Page 92 of Bargain with Fate
The door opened and I spun toward it, as though expecting the shadow to appear. Louise squeezed through the opening, carrying a cardboard box, followed by Bernice and my neighbor, Edith.
“We’re here,” Louise announced in a singsong voice. “Let the plotting of Operation Decoration commence.”
I looked at the gathered ladies. “What’s Operation Decoration?”
Louise jerked her head toward me. “Maya, I didn’t see you there. You were in the wrong eye line.” She snapped her eye patch.
Meemaw nodded to the others. “Our cover’s blown. We may as well get the goods back out.”
Margie lifted the lid of the coffee table and the witches pulled out dozens of shiny colorful objects.
I was thoroughly confused. “What’s going on?”
“Euba Gardner filed a complaint with the HOA, claiming my decorations violated the garishness rule, and they issued me a fine,” Catherine said.
“So we’re exacting revenge.” Meemaw held up a rainbow pinwheel. “If Euba thinks colored fairy lights that blink are garish, she won’t be happy to see these all over the Neighborhood.”
“It’s guerrilla warfare,” Joan said. “We’re going out tonight and placing them everywhere we know Euba frequents. She’ll lose her mind.”
“Please don’t stop us,” Catherine said. “I haven’t been this excited to stay up past my bedtime since color TV was invented.”
I picked up one of the pinwheels and blew to make it turn. “I don’t see a security issue.”
“We trust you to keep our secret,” Margie said. “Why not trust us to keep yours?”
“Because mine is in my official capacity.”
Meemaw gestured to the gathering. “You need help, Maya, and you have an entire coven at your disposal. Take advantage of it.”
Edith raised her hand. “I’m a harpy.”
Meemaw rolled her eyes. “We know, Edith.”
Louise set the box on the floor. “Let us help, Maya. Whatever it is, you shouldn’t have to bear the burden alone.”
“Well, it’s my job, so technically I do.” I gazed at the pinwheel spinning in my hand. These women were willing to go the distance in support of their friend. Yes, they gossiped, but they also watched each other’s backs. Why shouldn’t I trust them, at least with this particular problem?
Meemaw pulled open the chip bag and emptied the contents into a large wooden bowl. “You’re welcome to join us for Operation Decoration.”
“We’re bringing adult juice boxes,” Catherine added.
“That means alcohol,” Edith translated for me.
“I figured.” I felt myself relenting. “If I share this information with you, I need you all to swear a blood oath that you won’t repeat it.”
“Can we swear on each other’s lives or something?” Catherine asked. “Blood makes me squeamish.”
Meemaw gave an exasperated sigh. “Everyone raise your hand and repeat after me: I solemnly swear that I will not divulge, without permission, in any form of communication whatsoever, the information Maya August is about to reveal.”
The women repeated the pledge in a garbled fashion, missing or changing a few of the words and speaking at different speeds. Still, I appreciated the effort.
I sat on the sofa between Joan and Margie and, without naming him, told them about Stephen’s shadow.
“And this thing killed Darlene?” Catherine asked, resting her hand against her chest in horror.
“Yes, and now it wants to kill me. Obviously, I’m trying to avoid that outcome.”
Louise toyed with a pinwheel. “The owner of the shadow—are we sure he hasn’t made some kind of deal with dark spirits?”
