by Zoey Kane
“Mom?” Zoey looked out again. She only had one kid, and she was supposed to be in New York. She opened the door. “Claire, is that you?”
“Yes, Mother!”
It was her alright, though the usually sleek ponytail was now sopping wet and stringy … and, oddly, her nose was bleeding just a bit.
“Come in, come in. What on Earth is the matter?” She glanced down. Two large suitcases and a carrying bag sat at her daughter’s feet.
“Jack dumped me.” Her pretty mouth pouting, Claire sullenly stepped inside. “He dumped me. The jerk!”
“Come in. Let me help you with your stuff.” Zoey wrapped her arms around her soggy daughter, who collapsed into her shoulder with a fit of tears.
“I’ve missed you, Mom.”
“I’ve missed you too, dear.” Tears stung her own eyes.
*
Claire took a quick, hot shower—after calling the closest tow truck company—and then resigned herself to the kitchen table.
“I don’t know what happened, Mom.” She shrugged in her red silk pajamas. “These last couple of weeks have pretty much been a blur, but I lost my job and Jack at the same time.”
“You lost your job? But how? You are the best editor that magazine ever had!”
“I thought so too, until they ‘gently’ let me know that an editor with more experience than me was taking over. And Jack couldn’t have that. He thought I should have fought harder for the position or something. There was no way. I don’t know how, but my job loss injured his pride. Anyway, he let me know that now was a good time to make a life change for the better. He intended to, and he wished me good luck in my life without him.” Tears started to form again. “I can’t help it, Mom. It makes me angry.”
Zoey grumbled. “Jack. What an insensitive... Well, anyway, Claire, you are beautiful—you are my daughter. Remember that! And anyone stupid enough to let you go, either in business or relationship, is a fool and we both know that, don’t we?” And out of the side of her mouth, she said, “I never liked him anyway.”
Claire dabbed her tears dry. They sat there a moment in thought, listening to the patter of the rain. Her nose and cheeks were a little red, but she was going to be okay.
After talking a bit more, something strange caught Claire’s eye. She pointed. “What’s that?”
“What?” Zoey looked behind her.
“That! That old, rusty box.”
“It isn’t an old rusty box, my dear.”
“Well, then, what is it? It’s so big.”
“It’s a trunk. You know, a treasure sort of trunk.”
“A treasure trunk, huh?” Claire arched an eyebrow, completely skeptical. “Where did you get it? In the freebie section of the classifieds?”
“Oh, please!” Zoey felt slight embarrassment. “It was from an auction.”
“How much did you bid on it, Mommy dear?” said Claire very suspiciously.
“What does that matter?” Zoey drew back slightly, lips pursed. When Claire didn't flinch, she exhaled, “Alright, three hundred buckaroos, if you must know."
“You’ve done it now.” Claire’s brow furrowed. “What a waste. It’s hideous.”
“Oh, come on. Settle down. It’s an antique…”
Claire shook her head, and rested her chin in her palm. Her mother had always been a dreamer, buying grab bags just to find out what was inside.
“Darling, let me open it up for you. It’s really quite neat.” Zoey pulled her crowded key ring from her purse. She found the key she wanted and opened the trunk.
Claire stood up to look inside. “It’s newspapers! You paid three hundred dollars for newspapers?”
“Now, wait. Don’t get so hasty. Take a look at this one.” Zoey pulled it out carefully from the stack and set it on the table in front of them.
Riverside fire nearly wipes out town, headlined the front page.
“Riverside fire? What’s the date on that?”
“July fifth, 1927.”
Claire snatched it up, her mood instantly switched. “This is fantastic! That’s the fire that we’ve all heard rumors about, here, straight from the source!”
Zoey happily watched her daughter’s big and charming brown eyes skim over the article.
Claire read aloud, “The rampant fire tore through the whole west side of the river, causing over eight-hundred people to go homeless.” She hungrily read the whole article, then huffed. “They didn’t say how it started. I guess they didn’t know.”
“I would guess fireworks, since it reports that it happened on the fourth of July,” Zoey stated.
“We should save this paper somewhere safe, frame it or something. It’s a journalistic relic. A bit of Riverside history.”
“I’ll lock it back up in my antique trunk for now.” Zoey smiled a wry smile. She also wanted to burst out and tell her daughter all about the investment she made this last week in something much, much bigger and better. But it would have to wait for the morning, so Claire could see it with her own two eyes.
That night they slept in the same king-size bed so they could talk to each other until falling asleep. It had been too long since Zoey had a really good opportunity to visit with her daughter. She tried to keep the appropriate sad-for-her-daughter concern, but when Claire announced that she was going to temporarily move in, Zoey’s heart could only leap in joy.
TWO
Zoey’s van screeched as it lurched to a stop outside the Homestyle Buffet. Even for being the most popular restaurant in Riverside, it was busier than usual for 9 a.m., the lot completely full. She stepped out of her scratched and dented ride wearing a fashionably baggy V-neck over skinny jeans. The scent of gravy and pies filled the air, welcoming her to what was sure to be a superb breakfast.
Claire had to slam her passenger side door a second time just to get it to shut. Even still, it needed a swift kick with her high heel to click it closed. Once inside the restaurant, she offered to pay for their meals, already having her wallet handy.
“Oh, no, no, no.” Zoey dug through her purse for her credit card. “It’s on me.”
“It’s okay, Mom. Really.” Claire pushed twenty dollars across the counter to the patiently-waiting cashier.
Zoey gently smacked her daughter’s hand aside. “No, it’s your first day in town, and I’m your mother. Plus, you have no job.”
Claire conceded, putting away her money.
The girl at the register said to Zoey, “Senior discount?”
“I hope you mean high school,” the offended, yet chipper, guest chuckled.
“Sorry,” the girl said, monotone. She punched in the amount due, and swiped the card. They waited a moment, only to hear an annoying buzz from the machine. “Oh…” The cashier handed back the card. “It says it’s declined.”
Zoey plastered a smile back on her face, and said, “Whoops, I, um, don’t know what to say about that.”
Claire hurriedly pulled the twenty back out of her purse. “Here you go,” she said, not looking at her mother.
A hostess came right over and escorted them to the last available spot in the whole place. It was a table for two, along a wall. People mingled in the center of the restaurant, dressed in their best business attire, each sporting a nametag.
Zoey lowered her voice as they went toward the buffet with their trays. “The Chamber of Commerce is here. I completely forgot about the meeting. Why they still feel like they need the nametags beats me, since everyone knows everyone here.”
“Were you going to attend?” Claire asked.
“No, it’s just a bunch of people selling their wares to each other, you know. I never did feel like I fit in. Oh, well.”
Claire piled her plate with anything and everything to bring her comfort. Beside her slab of honey ham and gravy, were also sausage links. Zoey also piled her plate up, but out of routine only; she especially liked their buttery Brussels sprouts. Both women decided to indulge in a little greasy food for once; they could revert to salad or fish another day.
On the way back to their table, two women stopped them in the aisle. They were both around Zoey’s age, wearing skirt suits with plastic nametags boasting their real estate company’s logo. “Hello there, Zoey,” the taller one with dark hair said.
“Oh, hi, Penny. I’m just out with my daughter Claire. Do you remember her?”
“Yes, I do.” Her face lit up. “Are you still with that dashing young man we got to meet at the community Christmas party—what was it?—two years ago?”
“I remember him,” the other said, with interest. She had blond hair and a pug nose. “Tell us—any wedding bells ringing soon?!”
“Um, no.” Claire felt her voice wanting to catch. “And no, we’ve broken up. I’m not with Jack anymore.” She smiled to be polite—and to force back the tears that were always sitting behind her eyes lately, just waiting to break loose.
“That’s too bad,” the brunette said.
“Yes, yes it is,” the other agreed.
“No.” Claire tightened her grip on her tray. “It was actually a good thing.”
“That’s right,” Zoey defended. “He lacks integrity, and she’s better off changing her mind about him.”
Penny simply cocked her head to the side, as if testing Claire’s expression for the truth of the matter.
“Yes, I suppose,” the blonde said, though she didn’t look satisfied.
“Anywho.” Penny moved aside just a bit to let them through. “We’ll have to catch up some more sometime, Zoey. Things are going quite well for me. Just had a client close on another home yesterday. So, keep me posted about how you’re faring during this tough economy… if you’re getting any business yet.” There was a hint of a smirk.
Zoey just forced a tight-lipped smile and continued on her way down the aisle to their seats. It felt like all eyes were on them as they forked their comfort food. Occasionally, Zoey would look up, meet someone’s eyes, and give a little wave.
“I had the feeling they were more nosey than actually interested in my wellbeing, Mom.”
“You wouldn’t be so wrong on that, sweetie.”
Claire furrowed her eyebrows. “Why are they all looking at us so much?”
“Oh, they’re just interested in the fact that you’re back here. You know, small town busybodies.”
“But I didn’t even grow up here. I lived here less than a year. They barely know me.”
“That doesn’t matter to them. Even more of a reason for them to be curious. You’re a new face to talk about.”
For the next several minutes, the mother and daughter did a good job ignoring all the eyes, enjoying catching up with each other.
“Right after this, we gotta go change our shoes, and head out to my surprise.” Zoey smiled, taking a bite of breakfast potatoes.
“Oh, we have to change our shoes?”
“Yes, you’ll need something for a bit of hiking.”
“Oh.” Claire perked up. “Okay. I’m game. I could use a nature walk after being cooped up in Manhattan so long.”
A man stood amid the Chamber meeting, and made some brief announcement, before starting his presentation on customer service. When he specifically settled on the topic of retaining clients, he asked the crowd to share advice. A voice called out, “Ask Zoey Kane!”
All eyes again returned to their table. Zoey wiped her mouth in surprise and waved the thought away. “It’s okay. I’m just eating. I have no advice.”
“That’s because the only client she has is herself,” a woman said, loud enough for all to hear. The room erupted with laughs. Zoey felt her face flush, and spotted the perpetrator as Penny, of all people, who was really laughing it up with her tablemates.
“That’s rude,” Claire said, not caring if anyone heard.
“I think that was the point.” Zoey felt her regular color returning to her face. “Penny is the queen of passive aggressiveness, if you hadn’t already noticed, dear.”
“Hey, Zoey,” another woman called out, “I have a bridge to sell you.”
More chuckles, and someone was heard saying, “I know the name of a Nigerian prince who can lend some money.”
The teasers might as well have been doubled over and rolling on the floor at this point, each congratulating each other on their remarks. All the while, the head of The Chamber stood at the front, quietly annoyed.
“This is terrible,” Claire said, feeling heat rise within. From years of standing at the head of tough boardroom meetings at Eye Witness Magazine, she was well prepared to confront them head on. She stood up, straightened her blouse over her velour pants, and said, “That’s enough! What has my mother done to deserve such remarks? So she enjoys considering the possibilities of unique investments. So do I.”
“You didn’t hear?” Penny said, more smug than ever before, still sitting.
Claire’s eyes focused on the asp in the grass, and Zoey said, “Oh-oh. This is sure to be part of my surprise. What I was going to show you after this.”
Penny finished, “She bought eighty acres of nothingness, right next to the town’s dump.”
That news made Claire speechless a moment, as her business savvy was seriously appalled at such information. She blinked a few times, before saying, “I don’t think that is any of your business. In fact, I don’t think it’s anyone’s business.”
Everyone was silent thereafter. The Chamber tried to resume its meeting as if nothing awkward had just happened. To try to bring peace to the situation, the chairman even remarked that business, and the economy, had been tough on everyone lately. Zoey suggested they just leave already, but Claire was immovable: “We are staying and enjoying the rest of our meal.”
Thankfully, the Chamber finished up their meeting and started meandering out the door before Zoey and Claire finished their desserts. They were finally able to have some time to relax alone over ice cream cones.
A man with a toupee hesitantly walked over to their table, fidgeting with his tie.
“Hello, boss!” Zoey beamed at the head of her realty group. “How are you?”
“Well, um, Zoey, that’s what I wanted to come over here to talk to you about. And I apologize, because I see your lovely daughter is here with you, but I’d like to have a moment with you for just a sec.”
“Go ahead,” Claire said, and Zoey stood to go talk to him in a booth across the way. Recently being fired herself, Claire was familiar with the apologetic look in the man’s eyes as he shook his head, and centered his focus on a ketchup bottle half the time.
At the end of their conversation, Zoey slowly nodded, and put the strap of her purse back over a shoulder in acceptance. The man left and Claire approached her mother with a heavy heart. She gave her a hug. “Don’t worry, Mom. It seems we have a lot in common. Let’s go.” She patted her mother. “And this too shall pass.”
“At least I have you,” Zoey said. “That’s most important, you know. As long as I have you, things can’t get any worse at this point.”
*
The tow truck drove out of the lot, pulling a beat-up white van. The repo man yelled out the driver’s side window, “Sorry, Zoey!” and took off down the road.
“Crud!” She dropped to the curb and put her head in her hands. A couple of men from Green Tree Realty Group were driving out of the parking lot together and paused in front of Zoey and Claire. The passenger side window lowered on the Cadillac, and the blond at the wheel asked, “Was that your van, Zo?”
She nodded and answered, “Yes, I’m afraid so.”
The guy actually looked a little compassionate. “Just as a word of advice for your sake, Zo—you would do far better if you did more selling than buying.” He closed the window.
“Did we do something awful in a past life?” Claire sat down with her, sighing. “My car won’t be out of the shop for a couple more days.”
Zoey dialed her neighbor, but her phone just rang and rang. She shut the cell, put her head in her hands. Tears streamed down her expressionless face.
“Who else can we catch a ride with?” Claire asked.
Just then a blue garbage truck pulled up to the curb.
*
Zoey squished between her daughter and the garbage man, feeling the cross breeze through the doorless truck ruffling her hair. She ignored the desire to pinch her nose in disgust. The scent of their load wasn’t pleasant, to say the least, but there was nothing she could really do about that. There wouldn’t be a Christmas tree air freshener large enough to eliminate its stink of rotting food and dirty diapers. “Thanks, Max,” she said, truly grateful.
The old man nodded. “No problem. Anything for you, Miss Zo.” They drove away from the Homestyle Buffet, down a lonely road. “I have some stops to make on the way, but I’ll get you home soon enough.”
Just their luck, it seemed like down every street, at least one resident was outside: mowing their grass, fixing up their flower bed, walking their dog. She hated adding further fodder to the town gossip.
Closer to home, they stopped at a curb hosting three bags of garbage beside a trash can. Max stretched his back, his energy obviously running low. Claire set her purse at her feet, and then hopped down to the pavement. “We can help you out.”
“Ah, you ladies don’t have to do that,” Max said, coming over. But it was evident his advanced age really wasn’t doing him any favors.
Before he could protest further, Claire hefted two bags, and Zoey grabbed the remaining one. Claire set hers down in the truck’s back lift. Zoey was ready to drop hers down, too, when a red Lexus drove up, pulling into the home’s driveway. She knew that car; the decals advertising Green Tree Realty were hard to miss around town. Out stepped Penny, who put her shades up on her dark hair, looking absolutely amused. “Hello,” she waved, her smile broadening.
Zoey stepped back and dropped the bag, keeping her eyes on the woman in embarrassment. “Just helping out Max,” she said.
The woman stayed by her car, and asked, “So this isn’t your new job?”
Claire stepped beside her mom, looking back and forth between the two, ready to jump into the situation any moment.