Helen patted Joe on his shoulder. “Thanks. You’ve been a big help, champ. Now run along before I zap you to Mars. Sleep tight.”
Joe dashed down the hallway, stopped at the elevators, and mashed a button. Stabbing his finger into the white circle, though he’d already pressed it, he cast a furtive, nervous glance over his shoulder.
Just to mess with him, she responded with a goofy grin and a princess wave.
He cut a high-pitched squawk of a fart while running into the elevator.
When he was gone, Helen dropped herself into the trance state and astral projected to the hotel room she’d shared with Brian. He’d left several items behind. She stuck a guitar pick, a business card, and a miniature tin of mints in her luggage and packed the rest of her belongings as fast as she could. Time to get home and kick Operation Witch into high gear.
Thirteen
Messenger and yoga bags bouncing against her back, Helen blazed her homing-pigeon path down the sidewalk to Light and Enlightened. Overcast skies and a crisp fall breeze made for dull weather, but inside she was a bundle of optimistic sunshine and sapphire heavens frosted with creamy white clouds.
The seaweed green, one story craftsman bungalow, stout lawn sign painted violet with the name written in blue cursive, made her smile. And with Brian’s life on the line, she needed a mammoth dose of positivity.
L&E stood out against trendy restaurants and boutiques lining the busy Uptown Minneapolis street. The moment Helen had laid eyes on the house two years ago, she’d fallen in love. A sense of home overflowed from scuffed hardwood floors, built-in bookcases, and crown molding. A home of her own, to fill with the peace and love she’d never known.
But despite all of the goodness associated with L&E, an astronomical mortgage on an entire house in Minneapolis’s hippest neighborhood worsened financial woes. Lisa advised holding out for a more sensible location in some suburbia strip mall, but Helen had been madly in love and eager, so eager, to build a nest.
Halting her trip down memory lane, she bounded up crumbling stone stairs. She had a class to teach, students to impress and, soon, a spell to cast.
She turned the key in the lock, taking a moment to appreciate the plant-filled, enclosed porch where she read and meditated. Her favorite lilac and jasmine incense soothed her senses as she unlocked the main door. Breezing across creaky floors, she stole a second to admire the practice room.
Clad in leggings the color of a fire engine and a white tank top that flattered her curves, she stood tall in the ceiling-high mirror covering the west wall. Helen had earned L&E shaking the only good things her mama gave her. Lisa’s throwing her savings into the pot despite deep reservations was a tremendous leap of faith and a gesture of true friendship.
Since her magical practice was going so well, a money spell was in order to get cash flowing into L&E’s coffers. But first she would lead an invigorating practice designed to keep the yogis renewing their memberships.
She pushed aside the rainbow-colored beaded curtain shielding the yoga space from the rest of the house and ducked inside. Paint the color of lime sherbet enhanced a calm, relaxing atmosphere. A bronze statue of Ganesh, the Hindu elephant God in charge of removing obstacles, sat tucked in a corner. She tossed the path-clearing pachyderm a nod, unzipped her long bag, and freed her pink yoga mat. Rubber unrolled onto wood with a determined slap.
Beads bumped each other in a succession of soft clacks.
“Hey, how was Denver?” Lisa poked her head through the curtain.
Unsure how to respond in a manner both truthful and coherent, Helen sat on her mat and finessed an answer. “Hectic. But I think I found some leads. I’m headed over to Nerissa’s after this. I know, I know, I’m crazy and irrational. No lecture needed.”
Lisa took a seat on the floor beside Helen. “I owe you an apology for being so mean at the fair.”
Automatic self-deprecation was easier than thinking or feeling, so she chose the safest route to smooth over conflict. “It’s all good. I realize that I deserve a medal for Kook of the Year—”
“No, you were right. You were looking out for us. Even if I didn’t agree with your methods, I had no right to insult or patronize you like I did. At least you were taking proactive action. I could stand to be more open-minded. I was hurt and angry, which is no excuse. Our friendship and partnership means everything to me.” Lisa touched Helen’s upper arm, the gesture underscoring her words.
Right then, planets aligned. Dust specks glittered like fairy sprinkles in the air, sparse daylight filtering in to cast artistic shadows on chestnut flooring. The rekindled connection with Lisa, sisterly like it used to be, filled the building with safety.
Helen choked back happy tears. “Thank you.”
“No, thank you.”
Helen pushed into the outer corner of her eye and blinked, pretending to battle an irritant.
Maybe she should just let herself cry for once, fucking sob out all of the shit inside. Emotional catharsis would probably make her feel better. “Ugh, allergies. And thanks for what?”
“For the recruiting. The new students. They’re talking us up all over town, and people keep coming in. So however you are wowing everyone, keep doing it. Because…” Lisa grinned, pressing steepled fingertips to her lips.
Helen’s heart leapt. “Because what?”
“The mortgage is current, so the bank is off our back. And since we’re way ahead of schedule, I’ve started to attack the bad credit card.”
Did a balloon inside of Helen burst and spew confetti? ’Cause that’s how elated she felt.
She threw her arms around Lisa and hugged the shit out of her. “Good news. The best news. Oh, my God, I’m so happy.”
“Me too, me too. I wanted to catch you before you taught, but I need
