When they arrived at the cafe, there was a small crowd of around twenty people outside, all human. It was a higher number compared to the usual custor size Phoebe handled. This was a result of her business being blasted on the internet, television and radios.
So of these people were taking pictures of her cafe and she knew that they would do the sa for her when she stepped out of the car.
"Really, they are persistent flies." she said to herself.Then in a louder voice she said to her grandmother, "Grandmother you can cover your hair and put on sunglasses if you do not wish to be recognized."
"For what? I am your grandmother and i am not ashad to be seen at your workplace. As for these annoyances that ca to stalk you, i will get rid of them for you."
She was already stepping out of the car and dialing the police at the sa ti. When she made it to the crowd she yelled into the phone, "Oh, police, there is a group of people outside the Black Ghost Cafe that are wielding knives and other weapons. So of them have caras and they are threatening the elderly."
She recognized one of those wielding caras, he was Stuart Nelson, a famous paparazzo.
"One of them is Stuart Nelson, they are threatening elderly folks here. My shirt has been ripped...."
She waved her driver over and he used a knife to rip straight line through her very expensive silk shirt. Her driver Harry also doubled as her bodyguard and he had been working for her for thirty years so he always knew what she wanted without her having to elaborate.
After the shirt, he ruffled her hair and made it look like soone had been engaged in a scuffle with her. All these actions stunned the onlookers who had no idea what to make of it.
"Is the old woman crazy?" soone asked.
"Are you crazy, don't you recognize her?" another asked.
So smart ones were already on the move just in case trouble arrived, they didn't want to be swept up in it. The sound of sirens scared away the rest, leaving behind only five people that had genuinely co on business.
As it was now safe, Phoebe got out of the car and joined her grandmother. First, she looked at the elder up and down in dismay.
"Grandma, you didn't have to go this far. I would have just ignored them and refused to let them into my shop anyway." She chuckled and shook her head in wonder. "But, your acting skill is really superb, you are better than Andre."
Grandma Mayfair brimd at the complint and she puffed her chest up slightly.
"I am good, right?"
Phoebe nodded, assuring her again before they all entered the cafe. The sll of fresh coffee and pastries was strong in the air and it was coming from the kitchen in the back.
Soone was playing soft music and the faint sound of singing ca from the sa direction as the pastry sll.
Grandma Mayfair gulped slowly as she felt sudden hunger pangs which made no sense as she had already eaten breakfast. More surprising than her unexplained hunger was the lay out of the cafe because it appeared to be just like any other cafe.
It had tables, chairs, coffee maker and juice processor. There was even an ice cream machine in the cafe and a glass counter where pastries like cakes, cookies and the like were displayed. The walls had shelves that held little jars that had dicine like the kind Phoebe had, tea bags, charm bracelets, and talismans. You could even see the outside street from inside.
"It's so normal." she exclaid.
"What were you expecting?" Phoebe laughed.Her grandmother was certainly not the first person to be surprised by the appearance of her cafe.
"It's nad Black Ghost Cafe, i was expecting black curtains, those round orbs like they have in magic city, a deck of cards, marionettes...i don't even other things but i was not expecting this. No, it's better than normal because i slls delicious inside."
"Grandma, you can sit inside my office while i talk to these people and...."
Grandma Mayfair took Phoebe's hand and stopped her. "Don't worry about , i will be fine sitting anywhere. I ca to observe you at work and help you out."
[Did i hear you right grandma, you want to stay and work here, why? Andre told that you are scared of ghosts and dislike shamans. He asked to give you ti to get used to and my special talents. Are you here to see if i am faking it or not?]
Grandma Mayfair rubbed Phoebe's back gently to reassure her through physical contact. "I have not worked for the last thirty sothing years of my life. I always stay at ho or visit friends, take cruise trips and non stop vacations.That kind of life can be exciting in the beginning but it gets exhausting after so ti.
When Andre told about the ghost catcher story i thought he was lying but Luke confird it. Let us kill two birds with one stone, spend ti together and at the sa ti, i can find a new way to pass ti."
[But i have ghost clients, right now there are three of them here. What if they scare you into having a heart attack? Even i spent the first half of last year terrified and running away from them. I used to sleep in churches and temples because i didn't want to see them or hear about them. I lived like a vagrant until i accepted my fate.]
Grandma Mayfair's already aged heart constricted and she felt as if she was suffocating on reading Phoebe's thoughts. She imagined Phoebe sleeping under bridges, starving, alone and in pain.
Out of the blue, she embraced her tightly and refused to let her go.
"You must have been having a tough ti on all your own my dear." her voice cracked and she started crying.
She recalled what they had been doing most of last year, especially in the first half. She had eaten good als, bought a broach worth half a million, taken Ruth on four day luxury yacht trip in Lost saints city.
They went shopping, buying things worth ten million and that whole ti, her own grand daughter was in the neighboring city, sleeping under so bridge, cold, starving and alone.
How? How could she have filled her own stomach and slept comfortably without knowing? The more she thought about it, the more her heart ached. Overwhelming guilt covered her like wave after wave and pushed her under the sea.
"I am really a sinner." she cried out.
Phoebe didn't know where the tears had co from but it pained her to see her grandmother crying so brokenheartedly.
"She cried last night and she is crying again today," The Saxon spirit sighed sadly. "You have two people to rely on entirely at least, Andre and your grandmother. Luke is good too but he is the quiet analytical type. She is a good woman, don't just use her to get back at Ruth."
Rather than reply to the spirit or say sothing perfunctory to her grandmother, Phoebe hugged her back and just let her cry until she exhausted all of her tears.
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