A Slice of Magic. A. G. Mayes

at the pie shop.

      ‘Can I help you?’ A woman’s voice behind me made me jump. I turned and saw a plump woman in her mid-sixties. Her dark hair was streaked with gray, and she wore it in a pile of curls on top of her head. She had sharp blue eyes.

      ‘My name is Susanna.’ I stretched out my hand.

      ‘Alice.’ She shook it with a crushing grip, and I tried not to wince.

      ‘Are you opening something here?’ I asked, hoping that it was going to be something that would stay open past 8 p.m. For once, maybe I would have fresh gossip to share with the Morning Pie Crew.

      She sized me up and looped her fingers through the straps on her denim overalls before answering, ‘Just setting up my cookie shop. Hoping to open in a couple days.’

      ‘Oh, that’s great,’ I said, trying to hide my disappointment. Not only did it sound like a place that would close early, but it also sounded like competition. I tried to force my most neighborly smile, thinking it would be what Aunt Erma would want me to do. ‘I’m new in town too. I work at the pie shop down the street.’

      I could have sworn her eyes narrowed for a second before she smiled. ‘That’s wonderful,’ she said. ‘I’m looking forward to stopping in and trying your pie.’

      ‘Come on in anytime,’ I said.

      The silver cat appeared by Alice’s feet, and she scooped her up. The cat yowled.

      ‘This is my cat. I named her Cookie,’ she said. How original, I thought. She stroked the cat’s head while it struggled slightly in her grip.

      ‘I’ve seen her around,’ I said.

      ‘Are you planning to enter the baking contest at the Fall Festival?’ she asked.

      ‘I don’t know. I’m still honing my baking skills,’ I said.

      She nodded sympathetically. ‘I wouldn’t bother if I were you. My cookies are definitely going to win.’

      My eyes widened. She had to be joking, but if she was, nothing on her face gave it away.

      ‘Well, it was nice to meet you.’ I hurried off down the street, not sure what else to say.

      ‘You too,’ she called after me, making my skin prickle.

      When we got back to the apartment, I immediately flopped down on the sofa, the exhaustion of the day setting in. Then I sat straight up and grabbed my computer and found the online form to sign up for the baking contest. I hit the keyboard a little too hard as I entered in my information. I sat back, satisfied. I tried to picture the look on Alice’s face when I beat her.