Chapter dedicated to ElinHadasa and her mom, Yolanda
Disclaimer: I am not a licensed herbalist. The plants-related information I give in this chapter, I've gather after basic research. DON'T USE THIS AS A REFERENCE IF YOU FEEL ILL!!!
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Alice's POV
I inhaled deeply as I entered the store and the rich aroma of the herbs made me smile.
"Back already?" The owner asked, looking at me through the thick lens of her glasses.
"Yep, I need to fill my supplies," I responded and walked straight in the direction of the plants I was after.
I really enjoyed this store.
It wasn't just because of the affordable prices, or the helpful owner who loved herbs as much as my aunts and I did. Nor was it the close proximity to our apartment building.
No.
It was the atmosphere that made it my favorite in Aberville.
Miss Marjolaine Odell, or Margie for short, was the proud owner of Odell's Herbs & Spices store, the products for which she supplied mostly from her own personal garden. You would not only come upon ziplock bags and mason jars bursting with goods but also find clay pots with living plants such as basil, parsley, rosemary, sage and thyme. And those – the living, growing ones, were my favorite, especially now that I no longer lived under Elanor's rule and I could raise them in the apartment.
"Something calming again, Alice?" Margie inquired as I neared one of the many wooden stands.
"Yes," I replied, picking a bundle of freshly cut lavender and valerian.
"You know, you could get some passion flower," she suggested moving away from the counter to come by my side. "You shouldn't use it with other sedatives though; it might cause some nasty side effects."
I turned my gaze to the pot which contained the passion flower. I'd never used it before but I was familiar with its purpose.
"Is there anything I can help you with?" Margie asked the two middle-aged women who had just entered her store. After they gave her a nod, she passed me with a smile and went to aid them. It wasn't uncommon for her to leave me on my own as she knew I'd find my way around the place. Both of us being herb-lovers, we'd spent hours – yes, literally hours, talking about our hobby. Well, my hobby, her livelihood.
"Passion flower," I read from one of the information labels that Marjolaine put on each of her products. "A flowering plant," Duh, I could see that! "An herbal sedative that can give you a sense of calm and help you sleep better." My heart jumped. Could this be what I needed to get through my nightmares? I kept on reading, paying more attention than before. "It's often used to treat insomnia related to anxiety... DO NOT USE WITH OTHER SEDATIVE DRUGS!!!"
The last sentence was written in capital letters and with not one but three exclamation marks and I wondered how awful the side effects could be for Margie to feel the need to put such a noticeable warning.
"Alice," a wrinkled hand was put on my shoulder and pale eyes gazed at me from behind thick lenses. "Maybe if you tell me exactly why you need the calming herbs, I'd be able to give you something more suitable?"
I bit my lip and looked around the shop.
It was empty now even though it usually had at least a couple of costumers browsing through the stands.
YOU ARE READING
Frost on the Green (The Green Girl sequel) ✓
Teen FictionAfter getting shot during a burglary some months ago, Alissa Clover Green is on her way to full recovery. She has the love of her three aunts, she's slowly mending her relationship with her estranged mother, she has the support of her loyal friends...
