“It’s a long time until lunch and you are going to need a full stomach.” Anona explained. Mirabelle laughed.
“I haven’t had more than a yogurt for breakfast in three years. You are going to make me fat.” Anona shook her head, bringing over a pitcher of orange juice.
“If you only had a yogurt for breakfast here you would drop twenty pounds in a month. Mom would not be happy with me. You’ll get used to it. I do big breakfast, medium-size lunch, and a big dinner.” Mirabelle grabbed the two cups of tea and brought them to the table. She piled her plate with everything in front of her.
“So what time did you wake up this morning?” Mirabelle asked.
“Around 5:15. I don’t usually get up that early, but I figured for your first morning, we would have a nice sit-down breakfast. Big breakfast doesn’t always mean fancy. There will be plenty of mornings this summer of oatmeal, fruit, and toast. That is much faster.” Mirabelle was shocked at how good everything tasted. The eggs were perfect, the potatoes crispy; even the toast was amazing.
“Where did you get this food? It’s awe-inspiringly good.”
“Well, the eggs are from Tommy and Ashley’s. Their parents have chickens and pay me for camp with fresh eggs. I got the potatoes from a vegetable farmer I know from the Farmer’s Markets, I made the bread, and I confess, the bacon is from the grocery store.”
“Good bread.” Mirabelle said with a full mouth of it smeared with apple jelly from an unlabeled jar, another one of Anona’s creations.
“You’ll learn how to make it. We do bread-making next week at camp. I try to make it both fun and educational, in a life lessons sort of way.”
“What are we doing today at camp? I feel like I should have some sort of itinerary.”
“Camp is not that long.” Anona laughed. “We’re all here by 8 am, they’re all home by 1 pm. Today, I will teach them the names of the flowers in the flower garden. I like to divide the camp up by sections of my house – our house now,” Anona smiled. “We’ll go over the flowers, then the herb garden, then the vegetable garden, the fruit trees, the regular trees. I always start off with that. The kids are pretty groggy until about nine. Then we will do something athletic; baseball, kickball, football, anything to get them a bit tired out. By now, it’s 11 am. We sit on the porch and everyone tells a story. It can be anything from what happened yesterday to a fairy tale to a great book they read. We have lemonade and cookies to make sure no one’s blood sugar drops or gets dehydrated. This takes about an hour, then we either play some more sports or I let the kids pick fruit to bring home for their families. We leave to take everyone home at 12:30.”
“Okay.” Mirabelle answered, munching some bacon. “I feel better now. Though, I will be trying to think of a story all morning.” They finished their breakfast and washed up the dishes.
“We’ve got about thirty minutes before you have to leave. Let’s take a walk around.” Anona led Mirabelle behind the house, towards the woods and the maple trees. The land was quiet again. A few bunnies silently hopped past the sisters who sauntered towards the trees.
“The bunnies don’t eat your flowers?” Mirabelle asked. Their mom had put many a curse on the bunnies jumping through the yard at home to eat the tulips.
“We have a pact.”
“You have a pact with rabbits. This is why I was a little wary of coming.” Mirabelle joked.
“Mirie, Mirie. The bunnies know that if they leave my flowers alone, I’ll leave out vegetables for them.”
“Smart bunnies.” A soft breeze brushed past, dancing through the rustling leaves. “I forgot to tell you.” Mirabelle started. “I saw a woman running through the maple trees just after I got here.” Anona shrugged.
“People pass through. Don’t worry about it. As long as it seems safe and normal, pay them no mind.” Mirabelle nodded. Anona’s farm was huge. She imagined some of the neighbors cut through on their way home.
“So what do you do when you don’t have camp?” Mirabelle asked, her eyes lazily falling over the thick woods she wanted to explore after camp.
“The afternoons can get pretty hot. I usually read or bake or do things around the house. At night and on the weekends, I pick the fruit that is ready to go and get the veggies out of the garden. The peaches are ripening early this year. I doubt I’ll have any left on the trees by mid-August. In the spring and fall, days are much busier. Then I have to either plant or harvest. I’m glad I’ll have you to help this year. I also have Matthew and Michael from down the street. They both work here. Michael still has high school to finish up, so he comes after school and on the weekends, but Matthew comes on a full-time basis. They are nice guys; they’ll probably stop by in the next week.” Mirabelle nodded. At least there were a few kids around her age she would get to hang out with. The mention of school made her a little sad. All her friends were spending these last few weeks at Bed, Bath, and Beyond picking out bedding and towels. She took a deep breath and smiled.
“It’s really beautiful here, Anona.” Anona returned her smile and ruffled her hair like she was a toddler.
“Let’s go get the kiddies.”
Walking down Anona’s street was a little creepier than Mirabelle had thought it would be. Still early, she only saw one car on the way to Tommy and Ashley’s house. She kept expecting a man with a chainsaw to appear behind her and ruin the tranquility of the morning. When the red house peeked over the hill, Mirabelle breathed a sigh of relief.
As she got closer to the house, she could hear the faint noises of children. By the time Mirabelle reached the door, the clamor of running footsteps, children laughing and fighting, and parents trying to discipline created a sound so loud Mirabelle banged on the door when she knocked to make sure she was heard. A boy about four answered the door stark naked.
“Um, hello.” Mirabelle began. The boy yelled and ran away, leaving the door swinging open. Mirabelle peaked her head in. “Hello?” She called loudly. A woman with a braid all the way down her back appeared from another room into the kitchen.
“You must be Mirabelle,” She started, “Tommy! Ashley! Anona’s sister is here to pick you up!” She turned back to Mirabelle. “I’m Stacy, their mom. The lovely little one that flashed you this morning is Johnny. There are three more somewhere around here. Tommy’s my oldest, then Ashley. As soon as the others are old enough, I hope Anona will take them on at hers for me. Your sister is a big help. The farm still needs to run even when school is out!” Mirabelle smiled.
“Thanks.” Tommy and Ashley charged into the kitchen.
“Hi,” Mirabelle started, “I’m –”
“You are Mirabelle!” Ashely exclaimed. “Tommy and I are supposed to show you how to get to Ben’s house and then back to Anona’s.”
“Yes, you are.” Mirabelle answered, laughing.
“Do you know if we are going to play kickball today? I have been working all weekend on my pitching and it would be a big waste for me if we didn’t.” Tommy questioned with an eyebrow raised.
“I do not know, but why don’t you both show me how to get to Ben’s so we can get back to Anona’s and find out what the day has in store.” Stacy waved goodbye and Tommy and Ashley raced down the path and through the side of their yard to a thick clustering of trees.
“Wait up!” Mirabelle called, “I don’t know the way!” She sprinted to catch up with them. She could see flashes of their clothing through the trees and kept both in sight until the small forest ended and they stood in the yard of another house. A young boy waved from the porch, yelled something inside and ran towards them. Mirabelle tried to catch her breath.
“Hey! Tommy and Ashley, you can’t run away from me like that. Anona would kill me if I lost you.” Ashley laughed.
“Don’t worry, we weren’t going to lose you. You have to run through the forest.”
“Why? It’s pretty in there, we could have walked and enjoyed looking at the woods.” They both shook their heads. Ben ran up to meet them.
�
�Anona didn’t tell Mirabelle about the woods yet.” Tommy said to Ben. Ben smiled devilishly.
“You’ve got to run through the woods, at night the Will-o-wisp might get you, during the day, anything from a sprite to a banshee could be wandering around.” Ben said seriously. Mirabelle nodded, assuming their parents told this story so the kids would not wander in the woods alone.
“All right, but we are taking the street back and walking.” The kids did as they were expected and stayed to the side of the road walking with Mirabelle back to Anona’s. When they got there, Anona introduced Mirabelle to the kids she picked up, Maggie, Daniel, Beth and Amy.
Mirabelle followed along as Anona led the kids through her gorgeous garden, naming plants and flowers, asking kids if they knew any stories that featured any of these natural beauties (Who knew that a daffodil is a narcissus? Not Mirabelle.). She was surprised to see how interested the kids were in the names of the flowers, where they were from, and their growth patterns. Mirabelle thought to herself that she would never remember all of this information and hopefully Anona would have a refresher next week.
“Sports time,” Anona announced, pretending to think on which sport they would play. “Today feels like… kickball!” Tommy shouted in triumph and then called pitcher. Anona laughed, and the kids ran out to the open part of her yard, which had makeshift bases that were actually small patches of darker grass spaced relatively evenly for a kickball/ baseball field.
“How do you do this every day? Don’t you ever get tired?” Mirabelle asked. Anona shrugged.
“This is fun for me. I would be exhausted working 9-5 in an office sitting at a computer all day. That would drain me.” Mirabelle thought on that as she sauntered over to the kickball game, which was immediately underway. They played without teams; everyone played outfield until it was his or her turn to “bat.” No one fought over the score, they all cheered when a great kick happened or a great catch; it was wonderful to watch.
“Story time!” Anona yelled once every kid had red cheeks and a sweaty forehead. They made their way to Anona’s big porch and the heavenly shade. Mirabelle helped Anona bring out lemonade with fat ice cubes and a heaping plate of chocolate chip cookies.
“Who wants to start?” Anona asked. Beth raised her hand. “Go ahead, Beth.”
“Yesterday, my mom took me to Philadelphia. I saw the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall and Betsy Ross’ house, which was awesome. Then we went to Jim’s and got cheese steaks and it was delicious. And my mom made me run up these steps that she called the Rocky steps. I don’t know why they are important, but she said that it would impress some people when I was older.” Mirabelle suppressed a smile. One by one, each of the kids told stories involving pet lizards going to the vet, climbing a tree, finding a cool rock, reading a really good book called The Fairies of Nutfolk Wood, baking a cake alone, and getting a new puppy. Mirabelle told the story of the drive to Pennsylvania from Illinois and all the states she crossed through.
“In a woods not unlike those that surround us,” Anona began, “there was fortress. It held a powerful king and his seven children, six boys and the youngest a girl. Their father was an important ruler of the forest and he caught the attention of a ruthless fairy woman. She got it in her mind to make him hers and make his lands bend to her will. With her magic, she made the king fall in love with her. But, she could not fool his children. They could see through her magic; their mother had some fairy blood in her, which she passed on to them. When the evil fairy woman realized this, she cast a terrible spell. Each son was turned into a swan, and the daughter banished from the fortress. Alone in the woods, the daughter was afraid of what would come of her. She went to an old well where her mother walked with her as a child. When she peaked over the edge, she saw a vision of her mother. “Shirts out of thorns, one for each brother, do this without speaking, and you will earn their freedom.” The girl reached out to her mother, but she vanished. The next month, the girl combed the forest for thorned branches. Then she set to work making the shirts. Her hands bled weaving together this impossible material. When she had just about lost hope, a young hunter came upon her, frail, alone, and hurt, in the forest. He swore to be her protector and led her back to his cabin. There, she made the shirts by day, and every night he would pull the thorns out of her hands. After three years of work, the shirts were finished. With the hunter by her side, they walked into the forest and waited. Slowly, each brother in their swan form, appeared. The sister pulled the thorn shirts over each of their heads, watching as they transformed back into their selves. When the youngest brother was a young man again, their sister cried out in joy, her voice crackled after all the silence. As soon as she could speak, the hunter asked her hand in marriage and she accepted. And what happened to the fairy witch? When the spell of the swans broke, her spell over their father broke as well, and the family was united again.” Mirabelle glanced at the campers, all spellbound by Anona’s story.
“Did you make that up?” Daniel asked.
“Heavens no!” Anona laughed. “That story is so old, I doubt anyone knows if it was made-up or true. The Brothers Grimm wrote it down, but people were telling it in Ireland and England way before those fairy tales made their way over. Anyone know who wrote down the story about the Will-O-Wisp in the woods?”
“No one wrote it,” Beth started, “but my uncle saw it when he was eleven years old!”
“My neighbor saw the Will-O-Wisp last summer, she wouldn’t go in the woods for months after that.” Ashley added.
“That’s what the swan story is like – people just pass it on.” Anona sighed. “Okay, it is pretty hot today, I think we should have a wandering through the apple trees. There aren’t too many ripe ones yet, but if you see one, feel free to scamper up the tree and pick it!” The kids all took off in different directions with Anona and Mirabelle behind.
“Aren’t you worried that one of them will fall out of a tree?” Mirabelle asked.
“Not any more or less worried than I am that one of them will get hit by car riding his or her bike. It’s good for kids to touch nature.” Anona added with a mischievous smile.
That evening, Anona and Mirabelle sat on the porch with iced tea and an easterly breeze.
“You are going to think I am crazy –”
“I already do,” Mirabelle interjected, making Anona giggle.
“I think when the wind comes in from the east, that I can smell the salt of the ocean on the air.” Mirabelle laughed; the ocean was a two-hour drive away. Still, she breathed in deep through her nose.
“I don’t smell it, but I do smell your flowers. Maybe my nose isn’t strong enough yet.” The ocean wind danced through the wind chimes creating a private orchestra for the sisters. Mirabelle closed her eyes and listened to the pleasant clinking and felt the breeze on her cheeks.
She was stirred out of an almost sleep by two guys calling out to Anona.
“Oh, Mirie, it’s Michael and Matthew.” Mirabelle saw two boys with sandy blond hair waving to them. She quickly stood up and tried to collect herself.
“So this must be Mirabelle.” One of the boys said.
“Yes, this is Michael,” Mirabelle shook his hand, “And this is Matthew,” then she shook his.
“Nice to meet you both. Anona’s said really nice things about you.” They each smiled.
“Yeah, Anona’s our pal.” Michael said. “So my mom’s wondering if you have any of your apple jelly we could buy from you. We’re fresh out and if Matthew doesn’t have it on his toast, he is fit to be tied for the rest of the day.” Matthew shoved his brother a little.
“I think I have a jar I can spare, no charge. Think of it as early partial payment for the capture the flag game.” Michael followed Anona back into the house while Matthew and Mirabelle stayed on the porch.
“So, how do you like Pennsylvania?” Matthew asked.
“It is nice. Much more rural than from where I am from.”
“Where about is that? I know Anon
a came from New York, but she doesn’t have the accent.”
“No, we grew up outside Chicago. Anona doesn’t really have a Chicago accent either though, I’ve got one though.”
“Aw, accents are cute. Say ‘Da Bears.’” Matthew pressed. Mirabelle laughed.
“Sorry, I am not a football fan and don’t watch the Bears.”
“Too bad.” Matthew snapped his fingers. Michael and Anona came back out to the porch.
“You boys stop by later in the week with your mom, I’ll make us all dinner.” They nodded and thanked her for the jelly and were on their way.
Chapter Three
Before Mirabelle knew it, a month had passed with Anona. She began learning the names of the flowers, knew where all the vegetables grew, and had a wicked kickball pitch. Anona had taught her to make bread, which was still a work in progress, and some mornings, she was up before Anona and making breakfast. The kids warmed up to her quickly, she now joined them in their sprint through the forest, away from all the creatures.
The first of August had been an adventure. Anona was very secretive the week before, saying that it was a holiday that she and the kids celebrated. Mirabelle went to bed on the thirty-first a little curious of what was to come at camp the next day, but not overly concerned. That changed at midnight when she was awoken by Anona, all the campers, Michael, Matthew, and their mom, Lucy, yelling in her bedroom.
“HAPPY LUGHNASADH!” They all called in unison.
“HOLY SHIT!” Mirabelle called back, soliciting shock and giggles from the kids, and a burst of laughter from Michael and Matthew.
“It’s just us, Mirie.” Anona soothed.
“Well, you gave me a heart attack!”
“Who wants to show Mirie what we do on Lughnasadh?” Anona whispered. The kids’ eyes lit up and they all walked out of Mirie’s room and straight to the porch. Woven baskets lined the stairs, complete with a flashlight, and each child picked one up. Anona, Mirabelle, Lucy, Michael, and Matthew stood against the house. The orchard was lit with lanterns spread throughout the trees.
Welcome to Witchhood (Sister Witches Book 1) Page 2