The cherry wood that surrounded in her chair was nothing short of relief. While Selene never was a huge fan of her job, productivity was her passion, and there was nothing more of a relief than doing so. A stack of pending articles countered her desktop, along with those same articles cluttering her inbox. She had specifically requested from her writers that they hand in their work both in person and electronically, all for the sake of keeping things organized and having a back-up, just in case something got lost. However, with her mind rambling on about witchcraft and the mysterious coffee spill, she could hardly focus.

"Miss Ferox?" A knock on the wide open door to her office merely startled Selene. She gazed up and saw the Art Director, Ms. Wilcox, standing with her tight bun draining the life out of her.

Selene stood up immediately and walked over to greet her. "Yes, Ms. Wilcox, how may I help you?"

Ms. Wilcox ignored Selene's welcome gesture and stormed right into the office, eying the dangerously large pile of work-to-do. "As you know, Alaine resigned this morning in a very undesirable fashion. The screaming, the language, the utter atrociousness of it all - "

"Ms. Wilcox, I understand that things ended terribly with Alaine, especially since her work ethic was so proper, but what does this have to do with me?" Selene asked, her forehead creasing out of confusion.

Ms. Wilcox cleared her throat and straightened her back in an attempt to regain her proper composure. "Well, as I understand, you and Miss Alaine Johnson were close friends."

Selene nodded slowly, not knowing where this was leading. "Well, we did talk occasionally and go out for a coffee. She never mentioned any problems that she had with this magazine or working here, if that's what you are getting at."

"No, no," Ms. Wilcox said slowly, choosing her words so meticulously. "I would just like to advise you to close off contact with her. Not completely, but keep a separation. I like your work ethic, Miss Ferox, and I would hate to see you follow in her footsteps."

"I have no intentions of leaving," Selene pleaded.

"I am most happy to hear!" Ms. Wilcox added with an appraised smile. She continued to take a stroll around the office, taking in the fake decorative flowers and the strings of lights that made the room seem rather comfortable. After all, this was a fashion editor's office, so it better look at the top of its game all the time.

"What theme were you thinking for next month's magazine?" Ms. Wilcox asked, now getting down to business.

"Well, spring is just around the corner, so I thought maybe something floral?" Selene suggested, though put on the spot. With the rush to finish this month's magazine, she hadn't had much time to think ahead.

Ms. Wilcox let out a yawn. "Boring, what else do you have?"

"Um, butterflies?"

"Miss Ferox, you are a very creative person, I can tell. These themes and ideas are going to be incorporated into other magazines, but I want ours – no, I need it – to be unique. There must be some subject or something that has peaked your interest lately?" The lights in Ms. Wilcox eyes suggested that she was ready for a huge change in the magazine, something to make Artsy stand out.

"Well, what sort of subjects?" Selene asked, folding her arms, trying to think of something to feed the lady. Something that could keep her job and express her creativity.

Ms. Wilcox beamed at the question, tossing her hands in the air with excitement. "Absolutely anything! Nothing related to fashion. Just a crazy, wicked old topic!"

"Crazy, wicked... Well, how about witchcraft?" Selene suggested, pondering on whether or not that was what Ms. Wilcox was actually looking for.

This answer seemed to surprise Ms. Wilcox as she paced around the room, twisting the idea back and forth in her mind. "Witchcraft, huh? Well, doesn't that sound just marvelous! Oh, and I have the issue's title already! Wiccan or Wicked? How does it sound?"

"I would be happy to send out an email now, giving our writers time to think," Selene said with a slight nod, walking over to her desk. She opened up her laptop as she sat in her chair, her fingers racing to log in.

Ms. Wilcox smiled and took a seat on the opposing side of Selene's desk. "Perfect, but I must ask, why witchcraft? Are you becoming a witch?" She cackled at the absurd thought, and even Selene cracked a smile.

"I have always been interested in voodoo, but no, I do not believe in such nonsense. My friend's mother passed away, and he was just telling me this morning about the obsession she had over witchcraft. Apparently, she has an attic filled with witchcraft items, like spell books." Selene thought about Daniel being raised by someone so obsessed with witchcraft and smiled at it. He just seemed so normal.

"Well, it is just sort of fascinating, you know?" Selene picked a pen and began to fumble it around in her hands.

Ms. Wilcox nodded, as if understanding completely. "You know, you should go talk to him after you take care of these articles," she said, motioning to the stack. "Perhaps he would be able to give us an interview on what it was like growing up like that, let us take a few pictures of this attic, etc."

Selene nodded, looking over at her coffee cup. She was running dangerously low and would need a pick-me up any second now. "I'll go on my break!"

"Wonderful!" And with that, Ms. Wilcox saw herself out with a much more joyous mood than which she had first entered with. Selene did not know what she had just gotten herself into. How could she fix an entire magazine around witchcraft and fashion? She shook her head and began to write up the email to everyone, her mind groaning as she did so.

This could be the death of her.

****

The tiny bell rang as Selene walked through the front door of the Grove, her smile shining as bright as the day. "Hi, Daniel."

He looked at her curiously. "Selene, I haven't known you long, but I know the difference between someone who wants something and someone who wants coffee. Your face is somewhere in between."

Selene nodded shyly, not knowing how to begin. "Skinny vanilla, and we will go with another large."

"Your day isn't treating you too good, huh?" he asked, grabbing ahold of a large.

Selene let out a small, nervous laugh, not knowing where to begin. She gave him her credit card, her hands shaking. "Ms. Wilcox, the Art Director and owner of Artsy, requested that I come up with an extremely creative theme for next month's magazine. Something that the other magazines wouldn't dare to do. So, I panicked and thought back to our conversation from earlier – witchcraft."

"And so she approved the idea?" he asked, swiping the card through the register.

"Yes, and she has requested entrance to your attic to take some pictures for the issue," Selene said quietly.

"You told her about my mother?"

"Well, she asked why I was thinking about witchcraft, and I didn't know what to say. I'm really sorry, Danny," Selene said, stammering on her words. She never had been one to not know what to say, but this she found rather difficult. She did not understand why he made her feel so uncomfortable.

"No, no, it's fine. Just surprising, that's all," Daniel said, scratching the back of his head, while the coffee brewed behind him.

Selene traced her finger across the countertop. "Well, actually, Ms. Wilcox did request an interview with you."

"Me?" he asked, his face illuminated with amusement. "I'm not a witch, or a warlock, or anything."

"No, but she wants insight on your upbringing, or something like that. Listen, if you're not up for it, then you do not have to do it. I can find someone else, or work something out." Selene batted her eyes a few times, desperately hoping that he would say 'yes'. Where else would she find someone with such a crazy childhood?

"I would be more than happy to do it!" Daniel handed her her cup of coffee, topped off with a clean lid. "When is the interview?"

"I will need to get back to you on that. I still have to finish my large to-do list for today to finish off this month's issue. I can work out a time with you tomorrow morning?"

"I'll be here!"

"Thank you, Daniel!" Selene rushed out of the Grove, and off to her usual crazy antics. At least the magazine would have some sort of content, even if it did not exactly pertain to fashion. Perhaps the magazine will just grow into a lifestyle bit, incorporating all parts of different cultures, beliefs, and fashion.

Or maybe this idea is a major mistake, and Selene is on the highway to unemployment.

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

Author's Note (A/N):

Wow, you are all too kind with the comments on the first half!  Thank you so much ♡

Now that the chapter is complete, I hope that you enjoyed and will consider continuing to read on.  I'll have more posted tomorrow!

Lots of love,

Ali xoxo