Chili Cauldron Curse. Lynn Cahoon
expected back at her job as head caterer for a restaurant in Boise. The only reason she’d been able take this amount of time off was her boss—and boyfriend, Isaac Adams—knew the favor was for Grans. Apparently, her boyfriend was either afraid of her grandmother or really in love with her. “Okay then. We’ve got some work to do before school starts again.”
“I can help with the boxes.” Grans offered.
Mia looked at the two women with her. Tasha had to be in her late sixties, if Mia was being generous. Grans, well, she didn’t discuss her age, but Mia’s mom had let it slip that her last birthday had been the big seven-oh. “I called Christina and she’ll be here tomorrow. Isaac and Roxanne are picking her up at the airport and then she’ll drive up here. So, I have muscle coming.”
“I’m sure Roxanne will have some words of wisdom for her wayward daughter. That woman.” Grans didn’t have much good to say about Isaac and Christina’s mother, Roxanne Adams. For that matter, Mia didn’t either.
Mia nodded to the small office. “Why don’t you two go and make some flyers for the chili cook-off on Saturday? I think we need to let people know we’re here. And then you can be in charge of getting them out to the community while Christina and I get things organized. I think we need to do an inventory of what we currently have, then a received date. That way you can easily rotate stock to make sure nothing goes bad.” Mia looked at the jeans and tank she’d dressed in today. The Goddess had guided her well in her clothing choice because she was going to be filthy by the time she left for Grans’s tonight.
“Well, if you think you’re okay here alone.” Grans darted to the office, not waiting for a response.
Tasha quickly followed, shutting the foul smell out with the slam of the door.
“Great, don’t ask for help. You can do everything by yourself.” She took a deep breath. Coughing, she didn’t control her hand quickly enough. With a flick of the wrist and a quickly whispered spell, she wasn’t affected by the smell anymore. She knew it was still there, she just didn’t have to suffer through it. She rarely used her magic for her own comfort, but she thought the Goddess might just give her this one without a cost. Or She would, if She could smell the room.
Mia sat her tote and jacket on a table near the door. She pulled out a notebook and a pen, then headed to the first stack of boxes. She’d gather like items together, first. Then she’d try to estimate what she had so she could start stacking the food in groups.
Magic Springs, Idaho, was just north of Boise and near Sun Valley. The ski lodge had been built in the sixties and catered to the rich and famous, then and now. The problem was, people who worked in the area didn’t always have the money for basics like food and school supplies. Especially in the larger families. Her grandmother was on the local sorority who supported several community outreach programs like the food bank. Unfortunately, they hadn’t taken responsibility for the program until last week, when Tasha had called for help. Mia loved her grandmother, but looking at this mess, she thought this time Grans might have bitten off more than she could chew.
She started opening boxes, making notes, then moving boxes to their designated areas. Fruits, vegetables, meats, soups, snacks, and paper products—they all had their own section. From the amount of peanut butter and jelly she’d unpacked, she might make that a section of its own near the snacks. And there were random other items bagged up like paper plates, cups, personal items, and lots of paper towels.
She glanced up at the already divided areas and tried to see where she could make a section of household products as well as personal care items. No wonder Tasha had become overwhelmed. She pulled out a package of diapers. And there was another section she needed to set up, baby items. She rocked back on her heels, ready to call it a day.
If she could just get rid of that smell, this wouldn’t be such a bad job. She glanced around the stacks of boxes still needing to be sorted. She decided to take a chance. Maybe karma wouldn’t kick her in the butt for taking the easy way out, at least not this time. She was working for charity. She took a deep breath and almost choked on the smell. Her protection against the stink had already faded. She should have dealt with the issue and not just taken the easy way out. Grans was right, she really needed to work harder on her craft.
That did it. She closed her eyes, prepared her spell to find the rotten produce, and then exhaled with the words. “Inveniet foetidus.”
A glow came from the back of the room and she could see the offending box. And, as an added benefit, her spell had covered up the gagging odor in the room. She cleared a way to the leaking box, shoved it in a trash bag without even opening it, running the bag outside to the dumpster in the alley.
Ten minutes later, she’d sprayed and cleaned the area, putting the used paper towels in another bag, and when she’d taken that out, the odor was gone. Not just hidden, but gone.
“Thank the Goddess.” Mia went back to her charts and lists and broke open another box that this time, held canned green beans.
A noise came from the front door and she looked up to see Pricilla Powers enter the warehouse. Pricilla was one of Grans’s friends from the local coven, and had tried to recruit Mia after finding out Mia wasn’t practicing in Boise. A fake smile curved the newcomer’s lips. “Mia! So nice to see you again. I didn’t know you were up from town.”
Boise wasn’t that far away from Magic Springs, but everyone here seemed to think it wasn’t drivable in a few hours. They also thought Boise was filled with traffic and crime and all sorts of big city vices. Really, the opposite was true. Boise was the biggest little town there was. “Good afternoon, Pricilla. I’d get up but I’m a mess. I’ve been cleaning for the last few hours. A hot bath is on my list as soon as I’m back at Grans. She’s in the office.”
“Oh, I came to help.” Pricilla stepped closer in her three-inch-high heels and what Mia would call a Sunday dress. The ruffles on the bodice bounced as she walked. Not quite a work outfit.
“It’s crazy dusty back here. I hate to see you get that lovely dress dirty.” Or break a nail. Mia pointed to the office. “I’m sure Grans and Tasha could use some help with the flyers they’re developing. I believe they’re having trouble with the software.”
“I guess I’m being called to help the technologically challenged.” The smile she put on her face reminded Mia of a snake slithering around the woman’s face. She sniffed the air. “Besides, since you’re using magic to get the warehouse in shape, I’m sure it won’t take much longer.”
Mia opened her mouth to respond, but then clamped it shut. She watched as Pricilla clacked her way to the office and disappeared inside. She’d been called out.
Mia tried not to use magic to solve everyday issues, but desperate times called for desperate measures.
“What a witch.” Mia mumbled, as she returned to moving the box of green beans.
As she moved through the boxes, she thought of the dishes that could be made with the food. She didn’t often use canned food at the restaurant, but at home, she took a few shortcuts. Not like Isaac was home much anymore to notice. She thought of their last conversation when she told him she was taking a week off to help Grans with the food drive. He’d seemed relieved, happy for her to be out of town. Maybe he was feeling the stress of the relationship too. When she got back, she’d cook a nice dinner, and they’d talk this out. They were so busy, they never saw each other anymore. Something else nagged at her, but she pushed the thought away. She could fix this.
Lost in her plans to repair her broken relationship, she didn’t notice her grandmother’s presence until she touched her hand. Then Mia almost dropped a box of spaghetti on her own foot.
“Sorry dear, I thought you’d heard me walk up.” Grans took the box that was slipping off the top of the pile Mia held in her arms. “Let’s sit this down and go home. I’ve ordered food from the Lodge and James will send someone to deliver it while we put our feet up.”
Mia nodded to the shelf nearest them. “Just sit these over there. I’m