Since Libby had just made Finn’s breakfast, it was the least I could do to pour his juice. I bent over the counter as far as I could, trying not to drop the box, and bellowed up the stairs, “You better get down here in the next five seconds!”

  No answer.

  Condensation beaded on the glass of OJ, making it slippery. I straightened up to put the glass on the counter, but when I turned and extended my arm, I rammed into the open cabinet I’d forgotten to close after retrieving the glass and lost control of the box. Slamming the box onto the counter, I watched it teeter before gravity yanked it completely out of my grip.

  In my failed effort to steady the box, the glass slipped between my fingers at the same time that the box toppled away from me.

  “Oh, no!” Libby yelled.

  In a split second decision, I made a grab for the box and watched the glass of OJ crash to the floor in a splintering smash of pulpy orange juice and broken glass.

  “Blast and conjuration!” I yelled, stealing a line from Wanda’s book.

  Darla looked up from the breakfast table, where she was frowning over the morning crossword. “Are you okay, Poppy?”

  “Oh dear, oh dear,” Libby mumbled and immediately set to cleaning up the mess.

  “I’m fine,” I said as I glanced down and quickly realized my clothes weren’t. “My jeans are on their way to the morgue, though. Dang it! These are the only pair that fit me now!”

  I pushed the box onto the last few inches of free counter space, grabbed a dish towel, and bent down to help Libby mop up the mess. When squatting, I took in the sad details of the orange juice disaster that was now painted across my jeans—and don’t even get me started on my shoes!

  Libby took the towel out of my hand. “Leave that to me, Poppy dear. You go change your clothes.”

  “But—”

  She waved the towel toward the stairs. “Go before you’re even later than you already are!”

  I didn’t argue. Instead, I raced upstairs, heading for my bedroom, and on the way, passed the guest bathroom which Finn and I both were currently using because the rest of the upstairs was in the midst of a renovation, hence all the boxes crowding my bedroom.

  The bathroom door was open and I caught a glimpse of Finn standing before the mirror. His hair glistened with gobs of slimy goo and he’d combed it straight up from his skull into spiky thorns. Each point curved upward, ending in a carefully turned curlicue. He cavorted in front of the mirror, gyrated his hips, and pointed at his reflection while making ridiculous faces.

  “P-p-p-party in the house!” he sang to his reflection. “Who you?”

  “I am… da man,” it excitedly responded.

  I stopped on the spot and watched his antics from outside the door as I wondered if I should let him go to school with his hair like that? I mean—were there rules against looking like… a stegosaurus? I wasn’t sure, but I also didn’t want to put the kibosh on Finn’s creativity or originality.

  And, after all, who was I to argue with ‘da man’?

  It was then that Finn turned and spotted me. For a moment that seemed to stretch into eternity, we just looked at each other through the bathroom door and neither of us said anything. There was a laugh bubbling at the corners of my mouth, but I didn’t want to offend him or his rap debut.

  He didn’t get embarrassed or slam the door in my face or demand he be entitled to ‘some privacy around here’. Instead, he just leaned down and tied his shoelaces.

  When he stood back up, he apparently noticed the orange juice all over the front of me and asked, “Are you okay, Mom?”

  “I’m fine,” I answered in a hurried tone as I started for my bedroom and Finn followed me. “I just have to change my clothes.” I turned to look at him. “It’s almost eight-thirty and you still haven’t eaten!”

  “Is Libby here again?” he grumbled.

  “Yes and Darla, too.”

  “Ugh, every time I see Libby, she pinches my cheeks like I’m two years old.”

  “We’ve talked about this, Finn. Remember what the most important thing in the world is?”

  He nodded and rolled his eyes at me. “Spreading kindness.”

  “Right, so go say good morning to Libby and I’m sure she’s already taken care of another glass of orange juice for you.”

  “Okay,” he answered and started from the bathroom as I immediately headed for my dresser, taking out the only other pair of jeans I owned—and a belt because there was no way this pair was going to fit me. I really needed to make a trip to the mall (which was a good half-hour from Haven Hollow) and supplement my wardrobe. Maybe Wanda would go with me—actually at the thought of Wanda’s would-be snide remarks over everything I picked out, I figured it might not be such a good idea to bring her along.

  Regardless, I couldn’t think about the sad state of my closet at the moment.

  Like I mentioned earlier, my house was undergoing a much needed remodel that I’d been putting off for the last year, owing to how crazy my life had been. But, after an insane vampire had basically destroyed my house, that need for a remodel had escalated. Actually, Roscoe, the vampire who’d blooded Betanya Tayir and then come after her with a vengeance once they’d both escaped the veil, had also done a number on my Jeep Wrangler. Now, I was driving a Toyota Corolla rental car until my car insurance decided to replace the Jeep, which hopefully would be soon.

  Anyway, in the last month or so, I’d interviewed three contractors, settled on one and now we were starting the remodel. And, yes, as crazy as it sounds, Finn and I were still living in the house. Consequently, Finn’s room was completely gutted, the drywall stripped from the walls (much like the upstairs hallway) and so was his bathroom. The guest bedroom looked much the same. The only rooms that hadn’t been stripped were the hallway bathroom and my bedroom, since Finn and I needed a place to sleep. So, yes, we were sharing my King-sized bed for the time being. Not exactly good for my love life, but at the moment, I wasn’t really sure I had a love life.

  I mean, Marty and I were in this strange no-man’s-land and had been for the past couple of weeks or so—a no-man’s-land between friendship and something more, but it seemed we were having trouble navigating the ‘something more’ part. One thing I did know for sure—Roy and I were a thing of the past. And while it had been tough for Roy to accept as much, I noticed recently he wasn’t calling quite as much as he had been. And that was a good thing, because I cared about Roy and I wanted him to move on and find his happily ever after, and that HEA wasn’t going to be with me.

  But, going back to the problem known as: ‘Poppy’s already late and really needs to get going’, I peeled off my orange-juiced skinny jeans, then dumped them in the laundry basket and pulled on the clean pair. Then I walked out of my bedroom, carried my shoes to the guest bathroom sink and carefully wiped the orange juice off of them with a wet hand towel.

  Darla called from the kitchen. “Poppy! Your phone is ringing!”

  I grabbed the bathroom door and opened it as I turned off the light. “I’m on my…”

  “Mom, did you break something?” Finn asked as he met me in the hall. “I thought I heard something break.”

  “Yeah, I accidentally broke the mirror behind the door.”

  “Are you okay?”

  I smiled as I looked over at him, taking in his Dwight Schrute Beet Farm sweatshirt and all four of his hair horns. “I’m fine, buddy, but thank you. Can you go downstairs and eat, please?”

  “I can’t eat my breakfast.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because Libby made me something that’s not fit for human consumption.”

  “What do you mean?”

  He frowned at me. “She called it ‘milk toast’ but it’s more like the soggiest bread I’ve ever seen in my life and I’m pretty sure she put salt and pepper in it because it tastes like ass.”

  “Language!”

  He frowned at me even more. “Can you please make me a breakfast burrito like normal?”

  “I don’t have time today, Finn! Look what time it is!”

  “Well, I’ll go to school hungry then. But don’t make me eat that horrible stuff Libby made. Please.” He shook his head and then puffed out his cheeks and made a sound like he was vomiting.

  “Okay, we’ll stop for drive-thru on the way to school,” I said, to which he beamed. “Just… just be sure to brush your teeth! Oh, and put on your deodorant, too.”

  Lately, Finn had started smelling like the young man he was quickly becoming.

  “I won’t forget,” he promised, and I was sure that much was true. Ever since his crush at school told him he smelled like a homeless person, personal hygiene was now suddenly topping his list.

  Finn walked away, and I tried for the second time to head down the stairs when Darla came bustling up them and stopped me in the hallway, right outside the bathroom.

  “I heard a crash. Did something…?” She took a few steps down the hall, peered into my bedroom and, taking one look at the remains of the broken mirror which was sticking out from behind my door, screamed loud enough to raise the roof.

  “Oh my God!” I yelled back at her, covering my ears with my hands. “Will you stop that!”

  “Heavens preserve us!”

  Darla was beyond dramatic, owing to her time as a would-be Hollywood starlet, right before her death. Unfortunately, her re-life hadn’t cured her of her previous ridiculousness. “It’s just a broken mirror, Darla!”

  “Just a broken mirror!” Her hand flew to her mouth as she shook her head in earnest. “Do you know what that means?” She pointed to the busted glass.

  “Yeah. It means I’m going to be late for work and probably late getting Finn to school.” If Libby and Darla really wanted to be useful, they would’ve gotten their driving licenses by now. But, Libby insisted a woman’s place shouldn’t be behind the wheel of a complex driving machine and at the thought of Darla behind the wheel, well, let’s just say that wasn’t a thought I wanted in my head.

  I pushed past her, but she continued to yammer in my ear exactly the same way she had when she was nothing but ectoplasm and haunting my house.

  “A broken mirror means—”

  “Seven years of bad luck, yeah, yeah.”

  “And how!” Her eyes went even wider. “Poppy! Don’t you realize how serious this is? I ain’t just beatin’ my gums!” She took a big breath. “Seven years of bad luck ain’t nothin’ to sneeze at, honey! You better watch your step,” she continued nodding like she was really onto something. “Ask me, I say you better stay home from work today.”

  “I didn’t ask you, and I’m not staying home from work, Darla.”

  Yes, I was a gypsy and thus, much more aware of the supernatural world than your average human, but that didn’t mean I believed in ancient superstitions that were devised when people didn’t understand things like science. Besides, I also didn’t buy into fear in general and as far as I was concerned, fear was the main ingredient all these silly, old superstitions had in common.

  “A broken mirror causing seven years of bad luck is pure superstition,” I explained to Darla, figuring she could use a little more logic in her life. “It isn’t based on fact or anything else!” I sailed past her and hurried down the stairs.

  I definitely didn’t have time for this.

  When I reached the entry, Finn was standing in it and reaching down to grab his camouflage print backpack and his Covid face mask. Figuring I didn’t have time for my toast, and not wanting to explain why Finn wasn’t eating his soggy bread to Libby, I opened the front door and hustled Finn out to the Toyota Corolla. We both shivered in the January Oregon air, which was in a word—cold. In fact, there was a fresh coat of snow dusting everything as far as the eye could see.

  After getting in the car and turning the heat up to max, we motored off towards Haven Middle School.

  After stopping for an egg McMuffin meal for Finn which he ate within minutes, I pulled up in front of the school just in time for first bell. Finn reached over and, in our usual morning practice, gave me a big hug before getting out and slinging his backpack over his shoulder.

  “I love you, Mom,” he said.

  “I love you more!” I answered and then added. “Have a great day!”

  Hearing the screech of tires made us both spin around.

  A bright yellow BMW careened around the corner and rocketed straight for my rental car. I leaned across my seat and yelled at Finn to jump away from the door.

  He dived to safety and would have flattened himself on the grass, but the Beemer hit its brakes and squealed to a stop a foot or so behind the Corolla. A laughing girl got out of the passenger seat and judging by how young the guy behind the wheel looked, I figured he was probably her older brother. The girl walked past Finn, who was just righting himself from the ground, laughed at him and then trotted into the school building.

  Finn picked himself up at the same time that I got out of the car and ran around to make sure he was okay. The BMW then peeled out from behind me and I was fairly sure the young driver didn’t hear me yelling at him.

  I turned my attention back to my son and found his face white as a sheet. “Are you okay?” I asked.

  It took him a second, but then he managed a smile and a nod. “Yeah, but that was way too close.”

  “I know!” I said, shaking my head. “That jerk nearly turned the rental car into an accordion!”

  “Maybe Darla was right when she was going on and on and on… and on about that mirror breaking and bringing you bad luck?”

  I forced a laugh. “Very funny.”

  “Well, wouldn’t that be considered bad luck?” he asked, his blue eyes like big orbs in his sweet, little face.

  “Bad luck doesn’t exist unless you allow it to exist,” I answered.

  “I’m just glad you’re okay,” he said as he gave me a hug and I returned it.

  “Me, too, buddy,” I whispered into his hair.

  “Okay, bye mom!” he said as the second bell rang and he pulled away, giving me a big wave as he headed for the school entrance. I watched him until he was out of sight and, all the while, my heart swelled with pride. Finn and I really had a special relationship and since we’d moved to Haven Hollow, it was tighter than ever before. I’d really gotten lucky when he’d come into my life and chosen me to be his mom.

  Chapter Two

  I drove to my store, Poppy’s Potions, and unloaded the cardboard box of newly made potions. Even though I kept reminding myself that superstitions were silly, I couldn’t help but consider the coincidence with that BMW. We’d very nearly been rear-ended, and how often did that happen? Especially after breaking a mirror?

  Even now, I found myself wondering if something… unlucky was about to happen to me. But, nothing unusual happened while I carried the potions inside and put them on the counter.

  That broken mirror thing is nothing more than meaningless crap from a time when people didn’t know the truth about anything, Poppy. You know that! I told myself. And what is fear? False Evidence Appearing Real!

  Furthermore, I didn’t subscribe to that sort of thinking. I subscribed to a much more positive belief system which included gratitude and trying to help people as best I could. There was no room in my life for negativity or fear induced panics of any sort.

  So, with my newly re-found sense of purpose, I started my pre-opening routine, which consisted of pulling back the curtains and tidying up a bit here and there—walking through the shelves and straightening potions as I went. I also started collecting all the potions that hadn’t been selling well in the last year and placed them on the clearance table at the back of the store, dashing their prices in half.

  By the time I returned to the counter, I was feeling pretty good about the day. Lately, business had been booming and my life in Haven Hollow was about as good as it could be. I had great friends, an amazing son, and I might have even had a boyfriend in Marty—I still wasn’t sure about that, but figured I’d soon find out. There was definitely something between us, though, and it’d been simmering from the moment I first met Marty, when he’d shown up on my doorstep with an enormous gift basket. Most recently, we’d gotten closer (especially after my near brush with death at the hands of Roscoe) but then things had just sort of… stalled, for lack of a better word. It was like neither of us knew how to bridge the gap between really close friendship and something more.

  Is that what you even want with Marty? I asked inwardly, surprising myself.

  The answer was: I wasn’t really sure. I loved the easy and fun friendship between us, and I loved Marty’s closeness with Finn. If nothing ever did transpire between us—nothing more than what we already had—I wouldn’t be disappointed. But, I also couldn’t help but wonder if friendship might possibly lead to the best and most fulfilling romantic relationship I’d ever experienced…

  As for my full-length bedroom mirror, I could replace it anytime.

  I stepped behind the counter and carefully opened the box of potion bottles. After arranging them neatly on the counter, I began pricing them. The first ten were without incident. When I lifted out the eleventh bottle, however, my phone rang from inside my handbag. Leaning over to fish it out, I inadvertently nudged the box and did so a little too hard because it instantly teetered over the edge of the counter.

  For the second time this morning.

  As I watched it, time seemed to slow to a standstill, and nothing could stop the graceful arc the box followed off the counter. It landed upside-down on the floor.

  The explosive sounds of shattered glass echoed through the empty shop. Before I could even think of a good enough curse to express how mad I was, all the potions I’d spent hours brewing spilled out through the box lid, various colored oils blending together until they resembled one huge puddle of black sludge. The black sludge pooled under the counter and started to rapidly spread across my wood floors.

  Hurrying for the back room, I snatched a hand towel from the hook by the sink. Turning around, I started to pull the towel away, but the looped tag of the towel caught on the hook. Yanking it with the hopes that it would unloop itself, instead the hook ripped clear out of the wall, taking out a large section of drywall with it.