As we stomped up the stairs, a disturbing sight stopped me in my tracks. Henry stood at the top of the landing, shaking hands and greeting every single resident walking inside. A big grin spread right across his face. The sight of the unusual expression caught me by surprise.
“Charli!” my assistant shouted as soon as he saw me. “Isn’t this a fabulous day to get together?”
I stared at him, gazing up and down his body with suspicious scrutiny. “Seems like any other time that we have a community meeting. What’s that on your face?”
Henry’s hand touched his cheek. “What?”
“That smile. I didn’t know you knew how to do that,” I teased, preparing to receive some of his signature snark.
Instead, he beamed at me. “Oh, you’re being silly. Of course I’m grinning. Why wouldn’t I be? Life in this small town is practically perfect. Isn’t that right, Lina? Look how tall your boys have grown.”
Nodding at Ms. Moseley and saying hello to Eric, one of my former spell-permit class students, and his brother, I told Lily I’d follow her inside in a moment. I grabbed Henry by the arm and turned him to face me. “What’s really going on?”
For a second, wrinkles of worry furrowed into his forehead, but after a few blinks of his eye, a smile returned to his weathered face. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. All I’m doing is being pleasant.”
I pointed an accusatory finger at him. “There, that. You’re hardly ever pleasant. In fact, I’ve heard you crow about being a proud curmudgeon.”
Henry shrugged his shoulders. “I guess I figured that time was short and I shouldn’t waste it being grouchy. Feeling happy is better, don’t you think?”
Lavender caught my attention and waved at me as she hustled up the stairs. She looked between Henry and me with puzzlement, and I allowed her to take me away from the alien posing as my assistant.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
I didn’t know how to answer that question. With all the added stresses to my life, maybe everything was getting to me a little too much. “I think so. At least, I hope so.” Wanting to ignore the churning in my gut, I asked her about Nick.
Her cheeks reddened and she avoided my gaze by searching for our seats with our friends. “We’re just talking.”
“Did he ask you out or anything?” I pushed.
She shook her head. “And even if he did, I don’t think I’d go. He’s good-looking and charming. Maybe a little too charming. He did ask me to consider working with him part-time to adjust auras.”
“That sounds like an interesting idea,” I admitted. “Are you considering doing it?”
“Maybe,” she said as we found our row. “But I don’t want him to get the wrong idea. And if I did work at his place, I definitely wouldn’t date the boss. We’ll have to see.”
I greeted my friends as I sat down and leaned in to say hey to Matt and TJ seated in front of us.
Matt beckoned me with a crook of his finger so he could whisper something. “Did you see Henry?”
“Uh-huh.”
“He’s being weird, right?” my brother checked. “It’s not just me?”
“Nope.” I didn’t get a chance to say anything else as the meeting started.
With very little pomp, the members of the town council entered from stage right and took their places behind their seats. The largest chair for the high seat remained empty, and my heart ached with Nana’s absence.
I barely listened to Tucker’s introductory remarks, spending the time observing Aunt Nora’s behavior. The list of abnormalities kept growing longer to the point where they shouldn’t be ignored. Odd things were going on in Honeysuckle, and I intended to figure out why.
Chapter Eleven
Tucker finished reading off the minutes from the last meeting. An awkward silence followed with the lack of Nana’s guidance as to what to do next.
Aunt Nora cleared her throat. “Thank you, Mr. Hawthorne.”
I leaned over to my right and whispered to Lavender, “My aunt’s formality is freaking me out. That’s her son-in-law.”
“I know,” my friend agreed. “Don’t be mad with me, but I miss you grandmother being up there. Without her, this whole meeting seems…wrong.”
Lavender put voice to my exact thoughts. I became hyperaware of the rising sounds of discomfort with others shifting in their seats as well as coughs and whispers.
My aunt took it upon herself to lead the meeting. “No doubt you have all heard about the status of Vivian’s health. I know her grandchildren are both in attendance tonight.”
Bodies and eyes turned in our direction, and I resisted the urge to slink down in my chair.
“Please pass on our sincerest well wishes. Should you require any assistance, please be sure to inform me,” she finished in her formal tone.
Matt spoke up, “Thank you, Aunt Nora.”
Her pursed lips conveyed her displeasure despite his gratitude. How anybody in the room could think the woman held an ounce of sympathy in her cold frame was beyond me.
“With the high seat committee member absent, I shall humbly take on the mantle of authority for the purposes of this meeting,” Aunt Nora offered.
“Humble as a fox standing square in the middle of a henhouse,” I mumbled, noticing the melting of my aunt’s icy exterior as she took charge.
Glancing at the paper in her hand, she continued, “Next up will be Mr. Hollyspring, who shall give us a report on the welcoming committee’s findings.”
“Thank you, Nora,” Flint said, hopping down from his chair.
My aunt’s brows furrowed at the familiar use of her name. No doubt she would scold him after the meeting.
With the short stature of the gnome a disadvantage since the table hid most of him from view, he stepped up on a small stool to be seen. “The welcoming committee has compiled a list of concerns for the council to consider. With the influx of newcomers, housing remains one of the biggest challenges we face. There have been a few suggestions made, but at this time, we’d like to encourage anyone who
