Circle Of Three: Making The Saint Part 14

The garden is a beautiful place, said Annie. We have a lot of happy times there, and we grow things there. The energy is very positive. I want the negative energy I put into the rock to be changed"to be transformed"by being in that place. But mostly I want to take it out of me so that I can feel more balanced, like the circle.

Becka nodded. Annie clasped her hands around the stone and closed her eyes. Im picturing all of the negativity in me pouring into the stone, she informed Becka. I see it as a kind of sickly green color. I let it flow out of my hands and into the rock.

She sat for a few minutes, letting the feelings of unhappiness inside of her well up and pour into the stone in her hands. When she felt as if the last bit of it was gone from inside of her, she opened her hands and lifted the rock up.

Touch it, she instructed Becka.

Becka put a finger out and stroked the stone. Its so cold! she said. But you were holding it in your hands. It should be warm.

Weird, huh? Annie said. Now we can go stick it back in the garden. Theres a place right by the lavender plants that I think will be perfect.

Becka started to get up but Annie stopped her. We need to open the circle, she said, and Becka resumed her spot.

Picture the two energies swirling faster and faster, said Annie. Imagine them running together like *

water going down a drain. Picture them both sinking into the ground.

As she told Becka what to do, Annie did the same thing. She saw the purple and the gold energies circling at greater and greater speed, then spiraling down into the ground. When the last of the energy was gone she said, The circle is open but unbroken.

Were done? asked Becka curiously.

Were done, said Annie.

They stood up and Annie blew out the candles. Then she picked up the rock. Lets put this baby outside, she said.

Wait a minute, said Becka. You havent told me if it helped or not.

I feel better, said Annie. Whether or not it will last, I dont know. But I feel better.

Becka looked at the rock. Now, dont you go telling anyone what you know about this, she said.

Annie laughed. Come on, she told Becka. Lets get down there and see what the two mad chefs have done.

As they left the room Becka paused and remarked, You know, the more of this Wicca stuff I do, the more I like it.

Uh-oh, replied Annie. Now were all in trouble.

CHAPTER 13.

Kate, would you put this on the table?

Mrs. Morgan handed her daughter a bowl of gravy. Kate took it and plopped it unceremoniously on the table. A little bit of it spilled over the side and splattered on the linen tablecloth. Kate looked at the ugly stain and thought, Thats exactly how I feel.

Nothing was going right. Cooper and Annie had acted strangely at cla.s.s on Tuesday night. Tyler had seemed distant. And Kyle was being totally not cool to her. Instead of listening to her and accepting that even though he didnt understand it, Wicca was something that was important to her, he had decided to make a joke out of it. He didnt do it in front of their parents, because he was smart enough to know that it would make them angry, but whenever he could he would make little remarks to Kate. The night before, when shed spilled some milk on the floor in the kitchen, hed leaned over and said, Why dont you just wiggle your nose and make it disappear?

Kate knew that he was being that way because he didnt understand. But she was angry at him anyway.

Kyle had always been her ally against her parents, ever since she was old enough to need someone to take her side. It had been Kyle who had argued successfully for Kate to be able to get her ears pierced.

It was Kyle who had convinced Mr. Morgan that Kate should be allowed to go with him to her first rock concert. It was Kyle and Kate"as a team"who had once gotten the familys summer vacation destination changed from the Grand Canyon to Disneyland.

But not now. Kate looked at her brother. He was sitting on the couch, watching TV and eating all the olives out of the dish Kate had placed on the table fifteen minutes earlier. I wish I was magic, Kate thought to herself. Id turn you into the little rat you are.

Kate?

Kate turned around and saw her mother looking at her. Did you hear me? Mrs. Morgan asked. I asked if the salt and pepper were on the table.

Oh, Kate said. She scanned the table. No, theyre not. Ill get them.

Something wrong? Mrs. Morgan asked as Kate went to the cupboard to find the missing condiments.

You seem angry.

No, replied Kate, trying to sound fine. Im okay.

Youve barely said three words to Kyle since he got here, Mrs. Morgan said.

Thats because he hasnt stopped eating since he got here, said Kate, rummaging behind the cinnamon and the paprika and seeing the pepper but not the salt. Its hard to talk to someone whose mouth is always full.

Mrs. Morgan sighed. In other words, youre mad at him and youre not going to tell me why?

Kate found the salt but pretended that she hadnt. She wanted to keep her head in the cupboard long enough to avoid answering her mothers questions. The fact was, she would have loved to tell her mother why she was upset with Kyle. She would have loved to be able to talk about things with Tyler. But she couldnt, because her mother was one of the people who was part of the problem. So instead she just kept rattling the jars of spices around to make it look like she was occupied with more important matters.

I smell turkey!

Kate banged her head on the cupboard, but she didnt care. Thank G.o.ddess, she thought. Im saved.

The voice belonged to her aunt Netty. Kate ran from the kitchen and into the hallway, where her aunt was taking off her coat and hanging it up. Kate ran to her and embraced her.

Youre just in time, she said.

That bad already? Aunt Netty answered. What happened? Did your father eat all of the cream cheese out of the celery sticks again?

I wish, Kate said. Ill tell you later, she added as the rest of her family charged into the hallway to say their h.e.l.los.

Dinner was a grim affair for Kate. Luckily, everyone was so busy chewing and talking that no one really noticed Kates unusual silence. Kyle chattered on about his cla.s.ses at school, Mrs. Morgan told Aunt Netty about the last party shed catered and how the hostess had drunk too much champagne and started singing Over the Rainbow, and Mr. Morgan grumbled about the after-Thanksgiving sale he was going to have at his sporting goods store and how it had been a slow year for tents. The only time Kate was even slightly interested in the conversation was when Aunt Netty told them about her latest series of *

tests related to her cancer and how shed come away with a clean bill of health.

And, of course, Im still going to the healing circles, Netty added, winking at Kate from across the table. They have a lot to do with this.

Kate saw her parents exchange a glance, and she saw Kyle frown, but no one commented about Aunt Nettys p.r.o.nouncement. That made Kate feel a little better, but she still wanted to get Aunt Netty alone and talk to her about some things.

She got her chance after dessert. Kyle and Mr. Morgan sat on the couch to watch football and almost immediately fell asleep. Mrs. Morgan was busy putting away leftovers, and waved them away when Kate asked if she wanted any help. Go, her mother said. Talk. You just mess up my system anyway.

Kate and Aunt Netty went upstairs, Kate carrying the overnight bag her aunt had brought. They went into the guest room that was always Nettys when she visited. Her aunt stretched out on the bed and sighed.

They say theres a natural drug in turkey that makes you sleepy, she said, yawning. Personally, I think the Pilgrims just made that up as an excuse to take naps, but I like it. Now, tell me whats up.

I told Kyle, Kate said. You know, about being into Wicca. Hes being a jerk about it.

I love your brother dearly, Aunt Netty said. But open-minded is not a descriptive term that comes to mind when I think of him. Why did you tell him?

I thought he should know, Kate said, then saw her aunt looking at her with a knowing expression.

Okay, I wanted him to help me gang up on Mom and Dad so that theyd let me see Tyler again.

Now it makes sense, Aunt Netty said. And instead he made fun of you. Just like a boy.

Theyre not all like that, Kate said. Tylers not.

Yes, but Tylers a witch , sweetie, Aunt Netty said. Of course hes not going to be freaked out by Wicca. But imagine if you told him you wanted to pierce your nose or vote for a Republican or something else that he didnt agree with. Would he be so understanding then?

Okay, none of this has anything to do with why Im mad, said Kate.

Look, Aunt Netty said. So Kyle is being a jerk. h.e.l.l get over it. Youll get over it. The real question is how you get your parents to agree to let you date Tyler, right?

Right, Kate said.

Maybe I can help you there, Aunt Netty said. Let me talk to your mother. I have years of experience in getting her to do things she doesnt want to.

Thanks, Kate said.

You dont sound very enthusiastic about it, Aunt Netty remarked.

Im not feeling very enthusiastic about anything lately, Kate answered. I wish I could be more like *

Oggun.

Is this some new actress Ive never heard of? Aunt Netty asked. Like one of those Uma, Charlize, Winona things?

No, Kate said, smiling despite her unhappiness. Hes an orisha. A G.o.d that people who practice Santeria work with.

You certainly are developing an interesting circle of friends, commented Aunt Netty.

Its all part of this exercise were doing for cla.s.s, explained Kate. We went to this ritual where some of the orishas took over the bodies of some dancers. One of them was Oggun. He kind of talked to me.

Like I said, you know interesting people, said Aunt Netty.

Oggun was just so sure of himself, said Kate. I bet hed never mope around waiting for other people to do things. Hed make them happen.

Sounds like you need him on your side and not your frat boy brother or your loving and oh-so-attractive aunt, Netty said.

Kate looked at her. Maybe youre right, she said. Maybe thats exactly what I need.

Aunt Netty c.o.c.ked her head. I see the wheels turning in there, she said. What have you got in mind?

Im not sure, said Kate. But I have an idea. What are your plans for tomorrow?

Aunt Netty shrugged. Im all yours, she said.

Kate smiled. Good, she said. Were going to go see a woman about a G.o.d.

The next afternoon, Kate and her aunt took the bus into town and got off at the stop near Botanica Yemaya. When they walked into the store Kate saw Evelyn standing behind the counter, crumbling herbs into jars filled with water. Unidentifiable objects floated in the murky liquid.

h.e.l.lo again, Evelyn said, stepping out to kiss Kate on both cheeks. And you have brought me a visitor.

Evelyn, this is my aunt Netty, Kate said.

Is she Wiccan, too? asked Evelyn.

No, Aunt Netty replied. I mean, at least not officially. I go to circles from time to time.

Evelyn nodded. Now, what can I do for you, girl? she asked Kate. You sounded like the devil himself was pulling at your skirts when you called me this morning.

I wanted to talk to you about Oggun, said Kate.

What about him? Evelyn asked.

Well, Ive been thinking about what happened the other night, Kate told her. When he possessed that woman and talked to me.

Not possessed, child, Evelyn said. He rode her. She became him. We dont go for any of that demon-inside nonsense that they talk about in the movies.

Well, anyway, Kate said. Ive been thinking about that. Oggun is the G.o.d of war, right?

Evelyn nodded. Thats right. And of steel and iron.

Hes brave, Kate said. Tough. He doesnt let anyone push him around.

Hes not a bully, answered Evelyn. But he knows what he wants.

Well, thats what I want, Kate said. I want to be more self-confident. I want to be able to stand up for myself and not back down.

Evelyn eyed Kate up and down. Look at you, all full of yourself. And what do you want me to do about this?

I want Oggun to help me, said Kate. Ive been reading about Santeria. I know that people think the orishas can help them if they do certain things to make them happy. I want to do that.

Evelyn looked at Aunt Netty. This child is serious, she said.