The Curious Cat: A Petunia's Peculiar Particulars Prequel

Epilogue

It was ten years to the day since Rhiannon had met Bathsheba. She was now twenty-six, and she was in training to become a guild Enforcer. Her ability to speak with shades was helpful to the guild, and Rhiannon knew that she wanted to do something to help others. She and Bathsheba spent a wonderful ten years together, but two days before, the cat vanished, leaving a note and her collar behind.

The note spoke of her love for Rhiannon and her family and a job well done, and how proud she was of the witch Rhiannon was becoming. "You are not to go looking for me," the note said. "I am going on."

Rhiannon knew what that meant. Bathsheba was dying, at long last. The cat wanted to do it alone, and she was at peace. There would be no shade for Rhiannon to speak to, no ability to tell her that she loved her one last time. She sighed as she looked up at the cloud-covered autumn sky and continued down the street with Bathsheba's collar around her wrist and the protection ring her mother had given her all those years ago, still on her finger when she saw it.

It was a low, white picket fence. A grape arbor shadowed the sidewalk and a familiar woman was standing on a familiar path just beyond the gate. She was sweeping leaves off of the walk. Rhiannon smiled and entered the path to the shop.

"Petunia?" She said, as she approached the woman.

Petunia looked up and gave Rhiannon a smile. "You've grown up! Look at you! It seems like I saw you only yesterday."

"It's been ten years," Rhiannon said and smiled back.

"Has it? Time passes very differently for me," Petunia said.

"I believe that." Rhiannon looked at the ring her mother had given her and she looked at the small brick building with its front window decorated in purple fairy lights and its elegant purple sign lettered in gold and she took the ring off of her finger and passed it to Petunia. "I'd like to donate this to the shop."

Petunia looked at the ring with its pearls and wire wrapping and smiled. "It's lovely."

"My mother gave it to me, it's for protection," Rhiannon explained.

"For you, perhaps. To someone else, it might mean something else. We thank you," Petunia said as she gestured to the shop with a smile. She noticed the the collar on Rhiannon's wrist and sighed sadly. "I am sorry that you lost your friend. I watched over the two of you in my crystal ball for some time. Bathsheba was an excellent teacher."

Rhiannon smiled and ran her finger over the collar. "She was."

"You've set her free, you know. Your love was what did it." Petunia said, kindness in her voice.

"I know," Rhiannon replied softly. "But I'm going to selfishly wish that she was still here with me for the rest of my life."

Petunia smiled and took a step toward Rhiannon and touched two fingers to her heart. "She will always be with you, right here. She's there now, and she is in every thing that you do. Every spell you cast bears her mark. Every thing you say carries her influence. Her love will never leave you."

The two of them hugged and then Rhiannon said, "Thank you for bringing her into my life. That's a debt I can never really repay."

"You already have, now go. Have a wonderful life, Rhiannon." Petunia gestured to the door of the shop. "I am certain you will find joy again soon."

"You think so?" Rhiannon asked as she turned toward the sidewalk and began to head for the gate.

Petunia's eyes twinkled. "I know it."

That made Rhiannon smile and as she closed the gate behind her, she watched it vanish from view. All that remained in place of the little shop was an empty lot overgrown with weeds. She looked up at the sky and said, "Thanks again, Petunia. I hope you're right."