Exercise Your Imagination! Do you like stories with mystery and suspense? Well, if you do, keep reading and enjoy Eggcentricsagas. If you are just joining Eggcentricsagas, start from the beginning: A La Mano: Part 1-The Treasure
With her sharp garden shears, Ravenna snipped and snipped at the rose-briar in front of her. Why had her daughter allowed it to get so overgrown? She supposed it was because it provided some privacy from the neighbors, as the short, white picket fence was inadequate. Surveying the weeds poking through the fence onto their property, she thought, at least the roses are pretty. Wrinkling her nose in disgust, Ravenna also noticed that a couple of pickets had fallen off the rails, allowing Magic easy access to next door. She made a mental note to bring it to the attention of her son-in-law to fix it. Not liking the idea of Magic wandering around in the neighbor’s yard, Ravenna wondered where the cat was now that the children had left.
Myrtle and Zerlinda had been collecting the thorny clippings but had grown tired of it, and cold as well. The late afternoon sunshine was warm and bright, but a brisk fall breeze had picked up. When Myrtle had poked herself with a thorn for the second time, Ravenna permitted them to go inside. The girls had worked hard, helping to gather the apples that she had picked and handed down to them. She told them she would continue the story of the Moon Kingdom over a mug of hot chocolate after she finished pruning the thicket. Or perhaps, would they like to help make an apple pie? The grandmother watched as the two carried the heavy basket of apples between them, set it by the back door, and ran indoors to play.
Sitting back on her haunches, Ravenna gathered a bunch of the trimmings and threw them into the waste bucket beside her. Then the gardener removed her thick gloves, took a sip of her water, and recalled what Janelle had said when she had brought Myrtle over earlier. “Thanks so much, Ravenna. You really are a love. Now, I can do the extra errands that I can’t get done during the week without dragging her along.” Smiling sheepishly, Myrtle’s mother said, “My ex doesn’t cooperate and Dad isn’t so good with her. Mason… Well, he’s a little older. He can occupy himself. After the divorce and all…” Pausing momentarily, she added sadly, “My mom’s death was really hard on us all…” Hugging her, Ravenna assured her it was no problem and, if needed, she would watch the girls every day.
Coming back to the present, Ravenna picked up her gloves to renew pruning when she heard voices coming from Janelle’s backyard. She recognized Mason’s voice.
“Look! There’s the witch’s black cat!”
“Shhh! Don’t say that,” replied his grandfather.
“That’s what you called her. And an old hag. I heard you talking to Mom. Don’t you remember, Grandpa? You said she was a nosy broad that should keep her opinions to herself.”
“But out here, she might hear you.”
Ravenna frowned angrily. How dare he! She thought and threw down her gloves. Then, hearing a cry of pain, she saw Magic scramble quickly through an opening in the fence. Her big, black cat ran under a nearby bush to hide. Turning, he sat and licked his hindquarter.
“Good shot, my boy!” Herman Stanley said and chuckled.
With her blood boiling, Ravenna stood up and made her presence known. She glared at Herman.
The grin on Herman’s face disappeared, and a look of embarrassment took its place. “Er, Ravenna…”
Glowering at him, she then turned to Mason. “Did you just throw a rock at my cat?”
Putting his hands on his hips, the nine-year-old answered with an ill-mannered, defiant tone. “Yeah! He was trespassing in our yard! What are you going to do about it?”
Ravenna leaned closer and narrowed her eyes into a mean stare. “You be careful. Old witches have been known to turn rude little boys into worms that live under rocks.” Pointing her finger at him, she hissed sharply, “Worms that are dug up, stabbed with sharp hooks and used as fishing bait!”
Mason moved closer to and hid slightly behind his grandfather. But the impudent look on his face remained.
Herman told him gruffly, “Go on. Don’t make trouble. Get in the house, boy.”
Mason complied with his grandfather’s wish, but not before sneering disrespectfully at Ravenna. She turned to Herman, expecting an apology.
“Don’t you think that was a little harsh?”
“Harsh?!” Ravenna exclaimed. Floored, she thought, Who is this man? Forgetting her manners, she snapped back, “Not for an ill-behaved brat.”
Herman tried to defend Mason’s behavior. “Well, your cat was in our yard…”
“So, it is okay to harm him?”
Herman replied flippantly, “Don’t get your tail-feathers all ruffled up. He didn’t hurt him. It was just enough to scare the critter off.”
His attitude infuriated her even more. “His name is Magic, and I don’t think it was necessary. And certainly not an action to be encouraged by you. Good shot? Really, Herman?”
“There’s no need to be over-bearing, Ravenna, I’ll talk to the boy,” Herman replied, equally haughty.
That was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Unable to control her outrage, scathing remarks poured from her. “His behavior is appalling. He is nothing but a bully. Obviously, he is learning his horrible social skills from you. Don’t you know children are sponges? They absorb everything they hear and imitate your conduct. A witch? An old hag?!”
“About that…”
She didn’t let him finish. “People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones! I might be an old hag but at least I am not a useless drunk that does nothing to help his family! Maybe instead of drinking yourself into a stupor every day, you might want to consider cleaning up the garden and mending the fence.” Pointing to a tall clump of weeds by the fence, she stated, “Look! Your weeds have destroyed it! Be a responsible and valuable member of the community instead of a jerk! Be a good role model for your grandchildren. I really like Janelle and I liked Amanda. No wonder she died young. If I had to live with a mean, disrespectful codger like you, I would probably kill myself!”
As soon as the hurtful words left her mouth, Ravenna regretted them.
Brief silence met her condemnation before he replied, “Damn.” With dull eyes and slumped shoulders, he turned and walked away.
“Wait, Herman… ” Ravenna called after him. “I’m sorry. I lost my temper. I didn’t mean it…”
He just waved her off and continued walking.
Ravenna bit her lip as she watched him enter the house. He closed the door without ever looking back.
Next: The Myth of Madame Mariposa: Part 8- The Owl and the Hummingbird
