Gifted Magick by April Aasheim

Author:April Aasheim [Aasheim, April]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dark Root Press
Published: 2019-07-23T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

(Merry)

Merry’s Mentionables (Now on Main)

“Miss… what were you saying about this vase?” a balding man asked, snapping his fingers before Merry’s eyes.

Merry smiled, realizing she had trailed off mid-sentence. “My apologies, Mr. Jeffries. I was just out at looking at the sky. This weather is crazy, huh?”

He shrugged, unconcerned. “I just want to know about the vase. Is it worth anything or not? If you don’t take it, I’ll see about taking it to that show that pays you for the stuff in your attic.”

Standing at her shop counter, Merry examined the dark green piece of pottery more carefully this time, already knowing she couldn’t buy it. “That’s an early 20th century Teco Vase. I’m betting you can fetch two or three thousand at auction.” She ran her fingers wistfully along the smooth vase.

“But not here, huh?” he asked, pulling the vase away.

“Sorry. I’m just a small business, and I’ve already blown my purchasing budget for the month.”

Mr. Jeffries begrudgingly left Merry’s Mentionables, threatening a bad review.

The wind blew hard outside, knocking over bicycles, tipping trashcans and tilting the rain. Though it was only 5:40, Merry turned over the CLOSED sign. Her heart fluttered too much to work; she had already dropped one expensive cup today. Fortunately, she thought she could mend it with a heal spell.

“You doing okay?” she called to June Bug, assigned to her studies in the backroom. Merry poked her head through the curtain and caught her daughter furiously sending texts instead of cracking the books, her tongue poked out the corner of her mouth. “I suppose this means your book report is done?”

“Done enough,” Jun Bug said, lifting a shoulder. “I’m just talking to Erin. She’s feuding with Auntie Eve over tables. Drama!” June Bug smiled gleefully as she returned to her mad texting.

Merry lifted the notebook on June Bug’s table desk, reading the report: Alice in Wonderland is a story about a girl who wants to go on an adventure but her mean older sister makes her study.

Merry pursed her lips as she flipped over the piece of paper, looking for more words. Relax, she told herself. School was out for almost two weeks. Maybe I’m driving her too hard?

“How about we get ice cream after this?” Merry asked, handing back with the paper. “We can talk about Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland over a chocolate and vanilla swirl?”

“Nah! Erin’s taking me for a latte when her shift is up.”

“After your little tantrum in Dip Stix? I don’t think so. You’re staying here, with me, until it’s time to go home.”

Merry returned to the front room to find places for her new inventory. Her mind buzzed with worry: from potential Hellhounds in the forest to her daughter’s changing demeanor. June Bug had always been a mommy’s girl, mirroring her mother in both looks and manner, but now she was morphing into an entirely new person. She listened to bands with names like Killy-Willy and Sulphuric Ionade. She kept a locked diary. And now she

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