Unsympathetic Magic - Laura Resnick [99]
Being targeted by the bokor was certainly a threat to health, I thought. Also to longevity.
Jamal asked me, “Is Shondolyn going to be all right?”
“I think she’ll be fine, now that she’s gone away for a while,” I said. “This . . . atmosphere wasn’t good for her.”
“You mean the weird shit that’s going on.”
“That depends on what weird shit you’re talking about.”
“There is strange shit wandering around this neighborhood at night,” Jamal said earnestly. “Those crazy people in that shop that you sent Shondolyn to—they seemed to know about it.”
“Do you know about it, too?”
“I’ve seen some things,” he said. “I don’t know what’s going on, but I know this, ma’am. You shouldn’t be around here after dark. Especially not alone. You feel me?”
“Yes,” I said.
“And I guess you’re right, it’s probably better for Shondolyn to be outta here.”
“For the time being,” I said. “But this weird shit will get its ass kicked, and then Shondolyn will be back, when it’s safe for her to come home.”
“Well, I guess that’s okay, then.” He looked at some of the local Vodou worshippers who were entering the foundation now. “I ain’t gonna stay for this voodoo thing.”
“Okay.”
“See you in class.” He raised his fist in a little farewell gesture. “Keep it real.”
“Er, Jamal,” I said. “Just a tip about the kind of guy Shondolyn likes.”
He eyed me suspiciously but didn’t refuse to listen.
“Different clothes,” I said. “Get some tight jeans, some button-down shirts in your proper size, and some boring shoes.”
“What? No way!”
“If you want her to look at you and see a guy she might be interested in,” I said, “that’s what it’s going to take.”
“Shit.” He looked like he was seriously rethinking his interest in the girl. Shaking his head, he walked away.
Behind me, Biko said, “Hi, Esther. Making friends and influencing people?”
I turned to face him and saw that Max was with him. My greeting to them both disappeared in a sneeze. I waved a hand in front of my face, and my eyes watered. “Are you okay?” Biko asked.
I coughed a little and gestured to the lumpy brown leather pouch that hung from my neck. It was the size of a baby’s fist. “Whenever I move suddenly, something escapes this gris-gris bag that irritates my system. I think it must be the cayenne pepper.”
“Hmm, we may have used a little too much of that,” Max said with concern. “Still, better safe than sorry.”
I saw Puma about half a block away, coming from the direction of her shop. She was wearing a white skirt and blouse, and she had a white bandana tied around her head. She waved when she saw us, and picked up her pace.
I realized as she greeted us that most of the other people I’d seen arriving for the community ritual were also wearing white. I, however, was in an apricot-colored sundress.
“Puma, should I have worn white?” I asked. No one had mentioned a dress code.
“What you wear doesn’t really matter,” she said. “It’s what’s in your heart that counts.”
“Shall we go inside?” Max suggested.
“I’m waiting for Jeff,” Puma said, “but I guess he can find us. I told him we were going to meet in Biko’s training room.”
“Jeff is coming?” I said in surprise.
“If that boy wants to date me, then you bet he’s coming,” she said. “He doesn’t have to share my faith, but he should understand that it’s a big part of who I am.”
“After you, ladies,” Max said.
Puma took my arm as we proceeded inside. “Listen, Esther, before Jeff asks me out—and I’ve decided he is going to ask me out—I want your blessing. I won’t go out with him unless I have it.”
“Why do you want my blessing?”
“Well, you and I are friends, and you and Jeff used to go out. So it wouldn’t be right for me to start seeing him without your blessing.”
“Did Jeff tell you about us?” I asked.
She snorted with laughter. “No one had to tell me anything, girl. It couldn’t be more obvious if the two of you wore matching T-shirts saying, WE’RE EXES.”
Startled by this revelation, I looked over my shoulder at the two men accompanying us down the hallway toward the fencing room.
Seeing my inquisitive