Levine residence, later that evening...

"Ivy, I can't believe that you had the nerve to disrespect the Deveraux family and the coffee barista in public," Olivia Levine scolded harshly to her daughter, who was getting dressed in her bedroom for her planned weekend trip to the Vista Nightclub. "My clients and coworkers were on good terms with the family, especially Mrs. Kaneva Deveraux and her son Antoine."

Ivy scoffed, rolling her eyes as she fixed her blonde ponytail while grabbing her favorite pink halter top that would show off her assets. "Mom, it's all that barista's fault for being a disgusting faggot and a man," she defended. "It would've been different if he was straight or at least had some romantic interests in a woman. But he's all for jumping and humping on other guys. You know that stands against what Grandma Edie taught you when you were raised in the church and she would've rolled over in her grave if she saw the state of how this world is in."

"Don't remind me," Olivia groaned as she shuddered at the memories of being under her late mother's controlling hand as the matriarch of the family wanted all her daughters to remain true to God and be dutiful wives or law-abiding women if they chose to remain single. "Honey, your grandmother was known to be scornful to the opposite sex and old-fashioned to her ways. She had no love for your grandfather when he chose to leave the family for someone whom he loved."

"And that's why she knew that all men are nothing but pure pigs," Ivy rebutted as she slid into her favorite pair of Apple Bottom jeans before making a beeline for her pair of Louboutin heels. "Mom, you already know that Dad was an asshole for leaving you and he was a closeted fag himself. Honestly, you ought've had known better when Grandma had you marry him."

"Your father's grandparents and my mother all believed that your father and I were a perfect match for each other simpky because we were in our prime as young adults brought up in the Catholic faith," her mother said in exasperation while watching her daughter get ready for her night out. "My mother thought that your father and I needed to marry before we got lost in 'carnal desires,' and we didn't want to disappoint her. But even when we had you and stayed together for fifteen years even after our parents passed away, your father and I weren't happy with each other. I knew that he wasn't as straight as he wanted to believe while he knew that I wasn't happy with him entirely. So we parted ways and he left to be with his new husband, living his truth as a gay man."

Ivy scowled at what her mother said, turning to glare at the older woman. "And it's all the more reason to make sure that all gay men pay for their sins," she interjected as she grabbed her clutch. "I don't care for your clients or what those abominations at that coffee shop think. As far as those queers are concerned, I'm going to make sure that they all know their place alongside every man in the world- in the toilet!"

"Ivy!" her mother shouted. "That is enough! You know what? You're not to leave this house tonight! You're staying home and will need to think on what's been said."

"Too bad, Mom, because I stand on my word and I need to get tipsy tonight!" Ivy shot back. With that, she brushed past her mother at the doorway, sailed down the stairs, and made a beeline for one of the cars she shared with her mother and younger sisters Ciara and Lorelei (both of them freshmen at USC). She was dressed to kill for a good time and was ready to party hard. And no one, not even her mother, was going to stop her from her plans.

***********

Vista Nightclub, Los Angeles...

"Girl, I still can't believe that you showed out at that freak show of a coffeehouse," Pilar Andrews (the daughter of a top financial investor) drawled after she, Ivy, and their other two friends Mariah Stelley (a fresh-faced model from Berlin) and Ebony Vasquez (a Cuban-American transplant whose family made it big with their fashion line) greeted each other and the blonde bombshell recapped them with what transpired over drinks and dancing. "That's pretty badass of you giving them the axe and telling off that fag of a barista. My family and I would never go for anything involving such filth."

"Well, that 'filth' of a coffeeshop is known to host the cream of the crop in all the Southern California area, Pilar," Mariah commented crisply, her German accent sharp. She shot a pointed glance at Ivy who was drinking the last of what was her nth martini. "And that barista is legit as a voodoo prince, Ivy. You know damn well that you were wrong in so many ways as Asha and Candide were right to break ties with you."

"Definitely," Ebony said, accepting her glass of nonalcoholic Bloody Mary (she being a designated driver for Mariah and Pilar). "Mami and Abuelita both warned me to be careful around you today since they learned of what happened from Candy's dad. You could be in hot water if you're not careful. Not only that, I was warned to stay indoors since it was raining all day with the storm clouds being full of ominous danger." She crossed herself three times.

"Don't be silly," Ivy scoffed, annoyed on how Ebony and her family were devout Catholics and were known to be superstitious. "I'm telling you that there's no such thing as voodoo magic and that the storm that blown in at that place was a pure fluke. Besides, I'm betting you that my so-called wish to be a gay man won't ring true even after that freak cursed me with a warning that it will come true and won't be reversed."

Mariah and Ebony gasped, the latter making the sign of the evil eye before crossing herself once more.

"What did you do to piss him off?!" Mariah hissed.

Ivy shrugged. "Mainly poured the coffee on Deveraux's head after he made it so bad," she replied flippantly. "I told him that he screwed up my caramel frappe up to the point that I told him that I'd fire him if he was working for me."

"Scheisse!" Mariah cursed in her native tongue. "You fool! You officially pissed off the great-grandson of Celestine Deveraux, the old-school voodoo queen of New Orleans! You've damned yourself!"

"I thought she was badass," Pilar grinned. "Bastard got what he deserved. Being a man, being a gay man, and being a bad coffee barista! I say that's all a big no-no for me! She did what she had to do!"

"Thank you!" Ivy crooned, batting her eyelashes.

"Don't encourage her, Andrews!" Ebony barked, muttering a string of Spanish curses before glaring at the femme-fatale in question. "You fool! You've messed with the wrong one, Levine! If what you've done caused for Asha and Candy to cut ties with you, it's all the more reason for me to do the same! Do yourself a favor and savor what little normalcy you have left! As every voodoo witch would warn, so say I: no matter if you're blessed, no matter if you're cursed; a witch's word is law, it can NEVER be reversed! Consider my friendship with you finished, Ivy Levine! Mark my words when I tell you that you will reap what you've sown!"

"Well said," Mariah piped up as she and Ebony gathered their purses. To Ivy, "I'm out as well, Fraulein Levine. You have officially crossed a new level of low, even for your own standards. You've made your bed, now lie down in it."

Pilar groaned. "There goes my ride," she said as she too grabbed her purse. "Don't pay them any mind, Ivy. From where I sit, you did the right thing and there's nothing for anyone to lose their heads over. Besides, I bet this will all blow over and we'll laugh over our Starbucks run."

"Exactly," Ivy replied, giving her best friend a hug. "I'll call you?"

"You know it." With that, Pilar followed her two friends out of the nightclub.

Ivy sat back in her stool. "Four of my friends decided to cut ties with me all because I pissed off some Harry Potter wannabe," she muttered, motioning for the bartender to pour her another drink. "Fine friends they are. No matter. Candy, Asha, Ebony, and Mariah are on my blackballed list and they will never have another connection with my people again. Pilar and I will find some new blood to be our friends."

Two hours later, Ivy was tipsy enough to finally summon the bartender to make her a nonalcoholic drink. "Shit," she hissed as she looked at the time on her phone. "It's almost eleven and Mommy Dearest will kick my ass if I miss curfew or drive home drunk."

"Rough night?" a female's voice piped up.

Ivy looked up to see a fey of a young woman dressed in all-black behind the counter. She looked as if she belonged in Cosmo or Vogue rather than behind a bar. From her cream-colored skin to her raven-black hair, the female bartender was photogenic.

"Who are you?" Ivy asked, voice slurring from drinking too many martinis.

"I'm Ava," the female bartender commented. "It's almost closing time and the boss said to make sure everyone's heading out. You look like you could use some coffee in you."

"Don't I know it," Ivy replied. "Anyway, I'm not too keen on coffee unless it's Starbucks. But I guess anything that's not full of alcohol is better than nothing."

Before she knew it, a cup of coffee was placed in front of Ivy. She took the cup in her hands and stared at it. "It's smells...rather good," she couldn't help but comment.

"It's my special blend," Ava remarked. "I've been hearing a lot about you. Ivy Levine, the controversial influencer, right?"

"That's my name. I hope you're not going to trash me like most of my friends did."

Ava shook her head. "Hey, everyone's entitled to their opinion," she replied. "To each their own and all that. Besides, you look like the type of woman who has no regrets."

"Of course not. Everyone's been on my ass on how I'm going too far and all about my hate comments about gay guys- well, all guys in general- and how I'll soon eat my words. I say that I'm doing what I gotta do to prove my point."

"I bet you do." Ava motioned for her to drink. "Go on and drink up. My coffee is known to be the best cure for hangovers. One sip, and the drunkenness will melt away."

Ivy huffed, gingerly picking up the hot beverage and taking a small sip. Much to her surprise, it tasted way better than she originally thought. "Not bad," she chirped. "Not bad at all."

"I told you," Ava grinned. "Make sure to drink it down to the last drop. The cure won't work unless you drink it all."

"Don't have to tell me twice," Ivy said, drinking the beverage down in small sips as she and Ava made small talk about who's who and what's what in Los Angeles- the latest fashions, scandals, Hollywood hookups and breakups, movies, music, and personal family life. All too soon, the coffee was gone, but Ava was generous to offer Ivy two more cups of coffee.

"I better go," Ivy said, frowning at the time. "Almost eleven-thirty and I need to be back by midnight tonight or my Mom's going to give me a case of the blues."

"I'll walk you out," Ava said. "It's been nice to meet you, Ivy Levine. You and I are going to know more about each other now that I know we're going to be good friends."

Ivy smiled genuinely. "Best friends," she replied as she let Ivy walk her out of the nightclub where her car was waiting for her. "See you around."

"See you!"

Ivy got behind the wheel and mae the journey home, groaning a bit when her head started to throb. "Must be from the coffee," she muttered. She gunned the engine and pulled away from the nightclub.

************

Minutes later, she was back at home with two minutes before midnight to spare. Too tired to take off her clothes, Ivy kicked off her heels and dove under the covers of her bed, letting sleep take her away. As she closed her eyes, she felt her body began to tense and relax as her insides began to change. Her face also started to transform.

And as the large grandfather clock chimed midnight, she was unaware that her body was changing gradually while her head was throbbing with memories beginning to be erased and replaced by those of a different person.

After the final chime of midnight, the last thing she remembered hearing was a deafening clap of thunder followed by Antoine's Creole-laced drawl. "And so it begins!"

From there, gentle reader, Ivy Levine would be no more...but a new heir would be made known.

Looks like we got ourselves a story, folks!

The next chapter will feature a detour to Sand Diego where Asha is spending time with her relatives with Candide tagging along when they get the phone call from Olivia that would introduce them to a new version of Ivy Levine, hence the title of this story. Stay tuned, folks!

Dedicating this story to MarCafeWrites and MKG2012.

Vote.
Comment.
Share.
Follow.
Add.
FAN!