Free The Summer Solstice ~ Enchanted by K.K. Allen Page A

is.
Everything that comes out of her mouth tells me that nothing is supposed to
make sense right now, but it will. “Okay, fine.” I groan. “When will any of this make
sense?”
    “What do you mean?” She tilts her head in her own
confusion.
    “I mean everything! You tell me I will soon
understand this and that and I just want it all to make sense now. What are you
waiting for?”
    Rose narrows her eyes in my direction. “You must
practice patience dear. I only tell
you to wait because I want you to learn on your own. I will not spoon-feed you
everything. But I understand your frustration so here is what I can tell you.
There is a circle of life before you and it all begins on the day of your 16 th birthday.”
    “The Summer Solstice.” I say this matter-of-factly.
    Rose smiles and nods. “Yes dear, at least you’ve
been paying attention.”
    I shake my head. “Attention to what? What is the
big deal with the Summer Solstice? And what are all these secrets about?
Wiccans are associated with the Summer Solstice. So, are you a Wiccan?”
    Her eyes now glare, her nose flares and her voice
raises a few decimals. “Absolutely not! Where would you get an idea like that?”
    I sigh, frustrated with myself for giving
everything away in this moment. “All this talk of the Solstice and Ancient
Greek rituals and the big deal you are making about my 16th birthday –
I’m just trying to put it all together. I went to the bookstore and bought some
books on the Solstice, you know, to understand it all. But when I was leaving
the store someone saw the books and asked me if I practiced Wicca. They thought
I was a witch!”
    Rose takes a few seconds to answer. She seems to be
settling down after hearing my words. “I’m sorry about that dear. It is all
connected in a way but not in the way you think.” She stands up from the table.
“There’s something I need to show you.”
    “Again?” I complain.”
    “It won’t take long. And this, I think you will
appreciate. I was going to wait until after your 16 th birthday but I
think you are ready.”
    She walks around the table and out to the great
room. I follow her, reluctantly. She passes the great room and at first, I
think she’s going to the den, but this time she turns right before the den and
down a wooden staircase. At the bottom of the stairs is a single door. It opens
into a bigger, circular-shaped room that is bursting with light.
    There are sizeable rounded windows in one section
of the room that face the Bay, but the rest of the walls are wood paneled.
Books line the stretch of walls, winding around me. Each of the three floors of
books is separated by a small set of stairs. The dome ceiling made strictly
from glass. The morning sunlight shines down bright on us. I inhale and exhale
deeply.
    There is a large cream area rug in the center of
the room. Above the rug sits a plush crimson loveseat adjacent to a matching
oversized chair.
    “This is the Summer Library. Your grandfather was
far more into it than I was but I haven’t touched a thing.” She watches my face
for a second before continuing. “You’ll find more information here than any
bookstore.”
    I turn in a circle, taking one final gaze around me
before answering. “Okay.”
    Rose steps forward, fingering the row of books in
front of her. “Most of the books in here are first editions. Some books are
just for entertainment, but most of them have been passed down from our
ancestors. Some are even handwritten and well preserved. Any information you
seek on the Solstice will be here. And you’ll understand why your birthday is a
special day.”
    I breathe out, still unbelieving. “This is
amazing.”
    Rose makes an appreciative noise. “Well, I’m glad
you like it. I hope you’ll spend time here. It has only seen dust since your
grandfather passed.”
    I nod my head. “Thank you.”
    “I’ll leave you to it.”
    “Wait!” I stop her before she exits. I have one
more question. She pauses