Introducing The Verexa Family 💕

How does pretty Melodette’s happy day start?

Well, every day for me starts with the sun barely peeking over the horizon. Some might find it tiresome to wake up so early, but I'm actually an early bird. It's mostly for the sake of my beauty routine, as well as just enjoying the peacefulness of the morning.

First, I examine my skin and remove the beauty mask I left on overnight. If my pores are too large (which rarely happens, mind you), I apply some cold face cream to tighten them up. If my skin is in perfect condition, I move on to my six-step skincare routine, which is, cleansing, toning, applying serum, using eye cream, followed by moisturizer and sun cream.

I do this everyday. If my family has a ritual, then so do I. 💪

Afterward, I brush my teeth and dress in my temple clothing. Everyone in my family wears loose, black monk-like attire for rituals. But I do not wear the basic ones. I get to wear a white one with gold accents.

The first person I see in the morning is my sister, Arisa, since we have adjacent rooms. She's three years older than me, and I'd describe our relationship as a bit distant but free of animosity. While our personalities are very different in some aspects, we do share some common ground. We're not particularly close, but we get along well enough without any major conflicts. I appreciate the absence of drama in our relationship. It makes things comfortable, and I'm okay with keeping it that way.

After greeting each other, Arisa and I part ways to attend to different tasks. Arisa heads down to the first floor to check on the rest of the family and ensure everyone is awake. I, on the other hand, make my way to the separate building where the ritual area is situated.

Before heading out, I grab a carton of milk from the fridge for a separate task. I didn’t want to use the small bowls we used for eating, so I decided to take the display bowl that was on the table by the door instead.

As I walk to the separate building, I mentally checklist all the items I need to prepare for the morning ceremony. Incense, scented candles, essential oils, salt or holy water, and a bowl. Oh, and I mustn't forget those crystals and herbs that represent love (rose quartz) and relaxation (lavender). It's crucial to have all the right items to set the proper blessing and atmosphere. That and to avoid being told off by my mother.

'Mmreeow.'

'There she is!' I exclaim, beaming at the cat-like creature.

'Are you an actual cat or perhaps a fox?' I ask curiously as I bend down to give the small and cute animal a drink.

‘Also I don’t like the look of plastic cups. Not environment friendly. So I got you this beautiful dish.’

I quietly observe as the little cutie finishes the milk.

'More?' I ask, knowing full well it can't answer.

To my suprise, the creature gives a soft 'Mmreeow'.

'Ah, then I shall give you some more,' I say, adding more milk until there's no drops left in the box.

In all the days I've been sneaking food to this cutie, I've never risked petting it before. I've been advised against touching any living creatures before our rituals, but this one seems different. It never tries to rub against my legs, just appears, receives food, and then vanishes. Perhaps I can take a chance and give its head a small pat.

‘MELLIE!’

'Ah yes, mother!' I quickly and frantically conceal the evidence of my indiscretions, kicking it all towards the nearby bushes.

Shit.

The second person I see each morning is my mother, who possesses a unique skill distinct from the rest of our family. Hers is the power of tongue. When she speaks, her words manifest into reality, often leading to misfortune and calamity. Her abilities primarily focus on negativity, creating challenges rather than blessings.

My mother really scares me at times. Don't get me wrong, I love her, but she's the one who runs our schedules and has the final say. She's extremely strict, which is why I have to keep the existence of that little cutie a secret from her. She wouldn't approve if she knew I was feeding it every morning. She might even deduct from the allowance I use to buy cosmetics. We can’t have that, can we?

Anddd it’s nowhere to be seen….Good good.

‘Just what are you looking for?’ Mother asks very pointedly. ‘Hurry up so we all can have breakfast.’

Yeah she needs coffee asap.

I head to the prayer building and begin preparing for the morning ritual. My sister arrives with our grandmother, followed by my mother and father. My aunt and two cousins enter the room as well. They mainly focus on making sacred items like talismans and potions. My uncle is currently away on a business trip, having a '’normal job’' outside of our spiritual practice.

We pray, meditate together, hold each other's hands, and speak words of affirmation to one another. As I mentioned before, words have a powerful impact (particularly my mother’s). In summary, our words and positive wishes towards each other are incredibly influential. While all the tools we use for our morning ritual certainly amplifies our intentions, it is ultimately our words and well wishes that carry the most weight. I think?

As I have also mentioned in the past chapter, I really do not believe a lot of this. I am just happy to be here.

‘Did any of you take the bowl of bad luck by the door?’ Grandma asks aloud as we all start to head out.

Bowl of what now?!! What have I done? 😩