Good Witch – The Mandala

By: Gladys Luna

Abi (Sarah Power) and Cassie (Catherine Bell) discuss Cassie’s intentions of pursuing an opportunity as a teacher. Abi encourages her to try to apply for a position at Wellingsly College, but since Grace attends it the woman doesn’t want to make her feel that she is breathing down her neck. Joy (Katherine Barrell) shows up saying that she just got an “on this day” picture reminder of a few years ago and made her think of how complicated her relationship was since it seemed to be meant for disaster. Cassie tells her that she makes it sound as though it was cursed and Joy gets curious about that curse that they keep talking about and asks them to let her know about it.

Adam (Scott Cavalheiro) meets with Sam (James Denton) at the hospital and the doctor lets him know that he has a tumor. Even though is it is small, it needs to be removed quickly. He suggests Adam have the surgery scheduled for the next day. Adam is in shock from the news, but tries to follow his friend’s recommendation. Abi and Joy go to visit Martha (Catherine Disher) to continue their discussion about the curse. Martha shows Joy the box that contains the heart and the emerald and accidentally Joy removes a key from the box that helps to open the front of it. Inside they find a message saying “A breaking heart can only stop with luck, love and one teardrop.” So, they assume that the emerald represents the luck, the ruby represents the love and the diamond, which is still missing, represents the teardrop. They believe that if they happen to find it that the curse will be broken.

Adam goes to the Bistro to tell Stephanie (Kylee Evans) about his surgery. The woman suggests for him to call his parents and let them know about the procedure, but he refuses as he doesn’t want to bother them. He says that having her around will be enough for him. Later that day Joy gets to Abi’s store in a rush and tells her that she knows a cryptologist that can help her to crack the curse’s code and break it. Right that moment,a woman named Alicia Barnes (Keira Loughran) enters the place and tells them that a colleague of hers led her to the store since she loves Abi’s chocolates. She explains that her friend is leaving soon on a book tour and that her spot as an arts teacher in the BCC will be open. When hearing that Abi and Joy smile, immediately thinking of someone that might be a good fit for it. Cassie is at her store reading about French Impressionism when Martha arrives and announces her that her son will be in town soon along with his girlfriend. The woman is not sure about how well she’ll get along with the girl, but she is ready find out.

Joy and Carter (Jason Diaz) are working together at Martha’s new house. The man seems to be quiet, something that doesn’t go unnoticed by Joy. So, she tries to dig a little bit further and he ends up confessing that he and his girlfriend have been invited to a fancy dinner but it doesn’t seem to be his kind of scene. Joy encourages him to do it and give it a chance.

Abi goes to Cassie and gives her Alicia’s card saying that she will be waiting for her call to discuss about an opportunity as a teacher. She also tells her that she and Donovan (Marc Bendavid) will go to meet a cryptologist that Joy recommended. Martha is at her office when Tom (Paul Miller) arrives followed by Dylan (JD Smith). They share a hug and then Claire (Nicole Wilson), Dylan’s girlfriend, makes her entrance. She hugs Martha as well and they share how excited they are about spending some time together. Then, she lets Tom and Martha know that she and Dylan will be having a baby. Sam returns home after his shift at the hospital and hugs Cassie who seems to calm him down. He expresses how nervous he feels about Adam’s surgery, but the woman tells him that Adam is in the right hands. She also lets him know about her upcoming interview and, surprising as it seems, she tells him that she is kind of nervous about it since she has no teaching experience. Sam tells her that even though she has never been a teacher formally she has been in her daily life.

Martha and Claire go to the bistro to have lunch, but as their conversation unravels they begin to realize how different they are from each other. Donovan and Abi are on their way to meet with the Cryptologist when the man’s bike breaks down. A few steps away Abi sees an abandoned train station and decides to go in that direction. Adam meets with Sam at the hospital and gives him a flash drive that contains some 80’s pop songs for him to play during the surgery. Joy gives Carter a suit she got for him to wear at the dinner and encourages him to try it on, much to his surprise. Cassie meets with Professor Alicia at the BCC for their interview. Cassie explains that although she doesn’t have any experience as a teacher she wants to be able to inspire students just the way she had been. Carter finally tries on the suit and Joy compliments him. She lets him know that the only thing missing is the right pair of shoes, which she plans to help him with as well. Donovan and Abi are left with no signal on their phones or clue about how to continue with their task. They decide to play anagrams instead. Abi searches for new words to play with and finds and old sign with the word “Dearport” in it. They continue playing until Abi brings up the word “Teardrop,” which reminds her of the curse’s riddle.

Cassie takes a walk through the college cafeteria. She sees the place full of students doing different kind of things. As she passes by one of the girls in there she makes a comment about what the girl is reading. They engage in a conversation and minutes later Cassie begins to draw on the table as she explains about the meaning of a mandala to the girl. Quickly, a lot of students gather around them out of curiosity. Adam is sharing some time with Stephanie at his hospital room. Sam enters and lets him know that his pre-op results are alright so they are good to go with the surgery. Back to Donovan and Abi, they are still looking for the diamond in the abandoned train station but with no luck. They realize that the place used to be a stagecoach stop back in 1819 and there is still one left in the back. Martha and Claire go to Cassie’s store looking for a gift for the baby, but don’t seem to agree on anything to buy. They end up deciding to search on their own. While looking for the diamond, a sign nearby Abi and Donovan falls off revealing an old stagecoach schedule. They realize that most of the places have disappeared except for one, the clock tower. Suddenly, their phones get their signal back on and they are able to ask for a ride and leave the place.

Cassie is making a sand mandala when Joy arrives with a pizza. Right that moment Cassie gets a call from Professor Alicia saying that she didn’t get the job. Back at the hospital Sam takes Adam for a ride, just the way the chaplain does with the patients. Adam confesses to Sam that he is scared about the surgery, but is happy to know that he is in good hands.

Cassie pays a visit to Martha and gives her a ceramic horse as a gift for her granddaughter. The woman doesn’t seem to like it since she says it reminds her to her own mother-in-law. Cassie tries to dig further about their relationship making Martha realize that the dynamic she used to have with her mother-in-law that made her truly uncomfortable is the same one she is starting to have with Claire. Abi and Donovan go to the top of the clock tower and find the same sign that it was at the train station. The man also realizes that the letters EPNO are written on it and determines that is the anagram for “OPEN.” He removes the sign and finds a monocle but nothing more. The couple goes to a park bench feeling defeated by not finding anything that would help them to break the curse. Suddenly, Abi looks at the statue in front of her and sees a teardrop falling down from her cheek. They examine the statue with the monocle and find some letters hidden in the base that make no sense at all.

Professor Alicia goes to the Grey House and tells Cassie that most of the students have been talking about her and it made her realize that her life experience will add a lot of value to them. Martha meets with Claire at the bistro and apologizes for her behavior. She tells her that she understands they are different and she will respect her and accept her just the way she is. Joy goes back to work at night and finds Carter there. He confesses that going to the dinner with is girlfriend makes him realize that she wants him to be someone he is not. So, he shares that they broke up. Joy stays there and helps him with his work.

Adam is at the hospital chapel. Stephanie arrives and sits next to him while holding his hand. Cassie has finished making her sand mandala. Sam arrives looking nervous about the next day’s surgery. She takes his hand and places it over the mandala. He doesn’t want to spoil it since she just made it, but she says that nothing is permanent and asks him to let go a little more with each movement.