by Sarah Peis
I was a shitty shit friend who didn’t deserve to be at her birthday party. And if she found out what I’d done, she would kick me to the curb herself. Probably put some tar and feathers over me too.
I took a deep breath for my grand finale. “I’m running a marathon the same day and can’t cancel.”
“You don’t jog. Ever.”
“Yes I do. You’re still asleep when I do my workouts in the morning.”
“I’ve seen you run once, and you looked like a rhinoceros who forgot how to breathe. Then you went red and passed out.”
Guess she had a point. I didn’t go jogging. Or any form of cardio. I was more of a yoga and Pilates gal. At least I was the one time a year I exercised. Usually at the beginning of January to make sure I ticked off at least one item on my list of things I wanted to achieve that year. The list was in my head and changed depending on my mood, but it usually included some form of exercise.
“And as I told you then and am telling you now, I’m a motherfucking gazelle when I run.” I pumped the air and nodded to myself. It was all about positive reinforcements. “And I’ve taken up running. I can’t miss the marathon. I’ve trained for it.”
“Show me your enrollment confirmation.”
“What? Does this mean you don’t trust me? Your friend?”
“That’s exactly what it means. Now either email me the confirmation or show up for my birthday party.”
“But I—”
“Nope.”
“But wha—”
“Confirmation or party.”
“And if—”
“I’m hanging up now. See you tonight for pizza and beer.”
“Fine. Just don’t forget the garlic bread again,” I huffed and ended the call. It was Anna’s turn to organize dinner. We each cooked dinner for everyone once a week, a system that worked out well.
I went to my room to get my laptop and navigated my way to the search engine. There had to be a marathon I could sign up for. And wouldn’t you know it, there was one on the right date. Sugarloaf Marathon in Carrabassett Valley. No idea where that was, but I had no intention of going. I just needed the confirmation email. I filled in all the required information, paid the fee, and a few minutes later, the registration form was complete and I sent it off.
When the confirmation email hit my inbox a few minutes later, I forwarded it on to Anna. I hoped she didn’t look at it too closely, because it showed the time and date I received the confirmation. But I guess I could always claim I forgot to sign up for it and only remembered when I talked to her about it.
Lancelot came sauntering into my room and jumped on my bed. He was a giant among cats and hated to go outside, spending his time watching TV or sleeping. He also didn’t hold a grudge, something unheard of with cats, and seemed to have already forgiven me for my minor lie.
I heard the bang of the front door and went to the living room, hoping it was Sunshine. She always gave me brilliant advice. Her parents moved to Humptulips when she was ten, and once we realized how much we had in common—namely parents who embraced the weird and wonderful wholeheartedly—we became inseparable. We both escaped as soon as we turned eighteen, leaving our parents’ pot and patchouli cloud in the rearview mirror.
We both loved our families and had a great childhood but never felt like we fit in. I lived with Stella for a little while when she got away from her controlling mother, but she eventually folded and moved back home, leaving me with an apartment I couldn’t afford on my own. When Sunshine told me about the spare room in the house she lived in, I jumped at the chance to live with her.
We visited our parents every week, enjoying the tranquility of the country, knowing at the end of the day we could go home to our own beds. My parents never gave me any rules growing up, and I couldn’t remember a time they ever raised their voices at me. You would think a teenager who hadn’t ever been told the word no would take full advantage. I guess rebellion lost its appeal when there was nothing to rebel against.
The worst I ever did was get blind drunk and toilet-paper my archenemy’s front yard. Well, really her parents’ front yard, but I didn’t care. She had it coming. And I should have done much worse since she slept with my now ex-fiancé a few years later. If only I’d known back then what my stupid naivete would get me.
I came to a sliding stop when I banged into a chair, thanking the polished floorboards for my loud entry. Lincoln was getting a glass from one of the cabinets and looked over when he heard me.
“Maisie, what are you doing home? I thought you had some stuff to do at the shop?”
I only said that to him because I didn’t want to say Oliver had messaged me and I would meet him. Lincoln got funny whenever I mentioned Oliver. And I really was planning on getting some work done today.
“I had to get some admin stuff done, and the internet in the shop isn’t set up yet.” At least that wasn’t a lie. Any paperwork that required the internet had to be done at the house even though I had an office at my shop. Everything was ready except the internet, which wasn’t cooperating. I had three different people go out there to look at the router, but so far no luck.
He raised his brows at me. “And you didn’t think to ask your nerdy roommate to do it for you? You remember what I do for a living, right?”
He was an IT genius and more than generous with his time and skills. Everyone in the house had the latest technology and the fastest internet a small town like Humptulips could provide.
After graduating from Winchester University, I realized the only way I could stay in Humptulips and still work in fashion was if I opened my own clothing store. The bulk of my work would come from online orders, because let’s face it, the people of Humptulips weren’t in need of a lot of fancy clothes they had no occasion to wear. But there was only one other clothing store in town, and I liked to call its inventory rustic chic. Emphasis on the rustic.
The next mall was a one-hour drive away, which I hoped would work in my favor. I hadn’t told anyone except Lincoln and Sunshine about the shop. I wasn’t sure why, but every time I thought of telling Stella or Willa, my mouth wouldn’t open and say the words.
They were my best friends, and I knew they’d support me, but I was terrified of failing and didn’t want any witnesses if that happened.
I didn’t think I could handle it if they thought it was a crazy idea. Especially since I had no actual experience except for a few internships. I also did business classes in college, but that didn’t mean I knew how to run my own business. But I loved Humptulips and didn’t want to leave. My family was here. My friends lived just down the road, and the small town was where I always saw myself starting my own family.
I might not believe in finding my one epic love anymore, but I did still want a family. And where better to raise kids than in this sleepy town? Nothing ever happened here, unless Willa’s dad went on another bender.
“I didn’t want to ask you for yet another thing. You’ve done so much for me already. I’ll sort it out next week. There’s no rush, and the shop isn’t even open yet,” I said once I made it to the kitchen.
Lincoln huffed and said, “Don’t be stupid. You can ask me for help anytime.”
And I knew I could. He’d come through many times before when I needed him. He always helped, no questions asked. And there had been many times when I needed him to come pick me up from random places or help me out of sticky situations that I got myself into.
Let’s just say I went a little crazy after what I thought was the love of my life cheated on me, and I went from homely housewife to party girl. But those days were firmly behind me, and even though I had a slight setback when hooking up with Oliver, I was back on track to a new and improved me. Well, as of this morning, I was back on track.
“I don’t mind doing it. Doesn’t take long, and you know I enjoy helping whenever I can. I’ll do it tomorrow morning on my way to work. Just leave your key on the bench. That way you don’t have to get up early to let me in,” h
e said.
I’d wondered many times if Lincoln and I would ever have become a couple if I’d met him earlier. He was a good guy. The kind of guy I should hook up with. He would treat me well. But the only guy on my mind at the moment was Oliver, no matter how much I tried to put distance between us.
I knew from the moment we started hooking up that there was an expiration date. I just didn’t know at the time how hard it would be to let him go. Even though I was the one who started letting go multiple times. But this time would stick. I had to step back or risk getting obliterated.
“Thanks, Linc. You know I really appreciate it. Don’t know what I’d do without you.”
Loud footsteps came our way, and then Sunshine’s colorful head appeared in the doorway. She’d colored it blue yesterday, and it was still so bright I did a double take every time I saw it.
“There’s the judgmental bitch,” Sunshine shouted as soon as she walked inside. I was grateful for the interruption, even if I knew I had a lecture coming my way.
“Stop telling me I’m judgmental. I’m trying to work on it. And I like to think of it as constructive feedback.”
Sunshine stopped in the kitchen entry and crossed her arms over her chest. That was never a good sign, and she could deliver a lecture like my grandma when she thought you took the last piece of cake.
Sunshine was only five-four, slim with straight black—currently blue—hair. Her dad was Native American, and she got his fine bone structure, beautiful big eyes, and thick shiny hair. She was also one of the nicest people I knew, unless she thought someone had been wronged. Then it was a nuclear explosion, run-for-your-life situation. And it was usually directed at me, because I spoke my mind and never held back. Something I was working on with varying degrees of success.
“Did you tell Julia that her outfit was hideous?” she asked, daring me to deny it.
There was no use lying about it, but I should still tell her what I said exactly, to make sure she knew why she was yelling at me this time.
“Nope,” I said, “I never said it was hideous.”
“Maisie, no lying to me. You’re better than that.”
I really wasn’t lying, but there was time to get the facts straight and then there was a time where you should just let things go.
“The word hideous never left my lips. Mismatched, blind, glasses—those are definitely some of the words I used. I was just trying to help. She was trying on clothes at Mac’s. It wasn’t too late for her to either drive to the mall or order something online. I saved her from making a gigantic mistake and wasting her money. You should thank me instead of yelling.”
I pulled a face at the thought of anyone shopping at that hideous store. Their clothes were all plastic abominations with flower prints and shoulder pads. This town needed better clothes, and my new shop was going to provide them with the necessary goods.
Sunshine didn’t move, her gaze unrelenting. At least she wasn’t tapping her fingers. You never wanted that to happen while you were in the same room. In all the time I’d known her, it’d only happened to me once. And it scarred me for life.
“It upset her. You really hurt her feelings, Maisie,” she said, her big eyes blinking at me.
No, Sunshine, no. Don’t do it. Don’t get me to empathize. I didn’t like feelings, especially not guilt.
I had done an outstanding job suppressing any emotions since Ray—my ex-fiancé—happened. But sometimes the little suckers slipped out, and it left me to deal with the aftermath. And the pang in my chest told me I was feeling bad for telling Julia what I thought of her outfit. I should have just left her to it when I saw her through the big window. But no, instead I went inside and made a mess. When would I ever learn?
“I’m sorry, okay? I’ll apologize when I see her at the shop owners’ meeting tonight.”
“Bring apple pie.”
“But I didn’t bake any.” And for that many people, I needed to make at least three pies. Which would mean I had to put them in the oven ten minutes ago or they wouldn’t be ready on time.
“Well, get to it, then. Call it your penance. It’s the first step in your ten-step program of how to turn Maisie from a bitter bitch to a happy hoe. Now hurry up. I don’t want to be late and miss out on a seat.”
I sighed and went to the fridge. No use in arguing further; Sunshine always got what she wanted. And if she wanted pie, I’d better start peeling apples.
“And step two in your program will be making us your pancakes every Sunday until I feel you’re ready for the next step,” Sunshine declared and pulled herself up to sit on the counter.
“Fine. Anything else you want me to do for you? Wash your hair? Help you get dressed?” I looked her up and down, making sure she knew how much I disapproved of her outfit. Nobody combined leopard print with stripes. And it would look hideous on anyone other than Sunshine. Whatever. I wasn’t judging her. Nope. At least not out loud.
“That’s it for now.” She pointedly looked at my hands. “And I don’t see any peeling of apples happening. You really need to get a move on if you want to get this done.”
I flipped her off and got started. So much for a quiet afternoon to go through my notes. I was supposed to talk at the meeting tonight, but now I would just have to wing it.
“Order, everyone,” Klaus yelled, banging his gavel on the table. He liked to pretend we were in a courtroom. We let him live out his little fantasy because it worked to get everyone to shut up. The monthly Humptulips shop owners meeting could easily get out of hand, as I learned at my first one last month, so nobody took his gavel away.
“Maisie, you’re up next,” he said and waved a hand to the area next to his desk.
I got up and smoothed out the wrinkles on my baby doll dress. The fabric fell in smooth waves down to just above my knees, and it had little bows on the front to hold it together, showing hints of the lace lining underneath. I made it myself and was planning on adding it to my online store. My breathing was shallow, and I was getting hot. This had to work, or my shop would go under before it ever had a chance.
I stepped up to the front of the room, took a deep breath, and relaxed my clenched hands. Everyone was quiet and looking at me, making my throat close up. But this had to be done, and even though I’d never been a great public speaker, there wasn’t anyone else volunteering, so I had to get it over with.
“Hey, everyone. I’m sure you all know me, but for those of you who don’t, my name is Maisie Slater. I renovated the old pharmacy, and I’m turning it into a fashion boutique.”
A ripple of murmurs went through the room. I knew this might be a point of contention. Humptulips was old-fashioned, and the pharmacy had been there for close to a hundred years. The counter and shelves were all original, the wood worn and cracked in places. It had been empty for as long as I could remember, and kept in its original condition until I came along.
About five months ago I received a phone call, asking me if I wanted to rent it. Investors had bought the pharmacy, and someone must have mentioned my name because they contacted me. I had been unable to find a place for my shop, and the offer was the answer to all my prayers. I signed the rental agreement that same day, and here I was, almost ready to open my own boutique.
I raised my voice a bit to get everyone’s attention back. “But that’s not what I’m here to tell you, because I’m sure you’ve seen the workmen there for the past few months. What’s more important is that an announcement has gone out that Rise Development wants to build a mall just outside of town. They bought the land, and they’re ready to build as soon as they get the permits.”
Loud chatter erupted around me, and people jumped up. The announcement had been public, and they allowed everyone to view the plans. But I knew how these things worked. It was public, but they didn’t advertise it more than the required notice in the local paper and on their website, so hardly anybody knew about it. Half the people in the room didn’t own a computer, and the local paper was a trashy gossip mag t
hat was mostly used to line the cages at the local animal shelter.
“I have a plan,” I yelled to be heard over the increasing noise level.
Everyone ignored me, and I shot a look at Klaus, who was already lifting his gavel. The loud banging got most people to settle down.
“We only have a few weeks to stop the plans from going through. We have to call a special town meeting. We need about 20 percent of residents to sign a petition to call the meeting. I need you to get everyone you know to sign it. I’ll leave the papers at the front, so please take one before you leave.” I waved a paper copy in front of everyone. “The petition is also online, so if you prefer, you can share the link that’s on the back of the paper.”
Myrtle heaved herself out of her chair at the front of the room. “I got dirt on Ben. That’s one vote against the mall.”
“Don’t think we should go down that road,” I said, hoping she wouldn’t try to blackmail a councilman. But with her, you never knew.
Myrtle’s brow creased, and she tilted her head. “They’re building a boat? Why do they need a boat if they build a mall? Anyway, that’s neither here nor there. I had my shop for over thirty years, and I’m not letting some money-hungry developers push me out.”
Myrtle was deaf but refused to wear her hearing aids. She usually missed half of the conversation and made up what she didn’t hear. Sometimes it worked; other times it didn’t. This was one of those other times.
There was more yelling and more gavel banging before everyone settled down again.
I climbed up on a table to make sure everyone paid attention and the rest of the murmurs died down. Luckily it was cold enough that I’d worn black tights under my dress. Didn’t want to induce any heart attacks since we needed everyone on board. “Okay, so here’s the deal. We have to get enough signatures to call for a special town meeting. That’s our biggest obstacle. But once we get the meeting, we can make sure this mall isn’t going ahead.”
“We can’t compete with the money a new mall would bring to the town. How do you think we’ll stop it from getting built?” Christine asked, already sounding defeated. She owned a café next door to my new shop. I hadn’t talked to her much, but she made great coffee and was always nice.