Merry Meet

by Isobel Bird

  “That depends on the situation,” Sophia answered. “If her parents are looking for her, they’ll have to be notified. We’ll also have to find out where she’s from and why she ran away. Thea will know everything that has to be done.”

  “I guess this is what Rowan meant by being part of a community,” Annie said.

  “We like to call it the Broomstick Mafia,” Archer said, making them all laugh and breaking some of the tension.

  “Shouldn’t we be out there looking for her?” Kate said. “I feel so helpless just sitting here like this.”

  “The best thing you can do is go home and get some rest,” Sophia told her. “You’ve put the word out. Now wait and see what happens. It’s like magic—sometimes it just takes a little time.”

  After drying out a little more, Kate, Annie, and Cooper did go home. It was still raining, and Kate hoped that Sasha was at least somewhere warm and dry. She still couldn’t help but think that if it weren’t for her Sasha would at least be safely inside. Instead, she was running around in the cold and the wet with no place to go and no one to help her.

  The girls split up at the bus stop, each of them going to her own house to change and wait for news from Sophia. Kate tried to distract herself by working on some homework, but she couldn’t concentrate. She just kept seeing Sasha’s frightened face. Finally she gave up and sat, looking out the window, for the rest of the day. She was so quiet at dinner that when her mother asked her if anything was wrong, Kate wanted to break down and tell her everything, but she knew she couldn’t. Her parents just wouldn’t understand about the whole Wicca connection, and she couldn’t really tell them about Sasha without getting into that too. So she just said she wasn’t feeling very well and asked to be excused. When the phone rang later on, she grabbed it quickly, hoping it would be Sophia or Archer.

  “Hey there,” said Scott. “How’s my favorite girl?”

  Kate almost started to cry, but she was able to stop herself. Again she wanted to tell Scott everything about Sasha’s disappearance. But she didn’t want anyone else from school to know, in case Sasha hadn’t really run off and was just hiding out. So she pushed Sasha as far as she could into the back of her mind and tried to sound as if everything was fine instead of being the mess that it was.

  She talked to Scott for a while, barely paying attention to the conversation, then hung up. She looked at the clock. It was almost ten o’clock. If Sasha hadn’t turned up by now, she probably wasn’t going to. Kate got into bed, keeping the phone nearby just in case, and turned out the light.

  She tossed and turned for a while, listening to the rain outside and trying to get the image of Sasha huddled in a dirty alley or walking alone on the streets out of her mind. Finally, when she was totally exhausted, she fell into a restless sleep.

  She woke up the next morning feeling worse than she had the night before. It was still raining, and everything outside her window was gray and depressing. She didn’t even feel like getting out of bed. She just wanted to stay there, wrapped in the warm blankets, pretending that it had all been a bad dream. But before she could even close her eyes and try to get back to sleep there was a knock on her door and her mother peered in.

  “Time to get up,” she said. “Breakfast is almost done, and then we’re going to mass.”

  Kate smiled weakly. “I’ll be right down,” she said.

  Church that morning seemed to last forever. Kate was distracted, and found herself looking at the stained glass windows. Her favorite was of Mary, whose face had a kind expression, and she looked out at Kate with eyes that were full of joy and happiness. Just like the eyes of Gaia, Kate thought as she stared at the window. The expression on Mary’s face reminded Kate very much of the image of the goddess she had seen in her meditation at the Spring Equinox ritual and it sparked an idea.

  When she got home from church, she went up to her bedroom and took out a small white votive candle. Lighting it, she said “Gaia. I need your help. Please help me find Sasha. Please keep her safe. Please help her understand that I just want to be her friend.” She sat back, and something about the small ritual she’d just done seemed right. She watched the candle burn for a minute, then blew it out to answer the phone.

  “Kate, it’s Cooper. I’m at Crones’ Circle. Sasha’s here.”

  Kate hung up. Not even stopping to change out of her church clothes, she ran out the door, telling her startled parents that she would be back in a little while. At the bus stop she paced nervously, willing a bus to come soon. Finally one appeared, and she got on.

  When she reached her stop, she practically flew to the door of Crones’ Circle, arriving tired and panting. Inside, she found Annie and Cooper in the back room, along with Sophia, Archer, and a woman she remembered seeing at the Equinox ritual; she guessed this was Thea. And in the center of the room, seated in an armchair and wrapped in a big, warm blanket, was Sasha.

  Kate wanted to run to Sasha and hug her, but she didn’t know if she should. Instead, she just stood in front of her, not knowing what to say.

  “Hi,” she said finally, feeling like a total idiot.

  “Hi,” Sasha said back, sounding tired.

  “I’m sorry about yesterday,” said Kate.

  Sasha sighed. “It’s okay,” she said. “I should have known someone would figure it out sooner or later. When you told me that you knew, I just panicked. I was afraid someone would try to make me go back. I wandered around for a long time, trying to think of somewhere to go. But there wasn’t anywhere. I was afraid to go back to the Summer House. So I sat under the steps at the beach, watching the ocean all night. And this morning I decided to come here. I don’t know why. I just happened to think of it, and when I got here they were just opening.”

  “Sasha’s been telling us some of her story,” Thea told Kate. “She was in a foster home, and she had some problems there. That’s why she ran away.”

  “So you’re not really from LA?” Kate asked.

  Sasha shook her head. “I’ve never even been to LA,” she said. “I just made up details about it from things I’ve seen on TV. There’s no Jack, either, in case you were going to ask. I found the jacket in a thrift store.”

  “He didn’t sound like a very good catch anyway,” Kate said.

  Sasha smiled. Then she started to cry. This time, Kate did go and hug her. Sasha hugged her back, her chest heaving as she sobbed, her hands holding tightly to Kate’s body. When she finally stopped, and Kate pulled away, her face was red with tears.

  “What’s going to happen to me?” she asked.

  Kate looked at Thea.

  “I’ll have to make a few calls tomorrow morning,” Thea said. “But because I work for children’s services, I should be able to keep Sasha under my supervision. She can come stay with me until we figure out what to do next.”

  “It’s going to be okay,” Kate said to Sasha. “See?”

  “I don’t know what I would have done without all of you,” Sasha said.

  “Well, you certainly have made life more exciting around here,” Cooper commented. “I’ll give you that.”

  “Take that as a compliment,” Annie told Sasha. “That’s about as good as it gets, coming from her.”

  Kate left the others talking to Sasha and went into the store’s little kitchen, where Sophia was making more tea.

  “Will she really be all right?” Kate asked.

  Sophia stirred sugar into a mug. “We’ll have to wait and see,” she said. “Thea has a lot of experience with troubled teenagers. We’ll have to find out why Sasha had problems in foster care and what other issues she has.”

  “What about her parents?” Kate asked. “Will you have to contact them?”

  “She says her parents aren’t in the picture,” Sophia answered. “She didn’t say whether that means they’re dead or just neglectful. But if she was in foster care at her age, there’s a good chance she’s been given up.”

  “That’s so sad,” Kate said. “I’m glad she found
the flyer about the ritual. Otherwise we never would have been able to help her.”

  Sophia took a sip of tea. “There’s not a lot I’m sure about in this life,” she said. “But one thing I know—nothing is just an accident. There was a reason Sasha found that flyer, just like there was a reason you found that spell book. You don’t always know what the reason is right away. Sometimes you don’t know for many years. But eventually, you find out.”

  They went back and joined the others, talking for a while until Archer noticed that Sasha had fallen asleep in her chair.

  “Looks like someone needs to get to a nice, warm bed,” Thea said. “I’ll take her home now.”

  “Can we call her later?” Kate asked, getting up to go.

  “How about tomorrow night?” Thea suggested, writing her number down on a piece of paper and handing it to Kate.

  Kate left with Cooper and Annie. When they stepped outside, Kate noticed that it had finally stopped raining. As they walked to the bus stop, she thought about how thankful she was that Sasha had come back and was safe. Then she thought about the ritual she’d done earlier. Had the two been connected?

  “What time does Crones’ Circle open on Sundays?” she asked.

  “Eleven,” Annie answered. “Why?”

  Kate did the math in her head. Sasha had decided to go to the store right before it opened. Kate had lit her candle and said her prayer at around ten-thirty. “No reason,” she said to Annie. “I was just curious.”

  Chapter 17

  Kate wondered how long she had been standing in the darkness, waiting. She had lost all track of time, but it seemed like forever. The blindfold over her eyes kept out all light, not that it would have mattered. They had turned out the lights anyway. The only connection she had to the world was the random rustling sounds of the others as they also waited and the sound of the drum beating softly in the other room.

  She was in the storage room of Crones’ Circle, along with the other people who had decided to take part in the dedication ritual. But she had no idea what was going to happen. Archer had put the blindfold on her and told her to wait.

  She decided to go over her dedication statement once more. They had each been told to prepare something short to say during the ritual—something that said what they were promising to do and what they hoped to gain. Kate had spent most of Monday night writing hers. She’d read it about a hundred times, but she was still afraid she would forget something when the time came. She focused, saying the words in her head as she waited.

  Then she sensed movement as somebody came into the room and passed by her without saying anything. She felt a body momentarily pressed against hers, and then it was gone, as if someone had left the room.

  Twice more she sensed someone coming into the storage area and then leaving again. What was going on? Why was she still standing there? For a moment she had the horrible thought that they were playing a joke on her, and she almost tore the blindfold off to see what was happening. But she calmed herself by listening to the beating of the drum and reminding herself that no one from the Coven of the Green Wood or the store would let anything bad happen to her.

  Then someone took her hand, startling her. But the person’s touch was gentle and reassuring, and she instantly calmed down. She felt herself being urged forward, and she took a hesitant step. Another hand on her elbow steadied her even more, and she let herself be led forward into the other room.

  She was still disoriented, and had no idea where in the room she was. The hands guiding her moved her forward and then stopped. When they let go of her, she was again alone, standing in the dark. But this time she was excited. The drumming was all around her now, and she could feel a faint heat on her skin.

  Several more minutes went by during which the only sound came from the drum. The rhythm of it was hypnotic, and Kate found herself wanting to dance. But she remained still, waiting, and after a while the drumming stopped. Now there was total silence.

  “Welcome,” said a voice that Kate recognized as Rowan’s. “And blessed be.”

  “Blessed be,” said a chorus of voices all around Kate, giving the traditional witches’ greeting.

  “Tonight you come to the circle to begin a journey,” Rowan continued. “A journey that will last for a year and a day and will take you into a world with many surprises and many challenges. You have come here to take your first step on that journey, to dedicate yourselves to walking the path. While others are with you, you will take this journey alone. So if any of you are not ready to begin the journey, you may turn back now.”

  Rowan paused, waiting. Kate let Rowan’s words fill her mind. They made her feel excited—excited and a little scared. She really was setting out on an adventure. Deciding to commit herself to learning as much as she could about Wicca was an important step in her life. It wasn’t just deciding to read a book or try out a meditation. It meant she could help people—people like Sasha. It was something that could change her life forever. She’d thought long and hard about it, and although she still had some fears, she was sure that it was the right thing to do.

  “If you are ready,” Rowan said, “it is time to take your first step. Remove your blindfolds.”

  Kate reached behind her and fumbled with the knot holding the blindfold closed. She worked it free and pulled the cloth from around her head.

  The room was filled with what looked like hundreds of white candles. Everywhere Kate looked tiny flames lit up the walls and the faces of the people standing in a circle around the room. The light transformed the room into a magical grove, and the circle of people dressed in white robes made Kate feel as if she’d stepped out of time. Kate and the others were all standing at one side of the circle. On the other side sat a large cauldron. Flames leapt up from inside it, but there was no smoke. Behind the cauldron stood Rowan, with Anya on one side of her and Sophia on the other.

  Annie and Cooper were on either side of Kate. It felt good to have her two best friends with her, and Kate was glad that all three of them had decided to participate in the ritual. Although she knew that what Rowan had said was right, and that she’d be taking her journey on her own, she would also have Cooper and Annie beside her to help her if she needed them.

  “Merry meet,” Anya said, stepping forward. “You have taken the first step onto the path. It will be the first of many. For the next year and a day, through one full turn of the Wheel of the Year, you will be travelers in the realm of the Lady and the Lord. They will greet you in many forms. They will answer your questions, and they will ask questions of you. Tonight you come before us, your community, to tell us what gifts you bring on this journey and what you hope to find at its end. Each of you will be called to speak. You will then be given a light to help you see your way on the path, as well as a word of power. This word represents one of your challenges for the year. Now, who will be the first to come to the cauldron?”

  Annie stepped forward immediately. Kate watched as her friend walked across the room and stood in front of the burning cauldron and the women behind it.

  “Merry meet,” Rowan said to Annie.

  “Merry meet,” Annie replied, her voice softer than usual.

  “Are you prepared to begin your journey?” Rowan asked, and Annie nodded.

  “What gifts do you bring with you?” Anya asked her.

  “I bring with me the gifts of curiosity, honesty, and patience,” Annie said.

  “These are good gifts,” Sophia said. She was carrying in her hands a bowl, which she held out to Annie. “Take a word from the bowl and read it.”

  Annie reached inside and pulled out a slip of paper. Unfolding it, she read, “Healing.”

  Sophia smiled. “That is your challenge,” she said. “Use your gifts to meet it.”

  Rowan took a candle and, dipping a match into the cauldron’s flames, lit it. As she handed the candle to Annie she said, “This candle burns with the light of inspiration. May it light your way as you travel. Now go and become part of the
circle.”

  Annie stepped away from the cauldron, taking a place in the ring of people surrounding the remaining dedicants. Kate waited as Anya called for the next person to step forward. For some reason, Kate couldn’t get herself to move. She wanted to, but it was as if her body was frozen. She watched as one of the men took his place before the cauldron and answered the questions put to him.

  Two more people went forward. Then, at Anya’s call, Cooper moved away from Kate and stood before the flames.

  “What gifts do you bring with you?” Anya asked.

  Cooper cleared her throat. “I bring on my journey the gifts of loyalty, creativity, and perseverance,” she said in a firm voice.

  Sophia held out the bowl and instructed Cooper to take a word. She picked one quickly and read it. “Connection,” she read, sounding slightly perplexed before moving on to take her candle and a place in the circle.

  Kate thought about the gifts Cooper and Annie had listed. They hadn’t discussed what they were going to say, and it was interesting to see what each of them had chosen. Annie, the scientist, was curious. And she’s definitely honest, Kate thought to herself. And as for patience, she had shown a lot of that in helping Kate through her early disasters with magic.

  Cooper too, was all the things she said she was. No one would deny that she was a loyal friend. More loyal than I was, Kate thought sadly as she remembered how she had once pretended not to be friends with Annie and Cooper. And Cooper’s music was only one of the ways in which she was creative. As for perseverance, well, Kate didn’t think there was anyone who would argue with that assessment.

  But what about her own gifts? She had thought hard about what she was going to say when her turn came. A lot of things had gone through her mind, but none of them had seemed perfect. Was that why she was hesitating about going forward? Was she afraid that her gifts weren’t good enough? But what if they were all she had to give? Did that mean she shouldn’t attempt the task she’d set for herself? Should she just admit that she had made a mistake, and that she wasn’t ready to seriously study witchcraft?