4 Chapter 2: Erzulie

Chapter two

"Miss? Miss? are you awake? this is the last stop". I yawn as the train conductor is heavily shaking me. It felt like I just have slept for a couple of minutes. New Orleans. This is it.

I went out from the train and the humidity welcomed me. But the fresh smell of nature embraced my nose.

My stomach rumbled. I haven't eaten anything for the last 3 hours. I hope nana prepared something. I'm so hungry, I could eat a whole cow at one bite.

I texted nana and informing her that I already arrived at the train station. I took a cab and drove all the way to St. Monica at Greenhills where we lived.

"First time in New Orleans?" the driver peered at the rear view mirror looking at me.

"Uh. No. I was born here. I currently lived in the big city for a few years and come back to visit my nana." I smiled at me.

"Where are we heading, actually?" he asked.

"To Sta. Monica in Greenhills." I said.

"Sta. Monica? You mean Erzulie?" I don't know what he's talking.

"Ah. I see. Far away from home? It's been so long since they changed the name of the town. It was named Sta. Monica when the hispanics ruled the area for so many years, the old fellows don't like that name actually. So they've changed it to the town of Erzulie. The goddess of beauty and love. When we arrive at the entrance of the town, we'll see a beautiful fields of roses. They say it's an offer to the goddesses." He said.

Oh now I see. That's why I can't search Sta. Monica on my gps anymore. My town has a thing for voodoos and such but I really don't believe in those. I think it's just some kind of like greek mythologies and stuff. My nana even told us that Kalfu will get us if we don't sleep early. My brother Rolly is so afraid of it that he jumps to his bed and cover in blanket when nana talks about it. Why would I fear it if I don't know what it is!

"In what family do you belong? I may know your family. I lived in Erzulie too." he said with a smile.

"Er. Uh my mom is Rosaliya Arweya. We own a shop called Arweya's exotic herbs and spices?" I asked.

"My! My! so you are Rosetta? Look how tall you've grown!" he said. And I find it super weird and I don't know why so I just smiled slyly.

"Uh. he he but do I know you?" I asked.

"Probably not. But you saw me for sure when you're little together with your other sister and your big brother. I am a good friend of your nana. I always buy some herbs in your shop to treat my wife's strange allergies." he smiled so warm at me and he does look somewhat familiar.

"Is your wife okay now?" I asked.

"Better than ever! All hail to Loco for providing us herbs and vegetation." and I just smiled a little and we reached the entrance of the town. And the roses are indedd beautiful! variety of roses are everywhere, I can't believe you can plant double colored and triple colored roses organically!

Just as what my mom described her shop, we stopped by an old big shop with wood signage more resembling to the old Victorian era shops. This shop definitely needs a makeover and a smashing Modern-Victorian touch.

As I entered the door, I smelled something very familiar. Mint Chocolate, my mom's chocolate bar recipe. The chimes welcomed me as a golden haired woman in her Mid-40's with a scarf around her neck and her ever shining so splendid earrings which added a dazzling appeal with her perfect purple eyes. As her eyes met mine, we hugged because it is been so many years !we had bad connection because of just some stupid reasons. She is still my mom, and no one can changed it. She hugged me as if I was gone for a gazillion years. Her genuine smell makes my heart melt and smile involuntarily.

"Rosetta is grown as a fine woman! I thought she was Erzulie's sister!" the driver hugged my nana and she took my luggages from the trunk.

"Oh stop it Albe! Where does her DNA came from? Say hi to Wanada for me!"they both laughed and the driver headed off.

"Rosetta, my pumpkin! I miss you so so much. I'm sorry about what I have said to you. You know, mothers will be mothers. Your brother will be here in a few hours with her wife." she said.

"Mom, I am already 22! Just call me Ro and could you please call me pumpkin if we're uh, alone? It's kinda baby." I kissed her forehead and smiled at her. I hugged her tight. God! I missed her so much.

"I'm sorry dear. Is that what new Millenials rules work? I'm sorry. From now on, I will not call you My pumpkin and I will call you Ro." She said with a forced smile. I know that she was offended or what, I know my Nana too well. But she still smiled and probably she will shrugged it off. Women in menopausal stages are sensitive. She loved me so much and I love her too. Rizanna's loss took a toll on her health, she had been depressed for a long time. I asked my brother and his wife to come take a look at her when I was going to the big city to study.

"Nana, I didn't mean anything or what. I mean er, you can call me Pumpkin like you always do. Can we skip this? I miss you so much nana." I hugged her again.

"I missed you too. Go on, fix your clothes and Sera will help you all set up". she said while removing the chocolate to their molds.

Sera is my mom's novitiate. It means, every Priestess will only have one novitiate. She offered her entire life serving the Priestess. My mom is one of the 7 powerful priestess. It's a little bit confusing tho. But I will find time to introduce to you the Voodoo whatnots.

And honestly I don't know all of it, I overheard nana and my aunt cleo talked and then I knew that they are both powerful priestesses. And nana explained Sera to me on the phone so I haven't seen her personally.

I followed Sera and I observed the tattoo on her neck. A star with another star in the middle. I see some other tattoos, but she is wearing a tshirt. I can only see most of it. Sera has a pixie cut and she wore mossy green top which perfectly matches her hazel eyes. With black jeans and a black army type boots. She even has an earring with sort of like raindrops? or waterdrops? I don't know. She has a bad ass girl vibe to me.

My room is near from the staircase. It's a good thing I don't sleep walk because I probably wake up late at night tumbling over the stairs with bruises and scratch. I like the one in the attic, but nana won't allow me because it's already occupied with things and damaged furnitures. The first thing I noticed in the room, is the fresh flowers on the bedside table. The aroma of the flowers is soothing and the same time sweet and therapeutic more like mint and vanilla combination. I haven't seen this flower before, and the petals of the flower is on a tie dye form. Wow! I mean, I've seen this on Diys before, but the color blend is natural. I held the petal and studying its colors, it's fascinating!

"You love those?" she finally spoke. I thought she is mute or something.

"Yeah. I am. It's quite extraordinary. Are you using some color dyes to make this? Like you know? Things you've seen on DIY's videos when you trimmed the stem in half then you put those stems on different containers with color dyes then the rose seeps the water in then it turns to this?" Sera is totally looking at me with an arched brow.

"You're not the silent type are you?" she crossed her arms and leaned at the window and flashed a smirk.

"I'm sorry?" I said.

"Have you seen the fields of roses when you entered the town? The townsfolk here are skilled botanists and they love to uh. Invent and discover things." She put pressure on her tone when she said Invent and discover things.

I don't love her vibes already.

"They are grown organically, I don't know how they did it but these colors are natural they came from where the plants supposed to grow. People call it soil." She said it. Sarcastically. And she left.

Come here let me slap that face of yours. I rolled my eyes.

The room is amazing, it was like a bayou swamp modernized. Nana knows I worship the green colors, it's my favorite. The bed and ceiling was hanged with fairy lights. Gorgeously amazing overall. I know now, where I got my artistic sense.

Sera came back with a tray of juice and the mint chocolate bar with some cookies then she put it on the coffee table.

I opened my laptop and the Wi-Fi needs password. I called Sera and asked her to connect my phone and laptop to it. And Ohmygod! it took too long to buffer! She didn't utter a single word but I have no choice but to ask her. I need to buy a few undies. It was in the dryer back in my apartment, I forgot to take it. Face slap!

"Hey, Sera can you tell Nana that I'm going to market later. I would like to buy some und- Uh. Clothes" I said.

"One thing, Ro. You can go whatever time you want but not on 3 pm/am. You can go earlier than 3 or after 3." she said in a straight tone.

"And she said, she have something to talk to you when she get home. She went out to get something. So, welcome home!" she said and after that she left.

I slumped to the bed and looked at my luggages. I turned the air conditioner on. I closed my eyes, arms resting on my forehead.