“There’s Doc.” Jerry pointed to the curb. “Was wondering where he was this morning. Oh, geez. Just look at him!”
Doc’s jeans were blotched with dried mud. His faded tee shirt, which Melinda guessed to have been navy in a past life, was smeared with something gross she couldn’t quite name.
“Hey, everyone.” Doc paused long enough to kick off his filthy boots. “Had a call already this morning, a calf delivery south of town. Mom was already in labor but having trouble. Had to hike out to her in the pasture, but I got there in time.”
Everyone just stared.
“What?” Doc glanced around. “Don’t tell me, there’s been drama already this morning. For a town of two hundred, we’ve got way too much of that. What’s going on?”
“You, Doc.” Jerry curled his lip. “You’re …”
“Disgusting.” Auggie inched his chair back as Doc passed by on the way to the sideboard. “I don’t even want to know what you’re wearing. I mean, what nasty crap’s all over your shirt and jeans. Melinda, shouldn’t he change first? We’re trying to eat here.”
“I didn’t have time to run by the clinic.” Doc shrugged and reached for the coffeepot. “And I’ve got some vaccinations at nine, so I’ll be out in the field again. However,” he called over his shoulder to Melinda. “I scrubbed and sanitized before I left that farm.”
Auggie sighed. “Oh, good, then I don’t have to worry about whether my tetanus shot is current.”
Frank disappeared into the housewares aisle and returned with two towels. He draped them over the back and bottom of a folding chair, and motioned for Doc to have a seat.
“Don’t tell Miriam,” Frank whispered to Melinda. “I’ll void them in the inventory.”
“Well, Anne’s going to be mad at you tonight.” Auggie told Doc. “I bet she just loves it when you bring home your nasty work clothes.”
Doc only shrugged. “Nope, I’ll wash everything at the clinic. I do all my own work laundry.”
That shocked Auggie into a surprised silence. Melinda felt a pang of sympathy for his wife, then set aside her coffee mug to get the store ready to open. She was nearly finished buffing the showcase’s counter when she spotted someone else coming down the sidewalk.
“It’s Vicki.” All the men looked up. “She’s in my book club.”
“Who?” George tried to get a better look.
“Vicki Colton,” Auggie said. “Moved to town two months ago. Her husband’s the new president at the bank over in Swanton. They bought the big Craftsman over on …”
Melinda motioned him to be quiet. “Maybe she doesn’t realize we don’t open until eight.”
“Hey, Melinda! I’m glad you’re working today.” Vicki was rather stylish for this hour of the morning, her eager smile matched by white capris, a peony-pink top and full makeup. “Arthur will be here in a second, he’s parking the car.”
“We’re not officially open yet, but you might as well come on in.”
It seemed like the right thing to say, especially since Vicki had already passed through the screen door. Her eyes widened when she spotted Doc’s smeared work boots on the side of the mat, but she was too polite to make a comment.
The tall, dignified man approaching the door had to be Arthur. Not only because he had the thoughtful air of a bank president, but because Francesca was at the end of the leash in his hand. The little dog wasn’t wearing a sweater this time, but a pink bow bobbed between her fluffy ears. She barked with glee when she spotted Melinda.
“Good morning! Arthur, it’s so nice to finally meet you.” Melinda hurried to fill the moment of awkward silence that arrived with Francesca, as George was trying not to laugh and Auggie looked like he was about to say something laced with sarcasm.
“I’m Melinda Foster, from Vicki’s book club. Have you met everyone yet? Frank over there is my uncle, he and Aunt Miriam own this store.”
Vicki took Francesca’s lead from her husband and passed it to Melinda. “She’s so glad to see you. Can you take her for a minute?”
Arthur stepped over to Uncle Frank. “I’d hoped to come by before, just haven’t had the chance to stop in. Prosper Hardware is a landmark in this town, that’s for sure. Vicki said this is where the coffee group gathers in the mornings. Every small town should have one.”
“You got that right.” George offered his hand. “George Freitag, elder statesman.”
Vicki and Arthur made the rounds while Melinda and Francesca waited by the counter. Melinda was about to offer a plastic shopping basket out of the stack when Arthur held up a hand, causing the greetings to ebb away.
“Well, I guess you’re wondering why we’re here before the store even opens.” He glanced around at the men and back at Vicki, who gave him an encouraging nod.
“It’s because we have some news. Frank, we wanted you to hear it from us, first thing. Vicki and I are buying the building next door. We’re signing the papers this morning.”
His announcement was met with shocked silence. Doc froze with his muffin partway to his mouth. Even Auggie was speechless.
“And I’m going to open my own store!” Vicki bounced in her sleek sandals, her enthusiasm filling the room. “Oh, don’t worry.” She patted Melinda’s arm and glanced at Frank. “Nothing to compete with Prosper Hardware. No, I’m going to start a little gift shop. Collectibles, crafts, handmade goods, that sort of thing. And, if it all goes well, I’d love to offer teas a few afternoons a week.”
She rubbed her hands together. “Can’t you just see it? I worked in retail for years before we moved here for Arthur’s job. I’ve always wanted my own shop. And when the place next door came up for sale …”
“I couldn’t say no.” Arthur shook his head, but he was grinning. “I’m from a small town, myself. Keeping Main Street alive is so important for a community. And we got a fair price; it was the perfect opportunity.”
Auggie snorted. To Melinda’s relief, Arthur and Vicki began to laugh heartily. It was good to see they both had a sense of humor, as they were going to need it. Vicki’s idea was going to be a real challenge in a town this tiny.
“I can assure you,” Arthur said, “we’re not paying anything close to what the sellers wanted. That inflated list price backfired on them. It chased everyone else away, I’m sure. We were the first people to look at it.”
“And the last,” Vicki added.
“So, that brings us to the rest of our news.” Arthur turned more serious. “Frank, we’ve heard all about this mess with the lots. I can’t believe the seller blew you off like that, left you holding the bag. Anyway, our purchase agreement includes an addendum to get everything sorted out before we close.”
The lot next door would be surveyed as part of the sale. That, and the verification already completed on Frank and Miriam’s property, would be enough to redraw the boundary line. The Coltons had insisted the sellers pay their share of the costs and, in their eagerness to unload the property, they finally agreed.
The relief on Frank’s face made Melinda’s heart swell with gratitude.
“That would be wonderful.” Frank blinked rapidly, then got to his feet and started toward Arthur and Vivian. Arthur met him halfway.
“You’ve got yourself a deal,” Frank said as they shook hands for the second time. “I can’t imagine why Miriam would object to your plan. I’ll call her right away, tell her to come down. I think we need to celebrate! It’s been a hard few months, for all of us.” He included Melinda in his gaze.
Vicki gave Frank an unexpected hug. “First and foremost, we want to be good neighbors. And I always say, one wrong move in the past shouldn’t cloud the future.”
She turned to Melinda, her enthusiasm bubbling up again. “I know you’re so busy, between working here and your little farm and all, but I’d love to hire you to help with publicity once we get rolling. And your mom, she makes those wonderful scarves! Does she sell them? That’s exactly what I want to offer in my shop. Handmade items, things made by artisans from around th
e state, around the Midwest … oh, Francesca, leave that nice man alone.”
Auggie’s strawberry muffin was a too big of a temptation for the little dog, who was tugging hard on her lead. Melinda could barely keep her back.
“You do realize what you’re getting yourself into, I hope,” he told Vicki. “I’ve lived in and around Prosper all my life. And I have to say, that place next door? It’s a dump.”
“You’ve got that right!” Vicki rolled her eyes. “It’s a mess! It’s going to be months before we can open. I just hope we’re up and running in time for the holiday shopping season.”
Her excitement was infectious, and Melinda was already thinking ahead to all of the possibilities. Working with small businesses had been her favorite part of her former career, and here was a chance to help one grow from the ground up. “I’d love to hear what you have in mind, Vicki. Once you get some time, let’s get together.”
“I can’t wait to hear what your rates are and what we might be able to do.” She smiled again, this time looking a little wistful. “Our son is off at college now, and I’ve just been rattling around at home, looking for something to do. It’s time for a new chapter in life.”
Melinda recognized the light in Vicki’s eyes. It was the same glow that had been missing from Frank’s for too many months, but had reappeared as soon as he got behind Prosper Hardware’s register again.
As she looked out the store’s wide windows at the still-sleepy Main Street, Melinda had to wonder if this new business would succeed. Arthur and Vicki surely had the capital to get it started, but could it draw enough customers to keep the door open? The prospect was certainly risky. Some people might think Vicki was crazy, a self-indulgent woman burning through her husband’s cash to chase a far-fetched dream.
Maybe that was true. Or at least, some of it was. But she was willing to take a chance. And Melinda could certainly relate to that.
She’d made several leaps of faith in the past year, starting when she came home for the summer. She was sure more than a few people shook their heads in disbelief when she decided to not return to Minneapolis, and then wanted to buy Horace’s acreage. What will a city girl do with all those animals, anyway? She’ll get bored, the winter will be too hard for her, she’ll give up and go back …
The prospect of extra cash wasn’t the only reason Melinda was excited about Vicki’s proposal. She was eager to help her new friend prove all those naysayers wrong.
CHAPTER 22
Prosper Feed Co. was packed, but Melinda had to stop. She was nearly out of chicken feed again, as the sacks stashed away in the coop were being emptied at an alarming rate. The little chicks were growing fast, even if they weren’t yet mature enough to help fill the orders coming from Melinda’s regular egg buyers.
For now, she just enjoyed them as they were: Little dynamos that delighted in every fresh morning, every strange bug they discovered in the dirt. With the days growing longer and summer approaching, Melinda dreamed of allowing all of her feathered friends to free-range throughout the yard. What fun they would have, and it would save money on feed. But it was just too risky, because Hobo and the cats’ hunting instincts could kick in at any time. What if she fenced off the garden, so the chickens could roam in peace?
She’d have to shuttle them back and forth somehow, and that setup may not be safe enough. Their run had a mesh top that kept them safe from flying predators, and Melinda was grateful for Horace’s foresight. Hawks were often spotted in the farm’s windbreak, and Mabel said she’d noticed an eagle or two swooping among the trees by the creek.
Melinda pushed those thoughts aside and concentrated on navigating the co-op’s crowded parking lot, as this was only her second trip to town with Lizzie. She selected a generous space on the edge of the gravel, then walked across to the shop’s entrance.
The co-op’s aisles were jammed with customers, many of them more intent on catching up with each other than quickly filling their carts. Dan, Auggie’s assistant, leaned over the counter, his coppery beard wagging as he moderated a debate on how soon it might rain again. Auggie’s prediction for severe weather late last week had vanished in what was barely a puff of wind and a few sprinkles.
“Hey, Melinda!” Dan raised a beefy hand in greeting. “What do you need today? We just got in more of that dog food Hobo likes.”
“Just chicken feed this time, thanks, Dan.”
“Over there by the window, the usual spot.” He started to ring up one man’s purchases. “Oh, and Melinda, maybe get the smaller bags, huh? Last time, it was a tight squeeze getting those big sacks doubled up in your hatchback.”
“Oh, I’ve got the truck today.” She tried to sound casual but was secretly thrilled. I own a truck, a beat-up old one, like a real farmer. And I can drive it. Almost.
Dan nodded his approval, and Melinda felt like she’d been accepted into some sort of club. “Well, then, fill it up! Let me know when you’ve decided, and I’ll get it loaded.”
Melinda turned down the nearest aisle, wondering if there was anything else she needed. Suddenly, a strange movement on the far end of the counter caught her eye.
Was that … was that a cat?
It sure was. The buff-and-white kitty, likely a male based on its significant size, washed his face with an impressive amount of calm given the commotion swirling around him. Melinda blinked a few times but he was still there. Then she spotted a water bowl and food dish in the corner.
She approached the cat cautiously, expecting him to dart off, but he meowed in greeting and padded toward her, expertly stepping around a stack of feed catalogs. As soon as she petted him, he started to purr.
“He’s a nice one, isn’t he?” Dan tipped his head in the cat’s direction. “That’s our newest employee, Mr. Checkers.”
Melinda was too stunned to answer at first. Not only had she never seen a cat at the co-op, but his name made no sense at all.
“He’s great, Dan. But there’s no way Auggie’s going to let him stay. You know he’s not a cat person. I had to beg him to help out with the spay clinic.”
“Oh, it was his idea.” At the shock on her face, Dan chuckled and pointed to the stairwell. “I’m serious! He’s up in the weather lab if you want to ask him about it.”
Melinda had to get home, as neighbors were coming to help reunite her weaned lambs with the rest of the flock, but this couldn’t wait until tomorrow morning.
She hustled up the metal steps, almost panting in the stuffy, warm air of the concrete stairwell. But a pleasant breeze greeted her when she reached the third floor. The door to Auggie’s little library was indeed open, as were the two tall windows that looked to the west. He was at the battered desk, tapping on his laptop.
“Hey, Melinda, what’s the word today?” He glanced over the top of his thick-rimmed glasses. “No more real estate transactions to report, I hope. My God, what’s Vicki thinking? Teas and crafts and whatever else that’s all about. Might work over in Swanton, or Mason City or Cedar Falls, but here? Seems like too much culture for our little town.”
Melinda shrugged and gratefully dropped into the only other chair. Her legs were burning after that climb. Now that the weather was warmer, she really needed to get back to her regular evening walks. “Who knows? If Vicki can keep her overhead down, and offer something unique to this area, maybe it will … Auggie, what is going on around here?”
A smoky-gray cat was stretched out, sound asleep, on the low bookcase under the windows. While screened-in boxes protected the weather gauges mounted outside the tower, an abundance of bright light still flooded the small room.
“Oh, she’s just hanging around for a while.” Auggie’s tone was so non-committal that Melinda was instantly suspicious. “Just until the mouse population gets under control. A worker cat, you know.”
“Looks to me like she’s moved in for good.” Melinda pointed to the over-stuffed bed hiding behind the open door, and the scratching post wrapped with gleaming rope tucked in one c
orner.
“Well, I don’t want her clawing up my desk.” He gave an exaggerated shrug, all the stranger given the wooden table’s battered varnish, and turned back to his screen. “She can stay on if she wants to, I guess.”
“And what about her friend, the one I met downstairs, Mr. Checkers? Is he temporary, too?”
Auggie sighed and turned back around. “OK, OK, Gertrude talked me into taking two. She said they’re really social cats, and I guess Mr. Checkers and Pebbles here are an item. But since the community clinic, I doubt there’s much of that going on anymore.”
“Wait a minute! I thought I recognized Mr. Checkers. He’s the one I told to get in the trap, right before Miriam and I left that night. And,” she pointed at Auggie, “he’s the one I saw you singing to after surgery.”
“I wasn’t singing to him, I was only humming.” Auggie crossed his arms. “And besides, he can’t stay at Gertrude’s anymore. There’s some toms lurking around that haven’t been neutered yet. Now that he’s … well, not who he used to be … they’d gang up on him, I know they would.”
Mr. Checkers’ size and confidence told Melinda he could certainly hold his own. But now he didn’t have to. “Well, this is quite a surprise. I don’t even know what to say.”
“Say you’ll help me pick out a climbing tree.” Auggie clicked the laptop’s keyboard and refreshed its screen, which was on a pet-supply website rather than a weather portal.
“Now, this one’s got those round beds at the top. And it comes in brown, gray, or beige. Or maybe they’d like this other model, that has the cubbyhole? But there’s only one. What if they don’t want to share? Maybe I should get two trees, so they each have their own …”
✽✽✽
Melinda shook her head as Lizzie rattled over the railroad tracks and out of town. Auggie’s final order included not only two climbing trees, but a nylon play tunnel and a jumbo pack of jingle balls and toy mice. Twice during their search, he asked Pebbles about her preferences. The gray cat had only opened one eye and rolled over again, content with the bare wooden shelf and the sun’s rays streaming in the windows.
Songbird Season Page 22