An undersized round man with a crown of hair around his head walked in, immediately bumping into the table and spilling the withered hand, despite the almost half inch thickness of his glasses.
"Oh god -- sorry." He stammered into the musty air of the shop. The two women turned when the door opened, and he hadn't looked in their direction at all. Sasha wondered who he apologised to.
At that moment, a thick purple curtain, heavy with gold beads and sequins, parted and a woman Sasha assumed to be Madam Soltar appeared from behind it. Although heavy set she moved with delicacy and grace and Sasha thought immediately that there was some sort of undistinguished beauty about the woman. Penny pulled at Sasha's t shirt encouraging her to move further into the centre of the room.
But the small round man beat them to it, running to the counter, to talk with her immediately.
"Madam Soltar, I am sorry that I am late. I got caught at work by that boss I can't stand, you know the one, and I hate to keep you waiting, but I had to do what he says. Maybe we can curse him or something because..." he held the bottom of his tweed jacket, feverishly stroking and pulling at the seam between the end and the first button.
"Hush. It is a problem because I have other clients."
Madam Soltar swept her hand with the grace of a ballet dancer across the large area in front of her bosom till her hand pointed in the direction of Sasha and Penny.
"These were before you."
Even though it was dark, Sasha looked into the eyes of Madam Soltar and she swore there was a flash of puzzled recognition in them.
Penny moved in front of Sasha. "No no, we're in no hurry. I mean, how long will you be? We can look around your fascinating shop for thirty minutes if you want to help this man. We are here on a fun errand."
Sasha sighed deeply behind Penny to indicate her irritation but it had no impact. Penny didn't even turn around.
"Your friend is troubled. She doesn't want to be here." Madam Soltar seemed to be trying to look around Penny at Sasha. However, Sasha thought she'd been the cause of enough anxiety for Penny, and besides the shop was fascinating. Another thirty minutes could easily be eaten up in here.
"No no, I'm ok. You guys do what you need to do and we can push our appointment back for a while."
The little man, still working the hem of his coat, twisted his wiry mouth into a strange line that Sasha supposed was a smile, and exhaled loudly.
"Then... I mean then... Madam... its settled. I can still take thirty minutes?"
"Same price because you were late."
He'd looked back toward Madam Soltar, but Sasha could hear the relief in his voice. "Yes Madam. Thank you madam."
Looking again toward Penny, Madam Soltar said in her thick unidentifiable accent, "You both get hour for thirty minutes cost. Because you kind to this little man." From behind Sasha saw Penny nod.
The little man twisted his way around the counter, mumbling his thanks to Penny and to Madam Soltar in turn till he disappeared through the curtain with Madam Soltar behind him.
Penny whirled around. "Thank you so much. It gives us a great chance to explore this shop! I want to take a look at some of these books."
Immediately she grabbed for "The housewives guide to cursing her neighbours".
Warmed by her friend's happiness, Sasha turned her back on the books ready to explore other sections of the shop.
With the adjustment of her eyes to the darkness, Sasha could see her way around. Small alcoves lay unevenly against the farther wall, each one sitting against the other creating a wall of fascinating little dens. Flimsy chiffon curtains separated off each section, surrounded by unlit wires of fairy lights. As if on cue, someone hit the lights and the room was suddenly lit with the smaller strings of lights and tables lamps dotted about the room.
"Aha! Now I can read!" said Penny emerging from one of the further corners of the room having just turned on the lights. She made her way to a large table near the door with a pile of books stacked high up on it; found an empty chair and sat, instantly pouring over instructional text on how to inflict the most damage on her neighbours.
Sasha walked toward one of the alcoves and pulled the delicate curtain to the side. Little shelves held candles of every different size and shape, small books describing candle magic and petite candle stands. She replaced the curtain and moved to the next nook.
Parting the curtain here, revealed tarot cards and oracle cards in every imaginable size shape and incarnation. Again the shelves held books about how to read tarot, how to train yourself as a reader for others and how to use the tarot for your own therapy.
Another typical little magic shop after all -- nothing special on this side -- all the same old stuff.
