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Uh-oh.“What do you mean? What’s been said? And who do I need to beat up for you? If it’s Maverick... I can take him.” And I could. He was powerful, but I fought dirty when I needed to, especially when it came to protecting the few people I loved.
Pansy started ringing everything up and packing my ingredients into a brown paper bag embossed with a festive holly symbol. “Oh, it’severyone. Maverick’s parents, and all the town folk that I’ve been talking to. They all think I should just stop working, sit down, put my feet up, and enjoy being Maverick’s wife. But what would I even do with my time, Jaydy? You know my little shop has been my lifelong dream!”
A question no other woman in all of Salem would have ever asked herself.
I had to laugh at Pansy’s authentic frustration. “See, this is why I love you. The main reason everyone in this town wanted to marry Maverick is because it would mean unlimited power and money for them. Whereas you... you married him for love, and now you’re back working. By yourself. Again.”
She flitted her eyelashes at me. “Well... Ihavehired a couple of local girls to help me. Just on weekends, and stuff to make life a little easier when it’s busy.”
I clapped my hands. “That’s more like it. A good boss knows when to delegate.”
Pansy took my card, tapped it, then handed it back.
I narrowed my eyes at her. “Receipt?”
She tore it off and shook her head, sliding the receipt into her cash register. “Nope. You don’t need it,” she assured me. She wastoogenerous for her own good.
“Pansy. I hope you charged me enough to cover the cost of everything.”
She grinned at me. “Of course, I did.”
Bullshit.“You’re generous to a fault, you know that?”
Not one for compliments, Pansy waved her hand dismissively and changed the subject. “So, what are you doing for Christmas Day? Do you have any plans, yet?”
“Well,” I began, taking my package from her, “my parents are actually coming to my place for lunch.”
“Really?” Pansy’s surprise was a palpable thing, her eyebrows lifting high up her forehead.
I couldn’t help but giggle at her response. “Yeah, I know. My parents... the grinches, are coming back to Salem for Christmas.” It would be the first time my parents had seen my new little house too. “What about you Pansy?” I deflected.
She leaned forward on the counter, “We’re kind of everywhere. Breakfast with my parents, then lunch with Mav’s uncle in England, and maybe back here for dinner. I’m not sure yet.”
There was a line forming behind me, so I stepped to the side once more. “Well, you married ladies need to keep everyone happy, don’t you?”
Pansy snorted. “Yeah, whatever. Hey, if your parents, you know, change their plans or whatever... come here for dinner. We’ll have more than enough food and wine to celebrate the holiday and we’d love to have you—you know that right?”
I inhaled sharply through my nose, combatting the emotions rising within my chest.She’s so damn sweet.“Thanks lovely, but I’ll be fine.” I’d spent more than one Christmas with Pansy and her parents, but Pansy had her own husband now.
She had a new family to enjoy and build. She didn’t need me hanging around like a fifth wheel at every given chance.
I waved goodbye and walked home, not enjoying the chill in the air or the bite at my skin. As soon as I got back to my modern little townhouse, I rushed up the path and quickly raced inside. “Brrr... It’s so cold in here.” I set down my bag and flicked my hands around, magicking up some hot cocoa in a mug and getting the fireplace cheerily burning.
Christmas was literally three days away and I didn’t even have a tree! “Pathetic.” I chastised myself.Where is my festive spirit?I pulled up my sleeves, figuratively speaking, and got to work. The Christmas theme colors I decided on were simple and classy. White, silver and red.Yes... that looks right. I conjured up a massive tree to feature in the corner of my living room. It stretched all the way to the ceiling! Then I artfully decorated the branches with baubles and lights and finalized it with a huge sparkling silver star on top.
Next, the windows, they needed a little natural greenery and perhaps a bauble here and there. Then a red tablecloth spread itself over my large glass dining room table, and new silver and red throw pillows manifested on the couch.
When I was done, the fire was blazing, and my heart sang with happiness. “Yes. Now, that’s looking a lot more like Christmas!” I said, twirling around my living room. “Oh... the staircase.” I wandered over to the stairs that lead up to my bedroom, then used my magic to wrap the hand railing with gleaming red tinsel and adorned it with white and silver baubles.
When I was done, it looked awesome. “Now... for the menu.” I wandered into the kitchen and started flipping through magazines and planning out Christmas lunch. It would be my first-time hosting.
I could use my magic to get all the food ready on the day but planning and thinking about how I wanted everything to taste, and look, helped when it came to the actual casting of the spells.
By the time I went to bed I had also planned out gifts for every friend I had. I was an only child, as were both of my parents. I had no cousins, no aunts or uncles, but it was Christmas and I had people I loved. They’d all receive the very best I could magic up.
