After a few frantic moments of searching, I found the exact change the driver said I needed to ride the streetcar. I slid the cash and change into the machine, and the driver closed the door behind me. Without any warning the car started moving, and the jerking motion nearly had me flying through the air. Luckily I was able to grab hold of a pole, and then I held onto the first few rows of seats before falling into an empty one. The car was mostly empty, and I was glad no one seemed to notice my latest awkward moment.
As the car moved downtown, I opened the travel app on my phone. Reyna might not believe in GPS, but I did. I also believed in any app that could make my life easier. I searched for cafes, and quickly recognized the name of one. Café Du Monde. Evidently they were known for these donut like things called beignets and chicory coffee. Both sounded pretty good at the moment.
The outdoor café, covered by a huge green and white stripped awning, was busy, but I had no trouble finding a place to sit. I'd barely sat down when a waiter walked over. I'd already decided on my order thanks to my app. "One order of beignets and a coffee."
The server smiled and walked off. I was positive I wasn't the only one ordering that same thing.
While I waited, I opened the app and tried to keep planning my morning. It looked like most of the shops and galleries in the French Quarter wouldn't open for a while, but it could still be fun to walk around.
My breakfast arrived, and I bit into the hot and sweet beignet. On the first bite I got powdered sugar all over my black t-shirt. Perfect. Oh well, I'd dust it off. The beignet was delicious, and the chickory coffee gave me the pick me up I needed. Hot chocolate was my comfort drink, but after the night I'd had and the lack of sleep, I needed something stronger.
I glanced at my phone. Nine thirty. Less than twenty-four more hours left. We were planning to leave at eight the next morning so we'd be back in time for a mandatory sorority meeting.
After finishing my breakfast, I paid and wandered around Jackson Square for a while to admire the artwork hanging from the wrought iron fence. I took some pictures of the large Cathedral and listened to a solo violinist performing a jazzy tune before heading over to Royal Street.
I stepped into a few galleries, but the owners all looked at me skeptically. I wasn't sure if it was the remaining powder I couldn't seem to get off my t-shirt, or my age, but none of them thought I could afford their work. I couldn't, but that didn't mean I couldn't look.
The one exception was the owner of a photo gallery I stopped in.
"Nice camera." He gestured to the Nikon around my neck.
"Oh, thanks. It was a graduation gift from my parents."
He set aside some sort of book he'd been reading. "Graduation from?"
"High school. A few years ago."
"Great gift. What do you use it for mostly?"
"Oh, pretty much everything. I've been into photography for a while." My parents had bought me my first camera when I was seven, and I'd never stopped clicking away.
He laughed. "Same here."
I really looked at the guy. He was probably in his thirties. Owning a gallery in downtown New Orleans in my thirties didn't sound so bad.
I gazed around at his street scenes and portraits. "Your work is beautiful."
"Thank you. I try to capture the essence of the city."
"This is my first time here. I'm impressed."
"Really? You're first time in New Orleans? What do you think of the Crescent City so far?"
I thought over my experience. "I'm enjoying my morning."
He laughed. "Not so much the rest of the visit?"
"I had a bad night." Ok, that was too much information, but who cared. I wasn't going to see this shop owner again.
"Ah. I think I catch your drift."
I shrugged.
"You should check out the Midnight Cauldron."
"The Midnight Cauldron?"
"It's a Voodoo shop, but with a different feel from the rest. I think you'll find Kalisa, the owner, entertaining."
"Voodoo? Like witchcraft?"
"Yes and no. You should check it out. She's just off Bourbon, but don't let the address fool you. Tell her Harold sent you."
"Okay." I took another look at his work not sure what he meant by letting the address fool me. "Thanks."
"No problem." He handed me his card. "Don't be a stranger."
"Ok." I pocketed the card and headed out.
The Midnight Cauldron didn't look like much on the outside, but I decided to take Harold's advice and check it out.
Unlike most of the shops nearby, the door was closed, but I pushed it open. A chime jingled as I walked inside. The smell of incense hit me as I gazed around the crowded shop. A counter spanned nearly the whole store. I walked up to it and looked into the case.
Rabbit feet? Frogs legs? Yeah, not the kind of stuff I needed.
"Can I help you?"
I jumped back startled by the sudden appearance of a woman that I assumed was the shop owner. Her long dreadlocks and mouth full of metal capped teeth weren't what caught my attention first. Instead it was the ample cleavage that she had on display. The woman gave a new definition to well-endowed. "Hi. I was just looking around. Harold at the gallery down the street suggested I stop in."
Her lips spread into a wide smile. "Harold's lovely, isn't he?"
"I just met him for a few minutes, but he seemed nice." I looked around at the candles lining the store. They were in every color imaginable and created an eerie glow despite the small amount of sunlight filtering in through a crack in a window.
"I see." Her eyes narrowed like she was sizing me up. "Is there anything in particular you're looking for?"
"Not really. I'm just exploring."
"Exploring? Where are you from?"
"Right now I'm living in Atlanta, but I'm from Charlotte." I'm not sure why I was so forthcoming with details, but I didn't see any harm in it.
"Are you here with a boyfriend? Lover?"
I laughed dryly. "No."
"Meaning you don't have either?"
"Exactly. I'm with a friend." No reason to explain more.
"Your friend has a man?"
"Yes."
"And you're happy for her, but secretly you're jealous." She stuck out her tongue slightly as she smiled.
"I'm not jealous." I crossed my arms over my chest.
"No? You don't yearn to be desired, wanted?"
Of course I did, who didn't? "Sure, but I'm not jealous of her."
"Fair enough, but you want a man. I can tell."
"Sure, who doesn't?" I shrugged. The conversation was turning awkward. I needed to find something to buy so I could make a polite exit.
"I have the perfect thing for you." She turned and started rifling through a number of little vials. "Yes, this should do the trick."
"What?"
"Come on back with me."
"Now?" I asked nervously. Wasn't this a voodoo shop? What were the vials for? I didn't know voodoo involved potions. I decided to voice my concern. "I didn't know voodoo involved this stuff." I gestured to the vials and bottles.
"I practice many different types of magic." She moved around to my side of the counter before walking over to the door to turn around the open sign to closed. She locked the door. I assumed that was all part of trying to create an authentic experience. Kalisa took things seriously for the owner of a tourist trap.
What had I gotten myself into? "You know, I really think I'm fine."
"No honey, you are not fine." She took my arm and led me back around the counter. Every part of me screamed to run, but one small part begged me to stay and see what she had in mind. How many chances like this would I have? Besides, I was in New Orleans. I might as well experience all it had to offer. When in Rome, do what the Romans do, right? I smiled to myself thinking about what Reyna would think of what I was doing. She hadn't called which meant she was still sleepingâit must have been some night.
She gathered a bunch of bottles and herbs and stuff as we walked into the back room. The worn floor boards beneath us creaked as we ducked under the sloping ceilings.
She started putting a few vials into a pot cooking on an old stove. I watched curiously until a large flash of fire had me stepping away. You couldn't deny that Kalisa had the theatrics down.
A strong breeze blew out a few of the candles Kalisa had set up. I shivered. I glanced around. There were no windows. Strange.
"Do you want to drink this or use it as a paste?"
"Uh, the paste." The atmosphere was great and all, but I wasn't drinking anything.
She laughed. "I was only kidding. I'd get shut down if I gave you anything you actually drank. Regulations and all."
I laughed uneasily. "I bet."
Without warning she pressed her thumb across my forehead. "I call this Seduction's Kiss." She ran her finger back and forth over my skin. The mixture was warmânearly hot.
"Be very careful, child. Seduction's Kiss can be extremely dangerous."
And she was telling me this after putting it on my skin? If I'd actually believed anything she was doing was real I'd have run the other way. This was just a silly 'rip off the desperate tourist' routine I was positive I'd pay an arm and a leg for.
I rested a hand on my forehead as I ducked to leave the back area. I could feel the beginnings of a headache. "What do I owe you?"
"Nothing, child. It's on me."
"Are you sure?" I glanced around the shop again settling on a rabbit foot. I could use the good luck. She let me pay for that.
"Thanks, that was interesting."
She used a moist cloth to wipe of the remainder of the paste. "Remember what I said about Seduction's Kiss being strong. Beware of the night."
"Okay..." I stumbled out of the store with a full on headache, but I knew it was probably from the incense. I knew whatever she'd performed wasn't real, but she sure put on a convincing show. I'd have to recommend this store to people looking for an authentic experience. I'd add in my anecdote to the app when I got on Wifi again.
I checked my phone on my way to the streetcar. Two calls from Reyna. At least she was finally awake.
I called her back, and she answered on the first ring. "Where are you?"
"I needed to get out of there."
"What happened? Shaun said you were all weird today."
I laughed dryly. "The guy groped me last night. He told me I could stay in his roomâI assumed that meant alone."
She gasped. "No way."
"Yes. He's a creep. This morning I woke up to him staring at me."
"I'm so sorry, Daisy." I heard the ruffling of something. Was she back in bed? I assumed if she'd talked to Shaun she was already up. "I promise I'll make this up to you."
"It's okay." I expertly slipped my money into the streetcar this time. I was learning. "I'm just going to avoid him until we leave tomorrow."
"That's going to be hard."
"Why?" my stomach dropped.
She didn't answer.
"Why would that be hard, Reyna?"
"We have reservations for dinner already, and then we're going out downtown."
"Who's we?" I knew I wouldn't like the answer.
"The four of us."
"No way. I'll just stay in their apartment and watch TV or something. If he's out of there I'm fine."
"I heard their other roommate is really weird. I wouldn't leave you alone there."
"He was nice to me last night." Admittedly he did weird me out, but he didn't scare me as much as Shaun. At least Duncan seemed to know how to keep his hands to himself.
"Still, you have to come. Otherwise it's just going to be the three of us."
"Can't Chad just tell Shaun not to come? Then you two could have time alone."
"Why? So he can stay back and annoy you? At least if you come with us we'll be in public, and I'll protect you."
"Protect me?" I lowered my voice when I noticed the woman next to me staring.
"Yes. What have you been up to all morning?"
"Not too much. Taking pictures, getting breakfast, and hanging out at a voodoo shop."
"A voodoo shop?" Reyna didn't hide her surprise from her voice. "You're brave."
I laughed. "Just trying to enjoy what I can." I noticed the woman staring again. "Ok, I have to go. Are you at the apartment?"
"Yes. I'll see you when you get back."
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