Hexpresso

     Krysta stood before the temperamental espresso machine with a frown tugging at her plump lips. Her hands were planted firmly on her hips, her weight shifting back and forth between her feet. The machine had been on the fritz as of late, burning espresso shots and growling loudly when left unattended, chilling milk rather than steaming it and shutting down when anyone commented on its malfunctions. Krysta, the café’s lead barista and local witch, was always the one called in to fix whatever crisis the inanimate machine seemed to develop. Sometimes she wondered if it had become sentient and was enacting revenge on its users as a form of compensation.

         “Is it hexed again?” Krysta’s manager, Pansy, called from the back room. She shuffled out to the front counter where the espresso machine appeared to be in perfect condition, though the glare set on Krysta’s face confirmed the opposite.

         “Yes, though it’s a stronger spell this time,” the witch replied, adjusting her arms in order to cross them over her chest. She turned her head to face her manager, sleek black curls bouncing against her shoulders as she did so. “I’ll need to cleanse the entire café to fix it this time. This is probably why so many syrups and mixes have been vanishing, too. Someone’s cursed the store, not just the machine.”

         Pansy exhaled a loud groan. “Alright. Do whatever you need to. You have the ingredients for a cleanse in your locker, don’t you?”

         Krysta nodded. “After last time, I’ve learned to keep emergency supplies on me at all times.”

         “Will it bother my customers?”

         The witch surveyed the café floor – a few patrons were scattered about, lounging in chairs, sipping lattes and chai teas and cappuccinos, immersed in their reading or their research or their conversation.

         She looked back to Pansy. “Only those with an aversion to sage, rosemary, or lemongrass.”

         “Shouldn’t be a problem,” Pansy commented, turning to retreat back into her office. “Everyone knows this is a ritual-friendly café.”

         Krysta nodded, stepping around the end of the counter and out onto the café floor. She made her way to each of the windows that allowed the sun to illuminate the inside of the building, opening each of them in order for the chaotic energy that seemed to plague the café to exit the space. She then sauntered back to the counter, slipping into the back room and heading towards her locker. Spinning the combination and opening the lock, she reached into her purse, withdrawing a bundle of sage, rosemary, and lemongrass. With her other hand, she rummaged through the bottom of her purse, producing a lighter. Closing her locker and closing the lock, Krysta made her way back out to the café, standing on the employee side of the counter. Holding the bundle of herbs close to her heart, she flicked the lighter and watched it ignite the plants. Her eyes fluttered closed as she exhaled slowly, drawing more smoke from the embers to chase away the dark spell. She began to trek across the floor, waving the bundle of herbs gently about as she did so. Stepping around the counter, she padded to the far wall, weaving in-between tables as best she could without disrupting any customers. She murmured softly to herself as the smoke permeated the air, combating the negative energy and forcing it through the open windows.

         “Whatever hex has befallen the Crystal Café,” she spoke softly, crossing in front of the door, “I hereby banish you. Only positive energy and light magic is allowed on these premises. Get the hell out of my café.”

         She circled the entire building, returning to the employee side of the counter once she finished. She stubbed out the burning ends of her plant bundle before shuffling back into the break room and returning the herbs and lighter to her locker. Pansy followed her out onto the floor, surveying the customers and noting that everyone in the building seemed to exhibit softer expressions and relaxed postures.

         “Well done,” the manager complimented. “Business should run much smoother now.”

         Krysta nodded in agreement, a soft smile resting on her lips. She turned to glance at the clock that hung high on the wall beside the vast menu, exhaling a noise of surprise before shuffling towards her locker once more.

         Pansy followed her gaze, chuckling softly. “Forgot to clock out while you were cleansing my café?”

         Krysta turned to offer her a grin. “Sorry, Pansy. I forgot that my shift was nearly over when you told me the espresso machine was acting up. I couldn’t just leave you with hexed equipment.”

         “My business and my sanity thank you for your contribution,” Pansy smiled. “Now go home and be with your girl. It’s your day off tomorrow.”

         Slinging her purse over her shoulder, Krysta stood and nodded to her manager. She approached the doorway where a small electronic device was attached to the wall, pressing a sequence of keys before the screen confirmed that she was officially off-duty. Waving to Pansy, she shuffled out of the front door, heading around the building to her parked car.

         “Dawn!” Krysta hollered through the apartment as she opened the front door. “I’m home!”

         In a matter of seconds, she was met with thin arms around her waist, squeezing her midsection through her jacket. She chuckled, wrapping her own arms around her girlfriend, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. The shorter girl gazed up at her, a grin on her lips and excitement in her eyes.

         “I missed you,” Dawn stated, standing on her toes in order to kiss the underside of Krysta’s jaw.

         “I missed you too,” the taller girl smiled, closing the door behind her and wiggling just enough out of her girlfriend’s grasp to kick off her shoes and drop her purse to the floor.

         “How was work?” Dawn inquired, finally releasing her hold and leading Krysta into the kitchen where the kettle sat steaming on the stove, freshly brewed tea waiting to be poured into over-sized mugs.

         “I had to cleanse the café,” Krysta replied, taking the mug of tea that was offered to her before sitting at the kitchen table. “Someone hexed it.”

         “Someone hexed the whole shop?” Dawn questioned in surprise, sitting across from her girlfriend.

         The witch nodded. “Took a little bit of work, but I got it fixed. And the café should be protected at least until my weekend is over.”

         Her girlfriend smiled, spooning sugar into her mug before sliding the jar across the table towards Krysta. “I love watching you do magic.”

         “My offer is still open to teach you some,” the latter commented, stirring sugar into her tea before taking a sip.

         Dawn shook her head. “I’m not a witch, babe. It’s not my thing. I just like watching you do it. It’s a passion you don’t express very often.”

         Krysta chuckled to ignore the heat dancing across her cheeks. “I’m glad you approve. And if you ever change your mind, the option is there.”

         Bracing herself on the tabletop, Dawn leaned forward and puckered her lips invitingly. Krysta playfully rolled her eyes before meeting her girlfriend halfway, capturing her lips before pulling back and returning to her tea.

         As they settled into bed later on that evening, Krysta’s phone vibrated loudly against the nightstand. Raising a brow, she picked up the device while laying on her back, allowing Dawn to drape an arm around her and snuggle into her chest. A snort sounded from Krysta’s throat, and Dawn looked up inquisitively.

         “What’s up?” she questioned before a yawn stole her breath.

         “Pansy’s apartment got hexed,” the witch chuckled, typing a quick reply to her manager’s panicked text.

         “So the café hex was meant for her?” Dawn concluded, nuzzling her nose into her girlfriend’s neck.

         “Sounds like it,” Krysta agreed, setting her phone down. “I told her how to cleanse the space. If she’s on the news tomorrow for setting her apartment on fire, it’s not my fault.”

         The human giggled, and the witch stretched out an arm to switch off the bedside lamp. They snuggled close together and fell into an easy slumber, content to spend the entire following day lazing about.