Small Town Angel

by K'Anne Meinel

  As she inter-connected the computers and booted them up she wondered if she should have had a pro in here to do some of that. The wires were strung by Terry and his crew with the internet and ethernet as well as the intranet. She placed the computers one by one and connected them so that she could from her back office tell whatever was being sold at any given time. Discrete cameras around the store also could be shown on a bank in her office so she could view and record at any time.

  Going over training time and again they had so many dry runs as they unpacked the various products still coming in, they were almost ready. The back room was organized and now full of shelves and stock, the board still hung over the wall connecting her to the house next door but a bank of shelves covered the board too now. The other backroom contained her small office and was pleasant and inviting. Her bathrooms were next to this office and were unisex, but there were two of them and they were equipped for baby changing stations in both of them. They had a modern ‘washer’ in both of them that ‘rinsed’ the stalls down nightly and it drained out the bottom of the floor so that employees only had to mop down the floor once in a while but the bathrooms always smelled fresh and clean.

  * * * * *

  Amy stood at the windows of the darkened store, enjoying the quiet. All the employees were gone, she was alone except for Toby who had lain down on the floor with a sigh, he was ready to go any time she was. With the lights off in the store she could look out at the lake. All the boats were gone from the docks and even the anchorage in the bay itself. Instead the ice flowed out as far as the eye could see. Some of it was perfectly flat but other parts reminded her of a glacier. The hues of the various whites to blues was breathtaking and when the sun hit it, it was mind-blowing. She’d never seen something so pure and beautiful and dangerous. She’d not been brave enough to take her ATV out on the ice and except for crossing creeks; she stayed away from water as a rule. Those who bravely went across the little ponds or lakes much less ‘the lake’ itself she worried about, what if they went in? The cold water could kill! Still, it was beautiful and she admired it. She was amazed that it all wasn’t perfectly flat, but Abby had explained that Lake Michigan was a large inland body of water. An inland sea actually and the tides and waves meant that the ice would expand, contract, and be piled up by the winds. It was beautiful and it was dangerous if you turned your back to it or were foolish.

  Amy smiled as she turned around and examined her old time country store, The Emporium was exactly as she had dreamed it and she looked forward to the opening. She checked that the doors were all locked, one last time, grabbed her purse which seconded as a briefcase and grabbed Toby’s lead. He was there in a heartbeat, ready to go, eager to please. She smiled down at the dog and snapped his leash on, heading for the front door so she could go home.

  * * * * *

  The day of the grand opening finally loomed. There had been some question of it as it snowed for days and temperatures plunged to well below zero. People were surprised at this time of year that it was this cold and Amy ordered extra hot chocolate in many different flavors for the derby in anticipation of lots of customers. She even had a couple of employees taking shifts in a booth down on the lake in a pop up tent giving out free samples of cappuccino sized hot chocolate and salt water taffy to people from ‘The Emporium.’

  Amy gleefully pulled down the paper from the covered windows, letting in sunshine that hadn’t been seen in months as the store was remodeled. Looking through the windows they could see all the merchandise hanging in the windows boxes as well as all the neon, the lava lamps, and the polished chrome and brass. It all intrigued and invited the viewer inside the store. The bell on the door began to ring early on that Thursday as the racers came into town and the townies and tourists began to swell the stands on the edge of the lake and on the lake itself where the derby would be held. Her employees were all neatly dressed in their outfits that Amy had ordered for them, taking pride in their clean and professional appearance. She wiped at an imaginary fingerprint on some of the glass displays showing off the candy and looked into the ice cream bins and hoped they had enough for the big weekend. Despite the cold, the ice cream should sell well and they had plenty down stairs in the deep freeze.

  Curious townies began to come in early and look around. Amy had warned everyone not to stare at the customers, as it was their first day open and while everyone knew their jobs from her excellent training, they were all anxious to help and serve. She knew the feeling herself as she watched people coming in and looking over what she had done to the store and what she offered. She heard exclamations of delight and took pride in the selections offered. She was pleased to see her choice of employees was panning out too as they efficiently began to wait on people as needed. She walked around and helped where she could, but she didn’t hover. As the day went on she relieved employees to give them their well-deserved breaks as others came in for their shifts. They removed their outer clothes in the backroom and signed in on a computer before starting right to work, feeling the same awe that the other newbies had on this first day.

  Today was going to be an extra-long day, they had opened at eight and would be open until ten tonight as the derby drew in people from all over and they would want something to do in the small town. Some families didn’t spend their time in the bars and The Emporium would be a good alternative. It was about six o’clock when she saw one of her ‘car hops’ as she was calling the waiters and waitresses taking an order for Abby and her family. Bonnie was with them and she had a pleasant smile on her face for a change instead of the bitter one she normally wore. The kids looked thrilled and pleased as they looked around. The bubbles in the juke box and along some of the neon seemed to fascinate them and then of course the banks of lava lamps, all of which were lit and bubbling after the long day looking terrific. She went over to say hello.

  “Enjoying yourself?” Amy asked as she looked over the family.

  “This is really something Amy,” Bonnie said appreciatively and Amy was surprised, Bonnie rarely had something positive to say about anything. “Reminds me of something I grew up with!”

  Amy smiled and thanked her and then glanced at the kids. “What do you guys think?”

  “Wow,” Heather breathed.

  “It’s okay,” Bailey shrugged dismissively and Abby poked him. He grinned and then said, “It’s awesome.”

  Abby smiled at the boy as she put her arm around him to give him a one armed hug. He blushed becomingly. “Really Amy, you put a lot of work into this place, it’s fantastic!”

  “I’m so glad to hear you say that,” Amy drawled graciously. “Everyone has been so kind today.”

  “I’m sure you will have a lot of repeat customers tomorrow as well as all the newcomers,” Abby assured her.

  “Well word of mouth is the best advertisin’ so I hope you enjoy your meal.” Amy didn’t want to impose further.

  “Where is Toby?” Heather asked anxiously, looking around.

  “He is sleepin’ in the back, but after your dinner if you want to see him and it’s okay with your mom and grandmother, you may come back and see him. He’d love to see you I’m sure,” she looked warmly at Bailey to include him in the invitation.

  Heather nodded enthusiastically as Amy made her goodbyes and went on to greet other townies who had come to The Emporium to check it out. She received so many compliments on her hard work that she was flying high.

  As she closed the doors firmly after ten and ushered out the last few stragglers she thanked them for coming as she locked the doors behind them. The last two employees that came in from the lake where they had been handing out the hot chocolate from the clever dispensers strapped to their backs, which not only kept the chocolate warm but them as well, came in to wash the dispensers out for tomorrow. “Was it a success?” she asked them as they chatted with the others. There had been three shifts dispensing the chocolate and candy pieces. They had gone through a lot of both, but it was good advertising
for the store.

  “People loved it and a few cheated,” the teens reported.

  She laughed, she knew some people when presented with ‘free’ took advantage, but most people were decent. She was certain she had more than made up for the freebies with what the store took in today. She watched as each ‘department’ cleaned up their area and some who finished their area early helped elsewhere. Everyone was scheduled through half past ten so that the store was ready for the next day. Normally the store wouldn’t be open this long or this late, but with the derby going on they would take advantage of the extra people in town to make some money.

  One of the employees pulled the ‘shades’ on each of the windows. Another employee counted down his till from the antique looking registers that were computer operated and verified it off the computer read out. Each employee was responsible for his own till and Amy had already done some of the preliminary totals. The day had been extraordinary and already very profitable. The whole weekend should be that way and she looked forward to making her deposit at the bank on her way out of town; she already had a bank bag with lock waiting for the last of the tills. She recounted each of the tills with the employees to verify and then they were let out of the store one by one. She counted out the bills she would keep on hand for change in the coming days and then made her deposit. The credit cards, the various slips, and she was done for the day. Toby was very tired, but she was grateful how well behaved the pup had been. He hadn’t been allowed into the store today, but Heather and Bailey took him for a walk, well supplied with bags to pick up any of his droppings. Amy was grateful as she had been too busy. It was well after eleven before she was done. She zipped the bank bag closed and stored it well under her clothing. She closed the safe for tomorrow and set the timer. She looked around the store one more time and checked all the doors a second time as well as the cage panel, her employees had been thorough. The lights were off all over the store, it was strangely quiet without the juke box going. The neon was all out, the wax in the lava lights settled to the bottom of each of the globes. She smiled as she walked towards the shaded front doors and looking out saw no one lurking about. She took Toby’s leash and her car keys and headed outside after setting the alarm and locking the door behind her. She looked out at the night, the sky was so black, the moon so full. She could hear and see people walking around town, quickly from bar to bar or back to one of the many bed and breakfasts.

  “Walk you to your car ma’am?” Abby’s voice came from her house.

  Amy jumped, startled. She had been so lost in her thoughts and laughed at herself. She had been more concerned about tourists than her friendly neighborhood cop.

  “You okay?” Abby asked concerned as she walked up and tried to fend off an exuberant Toby.

  Amy nodded. “I’m tired, pleasantly tired,” she said with a smile of greeting.

  They walked companionably along. Amy had her employee’s park in the next block away from the store so that customers could park around the immediate area near the store, her own SUV was no exception, and she was grateful for the company as Abby walked with her in the cold winter night. Their shoes crunched on the icy snow and their breath froze in the air as they exhaled.

  “Was it a good day?” Abby asked, but she already knew. She couldn’t help but see the crowds in and out of the store next door to her home. The little sips of hot chocolate and candy had garnered more ‘friends’ to the little southern belle than she knew. Not just among the tourists either. Her store had been mobbed and for good reason, it was an excellent location, its novelty was appreciated, and the food was good. Everyone said so. The only complaint she had heard was that it was too busy, but that would settle down in time. This weekend was an exception due to the influx of tourists. She wondered how summer would fare.

  “It was terrific,” Amy said without gushing. She ached in her whole body and knew she would sleep well tonight.

  A cat darted out between two parked cars and zoomed for the fence around the sheriff’s yard as they turned the corner and headed for Amy’s SUV. Toby lunged, but was pulled up short by Amy who had seen the cat before the pup.

  “Dang cat,” Abby muttered.

  “You don’t like cats?” Amy asked surprised, she had seen how much Abby liked Toby.

  “Just that one, it is determined to be adopted by my kids,” she said disgustedly.

  “You don’t want a cat?” Amy was now amused at the disgruntlement of the woman.

  “That one seems determined to annoy and irritate me,” Abby complained. “It leaves footprints all over my patrol car and I swear it’s deliberate.”

  Amy laughed as they came up to her SUV and she pushed the remote starter and door opener so she could put Toby in the passenger side. She had a towel on the seat for the lab. He had mastered leaping up into the SUV onto the floor and then the seat; soon he would be able to leap directly to the seat he was growing so fast. Already his gangly limbs were showing signs of filling out a little. “Well I sure could use a cat out at the cabin, I think I have mice,” she informed Abby.

  “Want me to catch Tabby and bring her out?” Abby offered half-heartedly with a charming little grin.

  Amy shook her head. “Don’t you dare, I don’t want your kids hating me for taking their cat!” she teased.

  Abby shook her head as she watched Amy get in the cold vehicle and looking carefully pull away with a friendly wave. She watched her drive down the street and head for the bank branch. She had guessed she would go straight there. She had been busy tonight and would want that cash put into the bank as soon as possible. Abby watched as she parked, left the SUV and locked it with her remote, but left it running. She pulled the deposit drawer and pulled something from under her clothes and quickly put it in the drawer checking twice that it went in before she hurried back to her vehicle. Abby laughed, but it really wasn’t funny as she looked around. One of her deputies had patrol tonight and as she shivered in her own parka she made a mental note to walk Amy to her vehicle every night when she worked this late and had a deposit. She didn’t even think of it as favoritism or anything more, merely being a good officer and a friend.

  * * * * *

  Amy took her well-deserved day off on Tuesday. She was exhausted. The store, located near the waterfront as it was, was a hit to tourists and locals alike. She couldn’t believe the amounts of food and merchandise she had gone through over the weekend alone. Monday she had placed some rather large purchase orders with her various venders. She could fill the stock room as well as some extra space she had in the basement when it arrived, but she anticipated going through it all quickly enough as time went on. It wasn’t every weekend that there was a derby full of snowmobilers and their families coming into town, but Door County was a tourist destination and she had advertised heavily in newspapers, magazines, and circulars that attracted tourists to this area for future events and vacations.

  Abby was sitting around doing absolutely nothing. Her household chores, except for the laundry, were finished early and she was petting Toby and relaxing on the couch when a hesitant shuffle on the porch led to a knock on the front door. Toby, as the self-appointed guard dog, went off like a firecracker. “Shush,” Abby told him as she got up to answer the door.

  “Well Bailey! What a surprise!” Abby said as she welcomed the pre-teen into her house. “Get in here, it’s cold out there. Did you walk from town?” she asked as she looked out for the patrol car they normally drove in and saw nothing.

  “Ohh, it’s colder than I thought it would be when I set out!” he said as he stamped off the snow from his boots on the carpet put there for that very reason.

  “I imagine so, what are you doing out here?” she asked in surprise. She helped him unwrap himself from the outdoor clothes he was wearing in layers. She was even more surprised when a cat dropped out of them.

  “Ooops,” he said as he lunged for the startled cat, who upon seeing Toby spat at the surprised pup.

  Amy grabbed at Toby,
who lunged after the cat, who shot towards the doorway to the bedroom with Bailey in pursuit. “Let it go,” she advised as she had her hands full with the excited pup.

  Bailey looked up guiltily from where he had tracked snow across her pristine floor toward the doorway.

  “Take those off,” Amy directed him, pointing to his boots and the carpet by the front door. “There is a mop in the kitchen behind the door.” She wrestled Toby back toward the couch and held onto the eager pup who was straining and was trying to keep an eye on the doorway in hopes of seeing the now absent cat. She watched Bailey pull off the snow boots which still had plenty of slush and gunk on them and put them carefully on the front hall carpet. Then in stocking feet he went to find the mop and cleaned up the mess he had made. “So, what do I owe the pleasure of your company here, and why do I now have a cat in my house?” she asked conversationally. She could see him instantly squirm.

  “My mom was going to get rid of that cat, take him to the shelter and she said you needed a cat so I thought I’d bring it and talk to you about it before she could…” he began, all in one breath. He quickly finished mopping up and then looked at the mop as though not knowing what to do with it.

  “Put it in the sink,” Amy advised as she looked at him thoughtfully.

  He headed to the kitchen and then he reluctantly joined her on the couch looking back at the doorway, as though the cat would reappear.

  “It’s not going to show up with Toby around, and it’s probably scared,” Amy informed him as she could see his interest in finding the cat.

  “I’m sorry,” he began.

  “What am I going to do with a cat?” Amy wondered aloud and the boy looked up hopefully.