The Faerie Key

Chapter Two

Her parent's new age store looked more like a thrift store than "a peaceful retreat from the world" as the sign advertised. Her mom had rented part of the store from Risa, who sold her plants there. Everyone was drawn to the radiant plants. She smiled at the memory of Risa, who had taught her so many poems to make plants happy.

Selcouth went upstairs to her old home. It was as messy as ever and her old room had become a closet for more random new-age knick-knacks. If her job search didn't pick soon she dreaded that the fact she might have to move back in with her hippie parents.

After retrieving the store key, she went to open the store. She organized the incense and cleaned up the dust stack on the floor.

Her parents didn't really care for the store, they just needed it to make enough for them to eat and go on retreats. She was glad her Risa couldn't see the store in this state with the spider webs on the corners and stained walls.

When she was in middle school she had bought her parents a Feng Shui book to try to get them to clean up the house and the shop, but they just sold it to a customer instead. She remembered swearing to herself that she would move out when she graduated high school and never move back again. She sighed at the fact she might have to go back on her promise, maybe she should beg for her job back. What did she hate more her messy parents or whiny brides?

Selcouth opened the glass door and lit some incense to get rid of the musky smell. Her mom had placed various crystals randomly throughout the store. Selcouth gathered all the amethysts, the quartzes, and the aquamarine and placed them by the window.

"I'll need to get an ivy for the crystals after I give them a wash in the ocean to recharge them," she muttered to herself.

She saw the tourists making their away across the street. A young couple, the wife dragging the husband along, enter the store. The guy eyed everything with suspicion while the girl looked at the jewelry.

"Please let me know if you need help with anything," Selcouth said as she continued organizing the mess her parents made.

She saw the guy eyeing the magic books and heard him scoff. He stopped when he got to the Kama Sutra wall. Mom had placed the wall there for that very purpose, to keep the men entertained while the women shopped. Selcouth was always amazed at her mom's marketing and selling ability. If she hadn't been a hippy she probably would have been a business mogul.

"Excuse me," the girl whispered.

Up close she was even younger-looking.

"Yes?"

"We just got married and I was wondering if there was anything to bring us luck?" she squeaked like a mouse.

Selcouth bit her tongue to stop herself from suggesting the Kama Sutra book her husband was ogling, but instead said, "Rose quartz is good for love, it creates harmony."

The girl looked at the crystal that Selcouth had arranged by the window.

"Um, which ones are the ones you suggested?"

Selcouth had forgotten that not everyone had Risa to teach them about crystals, herbs and candles.

"The pink ones" she replied and add "caring for the quartz is important, it likes to be by plants and windows where the sun can reach them."

"It's our honeymoon and I wanted something to remember it by since he'll be going off soon," she trailed off.

Selcouth looked at the scrawny looking guy and at the girl, they were too young to even understand marriage, but they were trying it anyway.