Ember's Awakening

Chapter 14

Ember rubbed her eyes tiredly, surveying the shop skeptically. Luckily for her, her gran's tea worked quickly, but she could still tell that her sleep was interrupted and fitful. The events of the night before weighed heavily on her mind, although she tried to focus on any last-minute prep that the shop needed for the grande opening. She would have plenty of time later to focus on everything else, but her mind couldn't get off of the Fae that came to visit them. What her Gran said that it meant.

Ember wondered if the shop had any books on The Fae.

"Hey Em, come here please," Arwen called from the front of the shop. Her Aunt stood beside the crate that held the shop sign, smiling. "It's time," She said, her eyes twinkling.

The shop bell's familiar jingle caught her attention. Pulling her eyes away from the large crate, she saw Selia, Conor, and the petite redhead that she first met at the festival, Willow, enter the store, chatting amongst themselves.

"Hi! I hope it's okay that we came early," Selia said.

"We wanted to ta see if ya need any last minute 'elp," the redhead added with a grin.

"Hey, Em. Mrs. Midnight. Let us know what ya want me ta do," Connor nodded.

"Perfect!" Arwen exclaimed, "Yer just in time for tha sign reveal and hangin'. An you Young man," Arwen motioned to Conor, "Can help hang it outside."

Willow clapped enthusiastically as Selia snorted a laugh.

Ember gazed at the scene before her, never imagining that her usual solitary existence would look like this. All thoughts of the night before and the Fae momentarily forgotten.

"I'd be delighted," Conor said, walking to stand beside Arwen at the crate, " Would ya like me ta open it?"

Arwen handed the tools to the tall man beside her, stepping back to stand beside her niece.

"I hope you like it," Arwen whispered as Conor worked on removing the lid.

He grunted as he lifted the heavy wooden sign from within the crate, grinning like mad as he turned it towards the women in front of him.

Emer gasped, leaning against her Aunt's side. "You picked the design I made," She choked out, eyes shining with unshed tears.

"O'course I did. This place is yours now, Em'. Ya worked so hard for it." Arwen circled an arm around Ember's shoulder, giving her a squeeze before going to Conor.

"That's not all," she added.

Ember was staring at the sign, the chatter between her friends and her Aunt ignored.

My place now...

Conor laid the sign down on top of the heavy crate, following Arwen through the shop.

"What do you guys think?" Ember asked, turning as Selia and Willow crowded around the beautiful wood-crafted sign.

"I think it's perfec'," Willow said, smiling at her.

"It suits ya, an it suits this place."

"I hope ya don mind tha' I came along," Willow's small voice said, the uncertainty clear.

"Of course not! I'm glad you came. We haven't talked since the night of the festival."

"Ya, about that...."Willow started but was interrupted b Arwen's voice from the back of the shop.

"Girls, ya come back here."

Selia raised an eyebrow as Ember shrugged. She hadn't heard what Arwen stated about there being more.

Ember followed behind the two women, stopping when she saw what her Aunt had leaned against the shop's back checkout counter.

"My other sign design!" Ember squealed, rushing forward, crouching in front of it to take a closer look.

"I thought we could hang these from the wooden beams in the ceilin'," Arwen told her.

Ember looked up at Arwen, the tears that had pooled finally making their escape.

"Well," Conor interjected, "I might oughta get started on the outside. So's ta have it up when ya's officially open," His smile lit up the room, and Ember could only nod her consent as she hastily brushed the silvery trails from her cheeks.

"We been needin' a shop like this. For such a long time now," Willow said from behind Ember.

"Tis true, but no one would dare ta open one here unless it was the lot of ya," Selia added, agreeing with Willow.

Ember turned her upper body to Selia, "What do you mean?"

Selia glanced to Arwen, and when she nodded, the young woman answered Ember's Question. "Well, yer family has always run tha shop here for tha village. T'wouldna be right if anyone else tried. No, that they would."'

Ember's rosy lips formed an 'O', "I didn't know that."

"Well, I'm glad ya moved back here. We been needin' ya," Selia touched her lightly on the shoulder.

"So, what can we be doin ta help before its time fer ya ta be opening to tha village?" Willow questioned, hopping up to sit her tiny frame on the dark wooden countertop.

"I think we have most everything ready, but I want to show you guys something though." Ember stood then. "Auntie, we will be back in a few minutes.", eyes sparkling in realization.

She was going to show them her apartment. It had been a while, also, since Ember had called her Auntie.

Ember was happy.

******** ******** ******** ********

Selia and Willow had, of course, fallen in love with her place. They had both offered to help Ember when she was ready to move in, both offering up Conor and Will for help as well. She appreciated them for that.

As she stood outside watching Conor finish hanging their sign, she felt content. All the worries about what happened the previous night forgotten momentarily. She couldn't believe that her Aunt had done all that she had with the signs. Ember was in complete awe.

This place was hers. The shop. The Village. The Island. Hers....

She studied the sign that now hung outside of the shop above the doorway. Had she known, when she came up with the name and design, that witches were real, would she have picked something different?

She shook her head and smiled.

No. It was Perfect.

She wondered if, on some subconscious level, she had known. It was possible even though she didn't know what she was at the time; it was in her blood.

She felt that. Knew it to be true. 

"So, wha d'ya think?" Conor asked, stepping beside her to study the sign and his handiwork hanging it.

"It's perfect," she told him, bumping him lightly with her shoulder, "Thank you for doing that, by the way."

"Aye, you're welcome." He scratched his head absently, ruffling his hair. "I'm going to go in and hang tha other one now."

He bumped her back before heading into the shop, leaving her out there, still staring at the storefront.

She noticed a few passersby stopping to take a look at the shop. It was time to open. Officially.

She smiled at the people before hurrying inside to grab the "OPEN" sign she made for the front door.