Liar

Chapter 41

" Are you ready, Zoey?"

I sighed deeply while lying down in bed and nodded. I slept soundly in her home. The quiet sounds of nature and the calming aromas all lulled me to sleep faster than I had ever been. My room was simple but homely and strangely comforting. " Yes." I whispered, confidently nodding. She sat to the side of the bed and patted her lap, for me to lie on. It didn't dawn on me for a while until she cocked her head to the side gently, just as confused as me. I lie my head on her knees. I tried shifting around, but her hand nestled into my hair and rested just above my ear. Stroking my hair, her voice was just a calm whisper " Don't force yourself into what position you think is right. Lean whichever way makes you most comfortable for now." I nodded and let her words guide me. I took in a breath and relaxed into her lap. I expected her skilled yet gentle hands. But for what felt like forever, there was nothing at all and instead, I felt abnormally warm for a moment. Then I felt a cool breeze wash over me, getting rid of the warmth almost instantly. " Any discomfort?"

" A little warm, that's all. Was that it?" 

" Yes. Now undress, a bath is prepared for you. When you're ready, come down the stairs and to the right is the dining room. "

I nodded and did as I was told. She quickly left afterwards and I was able to undress in peace. She seemed very caring but... also very distant. Almost like an actual medical personnel but in a much more serving way. Luckily I didn't feel like I was being watched anymore, but I did feel pretty detached. Kind of like my body was moving about but my head wasn't fully in the present moment. 

As I slowly opened the oak wooden door, the scent of lavender and cedar wood almost overwhelmed me. I didn't think I could be any calmer, but I was awash in relief afterwards. There were jasmine petals and mint colored towels hanging around. There were also some flower pots hanging around the edges of the bathroom ceiling. The shower was also running, so there was a gentle mist hanging in the air. The bath was an absolute dream, making me feel slightly dormant yet still feeling rejuvenated and wide awake. 

I sadly couldn't have my phone. I'd love to know what Keith was up to, or if he was even okay. But I needed to be more concerned with my well being right now.

She gave me very simple clothing. A pale blue bra and some matching underwear. A dark pair of jogger pants and a mint colored shirt. She also let me use these brown sandals that weren't the cutest, but were made to perform their function. 

.. { After I arrived }..

" Tomorrow, we will meditate. Have you meditated before?" Magnolia asked, looking at me inquisitively. " Not really. I always thought I'd never have the patience for it."

Instead of sitting cross-legged, she set both feet on the floor and examined me from where she sat. " Would you be open to using potions?"

I felt unsure " Um, will there be side effects?"

In response, she tilted her head to the side. " There will be slight dizziness, burping and potentially passing gas." She shrugged her shoulders " Nothing out of the ordinary."

I cautiously nodded, agreeing. " Alright, what constellation were you born under?"

" Uhh... Late September....Libra, I guess?" 

She nodded and grabbed a jar of rose jam. She carefully opened the cabinet just above her and placed it with all of the other canned preserves. " Okay. We'll stick to physical exercises, stretching, balancing your diet, meditations and light potions to weed out anything that may be odd."

 For a moment I stopped and shyly wondered aloud. " I've been meaning to ask that.."

She nodded for me to continue." Go on."

" How will you know? Will it hurt?

" Anything that doesn't belong will be obvious to me. It will manifest as whatever the creator intended for it to do. And to put it short, the effect will be the exact opposite. You'll feel much better after it's been separated from you."

..{ Now }..

I walked down the stairs and stepped into the dining room. There were new flowers at the center of the table and the food smelled delicious. " Good morning, lovely, I made you sautéed spinach and vegetable with eggs, toast and some yogurt with berries!"

I flushed. Her presentation was gorgeous and the food smelled delicious. " Thank you." I stated sitting down and preparing to eat. " No. She needs a glass of cold water first." Briar quickly ran back to the kitchen and got me a cup of icy cold water.  She set it down next to me and sat to eat breakfast herself. 

" Did you sleep well?" Magnolia asked calmly. I nodded, affirming. " Well, eat up. you'll need to stay energized. We're going on a mile jog and then coming back to meditate and have some tea. Also, my son sent you this." She pulled a sweater from a box. The grey sweater... I could smell him from so far away. She passed it to me.  She also handed me a pack of tissues and sat. I wiped my face that was flooded with silent and longing tears. I slipped the hoodie over my shoulders and sighed. " Thank him for me." I whispered. His support and love all seeped into me from his sweater. I drank the glass of water and ate carefully so I wouldn't mess up my sweater. " Your owl keeps staring at me..." I whispered, kind of embarrassed and still feeling the desire for him to hold my hand. " I swear Horus, I will cook you if you keep making our guest uncomfortable, you're just rude!" The owl gave a loud screech from behind me. " Horus, sock it. She's here to be treated, not mocked by a bird." I heard the rustle of wings and felt a gentle breeze blow from behind me. 

" I'm sorry, Horus has been grumpier than usual, Zoey. Excuse him."

I shook my head " It's alright..." Still, I couldn't shake the warm hug I felt from behind, his strong arms wrapped around my midsection and the presence of his thorough support. 

" Your sweater is spellbound..." Magnolia pointed out, studying me once more in case she missed anything. spooked, I gave a little jump and looked around. Briar laughed and set her fork down. " What it means is your beau has given you this sweater with a cute little spell put on it. 

" Well... can you tell what type it is?"

" Yes. It's both weak and strong but I think Briar is way better at that."

Briar rolled her eyes and huffed at her wife. " She is clearly inept, so let me help with this one." She reached out her hand for mine. I placed my hand in hers, and while it was soft, she was also stone cold to the touch. She gently pulled away. " This is a kind spell. He's imbued you with a hug when you need his support, so long as you wear his sweater." I heard the wings of the owl flying into the kitchen and something had dropped square onto my head. I felt it. cool plastic, soft and slightly pillowy. A pack of Kleenex tissues was on my head. Instead of a gentle wave of melancholy, I felt nothing but confusion, particularly towards this flying creature.