Kitchen Witch

13 | Magic in the Tea

January rolled in with its usual fresh start motivation. Only this time, instead of making the same old goals- the number of gym visits, pounds lost, vowing to eat clean, and all that nonsense- did Charlotte find herself truly starting afresh. She was in her own home, making new friends, even slowly starting to build up a little business selling her teas at Harbour Haven Market and testing her magical ability. It still seemed utterly wild to Charlotte that she was using magic. If only the quiet, under the radar, Charlotte, who did everything to blend into society, could see her now.

Gone were her black athletic leisure uniform of the suburbs, replaced with long flowy tunics with pretty feminine details like ruffles and eyelet lace. Wide-legged, flowy pants replaced her threadbare leggings. Floral dresses replaced her matching sets. She preferred natural materials that could breathe like cotton and linen, no more synthetic sweat-wicking material. She had a good collection of thrifted sweaters that she enjoyed layering over her tunics and dresses. Her clothing flowed and moved with the curves of her body. Her hair had turned a beautiful hue of red; Sarah was convinced she have dyed it if she had only known. When her curls weren't being tamed in a large top not on her head, they were set free to bounce and swing in a delightful chaos. Her tiny pearl studs were set away, and in their place, a large pair of silver hoops hung from her ear lobes. She absently pulled on one earring while surveying the row of herbs in front of her. Her new eclectic appearance had startled the girls when they saw her over Facetime.

Bree, never one to hold back, said, "I won't ask if you are going through a midlife crisis because we already know that, but really, Mom, is this fitting of a woman your age?" If it hadn't been for Airlie's more gentle feedback, telling her that she liked the new look and thought that she looked pretty, like an artist, Charlotte might have reverted to hiding in her oversized sweatshirts.

Wanting to get to work, Charlotte pushed up the knitted sleeves of her jumper and pulled her work apron down from the hook. She was excited to work on a new batch of teas that incorporated a little more intentional magic in them, curious to see if she could make them even more effective. She had already started by incorporating her own warm air breeze to create a magical dehydration process of sorts. She was able to dry out her fresh herbs much faster than normal. She had even improved the growth of her potted plants and herbs by using her air magic to aerate the soil. She set up the ingredients for a salve preparation for severe arthritis, much like the one she had made for Heather all those years ago.

She kicked off her slippers and stood barefoot on the worn floorboards, grounding herself with her breath. She called her magic to her and, with it, a delicious warm breeze that smelled like wild roses. The smell took her instantly back to that summer at the beach, the scent of wild roses growing on the bushes within the dunes. She remembered her sister gathering the petals to decorate their sand castles and smiled. Inspired, she pulled an additional glass jar down from one of the many shelves and added dried rose petals to the preparation in front of her. She carefully added each ingredient into the mortar, holding each ingredient's unique property in her mind like a note in a song. Then, for some added flair, she steadied herself and focused her magic to pick up the pestle, grinding the ingredients into a paste.

Two hours later, Charlotte had made a small batch of arthritic salves and a variety of her most requested teas. A dull ache had started to spread through her body and a sheen of sweat formed on her forehead. Charlotte knew she had likely pushed it a little harder today but had been so caught up in the moment and enjoying the process that she had lost track of time. Needing to recharge her batteries, she thought a car ride with the windows down and wind in her hair would be the perfect medicine and allow her to drop off her newly crafted batch to Sarah.

In mid-January, there was snow on the ground, and it "felt like negative 15 C" with wind chill. Charlotte was cruising down the red dirt road with her windows down. She wasn't sure who was happier with her new favourite country song blaring or Charlie with his big head stuck out the window furiously sniffing the air. The heat was cranked. She hadn't completely lost her marbles. By the time she pulled into the Harbor Haven Market, she was feeling recharged and excited to see what her tiny customer base would think of her newly improved products.

If there were sounds that described the quaint little village, the harmonious chime of the market's doorbells, crisp and clear like the seagulls squawking outside, would top the list. At the heart of the village, this little market had been a godsend in helping Charlotte belong. She owed that to Sarah, who had welcomed her with open arms and encouraged her to bring in her teas and compounds once she realized just how good they were.

It had started with passing a special blend here and there to a customer that Sarah knew struggled with sleep or anxiety. It wasn't long before they came back, touting the immediate benefits and asking more about this mysterious new product. Sarah even pushed her to come up with a label and put her name on the product. That old part of Charlotte that felt the need to hide just under the radar couldn't imagine the boldness of putting her name on the label, but Sarah had at least convinced her to use her middle name. Grace Apothecary was born sitting together over tea at the back table of the market. Sarah started stocking her products, taking a very modest cut even though Charlotte tried to push her to take more, but once Sarah had set her mind to something, there was no moving it. Grace Apothecary's products were creating a little stir in the village as word spread, and she was working hard to keep them in stock.

Charlotte approached the market, her arms laden with baskets of her goods. As she juggled her load and tried to make her way past the door with her elbow, it flew open with a jingle, startling her. She looked up to see Riley blocking her way with an amused yet slightly annoyed expression.

"Need a hand?" he asked, his voice a mix of curiosity and mild irritation.

Charlotte, flustered, tried to regain her composure. "Oh, um, thank you. I've got it," she mumbled, nearly dropping a basket in the process.

Riley reached out and effortlessly took the baskets from her, his rough hands brushing against hers. "You always this prepared, or just trying to impress?" he teased, a hint of a smirk playing on his lips.

Charlotte's cheeks flushed. "I'm not... I mean, it's just some new product for the market," she stammered, feeling utterly ridiculous. Why did she always turn into a hot mess around him?

Riley's eyes softened slightly as he looked at her, a mix of annoyance and something else she couldn't quite place. "Well, if you're going to be selling here, you might want to learn to accept a little help. Makes things easier."

She nodded, biting her lip. "Thanks. I'll keep that in mind."

As he handed the baskets back to her, their fingers brushed again, and Charlotte felt a strange warmth spread through her. Riley cleared his throat, breaking the moment. "Well, see you around, Charlotte."

She watched him walk away, her heart racing. There was something about him that both irritated and intrigued her. As she turned to head inside, a gust of wind swirled around her, carrying the scent of the sea and something else she couldn't quite identify.

Charlotte shook her head, trying to focus.

Sarah looked up at the sound of the bells chiming with Riley's departure and broke into a knowing grin. "My, you have been busy, dear." Sarah hurried to give her a helping hand. "My phone has been ringing with calls from the Quinn sisters asking when you would have more tea in stock." She rolled her eyes, adding, "And, of course, that then included a run down of village gossip and complaining about the other. Only to then have the other call up to do the same thing! You have rescued me, Char."

Charlotte found it all amusing and suspected that Sarah secretly loved it all too. "No, it's you that has saved me, I can't thank you enough for doing all of this. I don't think I've ever been this excited to get up and start a day. To have my own purpose outside of --," her voice trailed off as she thought about her old life, a mix of guilt, sorrow for missing the girls, even though that had started long before she came to the island and a sense of freedom from him.

Without skipping a beat, Sarah finished her sentence: "Playing the perfect housewife. Not anymore. This is your era, Charlotte Grace."