Tomes & Tea

Tomes & Tea

“Really now?” Aiden blankly asked as he franticly tore his room apart.

“Yes, darling. I think that next semester you…” Aiden’s mom stopped for a sip of her morning tea and asked, “You okay, honey?” She savored another sip.

Aiden’s head popped up from the right side of his bed, visibly frustrated, “No! I can’t find my sketchbook! And I had a lot of important fashion concepts in there that I needed to review, re-edit, and finish!”

Aisha strolled over to her son’s desk and picked up a black, brand new Moleskine sketchbook that was under some important-looking paperwork and waved it in the air. “It wouldn’t be this one, would it?”

A spark burst in his eyes as he practically levitated over his bed to retrieve one of his most prized possessions. “Thank you, thank you, thank you mom! I gotta go, but I’ll be back for dinner!” Aiden gently whipped the sketchbook without a second glance, hugged his mom and started to head downstairs.

“Sweetie? Your room?” Aisha took another drink of her raspberry and chamomile tea.

After palming his left hand to his forehead, Aiden turned around and stood next to Aisha and began to chant,

“This room is a mess, it’s plain to see,

Clean and organize it now so mom will be proud of me!”

With a gracious flit of his illuminated hand, his bed began to make itself and papers flittered to drawers and filing cabinets with order. His laundry folded and sorted itself while separating the used clothes out. “Whew, that was exhausting!”

“Why didn’t you do that spell earlier, sweetie?”

Aiden shrugged, “I was trying to use my problem-solving skills without magic…” He turned his head to the side in slight shame.

“Oh honey, magic is part of who we are. Granted, it can’t solve every problem, but use it for what you can baby. You’re magical in so many ways, with or without your powers. Remember that.” She urged as she kissed his forehead.

“I will mama! I will!” Aiden promised as he kissed her cheek and began to head out to run errands before his lecture. “Bye dad!”

“Hey, hey! Wait!” Alister called out while putting down a copy of Top 10 Magical Mishaps Involving Impractical Incantations. Vol III. “Where’s my hug at?” he asked with open arms.

Aiden embraced his father and his father pulled him back to look him over. “What? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Alister smiled and kissed his forehead. “I’m just so proud of you, especially with your grades and projects!” He held Aiden by his shoulders before he replied,

“Thanks dad, I’m really trying to not let this semester get the best of me! And with this,” Aiden held up his sketchbook and felt panic spread throughout his body. “What the hell is this!?” Alister pulled Aiden back and looked at him with befuddlement. “Sorry, dad, but this! This isn’t my sketchbook!” He began to start hyperventilating while his mind raced with confusion and worry.

“Son, it’s okay, just breathe. We’ll find your sketchbook before-”

Aiden began to babble, “No dad! I had final project designs, concept art, and new fashion sketches in there! My other notebook attached to it is filled spells and potion ingredients I need to pick-up before lecture today!”

Alister slightly shook Aiden as Aisha brought him a mug of tea. “Honey, drink this down and then read the leaves,” she calmly instructed. With a heavy breath out, Aiden inhaled the tea vapors and drank deeply, leaving a gulp of liquid and leaves that collected at the bottom. “What do you see?”

After staring at the bottom of the mug, Aiden felt compelled to open the sketchbook he had and dump the leaves on its fresh pages. The remaining tea sloshed out, carrying a bulk of the leaves onto the blankness of the now damp tome. As the tea seeped in, words began to appear, crisp and bold, as if freshly written. “Um…is this a joke?” he questioned, “Mom? Dad? Say something. Please.”

“Mm…” Aisha tilted her head and began to read the wet pages, “Well, it looks like you are being beckoned for help, sweetie.”

“Look at that, my son, getting messages from a mystical source! What a wonderful day!” Alister chortled. Perplexity mixed with annoyance shrouded Aiden, becoming a visible aura that his parents could see. “Aiden, your aura…There’s no need to be upset, this is a good thing!”

“How!? What if a mortal gets a hold on my notebook and finds out I’m a magically inclined? What if I accidently re-start the Salem Witch Trials!?” He began to hysterically babble.

“Aiden, at least read what it says before you work yourself into an episode, darling.” Aisha advised. Aiden took a moment to steady his mind for what he was about to read:

“Dear Mr. Aiden Kane Albert,

Please forgive the bold manner in which I have proceeded to do this. I have been seeing your designs in my mind since last semester and could not think of a better person’s work to showcase. I also come from a line of Creole Hoodoo Practitioners and wanted to support you the best way I could think of. I am in the process of opening a boutique and would love to feature your designs. For your convenience, please close and open this sketchbook for compensation. Once you have, you will receive another message.

Best & Warmest Regards,

-S.I.A.”

A dizzy spell worked its way from Aiden’s stomach, to his heart, all the way to his head. “S-so…Now what, mom and dad?”

“Well, go on and close it, hun. I want to see this compensation!” Aisha put her tea down and held on to Alister’s arm with anticipation, who gave his son a nod of approval.

In awe of the situation, Aiden closed the damp sketchbook in its puddle of tea. It instantly glowed, drying itself and the pure mahogany table it rested on. Aiden picked up the tome once its theatrics ceased. With faded breath, he opened it and the soggy foliage that once resided inside fell out of the book as money. From single dollars to C-Notes, bills expelled from the book as if someone busted a fire hydrant, gushing during a sweltering July day. Panicked and excited, he watched as hundreds of thousands of dollars generated a cushy pile of crisp, clean cash. “MOM! DAD! I’M RICH!” His parents simply smiled.

“We see, baby! I told you your ideas were worth more than some dumb, unpaid internship!” Alister complimented. As the rush of fresh money continued to pour out profusely, he snapped his fingers to make his powers count and sort well over $10K with a glowing, total-readout, “So far, you are at $11,728…$12,562…$13,934…” After at least another solid minute, he concluded his count and the magical sign read, “$19,900.”

“Oh, wait, darlings,” Aisha noticed a chamomile leaf was stuck, gave the back cover a light tap, and watched it turn into a hundred-dollar bill as it gently descended onto the $100 bill pile. “$20,000 in total, sweetie.”

Eyes and stomach heavy, with a racing heartbeat, Aiden joyously jumped with his drawing fist in the air. “OH, MY GOD!” In the same instant, his feet did not return to the floor. He didn’t notice. He didn’t care.

“Honey, mind the ceiling…” Aisha giggled as she watched her son float away.

“What?” Aiden tilted his head up to realize he was less than a foot away from the crown molding that decorated their humble foyer. “Ah! W-what do I do!? How do I get down!? I never finished learning levitation!”

“With a calm mind and emotions, son. Here,” Alister held up a card that also fell out of the sketchbook and continued, “Focus on this and come to it.”

Aiden blinked hard and honed his attention to the information-filled piece of cardstock. It suddenly became closer and was between his index finger and thumb. As his parents failed to hide their laughs, he huffed with a smile, “This isn’t funny!”

Alister chivalrously took Aisha’s hand and the both rose up to save their son from his mid-air mishap. Once his house shoes were back on the floor, Aiden read over the card with jet black, glossy words: Château de Archambeau: Daringly Bold Fashions. He traced his fingers over the words and the card began to radiate warm streams of light. After the production the card produced, the doorbell rang. “Oh shit! Who is that!? And what the fuck are we going to do with all this money piled up!? They’ll think we’re drug dealers! Or the mafia! Or both!”

“Do you remember being this fiery and neurotic in your early 20’s dear?” Alister asked. Aisha shook her head as she waved her arm, making the stacks of money look like a well-stocked bookshelf with illustrious titles. Alister made his way to the vestibule to open the door.

A well-dressed chauffer bowed when the threshold became accessible, “Good day, Mr. Albert. I am here on the behalf of Lord Archambeau for Master Aiden,” He explained with a dazzling smile. His gentle, yet peppery smelling cologne permeated all the way to Aiden. “I also was instructed to return this, promptly upon my arrival.” From behind his back, the driver relinquished Aiden’s original, well-used Moleskine sketchbook and matching notebook with all his inventive designs, spells, and lists.

Once in hand, Aiden clutched his creativity-filled bound papers close to his heart, almost on the verge of tears. “Thank you so much! I’m so happy I could just…Oh no!” Once again, he began to levitate, but his mother helped to keep him grounded.

“You have good reason to have as much joy as you do. I am here to bring you back to the Château to discuss business with Lord Archambeau, should you accept. Your lecture has been cancelled for today.” He respectfully bowed again and showed the family an email from Aiden’s professor, indeed stating that scheduled classes they were going to teach that day had been postponed.

Aiden was at a loss for words and turned to his parents for guidance. “Do…Should I go?”

“I think you should honey,” Aisha admitted. She gave him a charged, chunky amethyst necklace for protection and a reassuringly rub on his shoulder.

“It’s not like you have to go on campus today, superstar,” Alister shrugged as he gave him his hematite ring to keep him grounded. “No matter what, we love and are very proud of you.” Aisha nodded in agreement.

The chauffer interjected, “Master Archambeau promises to have him back before the sun sets and that no harm will come to him. His limousine has several protection grigris. It’s fully stocked with imported hors d'oeuvres, pâtisserie sweets, and champagne,”

With his favorite pair of carnation-colored Converses with emerald accents firmly on, Aiden said, “Food? Desserts?? Champagne!? Sweet! Bye mom! Bye dad! Love you!” Surprisingly enough, his feet stayed on the ground this time, all the way into the gleaming limo.

“I ensure his safety Mr. and Mrs. Albert,” the driver said with a tip of his hat. “Also, that disguise charm you cast on the money is splendid. You all are indeed strong in your magical prowess,” he praised.

Aisha lightly blushed and shifted her deep, cocoa curls before saying, “Thank you, Mr…?”

“Douglas. Boris Douglas. Should you ever need driving services,” He conjured up his personal business card with the limousine’s direct line for immediate contact, “Please, do not hesitate to call.” He gave a final bow and made his way back to the vehicle to drive Aiden to his awaiting destiny.

“This should prove interesting, huh honey?” Alister pulled Aisha in close with a kiss.

Aisha swirled her mug and monitored the leaves at the bottom, while leaning into the kiss, “Very,”

“Do you know something, I don’t?” Alister inquired with a raised eyebrow.

Aisha giggled, “Maybe.” She winked and finally finished her tea.