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“Girl, he doesn’t want you to leave now. Didn’t he tell you he can buy whatever you need for his place?”
“He did and even filled his pantry with Oreos, a lot of them. He didn’t know what kind I liked, so he actually bought one of every variety, even those sugar-free ones. He’s so sweet, but I still need my own space, you know. At least for now. I need some time to get me and my shit together.”
“I get it but if his house is as big and nice as you say, I think I would say to hell with an apartment and stay with him.”
“Eventually, but not right now.”
Three taps on her office door interrupt our conversation. Shae looks up then smiles while motioning her hands for the person to enter.
“It’s Keyshauna. The one I told you about and shared your situation with.”
“I’m good now. I’m leaving Langston.”
“This has happened before and you ended up going back. Let’s just be sure.”
Honestly, I had pushed that Langston and roots shit out of my mind. I’ve been so focused on my grandparents that it wasn’t even a thought. Plus, I’m not talking to Langston anyway. He can’t say shit to me to make me change my mind about leaving.
“I’m good, Shae.”
“We’ll see,” she says and the door opens. A beautiful sista with the cutest brown microlocs walks in. “Hey, what’s going on?”
“I was going to ask if you wanted to go to lunch but I see that,” she begins, then abruptly stops talking and walking. She looks at me then rushes back and closes the door and the blinds on the door’s window.
What the fuck!
“What’s wrong?” Shae asks, clearly wondering the same as I am.
“The residual energy in here. Are you Enani?” she asks. My face and probably my whole damn body frowns because she’s creeping me out. Reading my body language, she quickly adds, “Shae told me about you and I think her suspicions might be right.”
“I knew it!” Shae says loud as hell.
“It’s roots for real?” I question because she can’t be serious. Roots? On me?
“More like a spell. There’s a residual magical energy around you. I felt it when I walked in here,” she says with no smile.
She is serious. What the hell?
“It’s residual, which means it has been broken, but that’s odd. If you didn’t know you were under one, how was it broken?” Her last words trail off, like she’s talking to herself. Then she looks over at Shae. “Do you have any water in your fridge?” she asks and Shae nods then walks to her fridge and grabs a bottle of water. “What about a cup or bowl?”
“I have a coffee mug in my desk.”
“That’ll work.”
Shae rushes back to her desk, gets the mug, and places it on the desktop. Keyshauna opens the water bottle and pours about half into the mug. They are moving and talking as if I’m not in the room while I wish I wasn’t. I’m still in shock, utter complete shock.
There was a spell on me? She can feel it.
Shae was fucking right.
But Langston though…how could he and why?
What the entire fuck?
“Place your hands around the mug,” Keyshauna says. “I need the water to absorb your energy.” Hesitantly, I sit up and grip the mug. Shae sits down and just stares. Keyshauna remains standing and watching. After what feels like forever, she nods, then says, “That should be enough.”
“What’s next?” I ask.
“This,” she says before grabbing the cup. Holding it, she closes her eyes then starts to pour the water. Both Shae and I jump back at first to avoid a splash but there isn’t one. The water just stays suspended.
