Circle Of Three: Making The Saint Part 5

Just come with open hearts and open minds, Evelyn said. We will do the rest. The ritual will take place here, in the back of the store. Be here at eight oclock.

We will, Kate told her. And thank you again for talking to me. I really appreciate it.

Not at all, said Evelyn. And let me give you some things to read so that you will understand more what is going on. She reached beneath the counter and took out several small books, which she slipped into a paper bag and handed to Kate. On the house, she said, waving away Kates hand as Kate fished in her pocket for some money. I have a daughter your age, and I like to see young people interested in such things.

Will your daughter be at the ritual on Sat.u.r.day? Kate asked. Id like to talk to a young person who is involved in Santeria.

She will be there, Evelyn said. And Im sure she will enjoy speaking with you.

The door to the store opened again. Evelyn looked up and smiled. Ah, Maddy, she said. We were just speaking about you.

Kate turned around and saw a girl about her age walking in. Like her mother, she wore her hair in numerous braids, but the ribbons that tied them were maroon and white rather than blue and white. The girl came up to them and stopped.

This is my daughter, Madelaine, Evelyn said. This is Kate, Annie, and Cooper.

Well, h.e.l.lo again, Madelaine said, looking at Cooper coolly.

h.e.l.lo, Cooper replied curtly.

You two know each other? Kate asked, surprised.

We have done battle, replied Madelaine.

When Kate looked confused, Cooper said, Madelaine was one of the singers in the battle of the bands.

Suddenly, Kate understood Coopers response. That must be the girl who was flirting with T.J., she *

thought.

Kate and her friends are coming to the party on Sat.u.r.day, Madelaines mother explained.

Are they? Madelaine said, sounding amused.

I was hoping I could talk to you about your experiences in Santeria, Kate told the girl.

I would be happy to talk to you, Madelaine replied.

Your mother has told us a lot already, said Kate. Are you also a child of Yemaya?

Madelaine laughed. No, she said. I am an Oya. She indicated the ribbons in her hair. When Kate seemed confused she said, Yemayas colors are blue and white, which is why my mother wears them.

Oyas colors are maroon and white.

Kate nodded. And what is Oya the orisha of?

Death, Madelaine said.

Evelyn sighed. My daughter has always been slightly dramatic, she said. Orisha Oya is indeed the G.o.ddess of death. But more than that, she is the G.o.ddess of change. She is fierce and wild, and when she dances her skirts kick up the winds of change that cleanse our lives of dust and debris and sweep them clean again so that we can move forward.

That, too, Madelaine said.

Well, I look forward to seeing you on Sat.u.r.day, said Kate. Thanks again for everything.

The girls said their good-byes and left the store. It was still raining, so they walked briskly to the bus stop. As soon as they were away from Botanica Yemaya, Cooper said, I cant believe its that girl.

She seemed okay, Kate commented.

Cooper snorted. Only because her mother was right there, she said. You should have seen her at the club.

Did T.J. show any interest in her? Annie asked.

Of course not! Cooper said. I mean, he talked to her, but that was it.

Then why are you so mad about it? continued Annie.

Because shes just"just"just, Cooper said, as if she was searching for the right word.

Kind of like you? suggested Annie.

Oh, right, said Cooper.

Well, she is, Annie insisted. Shes pretty. Shes confident. You said she sings really well.

Yeah, but" said Cooper.

But nothing, said Annie. She reminds you of you, and youre jealous of her because she likes your boyfriend.

Cooper didnt say anything.

Im right, Annie said smugly to Kate. You can always tell because she runs out of things to say.

Fine, Cooper said. So shes pretty and confident and sings well. I think those are enough reasons to hate her.

Annie and Kate laughed.

Well, how would you like it if someone was after your boyfriend? Cooper demanded.

I dont have a boyfriend anymore, Annie reminded her.

And I would never worry about Tyler, said Kate. So its not a problem.

G.o.ddess, the two of you pretend to be so well adjusted, said Cooper, pretending to be annoyed. It makes me sick.

Speaking of getting sick, were all going to catch our deaths of pneumonia if we keep walking in this rain, Kate said.

Theres the bus, Annie replied, nodding toward the corner, where a bus was pulling up like some big lumbering beast moving slowly through the downpour.

The three of them made a mad dash for it and got there before the bus pulled away. It was the rush hour commute, and the bus was more crowded than usual. They got on and headed for the back, stepping over the umbrellas and shoes of the dripping wet people who were crammed on. There were no free seats, so the three girls stood holding on to the overhead rail as the bus pulled back out into traffic.

Even if you dont like Madelaine, I think Sat.u.r.day night will be interesting, Kate said to Cooper. I, for one, am looking forward to it.

I hope so, Cooper replied. Hey, by the way, what did Tyler have to say last night? You never told us. Cooper looked at Annie pointedly, but Annie pretended to be looking at something outside the window.

He just wanted to stop by and say he misses me, Kate said. She sighed. Hes such a great boyfriend.

I dont know what I would do without him.

Its a full moon tonight, Annie said suddenly, as if shed just remembered that.

Kate and Cooper looked at her oddly.

I just thought you should know, she said. In case you want to do any rituals or anything.

Okay, then, Cooper said. Thanks for the heads-up.

Are you okay? Kate asked Annie. Youre kind of red.

Great, said Annie. I mean, I feel great.

The bus reached their stop and they got off. They walked as quickly as they could through the rain, and when they got to the corner where they went their separate ways they parted, waving good-bye to one another and then each hurrying home in a different direction.

CHAPTER 6.

Tyler grabbed Annie and pulled her to him. She could feel his heart beating against hers. She could smell the clean scent of his skin. She could sense his breath against her cheek as he held her tightly. Shed waited for a long time to have him hold her that way, and she didnt want him to ever let go.

I know I shouldnt be doing this, he whispered in her ear. But I cant pretend anymore. I love you, Annie.

What about Kate? Annie asked, afraid of what the answer might be.

What I feel for you is different, Tyler said. I cant really explain it. Its almost as if we were a couple before. Maybe in another lifetime. I think youre the person I was destined to be with.

Annie opened her eyes and sighed. You cant even have a fantasy without making it sound like a soap opera, she told herself.

She was in her bedroom, curled up in bed. She was wearing her favorite flannel pajamas and she was rereading the first book in Grayson Dunnings Changeling series. Shed read it three times before, but she never tired of it. Plus, now that she knew him personally, it was even more fun to imagine him writing the books.

It was still pouring outside. The moon was hidden behind the storm clouds, so her full-moon ritual had been something of a bust. In the end she had done a simple meditation and then gotten into bed. The rain pattered on the roof steadily, and the sound had lulled her into sleepiness. Before shed known it, she was thinking about Tyler again.

You have got to stop doing that, she admonished herself sternly. Tyler is Kates boyfriend. There will be another guy for you.

Still, it had been kind of nice thinking about him. She couldnt deny that. She just wished she could stop feeling guilty. After all, she hadnt really done anything to be ashamed of. Yet whenever anyone mentioned Tyler around her she got all weird, like theyd be able to see that she had a thing for him just by looking at her face.

She picked up the book that shed put down earlier. She began reading, trying to get back into the story. But she couldnt. Shed get through half a page and then shed start thinking about Tyler again. By the time she turned the page, shed have forgotten everything that had happened and have to start all over. Finally she put the book down and got out of bed.

Walking to her desk, she picked up the book that Sophia had given her about Asatru. She went back to bed, slipped between the sheets, and pulled the comforter up. She opened the book and began reading.

She was finding her introduction to the Norse religion very interesting. Shed read stories about the G.o.ddesses and G.o.ds before, but she hadnt known anything about the actual religion that was built around them. It was fascinating to learn how the celebration of the religion was so closely tied to the day-to-day lives of the people. It wasnt just something they did one day a week, or on special days. It was what they did every day. In that respect, it reminded her a lot of Wicca.

But she was also a little bit troubled by what she was reading, particularly the reference to loyalty to ones friends. What would the ancient Norse people have thought about a girl who fantasized about making out with her best friends boyfriend? That certainly didnt show a lot of loyalty on her part to Kate. So why couldnt she stop thinking about Tyler? It wasnt as if he was encouraging her or anything.

It was all her own doing.

She put down the book, turned off the light, and snuggled down into the warm sheets. The rain danced over her head as she yawned and drifted into sleep. But just as her thoughts were fading into dreams the phone beside her bed rang, startling her awake. Instinctively, she picked it up and answered it with a sleepy, h.e.l.lo?

Hi, Annie, said a guys voice. Its me. Tyler.

Suddenly she was wide awake. She sat up in bed. Whats wrong? she said.

Why does something have to be wrong? Tyler said.

Im sorry, Annie said. Its just that when the phone rings this late at night Im always convinced that its bad news.

Is it too late? asked Tyler, sounding embarra.s.sed. I can call you tomorrow.

No! Annie said. Its okay. Whats up?

I just wanted to see if you could meet me tomorrow, Tyler said. Theres something I want to talk to you about.

Um, sure, I guess, said Annie. What time?

How about four-thirty? replied Tyler. At the wharf?

Okay, Annie told him. Ill be there.

Thanks, Tyler said, sounding happy. Ill see you then.

He hung up, leaving Annie listening to a buzzing dial tone. As she set the receiver down she realized that shed forgotten to ask Tyler why he wanted to see her. Hed said that he wanted to talk to her about something. But what? She almost picked up the phone and called him back to find out, but she stopped herself. That would just look weird, and she wanted him to think that she was totally over her momentary indiscretion. Calling him"even for what she thought was a good reason"might make her look all clutchy.

That didnt stop her from thinking about what he might have to say to her, however. A million different things ran through her mind, all of them ending with Tyler grabbing her and kissing her. She was hopeless, and she knew it. Probably, he just wants to ask your advice on what to get Kate for Yule, she told herself. After all, it was only a little more than a month away. She herself had already been thinking about what to get her friends for the holiday. It would make sense that Tyler, who unlike other boys actually thought about what he should get his girlfriend, would be thinking along the same lines.

With a sigh Annie got back into bed and closed her eyes again. The call from Tyler had woken her up, but the rain pattering on the roof above her coaxed her back asleep with its steady song.

After school the next afternoon, Annie took the bus downtown to the wharf. She hadnt mentioned to either Kate or Cooper that she was going. But it wasnt like Kate didnt know that Annie and Tyler hung out together. She did, and she was okay with it. That didnt make Annie feel better though, so she just kept quiet about the whole thing.

When the bus reached the downtown area she got off and walked to the wharf. The rain had stopped and it was sunny, although the fall afternoon was coming to a close and the shadows had started to lengthen. She loved this time of the year, when the seasons changed and the world felt as if it was slowly falling asleep for its long winter rest. Even the ocean looked like it was growing quieter, the waves rolling in slowly and sliding onto the beach as if they had all the time in the world.