‘Why did I tell Jolene I would work in the shop? I need to stay inside. I need to hide. Alex’s family will be looking for me and he will kill me.’ Nausea overcame her and she ran to the bathroom. When the retching stopped, she stared in the mirror at her red, swollen eyes. She splashed cold water on her face and went back in her bedroom. Throwing herself on the bed, she pulled the covers over her head, and escaped into the oblivion of sleep.
The knocking woke her. Terrified, she ran to the door and looked through the peep hole. Sabine was standing there knocking loudly. Cracking the door an inch, she peered out, “Yes?”
“Hi, are you coming to the shop? I wanted to show you around today. I was expecting you around ten. It’s almost noon. I thought I’d check on you.”
Lilly’s lips tightened, she closed her eyes, “I’m terribly sorry I promised to work in the shop. I don’t think it will be safe for me. I am going to stay in the apartment today.”
“Okay, I can understand that, but I smell coffee and I could sure use a cup,” Sabine said putting her hand on the door.
Lilly stepped back unable to stop the gentle invasion. Sabine closed the door and flipped the lock. They stood in the middle of the tiny living room staring at one another. Lilly remembered her manners, motioned for Sabine to sit down and went to pour her a cup of coffee.
Sabine sat in the rocking chair, a mug of hot coffee in her hand. She watched as Lilly’s face contorted into a grimace. Lilly stared at Sabine and began to babble, “No, no I can’t go out. It is too dangerous. I’m blind to the colors now, I can’t see who to trust. The thugs will find me. I can’t even imagine what they will do to me.”
Sabine rose from the rocking chair and sat next to Lilly on the couch, “Everything is going to be fine. We will not let anything bad happen to you. I promise. Once you calm down and reclaim your balance you will see your life in a new light. The shop is strongly warded, no evil energy can cross the threshold.”
Wide eyed, Lilly asked, “How?”
“It’s simple,” Sabine explained, “magick wards.”
Lilly stared at her, speechless. She had not said a word when Sabine grabbed her by the hand and said, “Quick, get dressed, I know part of the answer.”
“But...” Lilly began.
“Go, get dressed, all will be well,”
Reluctantly, Lilly threw on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. Sabine took her firmly by the elbow and lead her out the front door.
They stood in front of the door of Lilly’s closest neighbor. This apartment faced the courtyard. Sabine knocked and a beautiful young woman with a long blond ponytail, opened the door.
“Hi Madeline, you have a new neighbor.”
“Hi, welcome to Panthea’s,” Madeline said.
Sabine turned to Lilly, “One of Madeline’s many talents is hairdressing. I hope you will let her give you a new look.” Turning to Madeline, Sabine explained, “Our new tenant is in need of a disguise.”
Madeline looked at Sabine, raised a perfectly arched eyebrow, gave Lilly a close look and nodded in agreement. Lilly followed Madeline into the bathroom and took a seat on a high stool. Madeline tugged and combed through her snarled hair while Lilly chewed on her bottom lip and tried not to shriek. “Do you want me to cut your hair short?” Madeline asked.
Lilly reached around to the back of her waist and felt her hair. “Do you want to cut it to your shoulders or shorter?” Madeline asked.
Lilly inspected her face and hair in the mirror Madeline put in her hand. She stared at her reflection, pressed her lips together, tossed her head and said, “What the hell, cut it short.” Madeline began to cut. The weight of Lilly’s hair fell to the floor. Looking into the hand mirror, Lilly was surprised to see the silver blond curls of her childhood, framing her face.
Madeline stepped back and looked at Lilly. After a moment she said, “Your light hair will take color easily. Since you are wanting a new look, how about auburn?”
Lilly shrugged slightly and mumbled, “sure.”
As Madeline worked the color into her hair, she chatted about life at Panthea’s; her lover, her job and how much she wanted and needed car. Lilly listened patiently, managing to reveal very little about herself. A couple of hours had passed when Madeline, once again, placed the mirror in her hand. Lilly looked into the mirror and didn’t recognize the girl staring out at her. She gasped and ran her hands through her short auburn curls.
“What do you think? Do you like it?”
Lilly continued to stare into the mirror. Noticing her mouth hanging open, she quickly snapped it shut, turned to Madeline and smiled. “Yea, I like it. I don’t recognize myself.”
“Exactly the effect we were going for,” Madeline said with a laugh. “Oh, wait I have one more thing to complete your total transformation. Rummaging through her purse, Madeline produced a pair of round granny glasses. “Try these, the lenses are clear, but they will add to your disguise. Let’s see how you look with them on.”
It was mid-afternoon when Lilly’s transformation was complete. She returned to her apartment for a change of clothes. Before she left her bedroom, she straightened the granny glasses on her nose, shook her auburn curls, and stared in amazement at the stranger in the mirror.
A few minutes later she was in the courtyard petting Topaz,
