‘Oh yeah?’ Bonnie made a show of looking around. ‘Where are they?’
‘Very funny. Look, I know that you’re not as inclined to use your magic as your sister is. And I know it’s because your magic is so much more powerful that you don’t want to outshine her. After all, you already overshadow her in every other way.’
Bonnie mopped down the counter thoughtfully. She’d never considered that maybe the reason her magic backfired was because it wasmorepowerful than Effie’s. But it would explain so much.
‘Look, what we need is simplicity. Simplicity makes life easier in every way. And it definitely helps business. I’m just talking about a tiny charm here.’
‘To be used on people?’ said Bonnie warily.
‘Oh no! Not on people. Ondrinks. Some simple recipes to help guide townsfolk away from their reliance on internet influencers and pseudo-magical hearsay. I have a whole book of them. There’d be no more girls sobbing into handkerchiefs over some date who didn’t show up. No more delivery boys picking their way around cracks in the ground.’
‘Tristan visited you as well, I see.’
‘They could come to me instead, and I’ll guide them carefully,in a bespoke manner, towards the products and solutions that work best for them. Look, I know my products aren’t magical in any real sense. But crystals and stones can be an invaluable source of comfort and protection. Especially if people aren’t bogged down by a million contradicting hashtags and reaction videos.’
Bonnie gave a disdainful chuckle. ‘Wow, you really have been researching this.’
‘I’m just saying they can seek comfort in something that might be a placebo, sure, but it’s not going to doharm.’
Bonnie considered. All right, so this didn’t sound terrible, but it did sound one-sided.
‘So, your business gets more sales. What about mine?’
‘A cut,’ said Oswald, jabbing the air with his cane. ‘For every person you send my way, I’ll cut you in on the proceeds. Think of the upside. You can launch a whole new line of unique drinks not foundanywhereelse. And you can finally use your’ – he glanced around – ‘magic for something good instead of hiding it for fear of making your sister look bad. It’s not your fault she doesn’t come across so well, is it? She’s had every opportunity to become a shining light like you, and yet...’
And yet indeed, thought Bonnie, thinking of the way Effie’s mouth had tightened the previous night at the bar. Bonnie’s very presence had been enough for her sister to turn on her heels in exasperation and stomp off. Bonnie always tried to include Effie, but her older sister made it practically impossible. It wasn’t just introversion. It was rudeness.
And then there was the magic. She’d never really been given a chance to prove her magic, to train it. Now with Mom gone, she knew that all Effie would want was for Bonnie’s magic to be hidden away and forgotten about. But Bonnie deserved more than that.
‘I’ll think about it,’ said Bonnie carefully. What Oswald had offeredseemedsound, but she wasn’t sure she could fullytrust him. Mom never had, after all. And Effie loathed him – although, to be fair, Effie loathed most everyone.
Uncle Oswald finished his drink and reached across the counter to shake her hand with his clammy one. He left, leaving Bonnie to review with a sinking heart the overdue invoice that had pinged on her phone. She didn’t even have time to think about that before another disaster struck.
‘Bonnie,’ groaned one of the psych majors, ‘Megan’s locked herself in the upstairs bathroom, and we all know what that means.’
Chapter 7
THE MOON MADE ME DO IT
Effie
Effie had read the same paragraph half a dozen times and still had no idea what it said. Something about mountains. There was definitely a goat, or perhaps a big sheep, or at least some kind of ruminant.
She resettled herself on the couch, snuggling into the nest of decorative throw pillows and blankets she’d made. Cosiness and bookishness went hand in hand, and the living room had a draught that she hadn’t quite been able to conquer. The chill swept in around the ancient window panes and down the chimney, curling its fingers around the decorative tiles on the fireplace and onto the rug that Mom had inherited from some distant, apparently well-off, relative. Effie always loved its patterns: the floral swirls, the bright stars, the stylized protective motifs that kept their family safe. Even the threadbare bits had their charms.
You’re distracted by a rug, Effie, she scolded herself. Ever since she’d come home from her shift at the library, she’d found her thoughts wandering. All right, not since then. Ever since Theo had shown up at the library, which was infuriating, because usually Effie’s thoughts were logical, steadfast, focused. Tonight, they were as scattered as Bonnie’s, and kept wandering off down alleys filled with coffee dates and garden paths abloom with studious conversations. Effie had been attracted to people in the past, of course, but attraction usuallycame on slowly for her. So slowly that by the time she was ready to properly entertain the idea, the other person had long since moved on. If they’d ever been interested at all, which, let’s face it, was questionable at best. Bonnie had tried to nudge Effie into action a few times throughout her life, but Effie didn’t do things Bonnie’s way. Besides, the way Bonnie went about the whole business of dating was the antithesis of how Effie intended to. There would be no surprise poltergeists in Effie’s bedroom.
If only Mom were here. She would’ve listened, leaning back on the couch, gently braiding Effie’s untameable hair as Effie stuttered out her thoughts and insecurities, nodding in that quiet way to show that she understood, but without judging or trying to push her towards something she wasn’t ready for. But no matter how hard Effie tried to hold on to the memories through the bookmark she carried around with her, those moments were lost in time.
There came a thud, then a bang, then a muttereddammitas Bonnie bashed into the grandfather clock in the hallway. Effie bit back a grin. All right, so maybe Effie had charmed the light in the room to make it slightly more likely that someone might bash into said clock, especially if one were texting at the same time, which Bonnie inevitably was.
‘We’re selling that stupid clock,’ snarled Bonnie. She stomped into the living room, rubbing her shin as she went. After more ostentatious stomping that added a scuff to the rug, Bonnie dropped down on the long yellow couch that ran almost the whole length of the room. For years, the three Chalmers women had watched movies on it, sprawled over each other, with feet in laps and fingers twined, passing chocolate-smothered popcorn and tiny hot dogs and trying to guess the name of every actor on screen.
‘You wouldn’t believe who came into the bar tonight.’ Bonnie stretched out, kicking off her shoes and prodding Effie with her pink-painted toes. Effie smacked her with thepaperback she’d been trying to read. If only she’d been able to follow through with the Proust. That was a massive hardback that could do some damage.
‘Henry Cavill,’ suggested Effie, a little bit wistfully.
‘I’d still be at the bar if that were the case,’ noted Bonnie.
