Happily Ever After.....Maybe

Chapter Thirteen

I stumbled out of the Enchanted Forest of Death. My body was moving but I wasn't aware of what I was doing. I felt numb and empty inside like nothing inside me was alive anymore. I might as well be another soul living in that dreadful forest.
As Sugar Foot led me home and Grace followed I didn't even cry. Nope, I had no more tears to shed for Hayden Marx. When I arrived back at Capricious after leaving Sugar Foot at the stables I dragged my body into the Pub.
Tallulah immediately stood up from the wooden chair she was sitting in. She must have gotten back when I was at the enchanted forest. She brushed a strand of her black coarse hair away that had escaped from her bun. "I wasn't sure if you'll come home, I was thinking about sending the mounty out to search for you." She paused then continued, "Amaya, I'm so sorry about what I said in the market place. I shouldn't have brought up how Hayden is dead, you grieving over his loss is perfectly normal and you should be the one to choose when to move on. I shouldn't be pushing you towards Dylan and that stupid ball, I'm sorry."
"You were right, Tallulah."
She stepped back her eyes widen with surprised, "I am?"
I nodded, "Hayden is dead, there's no denying. I need to stop chasing after him and start chasing someone who's right here and obviously likes me." I smiled calmly.
Tallulah eyed me cautiously through her long dark eyelashes. "What happened to make you change your mind?"
"It doesn't matter anymore. Hayden can't be a part of my future, but Dylan can. He's the key to breaking my curse. He already likes me, I'm sure he's not far from loving me. Then I'll make myself love him and with his love I'll start to feel happiness and this whole curse thing will be over."
She shook her head at me, "Your attentions might be for the good, but the actions you're choosing I don't think are the way to go. You can't force yourself to love someone, it has to come in its own timing. Do you really think you could even feel happiness with Dylan if you don't truly love him?"
"I have to at least try." I pointed out.
Tallulah shrugged, "Then you go and try princess, but I'm telling you right now you shouldn't jump into things too quickly if you still love Hayden, or what you're trying to look for with Dylan you won't find it."
"I don't love Hayden okay?" I grasped my stomach as a sick feeling churned in my stomach. Tasting bile at the back of my mouth I dashed to the empty bucket we used for mopping the Pub's floors leaning down I threw up coughing as I did so. When I was done I wiped my mouth I closed my eyes feeling sicker than Grace who whined and looked up at me.
"Are you okay?" Tallulah asked concerned.
I nodded and stood slowly, "I think I'm going to go to bed, I must have ate something bad at Yugen." After the emotional day and just throwing up I felt drained.
Tallulah came over and picked up the mop bucket, "You go on up then, I'll take care of this. On my way back from Yugen I heard some folks talking about a few cases of fever in our town. Hopefully you're not getting sick."
Smiling gratefully at Tallulah I slowly climbed our narrow stairs. I tossed my burlap sack to my side of the bedroom and after slipping my red leather pants off I pulled my white cotton shirt down over my butt. My head just barely hit the feather pillow before I was out.

~

Sunlight streamed in through the window and I rubbed my eyes. My thoughts went to what happened with Hayden in the Enchanted Forest of Death last night but I pushed it out of my mind. No if he didn't want me to visit him then I wasn't going to think of him. In fact I was completely over Hayden Marx, I was going to go to this ball that Dylan's King was throwing for his son's birthday and I was going to dance with Dylan and any other handsome men that were there. Hayden won't be in any of my thoughts from now on.
I stood up and winced as I felt slightly sick to my stomach. I hope I wasn't getting sick. I had to go to this ball in three days. The ball! I groaned in frustration and a wave of disappointment washed over me, I had absolutely nothing to wear! I couldn't wear my dress I normally wore for work and I definitely couldn't wear my red leather pants to a big fancy ball! I would have to go some place and buy a nice gown to wear.
When I went down stairs to the pub I found Tallulah stirring what looked like scrabbled eggs. She had a plate of crispy bacon on the counter and was looking down at Grace who was begging, "No you can't have any bacon." She said in a cute little voice. She straightened up as she saw me and cleared her throated, "I wasn't talking to the dog."
I nodded and smiled holding back an urge to laugh, "Yeah sure you weren't." I took two pieces of bacon off the plate. Placing one behind my back for Grace to sneak while I nibbled on the other.
Tallulah laughed, "I saw that!"
I laughed and taking four oranges I started squeezing them to make orange juice for us. "We're not going to fight anymore about Dylan and Hayden are we?"
"No, you're my best friend Amaya, your life is your choice. I just hope you're not moving on too fast from Hayden."
"Don't you want me to break my curse?"
"Of course I do! I want you to be happy and to feel happiness, but true love is something special, Dylan may love you, but if you don't feel the same way then that isn't true love."
I thought about what she said. True love was something special I had felt it I was sure with Hayden. So why couldn't I feel the same with Dylan? Maybe love took time and I just needed more time to really truly love Dylan. Yes that's it, I just needed time to fall for Dylan after I fall for him then I could feel what I did with Hayden. "Speaking of Dylan, you don't happen to have any spare gowns laying around do you? I have nothing to wear for the ball."
"Unfortunately no, I bought a gown yesterday before leaving Yugen."
"Would you be okay working the Pub alone today so that I can go dress shopping?"
"Of course, let's eat some breakfast together first then you ride Tobias. Do you know where a dress shop is?"
I nodded thinking of the one I went to with Hayden in Agog. She had amazing talent and I wanted to go back there to find a gown. After eating delicious scramble eggs and bacon with the freshly squeezed orange juice I said goodbye to Tallulah and walked down the streets to the stables.
The stable boy at the stables recognized me and went to get Tobias ready for me. I stroke Sugar Foot while I waited, I wished I could borrow her again like I did the other day. Tobias was Tallulah's horse though and Sugar Foot only belong to a friend of Tallulah's, I didn't want to get in trouble by using Sugar Foot when I wasn't suppose to.
Once Tobias was ready I hopped on and I led slowly out of the town of Capricious. It didn't take me long to get back on the dirt path that took me to Agog. As I neared Agog I stared up at the huge stone walls as memories of when I was with Hayden came flooding back to me. I wish I could just forget about him, but I couldn't my time with Hayden every moment of it was amazing , it brought a smile to my face that eventually became another crack in my broken heart. I missed him, a part of me probably always will, no matter how much he hurt me.
The iron gates reached out toward Tobias and me and welcomed us with out stretched arms. I slowed to a trot as people mellowed about going about their daily lives. Vendors stood on the side shouting items they had for sale hoping someone would stop and buy something. Surprisingly Agog wasn't as busy as when I was here last time with Hayden. Now if only I could remember where that dress shop was, it wasn't on the Main Street that is for sure. Clicking my tongue I had Tobias go down a side street and then another. We must have walked down many side streets before finally I found the cute little shop on the corner Magdalena's Dress Shop! How could I forget the cute little glass front window with the mannequins dressed beautiful gowns.
Hopping down from Tobias I tied his reins to the post outside and then brushing off my red leather pants of any dust and dirt I made my way to the light green door of the dress shop. A little bell jingled on a string when I opened the door. Inside was just how I remember. The hard wooden floors and the olive green painted walls. To the side was still the room full of gowns of all different kinds: mermaid tight dresses, puffy dresses, fluffy dresses, dresses with too much sparkle and ones with not enough. Then there was the dressing room with the swinging door and the door marked employees. It was like walking through a time capsule back to when Hayden brought me here to buy a dress. An uneasy feeling came over me, what if this was a mistake being here, if I focused hard enough I could still imagine Hayden right over there helping me look through dresses. Before I could think about walking out Magdalena wearing another crazy dress of black with bows sewn everywhere, in her blond hair she had tied so many ribbons it was impossible to count them all.
"Ahhh welcome welcome my friend Magdalena's Dress Shop!" Her French accent very thick as she spoke, "You look vary familiar." She said pointed a finger at me.
I smiled, "Yes, I was here about a month ago with a young man."
"Welcome back then!" Magdalena said with a wave of her arm, "What will it be today?"
"I have a ball to go to in two days and I was wondering if you could make me a gown to wear?"
"You've come to the right place my dear! Come come to the back of my shop and we'll get started." Magdalena led me through the red swinging door labeled employees only. There was only one room the floors were still wooden and the walls still the olive green color but this room was different. There was a full length mirror in one corner with a footstool in front of it. Off to the side of the room below a window was a long wooden table with an old fashion sewing machine, scissors, a tape measure, buttons and ribbons were scattered everywhere on the counter. A naked mannequin stood beside the table I'm guessing for Magdalena to make dresses on.
Right across the wooden table on the opposite olive green wall were several shelves filled to the top with every color and kind of material you could think of. On the floor were cardboard boxes with even more materials.
Magdalena motion towards the wall of material, "Go pick out whatever color calls to you."
I smiled and walked over the shelves. Magdalena sure had a funny way of saying things. I walked down the shelve looking at all the different colors of blue, red, orange, purple, pink, green, black. I stopped at a silky light blue material. I fingered it softly in my hand. It reminded me of the sky on a soft summer day. I pulled the material from the shelf and returned to Magdalena who was at her wooden table flipping through a book of hand drawn drawings of gowns.
"Ahh that is lovely!" She commented as I handed her the material, "Yes, this will work just fine! I want to try a new design that I haven't done before." She held up a drawing of a gown, "You like?"
"I love it!" I cried looking at the beautiful drawing.
Magdalena clapped her hands excitedly, "Then it's settled." She led me over to the foot stool by the mirror and ordered me to stand on it while she measured my body with the yellow measuring tape. Then taking the blue material she slowly and carefully started cutting the amount she needed and headed over to her sewing machine.
I stared at the big and little pieces of material she had cut and wondered how on earth they would all fit together into a gown. Awkwardly I stood on the foot stool while the hum of the sewing machine took over the small room. I wasn't sure if it was okay for me to stay here or if I should leave.
As if reading my thoughts Magdalena stopped her machine and looked at me, "You're very welcome to stay and chat with me or explore Agog, whatever you wish."
Smiling warmly at her I replied, "I'll like to stay." I sat down on the footstool and watched Magdalena push the material carefully through the sewing machine. She started telling me stories of herself when she was a little girl.
"When did you know you wanted to open your own shop?" I asked.
"When I was a little girl I loved making clothes for my corn stalk dolls! As I grew older many girls dreamed of falling in love and starting families but not me. My dream was to make dresses for people, my father was against it he thought I should settle down. But I paid no attention to him and went after my dream and here I am!" She said cheerfully, "Do you have a dream Amaya?"
I bite my lip as I thought about her question. More than anything I want to break my curse of unhappiness, everything has been going wrong in my life for so long. Just when I think things are getting better something else knocks me off my feet and back to the dark dusty ground. For once I wanted things to go right. "I want to find happiness."
Magdalena nodded her ribbons waving in her blond hair, "Don't we all. I hope your dream comes true and that you find all the happiness you desire!"
A few hours later Magdalena held up the skirt of the gown for me to try on. Carefully so I didn't ripe it, I slipped my legs into the hole were soon the bust of the gown will be sewn on. Magdalena had me turn around in the dress. She tapped a finger to her chin, "Mmm it's missing something." Without another word she walked over to her shelves of materials and walked back and forth searching. She carefully pulled out a light blue material that had tiny netting. "This will look magnificent over the top!"
I smiled, "You're the designer!" Slipping out of the silky light blue skirt of the gown I handed it back to Magdalena who went back to her sewing machine. She sewed layer of the light blue netting over the silly skirt of the gown, then she started sewing the top of the gown to the skirt.
A couple more hours went by the hum of the sewing machine doing its job was all that I could hear. Magdalena had become very quiet as she concentrated on her master piece for me. "Val-la! It done!" Magdalena held up the completed gown.
Feeling a rush of excitement I took the gown from her and went back out to the front of the shop to the fitting room to try it on. Then I walked out in the gown for Magdalena to see.
The light blue gown was sleeveless, the bust hugging my body as the skirt of the gown flown out around me and brushed the top of my toes. The extra layer of light blue netting that Magdalena added to the skirt met the silky material of the gown at the hem. Magdalena had also added a whole row of tiny sparkles that wrapped all the way around the bottom of the gown. The back of the gown was left open revealing all of my lower back.
"Ahh you look like a princess!" She cried taking my look all in.
I walked over to the mirror to look at myself, I smiled at my reflection. I did look like a princess! It felt so good to be wearing a gown again I couldn't believe that I actually missed it! "Magdalena, this dress is amazing! You're so talented." I admired the gorgeous gown and twirled around.
"Where's that fine young man that came with you last time? Would he be needing an outfit for the ball."
I froze and stared at the mirror, "He's gone.... And he's not coming back." I said quietly.
Magdalena didn't know what to say about that so instead she went to her draw in her wooden table and pulled out two silky blue gloves made out of light blue material, "I made these the other day, they look like they'll match your gown. Would you like them?"
Taking the gloves from them I slipped them on and looked at my reflection, they came up to my elbow and were a perfect match to the gown, "These will be perfect, thank you!" Now all I would need will be some blue heels and my outfit would be complete. Perhaps I could stop at a shoe maker next and see what they had.
"I'll package them right up for you then!"
While Magdalena packaged up the gloves I slipped carefully out of my gown and put my red leather pants and white cotton shirt back on along with my red leather vest.
Magdalena packaged my gown next and placed it beside the packaged gloves. I pulled out the rest of the red rubies that were Hayden's from when he took them from the tunnel of love in the Enchanted Forest of Love. "Would this be enough?" I asked giving her all the red rubies.
"My that is more than enough!" She held up a red ruby and it sparkled as the sunlight caught it. "These would look lovely sewn into a dress of mine!"
I chuckled thinking of her crazy dress she was wearing with the bows sewn into it, "I look forward to seeing you were them." I commented.
Later that evening I returned to the Pub. I had just dropped Tobias off at the stables and with my packaged gown, gloves and shoes that I bought I entered the Pub and took them upstairs to our little room. Carefully I unwrapped my gown and hung it up so it wouldn't wrinkle. I smiled pleased with how the gown had turned out. I hurried back downstairs to help Tallulah with the remaining drunks.
I gave her a big squeeze, "Thank you so much for covering for me!"
She hugged me back, "No problem, I can't wait to see your gown!" Tallulah poured rum for a guy that sat in a stool by the counter while I grabbed a tray and went out to take some men's order who were sitting at a table in a far corner of the pub. I gave them a smile as I approached, "Is there anything I can get you guys?" The one man was old with a salt and pepper beard. The two other men with him were younger the one had red hair and was husky while the other was as thin as a railing and had brown heir.
The man with the salt and pepper beard stroke his beard as he thought about what kind of alcohol he wanted, "Some rum would be great. I'm surprised the owner of this place hasn't closed up the Pub."
I shared a look with Tallulah who have overheard. As far as I know Tallulah never told people she was the owner, I guess the men would be turned off by a woman owning a pub.
Tallulah stepped up to the men, "What do you mean close up shop?"
The man with red fiery hair piped up, "Haven't you heard? Lots of people in Capricious are getting sick with fevers and all kinds of sickness."
Tallulah spoke slowly, "Yes.... But it was just rumors."
The older man shook his head, "Na now doc is saying it might be more than that, like a plague people are talking about leaving town. Before long Capricious might be nothing but a ghost town."