I put a spell on you

“God, I hate Valentine’s Day!”  Snarled Andrea.  “It’s a complete rip-off!  There’s nothing romantic about spending an evening in a packed, overpriced restaurant, with flower-sellers trying to flog you a limp red rose for a fiver!”

Suzanne frowned.  She’d just been telling us how her boyfriend, Trevor, had booked a posh restaurant as a Valentines treat.  They’d been having a few problems and she was hoping this was a sign that things were looking up.

“Lucky you’ll be home along in front of Friends with a takeaway, then, isn’t it Andrea?”  She snapped.

“There’s only room for one man in my life, and that’s Jamie,” Andrea retorted.  Jamie was Andrea’s seven-year-old son.  Since Jamie’s dad, Martin, had walked out last year after she caught him in bed with another woman, Suzanne and I had hardly seen her.  Her life revolved around Jamie. 

We could understand her commitment to her son but she needed to get her life together.  She had become so cynical about romance.  How could she expect to meet Mr Right if she never went out, and then, when she eventually did, she’d write them all off as being the same as Martin.  Suzanne and I had to practically drag her to the pub tonight – and it had cost us a fortune in chocolate and magazines to persuade my sister, Jane, to baby-sit.

“Don’t you think it’s time you started dating again?”  I said gently.  “I’m sure Jamie would like to have someone to take him to the football and do boy’s stuff.”

“Jamie’s fine as he is,” snapped Andrea.  “I’d better get back.  It’s time for his bedtime story.”

“Jane can do that,” I protested, but it was too late.  She was heading for the door.

“I’m really worried about Andrea.” I told Suzanne later.  “She’s a great mum, but she still young.  I know Martin wasn’t exactly Mr Right, but she needs to stop thinking that all men are bastards.  At this rate she’s going to end up a bitter old spinster with a house full of cats!”

“Maybe we should send her a Valentine’s card?” Suzanne said.  “It might boost her ego.”

“No, she’d guess it was from one of us,” I said slowly.  “But, you know, maybe there is something we can do.  Get her a love spell…”

Suzanne burst out laughing.  “That’s a totally crazy idea!  You’ve always got your head in the clouds, Jessie, there’s no such thing as magic.”

“I’m serious,” I insisted.  “I read all about it in a magazine.  You can buy love spells from professional witches.  We should get one for Andrea.”

Suzanne shook her head.  “You’re mad,” She laughed.  “Anyway, tell me more about that gorgeous man you met on holiday…”

I didn’t mention my idea about seeing a witch to Suzanne again, but it had definitely captured my imagination. 

A few days later, I found myself knocking on the door of a lady calling herself Laetitia.  She was according to the website, a white witch.

Laetitia turned out to be in her forties and, ok, her shockingly white hair could have done with combing, but despite this she seemed pretty normal.  I explained what I wanted and she did a quick tarot reading to check out the outcome of the spell would be fortunate.  Then she started assembling ingredients and lighting candles, while I looked on in fascination.

After a couple of minutes of muttering and mystical hand-waving, she gave me a cheap-looking charm bracelet.  “Give this to your friend, and it will bring new love into her life,” Laetitia told me.  “Now, you owe me £29.99.”

I left wondering if I’d been ripped off.  Andrea certainly thought so, judging from the dubious look she gave the bracelet when I popped round to see her later that evening to give it to her.

“Err, thanks, Jessie,” she said “You really shouldn’t have.”

“Oh, I like friends to know I appreciate them.”  I said airily.  “So do you fancy a drink with me and Suzanne tonight?”

I was expecting Andrea to say no, but to my surprise she agreed.  “Jamie’s at his dad’s tonight,” She explained, “So why not?”

“Great!”  I laughed. “Make sure you wear your bracelet!”

I hugged myself secretly.  It was obviously working already!

And the evening just got better.  We got dressed up and headed for the trendy wine bar in town.  We had men coming up to our table all night. Usually, Andrea would have cut them dead, but tonight she was flirting.

“What’s going on?”  Suzanne whispered to me as Andrea graciously allowed one of her admirers to buy her a drink.  “This isn’t the Andrea I know!”

“I don’t know, but I’m not complaining.”  I smiled, watching my handiwork with pride.

By the time we staggered home, Andrea’s handbag was stuffed with phone numbers. 

“So did you fancy any of them?”  Suzanne slurred.

“Well, there was one I liked.”  Andrea said coyly.  “Mike, the tall dark builder.  I hope he calls…”

He did, of course.  He and Andrea dated for a while.  After a few months they announced their engagement, and now they’re happily married with a little brother or sister for Jamie on the way.  Jamie adores Mike and I’ve never seen Andrea happier.

And, funnily enough, Suzanne’s boyfriend, Trevor, also proposed to her shortly after Mike and Andrea announced their engagement.  I was now the only singleton left among my circle of friends.

A few months down the line, I was a bridesmaid at Suzanne’s wedding and helped her get ready.  As she riffled through a jewellery box in search of her favourite earrings, I spotted a familiar-looking bracelet…

“Who gave you that?”  I asked trying to sound casual but knowing it was the bracelet that I had given to Andrea.

“It was a present from Andrea,” Suzanne told me.  “I only wore it once – the night Trevor proposed to me – but it brought me out in a rash so I haven’t worn it since.  I didn’t want to hurt Andrea’s feelings, but it’s pretty hideous, isn’t it?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” I said thoughtfully.  “Seems to me it does the job.  Err, do you think I could borrow it?”

End