Tricky Treats

45. Fallen

CHAPTER 45 

The town appeared normal again.

The residents went about their daily routines. Ms. Baker was her typical snobbish self. Baking and selling her sweetless Danish pastries, with Alice by her side. The two miners returned to the mine shafts, digging up coals in the tunnels. Oliver returned to his hairspray and packing lamb chops at the butchers. Theo worked on plumbing with his father. He was too ashamed to step foot inside Tricky Treats.

And the mayor... well... he fell in love with the witch that burdened a curse!

Nothing was normal for Serena. She shook the revelation out of her head with the mayor's brutal confession.

How could he?

How could he?

How could he?!

Were all the thoughts swirling in her head. Her pendant turned a brilliant white with worry! Serena locked herself in her shop. She locked herself from the townsfolk. There'll be no more treats today, or ever, for Finchdale.

It was late afternoon, and she hadn't taken a bite to eat all day. Her appetite had disappeared. Soft music trailed from the record player in her bedroom as she sunk in further into her mattress. Her feet sliding on the silk bedsheets from her sheer pantyhose. She pressed her hand against her abdomen while the other rested on her forehead. She felt like a fever took hold of her. Heating her from the inside out, sizzling from head to toe.

She was fearful. The mayor fell in love with her!

It will evoke the curse!

She was sure of it. Her eyes were on the verge of tears.

Serena turned on her side and held her stomach, lifting her knees in a fetus position.

"Now, now, Serena." Cleo tried to soothe. "All will be well. Nothing will happen. The mayor doesn't know what he's confessing to."

"He does," Serena murmured. "His eyes plead it. His ways show it. And he drank all up the anti-potion. Love is stronger than magic!"

Her lovelies tried to console her. Jinx curdled by her feet and Cleo never left her side. But it didn't help. The pain of realizing what was happening pierced her. It was too much! Her eyes unleashed the held back tears, and it flowed, sullying her cheeks. She could taste the saltiness on her lips.

Cleo bounced off the bed and hopped onto the windowsill of the bedroom. Her paws snapped the window open, and a cool breeze drifted inside. The feline hoped the wind would comfort her mistress.

"What will happen now?" Serena whispered in fright.

A knock on the door below echoed, and her heart staggered. She shook her head, not wanting to see anyone and dreading the mayor visiting. She hadn't spoken to him since last night when she forced him to leave and ran to her room, not stepping foot out of it.

"It's Theo." Cleo said, looking out of the window. Her head poking below to the shop's front door.

"Theo?" Serena muttered, wiping the tears from her cheeks. "I'm not sure if I'm ready to talk to him about what happened just yet." She admitted. But she had to. She owed him that much.

Serena forced her body up from the bed and slipped on her heels strewn on the carpet. She walked to the mirror and puffed up her cheeks, wiping the few tears that remained at the corner of her eyes.

Clearing her throat, she smiled weakly at her lovelies. She slipped out of the bedroom and sauntered down the steps. She reached the front doors, that were still full of soft knocks. She breathed in deep and unlocked it.