Nikita had to get ready because her great aunt came to pick her up soon. She had spent the entire day yesterday at the Cathedral, and she was incredibly happy to find out that the curse could be broken, but she believed that Aimee knew this already. When Nikita got home, Aimee was there, and she prepared dinner fish stew. Nikita was shocked that she had figured out how to use the stove. When she asked Aimee how she figured out the stove and the cooking. Aimee replied that it was not hard to figure out how to light a stove.
Aimee was adjusting to modern life well. She also told Aimee what the Virgin Mother had said, and Aimee was not surprised. Aimee responded to the news that she needed to make a sacrifice by saying, “I am not tired of sacrificing myself? “Mary gave you no idea of how to break the curse. I am tired of trying to figure out this curse. I have given up, and I have decided that becoming a Ladjablès is what my life is for all eternity.”
Nikita then replied, “Don’t give up, my love. We will find a way out of this predicament, but Aimee was just so discouraged, so she left.”
Nikita did not think she would come back, but Aimee was sleeping right next to her on the bed when she woke up this morning.
Nikita was happy she came back, but she had to get ready for her aunt this afternoon. Nikita needed to grade some papers and put in some grades soon.
So, Nikita went into the kitchen to make breakfast. She did not want to cook a big breakfast. She did not want to eat a big breakfast, so Nikita went into the fruit bowl and took a June plum or what they called a golden apple in Saint Lucia. Nikita was not sure why it was called a golden apple. The June plum was not shaped like an apple, but it did have this yellow gold colour when it was ripened. She loved golden apples. She missed one of those things when she was in England, along with mangoes, bananas, grapefruits, and sour oranges. Although the Island Caribbean market in London had these things, nothing tasted better than the fresh fruits of home.
Nikita took out her laptop to turn, opened the folder with the assignments that were on, and opened the folder with the assignments she had given her students. The assignment was for the students to go into a community that was not their own, record the diverse cultural practices, and compare them with their cultural community. She was teaching majority white British students, and she hoped that everyone would enjoy the assignment. From the assignments she graded before, there were some good assignments.
Before she continued to grade, she looked to see if Aimee had returned, but she had not, so she decided to grade the papers.
Meanwhile, Aimee, who had disappeared on Nikita, went to find Lucifer, she did not know where she could find him, but she had to. Aimee went to the cemetery near Vigie Beach called Choc cemetery. Even though she was looking for Lucifer, she thought if she burned herself alive, she would not be this creature, she wanted out, and she was tired of riddles. She wanted out of this curse. She sat by a tomb; she did not know whose tomb. Aimee thought she was stupid to think that she would find the Devil at a cemetery. The Devil would not be caught near dead people. The Devil was more refined than that. She liked the finer things in life. The Devil did not like anything that was not from the wealthier sections of society. As Aimee sat by the family's tomb, she did not bother to read to find out. A man came out calling her name in a weird, eerily way and when she got up and looked the direction of where the voice was coming from. She was shocked no horrified when she saw Johannes, her dead husband.
“Johannes,” she shrieked. Johannes by the orishas.” Johannes is in the same 19th-century clothes he was in when he died.
“Aimee!” the dead man called.
Aimee, still in disbelief, said to him, “Johannes, how is this possible.”
Johannes replied, “Lucifer brought me back to warn you.”
“Warn me for what.!”
Johannes replied, “you cannot break the curse you chose to become this creature.”
Still in disbelief that Lucifer raised Johannes from the dead to warn her. Said to him, “so you were in hell all this time.”
Johannes sadly nodded his head. Aimee replied, “I am so sorry, Johannes, this is my fault.”
And Johannes replied, “no, it is mine. I am the one who did this to myself, but Aimee, if you try to break the curse, Nikita will die, Lucifer will see it to that. He already has despatched a Majhi Nwè to confused and to hurt her.”
“I know, I saw him.”
Johannes then said, “you need to be careful; Lucifer will send many more evil spirits after Nikita and stir up hatred towards her and you from these religious fanatics to hurt her. Be vigilant and be careful and question why you want to break the curse, is it for yourself or for her.” And with that, Johannes disappears.
***
Aimee returns to Nikita’s apartment, and Aimee does not see Nikita anywhere near her desk. She began panicking until Nikita came out with her hair wrapped in a towel. Aimee rushed to hug her. Nikita, taken by surprise, said to Aimee, “what is wrong.”
***
And Aimee started to explain to her, “Nikita, I went to the cemetery to see if Lucifer would show up, but she didn’t, and then Johannes came back from the dead.”
“Wait, your husband, who has been dead for over a hundred years, came back from the dead. Oh, sweet mother Mary,” said Nikita
“Yes, he did. He came to warn me. Nikita, you must be careful. Johannes told me, because I want to break the curse, you are in danger, and Lucifer will destroy you.”
“Let her. I do not care. I love you, and we are going to break this curse. Our love is stronger than the devil’s plots.” Nikita stated
“Nikita listens to me. She will not stop until we stop trying to break this curse.”
“Okay, I will be careful if you will. Please stay in the apartment until I come back from my lunch with great aunt Althea, “Nika said
“All right! I will stay put,” Aimee replied
“I am going tell her auntie Althea about you, but I need you to show her your cow foot so that she would believe me. I tell her everything.” Nikita said
“Nikita, are you sure this is wise?”
“Yes, I trust my aunt Althea, now let me get ready before she sees I am not dressed. She will tell me off because she is all about being on time. She will be here in a few minutes.” Nikita answered
And with that, Nikita went into the room to get dressed. While Nikita was getting dressed, Aimee then went to sit down on the sofa. She was tired somehow. Moving around, luring people is not only draining physically but mentally. As she was about to fall asleep, she heard a knock on the apartment door. She went and opened the door, and an older woman who had a blue mask on and was dressed in a white shirt with grey pants, and she had these beautiful long locks that were a beautiful grey. The woman was wearing black flats and dangling earrings.
In a British accent, the woman spoke, “Good afternoon. Is Nikita here?”
Aimee thought that the woman sounded so educated and thought she had an air about her that she was proud of who she was and that she was a particularly important person.” Aimee responded, “yes, Nikita is here, but she is in her room.”
Aimee had assumed this woman, who is not only upper middle class looking and seemed so educated, was Nikita’s aunt.
The woman also looked serious, then asked, “Can I come in?”
Aimee realized this was Nikita’s aunt responded, “Yes, I apologize you do come in, “and the woman, who Aimee assumed is Nikita’s aunt Althea comes in, takes out her hand sanitiser and sanitizes her hands, and then Aimee leads her to the living room for her to sit down.
And then Althea sat down on the sofa and then asked, “What is your name?” and how long have you known my niece?”
“My name is Aimee, and I have known Nikita for a year.?”
“Your name is Amy spelt Amy?” Althea asked
“No, Aimee, it is spelt like Aimee! “
“Is it the French spelling? And Aimee, what do you do for a living? Who is your family?” Althea asked Aimee
Aimee had no idea how to respond to the questions. She could not just say that she was some evil spirit. She had no idea how to answer the question. Thankfully, Nikita came out of her room and saved her.
“Althea, you are here! “And she races towards her favourite great aunt to hug her. Aunt Althea was an educational psychologist and head of the psychology and sociology department at the University of the Caribbean.
Althea got up and hugged her great-niece. “I was just speaking to your friend Aimee.”
“Oh!” Nikita replied, and she gave Aimee a strange look.
“You didn’t tell me you had a girlfriend! “Her aunt asked
“Auntie, I did, but I never went into details, and you never asked for more.”
“Okay, well, I was asking about her family, but she hasn’t answered my question about her family,” Althea stated
“Auntie, she, and her family do not get along. Can we go now? I am starving, and you know I like food.”
“Okay, where do you want to go?”
“I want to go to Spice of India.”
“Nikita, I thought you wanted to go to Rituals and have sushi?” Her aunt asked
“Well, Auntie, I change my mind. I feel for food from Spice of India. “
“We’ll let us go. Aimee, it was nice to meet you. I look forward to getting to know you.”
Nikita knew that her aunt would not give up, but she planned to tell her the whole deal about Aimee and her.
Nikita gave Aimee a strange look and said to her, “Aimee, I will see you later, “and mouthed I am sorry to her girlfriend. Nikita and her aunt left the apartment and headed out to Spice of India at the Bay Walk Mall in Rodney Bay. Meanwhile, Aimee decided she needed to visit Aja while Nikita was having lunch with her aunt.
The drive to Bay walks Mall in Rodney Bay was not long from Nikita's apartment. Corinth was about 10 to 15 minutes away from Rodney Bay when there was no traffic, and at 1 pm on a Saturday afternoon, there was no traffic. Both Althea and Nikita were vaccinated to dine in at Spice of India.
***
Aimee wondered what Nikita and her aunt were speaking about and what Nikita was having for lunch because Nikita did say she would be telling her aunt about them. Aimee was headed to the rain forest to find the orisha, Aja. She was one of the few orishas who would show themselves to humans and who may be able to help her break this curse.
Aimee wondered what Nikita and her aunt were speaking about and what Nikita was having for lunch because Nikita did say she would be telling her aunt about them. Aimee was headed to the rain forest to find the orisha Aja; she was one of the few orishas who would show themselves to humans and who may be able to help her break this curse.
***
At Spice of India, it is one of their favourite restaurants. Nikita loved Indian cuisine, and so did her aunt. They sat down at a table where they could see the outside before ordering. Althea then asked, “So, are you and Aimee dating Nikita?
“Yes, auntie, it is a profoundly committed relationship, I love her, and I believe we are soulmates.”
“So, where did her family come from?”
“Choiseul auntie, her father was white, and her mother was black with Kalinago ancestry,” Nikita responded
“What is her last name?”
“Lavigne! Auntie “
“Lavigne! There are no more of the Lavigne family in Saint Lucia. The line is extinct with the disappearance of Aimee Isabel Lavigne Janssen over a century ago. There are Lavignes in Trinidad and Martinique who are the descendants of her siblings (who moved to Martinique and Trinidad after slavery ended in Saint Lucia)”
So, Aimee is named after her great great great grand aunt? Nikita, she cannot be born in Choiseul. “The Lavignes no longer exist on the island. So, either she truly is Aimee, who is near impossible, or she is lying to you.” Her auntie replied
Nikita knew what her aunt was saying. Auntie Althea was always so practical, wise, and a genealogist. She knew so much about the plantation families on the island. Nikita wanted to tell her aunt about Aimee, but she never expected that her aunt would bring it up.
“Auntie, you are right. There are no more Lavigines in Saint Luca. “
“So, who is she, Nikita dear? Her aunt asked
“I know it is going to be hard to believe, but Aimee is a Ladjablès. “
“What are you saying? This is madness. “
“No auntie, she is a Ladjablès “
“Nikita, I thought you were better. are you taking your meds?”
“Yes, I am taking my meds. She is a Ladjablès, auntie. I don’t want to argue with you today.”
“Okay, we will talk about this a little later. Let us not ruin a good meal. I have not seen you since you came back to Saint Lucia when you tried to kill yourself and since this Covid shit has happened.”
“Okay, auntie, we can order, but I will show how she is one.”
“Let us not speak about this in public. It would be best if you did not end up in the Psychological Clinic. If people hear this, you would be sent back to this awful place, and I don’t want you to go back to that awful place.” Althea said
For a brief time, last year. A week to be exact that Nikita was at the Castries Psychological Clinic. She had tried to kill herself; she overdosed with pills. Her aunt found her and had her committed. It was a terrible time. She had been through so much in her life and last year was terrible, but Aimee and her aunt were her saving graces last year.
Auntie Althea could be blunt and harsh at times, but she always looked out for Nikita and understood Nikita more than others. After thinking about the clinic and how much Aimee and her aunt meant to her.
Nikita answered, “You are right, let’s have a nice meal” and a wonderful time together, auntie.
Both Althea and Nikita smiled. Even though Althea thought Nikita could be a bit childish and naïve she loved spending time talking with her when she was not depressed.
***
As we leave Spice of India up in the bustling north, we are heading to the forests of Saint Lucia, where Aimee was going to meet the orisha, Aja. Aja is the only orisha who loves to live among humans, and although she does like the forests, she can be an ally to human beings.
Aja was also very alluring and intelligent. Aja is considered the orisha of the forests and the animals within it and of herbal healers. Many consider Aja one of the rarest of orishas and the Earth gods. She loves humanity, unlike some of her counterparts Demeter for example. Aimee headed to the rain forest of Mt Gimie, and she decided to go deeper. She always loved Mt Gimie. It was relaxing and interesting, filled with lush plants, flowers, vegetables, fruits such as grasses, ferns, and palms, rich woods (think bamboo, cocoa, mahogany), and fruit trees galore (tangerine, coconut, grapefruit, etc.). On top of the mountain going with the luscious vegetation is an array of waterfalls and small pools. Mt Gimie was home to the St. Lucian parrot, who we met early.
Mt Gimie is still volcanic and is one of these mountain forests that has remained untouchable and from a fairy tale. Every time Aimee went on top of the mountain, she was in awe and felt she was in paradise. Aimee knows that Aja would be gathering herbs that had healing properties that could affect humans. She was always willing to share and teach.
Usually, a shaman would come into the forests to be trained in herbal meds would come to be taught by Aja. Aimee also thought if Aja was not collecting herbs, she would be near a waterfall with Oshun and Oba. Oshun and Oba did not get along, but that was for another story as she has not seen Aja yet. Aimee eventually found Aja sitting down on the grass with a young woman who was a shaman in training. Aja had long brown curly hair with streaks of green, and her skin had a slightly green glimmer. Aja had a green and silver bra top that covered her breasts. She had a green and silver wrap around her bottom; she had no shoes.
Aja noticed her and got up and said to Aimee, “come, Aimee, Come and sit!”
Aimee goes near Aja, who was sitting next to a grapefruit tree. “I know why you are here; you want to find out how you can break the curse!”
“Yes, Aja, I have found someone that I want to be with for all eternity but to be with her, I need to find out how to break this curse.”
“There is a way! You must sacrifice yourself for love.” Aja said
“I know that everyone has told me that I must sacrifice for love, but how.”
“I am afraid it is because of your human lover; she is in danger. I had the orishas speak about how Lucifer is planning something involving your human.”
“What is he planning, Aja?”
“He has gotten a Majhi Nwè involved and a cock mar, and he also has these Christian religious fanatics and other evil spirits involved in something nefarious to make sure that the curse is not broken. Aimee, you must sacrifice your life for Nikita to ensure that the curse is broken, and her life is saved. “Aja said.
“I must die, but how can I be with Nikita if I am dead?” Asked. Aimee
“That is for you to find out and for you to trust Oshun, but you must sacrifice your life,” Aja said
“Thank you, Aja. “
Aja nodded and went back to training the young shaman
Aimee could not believe that she had to die so that she will lose her immortality and die. Nikita was in danger, and she had to Spice of India to warn her because these fanatics could take her right there. She knows that Nikita would be upset that Aimee would be interrupting her quality time with her aunt, but she had gotten to prepare her for this evidential even. Aimee quickly left the forest and headed to Bay Walk in Rodney Bay to Spice of India.
***
Nikita and her aunt Althea were having a fun time having intellectual conversations, books they had read, and tv shows of interest. Althea was happy that Nikita was in a good mood. She loved speaking to her when she is a good mood. She sounds coherent sane and seems to be in a good place. If only she could get her out of these delusions that this new girlfriend is some mythological creature. Ever since she met this woman, Nikita has been acting beyond strange. She had not called Althea and texted her for weeks, and she was keeping things from her. And that was not like Nikita keeping things from her aunt, nor not texting or calling her. Nikita and Althea always spoke every other day and texted each other often. But this had stopped. Nikita was going out late hours. Nikita was a homebody and loved to be by herself and in her books or talking to her best friend, Danny.
Althea met Nikita the year her father’s half-sister died. Althea did not know her then, and she thought Nikita was doing much better now than when she met her all those years ago. The two relatives were having so much fun together, and the food at Spice of India is delicious as always. Since it was lunch and they changed their menu daily. , the menu was lamb tamater dhaniya curry, which is lamb cooked with tomato, cilantro, and coriander seed, chicken chutney Wala, which is chicken cooked in cilantro and mint gravy with pumpkin coconut subzi, which is pumpkin cooked with coconut and ginger, black chana masala, which is black chickpea cooked with cumin seed, the meal also had basmati rice and butter masala naan which is a tandoori baked flatbread with cilantro and other spices. They had their choice of sorbet. The menu seems like a lot of food because customers get two types of meat and two vegetables served with rice. Althea was not an ice-cream fan, and she was conscious about her health, and Nikita had diabetes, hence why she had a sorbet
A strawberry one, to be exact, when all a sudden Aimee came to their table disrupting their lunch, saying,” Nikita, you need to come home, we need to talk about this curse.”
Aimee did not make a good impression of Althea before, and Althea angrily said, “What the hell is this? How dare you interpret us! Nikita, is that the kind of person you want to be with here!”
“Auntie, calm down!” Nikita said she knew her aunt was angry at how Aimee came to their table, and Nikita could feel people at the restaurant looking at them,
“Aimee, not now. This isn’t the place,” Nikita replied curtly.
Nikita, I need to speak with you. It is important, Aimee told her.
“We can speak at my apartment. Right now, I am spending time with my aunt.”
Althea got up and walked near Aimee and said to her, “you heard my niece leave, “she said angrily
Aimee could not believe that Nikita was not taking her seriously and did not want to go home, and she was angry at Nikita’s aunt also. This lady had misjudged Aimee. She was so angry that her Ladjablès face came on. Althea was horrified and clutched to her chest like she had a heart attack. Nikita realised what was happening, was fuming mad, and went up to her aunt and said, “Auntie Althea, let’s go and sit down.” Nikita walks her auntie to her seat and pours her a glass of water from the pitcher on the table.
Nikita, still fuming, walks up to Aimee, who is still in her Ladjablès face. Nikita knew that people were watching. Either they were too scared or too confused to say anything to them.
***
Nikita, still seething, went back to Aimee and said furiously, “You could have sent my aunt to the hospital! What was so important that you put my aunt’s life in danger that you couldn’t wait until I got home to talk about.”
Aimee realized that Nikita was incredibly angry at Aimee and changed back to her human face. “Nikita, your life is in danger. Lucifer is going to use religious fanatics to kidnap.”
Nikita still seething, “and you think the devil would risk it and have her minions kidnap me in broad daylight? Come off it now. Right now, I cannot even look at you right. I will talk to you at home. I am going to pay attention to my aunt that you almost sent to the hospital.” And angrily turned her back and went to her aunt, sitting still in shock. Aimee tried to say something, but she could not and decided to leave.
***
The commotion caused whispering to those in the restaurant. Some were confused, some were scared, and some thought it was one elaborate joke or prank. Althea recovered, paid for their meal, and Nikita and her headed to the car. She did not know what to say as she did not believe in these things, but she saw one of those things. Nikita and Althea arrived at Nikita ‘s apartment. Nikita and Althea hugged, and Althea said, “I will call you later.”
“Okay, auntie, I am sorry.”
“You have nothing to apologize for, and we will talk sometime later, okay. Have a peaceful night.”
Nikita walked up tried to her apartment, and when she was in, she called out for Aimee but no answer.
Nikita figured that Aimee did not come up to the apartment. Nikita decided to take a nap before she started to grade more papers.
Meanwhile, there was a cock mar with the Majhi Nwè trying to get into the apartment because Nikita’s apartment was protected. She had burned incense and sage all over the apartment, and it was blessed, and she had a cross outside her apartment door and her favourite saints, and the Blessed other was protecting her. They could not get in now. These evil spirits thought they would wait until the night to get in and scare Nikita.
***
They wanted to please Lucifer and restore the reputation of spirits who made deals with the devil, as a Ladjablès falling in love with a human, illustrating that a malevolent spirit can change and love a human. Humans are not to fall in love with but to use, scare, destroy, and kill. They also needed to get Aimee back to her full throttle Ladjablès duty.
They did not know Aimee or Nikita; these evil spirits were going to fight with their hands. But they did not know it would be a battle to destroy Nikita and get Aimee back in the game of fully working with Lucifer with no questions asked.