by Tonya Kappes
“Good mornin’.” A woman walked out of the shop and put a basket of yarn on a display table on the porch with a Grand Opening Sale sign. “I’m Leah LeRoy, a clairsentience from Alabama.”
The friendly southern girl smiled. Her long brown hair was parted to the side and hung past her collarbone. She had a friendly face and sweet smile, or maybe it was the charming accent that made her so friendly. She had on a pair of jeans and simple white sweater with a monogram on the top left side.
“Hi, I’m June. . .” I walked up to the shop.
“June Heal.” Her brows lifted. “I know exactly who you are.” She nodded. Her blue eyes bright. “I made sure that I checked out all the shops and people before I decided to move here. My mama and daddy wouldn’t have wanted me to move all the way from home if I hadn’t done my homework.”
“Oh,” I chuckled and handed her a box of doughnuts. “Here is a welcome gift. I hope you enjoy it.”
“Thank you. Every time someone opens that door and the smell crosses the street, I gain a pound.” She winked. “I do hope you join me in some of my craft classes.”
“I’m not so crafty,” I said and pulled the cape closer to my body as the wind blew around my ankles.
Meow. Mr. Prince Charming walked over to Leah and looked up at her.
“Hi there.” She bent down and patted him on the head. “You are a cutie.”
He didn’t pay her much attention as the basket full of yarn had captured his eye. He darted up to the porch and stood on his hind legs, sniffing the basket before he jumped up in it.
“He will drive you nuts, so just shoo him back down to my shop when he does.” My eyes narrowed when I noticed him kneading the skeins before he curled up. “Mr. Prince Charming, now!”
He didn’t bother lifting his head.
“I’m so sorry.” I walked past Leah and walked up to get him out of the basket. “You are so naughty. People don’t want cat hair all over their new yarn.”
“He is adorable.” Leah reached out and scratched his head. He purred.
“I hope you are participating in the All Hallows’ Eve celebration.” I was excited to see all the new shops and new citizens. It was going to be a wonderful celebration.
Rowl! Mr. Prince Charming smacked my bracelet before he jumped out of my arms and darted out the wrought-iron gate where he stopped and began to clean his front legs.
“Ornery cat. I better go.” I waved and joined him on the sidewalk, trying to decide which shop I should go to next.
“Hey there.” Oscar Park, my handsome husband walked up behind me. “You have something in there for me?” he asked when he noticed my handful of Wicked Good boxes.
“I have an extra June’s Gem in my bag, but these are for all the new shops.” I gave him a kiss on the lips before he dug into my black bag that was strapped across my body. “You might need two. You have a big day ahead of you.”
Mr. Prince Charming stood on his hind legs and batted at my bag. He loved June’s Gems and even though chocolate wasn’t good for mortal cats, it was fine for my fairy-god cat. I ignored him. He trotted in front of us with his tail pointing the way.
We walked down the street toward Two Sisters and a Funeral. My plan was to take Mr. Prince Charming’s lead and start at the end of town and work my way down until I needed to open my shop. Since he was my familiar and had given me the leaf charm, I figured he knew something and so I decided to follow him.
“It’s very exciting to have more citizens.” His blue eyes stilled. “Have you heard about Ophelia and Colton?”
“No.” I looked deep into his eyes. There was something funny in them.
“They split up.” He shook his head and took a big bite of the Gem.
Mr. Prince Charming ran back to us and did figure eights around my ankles and then Oscar’s. He and Oscar weren’t the best of friends, but he knew that I loved Oscar. It was his way of doing the infinity sign around our ankles, letting me know we are all okay.
His words wedged in my brain as I tried to process the shock.
“But they were. . .” I was too stunned to finish the sentence.
“I know.” He put his arm around me and guided me down the sidewalk because my legs had stopped working. “He was sleeping on the couch in the back room of the station. I was shocked to see him there. He’s a mess.”
“I have to go see her.” I turned, but Oscar grabbed my shoulders.
“She left town for a few days and closed her shop.” There was a deep sadness in his eyes. “Colton said she was the one who ended it. That she wasn’t in love with him anymore. That was it.”
“Oh, gosh.” I was so fond of them. They were young like us and we enjoyed doing things with them. “That hurts my heart. Maybe they will get back together.”
I looked over my shoulder at Ever After Books and wondered if I could go in and do a smudge, clear out the confusion that Ophelia was obviously feeling.
“I don’t like that look in your eyes,” Oscar said. “You can’t save them. You can’t do magic on them. No love potions.” He pulled out a paper from the file he was carrying. “By-laws state that you can’t perform magic on or read another spiritualist.”
“I know.” I was well aware of the rules and well aware that when I did break one, I paid for it. “It’s just so sad and shocking.”
“I know.” Oscar was always the voice of reason. That was one trait that made him a great cop. “We just need to be a friend to them and listen when they need a shoulder to lean on or ear to talk to.”
I nodded my head.
“I do have some news.” I lifted my wrist in the air and shook the bracelet.
“Oh no.” Oscar stuffed the last bit of Gem in his mouth.
“It’s a leaf charm.” I pointed it out and continued up the sidewalk. “According to Bella it just means seasonal change. With all the new citizens and shops, I think I need to incorporate them all in the smudging, welcome them.” I shrugged wanting to believe my words.
“Let’s hope so.” Oscar reached between us and took my hand in his. We snuggled together so the breeze couldn’t get through and worked our way through the tourists to the top of the hill.
Yeah, let’s hope so, my mind settled around the leaf and how change had already come as the fall wind whipped around. Ophelia and Colton’s break-up sat heavy on my heart. I couldn’t help but wonder if they were part of the seasonal change Bella talked about.
Chapter Four
“Mornin’!” A woman’s voice trilled through the gallery and bounced off the glass walls as the bell over the door signaled our arrival. “I’m pleased to see you.”
A woman with curly black hair appeared from behind a big oil painting that was hanging from the ceiling. She maneuvered her way around the canvas and wiped her hands down her white apron with cherries all over it.
“Do you like?” she asked after she stood next to us. She put her hands on her plump hips and tilted her head to the left and then to the right.
Meow, Mr. Prince Charming said as if he approved.
“I’m so glad, sir.” She swooped down and bowed to him. “I’m Cherry Merry and that’s my brother Perry Merry.” She took a long look between Oscar and I. “You here are,” she scurried up to the painting and pointed to what looked like A Charming Cure, “June Heal.” Her homely face arranged itself into a smile. “And you here.” She pointed to the police station across the street from my shop. “I have to confess that your uniform gave it away and I had already heard from the sisters that you two were married.”
I chuckled. “For a minute I thought you had already checked us out.”
“Only if you call the Karimas telling me every single bit of information checking you out, then,” she threw her hands in the air, “guilty!”
Perry walked over and he shook Oscar’s hand.
“We are from a village out west and were so excited to hear about the new development.” She slid her eyes toward her brother. “A fresh start is always good.”
“I’m beyond thrilled I could use my own shop designs and not conform to the cottage style on Main Street.”
Blue Moon Gallery was two floors of full glass walls. The staircase in the middle was even glass. I could look down on the main street and see all of it. When I looked to the right, I could see my house on the hill and to the left the mountains. Right next door was Two Sisters and a Funeral Home which also wasn’t like the shops on the main strip.
“Isn’t it a great view?” Her cheeks balled as she smiled, beaming with pride.
“It is.” I held out a box from Wicked Good. “I wanted to welcome you to Whispering Falls and if you ever need us, we are here for you.”
“Thank you.” She graciously took the box. “I’m thrilled that Faith Mortimer is going to take some fantastic photos and display them here the night of All Hallows’ Eve.”
“Here are the by-laws of the village and the meeting times for the village council. I’m sure Petunia Shrubwood will be by shortly to say hello.” Oscar handed her a pack of papers like we had gotten when we moved to Whispering Falls a few years ago. “It might take her a couple of days to get over here since she has a young son as well as having to make her rounds to the other new shops and still run a business.”
“I see.” She reached out her hand and took the papers. “I’m sure we are going to love it here.” She handed Perry the papers and the box of treats.
“Thank you for stopping by.” Perry nodded before going back to the desk and continued doing what he’d been doing when we walked in. “I’m sure we will be seeing a lot of each other.”
“I’m sure.” I gathered my hands in front of me and clasped them. I turned to Oscar. “Are you ready?”
“I am.” He smiled and took the first step to the door.
“Toodles,” Cherry called as Oscar, Mr. Prince Charming and I walked out the door.
Halfway down the hill, I turned around. Cherry and Perry Merry were staring at us. There was a strange nervous unease that swept through my veins.
“They seemed nice.” Oscar said as we stepped back up on the sidewalk and headed toward Scented Swan Candle Co.
“Mmhmm,” was all I could muster up as my intuition roared deep within me.
“June,” Oscar warned. “Don’t be letting any strange feeling creep up. New citizens are a good thing. New shops are good for our village.”
“Even new candles.” I ran my hand along Swan’s ornamental gate. “I love the stained-glass candle.”
“I can now see our house all lit up.” He smiled and held the gate open for me and Mr. Prince Charming.
Oscar was right. I loved scented things. That was one of the appeals of my shop. As soon as a customer walked in, they were greeted with smells they loved. It was part of the magic.
“Wow,” was all I could say when I walked into Scented Swan. It was like I’d stepped out of Whispering Falls and into the country of Greece.
The walls were painted a muted green and the architectural details reminded me of ancient gods with its doomed features and cut-outs. Wood shelving of different sizes and shapes were built into the walls and filled with all sorts of colors and assorted sizes of candles.
There was a clay statue in the middle of the store that stood on a pillar with an ancient cement bird bath. Candles flickered with small flames as they floated around the feet of the statue in the bath. Their reflections bounced off the tile ceiling that helped circulate the scents and smells that were warm and inviting.
The walls weren’t four straight walls as perceived from the outside. They were all curved and created a flow that felt good to the spirit. In the far back, near the counter where there was a line of customers, there was a row of hanging candles that had just been made as evidenced by the fresh hot wax that dripped on the floor.
“Good morning to the Park family,” the chipper voice greeted us from behind the counter. “I’m Chandler Swan. Please,” he gestured to the hanging candles, “take your pick.”
I stepped over to get a look at them as Chandler finished up with the customers. They were all shapes and sizes. I decided on a honeycomb one that reminded me of candy corn. It would be perfect to light in the store.
“Do you have some business cards I can display in my shop?” I asked.
“I certainly do.” He grabbed a few from behind his counter and handed them to me.
I put them in my bag and continued to walk around as Oscar gave Chandler the papers and went over a few rules. Chandler was a happy fellow. He wore a “go to hell” hat over his pointy nose, he was tall and thin—kinda like the skinny candles he had in the store. His five o’clock shadow was too early for a real o’clock shadow so I assumed he always wore it that way.
Faith Mortimer was in the shop snapping away with her camera and making notes on a pad of paper.
“June, isn’t it fantastic?” she asked as she peered over the lens of the fancy piece of equipment. “It’s such an exciting time for us.”
“It is.” I watched as she moved different candles together, arranging them in a perfect photo opportunity. “I’m going before the village council with my photos and asking for a real paper, not just the wind.”
Faith had a wonderful spiritual gift of clairaudience. She was able to hear things in the whispers of the wind that the naked ear couldn’t hear. She was also the Whispering Falls Gazette newspaper. If you were a subscriber, you received the newspaper in a whisper through the air, not in real paper form.
“Oh, Faith.” I was happy for her. “That is fantastic news. I’ll do an extra smudge.” I winked and walked back to the counter where Chandler and Oscar had finished up.
“I wanted to welcome you to our village.” I handed him the box from Wicked Good. “It’s a wonderful time of year to open your shop. I hope you are taking part in our annual All Hallows’ Eve celebration.”
“I am.” He cleared his throat. “Chandra Shango has already dropped off the flyers to go in my shop window.”
“Good.” I offered a smile and was glad to hear Chandra had taken her new position seriously.
The village council had appointed her chairperson of the All Hallows’ Eve celebration which was a new position. They must’ve known the new shops were coming and someone needed to keep them informed.
“I’m looking forward to it,” Chandler said over the ticking of the old cash register as he rang up the next person in line.
“Mr. Prince Charming,” I called over to him. He was a sneaky one.
“He might hang with me for a while.” Faith had him posing next to some candles as if he were doing a spread for Fancy Cats.
Oscar and I chuckled, before heading back out into the nippy fall air.
Across the street was Hidden Treasures. I’d already been to see Violet Draper since her shop opened. She and her son, Gene, had opened their shop a few days ago. Oscar and I had met Violet on our honeymoon and were so happy to see her come to Whispering Falls.
“Look.” I pointed across the street to the shop that had appeared between my shop and Magical Moments. “Happy Herb.”
My intuition told me I already knew who was in there.
“I’ll see you later,” I kissed Oscar before I scurried across the street with my eyes zeroed in on the new shop.
I couldn’t contain the wide smile that curled on my face when I saw the concrete sidewalk leading up to Happy Herb was grass with stepping stones. I pushed the grass door open using the bamboo handle and stepped inside.
Rosemary, ginger, sage, lavender, and the unforgettable smell of cinnamon that I knew only KJ could bring me.
“June.” The baritone voice was sweet to my ears.
“KJ!” I ran across the grassy floor of the new herb shop and threw my arms around my friend.
KJ was a Native American spiritualist from the west and when I needed ingredient refills for my potions, I whispered into th
e night air, letting it travel across the miles into KJ’s ears. Within a day or even quicker, he’d show up at my shop with the ingredients I needed.
When I first came to Whispering Falls, his father, Kenny, had provided me with the herbs I needed. Unfortunately, Kenny had been killed, but we were blessed that KJ took his position.
“When I heard Whispering Falls was opening up the new development, I knew I had to move.” He stood over six-foot-four. Normally he wore the traditional Native American clothing, but today he wore a pair of khaki pants, black shirt, but still had on the feather headdress.
“You have no idea how thrilled I am you are now living here and next to me.” I clasped my hands and stood in a pleased surprise. “When I saw the sign, I knew it had to be you.”
“Let me show you around.” KJ’s dark eyes illuminated with pride. “I have tried to keep everything separate and if you don’t mind, I’d like to tell my customers to come to you if they need a specific treatment.”
“Of course.” I was so pleased he was there. It was going to make everything so easy with him right there.
The walls were painted with green ivy stems to go with the herb theme. There was natural wood shelving around the small shop. They were filled with packets of different herbs. He had a men’s section for men’s health as well as a women’s section.
“I love this.” I twirled the spinning floor display of the postcards of Whispering Falls.
“I wanted to have something special for the customers to tell their friends about,” he said and pointed to one of the postcards with my shop on it. “We truly are a magical place and I want everyone to know.”
“Me too.” I stepped out of the way as a couple customers had come in. “I’ll let you get back to work.” I gave him a quick hug and gave him a box from Wicked Good.
“June,” he stopped me before I headed out the door, “I had a vision that I gave you some Plantain even though it wasn’t whispered to me.”
He handed me a bundle tied with a piece of string. I curled my hand around the herb. A jolt through my veins sent an alarming skip to my lungs causing me to take a sudden breath.