Scent of Magic by Lori L. Clark Read Free Book Online

man and back again. Francesca dug down deep for her most welcoming smile.
    "Hello, Francesca," Juliette said. "This is Freddy's first visit to the store."
    The smile on Francesca's face widened. "Welcome, Freddy. I'm Francesca. The Perfumery has just what you need; I'm certain of it."
    Francesca stepped into the man's space and breathed in his scent. The overwhelming sense of sadness that washed over her was heartwrenching, and she reached for the counter to steady herself.
    "I don't know why I'm here," Freddy mumbled.
    Francesca sensed his heart rate speed up, and his breathing became quick and shallow. She knew she would have to act fast. Otherwise, he'd bolt like a scared rabbit right out the door, and they'd never see him again.
    Francesca thought quickly on her feet, and she knew within seconds exactly the aroma that would help Freddy. She walked directly to the shelves and zeroed in on what she was looking for. She retrieved a brown bottle and pulled out the cork stopper.
    She passed the container to Freddy. "Here, this is just for you."
    Freddy looked at her skeptically and took the bottle. He sniffed the aroma and narrowed his eyes before pulling in another deep whiff. "What is this? It smells vaguely familiar, but I can't put my finger on it."
    "It's just a little something I put together the other day. Do you smell the orange and vanilla?" asked Francesca.
    Again, the man took another sniff. "Yes. Yes, I believe that's what it is. Maybe something else. Is that cucumber I smell?"
    Francesca grinned. "How very perceptive of you, Freddy." Neither confirming or negating his observations.
    Freddy paid for the perfume and left the shop.
    "You used his love of food to sell him on that scent," Juliette said shaking her head. "Brilliant."
    Francesca said, "Yes and no."
    "Will it curb his appetite?" Juliette wondered out loud.
    "Yes, somewhat," Francesca said. "But it's also going to go deeper and get to the root of the problem. If I tried to fix the outside without first working on the inside, it would never last. We don't do anything halfway here at The Perfumery."
    Juliette laughed. "Indeed."

COMING OUT COLOGNE
     
    Afternoons were usually the quiet time of the day. A bored housewife here, a troubled teenager there. Francesca often spent her time meditating, which she did best by working on a different crossword puzzle each week. Juliette liked to experiment with new scents, and somehow, she magically came up with the perfect aroma just when it was needed.
    Juliette came out of the backroom wearing a smug grin. "This one, Frank. I swear it's the best one I've ever made."
    Francesca smiled and shook her head. "I thought I was the brilliant chemist in this family."
    "You are," Juliette said. "You're the romantic one. I'm the magical one."
    "True, with my nose and your touch," Francesca said folding the newspaper. "We might just rule the world someday."
    The bell over the front door rang, and an attractive man walked in. He appeared to be in his mid-thirties. Nice clothes, nice hair, everything about him appeared nice.
    Francesca looked up and smiled at the man. "Welcome to The Perfumery."
    "Thank you," he said quietly. His voice had no inflection; there was no emotion in his aura. He stepped into Francesca's space.
    She inhaled deeply and everything on the inside of this man came drifting out. Tiny fingers of information floated her way. She closed her eyes briefly and took a step back. He had a neutral feeling about him. No negativity. There was nothing. He was hollow inside. Only an extremely depressed person emitted that deep sense of void.
    "Juliette, could you come here for a moment and wait on Mr. … I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name," Francesca said.
    "My name is Nathan Gilmore, Nate," he said. He extended his hand toward Juliette.
    She grasped his hand. "Hello, Mr. Gilmore. Juliette Duchesne."
    When Juliette shook his hand, in the brief instant their palms touched, she got a very clear picture of what was going on