Effie had downplayed the night to her friend, worried that it was going to end as disastrously as the handful of dates she’d attempted in the past. It wasn’t Tessa’s judgement that she worried about so much. It was more Bonnie’s. But Tessa had been hanging out at Bonnie’s bar, and Bonnie had a supernatural ability to coax gossip from people. Effie didn’t want to risk it.
The motion-sensor crow by the door cawed as they entered. Dierdre, the owner, waved at them from behind her magazine, which today wasn’t her usual horoscope super-edition, but rather a celebrity gossip rag. Odd. Effie had only ever known Dierdre to read New Age magazines. The shop music thatpiped through the hidden speakers was different, too. Usually it was Yanni on repeat, but today she was listening to a pop radio station. Effie pretended not to recognize the Ariana Grande song playing as Tessa mouthed along.
Perhaps Dierdre was going through something. A breakup. A TV show binge cut short by the streaming platform abruptly removing said show. Or maybe one of her horoscopes had told her a change was coming.
‘Let me know if you need any help,’ Dierdre called, although it was purely a nicety. She wasn’t one of those shop owners who followed you around until you bought something. When it came to the hard sell, she was the opposite of Uncle Oswald.
‘So, we’re looking for a sexy number for a hot night in at the library, no?’ Tessa raised an eyebrow as Effie flicked through the colour-coded shirts on the rack, pretending to consider a striped number.
‘We are absolutely not,’ Effie protested. She held up a slouchy burnt orange cardigan with an interesting knitted pattern. ‘How about this?’
‘I hate to sound like Bonnie, but you should be ashamed.’
Effie waved a shirt that saidI Brake for Huts on Fowl’s Legs. ‘This one?’
‘Too niche,’ said Tessa, regarding a silvery belt studded with Medusa heads. ‘And definitely too Baba Yaga.’
Effie groaned. ‘I have no idea what I’m doing. I’m not used to someone being interested in me. It’s disconcerting.’
‘It’s about time, if you ask me,’ said Tessa, with a grin.
Effie balked at a hat that had Uncle Oswald vibes. She hid it under a Stetson. ‘You know as well as I do that the only action I ever saw was when everyone was worried about failing their SATs and used me to help them cram.’
‘At least you got a lot of chocolates and roses out of it.’
‘I know my worth. How about these?’ Effie held up a pair of high-waisted dark green slacks. ‘With a T-shirt.’
‘Actually, the slacks aren’t bad. But you’re not doing a T-shirt. Promise me. Swear to me. Aha!’ Tessa pulled out a sparkly high-necked shirt that looked extremely sheer and extremely fitted.
Effie shook her head. ‘That’s a Bonnie shirt.’
‘Bonnie doesn’t have an exclusive claim over sparkles. Trust me. Off you go.’
She pointed Effie in the direction of the changing room.
Effie obediently pulled aside the curtain, shimmying into the outfit as Tessa wandered around outside, sifting through the dresses and coats. Tessa never tried anything on: she had a knack for knowing at a glance what would work on her. And it was never things you’d expect. No matter the garbage bag-ness of a jacket or uneven hem of a skirt, it all worked on Tessa.
But Effie, well, it wasn’t like there was anythingwrongwith her, she thought, as she regarded herself in the mirror. She and Bonnie were a similar height and similar build. But that was where the similarity ended. Bonnie was simply imbued with the magic of charisma, which had somehow bypassed Effie entirely.
Averting her gaze, Effie dragged on the outfit, wondering how it could look so good on the rack and soawfulon her.
Oh shit, she’d knocked over a crystal in the corner. She picked it up, frowning. It was one of Uncle Oswald’s. Strange. She couldn’t imagine Dierdre darkening the door of Behind the Curtain. She had so much of her own spiritual knowledge. Why double down on Oswald’s cheap trinkets?
‘How’s it going in there?’ asked Tessa.
Ah, the moment of truth.
Effie pulled back the curtain, standing awkwardly on her tiptoes so that the slacks wouldn’t drag on the floor.
‘Here.’ Tessa pounced, twisting and tweaking, pulling the sleeves this way and the waistband that. Then she came at Effie with a thin belt and some shimmery gold earrings.
Effie blinked. Tessa had worked her magic on the outfit. Before, it had hung inelegantly and sat awkwardly. Now, it skimmed her frame perfectly, the fabric flowing as she walked. And the cut of the shirt was perfect.
‘Glamorous,’ said Dierdre, with a wink. ‘Can I ring it up?’
‘You definitely can.’ A delighted Effie smiled.
‘So, what does the zodiac have for us this week?’ she asked as she waited to pay at the register.
