Future. She was a barren woman who’s only future would be Alicia’s kids sneaking her shots of forty three in between bed checks at the nursing home—if Alicia ever had kids. Now, as she looked up into Austin’s warm dark eyes, she saw something different. A future on a porch in the summer with Austin by her side. Was that what he saw? Was he looking that far? Or was he seeing something she couldn’t give him?
* * * *
Merryn noticed the increase of locals around the eleven o’clock hour. It was a sad reminder of the life she’d tried to escape, although on a smaller scale. She knew how to handle the attention; it was Austin that grew increasingly annoyed by it. The discussion on his scent trail from the farm had been discussed, so she no longer had to bake cookies to combat the pig smell.
Three of her back tables were pushed together for the local book club as they discussed Lily from the library’s latest selection. They, at least, were a staple who came in the third Thursday every month. Beatrice was refilling their coffee cups when the bells went off at ten thirty, a bit early for the second wave, even for Darryl’s return from the post office.
A loud flurry came with the bells as four people smelling of expensive perfume and cologne poured into the bakery.
“Oh. My. God. This place is a. dora. bil.” Breaking the word down by syllables with dramatic flair was a woman with platinum blonde hair blinding Merryn as she practically glued herself to the display case. By the looks of her, it may be the first bit of food she’d seen in a decade.
All of them were dressed to explore the arctic with layers and thick downy coats.
“I can’t even get three g,” a man said while holding his phone up in the air.
The others, another man and woman, took over the front table by the window.
“If I lived here, I’d be ten thousand pounds,” the blonde stick figure cawed.
Beatrice covered her mouth to smother a laugh as she refilled the coffee machine.
“Do you have Wi-Fi?” the man in skinny jeans and a parka barked.
“The code is on the chalkboard,” Merryn said pointing to the daily special board by the register.
The man lowered his black rimmed glasses and typed in the code on his laptop.
“Can I get you something to eat or drink?”
“Do you have soy milk?” the man called.
Merryn gritted her teeth. She wasn’t used to the rudeness. “Yes.”
Darryl returned with his mail tucked under his arm and eyed the aliens taking over the table he liked. With a window on the world, he could keep up with all the comings and goings of the downtown area. It was one block, but the post office, city hall and the bank were all in view from that window. “I’ll take a coffee, tuna on rye and two macaroons,” he grumbled.
He barely finished when the man hollered his next question, “What kind of coffee do you have?”
“Excuse me son,” Darryl said as he waited patiently for Bea to make his sandwich. “Why are you hollering across the room like you’re in the middle of a food auction? If you want to order come up here and talk to the woman.”
The man tapped the woman who just released her hair from her knit winter hat and natural red hair cascaded down her back.
When she turned her head, Merryn caught her breath. Her porcelain skin glowed from across the room.
They both got up and came to the register to place their order. The woman stared at Merryn as they figured out what they could eat and still be within the strict guidelines of some new fad diet.
Merryn tried to keep her head down and turned away as the woman stared on.
“For being out in the sticks you have some progressive items,” the man said as he reviewed the selection. “Seriously, I thought a bakery here would have everything deep fried and slathered in a sugary glaze.”
Merryn bit back her disdain. Once again, she felt a sense of protectiveness for her little oasis.
“Why did that tow truck guy drag us to the middle of nowhere?” the second man asked as he decided he needed sustenance too.
“This is Iowa,” the first man said, then looked at Merryn. “We are in Iowa right?”
“For another forty miles, yes, you are,” she said as she crossed her arms thinking she’d like to hook them to Aaron’s truck and tow them across the border.
“Exactly,” the man continued as he turned to the first. “There isn’t a place that’s not sticks.”
“Why did Bernie make us come here? I swear this has to be a prank. It’s not like there’s something special here. We could have easily recreated this in Northern California without skipping a beat.”
Bernie. Shit. Merryn’s suspicions were right. The girl who wouldn’t take her eyes off of Merryn had to be Bernie Meyer’s daughter, Afton. The shock of red hair was a give away. Her mother was famed stage and screen actress, Ruth Collins. Shit. Shit. Shit. Bernie believed in immersing his production crew and actresses in the real environment. She’d gotten to fly to Mumbai with Erik when they were dating for a fact finding mission.
“That’s it,” the blonde exclaimed so loud a few of the patrons in the bakery fumbled with their cups of coffee. “I can’t take it anymore! I don’t care if I have to starve myself for a week, I have to have that strawberry thingy.”
Merryn walked to the front display case and looked down at the strawberry cheesecake. The poor woman may die from sugar shock. Merryn grabbed a saucer and served up the cheesecake with a sprig of mint then drizzled it with a bit of strawberry sauce.
“I do know you,” Afton said and Merryn almost dropped the saucer. “Erik screwed you in the divorce.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Merryn’s hand shook while passing the saucer to the blonde.
“Wow, you leave Cali and people totally forget you, in like five seconds,” Afton continued as she smacked the first guy. “Remember, that release party in Malibu—shit, what was that, four or five years ago?”
Everyone, especially Darryl, were tuned in to the boisterous red head.
The bells jingled and Austin strode in to see the gaggle of unknowns at the counter.
“It was for that one book movie.” Afton snapped her fingers over and over as she tried to remember the party that took over Kendrick James’ house. “About water, fuck me it’s right on the tip of my tongue.”
The patrons were visibly shaken by the vulgar language. This was the Triple B, not Buddy’s Bar. The bell rung again, and the usual gawkers were making the room smaller and smaller. Jenny smiled as she looked up at Austin, then to Merryn before noticing the newbies.
“I didn’t realize you got excommunicated after the divorce, Merryn.” Afton gave a mournful look to Merryn.
“Afton,” Merryn conceded defeat at that point.
“Fucking Iowa, damn he banished you to fly over land!”
“Erik didn’t banish me.” Merryn sighed and tried to avoid the stares from everyone.
“Why are you in the middle of bum fuck Egypt? You used to throw the best damn parties on the west coast. You could have been a party planner or something.”
“I needed a change of scenery.”
“You got it,” the first man groaned. “Seriously, you know how to make a chai tea with soy milk like at LaBrassa Del Rio.”
“Yes, is there anything else you want?” Merryn asked and they each finally gave Merryn their orders. She held her hand up to Austin. He was early anyway, he could wait. “Jenny I’ve got your order in the back.” Merryn was happy to escape the front as Jenny followed her into the kitchen.
“Where do I know those people from?” Jenny asked as Merryn stacked up the two boxes full of buns on the counter. “I swear I know them.”
“I doubt you know them, but I’m sure you’ve seen them before.”
“Where?”
“The redhead has been in a few movies, Afton Meyer.”
“Holy crap she was in Nightingale.”
“Yeah, I think so, she’s a director’s kid.”
&nb
sp; “You know movie stars?” Jenny squealed. “I knew you were from California, but I never assumed.”
“It’s not as glamorous as it seems.”
“What actors do you know? Hot ones? Do you know Terrence Hart? I wanna lick every part of him.”
“I’ve met him on occasion.”
“And you came here?”
“Yeah,” Merryn said with a nod.
“That divorce must have been nasty.”
“Not really.” Merryn decided she needed to change the subject and fast. “Hey, Jenny, I need your opinion on something.”
“Sure,” she said hopping on the prep table.
“If I started making pizzas, do you think Buddy would flip?” Merryn asked.
Jenny’s head lolled to the side and her face screwed up a bit.
“I know he’s just getting over the sandwich thing, I’d rather not have another three years of fighting.”
“I wouldn’t say he’s over it as much as he’s basking in a nice balance sheet, thanks the switch to pretzel rolls. By the way, have you figured out the next big thing when the newness wears off?”
Merryn dropped her head in her hands and groaned.
“You’re dating or at least sleeping with Buddy’s cousin, why don’t you have him propose the new menu item.”
“Buddy doesn’t even serve pizzas,” Merryn justified. “Does he? I’ve been afraid to go in there—wait, Austin’s his cousin?”
“You didn’t know?” Jenny laughed. “And pizza’s a loose term for it, let’s just say it’s one step up from frozen.”
“I forget that everyone’s related to everyone else in a small town.”
“If they’re second generation usually, and Larsen’s are like four or five.”
“He never told me, this was one of those things I was just supposed to know.”
“Guess so,” Jenny said as she leapt from the table and grabbed the two boxes. “You know I could try to smooth it over with Buddy too, if you invited me over for a sample of the pizza and to dish about Hollywood.”
“You could do that anyway.”
“Sweet.” She winked at Austin as she passed by.
He leaned on his forearm against the larger display case with a smirk on his lips. Bending down, he was just about to give Merryn a peck on the crown of her head when a screech had pushed her too far.
“Can you believe they have me listed with an unknown guy?” the blonde bellowed. “Unknown?” She flipped her pink Hello Kitty laptop toward her friends and pointed to the screen. “That’s Remington Grant. Clear as day. The patz knew that. Why would they say unknown?”
“Maybe his PR guy stopped his name from being linked with yours,” one of the guys said absently while looking out the window. “I wonder how many suicides they have annually in this town?”
“It took my PR guy six weeks to set this up,” she growled. “I had to listen to him drone on about climate change and not smoke for four hours. Screw this, next time I’m going out with Garreth Bently. Sure, I’ll have to go down on him, but at least his name will be printed next to mine.”
“Aren’t you trying out for an animated movie?” Afton asked. “Garreth wouldn’t help you.”
“I mean we’ve been here for thirty minutes and three cars drove by.” The man sighed, still staring out of the window. “This is the downtown, isn’t it?”
“There were like six blocks in this town,” the man with the glasses said before taking a drink of tea. “Thank God, someone from Cali lives here. I bet they didn’t know what Chai was before she got here.”
“Neither did muff diving with the senior VP at the studio. Fucking slut. I swear that woman took an hour to cum.”
“You need me to show you the right way to eat out a woman?” the man with the black rimmed glasses asked. “If you waste that much time, no woman will give you a part.”
Merryn was done. Her face was flush from the language as she looked at her normal customers. Going behind the counter, she flipped off her modem and waited for the melt down.
Austin stared at her a bit confused as she sliced two pieces off her honey wheat loaf.
Afton spoke for the group. “Merryn, the Wi-Fi isn’t working?”
“It isn’t?” Merryn feigned concern. “It’s sketchy here. Especially in the winter. You know the library is just down the block and their Wi-Fi never breaks down. They even have dial up as a back up.”
“Dial up?” dark glasses coughed on his Chai tea made by the Iowa native Beatrice.
“We’ll have to go there,” the other man said as he once again, held his phone in the air. “Two words. Three G.”
“It’s just a back up. Sorry, when it goes down, I just have to cross my fingers it’ll come back on.” She scooped out the egg salad and continued to make the sandwich for Harriet.
The stranded researchers packed up their electronics and headed down the street. Afton snapped up one of Merryn’s cards before leaving.
An uneasy feeling trickled through Merryn’s body. “I should probably warn Lily.”
“Please.” Austin laughed. “For the first time in thirty years, I want to check out a book.”
“You’re horrible.”
“You’re the one who wanted me to talk about something other than my lunch order.”
Merryn brought her hand on his cheek before placing a kiss on his lips.
The bells jingled.
“Oh my,” Afton said with a face as red as her hair. “I see there are distractions here.”
Merryn dropped her head, knowing the gossip mill in Hollywood could only be rivaled by Darryl who was drumming his fingers on his table. She wasn’t sure who wanted the scoop more, Darryl, Jenny or Afton.
“I can’t find my scarf, here it is,” she said as she held up the item that had fallen on the wood floor. “It was great to see you again, Merryn. I’m happy you didn’t let the break up destroy you.”
If Afton wasn’t twenty-two, Merryn would have considered slapping the ignorance out of her mouth. What was the point? She’d dish either way to those who remembered Merryn.
“Do I want to know?” Austin asked after Afton left.
Merryn shook her head. “We do need to talk about something.” She crossed her arms and leaned her hip on the counter.
“And that is?”
“Your cousin and pizza.”
Chapter Eight
For months, Austin had been in a haze. Had he been this happy when he’d been with Rae? He couldn’t remember that far back. The beginning was in high school when the main goal was getting laid, not setting up house. With Merryn, he was considering that. Thinking about how they could somehow come together and be a family.
Every Tuesday for the past month, Harlan who replaced Chuck, from Zackary Pork would come out and meet with Austin. As he finished his morning chores, he heard the truck pull up knowing full well when he left the climate controlled building where he housed a fourth of his pigs, he’d be face to face with a white truck.
“Hey Austin,” Harlan called.
Hank shook his head as he walked next to Austin. “Any chance he’s going to stop coming by?” Hank asked as he spit to the side.
“Rapists don’t like it when you say no,” Austin kidded back right as they approached Harlan.
“Hey Austin, Hank,” he said shaking both men’s hands before settling back on his heels and clutching the box clip board he kept at the ready. Inside the aluminum case were contracts as if Austin would magically decide to sign away the farm.
He couldn’t understand how a man would dress in a white pressed button down shirt and jeans. As if a pair of work boots and jeans could nullify a shirt no working man would put on. “It’s good to see you guys again.”
“I hear absence makes the heart grow fonder,” Hank said. “Any chance we can look into that option?”
“How’s your spring breeding going?” Harlan asked Austin ignoring Hank’s grumbles.
“You know how it goes, play a little Marvin Gaye,
turn the lights down low and the boars take care of business.” Austin thought he’d easily have three hundred pigs in a few weeks. Merryn had said she would come out and make sure the guys had food until the last pig was born. She just wanted to see the spring animals and he had to agree they were cute until you’re stuck with three hundred of them. Part of him was looking forward to her first experience watching an animal be born. It was an experience he thought all people should have at one time or another in their life.
“You know we’d have to up our offer if you had a quiet a few healthy ones.” Harlan stroked his chin then looked at a clipboard he had in his other hand. “Although Kendrick outside of Clinton, seems to have the same plan.”
“I’m just a dumb pig farmer,” Austin said. “Not really some one who schemes or gambles with animals in hopes of a payday.” With that, Austin hoped the business was settled, at least for today. He headed toward the house in hopes of a good meal or at least an escape from the talk of business. He couldn’t deal with it right now.
Laurie had told him his mother had another bout of pneumonia. Since she had twenty-four hour care, they were able to give the intravenous drugs necessary, so she could avoid going to the hospital. Now more than ever, he was torn between his duties of being a son, versus the need to keep his farm going. Selling to Zackary would be an easy choice. One made under duress, but still easy.
If Harlan knew of Austin mother’s failing health, he could push that button. Flip the switch.
It was this time in his life when he wished he had a good relationship with his brother. He could pass this crap on to him, but as with everything else, all responsibility would be laid at his feet.
“Every farmer gambles with crops or livestock. If they don’t think they do, they’re fools.” Harlan took after Austin. “There are a thousand ways to fail at farming.”
Hank turned to glare at him.
“The farm is profitable,” Austin said turning to Harlan. “It’s over a million dollar a year production over there. Worked by a handful of men, better than any factory of illegal workers.”
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