Cullayne POV

"Get some sheets to spread across the table," I instructed Shanty then asked Seana to get the following herbs that I would need.

Fleetingly it crosses my mind that we probably should get a cot in here as I look at Alithia and tell her to undress the little girl she still clutched.

When Shanty returned with the sheets and spread them across a section of the table where I had lighted three sage-infused candles surrounded by seven gloves of garlic and four small vases of mint I was already dressed in my mother's red ceremonial robe and had replaced my beanie with her white head wrap.

The child on the table was emaciated and had red blotches on her arms and legs. Her breathing was shallow and her eyes sink way into her eye sockets. It was clear she was in pain but her body was too weak to even flinch or groan.

"This is going to cause you the stipulated reading fee of forty thousand dollars if you require restorative aid it will be charged accordingly," I told Alithia who stood forlon and scared by the child's side.

She was still beautiful her Indian lineage enhanced by style and class even though her current situation was rummaging her peace of mind. From the jewellery that adorned her fingers, wrists and ears it was clear that she could afford more than a reading.

"It nuh matter please help Keshawnie that is all I need," she returned gripping the little girl's frail fingers.

"Ok place the money in the plate there," I said taking my seat behind the table the minute Shanty left.

After she fished from her shoulder bag an envelope packed with various bills and placed the required amount in the plate I indicated I proceeded with my reading.

"The doctor was right when they said this was not a medical issue. Your affair with a married man is the cause of all this.

The man who is the father of your child cares deeply for you but is deeply tied to his wife by Obeah. She knows of you and the child and has gone to the extent of hurting your child to get back at you for being with her husband.

There is no place in this man's life for you and if you keep up the relationship your daughter will die. She has tried at you but someone by the name of Mavis spirit is watching over you. She however is weak and cannot protect you both.

If you do not cut ties with this man the suffering you face will lead to much worse as her intent is to kill your child and drive you insane."

As I speak I watch as emotion after emotion plays across the canvas of her scared face. Her lips trembled as she tried to hold back the tears.

"Mavis was my father's mother she died a few months after I was born," she sobbed.

"I can help you with a clearance but things will go back to square one if you keep on with this man. It's up to you to do right by your child."

For a few minutes, I saw the selfish and spiteful girl from my past as I stared at her but it seemed her child meant more to her than the lavish lifestyle that her affair provided and was very much a compassionate and caring woman.

"How much is the clearance?"

"An additional forty-five thousand. I will be doing a Healing and Spirit Cleanser for the child which will carry on for three nights and a day. Also a Clearance for you both."

"Ok," she said nodding as she looked down at the little girl fresh tears streamed down her cheeks.

In that minute the Alithia of the past presented herself but before I could confront it a knock on the door allowed my momentary distraction.

"I brought the things you requested," Seana said stepping into the room.

"Thank you," I said moving to wave dismissively at her but she stood there and purposefully turned to Alithia.

"Our Priestess Lamais is offering with her cleansing a bottle of pure olive oil for twelve hundred dollars it's to be paid to the cashier at the shop."

I frowned at her blatant disrespect but she just as purposefully ignored me as before. When did my mother start selling items separately? I need to talk to Shanty about this. If I were to do the readings in my mother's absence I needed to be aware of all the services being provided.

"Thank you Seana you can leave now," I said a little too harshly but was too upset with her behaviour to care.

"Ms Matthews," I said bringing Alithia's attention to me as the door was shut with a resounding thud. "Your daughter's Spirit Cleanser will be a bath of moon water infused with poplar, Angelica and cedar bark this is to be done for three nights and a day."

As I spoke I pointed to the items which consisted of two six-litre bottles containing the bath mixture, the labelled powdered supplements and the half flask of honey.

"Her Healing Fire is a dietary intake of turmeric and ginger tea mixed with honey and arrowroot porridge boiled with a bay leaf to aid her immune system, do not let her consume any leftovers. This must follow the same timeline as the bath."

I took up two bundles of dried leaf tied by jute rope. "The final one is your Cleanser which is the Run duppy or evil oil. These are sage leaves you are to burn them in every room of your house with all doors and windows open as for these lavender candles it is to be burned at the four corners of your beds at six o'clock every morning and six o'clock every evening following the same timeline of three nights and a day."

I looked at her as she stared at the items laid out before her and waited for her to acknowledge what lay ahead of her for the deliverance of her child.

Her eyes shimmered with tears of gratitude and I quickly realized she was about to apologise.  I stood up and reached for the Bible that my mother kept on a raised stand on the table and hurriedly found Psalm twenty-five and gave the passage to her to read over the little girl who lay there struggling.

"Read it aloud."

As she read the passage I walked to the little girl and drew crosses on her forehead, palms and the bottom of her feet.

"Thank you Cullayne," she said once she was finished reading and giving me the Bible.

I nod not sure I can speak because my composure is slipping. In my mind, all I could think about was infidelity that governed lives and ripped the innocent to pieces.

As I dressed the little frail figure that was being tormented and punished for something she did not create I felt my composure slip.

"I'll get Shanty to finish up," I croaked as I moved to the door.

My throat was burning from unshed tears and the pain of how easy it was to hurt the people we claim to care about.

I could read like a book open before me Alithia's guilt. She would forever have to live with the sorrow of knowing she sacrificed her child's well-being for selfish gains.

As I left for the house I realised I was lucky I found my way out of my calamity before I fully gave Taylon my identity and self-worth. I felt a sense of self-worth knowing I did not shy away from my purpose of helping Alitha and her child.