Three Holidays and a Wedding by Uzma Jalaluddin & Marissa Stapley

Author:Uzma Jalaluddin & Marissa Stapley [Jalaluddin, Uzma & Stapley, Marissa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2023-09-26T00:00:00+00:00

ELEVEN

Anna

December 22

Anna headed out of the Turkish coffee shop toward a storefront across the street that had caught her eye: June’s Cauldron. She was drawn to June’s glittering window display of crystals, candles in unique glass jars, and essential oils in little brown glass bottles. Maybe she could find something in here for the mehndi party and something to help deal with the smell in her room.

Inside, Anna was immediately greeted by the scent of incense burning, and a striking woman with blue-black hair, dark lipstick, and a long violet velvet dress that swept the ground as she walked. “Come on in, warm up, have a look around! I’m June. Holler if you need me,” she said in a bell-like voice before returning to the ledger she was writing in.

Anna picked up a brown glass spray bottle labeled “Energy-Cleansing Room Spray,” which, according to the ingredients list, contained essence of palo santo, rosemary, clary sage, and hyssop.

“That is our strongest, most effective oil blend,” said June, glancing at Anna over the rims of her reading glasses.

“You don’t know what I’m dealing with here, but I’ll try it,” Anna said with a good-natured grimace, setting it on the counter.

“Oh, dear, some bad energy?”

“A bad smell,” Anna said, wrinkling her nose. “Actually, what’s your strongest-scented candle, too?”

June showed her the candle display, and Anna chose a pine-and-cedar blend. “Very festive,” June said, nodding her approval. Anna browsed around more, finding a box of brightly colored votives and some flower garlands she knew would be perfect for the party later.

As Anna stood at the register, preparing to pay, June looked at her appraisingly for a long moment before reaching under the counter and pulling out a little bottle of perfume oil, much like the one Anna had exploded all over Maryam on the plane. It had the words “Potion #9” scrawled in curlicue writing on a white label. The purple ink matched the inky purple of June’s dress.

“A gift for you, it’s the last of my batch.”

“What is it?”

“My exclusively formulated love potion number 9, but it’s also the most divine-smelling perfume oil I have—if you’re dealing with bad smells, as you said, it will help. Here.” June stood and lifted Anna’s hair, rubbed the oil on the back of her neck. Anna had to admit it did smell divine. “It has neroli, golden champa, cinnamon leaf . . . and a few secret ingredients,” June said.

Anna tried to pay her for the potion along with everything else, but June shook her head. “Potion number 9 can only ever be given away. Happy holidays, sweetie. Oh, and you might like the shop next door, too.”

Outside, Anna did as June had suggested and headed into Kate’s Kurios. Every letter was made of a different found object: teacups and saucers, candlesticks and thimbles, driftwood, netting, mosaic glass. When she pushed open the door of the shop, she saw that the chime that sounded above was made of tarnished old cutlery. Inside, Bing Crosby’s voice singing the “Holiday Inn Medley” flowed from the stereo.

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