by Unknown
I rushed over to her.
“Me, you, that.” I pointed to the ball. “Now!”
Without a word, she rushed behind me out to the wraparound deck.
“Where is it?” Frantically I looked around her feet for the yellow ball. “That yellow ball has something to do with you and it’s evil.”
She bit her lip.
“Tell me now or Eloise might die.” I wasn’t getting a gut intuition of death, but I was getting a very sick feeling, meaning Eloise would become very sick if I couldn’t figure out a potion.
“He’s not evil. Just a little mischievous.” Her voice was resigned.
“He? He who?” I knew I was going to have to draw it out of her. “Is this the person Constance sees you talking to?”
“She sees me?” Patience’s eyes darted up to mine.
“She knows something is going on. And now you have to tell me,” I demanded.
“Tell her,” Petunia appeared next to us along with Mr. Prince Charming and the yellow ball. She coughed and took a drink from her glass of water. “Tell her.”
“I get it,” My mind wrapped around the situation. “Your gift is the ability to see ghosts. I got a ghost charm.” Ideas rolled out of my mouth. “There is a ghost child you see and he plays with the yellow ball and he loves Mr. Prince Charming.”
She nodded her head.
“But what did he do to Eloise?” I wasn’t able to make a connection.
“He said you wanted her to see your way so he took some of your Asafetida from your shop and put it in the dough at Wicked Good.” Her green eyes were a blur from her tears. “I told him not to do that, but he loves your cat so much that he wanted to make you happy. Plus he thinks you can help him cross over.”
“Cross over?” I questioned. “Hold that thought! I have to get Eloise a potion.”
Without my cauldron, reversing the effects of the Asafetida was definitely going to have be done with some herbs around Full Moon Treesort. Then it clicked. The Drowsy Daisies and Moonflowers were used in soothing a sick stomach and with maybe with a little magical help from Madame Torres, I’d be able to reverse the side effects of the Asafetida.
I quickly plucked a couple flowers and pulled Madame Torres out of my bag.
“Show me the Magical Cures Book.” I kept my voice stern as I gave her my command.
The globe went black, flickers of lime green specs floated from the bottom up like caffeinated bubbles, coming a full boil. The boil exploded into a picture of the inside of A Charming Cure and zeroed in on the journal Darla had left me with her homeopathic cures in it, only it turned magical after I embraced my heritage.
The pages of the book rapidly flipped until it settled on a page. Madame Torres zoomed in.
“Reversal spell.” Relief set in my gut, letting me know it was the right spell.
I blew out and grabbed one of the black candles from the candelabra and took Petunia’s glass of water. I took a big gulp of water in my mouth and didn’t swallow. I leaned the black candle over the glass and let it drip hot wax in the bottom. I stuck the butt of the candle down into the glass and let it stand in the wax as it hardened. I put the cup up to my mouth and spit the water in it to fill up around the candle. With my finger, I touched the wick, igniting it.
With my eyes closed, I took a long breath in and out to clear my head only focusing on Eloise and the reversal. I envisioned the June’s Gem she was eating within the candle’s flame. The wick sputtered and went out as it touched the water.
“The spell is broken,” the words flowed out of my mouth. I handed Petunia her glass back and rushed inside to see how Eloise was, hoping it wasn’t too late.
“What about the ghost kid?” Patience squeaked out from behind me and I ignored her.
“You are going to tell him that he’s going to have to wait until I get back from my wedding and honeymoon.” Oh, I would definitely deal with the ghost kid when I got back.
“I think I’m just tired.” Eloise waved off all the people around her. “I’m feeling much better.”
With a long sigh of relief, I smiled and took a step back.
“Where was the tray of June’s Gems you had?” I asked Raven.
“Don’t worry. I shoved them down the garbage disposal. Did this have to do with my dough problem this morning?” she asked.
“We’ll talk about it later. All is good now.” I assured her and walked over to Eloise, Aunt Helena, and Oscar.
Oscar gave me that you will be telling me what that was later, look. I smiled at him to let him know it was all right.
“I guess we are never going to agree.” Aunt Helena started on the wedding stuff again.
“We don’t have to agree.” I sat down on the coffee table in front of them and put one hand on Eloise and the other on Aunt Helena’s knees. “Oscar’s parents and my parents came to an agreement. They set aside their differences to unite us in marriage.”
“Therefore, we are released!” Aunt Helena clapped her hands to her face. “This is the best news ever!”
“So that means you can get married any time you want. Not just All Hallows’ Eve.” Eloise had an idea written in her expression. “Like right now!”
“Right now?” I questioned if the reversal spell had worked.
“Why not right now?” Oscar agreed with them. “All our friends are here. The steps are decorated. K.J. is here and your dress is already in the honeymoon suite.”
Everything he said was right. I was going to come here and get ready in the honeymoon suite before the wedding.
“But I . . .I couldn’t think of a good excuse.” Nothing about this wedding was the traditional wedding I had dreamed about as a kid, but it all felt perfect. “Yes!” My smile broadened in approval.
“That settles it.” Aunt Helena stood up with her hand outreached to me and pulled me to standing. “We have to get you dressed.”
“Attention everyone.” Oscar put his arm around me. “Since everyone is gathered here right now and K.J. is here, June and I.” He looked at me and my heart melted. This was the moment I had always been waiting for. “June and I have decided to get married tonight.”
Claps, hoots, and hollers filled the room, then everyone hurried around to prepare for the rest of my life.
8
“O h no, you don’t look happy.” Aunt Helen placed a hand on each of my shoulders.
I stood in the honeymoon suite tree cabin in front of the full-length mirror and stared at myself. The dress was Darla’s and fit me perfectly.
The cream dress hit right at my knees.
“Can you zip me?” I asked and still stared at myself.
I ran my hand over the front of the dress and rested it on my stomach. The ivory lace material lay perfectly over the cream silk sheath underneath. The long lace ivory sleeves would be perfect for the cool night weather.
I reached up to rest my fingertips on the silk collar that ended in the back in a petite silk stiff bow.
Aunt Helena zipped up the back and put the keyhole hook in the eye closure.
“I wish I had the photo of my parents here.” The only photo of them was hanging up in the shop and I’d planned to have it at the original ceremony.
Madame Torres lit up and Mr. Prince Charming went over and sat next to her.
“I’ll leave you to gather your thoughts.” Aunt Helena put her hand on the doorknob, looked back at me and smiled. “Everyone is waiting.”
“I’ll be right there.”
Mr. Prince Charming batted Madame Torres and darted out the door before Aunt Helena shut it behind her.
“Well,” I looked back in the mirror and took a deep breath. “I guess I’m going to have to do this alone.”
I grabbed Madame Torres and walked out the door where Raven and Faith were waiting for me.
“You didn’t think we weren’t going to be bridesmaids did you?” Raven asked, her and Faith were dressed in matching purple cocktail dresses. Both beautiful.
“You look so
amazing.” Faith handed me a bundle of flowers and took Madame Torres. “I’m going to put her on the altar.”
Shortly thereafter, the Singing Nettles hummed out the wedding march, signaling me it was show time.
“Are you ready?” Raven asked. Her dark eyes held a spark.
“More than ever,” I whispered, though in my heart, the absence of my parents weighed heavily. This day was so bittersweet for me and probably the reason I had continued to hold off on making a wedding date.
I carefully followed Raven to the front of the Full Moon Treesort where K.J., Oscar and Madame Torres waited for me on the bottom step and my friends sat in white folding chairs in front of them in the grass.
“Where is Mr. Prince Charming?” I asked looking around.
“He’s here.” Something in the breeze whispered. “We are here.” The familiar voice of Darla circled around my head.
I looked forward, through the tears, I could see my mom and dad in Madame Torres’s ball. My dad stood next to me like a hologram and walked me down the aisle as if he was right there with me.
“You have grown into a beautiful woman.” His sweet words pierced my heart; my happy tears fell down my face. Oscar was so handsome in his black suit and white shirt. His blue eyes sparkled in the night like the flickering candles behind him.
“I’m always with you,” my father whispered.
Before I knew it, I was down the aisle, Madame Torres went black, and Mr. Prince Charming sat next to me.
“Where have you been?” I looked at my ornery cat and whispered.
He stood up and walked around my ankles in a figure eight while K.J. started the ceremony.
“This is a Native American Wedding Vase.” K.J. held the vase he had made for us up in the air. “The two drinking spouts are connected by a single handle. The two spouts symbolize the two individual lives, and the handle symbolizes the union of these two lives in marriage. June and Oscar.” He gestured for both of us to stick our hands out in front of us.
Using the spout designated for the bride, K.J. poured the water from the vase over my hands. He turned the vase around and poured water on Oscar’s hands from the groom’s designated spout.
“With this water, we are washing away our past. Our past heritage, our past differences and starting new. With this purification ceremony, I pronounce you man and wife.” K.J. smiled so big. “This is my favorite part,” he whispered, and then yelled, “You may kiss your bride!”
With the eruption of claps and hollering, Oscar crushed me to him. He pressed his mouth up against mine, caressing my mouth with more than just kissing.
“I love you,” he whispered in my ear. My head turned toward Madame Torres. She showed me one last image of my parents. Both of them holding on to each other, tears streaming down their faces, smiles so broad. Then another couple stepped next to them. The man looked exactly like Oscar.
“Look,” I whispered in Oscar’s ear.
Both of us looked at Madame Torres before turning to each other, grinning ear-to ear.
I felt something on my ankle. Thinking it was Mr. Prince Charming, I looked down. A small yellow ball rested against my foot.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
For years, USA Today bestselling author Tonya Kappes has been self-publishing her numerous mystery and romance titles with unprecedented success. She is famous not only for her hilarious plotlines and quirky characters, but her tremendous marketing efforts that have earned her thousands of followers and a devoted street team of fans. Be sure to check out Tonya’s website for upcoming events and news and to sign up for her newsletter! Tonyakappes.com
ALSO BY TONYA KAPPES
Olivia Davis Paranormal Mystery Series
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A CHARMING POTION (novella)
A CHARMING WISH
A CHARMING SPELL
A CHARMING MAGIC
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A CHARMING CHRISTMAS (novella)
A CHARMING FATALITY
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A CHARMING VOODOO
Grandberry Falls Series
THE LADYBUG JINX
HAPPY NEW LIFE
A SUPERSTITIOUS CHRISTMAS (novella)
NEVER TELL YOUR DREAMS
A Laurel London Mystery Series
CHECKERED CRIME
CHECKERED PAST
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A BREAD OF DOUBT SHORT STORY
STRUNG OUT TO DIE
CRIMPED TO DEATH
Bluegrass Romance Series
GROOMING MR. RIGHT
TAMING MR. RIGHT
Women’s Fiction
CARPE BREAD ’EM
Young Adult
TAG YOU'RE IT
A Ghostly Southern Mystery Series
A GHOSTLY UNDERTAKING
A GHOSTLY GRAVE
A GHOSTLY DEMISE
A GHOSTLY MURDER
A GHOSTLY REUNION
A GHOSTLY MORTALITY
A GHOSTLY SECRET
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DEAD SPOOKY
BOONE BRUX
Halloween wouldn't be complete without a good haunting, or without some wayward spirit messing up my plans. My name is Lisa, and because I'm a grim reaper, I'll be spending All Hallows Eve trying to capture the ghost of a serial killer instead doing normal things like trick-or-treating with my kids, or drinking wine while I pass out candy. Yep, that about sums up my life. The only good things I have going for me tonight are the gigantic sack of Halloween candy stuffed in my purse, and the fact that Nate isn't too bad to look at. No doubt, the evening will be a night to remember...if I make it out alive
Copyright © 2016 by Boone Brux
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
1
I walked into the living room and stopped beside my mother. “What’s up?”
Crossing her arms over her chest, she flicked her head toward the couch. “Your father is dead.”
Being a grim reaper made me an expert on the dead. Death followed me everywhere, meowing like a needy cat, winding around my legs, and tripping me up. Most of the time I could ignore the dead if they weren’t on my to-do list, but sometimes death invaded my life like a stinky cat box, demanding to be scooped up and disposed of properly.
While my gaze traveled over my dad’s outstretched body, I lifted my can of soda and took a couple of healthy swallows. Then lowering the can I said, “You know he’s going to start to stink if you leave him there too long.”
Mom made a clicking sound with her tongue and rolled her eyes. “He’s not really dead, Lisa, he’s acting.”
Clearly, he wasn’t dead; otherwise I would have been shuffling his spirit off to Hal, my porter, so he could deliver my dad to the spirit realm. But since my parents didn’t know about my job at Grim Reaper Services, I kept that comment to myself. “Are you sure he’s not just napping?”
“Of course, I’m sure.” A smile creased her mouth and she looked at me. “He got a part in the communit
y theater’s Spooktacular Extravaganza. He’s playing a corpse.” Returning her focus to my dad, she sighed. “Isn’t he wonderful?”
Though I didn’t think playing the part of a corpse taxed one’s ability as an actor, my mom obviously believed dad was pulling off the performance of a lifetime. I grimaced against the look of admiration, and dare I say lust, that sparkled in her eyes.
“Okay then.” I gave myself a mental shake, trying to erase any hint of the idea that my parents might still get busy in the bedroom. “Are you sure you don’t mind having the kids tonight?” It was Halloween, and earlier today I’d gotten a call from my boss, Constantine. He had a special assignment for my partner and me, which never boded well for me for a lot of reasons. Not getting to take the boys trick-or-treating was the least of the inconveniences I was sure to encounter tonight. “They can get kind of wild from all the sugar.”
“Of course, I don’t mind. We have the whole night planned.” She held up her fingers and ticked off the rigid schedule she’d devised for the evening. “First we’re getting dressed up in our costumes. I’m going to be a witch.”
“Fitting,” I said.
“Then—” Her voice increased a few decibels, trying to drown me out. “We’re trick-or-treating downtown for an hour. That gives us just enough time to get to the theater for the Spooktacular Extravaganza. It’s going to be so much fun, the boys probably won’t even miss you.”
“Of course, they’ll miss me.” I bristled against my mom’s backhanded comment. “I’m their mother.”
“Of course, you’re they’re mother, but I’m grandma.” She straightened and folded her hands in front of her stomach. The pose was what I referred to as her victory stance. Anytime she thought she’d out argued somebody, she struck that pose. “Grandma’s are always more fun than moms.”
“Mine certainly was,” I mumbled, giving her a tight smile, deciding the subject of who was more fun was not worth arguing over—because clearly it was me. “Anyway, thanks again. Bronte is staying at Fang’s house tonight, but she knows to call here if she needs anything.”