Miss Enchanter - Ophelia's Story by Carol Colbert

is a strange
looking little thing.” The sales lady told Ophelia.
    Ophelia turned
around and there indeed sat a cat on one of the shelves leveled to
about her waist. The cat was just sitting there watching the two
young ladies, her bushy tail wrapped around herself as if for
warmth.
    “ Well, hello
there kitty.” She said, and then turned to the sales lady “She is
very unique looking, but she is not mine.”
    “ I’ve never
seen her before and she walked in with you.” The sales lady said,
as if she were insisting that Ophelia was somehow responsible for
the appearance of the animal.
    Ophelia just
shrugged and turned her attention back to the various paint colors
and left the saleslady to deal with the unwanted visitor. Ophelia
picked out a few strips of colors and then decided she needed to
get back home since they were meeting with Luna tonight for dinner.
She left the department store and was walking towards the hill when
she heard “meow” and looked down.
    “You again?” Ophelia
said, and then picked up the cat and looked it right in the eyes.
“Are you a real cat, or are you someone in hiding? Because you
don’t have to hide from me, I spent a long time as one of you.” She
said.
    The orange cat
with the black noes and white tail just looked down.
”Meow.”
    “ You sure are a
funny looking kitty, but go
on. Ophelia said, putting down the cat. “I am going home and you
need to go to your home as well.” The orange cat followed Ophelia
almost all the way up to the hill, but disappeared when Ophelia
rang the bell to summon her wagon ride back to Thelma’s
house.
    The big wagon
with the covered roof was a welcome sight for the wind had picked
up and the snow began to fall. Ophelia was familiar with Caramel
the horse that had regularly pulled the wagon, and one of the other
horses had come to get her, she think that one was named Zippy, but this one she did not
remember seeing before. “Hello, I hope you know the way to Thelma’s
house.” Ophelia said. The miniature pony turned its head and looked
at her with big brown eyes before trotting off after Ophelia had
boarded.
    Ophelia could
only imagine how beautiful the area would be in the summer months,
because it was postcard picture perfect today. There was
snow and ice on the ground and
snow in the trees that looked as if it had been placed there.
Decorated by an expensive designer. Not unlike ice icicles on a
Christmas tree. Ophelia knew she had spent time there as a child,
but why could she not remember? It was a long ride from the hill to
Thelma’s house, but Ophelia did not mind a bit, she was lost in her
own thoughts.
    Thelma met Ophelia at
the door. “How was your visit to the Village today?” She asked.
    “It was good. I can’t
say I have a very good impression of London, but I also can’t say I
really know her well enough to judge at this point. Has she been
around here very long?” Ophelia asked, walking up to the fireplace
to warm her hands before taking off her coat.
    “ London has
been in Enchanted for a while, but she won’t be here permanently.
She does not warm up to people easily, I believe she has had issues
with Janet. Janet is an
excellent employee and she is here for the long haul. Have you
decided what you want to do with The Spa yet?”
    “ Other than
redecorate it, no, not really. What is that delicious smell coming
from the kitchen? I didn’t
realize how hungry I am until I got a whiff of that.”
    “ It is beef
stew. Luna should be here shortly and we can eat
the n. I also have homemade
bread for us. I picked it up today in the Village. Isabel made the
bread. She still makes the chocolates for the Shop and bakes bread
for the local restaurants and stores as well, even though she lived
a few miles further out now.”
    “ And wine?”
Ophelia asked hopefully. “Do we have any wine left?
    “Of course, although
you look like you could use something hot about now.”
    “That is the plan,
I’m going to take a hot