"Witches, a lot of them... Eight, maybe nine if the guy is a member of the coven too... How did I miss that? I wonder what Savannah would answer if I ask her what her grandma does for a living in New Orleans when she's not painting watercolours..."
Unfortunately, I'll never know because I can't get closer my new friend, it wouldn't be wise despite I know she'd love to talk to me: she almost managed to corner me at the lobby last Monday but I moved faster and ran into an elevator whose doors were almost closed. From that day on, I decided to change my routines and wake up earlier in the morning to be able to arrive to my office when it's still empty, I bring lunch to eat on my desk or go out later to avoid running into her... and I always go to other coffee shops avoiding our favourite. The trick has worked for three days but I'm not sure I can go on like this, Ruby will want to talk to me again sooner or later, the problem is that I have nothing new to tell her... There's nothing I can do: I am who I am and it means danger for all of them.
The truth is that I should've suspected something and I have to blame my stress for my selective blindness: new job, new country, new apartment... it was too much. It's weird to find such a big group of women, bound by particularly strong ties of friendship, so successful in their jobs, with strong charisma and confidence, so talented... Well, and Lester, I mustn't forget him... The point is that now it looks obvious to me that this coven is favoured by Mother Nature, of course it's true that some people out there achieve their goals without magical help and Ruby and her mates have worked pretty hard to get to the good place where they're right now, the goddess doesn't offer her gifts in exchange for anything, but good luck has always been a crucial factor in all their projects, they haven't go through bad times like other people do since they've meld their energies.
I miss my grandmother, I bet she'd know what I should do in this complicated situation, but I've been spending so much time trying to forget everything she taught me, avoiding magic around me and restraining it inside me, that I don't think I'd be able to contact her spirit to ask for advice right now. Not to mention how sick I'd feel later, my hunter nature makes me vomit and bend over in pain when I try to turn to Mother Nature in the way a druid would do, my body attacks itself like I'm suffering an autoimmune disease... It sucks.
"This sandwich sucks too," I grumble throwing the last piece of bread to a trash can along with my empty soda can, Actually, this food court has a good reputation in the city but I'm not in the mood to enjoy spicy chicken and it's getting late, I should go back home, have a shower and go to bed. I jump from the stool I was sat on and start heading to the escalator slowly, lost in my thought, well, thinking of Ruby...I avert my eyes to the tattoo on my wrist constantly, I'm washing it and applying the ointment the way she told me and it's healing well. Suddenly, my heart skips a beat... I rub my chest absentmindedly thinking that maybe a wild spicy chicken sandwich with truffle fries wasn't the best option for dinner, I should've ordered a simple salad. My heart races and I feel a little dizzy...
"I'm sorry." A middle-aged man, short and stocky, walks past me shoving me slightly: he seems to be in a big hurry to reach the floor below and runs downstairs hastily elbowing other people to clear the path.
"How rude..." I mumble while rubbing my chest, I think I got heartburn because of that chicken although I don't understand it given that I've had lunch here frequently and never got sick before. I walk slowly towards the entrance door when I saw the same man who pushed me leaned calmly on a column, hiding behind a pot with a massive fern. That's weird... why was he running over people heading downstairs only to stay still like a statue looking at...? "Louisa..." My heart races again, I think I'm going to pass out for a second or maybe the organ is about pounding right out of my chest.
The pretty woman with light brown hair and sweet smile is unmistakable, above all because of her big belly, while she goes to the Korean restaurant: I think it was Ivy who told me that Louisa was craving noodles all the time, but she's alone... She shouldn't be alone, the baby is supposed to be here soon, I can't believe that the girls aren't here with her. I take a look around frantically expecting to see Aletta or Elvira... or Ruby, but there's no one, only that strange man staring at her with the eyes of a hunting falcon and frowning. I don't know what's happening but I don't like it and start rummaging in my bag anxiously, I need my phone to call Savannah, even if I'm not sure of what I'm going to tell her: a guy who looks like a muscled Jack Nicholson is stalking Louisa and he gives me the creeps. Suddenly, the horrible man moves and I realize my friend is about walking into the restaurant to order her food.
