Daisy and Soraya were staring at her now. “I still think it might be bullshit,” Nora said. “But there’s no harm in trying.”
Soraya looked like she really wanted to say that there was harm in trying. Hellfire and all of that, but she held it in.
“I’m afraid you will have to have a bit more intention than that to tap into your magic,” Aggie said.
“What is this, like a faith healing?” Nora asked. “Where it only fails if I don’t believe enough?”
“No. But the power has to come from inside of you. If you can’t believe in it, you won’t be able to feel it. You won’t be able to guide it. That said, this isn’t a bad place to start.” Aggie looked at all of them. “In fact, it would be good for the three of you to learn a spell. Just a small one.”
“Oh no. No. I am not doing spells.” Soraya took a deep breath and moved away from the group. “I don’t want to do spells. I can bake. And I can be here, but I can’t do ... that.”
“What do you think spells are, Soraya?” Aggie asked.
“It’s ... asking the universe or ... Satan to do things for you that you can only ask God for.”
Aggie looked thoughtful. “Itcanbe those things, I suppose. It can also be you asking your higher power for something.”
“I do that all the time,” Soraya said.
“Right,” Aggie said. “Mind you, I like to put some crystals with my intentions. What is it that you’re afraid of?”
“I’m not supposed to do this.” Soraya looked away, fidgeting.
“And why is that?”
“Because I ... It’s wrong. You aren’t supposed to look to your own power. Doing this means turning away from what I believe.”
Aggie shook her head. “You don’t have to abandon your faith. What I believe doesn’t ask you to do that. I believe in the divine in all its forms, including the form that you recognize. It’s your belief that would require me to give up mine. It’s your belief that says mine can’t exist. I believe you can hold your faith and this power together.”
“I don’t do spells. I pray.”
Aggie arched one white eyebrow. “What are spells but prayers men don’t like?”
Soraya laughed, then looked conflicted. “I ... It’s fine. You can all do it.”
“And you’ll judge us,” Nora said.
“I won’t!” Soraya cleared her throat and lowered her voice. “I won’t. I know I’m tired of being judged. Having people not understand why I made the decisions I did. I’m not judging, I just ...”
“All of you think about what worries you most right now,” Aggie commanded. “You don’t have to, Soraya.”
“Well, I’mworried,” she said. “A lot, and I’m thinking about it.”
“Capture it.” Aggie went behind the counter, took out two leaves, and handed them to Nora and Daisy. “Write what you need on the bay leaf. Something small.”
“I’m worried about the sets for the play I’m working on,” Daisy said. “Something like that?”
Aggie nodded. “Anything, but that works to start.”
Nora stared at the leaf. She could use an art commission or a new article job, but she put herself out there for those. She didn’t expect to get spontaneous offers. She wrote:New art commission.
“When you go home, you can either hang on to these or burn them to set your intention. It’s up to you.”
“That’s it?” Soraya asked.
“Yes,” said Aggie. “Do you have a vision board, by any chance?”
Soraya blinked. “Yeeesss.” She drew the word out slowly.
