Chapter Two
"Miss? Miss? Are you awake? This is the last stop." I yawn as the train conductor shakes me. It felt like I had only slept for a few minutes. New Orleans. This is it.
I step off the train, greeted by the humidity and the fresh smell of nature. The thick, fragrant air clings to my skin, and I take a deep breath, savoring the familiar scent of magnolias and damp earth. It's both overwhelming and comforting.
My stomach rumbles loudly. I haven't eaten anything for the last three hours. I hope Nana has prepared something. I'm so hungry, I could eat a whole cow in one bite.
I text Nana to let her know I've arrived at the train station. Soon, I find a cab and settle in for the ride to St. Monica in Greenhills, where we live.
"First time in New Orleans?" the driver asks, peering at me through the rearview mirror.
"Uh, no. I was born here. I've been living in the big city for a few years and came back to visit my Nana," I reply with a smile.
"Where are we heading, actually?" he asks.
"To Sta. Monica in Greenhills," I say.
"Sta. Monica? You mean Erzulie?" He sounds puzzled.
"Erzulie?" I echo, unsure what he's talking about.
"Ah, I see. It's been a long time since they changed the name of the town. It was called Sta. Monica when the Hispanics ruled the area for many years. The old folks didn't like that name, so they changed it to Erzulie, after the goddess of beauty and love. When we get to the town entrance, you'll see beautiful fields of roses. They say it's an offering to the goddesses," he explains.
Now I understand why I couldn't find Sta. Monica on my GPS. My town has always had a thing for voodoo and folklore, but I never really believed in it. To me, it was just like Greek mythology. Nana used to tell us that Kalfu would get us if we didn't sleep early. My brother Rolly was so scared he'd jump into bed and cover himself with a blanket whenever Nana talked about it. Why would I fear something I didn't know?
"What family do you belong to? I might know them. I live in Erzulie too," he says with a smile.
"Uh, my mom is Rosaliya Arweya. We own a shop called Arweya's Exotic Herbs and Spices," I reply.
"My! My! So you are Rosetta? Look how tall you've grown!" he exclaims. I find it super weird, but I smile shyly.
"Uh, he he, but do I know you?" I ask.
"Probably not. But you must have seen me when you were little, with your sister and your big brother. I'm a good friend of your Nana. I always buy herbs from your shop to treat my wife's strange allergies," he says warmly, looking somewhat familiar.
"Is your wife okay now?" I ask.
"Better than ever! All hail to Loco for providing us with herbs and vegetation," he says, smiling. Soon, we reach the town entrance. The roses are indeed beautiful! Various colors, some even double or triple-colored, grow organically.
Just as my mom had described her shop, we stop at an old, big shop with a wooden sign reminiscent of the Victorian era. This shop definitely needs a makeover with a modern-Victorian touch.
As I enter, the familiar smell of mint chocolate, my mom's chocolate bar recipe, greets me. The chimes welcome me as a golden-haired woman in her mid-40s, with a scarf around her neck and dazzling earrings that complement her perfect purple eyes. As our eyes meet, we hug. Despite some bad connections for stupid reasons, she is still my mom, and no one can change that. She hugs me as if I had been gone for a gazillion years. Her genuine smell makes my heart melt, and I smile involuntarily.
"Rosetta has grown into a fine woman! I thought she was Erzulie's sister!" the driver exclaims as he hugs Nana and takes my luggage from the trunk.
"Oh, stop it, Albe! Where do you think her DNA came from? Say hi to Wanada for me!" They both laugh, and the driver heads off.
"Rosetta, my pumpkin! I've missed you so, so much. I'm sorry about what I said to you. You know, mothers will be mothers. Your brother will be here in a few hours with his wife," she says.
"Mom, I am already 22! Just call me Ro, and please only call me pumpkin when we're, uh, alone. It's kinda babyish," I say, kissing her forehead and smiling at her. I hug her tight. God, I missed her so much.
"I'm sorry, dear. Is that how new Millennial rules work? From now on, I will not call you pumpkin, and I will call you Ro," she says with a forced smile. I know she feels a bit offended. I know my Nana too well. But she still smiles, probably shrugging it off. Women in menopausal stages are sensitive. She loved me so much, and I loved her too. Rizanna's loss had taken a toll on her health, leading to a long depression. I had asked my brother and his wife to look after her when I went to the big city to study.
"Nana, I didn't mean anything bad. I mean, you can call me pumpkin like you always do. Can we just skip this? I've missed you so much," I say, hugging her again.
"I missed you too. Go on, fix your clothes, and Sera will help you get set up," she says while removing the chocolate from the molds.
Sera is my mom's novitiate, a term for a person who dedicates her life to serving a priestess. My mom is one of the seven powerful priestesses. It's a bit confusing, but I will find time to introduce you to the voodoo whatnots.
I don't know all of it, but I overheard Nana and Aunt Cleo talking. Both are powerful priestesses. Nana had explained Sera to me on the phone, so I hadn't met her in person yet.
I follow Sera and notice the tattoo on her neck: a star within another star. She has other tattoos, but she's wearing a t-shirt, so I can't see all of them. Sera has a pixie cut and wears a mossy green top that perfectly matches her hazel eyes, along with black jeans and army-style boots. She even has earrings that look like raindrops. She gives off a bad-ass girl vibe.
My room is near the staircase. Luckily, I don't sleepwalk, or I might wake up late at night tumbling down the stairs with bruises and scratches. I liked the room in the attic, but Nana wouldn't allow it because it was already occupied with old furniture and other things. The first thing I notice in my room is the fresh flowers on the bedside table. Their aroma is soothing, sweet, and therapeutic, like a combination of mint and vanilla. I haven't seen this flower before, and its petals are tie-dyed. Wow! I had seen this effect in DIY videos, but the natural color blend is fascinating.
"You like those?" Sera finally speaks. I had thought she might be mute or something.
"Yeah, I do. They're quite extraordinary. Did you use some color dyes to make this? Like in those DIY videos where you trim the stem in half, put the halves in different containers with color dyes, and then the rose absorbs the water and turns into this?" I ask.
Sera looks at me with an arched brow. "You're not the silent type, are you?" she says, crossing her arms and leaning against the window with a smirk.
"I'm sorry?" I say.
"Did you see the fields of roses when you entered the town? The townsfolk here are skilled botanists who love to invent and discover things," she says, emphasizing "invent and discover."
I don't like her vibes already.
"They're grown organically. I don't know how they did it, but these colors are natural. They come from where plants are supposed to grow. People call it soil," she says sarcastically and leaves.
I roll my eyes.
The room is amazing, designed like a modernized bayou swamp. Nana knows I worship green, my favorite color. The bed and ceiling are adorned with fairy lights, making the room gorgeously amazing overall. Now I know where I got my artistic sense.
Sera returns with a tray of juice, mint chocolate bars, and some cookies, placing it on the coffee table.
I open my laptop and need the Wi-Fi password. I call Sera and ask her to connect my phone and laptop. Oh my god, it takes forever to buffer! She doesn't say a word, but I have no choice but to ask her. I need to buy a few undies, which I had left in the dryer back in my apartment. Facepalm!
"Hey, Sera, can you tell Nana that I'm going to the market later? I need to buy some, uh, clothes," I say.
"One thing, Ro. You can go whenever you want, but not at 3 pm or 3 am. You can go earlier than 3 or after 3," she says firmly.
"And she said she has something to talk to you about when she gets home. She went out to get something. So, welcome home." she adds and leaves.
I slump on the bed and look at my luggage. Turned on the air conditioner and heaved a sigh.