Revenge of the Scorned Witch

A few days after the opening, Preston came by looking for work, so of course, I gave him an application to fill out and hired him on the spot, being that he is my son and all. I have him come back the next morning for his training, but what I didn't tell him was that I was going to train him as my manager, since he has worked a register and waited on people before, so I figured he would like to have more responsibility, which would also come with more pay so maybe he would be able to save enough money up to move out of his aunt's house and into one of his own.

When Kaylee and Laura showed up the next morning for work, they were surprised to see their brother Preston there taking orders along with serving the customers.

"Preston, what are you doing here?" Kaylee questioned.

"Working, what does it look like?" He popped off sarcastically. "Joy hired me yesterday." He said, turning to look over at where I was standing.

"Is everything alright over here?" I asked, already knowing what my answer would be.

"Yes ma'am, everything is fine. I was just surprised to see my brother working here, that's all." Kaylee explained, motioning towards Preston.

"I didn't realize you were Kaylee's brother!" I exclaimed.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I hope I still have a job here." Preston stammered.

"Why wouldn't you still have a job? Unless you're quitting already?" I tease.

"Oh no, ma'am, I'm not quitting." He blurts out.

"Good, follow me. Girls, clock in and get to work, please." I order.

My daughters got right to work while my son followed me to my office, where I had him sit in my seat while I signed into my computer to show him how to order products and make schedules, along with other responsibilities. Preston looked at me with shock written all over his face.

"You hired me on to be your manager?" He asked.

"Yes, I did because I know you're a smart young man and that you can handle the responsibility," I stated. "Also, the job pays fifteen dollars an hour because you have more responsibilities than just taking orders and serving customers, so do you still want the position?" I ask.

"Yes, please, I still want the position." He said with the look of shock still on his face. He sat there until he was sure he knew my programs for ordering supplies and how much money was made that day. By the end of the day, he knew how to do it all, even though I checked his work for the rest of the week.

I am pleased with what I had accomplished in such a short time. I had my three youngest kids working for me, so I knew when they were out of the house. The best thing is nobody knows my true identity, that's the main secret I need to keep hidden, at least for now. Ellis had taken everything from me many years ago. Now it's my turn to take everything away from him. I smile at myself then snap back to reality when Preston taps on my car window with Kaylee and Laura standing on either side of him.

"Joy, we just wanted to see if you were ok," Preston said.

"Yea, you've been sitting out here for a while. "Laura chimed in.

"I'm fine, just deep in thought. Thanks for checking on me." I say. "Do you three need a ride home? I am heading that way," I laugh.

They just roll their eyes and laugh. The girls climb in the backseat of my car while Preston declines and climbs into his car, which he borrows from his aunt. He backs out and heads home, then I back out and head to my house, where the girls thank me and head next door to where their dad is waiting for them. I grab me something to eat for supper then sit down to see what was going on next door, but after a few minutes of nothing, I head to bed.

The next morning, I wake up and see that it had snowed last night I decide that it is a good day to take off, so instead of calling my kids, I decide to go play in the snow. After getting bundled up, I walk next door to tell the girls that I am keeping the store closed today, but as I am about to walk up to the door, I see Amanda pull into Ellis's driveway. "Hello, Amanda, isn't it a beautiful day?" I say.

"No, it isn't." She growled. "It's cold, wet, and I fell just a few minutes ago." She says as she slowly heads for the front door. "Anyway, what are you doing here? Trying to hit on Ellis again?" "Umm no, I actually wanted to talk to the girls if you don't mind." I snap at her. Amanda just scoffs then heads inside the house. As she is getting Kaylee and Laura, Ellis comes to the door.

"Hey, Joy, what are you doing out here? It's cold. Come on in. You can talk to the girls in here, don't know why Amanda didn't invite you inside. That woman baffles me at times." He says. As I head inside, I thank him, then I look up to see two cold eyes staring at me.

"Amanda, why didn't you invite Joy inside? It's freezing out there. We don't want a frozen body in our yard." Ellis scolds her.

Amanda takes a deep breath then looks over at me with hatred in her eyes and says softly, "I apologize for not inviting you in, Joy, the girls are in the kitchen." I just give a short smile and nod, then walk past her into the kitchen, where I find my daughters eating their breakfast. "I'm sorry to bother you two, but I thought you would like to know that the café is going to be closed today because of the snow. Also, I wanted a snow day." I exclaim. They look at each other with smiles on their faces, then they yell, "Yay! A whole day to do nothing!" I couldn't help but laugh with them even though I do have things to do. After delivering the good news to my girls, I decided to take a walk around the block to enjoy the newly frozen snow. I didn't need to watch what was happening at Ellis's after I left because I already knew that they were arguing again. The bad thing is it was in front of Kaylee and Laura, but it seemed that they knew what was fixing to happen, so they ran out of the house after getting bundle up in their coats. As I watch them running out the door, I wonder if one of them, or both, had the same empathetic gift as I do. I would have to wait and see. The girls end up walking with me around the block. They come inside for some hot chocolate to warm up before they go back home. After they leave, I take a minute to think about how much I missed out on and how I wished I could tell them who I really am, but I know I can't. Not yet. I tell myself that Ellis has to pay for what he did to me all those years ago. I flip open my laptop and watch what is going on. What I see makes me ill: Ellis and Amber made up from what I saw from the camera I hid in the master bedroom. I hastily close the computer. I've got to break those two up for good. I open up my book of shadows, which is a book of spells from dark magic to white magic that I have written, but what I am looking for isn't white magic. Some witches claim love spells are dark magic. As I flip to the back of the book, I find the spell I am looking for. It calls for a red candle, a piece of paper, a pen, and a small bowl. I light the candle then write Ellis's first and last name on the paper and tear it off. After that, I light the paper with the candle, then I say, "Oh, Venus, goddess of love. I beg for your help from above. Please, Venus, send a dove to make Ellis love me. I ask this of you, powerful Venus. So must it be."

It wasn't long until I heard my cellphone bing. I reach down to see that Ellis had sent me a text asking me if I could meet him tonight at about seven by the church across the street. I smile then send a text back saying that I would be there. When it was almost seven, I grabbed my coat and walked over to the church, where I saw Ellis standing in the doorway of the church. As I walk up, he gives me one of his heart-melting smiles, which I used to love to see on his face. "I'm glad you came." Ellis says sweetly. "I wanted you to know that I am sorry about Amanda. I just wanted to tell you that and that you don't have to worry about her because I just broke up with her." He declares. "You didn't have to break up with her because of me."

"I didn't do it because of you. I did it because I was tired of always fighting with her, and I had hoped to be with you. If that is, you would, you know, date me." He says as he stumbles over the last words. A smile comes to my face while, at the same time, I laugh maniacally on the inside. I say I would love to.