Unsure of just how to respond I sidestepped the issue and asked again, “And just where is this proposed hotel site?”
“Oh Um, looks like they’re calling it The Bella Vista Hotel and it’s going to be right at the end of the Esplanade. Thought that your sister would have told you that one,” he said looking a little perplexed.
“Harmony told me that she was going to discuss all of this with you. I’ve been trying to discreetly keep her well informed,” he said viewing us from confused eyes.
“I guess that the MaxDon reps are going to be talking with several of the merchants around here about trading in their shop sites to meet the expanded hotel needs. They have to make room for walking paths and even a pool or two. Jack said that there should be some great offers coming out. They even want to incorporate a couple of the shops into the hotel.”
“It sounds to me like they have decided an awful lot already,” Gail said with a worried look on her face. “What does ‘trading in’ a shop mean?” she asked.
“They want to buy some shops out or offer money to move the shop either into the hotel or elsewhere,” he offered.
“And what does Jonathan have to do with this?” I asked.
Stopping, Larry looked directly at me as he stretched out his legs and arched his back as if trying to relieve a cramp.
“You’re kidding me, right?”
“No one’s joking here,” I responded.
“Well, your boyfriend’s dad has placed him in charge of the building phase of this project. Apparently, this is his first big job after finishing school.”
“He’s in charge of the building phase?”
“Yeah, it’s his job to get this project moving right away. His dad is the Max in MaxDon Corp - you knew that right? The old man has big expectations of his kid.”
I suddenly remembered the patch that had been on Jonathan’s jacket the first time I had seen him here; the same patch that had been on Jason Frick’s jacket when he shared his info at the City Council Meeting. The patch that had read MaxDon Land Development Corporation. Max for Maxwell.
“Jack said the inside scoop is that the company wants to get the building phase up and running soon. Dad is tired of being delayed by all the local community talk. He says that every day they don’t start this project is a day they lose money. I was trying to get more info about that from Jack when Jonathan showed up and ordered him back to work.”
I know that Larry stayed for another ten minutes but I cannot tell you one thing that he said. Thankfully, Gail was able to finish off the conversation before leading Larry to the door.
“Is she all right?” Larry had asked before Gail pushed him the rest of the way out the door while assuring him that all was well.
I sat for a long time. I didn’t move because I couldn’t move. I didn’t cry; I just sat there. The sun was going down as Gail flipped on one of the lamps near the couch where I sat. Joining me, she just sat and said nothing as we silently finished our champagne.
Miss Cassandra wandered over and tugged at the hem of my skirt. “Are you sick?” she asked, knowing full well that I was not.
When I didn’t respond to her question, Miss Cassandra fell into a puddle at my feet waiting for me to offer up any other information.
A million thoughts raced through my head. If they were going to make you move…….you could always start a new store in San Francisco……I know what I want………..more rooms than expected…. Why waste any more time? My head hurts, the remembrance of each phrase torments me more than the previous.
Today was supposed to be a happy day, celebrating the beginning of a wonderful new life for Mystique Creations, Gail and I. Instead, everything was coming crashing down around my head with awful predictions of the end of my shop, my new life and Jonathan. And here’s an interesting fact, I wasn’t sure which I was the most upset about. At least I now knew what Larry and Harmony had been up to.
Without discussing anything any further I grabbed Miss Cassandra, hugged Gail and told her that I would see her tomorrow. Leaving my car parked curbside; I walked towards the beach and sat holding my cat and watching the clouds that rolled across the shoreline eating up the final rays of sunlight.
Sitting well past the time when both Cassandra and I had become chilled, I finally pulled myself up and we walked home. I didn’t answer the phone, or the knocking at my door that broke through my silence periodically throughout the night. I simply climbed into bed with Miss Cassandra at my side protecting me from the outside world.
I awoke the next morning with a start. Miss Cassandra was sitting with her front paws on my chest; checking my heartbeat to make sure I lived I’m sure. Last night I had wished that I could die. I had finally crumbled, crying out all of my anger and disappointment. And Miss Cassandra had sat patiently, gently kneading my arm as if she was giving me the life support I so dearly needed.
“Are you all right?” she asked
“No, but I will be,” I said, pulling myself out of bed and heading towards the shower. Ignoring the knocking at my front door I took my time washing and conditioning my hair. I pulled out my makeup and did a better than average job of painting my face for war. I had become one determined witch.
Remembering that I had left my car at work and having no desire to take on a morning run on the beach, I pulled on my tennis shoes and headed for the shop, cat in arms.
I arrived to find Jonathan standing at my front door. “Damn it Olivia, where have you been? I came by last night and saw your car parked there, but no you. You didn’t answer your door or your phone when I called. I thought that something happened to you. Where were you?”
Without answering I pulled the keys from my pocket, opened the front door and went in. I neither closed nor locked the door behind me, but rather left it standing open.
Miss Cassandra gave out a low growl and hissed at Jonathan from the ground where I had just put her.
“Olivia,” Jonathan said, walking briskly across the floor and grabbing my arms “Are you all right? Baby, you scared me.”
Turning to face him I answered quietly, “I am not your baby.”
“What? What is going on? Tell me Olivia,” he demanded.
“How about you tell me something, Jonathan” I fired back at him. “How about you tell me why you forgot to mention that you are in charge of building this new hotel. Why not just tell me that you wanted my shop out of the way?” Looking him directly in the eyes, I asked, “Is this why you wanted me to move to San Francisco? Why you didn’t want to waste anymore time? Did daddy give you the job of moving out the Merriman sisters so he could start building his shiny new hotel?”
Turning to face Jonathan I said, “Let’s be honest with each other Jonathan. You didn’t come here to find me. You came here to build a hotel!”
I stood there shaking and looking at Jonathan with eyes that told him I was furious.
Taking a deep breath and choosing his words carefully Jonathan began, “You knew that my dad owned a building company and you knew that I was going to work for him once I graduated. I didn’t hide that.”
“You hid more than that. You hid that you were after my shop. You pretended to be happy for me all the while you were scheming to get my shop right out from under me. All of your words to me were lies. You pretended that you loved me to confuse me and to get me out of you and your dads’ ways. And what about poor Constance? Were you in charge of running her off too?”
“Olivia, no I didn’t lie to you. Well, yes, I knew that there might be a chance that we would need to buy up some of the shops in the area to make room for the hotel. I didn’t know that you or your sister’s shops were even being considered until yesterday. Once I found out, I knew I had to tell you. I just didn’t know how.”
“Here’s how; good by Jonathan. I’m sorry that I ever trusted you again,” I said anger masking my face.
“No, Livy, no, I never meant to hurt you,” he sputtered.
“But you did. Now go, be a good daddy’
s boy,” I said with the most hurtful tone I could muster. “I’m just fine all by myself!”
And without another word, he walked out of Mystique Creations and my life.
I realized it was still too early to open the shop so I walked to Gino’s and bought two cream filled donuts before heading over to Constance’ shop. She met me at the door with a hug and weary eyes. She had come to her own shop early, sensing that I would need her. And I did.
“I heard. Gail was worried about you so she stopped by and told me everything. I came by your house last night, but you never opened your door. Guess you needed some time.”
Trying hard not to cry, I asked Constance if she thought Harmony had been in on all of this.
“No, I think that Harmony has been left out of a lot of this. Apparently the Project Manager Johnny Albert is a big old sneak. He’s been going behind her back to build up support for the hotel with the other Council Members. I called her last night and gave her an ear full.”
“Well, I’m not going to take this lying down is all that I can say,” I said, gulping down air to force away the hiccups that had arrived.
“Slow down Olivia and give Harmony a chance to work her magic.”
“Magic?”
“No, not real magic, her political magic,” Constance said.
Magic? Suddenly I had a few new thoughts in mind. After all, I was a witch, a capable witch who could take back control of this whole mess. I didn’t need my big sister to smooth things out or my old boyfriend to give me back my store.
“I have magic on my side, I have magic on my side,” I chanted silently as I left Constance’s shop headed back to mine.
Gail had made it in before me and the lights were on, sign turned to open and the coffee pot was brewing. Good old Gail.
“Are you okay Olivia?”
“I will be,” was all I said.
Throughout the day my mind whirled. I needed to do something to stop the construction of that hotel. I needed to save not only my shop, but the shops of others in New Moon Beach. I had been distracted by Jonathan and although that distraction had cost me dearly, it was over. I didn’t need him. I couldn’t need him in my life anymore. I could just turn Jonathan and his dad into toads and be done with it. Might be a little harder for them to croak out their construction orders!
At four o’clock I told Gail that I had an errand to run and asked if she would close up for me tonight. Not asking me any questions, but looking at me with eyes that said she already knew where I was going, she nodded her head.
Leaving my car in the parking lot I set off on foot to see just where all this hotel craziness was supposed to be happening. If Larry could melt into the scenery, I figured that I could too.
Ten minutes later I was looking at various plots of land with orange twine staked out with long orange plastic ribbons attached to it. This must be the main area of the hotel.
Men in orange vests and hard hats walked around with clipboards and cans of orange spray paint marking out where driveways and pools would go. Man was this ever close to the beach. There was no way that our walking trails would not be hurt by such expansive construction. How had this ever passed through City Council, let alone the Coastal Commission?
Several cement mixers had been hauled to the site. Some remained attached to their trucks while others independently rotated with their bellies full of cement; their final destination unknown to me. A team of tractors were at the ready to plow away trees and bushes. And scaffolding held schematic diagrams of future construction. It sure looked to me like they were ready to begin actually building the hotel.
Trucks loaded with plumbing and electrical equipment were parked everywhere and there was a portable trailer being set up with electrical lines attached to give light and power to the unit and the surrounding area. Six porta-potties were lined up just outside the trailer promising all of the comforts of home.
My attention was drawn to a guard station and I watched as Jonathan walked with a couple men that I guessed to be his foreman and security guard. He looked angry and exhausted and for a moment my heart ached for him.
“Too bad for me and too bad for you Jonathan; you shouldn’t have gotten yourself into this mess. You shouldn’t have lied to me,” I said hardening my heart to Jonathan Maxwell and his issues. “You think you’ve got problems now? Just wait,” I said as I moved back towards my shop. I had seen all that I needed to for now.
Knowing what I had ahead of me, I was suddenly starving. Dreaming up a super-bewitching spell can do that to you. After picking up my car I drove through In-N-Out and grabbed a double-double, fries and a chocolate shake. Nirvana. I was going to need all of my strength to pull off this spell tonight. And what better preparation than a burger from In-N-Out to do just that?
Throwing away my wrappers and the red and white bag, I pulled my cauldron out from below the sink. I needed several special herbs and plants to make this spell work successfully. I had grabbed fresh wet sand from the shore, pulled the strings of seaweed from the ocean and collected various plants from the seashore hillside. Everything went into the pot along with lavender, sea coral, ginger root, tree bark and one drop of my blood. I hated that part of the spell, but my blood would give it that added punch; one that Jonathan and his daddy were sure to feel.
Setting my cauldron on the burner I went to shower, intent on purifying myself to perform the spell. Washing off all of my makeup, creams and lotions, I dried my body and brushed my hair dry before stepping into my long white gown; the one I keep hidden for casting very special spells. The gown made me feel in control and awakened the many powers, which I usually keep hidden from the world.
Time to start my brew. Knowing that it would take a while to bubble I grabbed my Book of Shadows and lit several white candles. I had looked for a powerful spell to meet my needs. And reading carefully through the entire incantation I quickly understood that it would be far more powerful if I cast this spell in the early morning hours. With my cauldron simmering; I waited.
I would capture the wind in all its fury and then I would set it free to do as it willed. The oceans would hear my pleas and join forces with their sister the wind. Witches do this all of the time to alter extreme weather for the better. However, tonight I would use the wind and the sea to teach Jonathan and his father not to mess with the City of New Moon Beach or this witch.
Tying six knots on a special white chording, I whispered my true intent and placed the rope into my bubbling cauldron. As the brew simmered, the chord swelled absorbing all of my desires, but not before I swear that I heard, “Be careful my child.”
Searching around and finding no one, including Miss Cassandra, I moved towards my living room windows committed to my plan. It was time:
Oh Mother Nature
Please come to me in my time of need
Let your winds sweep down on Bella Vista
And destroy its seeds before they come to fully be
I invoke your waters from the sea
And command the winds from your skies to follow me
Oh Mother Nature
Please come to me in my time of need
Destroy all that remains of this structure by the sea
I raised my arms outward and chanted my plea over and over again as I untied each knot. And when each knot was undone the winds began to blow harder and the sea began to churn more viciously.
Untying the last knot and satisfied with the mayhem I had caused, I took off my gown, went to bed and slept soundly. I never did hear Miss Cassandra say, “I hope you know what you just did.”
Chapter 14
The next morning I woke up to a beautiful sunrise. Somehow the rain had cleansed my spirits and the wind had blown away my bad mood. I was certain that it would be a great day. I smiled, assuming that it would not be an equally good day for Jonathan or his father. And even though I felt a very slight tinge of regret, I quickly swallowed it. The Bella Vista Hotel needed to find a new home and last night’s storm should have
convinced MaxDon Corp to move to another location. I was sure of it.
I put on my running shoes and grabbed a jacket before heading off for my morning run. Gosh, it was so clear out this morning. As I ran along the beach I was met by neighbor after neighbor all asking me what I thought of last night’s storm.
“I thought my roof was going to blow off,” Penelope Martin shared with me as I slowed down to talk with her. “Poor Mr. Jackson, part of his roof did blow off. And the town is a mess. Palm fronds are everywhere and it may take a while before many of our neighbors get their power back. No warning, we got no warning at all!” were her last words to me.
I felt a terrible pit grow in my stomach; I had never intended to hurt anyone else in New Moon Beach, only Jonathan and his stupid hotel. Turning back home, I decided that I had better shower quickly and get in my Bug to drive through town to see for myself what my little storm had done.
As I entered the front door Miss Cassandra addressed me, “I think that you got a little too carried away with that spell last night. Now what are you going to do?”
Putting my head down I gave her my best answer, “I don’t know.” Guilt was beginning to gnaw at my inners and I was afraid of what I would find as I moved about town.
The first place I had to go was to the intended site of Bella Vista. I wanted to see firsthand if my spell had been successful.
“Gone, everything is gone,” I heard one workman telling another.” As I looked about I could see that no remnants of the hotel planning phase remained.
“I heard that the guard shack blew into the ocean. Good thing, Jack got out just in time,” the foreman shared. “I think he ended up with just a broken arm trying to claw his way out of the shack before it finally blew away.”
A broken arm? I had never intended for anyone to get hurt like that. This was all my fault. I had just wanted to convince Jonathan and his dad that the Esplanade of New Moon Beach was the wrong location to set up a stupid hotel. No, it was really all of their fault for choosing this site to begin with. But even as I tried to justify my actions, I knew I was wrong.
Morning Magic Page 9