Brewing Trouble

by Sara Bourgeois

  “But, I am telling you things you already know.” She admitted. “You must understand that the wound from that betrayal isn’t closed and that’s why you are so open to us. Your soul is injured and bleeding.”

  “That sounds bad.” Was all I could say.

  “Don’t worry, Lenora. We’ll fix you up. Your friend Esme rescued you just in time because I also see true love in your life. Better that you don’t drive it away with the wounds of the past. Close your eyes.”

  I did as I was instructed, and I felt Kizzy take my hands. I could also feel Jezebel curl up on my feet and start to purr. I wasn’t sure what was going on, but I focused on Jez and let her relaxation flow into me. I didn’t realize how tired I was, and within moments, I drifted off to sleep.

  When I woke up, I was standing in the middle of a creepy abandoned cabin. I could see in the moonlight that Jezebel and Esme were staring at me expectantly.

  “Come on, let’s go,” Esme said and headed for the door.

  “What happened?” I asked groggily.

  “She did her thing, and now you’re cured.” Esme smiled even though I could tell she was still upset. “I’ll need my coins back, though. Pure silver isn’t cheap.”

  “But, I gave those to Kizzy.”

  “Check your pocket,” Esme said as we walked down the steps leading off the porch of the cabin.

  I slid my hand into the pocket of my jeans, and sure enough, the coins were there. I pulled them out and gave them to Esme as I tried not to trip over Jezebel.

  “The silver has to cross her palm for her to be able to do her work. It’s like a spiritual law or something, but since she's a ghost, she doesn’t actually keep the coins. It’s complicated.” She said in response to the confused look on my face. “Just go with it.”

  “Okay, but what about you?” I asked as I tried to keep up with her quick pace. “Why are you so upset?”

  “It’s awful, Lenny. Every time I go for a reading with Kizzy, it’s the same thing. She tells me I already know who the love of my life is and that I need to stop being stubborn about it. Are you telling me you didn’t hear any of my reading?” She asked.

  I could see the bed and breakfast coming into view in the distance, so I glanced down at my watch. It felt like we’d spent quite a bit of time at Madam Piggot’s place, but my watch said it had only been a half an hour.

  “Are you looking at your watch like that because not much time has gone by?” Esme asked.

  “Are you asking because you can’t read my mind anymore?”

  “Hey, I guess I can’t. That’s good. Kizzy can do amazing things.” Esme said and hurried down the road towards the bed and breakfast.

  “You realize that means she’s right about your one true love,” I said as I quickened my steps to catch up.

  “I’m actually kind of glad you didn’t hear any of the reading.” She said. “It means you didn’t hear his name.”

  “You’re not going to tell me?” I asked.

  “No. If I tell you, you might meddle. I don’t want you to intervene. I want this all to go away. Kizzy said that if I don’t let him into my heart soon, the universe will pick another one true love for him.” She said defiantly, but I picked up on the slightest bit of sadness. “Good. I hope he does find someone else because I don’t want him.”

  I don’t think I’d ever heard a bigger lie in my life. I could just feel how much she was deceiving herself, but for some reason, Esme had no idea. She seemed perfectly content to let the love of her life slip away, and Esme hadn’t said anything about the universe picking another love for her. I gathered that meant if she didn’t let this one in, she’d be alone forever.

  “You have to give it a shot. You don’t want to be alone for the rest of your life.” I pleaded with her as we closed the distance between ourselves and my home.

  “I won’t be alone. Don’t be so dramatic, Lenny. I’ll have you. We’re best friends forever.” She said and punched me playfully in the shoulder. “And, I’ll always have my familiars. What more do I need?”

  She’s said the thing about us being best friends forever as a joke, but I could feel it was true. I’d never had a sister before, but I had one now. Whether I knew his name or not, I was going to meddle. I wouldn’t let my new best friend lose the love of her life over what had to be a misunderstanding.

  “You should stay out of it.” Jezebel’s voice startled me.

  “You can still hear my thoughts?” I asked. “I thought Kizzy took care of that.”

  “Look, Lady. I’m your familiar. I know you better than you know yourself. You can’t shut me out. Though goddess knows I wish you could. Your brain is like a bad episode of Dallas.”

  “What’s Dallas?” I asked.

  “Oh, jeez. You young people and your lack of cultural upbringing.” Jezebel said with the closest thing a cat can do to sighing.

  Chapter Four

  My phone rang at five a.m. and startled me out of an incredible dream about Nathan and I’s wedding day. I grumbled and picked it up to toss it across the room because I hadn’t planned on getting up until at least seven.

  Then I remembered that I’m an investigative journalist now, and I must quit being a baby and answer the phone even when it’s early in the morning. I tapped the phone's screen to answer.

  “It’s still dark. Please tell me this is important.” I said without thinking.

  “Lenora, this is Sheriff Hanson. Sorry to wake you.”

  “Ugh, Brad. What do you want?”

  Let me take a minute to explain something about Brad. You know how I said I never had a sister, well I’d never had a brother either until I met Sheriff Hanson. He’s been a huge pain in my butt ever since I met him, but he only acts that way because, for some reason, he really cares. It’s like the universe decided that I needed a big brother and dropped Brad into my lap.

  At first, Nathan was a wee bit jealous of all of the attention that Brad paid me. Then, I got the three of us together for pizza so that Nate could see just how innocent the whole situation really was.

  “Wow, he really does act like a big brother, doesn’t he?” Nate said when he took me home that night.

  “I told you. You have nothing to worry about. The phone calls and him dropping by my work, it’s all just his protective nature. I don’t know why he picked me, but it is what it is.”

  “You’re right, and I shouldn’t have doubted you,” Nathan said apologetically. “It’s good to know there is someone else looking out for you too. We’ll have to do this again. Maybe we should have a barbecue or something.”

  So, that’s how that all turned out.

  “I’ve got Esme down here again in the holding cell. She told me to call you. Says you guys are best friends forever. Lenny, I didn’t even know you knew Esme.” Brad said impatiently.

  “We just met. And yes, thank you for calling me. Can I come get her?” I asked as I leaped out of bed.

  “I should book her and make her get bail set with the judge. That’s what I should do. I’m getting tired of this nonsense.” Oh gawd, what had she gotten herself into?

  “No, Brad. Please don’t. I’ll be right there. You can tell me all about it when I get there.”

  “Fine, but you better get here quick before I change my mind.”

  I threw on a fresh t-shirt with my jeans and slipped on my shoes before racing down the stairs to the lobby. The old Jeep Cherokee I bought for a few hundred dollars was parked close. I practically ran out to it and dove into the driver’s seat.

  Normally, I could get Brad to do what I wanted, but this time he sounded serious. I wasn’t sure what Esme had done, but Hanson wasn’t happy. I searched through my purse for my keys and cursed myself for letting my bag become such a mess of receipts and straw wrappers again.

  When I felt the unicorn keychain stabbing me in the hand, I did a little celebration dance. With my keys in the ignition and the gas pedal to the floor, I sped away towards the sheriff’s station. I probably shouldn
’t have been driving so fast, but with Brad stuck at the office, who was going to pull me over?

  As I approached our local Starbucks imposter, I saw that there was no one in the drive through line. Since I figured that Brad was probably grumpy, I decided to go through the line and get everyone a hot coffee. Five minutes later I had three piping hot Carmel Macchiatos, and I was back out on the road.

  I arrived at the station just in time to find Brad pacing in the parking lot and mumbling to himself. Yep, he was ticked off big time. I got out of the Jeep and approached him cautiously. Just to be safe, I held his coffee out in front of me as if it would either prevent an attack or distract him from his anger. I could see the little vein in his forehead pulsing against his red skin.

  “Why do you have three coffees?” He asked as he took his from my outstretched hand.

  “One of them is for Esme. I thought we could all use some caffeine.”

  “You might as well take hers and throw it in the trash. I’m not giving it to her. She’s such a troublemaker. I can’t even begin to…” His words trailed off into what could only be described as an irritated growl. “Fine. Give it to me. I’ll take it to her. Wait right here. I’m coming back out. I don’t think I can take the sight of her for more than a few seconds. I’m so mad right now, Lenny.”

  “I know. I’m sorry, Brad. I’ll wait here.” I said hoping my amenability would help him calm down.

  “Thank you.” He said a bit more softly and took Esme’s coffee inside.

  I only had to wait a couple of minutes for him to return. He didn’t look much calmer, and I wondered if the two of them had had words.

  “She said to tell you thank you.” He practically growled again.

  “Is she all right? Is she hungover or something?” I asked carefully. “When she left last night, she wasn’t drinking.”

  “She was with YOU last night?” He was incensed all over again.

  “For a while, but I had to be at work this morning, so she left me at the bed and breakfast around eleven thirty. I think?”

  “Does Nathan know you’re palling around with Esmeralda now?” His question stung.

  “No, not yet. I actually just met her last night.” I didn’t exactly know how much Brad knew about our powers. I suspected that he suspected something, but I decided it was better to skirt the issue for now. “We went to see a fortune teller, and then I went home.”

  “You went out to that nasty cabin in the woods with her?” He asked but didn’t give me a chance to answer. “I tell you, one of these days I’m going to catch that woman out there, and I’m going to put a stop to her operating an unlicensed business in a condemned location. Lenny, you should know better than to trespass. Maybe I should haul your butt in there and process you too. You and Esme can sip your coffees together and wait for the judge.”

  “Now you wait just one second, Brad Hanson,” I said and stomped my foot. “You’re not going to talk to me that way. We’re friends, and you need to start treating me with a little bit more respect.”

  All the color drained from his face until Brad was a ghostly shade of white. His jaw dropped so fast I thought it would hit the ground, and then his pasty white features were replaced with a surge of hot pink embarrassment.

  “I’m sorry.” He said sheepishly and hung his head. “I got out of line.” Brad took a deep breath and then a long draw from his macchiato.

  “It’s okay. We all get a little crazy sometimes.” I said and put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “Now, are you going to tell me what she did? Or, do I need to go find her a lawyer or something?”

  “I tell you what, if it’s not one thing with Esme it’s another. She’s like a wild child that never grew up.” He said, but before he could say more, I cut him off.

  “Brad, focus. Tell me what she did this time. We can discuss past escapades later.”

  “I’m not sure if I can legally tell you.” He said flatly.

  “Brad.” My foot started tapping again.

  As much fun as this little encounter was, I did need a shower before work. I also wanted to get to work before noon.

  “Okay. Alright. Gosh, Lenny, you can be really hardcore sometimes.” My death stare spurned him on with his story. “She was at the fountain in the center of town swimming. She might have even been skinny dipping, but by the time I got the car parked and walked over to the fountain, she’d thrown on a bathing suit.”

  “Which fountain?” I asked and stifled a giggle.

  “It’s not funny Leenoooraa.” I could hold back the chuckle that accompanied his drawn-out recitation of my full first name.

  “Fine. It’s not funny. So, you wanted to arrest Esme for public indecency?” I asked more seriously.

  “That and being a monumental pain in my butt.”

  “Okay, so where is this fountain again?” I asked in my best investigative journalist voice. “I don’t remember seeing a fountain in Tree’s Hollow.”

  “The one in the square. In the middle of town. I know you haven’t been here long, but you have to have seen it.” He said with exasperation.

  “Yeah, but that fountain doesn’t work. She was skinny dipping in the dry fountain?”

  “How long has it been since you’ve been to the square?” Esme’s voice made Brad jump. “They finished the repairs a couple of weeks ago, and it’s back in business. They even installed lights that change color. It’s a trip.” She said and shot Brad a dirty look. “And I wasn’t skinny dipping. I had my bikini bottom on. I just wanted to do some water work sky clad.”

  “Are you talking about that magic witchy stuff again?” Brad’s face was turning red again. “You know people around here are going to think you’re crazy. Actually, correction. You’re going to prove how crazy you really are.” And there went the vein in his forehead again. “People are going to start thinking you believe that nonsense. Magic is real? You need some professional help.”

  I began to talk but had to take a step back as Brad and Esme turned towards each other. They looked like a couple of pit bulls about to fight. Brad looked like he was about to come unglued, and Esme was taunting him with her smug facial expression.

  “Oh, I’m crazy?” She practically spat. “I’m the crazy one? You’re the one that brought me here, kept me all night, and then never arrested me. I’m sure I could have your badge for that.”

  “Guys, don’t yell.” I squeaked out. They both turned and gave me a withering scowl, so I took a step backward.

  “Do you think I wanted to be here all night? I wanted to go home and get to bed. I have to work today thanks to the shortage of officers, and now I have to do it with no sleep. You’re the most selfish, inconsiderate, crazy…”

  “I hate you,” Esme screamed at him.

  “I hate you too,” Brad yelled back.

  At that point, I grabbed her arm and started pulling Esme towards my Jeep. “Brad, I’m taking her home. You go calm down, and we’ll talk about this later.”

  “Fine.” He said and stomped off.

  “Fine nothing,” Esme yelled over her shoulder as I continued to drag her to my vehicle.

  “Get in the car, Esme. Pipe down before he really does arrest you.” I said to her in the most commanding tone I could muster.

  “Alright. Okay.” She said and pulled away from my grip.

  Esme skulked around to the passenger side and got in. I breathed a sigh of relief once she slammed the door and buckled her seatbelt.

  “What was that all about?” I said as I started the Jeep.

  “I didn’t feel like going home last night, so I went to the fountain to do some water magic. Nobody was around, Lenny. Then Sheriff Jerkface picked me up and brought me in.” She crossed her arms and slid down the seat a little like a petulant teenager. He’s always picking me up for stupid stuff and bringing me into the police station. I only get so much time off work, and that jackwagon is always ruining it. I hate him so much.”

  “He’s the one,” I said excitedly. “Brad
is your true love!”

  “Oh no. Here we go again.” She said with a huge sigh. “Not you too.”

  “Oh, please, Esme. Think about it. You keep getting yourself into trouble, and he comes to get you. He never arrests you, but you guys are spending all of this time together.” I said with a smile. “You just won’t admit it, so you're a jerk to him, and he loves you. Brad can’t figure out why you're so awful to him, so he's a jerk right back.”

  “You think you’ve got it all figured out, don’t you?” She tried to sound defiant, but I could hear the uncertainty in her voice.

  “Yep,” I said with a smile. “Now, I have to get to work. You should go home and get some sleep. Can you do me a favor and not get arrested while I’m at work?”

  She didn’t say anything, which I took as a yes. Esme gave me her address, and I drove her home. Her place was a small duplex on the opposite side of town from the bed and breakfast.

  I pulled into the short driveway and looked around. Esme’s street was short, and there were only a few houses spaced widely apart from each other. The houses on Esme’s side of the street were all duplexes, and on the other side of the road were three small single family homes with white picket fences and large yards.

  Esme had a sizable yard surrounded by a waist high wood fence painted a dark shade of burnt sienna. Inside the yard was a large, purple chicken coup that looked like a cabin on stilts.

  “Your neighbors don’t mind the chicken?” I asked as we got out of the Jeep.

  “They have a pig named Wilbur. He’s just a pig, though. The neighbors aren’t witches. We do get along just fine, though.”

  The three houses across the street weren’t close together, but one of them was almost directly across from Esme’s house. It was a small yellow house with bright white shutters and lilac window boxes. The yard was completely fenced in, and even from Esme’s driveway, I could see there was a meticulously tended garden contained within. There was also a “for rent” sign planted in the terrace near the street.

  “I’ll walk you in, and then I have to get going,” I said.

  “It’s okay. I’ve been enough trouble, and I’m super sleepy.” She replied with a huge yawn. “I’ll call you later.”