Wendy was worried.
    Even though there was very little sign of her phantom roommate she was afraid when the girl did show up she might see her carpet, taking up a big section of the middle of their shared floor, as a violation of 'space.’”
    She did find a perfect place for her alchemy case; right next to her desk.  It held some incredibly valuable components, but the case itself was old and worn.  Plus, one of her aunts had put a “don’t notice me” spell on it.  That should keep it safe.
    Now, she just needed a few more touches and she’d have a passable sanctum...
    Her planning was interrupted by a familiar, yet strangely excited voice...
    “You!”  It was Sondra, the tall, blonde girl who had helped her.  “You are my lucky charm!”  She was giggling, rushing toward her, her arms were wrapping around her...
    “Oof.”  Wendy couldn’t quite move enough to return the hug properly.  “Hi Sondra.”
    “I was trying to get to an appointment to get a new advisor this morning.”  She said, still smiling.  “When I stopped to help you I was late.  I missed all the advisors I wanted...”
    “Oh, Sondra!”  Wendy cut in, “I’m so sorry...”
    “No!  No!”  Sondra held her by the shoulders, still looking too happy.  “I got Snyder.  Denise Snyder!  Everybody said ‘don’t get Snyder.’ but she’s awesome.  She really want’s you to succeed.  It’s like she’ll work as hard for you as you’ll work for yourself.  She said I should have been charged state resident fees my first year here and she can get the difference put toward my current education costs...”
    “That sounds....nice?”
    “Oh my god!”  Sondra continued, “We’re talking like SEVENTY THOUSAND dollars toward my education!  And she found a supplement to the CHP survivors fund...if you get good grades...and I do...you can get an extra thirty five thousand....!”
    “Oh!”  Now Wendy understood.  “That’s great!”
    “You bet it is!  Granpa and I scrimped and saved for that first year and now...”  Sondra cupped her hands at the back of Wendy’s neck and pulled the smaller girl into a kiss.  “Muh-wah!  I’m gonna get you drunk!”  As she disappeared out the door and down the hall she yelled back, “And besides; you’ll get to hear me play.”
    Wendy just stood there.  Face blank, until her fingers touched her lips.  “Wow.”


    Sitting cross-legged on her carpet, Wendy typed the incantation into her laptop.  Uncle Sirius had set up her laptop.  He said his studies into cybermancy were so the coven could communicate with others on the aethernet.  But she suspected it had been because she was leaving for college.  Good old Uncle Sirius, he couldn’t stop protecting them.
    The computer emitted a slight bit of glowing blue smoke and the link was made.  A black wolf’s head icon appeared on the screen.

Sirius:Hi sweetheart.  Everything ok?

Wendy:IT HAPPENED!  IT HAPPENED!  GET EVERYBODY!

    Wendy wiped tears away as she waited.  After a minute more text appeared.

Sirius:Most of us are here.  What happened?

Wendy:I get out into the world...right as I get on campus...somebody helped me and it lead to...within the hour something wonderful happened her.  I knew I was on the right path...I just KNEW it.

    A blue rose icon appeared.

Agnes:You are truly blessed child.  But the Bountiful Path can be harder than you would imagine

    A black cat wearing a pointy hat.  Mom’s icon.

Felicity:Sweetheart, life may not reveal all its plans and mysteries so easily.  But, who is “she?”  Did you make a friend?

Sirius:And what did you need help with?  Was there a problem?

    Wendy knew what “was there a problem” meant when Uncle Sirius used it:do I need to get a bunch of my biker buddies to put somebody in a hole in the ground?

Wendy:Uncle Sirius, you all have so many protective charms and wards on me...what could happen?  Mom, her name is Sondra, she’s from Idaho and she’s really nice.  I hope we can be good friends.  She reminds me of Constance.

    A cowboy hat with a peacock feather appeared.

Constance:How?

Wendy:She’s fierce.

Constance:Fierce.  I like that.  Will we get to meet her?

Wendy:She would like to meet you.  She wants to meet all my cool aunts.

Constance:We will make sure that happens.



    Soon after Wendy finished her chat Sondra appeared at her door. 
    “You good to go?” Her new friend asked, then looked down.  “Now that I can get a really good look at your rug: nice.”
    “I’m glad you like it.”Wendy smiled, “It’s called Nymphs and Satyr.”
    “Classy.”
    She had a guitar case strung over her back.  She was wearing a faded brown t shirt over a grey long sleeve shirt with tan cargo pants, her hair had been brushed a little straighter, which prompted Wendy to ask.
    “Where are we going?”
    “A little whiskey club.” Sondra gestured with her thumb like it was right behind her, “They have an open stage sometimes.  Record company people show up.”
    “This is my first time out.”Wendy stood up and opened her arms.  “How am I dressed?”
    She was wearing a well-worn biker’s jacket over a grey spandex t shirt with jeans so faded it was difficult to tell what color they had been originally.  She wore an eight-pointed pendant of turqoise and mother of pear, nine bracelets and almost every finger had a ring, some more than one.  Her light brown her danced around her elfin face, loose.
    ”You look great.”Sondra smiled, “I love the too much jewelry thing.”
    Wendy looked at her hands.  “Too much...?”
    “It’s a look.  Don’t worry, if anyone calls you on it you can say you’re doing it ironically.”
    “Ironic...what?”
    “These days you can wear a frilly pink tutu as long as you do it ironically.  And if you have to say to them it’s ironic that means they’re too dumb to get the joke.”  Sondra explain, tugging on Wendy’s jacket.  “Or you can tell them to fuck off.”
    “But if it’s too much...”
    “No, it’s called ‘the too much jewelry look,’” Sondra was pushing her now.  “There’s gonna be lots of girls doing it there.”
    Wendy didn’t want to make her friend look uncool.  She planted her feet against Sondra’s efforts still found herself moving toward the door.  Her friend’s efforts seemed more playful than forceful, but Goddess! she was strong.  “But..”
    “There’s gonna be guys in suits there.” Sondra said, as if that excused everything.
    “Okay.”  Wendy accepted and found herself moving toward the door.  Then the pushing just stopped.
    “Wait.”  Sondra seemed concerned.  “Did you say this is your first time going out?  Like to a club?”
    “Well,”  Wendy smiled, “My Uncle Si’ took me to a few biker bars...I got the feel for them...but it was mostly so they knew not to mess with me.  I’ve never been to a regular bar.”
    “My gandpa did something like that for me at the VFW.” Sondra nodded. moving down the hall.  “Let’s try to make this fun.”
   
    As they waved good by to Jay, Wendy observed.  “Record people are going to be there?  Are you going to be discovered?”
    “I hope so.” Sondra beamed,  “I have so much I want to say to people.  Life is so beautiful and wonderful and sometimes we just don’t see it.  I really think I could change people, the world, with my music.  I just have to get them to listen.”
    “That’s beautiful Sondra.” Wendy smiled. 
    “This is mine.”  Sondra stopped at a small, white car.
    “It’s a pinto.”  Wendy observed.
    “What?”  Sondra chuckled. “Did they teach you car snobbery at that commune of yours?  Maybe it’s ironic”
    “Oh, irony again.  And I don’t appreciate it...I get it. But...” Wendy tried to ask nicely. “Don’t they explode?”
    “Baby, here,”  Sondra said, slapping the roof,  “is the one of the first pintos in Idaho.  Early models didn’t have problems.”  She climbed behind the wheel.
    “So,” Wendy joined her, “It won’t explode?”
    “If it did, “ Sondra grinned, starting the engine.  “it would be pretty ironic.”