The Witch House of Persimmon Point (36 page)

“Damn, was I that high-pitched as a teenager? Nah. I just had personality,” said Byrd.

“Stop being grumbly, it's going to be FINE. Now come on!”

“I'll be down when I'm good and ready. Go have a drink or something, your eagerness to see the death of my whole independent, goddammed spirit is about to make me throw up, I SWEAR.”

“You know you can't wait. Come on, Delores!”

The old dog got up and ran to Maj with agility impossible for her age.

Maj laughed and ran off. Byrd reopened the journal for one final thought.

*   *   *

I love being around people who find my offensiveness amusing. Sometimes, anyway.

But, see, before I begin this whole new kind of life, I'd like to do a rewrite on all the others who tried this very same thing and failed. Because if I don't, I'm never going to believe I can make a go of this.

Like maybe …

Nan walked down the aisle and married Giancarlo, who wasn't horrible at all, but handsome and caring, and somehow they fell in love.

Or even …

Lucy and Vito grew old together and had two more children, daughters, who loved them and respected them. And the family grew and grew and this house was filled with light and laughter and love, with every door painted raspberry.

Or …

Anne became a mystic in New York and wrote novels and raised her daughter Opal into adulthood. Friends with Dorothy Parker, she was.

Wouldn't that be lovely?

But best of all …

Stella never died. She was by my side in the night garden under the moon while I vowed to love and trust Jack, who vowed to love and trust me right back.

And so it goes.

But I guess we shouldn't really worry about a past we can't change.

JAYSUS
.
This whole thing's just got me thinking too much.

To hell with it.

It's like me and Elly always say, the thing we figured out at the end of that long, wild weekend of searching.

There's evil and there's good. There's love and there's hate. There're things you can't change and things you can and things you shouldn't mess with at all.

But at the end of the day, we die young, or grow old. Don't have no real choice in the matter.…

So, leave your worries with your shoes and make a run for the ocean.

 

Acknowledgments

This book was the hardest and easiest book to write. Easy because the base of the story was written years ago. Written on my body and in my heart. Trapped words like tape across my mouth and seeping up like internal tattoos on my skin.

Hard because I had to take all that crazy and rewrite it … reform it … translate it into a novel.

A mighty chore. And a lonesome one. Usually, I have a list of people to thank at the beginning of these acknowledgments. That list is missing here, because I chose to keep this book close. Even when I wanted to share it, I felt the damn thing tugging on me, whispering …
not yet. Not yet.

That being said, I could not have written it without the unyielding and ever-present voice of Glitter (the glitter editor of all the things), AKA Vicki Lame at St. Martin's Press. You kept me sane this year. Sort of.

To Gina Miel Heron, my book-touring soul sister. You, my love, made this happen.

To my brave and brilliant agent, Anne Bohner, at Pen and Ink Literary. Your continued, consistent support for my crazy stories is admirable!

To my husband and three daughters: Billy, this year taught me to hold on to what I have. I'm holding on so tight to you, babe. Rosy, you flew the coop! Fly high. Tess and Gracie, DO NOT FLY TOO HIGH … YET. Mommy loves you.

To my mother, Terry, and my godfather, Robert. I never figured us for the Waltons, but here we are. Oy.

To my mother-in-law Margaret Palmieri, you keep trying to get me to drink that good wine. And I love you … but I'll stick to my Lambrusco. In a mason jar. On ice.

Thanks to my Cooper clan down South and to the Palmieris both here and in St. Louis. (Kisses!)

But most of all, thank YOU, dear reader. Thank you very, very much.

 

Also by
Suzanne Palmieri

The Witch of Little Italy

The Witch of Belladonna Bay

The Witch of Bourbon Street

I'll Be Seeing You
(coauthored as Suzanne Hayes)

Empire Girls
(coauthored as Suzanne Hayes)

 

Praise for
The Witch of Bourbon Street

“Part ghost story, part mystery, Palmieri's latest is a tale about the power of love, forgiveness, and family legacies that is both haunting and uplifting.… Each scene is drenched in atmospheric details, making the eccentric chaos of Bourbon Street and the damp mysteries of the bayou as alive as any of the cleverly named supporting cast. The use of multiple voices, including historical documents, will immerse readers in the world of the story and the eerie legacy of one remarkable and powerful family.”

—
RT Book Reviews

“[Palmieri's] strength lies in the fullness of her vision, immersing readers in the heat and noise of southern Louisiana. Fans of Paula Brackston and M. J. Rose will enjoy this story of redemption, self-preservation, and the power of shared history.”

—
Booklist

“
Suzanne Palmieri
is quickly becoming a standout star of magical fiction.
The Witch of Bourbon Street
may just be her best yet. Haunting and beautiful, you'll find yourself captivated by the exquisite setting, and the Sorrows themselves. A must-read.”

—Sarah Addison Allen,
New York Times
bestselling author of
First Frost
,
Lost Lake
, and
Garden Spells

“Few writers can create the richly atmospheric worlds of
Suzanne Palmieri
's fiction or bring to life such compelling characters. Caught in the ghostly half-life between their own bad choices and their tragic history, the Sorrows inhabit a mystical, mysterious world where time is distorted and redemption becomes imperative. A family saga that will linger with readers like the lost souls of the bayou. Palmieri's best so far.”

—Brunonia Barry,
New York Times
bestselling author of
The Lace Reader
and
The Map of True Places

Praise for
The Witch of Belladonna Bay

“About the lies we tell, the love we struggle for, and the way we find our way back to our rightful place in the world, Palmieri's book is a stunner.”

—Caroline Leavitt,
New York Times
bestselling author of
Pictures of You
and
Is This Tomorrow

“Ms. Palmieri's authentic dialogue, and ability to paint a family in crisis, is both charming and layered. If you're a lover of Southern fiction, magic in its many forms, and the kind of storytelling that keeps you turning the pages, you've come to the right place, y'all.”

—Lesley Kagen,
New York Times
bestselling author of
Whistling in the Dark

“Magic weaves its way through this beguiling Southern gothic, swirling from the moss-laden trees around the Big House through the misty and menacing Belladonna Bay, and settling into the hearts of Bronwyn and her niece, Byrd, whose Strange Ways most people just don't understand. Reminiscent of Sarah Addison Allen's
Garden Spells
, this bewitching tale of ghostly mystery, love and family ties will enchant you from the very first page and linger in the air around you long after the last.”

—Wendy Webb, bestselling author of
The Fate of Mercy Alban

“All of
Suzanne Palmieri
's novels cast a spell, and
The Witch of Belladonna Bay
is no exception. Palmieri delivers a rich and magical story about the two most powerful forces in life: family and love.”

—Elin Hilderbrand,
New York Times
bestselling author of
Beautiful Day

“
Suzanne Palmieri
has crafted a riveting tale that will keep you up late at night guessing what will happen next. It is a story that will intrigue both male and female readers. Guys, don't let this one slip past you.”

—Jason Mott,
New York Times
bestselling author of
The Returned

Praise for
The Witch of Little Italy

“Palmieri's enthralling debut will make adult readers nostalgic for beloved books from their childhoods. Abundant with secrets, hidden passageways, magic, and several enchanting mysteries, it'll keep you on the edge of your seat until the end. The magic and witchcraft elements are subtle, enhancing the overall effect of this clever, beautiful novel.”

—
RT Book Reviews

“In her debut novel, Palmieri has combined romance and mystery, folklore and psychology to create a jigsaw puzzle of family secrets and tragedies, losses and loves, guilt and forgiveness.… Entertaining.”

—
Kirkus Reviews

“Charming and enchanting
The Witch of Little Italy
drew me in from page one. A magical story of family, secrets, loss, and rediscovery written in beautiful prose and sprinkled with effervescent characters you won't soon forget. Palmieri nimbly blends the past and present to concoct a delicious spell of a story that will appeal to fans of Sarah Addison Allen and other fabulously entertaining novels.”

—Karen White,
New York Times
bestselling author of
The Beach Trees

“
The Witch of Little Italy
is a warmly enchanting debut that will have you believing in magic and craving homemade Buccatini Amatriciano.”

—Susanna Kearsley,
New York Times
bestselling author of
The Winter Sea
,
Mariana
, and
The Rose Garden

“I was utterly enchanted from the first page, and found myself continually marveling over the effortless grace with which this story unfolded.
The Witch of Little Italy
is a complex, richly textured tale that practically sings with magic, and I know
Suzanne Palmieri
has a long and brilliant career ahead of her. In a word: I was charmed.”

—Donna Ball, award-winning author of The Lady Bug Farm series

“An enchanting debut, Palmieri's plot makes for a wickedly good read!”

—Melissa de la Cruz,
New York Times
bestselling author of the Blue Bloods series

“
The Witch of Little Italy
had me spellbound from the very start.
Suzanne Palmieri
has created a poignant, beautiful tale of love, magic, history, and family where all are deeply connected and interwoven.”

—Joanne Rendell, author of
Crossing Washington Square
and
The Professors' Wives' Club

“A mystical family secret hidden in a spicy Italian stew.”

—Kelly Simmons, author of
Standing Still
and
The Bird House

 

About the Author

SUZANNE PALMIERI
is the author of
The Witch of Little Italy, The Witch of Belladonna Bay,
and
The Witch of Bourbon Street
. She also writes as Suzanne Hayes and lives in a haunted farmhouse in North Branford, Connecticut, with her family. You can sign up for email updates
here
.