Karen's Wish 2: Revenge of the Potion Master (RPM)

Life was easy. Sure, it has its ups and downs, but after all that, it was easy. Kai and Karen were one of the happiest couples in Flower Bud. Karen abandoned her wish to move to a more metropolitan area and decided to stay in the family business with Kai. Her parents felt it was time to take a long break from work. The vineyard was producing so magnificently that before long, they had enough saved to go on a world tour. They would be gone until next summer.

He was raised by Karen's parents since he was 14 years old; they loved him, cared for him and took him in like he was their son. He was grateful. Now, 12 years later, he was married to their beautiful daughter, Karen, whom had child soon after their wedding. He was thankful for everything she had given him. Every single thing, he cherished.

That morning, like always, the rooster went off like a programmed alarm clock. Five am. Every day.

Kai sat up and stretched his arms while yawning. He was used to waking up this time. He looked around. Something felt different. It wasn't anything in particular in the room, just a feeling. As he stood up he heard a bird sing. He couldn't distinguish what type, but he had never heard it before. He walked over to the lamp and lit it.

"Morning, sweetheart." Said a sweet but sleepy voice from behind him. Kai turned around to look at his beautiful wife. Her green eyes would hypnotize him.

"Morning. Sleep well?" Asked the caring husband as lost himself into her eyes.

"No complaints, all complements, thanks to you." She said making her husband blush like they were still an unmarried couple

"What would you like for breakfast?" She asked but noticed Kai wasn't listening anymore. He was starring out the window with a look of concern.

"There's a lady outside, Karen. She's just standing there looking at the yard." He said while turning to her. "I don't know why, but it makes me uneasy."

Karen slid out the covers. She was still in her night gown and felt a chill as she walked over to him. Indeed there was a lady, unidentifiable in the dark except for her slim figure and long hair, looking over the yard.

She carried with her a small bag in one hand and a bottle in the other.

"I wonder if she's a newcomer or perhaps a potential business representative for a wine company." Said Karen, already making the best of it.

Kai turned to Karen and couldn't help but chuckle at her young ambition. She sure had what it took to run a business. Nonetheless, this was too early for any business representative to be out.

"I'll go see. Get dress meanwhile." Kai said. Karen nodded and left his side but not before first giving him a kiss on his cheek.

"I Love you."

Kai stared at her as she walked into the bathroom and knew he was luckiest man alive. Kai quickly dressed. His attire consisted of work jeans, a buttoned shirt and his traditional bandana that hid his long, black hair. He laced up his boots and walked down the stairs. Just as he touched the door knob, again he heard a bird sing. He froze.

After what seemed forever, he finally opened the door. The sun's early rays shone upon his face. He placed his hand in a military salute to shield his eyes. Yet, the person was gone.

Kai began to feel uneasy again.

He looked around where the person had been, but there were no signs that she had even been standing there. No footprints, and as soft as the dirt is around the vine's, you had to leave footprints. He walked to entrance, checked the mailbox, nothing.

He felt a cold sweat run down his back. Kai was not fearful, but worried. Who was this person and how did she suddenly disappear?

Kai walked back into the home and Karen, who was dressing the baby, immediately recognized the frown upon his face.

"Is everything ok, Kai?" She asked, expecting bad news.

Kai shook his head and turned to her.

"There was nobody there, Karen. She disappeared."

It took Karen a second to take in what he said. "Kai," she began as she finished dressing Laos, their son, "it's not like she could have disappeared into thin air."

Kai nodded. She was right. Maybe it was too early and dark to really make out what they saw. It could have easily been the shadow of the scarecrow or some wild animal. He tried to create a hundred possibilities, but in the end, he couldn't convince himself.

Jack fell to his knees as he dropped their entire luggage. They were finally home. He was so happy he wanted to kiss the grass. Ann walked behind him with Jeanette, their daughter, in arms.

The farm looked great. He had asked his best friend, Cliff, to maintain it while they went on their honeymoon. Gray volunteered to check on him every so often to make sure everything was fine.

"I love you, Ann, but you carry too many things." A tired Jack complained. Mother and daughter both laughed at him as he lay back onto the grass pretending he had passed out.

"Jack! Ann! You guys are back!" Jack stood up and dusted himself as Mr. Green approached.

"And here is my greatest treasure!" He exclaimed as he took Jeanette from her mother's arms.

Jack and Ann smiled in unison. "Glad to be back, Mr. Green." Said Jack as Ann joined his side.

The four walked into the house with Dynamo, their dog, following behind.

Inside, cliff was making breakfast making the whole house smell of sausage, pancakes, bacon, and eggs. "You guys are already here?! I expected you a little later. Breakfast is still not ready." He frowned. Jack hugged his friend while they all laugh.

"Aw, cliff. You didn't have to do this for us. Thank you." Said Ann as she hugged him, too. Cliff felt he was in paradise.

He liked Ann, perhaps more, but he respected their relationship. Jack had been a great friend to him and helped him in more ways than anyone ever did. Betraying him was not in his mind.

Ann was very pretty, her orange-red hair no longer in the long braid. Now, it was loose, wavy, and long framing her face even more. Cliff had to try hard not to think of that too much.

"It's the least I can do," Replied Cliff as he turned back to stove hiding his blush.

"You guys are my friends, my best friends. Taking care of your farm and making you breakfast doesn't come close to paying everything you've done for me." Cliff felt his eyes water but Jack patted him the back and smiled assuring him it was all good.

The five enjoyed the big breakfast while sharing stories of their honeymoon. Afterwards, Cliff insisted in leaving as he had things to take care of.

"Are you sure? Cliff, you are my best friend, you can stay here as long as you like."

Cliff smiled, hiding his emotions. "Thanks bud." They shook hands and Cliff parted into the mountain trail. Before disappearing into the woods, Cliff looked back one more time.

"Ann…" He sighed, and continued his trail

After making sure all the livestock were fine and playing with Dynamo, Jack called it a day and went inside his house. Mr. Green had fallen asleep on the sofa along with Jeanette. Ann was resting in the bedroom. Nobody noticed a small book, a diary, on the TV stand. He smiled at the scene and tiptoed into the bedroom knowing tomorrow would be a great day.

The uneasiness went away after a good breakfast. Kai tried not to think much about what they had seen. Today, the carpenters were scheduled to come in and start an expansion on the home. He decided to check on the vines even though they had just been harvested, something kept pulling him to look for more information.

As he wandered around the yard, he began to pick up a faint scent of old wine. He knew it wasn't theirs, so he headed over to vines and checked around. He finally reached the last row, the one close to the old tree. There, freshly buried, he noticed a small bottle. He picked it up with indifference and studied it. It was a wine bottle, but not one of the ones they used. It had a faded label on it.

Then he remembered. "This is the bottle that lady had this morning. She was here. Someone was here." He had proof that a stranger had been there. Kai ran to the house. He pushed the door open and called for Karen who showed up seconds later, worried.

"What?! What's wrong?" She asked. Kai handed over the empty bottle.

"I found this in the yard."

Karen's eyes opened wide. In contraire to Kai, she recognized the bottle.

"I haven't seen one of these in years, maybe since I was a young child." Her voice trembled." Where did you find it?" She asked excitedly.

After a brief explanation of everything, Karen finally stopped staring at the bottle.

"Kai." She began, "this bottle was part of my dad's first shipments. Back then, my father would buy these bottles from the Potion Master in town and use them to sell his wine. However, one day my father hired Duke's Imports and Exports to expand the business."

Her husband listened with great detail. Laos seemed to be listening at moments, too, but would return to his toys and ignore the conversation.

Karen continued. "I heard my dad and the Potion Master one day talking. It seemed the Potion Master was mad at my father. I was a child and some things sounded strange or unknown to me. But, I remember my dad yelling at the old man who just shook his head and left with a frown upon his face."

A worried Kai, who now held the bottle in his hand, started to analyze everything. What were the intentions of this person? Maybe he just wanted patch things up. Could he still have a grudge against Karen's family?

For a moment, there was silence between them. Only Laos made noise as he played with his toys.

"Kai?"

Her husband turned to his loving wife who stared aimlessly at the wood floor that covered the entire hm. "I remember that day because that's the day our disaster began. The day my parents started to fight. The day the vines started to dry and the grapes to rot. For years, we were miserable, Kai."

Karen was on the verge of tears now. "This empty bottle scares me. It brings me memories I thought were buried for good. I feel something is about to happen."

By the time she finished, her face was covered with tears.

Her husband grabbed her and pulled her close. "I'm here, Karen. I'm here."