the dishes to wash themselves in the sink. "Let's get ready. Wrap up warm. It's a cold one out there."

The three women bundled up in their coats and scarves, bracing themselves against the crisp winter air as they stepped outside. The streets of Wishing Moon Bay were already bustling with activity, the sound of laughter and cheerful greetings filling the air as neighbors went about their daily business.

Carys inhaled deeply, the scent of pine and wood smoke tickling her nose as they made their way down the cobbled streets toward the center of town. The shop windows were adorned with twinkling lights and festive decorations, a reminder of the upcoming Yuletide celebrations.

The snow crunched beneath their boots, and the sunlight sparkled off the ice crystals, casting a magical glow over the quaint town.

As they approached the tavern, Carys felt a strange sense of anticipation, as if something momentous was about to happen. She shook her head, trying to dispel the feeling. It was just a gathering with friends and family, nothing more.

But as the tavern door swung open, of its own accord, she got a tingle along her spine.

Déjà vu?