There’s a lull in the conversation as she pays, and we accept our paper bags. They’re nondescript, no logo on the side or any fancy branding.
At least Lee stops leering as he checks her out.
“Your work shines,” I say, just to show him there are no hard feelings. “Honestly, I wasn’t expecting to find anything this high quality here. That’s getting rare, even back in New York.”
For a second, his eyes glint.
“Handcrafted will always be king, my friend. Nothing will ever change that. The machines won’t come for ceramics for a while. I hope I’m dead by then if they do.”
Huh?
Margot steps back, flashing me an odd look. She’s as shocked by the sharp edge in his voice as I am.
Every word drips bitterness, and there’s this odd anger in his eyes as he looks back at us.
Then he rakes a hand over his face, smoothing it away like he’s peeling off a mask.
“My apologies,” he says with an embarrassed chuckle. “I’ve been reading about a lot of AI platforms replacing artists lately. It’s just sad. Remember when we always heard technology would take on the hard work and free our creativity? Now we’re living the opposite, more with every passing day.”
“Unfortunately. Hate that shit,” I agree, feeling a growing knot in my gut.
Lee stares right through me.
Just a little too long for my liking.
Then again, aren’t the best artists usually a little off?
Margot frowns next to me, staring like she’s trying to decipher coded words that aren’t there.
“Are we ready?” she asks eagerly.
“Yeah, let’s go,” I say.
She doesn’t complain as we usher the kids back through the crowd.
After a quick stop for some fresh apple cider at another stand, we head back to the vehicle, and I deliberately forget about AI and the bullshit it brings.
7
HOME RUN (MARGOT)
Afew days pass and I’m no closer to finding whatever big secret PopPop might’ve left in this house.
That cuts deeper than it should.
It feels like I’m failing him on the last great scavenger hunt he’ll ever leave behind.
I imagine his ghost in the corner, shaking his head, his white hair waving as he smiles sadly and whispers,“Try harder, little May.”
Try.
That’s all we’ve been doing.
Oh, sure, the metal detector and thermal scanner did confirm there’s nothing unusual tucked behind any walls or floors. And the kids have been having a grand old time playing with them when we’re not using them.
Sophie took off with the metal detector the second we were done, with Dan close behind her.
They’re convinced they’ll find some lost Viking gold along the lakeshore.
