Chapter 2

Eve's Boutique

A bell jingled merrily as the two girls entered the shop.  Bright light streamed in through a skylight, illuminating dozens upon dozens of plants.  The room was absolutely filled with vibrant greenery.

“Oh my Gosh!  A bee orchid.  They’re practically a full-time job to grow.  And look how healthy it is!”  Chloe touched one of its leaves reverently.  “And this!  A South African bushwillow, but the coloration…  I thought this genus was extinct!  They’re all so huge, too.  Someone must be taking amazing care of these.”

“They’re nice, I suppose.”  Abigail gave a conifer an experimental poke.

“I’ve definitely found my new favorite shop.  Oh my goodness.”  Chloe took a deep breath, fanning herself.  She looked around the shop.  “Hello!  Is anyone here?”

A side door banged open, slamming against the wall behind it.  A woman entered, carrying an enormous cast iron pot.

“Oh, hello there,” she said, wiping sweat from her brow with her shoulder.  “Apologies, I’m still getting things set up.  The two of you are actually my first customers.  Welcome to Eve’s Boutique.  I’m Eve.”

“Holy crap,” Abigail whispered.  “She’s taller than Kayla!

“Yeah, like she’s got to be six four at least!”

“I bet she’s stronger too.”

“Seriously.  Look at those biceps!”

Eve rolled her eyes.  “I’m, ah, standing right here.  Give me a sec, I’m just going to put this away.  Be right back.”

The woman grunted, picking up the gigantic cauldron again.  It looked like it weighed a couple hundred pounds.  With some effort she carried it into a back room, shoving the door open with her hip.  There was a heavy crash, and a moment later Eve returned, dusting off her hands and looking satisfied.

“Now then,” she said, stepping behind the counter.  “What can I do for you ladies?”

Chloe swallowed.  She took several quick steps, and dropped her hands onto the counter.  “The trumpet tree in the window.  How much?  I’m sure I can’t afford the big one, but you have to have something smaller, right?  Maybe I can pay in installments?”

The shop keeper gave her an apologetic shrug.  “It’s not for sale.”

Chloe looked like she’d just heard about a death in her family.  She frowned, and set her jaw.  “The Philodendron Pink Princess, then?  I don’t see a price tag….”

“Not that one either.”  Eve gave her a quizzical smile.  “Do you… think this is a plant shop?”

“It’s not?”

The giant woman shook her head.  “They’re just decorations.  I haven’t had time to put out my actual merchandise yet.  Like I said, I’m still getting set up.”

“What do you sell, then?” Abigail asked, narrowing her eyes.

“These.”

Eve fished under the counter, and withdrew a small cardboard box.  She opened it, and pulled several glass bottles out, setting them on the counter.  They were all ornate, possibly hand blown, with attractive grooves and etchings.  Each had a scripted label written in an elegant hand.

“The plants,” she explained.  “Are just the raw materials.”

Chloe gave her a shrewd smile.  “Oh, I get it.  You sell extracts.  For arthritis, or chronic headaches.  Things like that?  I’ve read there’s some surprising new research on the benefits of herbal medicine.”

Eve laughed.  “Nope.  They’re potions.”

“Excuse me?”

“Potions.”  The muscular woman raised an eyebrow.  “You know.  As in.  Magic potions?  I guess I didn’t give you my full title.  Eve, Witch of Desire, at your service.”

“That’s… nice.”  Chloe’s smile didn’t touch her eyes as she began to back away.  “Well, welcome to the neighborhood.  Maybe we’ll stop in sometime….”

Abigail folded her arms on the counter, and gave the giant woman a sly look.  “And exactly what kind of potions are these, Eve?  Let’s talk about your inventory.”

Eve rested her elbows on the table, and dropped her chin to her hands.  She bent down, until despite their almost two-foot height difference, the two were eye to eye.  The shop was brightly lit by the daytime sun, but as Eve came closer, the room seemed to dim.

“What do you need, dear?” she purred.

“Shouldn’t it be, ‘What do I desire?’  You are a desire witch, after all.”

Chloe tugged at her arm.  “Don’t antagonize her.  Let’s just go.”

Abigail pulled away, not breaking eye contact with the witch.  “I’d like to buy a love potion.  Is that something you can do, Eve?”

The woman’s smile grew darker.  Her green eyes almost seemed to glow, as she considered the question.

“No,” Eve said at last.  “Love potions always have unintended consequences.  Besides that, they’re unethical.  They’re basically consent violations in a bottle.  But if it’s love you’re after, there are other ways.”

“Such as?”

Eve smirked, looking thoughtfully off into the distance.  “Let’s start at the beginning.  There’s a certain someone you’re trying to attract, yes?  But it seems they don’t know you exist.”

Chloe scoffed.  “Yes, that’s a very good bit of cold reading, Miss Witch.  But if you don’t mind….”

“Elijah,” Eve said.  “From your biology class.  Big guy, dumb as a brick?  The one who missed class the other week because he got bit by a squirrel?”

Chloe’s jaw dropped.

Abigail was visibly unsurprised.  “That’s the one.  Do you have any ideas?”

“Several.”  She laid out a half dozen bottles.  Lifted one, considered it, set it back down.  “So, the issue is that he’s overlooking you.  Like, he doesn’t notice you.  Is that accurate?”

The smaller woman nodded.  “I’m rather easy to overlook, in case you didn’t notice.  I’m pretty short.”

Eve got an ah-ha look, and snatched up a bottle with a blue label.  “Got it.  This is one of my favorites.  I use it myself sometimes.  It tends to make one rather hard to ignore.”

“Oh?  Even more than right now?  You’re pretty eye-catching, if you don’t mind my saying.”

Eve tapped the stopper, grinning.  “Tonight, before you go to bed, make yourself a nice cup of tea.  Pour in one third of the bottle.  You won’t need sugar or honey – my potions all have a rather nice flavor – though I might suggest an herbal tea if you don’t want conflicting flavor notes.”

“Abigail,” Chloe whined.  You’re not seriously considering this?  You don’t even know what’s in this stuff!  It could be anything!”

Eve sighed, and spun the bottle around.  On the back was a list of ingredients.  “Lavender extract, glacial stream water, aloe vera juice, ethyl alcohol – that’s the fun kind of alcohol, if you didn’t know – blue dye #5.  And finally, and most importantly: magic.”

“Sold.”  Abigail opened her purse, and began to look for her wallet.  “How much?  You take a Visa?”

“Not so fast.”  Eve’s voice dropped into a low growl, like a hunting feline.  She slowly turned her gaze, regarding Chloe.  “You have a problem, too.  Come on now, don’t be shy.  Make a wish.  See if I can grant it.”

“I don’t….”

“People are always staring at your chest.  Want them to stop?”

In an instant, Chloe was beside Abigail.  She banged both fists on the counter.  “Yes!”

The amazonian woman winked.  “I thought so.”

Eve grabbed a bottle with a green label.  “Similar composition, but we substitute orchid extract for aloe, and the ethanol is dialed down a little.  The flavor’s basically the same.”

Abigail held up a hand, urging Chloe to stay silent.  To Eve, she said, “What, exactly, is her potion going to do?”

The witch covered her mouth, her expression playfully scandalized.  The taller woman seemed to considered the question carefully.  When she spoke her words came slowly, deliberately enunciating each word.  “It will allow her to deflect unwanted attention from people staring at her body.”

Abigail nodded, satisfied.  “This shop isn’t going to disappear in a puff of smoke as soon as we walk out the door?”

“It better not.  I just signed a lease.”

“And these potions don’t have horrible, ironic consequences?” Chloe put in.

“None of my consequences are ironic.  Witch’s guarantee.”  She put her hand over her heart.  “I’d never sell anything I wouldn’t use myself.  And if you don’t like the outcome, come to me and I’ll undo it.  That’s a promise.”

Chloe and Abigail looked at each other.  A bit of tension went out of the room.

“So….”  Abigail looked at the credit card in her hand.  “I’m noticing you don’t have a cash register.”

“It’s on order, should be here Tuesday.  You can Venmo me in the meantime.”  The giant witch chewed on her thumbnail.  “But you know what?  This one’s on the house.”

“Um, okay,” Chloe said.  “I’m compelled to ask why.”

Eve folded her hands behind her head, her arms flexing prettily.  “Call it a special offer for my very first customers.  Only, promise me you’ll tell a friend where you got those, if you like the results.  And throw me a review online?  A witch has gotta eat.”