Katie laid her fingers against the frosty glass of the door. The other side was hidden by a layer of steam that slipped out from the crack at the bottom in whispers. Her heart thudded against her chest. Katie hated taking risks; they never turned out in the end. And a deep breath, she pushed on the door and there was the twinkle of a bell that signaled her entry.

The shop was empty; then again it was three in the morning. Katie suspected she might by the only person crazy enough to seek tea at this hour. The only other person in the room was the tall barista, Reginald. He sat on the counter and moved as if to swing his legs, but they were so long that on every swing, the scuffed toes of his shoes hit the floor.

With the bell, his eyes fluttered up and locked on her. He jumped to his feet like a startled cat; concern flitted across his face before settling into an uneasy smile. "Hello and welcome to Bernetta's." He coughed once in his hand loudly. "How many I help you?"

Words did not come easily to Katie as her mouth became stickier and stuffier than a wet cotton ball. She weakly pointed over her shoulder at the 'HELP WANTED' sign. "I wanted to apply." The words tumbled out of her mouth in a mumbling mess.

"What's going on Reggie?" A person emerged from the backroom, wiping her hands on her apron. It took Katie a moment to recognize her until she remembered the couple making out on the couch. This woman was beautiful in a way that even Katie couldn't deny it. Long white-blonde hair was tugged back into a sweeping tail that arched over her shoulder, and eyes that Katie swore were purple.

Reggie was about to answer when Katie found her feet and stepped forward. "I said I was interested in applying."

The woman crossed her arms, leaning her hip against the counter. "How did you find this place?"

"She was in here New Year's Day." Reggie's nervous voice stuttered, and Katie saw his pale fingers fly to his collar, tugging at it as if it was suffocating him. "With her boyfriend." He said the second part much quieter, and Katie bit down on the inside of her cheek. Somehow he knew, it was a large city, she was surprised he knew.

The woman's eyes softened with a pang of sympathy. "Alright," she said and returned to wiping her hands on her apron. "I'll see if Bernetta is up to an interview." She turned back toward the front room before pausing. "Come on, follow me." She motioned for Katie to follow. "I'm Aubrey by the way."

"My name's Katie."

"Well Katie," she held open the swinging door. "Why inquire about the job?"

"I need a change of pace. When things aren't going your way, take a risk. That's what Lance always said."

"Your boyfriend?"

Katie nodded, glancing about the kitchen in an attempt to distract her thoughts. In truth, it wasn't much of a kitchen, more like a secret laboratory. Jars full of plants and leaves lined the shelves. Several kettles, Katie counted six, decorated the top of the stove. One was of brand-new stainless steel, and the two in back were pocked and stained with advanced age.

As she stepped closer to a row of glass jars, she squinted at one that seemed to be glowing in the dim light. Her heart nearly stopped in her chest as something thumped against the side. She didn't get a definitive look at the creature inside before Aubrey called from across the room. "Over here!"

Aubrey stood in front of a solid oak door, and like much in this teashop, was worn with age. "This is Bernetta's office, and I would suggest breathing slowly. She plays with her new creations in here." She knocked on the door with a pale hand before pushing the door open with her shoulder. A strong spicy smell spilled out of the room, and Katie struggled to hide a cough in her arm.

"Experimenting with cinnamon again?" Aubrey asked good-humoredly.

The woman sitting at the desk extremely pale from head to foot, the lines on her face made her appear about fifty. What Katie could see of her dress, it looked like something out of a Victorian novel. She raised her head as Aubrey spoke, her cheek flecked with brown dust. "It clears the sinuses and the soul of demons. There seems to be an abundance of both as of late." She said quickly before returning to her work, ignoring them both.

Aubrey cleared her throat loudly three times before Bernetta glanced up from her work. "What? I'm busy." She grumbled.

"Busy at three in the morning? You can allow for a couple of minutes."

"It's three in the morning?!" she demanded incredulously. "Then you definitely should not be bothering me. I need my beauty rest."

Aubrey rolled her eyes, crossing her arms. "Beauty rest my ass, you're a ghost."

Katie's thoughts, if she had any, stopped in their track with those words. A ghost? That wasn't possible. Ghosts weren't real. The dead did not just wander around.

Bernetta stood abruptly from her chair, throwing her arms in the air in resignation. It was hard to notice the way her feet hovered inches from the ground. Katie tried to swallow the lump that formed in her throat. "Fine, what is it? And why did you bring this stranger to my office?" Bernetta seemed to have finally noticed Katie.

"This is Katie—" Aubrey glanced at her expectantly.

Katie barely squeezed out the words. "Smith, my last name is Smith."

"This is Katie Smith, she is interested in applying."

Bernetta arched a ghostly eyebrow. "Applying? Presently, she seems more interested in fainting."

Katie took a shuddering breath, Bernetta was right; the world had kind of taken a tilt. Then she thought of Lance, this whole mess with ghosts and who knows what else, it would have put the biggest smile on his face. This would be a risk he would take.

"No, I'm fine." She insisted, holding a hand forward for Bernetta to shake before she realized that was her dumbest decision, and let it fall to her side. "May I start again? My name is Katherine Smith, and I am interested in applying for the vacant position."

Bernetta pointed her chin and looked down at her with narrowed eyes. "Can you brew tea? Could you tell me the difference between English breakfast and Irish breakfast on taste? Honestly, do you know a lick about tea?"

Katie felt her face burn red, but she set back her shoulders, unwilling to let those words get to her. "No, but I'm willing to learn. And I don't see people lining up to work through the night."

"She's got you there." Aubrey snorted. "And I can teach her, you always say I'm the best besides your boys."

Bernetta frowned deeply, somehow creating more lines in her pale face. Then, after a few tense seconds, she sighed heavily. "Fine, you're lucky that I'm in no mood to make Forget-Me-Not tea." She plopped down in her chair and returned to her work without another word.

Katie felt that she was frozen, unable to look away from the ghostly owner until a hand gripped her shoulder. "That means you got the job." Aubrey muttered, steering her out of the room. "Now get a good night's sleep, be back here by nine tonight and the teaching will begin."

"That quickly?"

"Kailee left a gaping hole in our staff, it needs to be filled."

"Wait, she quit?" Katie shook Aubrey's hand off her shoulder. She clearly remembered the somber-looking girl, the way she had acted around Lance, and with Katie's recent acceptance of ghosts, wild theories flew through her head.

Aubrey smiled sadly, shaking her head. "Went back to the family business. It wasn't our place to ask questions." They walked back into the main room. Reginald was handing a cup of tea to a rather haggard half-naked man. "Good morning Cliffton," Aubrey perked up as Katie moved toward the door. "How many more days left of the full moon?"

The rest of the conversation was cut off as Katie walked into the cold dawn air. It was only then that Katie realized she might have bitten off more than she could chew. Lance would be so proud.