Thanks for stopping by! Tabitha and Everleigh popped into my head during the COVID-19 pandemic. I had so much fun with this story I wanted to write another one. But the second story wants to become a novel. I think Everleigh may have hexed me.
I hope you enjoy "Cakes, Cookies and Conjuring"!
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Tabitha Abbot placed a fresh tray of frosted tulip-shaped sugar cookies in the display case when the little silver bell on the street entrance door of The Enchanted Bakery rang merrily. Ozone from the spring thunderstorm followed Leslie Wilkinson inside and mixed with the vanilla and sugar in the air of the little shop. From behind the counter, Tabitha grinned as Leslie shook raindrops from her umbrella.
“I was beginning to think you forgot about Judge Reilly’s retirement party this afternoon,” Tabitha teased. Well, it wasn’t true teasing. She feared Leslie would call and ask to have the cake delivered in the downpour.
“Nope.” Leslie pushed back the hood of her raincoat to reveal her short gray hair with raspberry highlights. “More like we were swamped in the Clerk’s Office.”
“Something going on?” Tabitha asked as she retrieved the cake the courthouse staff had purchased for the party from the completed order shelf.
Leslie laughed. “Just the usual April rush between taxes due and fishing license applications.”
Tabitha lifted the lid of the cake box so her customer and friend could examine the finished product. “This what you had in mind?”
It was a standard half sheet cake, but Everleigh had created a fondue sculpture of Judge Reilly fleeing his bench with his robes flying behind him.
“It’s perfect!” Leslie looked up at Tabitha. “Honey, I don’t know how you do it.”
“It’s the fairy in the back room.” She winked, and Leslie laughed. It was amazing how much passed under the noses of mortals simply by telling them the truth. “Where did you park?”
Leslie exhaled wearily. “I walked.”
Dang. Even though the courthouse was only three blocks away, chances were the box, and therefore the cake, would be ruined, if not by the spring storm, then by Leslie dropping them as she juggled the cake and her umbrella. Looked like she’d be making that delivery after all.
“I’ll drive you and cake over to the courthouse. Let me tell Everleigh I’m stepping out for a moment.” Tabitha charged through the swinging door to the back of the shop to retrieve her own yellow rain slicker.
Everleigh stood on a stepstool, the only way she could reach the counter designed for average humans. The fairy looked up from dabbing strawberry preserves in the middle of the peanut butter and jelly thumbprint cookies she was making. “You sure you want to be out in that storm. You might melt.”
“I wouldn’t be talking smack around so many steel implements,” Tabitha shot back.
Everleigh sniffed. “I knew I should have taken that position at Keebler.”
Tabitha normally took the fairy’s sarcasm in stride, but that comment made her pause as she reached for her slicker. “You do know they don’t really have elves working for them, don’t you?”
Everleigh rolled her eyes. “You do know that was a joke, don’t you?”
“Sometimes, I’m not sure with you.” Tabitha shrugged on her raincoat. “And you do make mistakes. Like the rock band during last fall’s Main Street Monster Mash?”
The fairy sniffed again. “That drummer shouldn’t have been wearing those contacts to make his eyes look yellow. A real werewolf would have decimated this town within a week.”
“You’re damn lucky he thought you were high and didn’t press assault charges,” Tabitha retorted as she grabbed her purse. “I need to go out for a few minutes.”
Luckily, Everleigh dropped the discussion, climbed down from her perch, and followed Tabitha to the front of the shop.
“Hi, Everleigh!” At least, Leslie knew better than to hug the diminutive woman.
The fairy planted her tiny fists on her equally tiny hips and glared up at the human. “If you wanted delivery, you could have just paid the delivery charge, you cheapskate.”
“Everleigh!” Tabitha deliberately nudged the fairy’s shoulder with her hip, hoping she’d take the hint.
The color in Leslie’s cheeks nearly matched her highlights. “I was planning to walk back. I didn’t ask for a ride. Tabitha offered.”
“Uh-huh.” Everleigh stalked around the counter and climbed up on the stool Tiffany kept there so the fairy could ring up transactions when she was out. Other than the dismissive noise, Everleigh seemed to drop the subject for now.
“Be right back.” Car fob in her hand, Tabitha carefully picked up the cake.
Leslie held open the side door for her into the building’s dividing hallway. The Enchanted Bakery took up one half of the first floor of what had been the downtown Apple’s Department Store decades ago. Mama Jo’s Yarn and Crafts took up the other half. The second floor was divided into one decent size two-bedroom apartment where Tabitha and Everleigh lived and two smaller apartments that were rented out to three graduate students from the University of Willowbrook who actually prized their quiet and solitude as they worked on their theses.
“I’m sorry about Everleigh,” Tabitha murmured. “I don’t know what’s gotten into her lately.”
Leslie snorted. “Honey, she’s always like that.” A forlorn expression came over her face. “I really didn’t mean for you to do this. My car broke down again.”
Tiffany thumbed the fob to her little sedan parked in the back of the building in the lot reserved for the tenants. “You promised to get it into the shop. I told you my fix wouldn’t keep the radiator going for long.” Considering her temporary repair consisted of bubblegum and a sticky spell, it was a wonder it lasted as long as it did.
“I know.” Leslie grimaced. “How about we get in your car and you can lecture me on the way to the courthouse?”
The two women dashed through the rain to the car. Tabitha set the cake in the back seat before climbing in the driver’s side. Leslie settled in the passenger seat and exhaled. Her breath steamed up the windows, so Tabitha pressed the ignition button and turned the defroster to full power.
“The real reason I accepted your offer for the ride is I didn’t want to tell you this in front of Everleigh and get her upset.” Leslie sighed again. “The county commissioners and city council sold the Falkland Building to Apollo Coffee and Tea.”
A chill ran through Tabitha. “Why would they even want to touch the Falkland Building? The renovations would set them back more than a new building would cost. Not to mention, their CEO Lawrence Beaker considers Willowbrook too small of a market for one of their cafés.”
“We’re not that small,” Leslie protested.
“That’s what his press release said two years ago when Mayor West tried to woo Apollo to open here,” Tabitha countered.
“But West is no longer the mayor, is he?” Leslie shrugged. “The renovations was the only way the commissioners and the council would agree to Apollo coming into our community, and Spartan Tires agreed to pony up some of the money for the restoration.”
Double crap. The Falkland Building was directly across the street from The Enchanted Bakery. Tabitha depended on the morning donut runs from the local offices for a large chunk of her income. What would happen if the accountants and administrative assistants from the Spartan Tire corporate offices decided her little café wasn’t worth crossing the street?
Tabitha swallowed her apprehension and tried to come up with a plan. “Do they have a projected opening date?”
“June 1st,” Leslie said.
Triple crap. Tiffany gritted her teeth. She and Everleigh had less than six weeks to come up with a plan to save their business.
##
Later that evening, Tabitha was still chewing on the news while she made dinner.
“Did a grimchun crawl up your ass and eat your vocal cords?” Everleigh barked.
Tabitha jumped and droplets of marinara sauce splashed across the stove and wall. Everleigh gestured and mumbled under her breath. The faucet turned on and dampened the dishcloth, which then floated over to the stove and wiped up the sauce.
“What’s a grimchun?” Tabitha asked as her friend magically cleaned tomato juice and onion off the wall.
“Nasty little bastards.” Everleigh waved her hand in a pattern to rinse off the dishcloth and return it to its rack. “In Fey, they like to crawl into any orifice if you haven’t warded your home or your campsite properly.” She propped her fists on her hips. “What’s wrong? You’ve been pensive since you returned from carting that cake to the courthouse for free.”
Tabitha set the wooden spoon she’d been using to stir the sauce in the spoon rest. “You can’t keep insulting people like you did with Leslie this morning. We’re going to lose customers.”
“Humans get off being treated like crap.” Everleigh threw back her head and laughed. “It’s the reason I tell you to be a little bitchier to your dates.”
“This is serious.” The initial anxiety Tabitha experienced in her car came back with the fury of a hurricane. “There’s an Apollo Coffee and Tea shop moving into the Falkland Building across the street.”
All the cocky attitude drained out of Everleigh. “Well, that’s just craptastic. Do you know what their record is for driving out small businesses?”
“Yes, I do.” Tabitha threw her hands into the air. “Why do you think I’m worried?”
“Do you want to end our business partnership?” Everleigh asked in a very small voice.
“No! Of course not!” Tabitha stared at her friend. “How could you even think that?”
“I’m an outcast.” Everleigh’s face crumpled. “I think that every single day.” Huge tears rolled down her cheeks.
Tabitha knelt and hugged the smaller woman. “You’ve been my best friend since I was five. I am not letting you go.”
She had discovered Everleigh in her playhouse the summer before she started kindergarten. The fairy had been a literal bloody mess, her delicate wings ripped from her back as well as other assorted injuries. Tabitha had dragged her mother into the backyard and begged her to heal the fairy. Mom made a face and muttered it was against her better judgement. But they cared for Everleigh, and the fairy slowly recovered.
The night of the next full moon, the fairy tribe came for Everleigh. Mom argued they had cast her out according to their traditions and whatever happened to her after that was none of their business. A few spells convinced the tribe a witch wasn’t someone to mess with, especially in her own back yard. Everleigh had stayed by Tabitha’s side ever since, even through business and culinary school.
Everleigh drew back, sniffed, and scrubbed the wetness from her cheeks. “I can hex the construction crew—”
“No,” Tabitha said sternly. “We are not harming anyone.”
“If a nail gun malfunctions, OSHA will shut down the job site and investigate.”
“No harm,” Tabitha repeated. “Besides, we’d only be delaying the inevitable.”
Everleigh scrunched her face. “If we want The Enchanted Bakery to survive, we need to come up with something that will knock the public’s socks off their smelly human feet.”
##
For the next five weeks, Mom and the cousins kept up with the regular baked goods while Tabitha and Everleigh experimented with various desserts. It needed to be portable. Not too heavy. Not too light. Satisfying. A blend of complimentary flavors, but in a new combination, something the people of a Midwestern town like Willowbrook would think of as exotic and fresh.
Each Friday afternoon, Tabitha walked down to the County Clerk’s office with a tray of new desserts. Leslie didn’t have to work hard to get her colleagues to evaluate the treats. They simply couldn’t have one if they didn’t fill out her anonymous questionnaires.
Unfortunately, the renovations across the street was a regular topic of conversation when customers came into The Enchanted Bakery. However, Everleigh made the effort to be super polite and pleasant to the clientele.
To the extent the new account manager at Corner National Bank asked her out, which she politely and graciously declined. Even Mom was amazed by the fairy’s change in attitude.
Tabitha prayed her friend’s efforts and their new recipes would help their shop survive the opening of the major chain. Each day that passed brought The Enchanted Bakery closer to the moment of truth.
On the Sunday night before Apollo Tea and Coffee’s grand opening, Tabitha stood at the living room window and stared at the Falkland Building. With sunset, most of the businesses had closed, and the pedestrians had disappeared from the sidewalks. An occasional vehicle rolled down Main Street. Across the asphalt and concrete road, clean glass and brass fixtures twinkled beneath the antique-style street lights in anticipation of the brand new store’s debut.
Everleigh joined her at the window. “I could still hex their water pipes.”
“No,” Tabitha said without taking her eyes from the potential death of her dream. “I’m not deliberately courting bad karma.”
“Survival isn’t courting bad karma,” Everleigh murmured. “And I’ve seen humans do worse things for lesser reasons. They don’t seem to care about karma.”
“But they don’t have the power we do.” Tabitha looked at her friend. Sometimes, she forgot how different Everleigh’s culture was. “Would fairies hex each other in a similar situation?”
Everleigh gasped. “No! Never! I—” She sighed and leaned her elbows on the window sill. “I get your point. If we’re going to pretend to be mortals, we win customers by being ourselves.”
“That’s how we have to do it,” Tabitha affirmed. “For our own survival.”
##
Monday morning’s business was as slow as Tabitha and Everleigh feared. Across the street, people lined up for half a block. However, the few customers who came into The Enchanted Bakery raved about the samples of Everleigh’s new apple and cheddar croissants. They sold a few dozen of the new baked good, but no one touched their usual doughnuts or muffins.
Everleigh brought out a tray of her dark chocolate and cinnamon cupcakes from the kitchen. She stared at the display case. “This isn’t looking good.”
“It’s just the first day.” Tabitha wiped down the back counter for the umpteenth time.
Everleigh slid the tray of cupcakes onto the top shelf of the display case before she propped her hands on her hips and looked up at Tabitha. “I’d believe you if this place didn’t look like it was bleached within an inch of its life. You only clean like this when you’re upset.”
“You’re not hexing anyone or anything.” Tabitha glared back.
“Wasn’t offering.” Everleigh climbed up on her stool. “I’ll watch the store while you go across the street and get us some coffee.”
“Coffee?” Tabitha cocked her head. “Since when do you drink coffee?”
“Tall dark chocolate mocha, two shots of Valencia syrup, and whip, please.” Everleigh folded her hands and rested them on the counter.
Tabitha pursed her lips before she said, “You want me to spy on them.”
“No, I want coffee,” Everleigh answered primly. “Why else did you stick a few bills in your pants’ pocket?”
Tabitha shook her head. Of course, Everleigh had seen her slip her share of last week’s tip jar in her khaki’s. She reached behind her and untied her apron. “All right. I’ll get you some coffee.”
With the late spring sun shining overhead, Tabitha slipped on her sunglasses. Everleigh snorted behind Tabitha as she shoved open the street door, the silver bell jingling. It wasn’t a disguise. She was protecting her eyes no matter what her partner thought.
She crossed at the street corner. The line for Apollo’s was inside the new store this late in the morning. She pulled open the sparkling glass door and stepped into the cool interior.
The tables inside Apollo’s were packed with customers. She waited patiently until she reached the section of the counter set aside for placing orders.
Unfortunately, Margo Wallace stood there, ringing up customers. “Why, Tabitha! So nice to see you! Checking out the competition!” She said it loud enough to attract the attention of everyone in the café.
Tabitha bit her bottom lip. The closest Margo ever came to being a businessperson was helping her mother run their family’s beauty supply shop. Ever since Tabitha had challenged Margo for a seat on the Willowbrook Chamber of Commerce, the redhead seemed to have it out for her.
Now, she knew how the approval for Apollo’s was passed, and why another corporation put up part of the money for the Falkland Building restoration. Margo’s husband Robert was the CEO of Spartan Tires.
“No competition.” Tabitha forced a smile. “We don’t serve coffee, and Everleigh wanted to try some. Apollo’s is supposed to be the best in the country.”
“Everleigh’s never had coffee before?” Margo scoffed. “What kind of American has never tried coffee?”
Tabitha shrugged. “I’m pretty sure she’s had some before.” She rattled off her partner’s order.
“And you?” Margo smiled coyly with the marker in her hand.
“A tall cinnamon caramel macchiato.” Tabitha worked hard to keep a pleasant expression on her face and raised her own voice. “I think that will pair nicely with our new dark chocolate and cinnamon cupcakes.”
Margo blinked at Tabitha’s change of the game. “All right.” She scribbled the order on the paper coffee cup.
Tabitha paid for the order and walked down to the pick-up area. The two baristas worked like the proverbial well-oiled machine, but the guy looked to be in his late thirties where the woman appeared to be in her early twenties at best.
The guy with Justin on his nametag winked as he slipped the protective sleeve on Everleigh’s mocha. “Can I reserve one of those cupcakes?”
Tabitha grinned. “Sure.” She lowered her voice. “But won’t you get in trouble with Margo?”
Justin glanced at her before he turned back to Tabitha, all while working the espresso machine. “Don’t worry,” he murmured. “I’ve got dirt on her if she says anything.” He shrugged as he topped her coffee with caramel drizzle. “However, I will bring a cinnamon caramel macchiato with me to test your theory.”
Tabitha chuckled as she accepted the second cup from him. “Thanks. Your cupcake will be waiting.”
He saluted before he turned to work on the next order.
“Enjoy your coffee, Tabitha,” Margo’s voice rang out.
Despite everything she’d told Everleigh over the last five and a half weeks, Margo’s fake shrill cheer was the last straw. Tabitha looked over her shoulder and yelled, “Thanks!”
When she whirled around, she mumbled the hex under her breath as she pushed the door open to leave. The cash register squealed like a dying rat.
“Justin!” Margo shrieked. “Help me.”
Tabitha glanced in the window. The register’s tape dispenser was shooting paper all over the place, and the cash drawer open and closed like it was possessed.
Everleigh eyed her suspiciously when Tabitha returned with their coffees. “What did you do?”
“What are you talking about?” Tabitha handed the orange mocha to her partner.
“Between the canary-eating cat smile and the smell of magic, you’re acting terribly suspicious.” Everleigh slurped her drink.
“Margo Wallace is managing Apollo’s.”
Everleigh grinned. “What did you hex?”
“The register.”
“It’s Margo. She deserved it. Think of it as her karma coming home to roost.”
Tabitha groaned. “I shouldn’t have done that. The people working for her don’t deserve me messing with their business. You know she’ll take her bad mood out on them.”
“She takes her bad mood out on everyone in Willowbrook.” Everleigh slurped more coffee. “Just because her husband heads up the town’s biggest employer, she thinks she’s queen.”
“I still shouldn’t have—” Tabitha stared at the display case. “What happened to all the new cupcakes?”
“Sold them.” Everleigh’s eyes twinkled over the rim of her cup.
“All four dozen?”
“Yes.” Everleigh grinned. “Don’t worry. There’s a batch cooling in the kitchen and another batch in the oven. And your cousin Lexie is mixing another batch as we speak. Before you say anything, they’re already spoken for.”
“Who?”
“Casa Tortilla didn’t get their dessert shipment. Rosa was desperate.”
“Wait! I need one cupcake for an order.”
“One? Only one?”
Tabitha’s cheeks heated at the flirtatious wink Justin the barista had given her and her promise to him. “Just one.”
Everleigh rolled her eyes. “Then I’d better finish my coffee and get back to the kitchen. Rosa’s expecting the next batch before the dinner rush. I already told her we’d have to substitute some Heaven Sent and Angel and Devil cupcakes.”
##
The second Everleigh disappeared into the kitchen, the lunch crowd started trickling into the shop. Apparently, the dark chocolate cinnamon cupcakes were a hit at Casa Tortilla, and the staff told their customers the source. The clientele were disappointed they were out of the specialty cupcakes, but they were willing to buy cookies, scones, and other flavors of cupcakes.
Surprisingly, the flow of customers didn’t slow down. The news of Everleigh’s latest concoction was spreading through town like crazy. Tabitha had orders well into the fall.
Rosa’s son Al showed up at three in the afternoon to collect the Mexican restaurant’s order. He said their phone had been ringing off the hook with requests and, in some cases, demands for the new cupcakes.
Everything sold out by the time closing time rolled around. Tabitha followed the last customer to the door, but before she could turn the sign and lock the door, Justin’s pleading face appeared in the window. She opened the door once again and made a point of flipping the sign to “CLOSED”.
“Come in.” She gestured for him to enter. “Quick before someone sees you.”
“Like Margo?” He chuckled. An Apollo coffee cup was firmly grasped in his hand.
“If only it were that simple.” Her phone beeped, and she checked it. Another order for the chocolate cinnamon cupcakes. “I didn’t expect our new recipe to explode like it did.” She slid her phone into her pocket and faced Justin again. “Give me a sec. I did manage to save one for you like I promised.”
Tabitha ran to the kitchen and retrieved the white single-item box she’d set aside for him. Thankfully, Everleigh had gone upstairs to nap for a couple of hours. They’d be up late, getting a head start on tomorrow’s orders.
When Tabitha returned to the front room with a napkin and a fork, Justin sat at the closer of the two small tables for customers. She handed him the box and utensils.
“Why don’t you join me?” He waved at the other chair.
“All right.” She grabbed a bottle of water form the soft drink cooler and sat down across from him.
“Do you want a bite?” He opened the box and pushed it to the center of the table.
“Goddess, no!” She laughed. “I have to run a couple of miles every day to keep my taste testing off my butt.”
Justin cut into the rich cake piled high with mocha cinnamon frosting. He chewed the bite with a thoughtful expression, like he was analyzing the flavors. He swallowed and sipped his coffee.
“You’re right.” He nodded. “That does pare well with our cinnamon caramel macchiato.” He set the fork in the box and looked her in the eye. “How much for the recipes?”
“Excuse me?” Tabitha leaned away from the table.
‘How much for the cupcake and frosting recipes?” Like restating the question would make a difference.
“I’m sorry.” She crossed her arms. “Our recipes are not for sale.”
He pulled a checkbook from his back pocket. “I’m serious. Name your figure. I already know you supply this dessert to a local restaurant.”
She cocked her head. “Why on earth would a barista think he could buy our hard work?”
“Because I’m a barista who is a silent partner in Apollo’s Coffee and Tea.”
“What?” Her mouth was hanging open, but she couldn’t seem to close it. “Who are you?”
“Justin Beaker. My cousin is the face and money man. I do product selection and store openings.” He shrugged. “I’m trying to get Larry to help smaller towns.”
“How?” she demanded.
“Renovate historic sites like the Falkland Building.” He waved in the general direction of Apollo’s. “Resuscitate small town Main Streets. Create more jobs than just service industry positions.”
“That’s very noble.” She shook her head. “But I’m not interested in selling any of our recipes.”
Justin moved the fork so it fit inside the box and closed the lid. “Think about my offer. And let me know what your business partner says.” He stood, laid a hundred-dollar bill on the table, and placed his checkbook into his back pocket. “Your cupcakes are delicious, Ms. Abbot.”
With that, he picked up the box with the remnants of his cupcake and left the shop. The silver bell tingled dully behind him.
Tabitha unfolded her tight arm muscles, forced herself to her feet, and strode over to lock the doors.
##
When Everleigh woke up, Tabitha relayed Justin’s offer. The fairy whistled and started pacing in their living room. “So Apollo CEO Lawrence Beaker sends his cousin Justin to be his hatchet man.”
“Well?” Tabitha asked after Everleigh’s fifth trip across the rug.
The fairy propped her fists on her hips and cocked her head. “Our recipes are our business. Do you want to accept his offer?”
“Hell, no! I hate that he thought he could just buy me.” Tabitha sucked in a deep breath. “Do you want to sell the business?”
“No. Can I hex him now?”
Tabitha laughed. “Not him. At least, not directly.”
Everleigh’s eyes narrowed. “So what’s your plan?”
“Rosa gave me a good idea. We supply desserts to every other restaurant in town.”
##
On Tuesday morning, Operation Spread the Wealth was launched. It turned out The Enchanted Bakery wasn’t the only business Justin tried flirt his way into or cause problems with.
Rachel at Night Club Café said Justin had tried to convince her to come manage the new Apollo’s. She laughed in his face, and suddenly, she had problems with her suppliers. She grabbed onto Tabitha’s offer of a deal to carry liquor-flavored brownies during her Friday and Saturday open mike nights.
Rosa got exclusive rights to carry the dark chocolate cinnamon cupcakes at Casa Tortilla which they served with a scoop of River City’s Vanilla Bean ice cream.
Harold at River City Ice Cream and Fine Chocolates wanted something to go with their seasonal peach ice cream. Everleigh came up with a pecan cupcake with bourbon and brown sugar frosting.
For Wong’s Garden, Tabitha developed an almond cupcake with egg white frosting. In return, the Wongs let her carry the oolong tea they imported directly from China.
When Tabitha told Mom what she and Everleigh were up against, all the Abbot women in the county showed up at the bakery’s back door. They had the kitchen running twenty-four hours a day.
Over the course of June, customers were still going to Apollo’s for morning coffee, but no one was eating there. Everleigh finally admitted she magically amplified the taste of the preservatives in Apollo’s prepackaged food.
Near the end of the business day on July 1st, the silver bell jangled on The Enchanted Bakery’s street door. Tabitha looked up to find Justin entering. He crossed to the counter. Thankfully, all she had left in the display case were oatmeal raisin cookies.
“A simple no to my offer would have sufficed, Ms. Abbot,” he said.
“Does this mean you’re not going to flirt your way into my business again?” she asked, affecting an innocent air.
“Is that why you turned the entire town against me?” He frowned and crossed his arms. “Because you think I was flirting with you?”
“No, you made me realize my business wasn’t fulfilling its potential.” She matched his stance.
“What does your partner think about this?”
The kitchen door banged open, and Everleigh marched into the public area of the shop. “She thinks you approached the average-sized partner and ignored the little partner.”
“Excuse me?” Justin dropped his arms and stared at her.
Everleigh propped her fists on her hips. “You heard me. There’s even laws about treating me differently because I’m shorter than Tabitha. We both know why you approached her first. Same reason you tried to woo Rachel down at Night Club Café. Well, you can just stick it—”
“He got your point.” Tabitha returned her attention to Justin. “And we didn’t have to do a damn thing. You said you were trying to convince your cousin to invest in small towns. But between you and Margo, you’ve already shown that’s not the case.”
“All right.” Justin eyed Everleigh. “I’m making this offer directly to you both so there’s no misunderstanding. What would it take to buy out The Enchanted Bakery?”
“You really don’t get it.” Tabitha shook her head. “To you, this is just something you can throw money at. To us, this is our home. Our livelihood.”
“Margo is right about you.” He turned to leave.
As much as Tabitha wanted to ask him what he meant, to do so would have shown she cared. Besides, Goddess only knew what kind of crap Margo had made up. The silver bell jangled angrily as he jerked the door open and stomped outside.
“Tabitha?”
She turned to find Mom standing in the kitchen doorway. “Yes?”
“That boy has some bad karma coming his way.”
“But you always told me not to court bad karma myself.”
“I agree with your mother.” Everleigh’s shoulders were tense as she stared out the window at Justin’s receding back. He jaywalked across Main Street to the tune of several cars honking at him.
“I don’t want a war,” Tabitha murmured.
“You’ve already got one,” Mom said. “You’d better fight to win it.”
##
The next morning, Tabitha discovered Justin believed the same as Mom. A rat sat in the display case and munched on the oatmeal and raisin cookies she’d forgotten to remove. Instead of running, the rodent spoke to Everleigh.
“A human male with light skin and dark hair dropped him down the ventilation shaft from the roof,” she translated angrily. “Black Claw apologizes for eating our cookies, but the human hadn’t fed him for the past three days, and he was really hungry.”
“Is he all right?” Tabitha asked. Dang, Mom wasn’t joking about Justin. He could have killed the poor rat with the two-story fall.
“He says he is except for some bumps and bruises.” Everleigh stroked his fur, but she had the faraway look she got when she used her Second Sight. “No broken bones or internal injuries.”
The store phone started ringing, and Tabitha picked up the receiver. “The Enchanted Bakery.”
“Uh, hi, Tabby,” Kate McKenzie said. “Look, I hate calling you this early—”
Tabitha’s stomach turned upside down. “Are you at the Daily News?”
The editor hesitated before she said, “Yeah. Look, we received a picture from an unknown e-mail account. It appears to be taken through your store window, and it shows a rat sitting in your display case. I’m having it checked to see if it was altered—”
“Don’t bother,” Tabitha said angrily. “Everleigh’s pet rat escaped from its cage. I’m sure someone spotted him from the sidewalk. Don’t worry. I’m sanitizing the heck out of the bakery, and you can quote me on that. You also can add in your online article we’ll be late opening this morning.”
Kate hesitated before she said, “You sure about that, Tabby?”
“I’ve got nothing to hide.” She carefully replaced the receiver when she really wanted to slam it. She and Everleigh exchanged looks.
“I could hex their coffee—” the fairy began while she stroked the rat’s fur.
“No, we’re not hurting innocent people.”
“What about their espresso machines?”
Tabitha shook her head. “The kids working there don’t deserve to be injured or maimed either.” She cocked her head and regarded the rat. “Would your friend be interested in some revenge against the human who starved him?”
Everleigh and Black Claw squeaked back and forth a few times before the fairy grinned up at Tabitha. “He’s in, and he thinks his family would help.”
##
As soon as the Daily News’s online edition went live, the phone started ringing off the hook. A lot of people called to support Tabitha and Everleigh, but a few were downright nasty. It was also no surprise when the county health inspector showed up on their doorstep at noon.
“That didn’t look like no durn pet rat in the picture,” he grumbled from beneath his huge moustache.
“You’re more than welcome to check Black Claw’s cage in our apartment upstairs,” Tabitha said. “We’ve owned this shop ten years, and it’s the first time one of her pets has ever escaped.”
“You’ve had rats here for the last ten years?” The bushy eyebrows that matched his moustache climbed his forehead.
“Only upstairs in the apartment,” Everleigh asserted. “Never in the shop until Blackie escaped. He’s a smart one.”
“And we totally sanitized the shop,” Tabitha said for the umpteenth time that day.
“I still have to check everything,” The inspector said.
##
Three hours later, he’d checked every nook and cranny of The Enchanted Bakery. When he didn’t find so much as a dead fly in the store, he followed Everleigh up to the apartment. Thankfully, she convinced Black Claw the ruse was necessary. He agreed to the cage in return for an extra dozen oatmeal cookies.
In the end, the inspector did write them up for allowing a domestic animal in the store. It was a minor infraction and a much lower fine than a pest problem.
Once they closed the shop for the day, they released Black Claw from his cage. He squeaked to Everleigh, and she answered in kind.
“Is there a problem?” Tabitha asked.
“No, he’s merely confirming our offer.” The fairy smiled. “Can you drive him to Riverside Park so no one sees him?”
“No problem.”
Everleigh had Black Claw climb into a mesh shopping bag.
Tabitha headed downstairs with the bag, her purse, and her car fob. She stepped through the back door to find Margo standing by her car. Under her breath, Tabitha muttered a glamour spell to make the mesh beg appear empty. Margo didn’t appear to notice Black Claw.
“Why are you skulking back here?” Tabitha demanded.
“I-I—” Margo fidgeted. “I didn’t think he’d deliberately sabotage your bakery.”
“Who?” Tabitha suspected, but she wanted to hear it from the source.
“J-Justin.” Margo gulped. “Justin Beaker.”
“What do you mean about him sabotaging the bakery?” Tabitha demanded.
“H-he took the picture of the rat inside your shop.” Margo appeared to be on the edge of tears. “I think he put it inside somehow.”
Tabitha cocked her head. “Why are you telling me this now?”
“I thought bringing in a major chain like Apollo’s would help Willowbrook.” Margo hugged herself and could no longer meet Tabitha’s gaze. “But h-he’s…”
“He thinks he can buy anyone,” Tabitha said.
Margo nodded and sniffed loudly. “Is this what I look like to everyone in town?”
Maybe she was having a breakthrough in self-awareness. As much as Tabitha wanted to yell at Margo, she couldn’t.
“We’ve had differences of opinion, Margo, but I’ve never seen you deliberately try to damage someone’s livelihood.”
“I-I just wanted to learn from him.” Margo swiped at her cheeks. “My parents and my husband think I’m an idiot. All I wanted from them was some seed money to build something of my own.”
Tabitha blew out a deep breath. She understood the need of making something that was yours alone, but her family had always backed her dreams. “Margo, thank you for telling me. You can quit your job as manager, you know. You don’t have to follow Justin’s path.”
“But if I do, my parents and Robert will make fun of me.” Margo raised her head. Fat tears rolled down her face.
“Not if you tell them the truth,” Tabitha said softly. “Go home. Call in sick tomorrow if you need more time to think. Thank you for talking to me.”
Margo nodded and walked down the alley in the direction of the library.
Tabitha looked down at Black Claw. “If I had any doubts about our plan, they’re over now.”
##
At seven-forty-five the next morning, Black Claw and his relatives upheld their part of the bargain Everleigh had struck. Screams drew the fairy and Tabitha’s family from the kitchen.
They all stood at the window and watched patrons chased out of Apollo’s Tea and Coffee Café by thousands of rats. Some folks climbed on the wrought-iron tables and chairs on the sidewalk and danced in fear. Others raced in all direction, literally bringing car traffic on Main Street to a screeching halt.
Everleigh climbed up on her stool and dialed three digits on the antique rotary phone. “Hey, Meg! It’s Everleigh at The Enchanted Bakery. There’s something weird going on over at Apollo’s.” She paused. “Yep, people running all over the place and a zillion rats pouring out of the café.” Another pause. “Awww, thanks. I’ll make sure to save a dark chocolate cinnamon cupcake for you.”
She hung up, climbed down from the stool, and crossed back to the window. “Meg’s got 9-1-1 calls coming in like crazy.”
“It’s good people are watching out for each other,” Tabitha commented.
Outside, Leslie Wilkinson and three of her staff from the County Clerk’s office raced across the street, making a beeline for The Enchanted Bakery. Honking filled the air, and the rats were starting their escape now that their work was done.
“Mom, would you start another pot of black tea?” Tabitha asked. “I think we’re going to need it.”
Mom and the cousins all headed back for the kitchen, chuckling amongst themselves.
“Would you double the order of oats?” Everleigh looked up at Tabitha. “Those rats earned their cookies.”
##
Video of the rat invasion at Apollo’s went viral and even appeared on the national evening news. Justin Beaker was last seen slinking aboard a jet in Toledo. Lawrence Beaker issued a statement that opening a café in Willowbrook had been a mistake, one he would thoroughly investigate.
Four weeks after the Great Rat Invasion, Margo strode into The Enchanted Bakery with a bright smile on her face.
“What can I do for you?” Tabitha asked.
“I need a dozen assorted doughnuts, but I’m really here for a business proposal.”
“Oh.” Tabitha raised an eyebrow while she filled the white cardboard box. “What kind of proposal?”
“My parents are buying the Falkland Building.” Excitement danced in Margo’s eyes. “Lawrence Beaker is selling it for a song after the vermin incident. The doughnuts are for staff at the title company.” She took a deep breath and released it. “I going to open a pub in the old Apollo Café. Mom and Dad are letting me lease-to-buy the building.”
“A pub? That’s great.” Tabitha closed and sealed the box.
“And I was hoping you and Everleigh might be willing to develop three new desserts exclusive to my pub like you have for some of the other restaurants.” Margo had a sheepish expression. “That was one of my parents’ conditions for the pub.”
Everleigh came out of the kitchen with a tray of lemon lavender cookies. “Try one of these and see if it fits your requirements.”
Margo picked a cookie off the tray and took a bite. “Umm!” Her eyes widened. “These are wonderful.” A concerned look crossed her face. “I don’t suppose you could do a cake version of these cookies?”
“I’ll get to work on it plus some other selections for you to choose from.” Everleigh smiled brightly.
“Here’s a down payment for the research and development.” Margo pulled an envelope out of her shoulder bag along with bills to pay for the doughnuts. “Let me know when you’re ready for a taste-testing. And would you walk the contract over to me across the street when you have the chance?” If anything, Margo’s expression grew more sheepish. “I’ll be over there, helping with the remodeling. I’m actually looking forward to getting my hands dirty.”
“Sure thing.” Tiffany said.
Margo popped the rest of the cookie in her mouth before she shook Tabitha’s and Everleigh’s hands in turn. “See you later!” She took the box of doughnuts and strode out of the bakery.
Everleigh placed the tray in the empty section of the display case and wiped her hands on her apron. “Karma?”
“Karma.” Tabitha nodded.
“I still don’t get some human behavior, but I’ll concede your point about actions and reactions.” Everleigh started back toward the kitchen, but she pivoted to face Tabitha again. “Speaking of karma, we’re going to need to hire more people if we supply another restaurant. Even with your family working here, our combined talents aren’t going to keep up.”
“I know.”
“No mortals,” Everleigh added.
“I know.” Tabitha grinned. “I’ll have Mom put out feelers through the coven grapevine.”
The fairy exited to the kitchen, and Tabitha opened the envelope. There were enough zeros on the check to make any deal with Margo worthwhile.
Yes, this was why she paid attention to karma. You never knew when the wheel would come around for you.
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