“Oh, I hope so. I haven’t seen her in years.” Imogen was beaming hugely, which made her face break into a million wrinkles.
Two more women walked in, identical twins in their seventies. They were even dressed alike, in flowery dresses with Peter Pan collars.
“Haven’t seen who in years?” they asked Imogen, both speaking at the same time.
“Alma, Emma, this is our guest Katherine. I think she’s got the Cypress Woods Witch in her car. Tell me, did she babble a lot of nonsense and then say something that sounded like an omen?” Imogen asked, wiping her floury hands on her apron.
“Well, yes, actually. How did—”
But Lainey was speaking to an empty room as they all dashed outside. She followed them, breaking into a jog.
The woman was standing beside Lainey’s car, staring off into the distance. Lainey was startled to see that the milky white of her eyes had vanished, and now her eyes were a perfectly normal blue.
“Oh, drat, she’s gone,” said Imogen.
“What? She’s right here,” Lainey protested, pointing at her.
“I was so hoping to hear one of her predictions,” Alma grumbled.
“She’s. Right. Here.” Lainey said very slowly, as if speaking to a child. Was insanity catching? Should she be wearing some kind of hazmat gear?
“Yes, yes, Myrtle is right here, but the spirit of the Cypress Woods Witch has left her,” Imogen said impatiently.
“I’ll call the nursing home,” Emma sighed. “They really need better security there.”
“It wouldn’t help,” Imogen pronounced firmly, as they walked back to the house, with Myrtle following them. “When the Cypress Woods Witch has a revelation, she can walk through walls, and she’ll keep walking until she finds the person meant to receive it.”
“I imagine it’s tea time,” the now-normal Myrtle said to Imogen.
“Come on in out of the sun, dear, and we’ll make you some tea,” Imogen said.
They went to the parlor and sat down at a round table with a white tablecloth that was embroidered around the edges with blue flowers, while Imogen went to the kitchen to make tea. Marigold sat next to Lainey, and Myrtle folded and refolded her napkin into the shape of a swan, and then Imogen came in with a tray holding a teakettle and cups for everybody, with a pitcher of milk and a porcelain bowl of sugar cubes.
“Welcome to Blue Moon County,” Marigold said to Lainey as everyone poured themselves tea in gold-rimmed cups. “Don’t let this scare you off. Most of the time it’s pretty normal around here.”
Alma and Emma snickered into their teacups, and Marigold scowled at them, but they ignored her.
“Milk and sugar,” Myrtle said.
Imogen sighed. “Yes, she’s back to just being Myrtle. That’s all she ever says when she’s Myrtle.”
“I imagine it’s tea time,” Myrtle said, looking into the depths of her tea, which Imogen had poured into a delicate, gold-rimmed tea cup.
The wolf shifter who’d been chopping wood outside came in a minute later, carrying Lainey’s suitcase. “Howdy, I’m Henry. I’ll just put your bags up in your room.” He glanced over at Myrtle. “Hello, Miss Myrtle, haven’t seen you in a while.”
She looked up at him. “I imagine it’s tea time,” she said.
Marigold folded her arms across her chest. “Yes, she did have a vision,” she informed him loftily.
“Sure, she did.” Henry raised a skeptical eyebrow, and Marigold stuck her tongue at him as he left the room.
“My fiancé. He thinks the whole Cypress Woods Witch thing is a myth. He doesn’t have much imagination – except in certain areas.” Marigold grinned wickedly.
A few minutes later, Lainey heard a car pull up. A harried-looking, balding man in a gray suit rushed in, just as they were finishing their tea.
The man shook his head. “Thanks for calling me, Imogen. I don’t know how she does it. Come along, Myrtle, you’ll be late for bingo.” He held out his arm and Myrtle took it.
“Milk and sugar,” she said, letting the man lead her out of the house.
As soon as she was gone, Imogen turned back to Lainey, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “My, my, this is an exciting week for us. Whenever she comes around, something dire happens. Let’s have it, what did she say?”
“Aunt Imogen, please,” Marigold said. “Can we at least let our guest get settled in before we start attacking her with questions? I think your need for gossip can wait five minutes.”
“It most certainly cannot!” Imogen looked shocked at the very notion. She turned to Lainey. “What did she say?”
Lainey appreciated Marigold’s attempt to spare her, but she didn’t mind sharing the strange woman’s words. “It was weird. Something about how I’m going to the wedding, and watch out for the dark cloud and a wolf in sheep’s clothing.”