great, actually, to be helpful. She sat in the shade of the wisteria and directed me with an old piece of driftwood she used as a cane, pointing at things and ordering me around.
When the afternoon grew too hot even for me, we went inside and drank iced herbal tea while she watched “her program,” which I was disgusted to learn was a horrible small claims court reality show. She shook her head at the obnoxious people battling it out in the faux courtroom, clucking her tongue at the error of their ways. I lasted about ten minutes.
The angry defendant on the television filled me with worry about my reception tomorrow, and I called a guy from the coven after all. Maxwell had been my closest friend growing up. Though we went to different schools and mostly saw each other only at coven events, he was always there when I needed someone. And his cheerful greeting when answering my call set my mind at ease.
“Vinny! What’s up, man? You in town?”
“Yeah. Got in yesterday.” Had it really just been yesterday?
“Cool. How long are you staying? You coming to circle tomorrow?”
“I’m back for good this time. And yes, I’ll be there tomorrow. But, uh, I was wondering if you wanted to hang out before that, you know, and catch up?”
He paused a few seconds, and I winced, readying for an excuse. It had been two years since we’d hung out, not counting the few times I’d been home visiting and run into him around town. “Yeah, that sounds good. I’m just in the middle of something…maybe more like dinnertime? Say seven at Mary’s?”
I smiled. “Perfect, looking forward to it.” Mary’s was the diner where we always met. It had changed names and ownership at least four times in the past fifteen years, but to us it was still Mary’s.
I had a few hours to kill, so I decided to be an adult and take care of some business related loose ends. I called all the salons and offices in Arizona where I’d had my massage business cards and told them all to throw my stuff out, that I was no longer in the area. Then I went online and ordered some new cards and holders to replace them. I could drive around for an hour or so before meeting Maxwell and find a place or two that would give me some counter space for the few cards I had with me, and when the new order came in I’d find some more businesses. Referrals from the coven would carry me for a while, until I got established here.
I showered and shaved and dressed carefully. The people I needed to solicit appreciated fashion. When I walked out to leave, Mom was placing fresh charms in all the corners and whispering a warding incantation.
“Mom. I know it freaks you out that he was able to walk in here but I really don’t think he’s a threat.”
“And I believe you. But the fact remains my charms failed. Any intruder should have been known to me—even a benevolent one.” She continued her spellwork and shooed me away with the back of her hand. Noni dozed on the couch, the remote control still in her lap. At least I knew she slept sometimes.
My efforts in town went well: three salons, a health club, and a funky little gift shop each gave me a few inches of counter space for my cards, and I was just in time to meet Maxwell at the diner. When he walked in and spotted me, a look of happiness on his face, I got up to hug him. He looked and dressed exactly as he had in college, which I guess made sense since that had only been a few years ago. I felt as if I’d done so much since then, and here I was, sitting at Mary’s with Maxwell, just like nothing had changed.
A perfectly even half inch afro graced his skull. The new look suited him, brought out the roundness of his features that I’d always secretly found adorable. “You look awesome, man. Love the hair.”
“Thanks. My mom’s happy, she’s jealous my hair grows faster than hers, thinks I should flaunt it.” He smiled, his warm brown eyes crinkling at the corners. “So why are you back for good, what
When the afternoon grew too hot even for me, we went inside and drank iced herbal tea while she watched “her program,” which I was disgusted to learn was a horrible small claims court reality show. She shook her head at the obnoxious people battling it out in the faux courtroom, clucking her tongue at the error of their ways. I lasted about ten minutes.
The angry defendant on the television filled me with worry about my reception tomorrow, and I called a guy from the coven after all. Maxwell had been my closest friend growing up. Though we went to different schools and mostly saw each other only at coven events, he was always there when I needed someone. And his cheerful greeting when answering my call set my mind at ease.
“Vinny! What’s up, man? You in town?”
“Yeah. Got in yesterday.” Had it really just been yesterday?
“Cool. How long are you staying? You coming to circle tomorrow?”
“I’m back for good this time. And yes, I’ll be there tomorrow. But, uh, I was wondering if you wanted to hang out before that, you know, and catch up?”
He paused a few seconds, and I winced, readying for an excuse. It had been two years since we’d hung out, not counting the few times I’d been home visiting and run into him around town. “Yeah, that sounds good. I’m just in the middle of something…maybe more like dinnertime? Say seven at Mary’s?”
I smiled. “Perfect, looking forward to it.” Mary’s was the diner where we always met. It had changed names and ownership at least four times in the past fifteen years, but to us it was still Mary’s.
I had a few hours to kill, so I decided to be an adult and take care of some business related loose ends. I called all the salons and offices in Arizona where I’d had my massage business cards and told them all to throw my stuff out, that I was no longer in the area. Then I went online and ordered some new cards and holders to replace them. I could drive around for an hour or so before meeting Maxwell and find a place or two that would give me some counter space for the few cards I had with me, and when the new order came in I’d find some more businesses. Referrals from the coven would carry me for a while, until I got established here.
I showered and shaved and dressed carefully. The people I needed to solicit appreciated fashion. When I walked out to leave, Mom was placing fresh charms in all the corners and whispering a warding incantation.
“Mom. I know it freaks you out that he was able to walk in here but I really don’t think he’s a threat.”
“And I believe you. But the fact remains my charms failed. Any intruder should have been known to me—even a benevolent one.” She continued her spellwork and shooed me away with the back of her hand. Noni dozed on the couch, the remote control still in her lap. At least I knew she slept sometimes.
My efforts in town went well: three salons, a health club, and a funky little gift shop each gave me a few inches of counter space for my cards, and I was just in time to meet Maxwell at the diner. When he walked in and spotted me, a look of happiness on his face, I got up to hug him. He looked and dressed exactly as he had in college, which I guess made sense since that had only been a few years ago. I felt as if I’d done so much since then, and here I was, sitting at Mary’s with Maxwell, just like nothing had changed.
A perfectly even half inch afro graced his skull. The new look suited him, brought out the roundness of his features that I’d always secretly found adorable. “You look awesome, man. Love the hair.”
“Thanks. My mom’s happy, she’s jealous my hair grows faster than hers, thinks I should flaunt it.” He smiled, his warm brown eyes crinkling at the corners. “So why are you back for good, what
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