“Morning. Did you have a nice time yesterday?”
Was she still irked about me leaving her for the afternoon?
I told her about the interesting crystal shop and the guy who was going to carve the moonstone buttons for me. She didn’t seem terribly interested in my anecdote. Her face went more sour. We’re talking sucking-lemons sour.
“You might have called to make sure everything was fine in the shop. But clearly you were too busy with your wedding plans to spare a thought for me stuck here all by myself on a Friday afternoon.”
That stung. I said, “As a matter of fact, I was thinking about you yesterday. It might interest you to know that I found the witch who sold that hex. You remember, the one that had your hair falling out and your teeth falling out and your skin breaking out all over the place? The one I helped reverse?”
Okay, maybe I was being as childish as she was, reminding her that I’d all but saved her life, but I had a lot on my mind right now. Including what on earth I was going to do with my parents for the next two weeks until the wedding.
She slapped the wool she was pricing down on the counter. “Now I’m even more annoyed that you didn’t give me a phone call. You found the witch that sold that hex?” She turned an astonished face my way. “The one that nearly killed me? And you didn’t immediately tell me?”
“What could you have done about it? You were running the shop, as you keep reminding me. Anyway, if you want to see her so badly, her name is Karmen, and she lives in Wallingford.”
I was a bit worried about the bridesmaid gift, so I tested Violet to see if she’d freak out when she found out who’d made her gift. “Karmen makes these fabulous skin creams.” I leaned closer to her. “Don’t you think my skin already looks better?” I’d spread some on my face this morning, and my cheeks felt smoother, I was convinced.
She squinted at me. “Not really. I wouldn’t put anything on my face that witch touched. No doubt, instead of getting a dewy, youthful glow, my skin would turn as leathery and gray as an elephant’s and slide off my face.”
That was a horrifying image. I touched my own cheeks. “It feels really good. I think she infuses her creams with magic.”
Violet sniffed. “I’m not sure I like that woman’s magic. It’s altogether too much on the dark end of the spectrum.”
Maybe I’d have a rethink on the bridesmaid gifts.
Saturday mornings were always busy in the shop, so there were customers in and out, and I didn’t get a chance to tell Violet about my mother being in town. Mrs. Darlington, one of my most regular customers, came in to buy wool for a lightweight spring sweater. It was so nice to see the spring colors, and I was happy to help her choose something that would be flattering for her daughter, who was about my age.
She left, and there was a lull. Quickly, before anyone else came in the shop, I told Violet that my mother and father had surprised me and were staying in Oxford until the wedding.
“That’s nice,” she said.
Was that sarcasm or not? Sometimes I couldn’t tell with Violet. I decided not to inquire.
“The thing is, she wants to help you organize my hen party.”
“But I don’t need help to organize your hen party. I have it all under control.” She tossed her black hair over her shoulder, and the ribbon of dyed pink seemed to shake a neon finger at me.
“Right. Because there isn’t going to be a hen party,” I reminded her. We’d definitely discussed this.
“Of course, there isn’t.” Too sincere. Was that more sarcasm?
“Good. So, when my mother asks to help organize it, you can be the one to tell her I’m not having one.”
“Of course. Push all your dirty work onto me. As always.”
This mood of hers was really getting under my skin. I was supposed to be a blushing bride full of orange blossoms and hazy dreams. Instead, I seemed to be dragged down by other people’s bad moods. Sylvia was testy, Violet was being downright unpleasant, and even Nyx was acting up.
I had started packing up a few things, getting ready for my move into Rafe’s manor house. I’d never met a cat who embraced change, and Nyx, familiar or not, was no different. She’d jumped into my packing boxes when I was in the middle of packing them and glared at me. I tried to explain to her that this was a good thing, and she’d be spending more time with her debatably second favorite person in the world, but I sometimes suspected she thought I was up to no good. She, like Violet, seemed to think that my marriage was entirely designed to make her life more miserable.
A narcissistic assistant I could probably deal with, but a narcissistic familiar? That had to be against the witchy rules.
A few minutes later, I was relieved that I’d warned Violet my mother was in town when Mom walked into the shop. She looked well-rested and full of plans. My mother has supervised the unearthing of entire dynasties of illustrious Egyptians and Syrians. When she is full of energy, my heart usually quails. I do not wish for my plans and my secrets to be dug up, dusted, investigated, and put on display. But, invariably, that’s how my mother gets to work.
She was thrilled to see Violet and gave her a big hug. Then she glanced around the shop and shook her head. “It’s funny. Every time I come here, this shop is smaller than I remember.”
And amazingly, every time she said it, I still wanted to poke her in the belly with one of the knitting needles.
I restrained myself, of course, and had the pleasure of seeing Meri walk in.
“You remember Meri?” I said to
