Chapter. 3 The Fiery redhead in killer heels
Three more weeks of normalcy at work, and vague dreams filled to the brim with screaming clawing behind her eyes and waking to sweat slick bed sheets, came and went. Diana woke up, wrote in her journal, got ready for work, and did every shift she could get her hands on, before coming home to her studio apartment to eat and sleep. Dr Jones did tell her off for using rose tinted glasses when thinking of her past, and had told her not to worry so much about her fees increasing…for now at least.
It was a cold December morning and Diana was happy to get off the street and into the heated diner. She greeted everyone, as she always did, clocked in, and came back out to serve tables with a bright fake smile. At around Noon a woman walked into the Diner who did not look local. She had sleek killer black heels, nude tights, a tight black pencil skirt and white fitted jacket with a flared collar and black gloves. Her ginger hair was long and shimmered down her back as she power walked into the diner like a regular Stepford wife. Her crimson lips tugged into an amused smirk and she lowered her black sunglasses from her face to scan green eyes around the diner.
Yes, this woman didn’t fit the usual clientele of Jenny’s Diner. Diana doubted this woman had ever worn a pair of jeans in her life. She certainly had the figure for her statement outfit, with long legs and curves. She seemed to have an air of superiority about her that made Diana hope she was wealthy and would tip well. She was in luck, as Miss-fancy heels sauntered over to sit in one of the booths at her side of the diner. Diana tried not to look too pleased with this development, or come across too desperate, as she went over to greet the customer with a killowat smile.
“Good morning. Welcome to Jenny’s Diner. Our House special today is Pumpkin Pie, and our seasonal menu is on your table. Can I get you started with a cup of coffee today? I just made a fresh pot.”
“…a pot?” She looked disgusted with the thought and raised a shapely ginger brow up at Diana like she’d just offered her a slugshake. “…I have never had instant anything in my life, and I don’t intend to start now.”
“…well we have plenty of teas or-”
“Diana do stop twittering on and sit down.” She rolled her green eyes and opened up a very expensive looking black and white chequered purse. “We have a lot to discuss and very little time.” Diana gawked for a moment whilst the redhead proceeded in taking things out of her purse and putting them on the table. Diana looked down at her chest, saw the name tag, and reasoned that the redhead must have clocked her name there already. “Diana?” She was chided and the redhead flicked one of her gloved hands to the seatopposite her. “Sit.”
“Mam I can’t sit with you, it’s against company policy.” Diana shrugged with an awkward smile. She’s rich and bossy, but I’m not losing my job for her. “But I’m happy to let you think about your order and come ba-”
“Company policy?” She narrowed her green eyes on Diana, then leaned forward to locate the other people in the Diner. “…hmm…not aproblem.” The fabulous stranger put her gloved hands on either side of an array of strange looking carved objects and rolled her neck. The strangest hissing sound could be heard, and the redhead started to mutter something under her breath.
“…are you alright?” Diana leaned closer to see what was going on and gasped when something tingled in the air. She felt the hair on the back of her neck rise and goosebumps prickled at her arms and legs.
The lights flickered out, then back on but everything seemed far too dark for this time of day. Diana dropped the coffee pot and it shattered onthe floor by her feet when she saw that there was now another person sat at the booth opposite the redhead.
Well…person wasn’t exactly the right word. It had the outline of a person, sure. Two arms, legs, a head, everything you’d expectin between, and even the figure of a woman too. But her body was filled with soft blue light, like she was made of energy. White thick cloth sat on her headlike a hood, coiled around her neck, covered her chest, then again around her hips and modesty, before flowing down over her legs. White impassive eyes and a blank face stared back at Diana.
“You can see me now, can’t you Diana?”
“…wh…what…” Diana shuffled a step over toward the redhead. “Y-your friend has a very impressive costume on there. Did you sneak her in behind me when I wasn’t looking or-”
“Diana Couper-we don’t have time for this.” The redhead poked Diana’s arm and got her attention. “You and I have met, but you won’t remember me. I am Elaina Powell. Like you, I was born in Salem to a powerful family of witches.” Diana’s eyes widened and she felt her heart leap into her mouth. “This is my guardian spirit, and channelling us here to your location is very taxing. I don’t have time to do this gently, but at least I have the balls to reach out to you.” She chuckled with a crimson smirk and winked at her guardian spirit. “Even Yeni didn’t want us to do this, but I won the coin toss, so we’re here.”
“Y…Yeni?” Did she say spell? Witches? Is she from the cult I was raised in? She knows my name, so she has to be.
“I am Yeni.” The spirit spoke and her voice seemed to hum in the air. “My keeper is correct, this is taxing on me.” She turned to look at Elaina. “I will not be able to maintain this connection for much longer. Do what you came to do El.”
“Yes yes.” Elaina spoke dismissively and returned her hands to her purse. “Ah! Here it is.” She retrieved a thick looking envelope and offered it matter-of-factly to Diana. “You need to come home. It isn’t safe for you in obscurity anymore. If I can find you, so can the others. Your mother’s wards are starting to fail, and will fail utterly if the Couper bloodline doesn’t reside in Salem. As much as the Robinsons swear that we can get by without the wards, I don’t believe that horse shit for one moment.”
“El.” Yeni chided her.
“Oh dear, forgive my potty mouth when speaking of unspeakable horrors that will befall everyone in Salem, magical or not, if the wards are not maintained.” Elaina retorted surly, and then flicked the letter up at Diana again. “You have to be holding this, or it will come back with me when we leave. Hurry and take it.” Diana looked at the letter like it might bite her.
“You’re…really from Salem?” And just as nuts as my mother was, clearly.
“Why? Do you get spectral visitations from witches from a coven other than the one you grew up in?” She sassed Diana, but the waitress was too shocked to process her snark.
“El.” The spirit guardian chided her again.
“I’m not very lady like, nor do I pull my punches. You’ll get used to me. Again.” That seemed to be her way of an apology, and only for the benefit of her increasingly testy spirit companion. With a swift nod the redhead got back to business. “The letter explains everything. Take it.” Diana still didn’t take it. She regarded it like one would a hissing viper with its fangs bared. “What harm can come from reading a letter?” Elaina challenged her with a smirk. “Come on Diana. You were always far too curious for your own good. You know you want to find out who you really are. Because Diana Couper sure as hell isn’t a chipper townie diner waitress.”
“How would you know who the ‘hell’ I am?” Diana gripped her fists by her sides. How dare this woman come in here and start declaring that she knew who Diana was and how she would react. “You don’t know me. You-”
“I know your dreams are plagued by memories of Salem.” Diana paled and took a step back.
“How did you know that?”