30. The Neighborhood Witch

Chapter 30

The Neighborhood Witch

T here was a knock at the front door. Three distinct knocks echoed through the hallway. Alice left the kitchen to answer it. She already knew who waited on the other side. One knock, a slight pause, followed by two rapid knocks. Alice picked up her pace.

“I’m coming,” she yelled. “I’m coming.”

A shadow impatiently shuffled around on the other side of the black sheer curtain, surrounded by the sunny spring day. The knocks echoed once more before Alice gripped the knob.

She flung open the door. The warm spring air filled the hallway. Her eyes adjusted to the bright light. She found Esmerelda Honeydew waiting on the other side. Her head was tilted to the side, and she was frowning. She tapped the heels of her flats on the gray porch boards. One eyebrow arched.

“Hello, Ez.”

“First of all,” she said. “You called me last night and left some inaudible message.”

“Oh, right,” Alice replied. “The message. Sorry about that. I can explain. It was actually— ”

“Then you didn’t return my calls,” she interrupted.

“Again, sorry,” Alice pleaded. “I had a good reason.”

“And then I had to drive all the way over here to make sure you’re okay,” Esmerelda scolded.

“I appreciate that. I really do.”

“I’m glad you’re okay, kiddo. Aren’t you going to invite me in?”

“Oh yes,” Alice said. “Please come in.”

Esmerelda stepped inside. Alice closed the door, revealing multiple pairs of shoes. Alice noticed Esmerelda’s discerning look over the extra shoes. Esmerelda removed her overcoat and placed it on the rack next to Hugo’s black leather jacket. Two additional jackets were hung as well. One, a tan man’s jacket. The other, a woman’s overcoat. Esmerelda surveyed the empty living room. She glanced upstairs, waiting for her welcoming knocks of wood against wood. There was only silence.

“Everything okay, kiddo?”

“Fine,” Alice responded as she disappeared back into the kitchen. “I’m making tea. Would you like some?”

“I never pass up a good cup of tea,” she said. “I received an interesting news alert on my phone this morning.”

“Oh, what was it about?” Alice grabbed the kettle to pour the steaming water into a purple, ceramic teapot. She felt as if she already knew the answer.

“It’s a funny thing. I have news alerts set up for any sort of witchy activity that would be in the news.”

“Oh.” Alice cringed. The events of last night played out again in her mind. “Anything in particular you want to be alerted about?”

“You see, when you’re helping to hide someone in a small town, you’ll want to keep tabs on them. Like, oh, maybe setup news alerts from the local town paper with keywords like witch, or I don’t know, broomstick .”

Alice set the kettle down. Her shoulders slumped as she prepared herself for one of Ez’s scoldings. “Those are some good keywords.”

“To my surprise, I had an alert this morning from a certain small- town newspaper, which happens to be the very same town where a certain witch is hiding out. The article described how people saw someone flying through the air on what they thought was a broomstick.”

Alice reappeared in the kitchen entryway. Her lips disappeared as they compressed into her mouth. “First of all, that wasn’t me.” She exclaimed, holding a finger in the air. She held up another. “Second of all, there is a very good explanation, which I will tell you… most of the details.”

Esmerelda arched her eyebrows. Her eyes shot annoyed glances toward Alice.

“Every detail,” Alice said before disappearing again behind the wall. She grabbed the purple, ceramic teapot and exited the kitchen.

Esmerelda gave a final glance back up the stairs before proceeding down the hallway. She took a seat at Alice’s dining room table. She peeked through the bay window toward Hugo’s house. Alice set the teapot down on a quilted black holder and checked to see what captured Ez’s attention. The white paint was blinding in the sunny midday sky.

Alice smiled and took her seat. She snapped her fingers, and two black tea cups flew in from the kitchen toward the table. Three more followed and rested on the table in front of the other chairs.

Esmerelda’s eyes widened. “Expecting more visitors?”

“No,” Alice replied.

Ez snapped her fingers. The teapot rose from its position and hovered over her cup. The steaming, hot liquid poured out as the teapot tipped over. The teapot righted itself and sat back down on the holder once the cup was nearly full. Esmerelda picked up her cup, blew on the tea, and took a sip.

“Start talking,” she said.

“Well”—Alice picked up the teapot—“that wasn’t me.” She poured herself a cup.

“Who was it?”

Alice took a sip, using the cup to hide her face. She peered over the rim toward Esmeralda. She licked her lips, wiping away drops of tea. “It was Hugo.”

“Hugo?!?” she asked with a hint of anger. “Flying on your broomstick. During the day?”

“It was sunset,” Alice replied.

Ez set her cup down. “Alice! We discussed this.”

“He hurried to find me—”

“Find you?” Ez interrupted.

“So, the neighbor across the street—the one I told you was snooping around the house—she had an amulet of witch’s fire. She tried to use it on me and would have succeeded if not for Hugo riding on Galahad, even though people saw him.”

Esmerelda’s face became solemn. She held her breath before asking, “Where is the amulet now?”

Alice took another sip. “Gone. Destroyed. Hugo destroyed it with an anti-magick wand.”

Esmerelda breathed a sigh of relief. “At least she didn’t use it on you.”

Alice’s eyes focused on the steam rising from the dark liquid held within her cup. She took a sip. “She did.” Her eyes now focused on Esmerelda Honeydew, waiting for her reaction.

Esmerelda’s eyes betrayed her stoic appearance with panic, fear, and anger. “Then how the hell are you sitting right here?”

Alice cleared her throat. “Well, Hugo brought me back here and then—” Her voice trailed off. She braced herself for the anger that would follow. She rotated her head, clearing any tension that had built up in her neck. “We had made a special batch of wine—”

“How special?” Esmerelda was quick to ask; her face furled as if she already knew the answer.

Alice hesitated. She took one more sip to hide behind the cup. She prepared for the wrath that was sure to follow. “We made some of The Lovers’ Kiss.”

“He knows? He knows about the spell? You told him? You gave up the very thing that brought you here in the first place?” Esmerelda asked.

Alice buried her chin into her chest, trying to sink away. She thought of the night she met Hugo in the backyard. How he was unafraid of her being a witch. She thought of him inviting her to the fall festival. She thought of Halloween night. She thought of Hugo opening up to her. The broom riding lessons. Christmas. The New Year’s Eve party. Hugo consoling her on the sidewalk. Ordering the additional grapes. Flying to find her.

Alice sat up in her chair. Her shoulders were pulled back, and her head held high. Alice locked eyes with Esmerelda. “Hugo loves me more than you know—more than Sam ever did. He cares about me and wants to see me succeed. He embraces who I am and what I do. He never used to it his advantage. He never shied away. He wants me to be who I am.”

The anger and frustration faded from Esmerelda’s face. She leaned back into the chair, and her shoulders drooped. Her head tilted toward the side. “He must really love you.”

A smile appeared on Alice’s face. She set the cup down and blinked a few times to hide the swelling tears. “We love each other,” she replied. “We’ve both helped each other. He’s the only one I’ve ever considered making The Lovers’ Kiss with. Without that potion, I wouldn’t be sitting here in front of you today. He’s the only one I’ll ever make it with.”

“Just be careful, kiddo.”

“I’m always careful.”

“Now, where’s my buddy?”

Alice’s smile faded. Her eyes closed as she bowed her head. She paused. The room fell silent only broken by the ticking of the clock in the living room.

“What’s wrong?” Ez asked.

Alice glanced up to the ceiling before focusing on Ez. She wiped a tear from her eye. “He didn’t make it. Johanna killed him with the anti-magick wand. ”

Ez took her eyes off Alice. She focused on a spot on the table, cupping her mouth and chin with her right hand. She sat in silence. Alice shifted in her seat. Ez extended across the table to grab Alice’s hands and looked into her eyes. “I’m so… so sorry, kiddo.”

Alice silently nodded. “He brought Hugo to me. If not for him, then Hugo wouldn’t have found me in time.”

“He was a good buddy.”

“I know. The best buddy any witch could ask for.”

The basement door opened, and Max came charging through. She ran over to greet the new visitor. Her tail wagged back and forth. She laid her head on Esmerelda’s lap, begging for attention.

“I remember you.” Ez patted her on the head. “Have you been a good girl?”

Hugo appeared from behind the door. “I’ve been trying to tell her that she could make a fortune selling that stuff in your store,” he said down the stairs.

Esmerelda turned to the basement door. Her mouth agape, eyes wide, and eyebrows scrunched at the sudden disturbance. Hugo held the door as Carol and Oliver Raskin emerged from the basement as well.

“Even if it didn’t have all of that magical stuff in it, we can make a fortune on the branding alone,” Oliver said. “Only available at The Neighborhood Market, locally brewed wine by The Neighborhood Witch . I see the potential. I see the potential .”

“Always some gimmick with you,” Carol replied.

“It’s a great gimmick,” Oliver stated.

“I’d have to agree with Oliver on this one,” Hugo chimed in.

“See!” Oliver added. “But I’m also serious.”

Esmerelda snapped back at Alice. “Who are these people?”

“They’re… umm…” Alice stammered, trying to justify why strangers were in her home.

“Carol Raskin,” she introduced herself with an outstretched hand.

Esmerelda turned and daintily shook her hand. “Charmed. ”

“Carol, this is Esmerelda Honeydew. She’s my mentor and close friend,” Alice said as she stood up.

“My friends call me Ez,” she added.

“Well, Ez, it’s a pleasure to meet you. This walking gimmick machine is my husband Oliver.” Carol motioned back toward him.

“Pleased to meet you,” he said with a nod.

Esmerelda glared at Alice; her eyes blinked rapidly. “So, does everyone know you’re a witch? What happened to laying low?”

“After Hugo’s little joy ride—” Oliver started.

“It wasn’t a joy ride ,” Hugo interrupted.

“I agree with Hugo on that one,” Alice added. “There was no joy in that ride.”

Oliver continued, “We could claim that what people saw was a marketing stunt. Like one of those drones. Think of it. A witch mysteriously appears over Newbury Grove. Rumors spread—”

“Then we put up signs at the store. Have you seen The Neighborhood Witch? Anticipation builds. Then we have a big launch event,” Carol finished his thought.

“I’d have my own wine in a store!” Alice smiled at the thought.

“If everyone did know she was a witch, then we could really move some wine,” Oliver said. Everyone glared at him, eyes wide. Carol gave him an expression that screamed ’shut up’ in the silence. “What? It’s the truth.”

Hugo strutted over and stood next to Alice. He slipped his hand behind hers. Alice interlocked her fingers with his.

“Ez, it’s okay,” he said, drawing her attention. “Carol and Oliver are like parents to me. They’ve looked after me… looked after us. With any potential rumors that could go around, we needed someone we could trust. I… I trust them. We trust them. It’s okay, I promise you. Her secret is safe.”

“It’s not her being a witch I’m worried about,” Ez replied.

“Esmerelda,” Alice said, pulling her attention away from Hugo. Esmerelda’s suspicious expression now dissolved into shock as Alice rarely spoke her full name. “You saw potential in me when no one else would, and I am forever grateful for that. They, especially Hugo, take me for the way I am. They accept me. They love me.”

Hugo leaned in and rested his head on her shoulder. Alice rested her head on his. Esmerelda peered over to the Raskins. Oliver placed his hand on Carol’s shoulder. They all smiled at her. Max laid her head on Ez’s leg. Her tail wagged back and forth.

Esmerelda shook her head. “Non-magick wine?”

“Non-magick wine,” Alice confirmed.

“It does solve the joy riding problem.”

“It wasn’t a joy…” Hugo’s voice trailed off.

Alice kissed him on the cheek. “It was kind of a joy ride,” she said with a wink.

Hugo gave Alice a shocked glance. “My side still hurts from where Gally slammed into it, not to mention when I crashed to the ground. You’re welcome, by the way.”

“Being front and center selling wine wouldn’t exactly be laying low,” Ez exclaimed, souring the mood.

Alice thought of a reply to counter Ez’s doubts. The idea of having her own wine was too good to pass up. “No one needs to know it was me.”

“You’d be the first person everyone would point to,” Ez countered. “You’re not exactly laying low as it is.”

“Right, and I’d deny it,” Alice answered. “I don’t need my face on the bottle or a poster or anything. As long as it’s my wine in the store, that’s good enough for me.”

“That’s part of the mystique,” Oliver added. “We don’t know where it came from. If anyone questions it, we can say some vineyard wanted to use us as a test market.”

Esmerelda was silent for a moment. “I hate to admit it,” Ez started before picking up her cup. “I think Oliver has a good idea.”

“See! She agrees with me,” Oliver said with a giddy hint in his voice. “I know what I’m talking about.”

“Just because she agrees with you doesn’t mean you know what you’re talking about,” Carol added .

“So, I can sell my wine?” Alice asked.

“I was never going to stop you, kiddo. If it’s what you want to do, I won’t stop you. Just be careful.”

Alice smiled and squeezed Hugo’s hand.

“Now let’s sit down and have some tea before it gets cold,” Carol said as she moved toward the table.

They all sat down. With a snap of Alice’s finger, the teapot rose and filled everyone’s cup. The husband and wife grocers, the bar owner, the widower, and the neighborhood witch.