NICOLE
The last few days had flown by and the best part of her days had been the text exchange she’d been having with Sean. Light, flirty fun texts, nothing serious, no drama. She loved the lack of drama most of all. She’d be happy to stay in this anticipatory zone forever. But today was the day, and even though she was closer to forty than fourteen, she felt like a teenager going out with a boy she’d had a crush on. She didn’t mind it. It felt good, this feeling of a new beginning.
Nicole looked in the mirror and smiled at the light in her eyes. She put on lip gloss in the hopes that perhaps Sean would kiss it off later. She did a little shimmy dance and walked over to her turntable to put on an old record. “Who even am I?” she said out loud. “Here I am packing a freaking picnic basket to go on a lunch date. Life is wild!” She pulled out Swiss and cheddar cheese, as well as ham and turkey deli meat and placed themon the counter. She opened the twelve-grain bread she’d bought yesterday and began making a couple of sandwiches.
When she’d told Devin about her picnic date, Devin had offered up her picnic basket. It was embossed with her and Ben’s initials. She said they’d gotten it as a wedding present, and it had been sitting in their basement since before the twins were born because they weren’t picnic people. Nicole figured today she’d discover if she and Sean were picnic people.
Her phone buzzed with a text notification. It was Devin.
DEV: Do you have a few minutes? I need to vent? Call me?
Nicole turned off her record player and put in her headphones to call Devin.
“Hi Dev, what’s up?”
“Thanks for calling me, Nic. I’ve got to vent to someone, or my head might explode, and Ben is en route to Wichita again. I’m in the car driving so I’ve got you on speakerphone, but no one is in the car with me.”
“Thanks. You know how I hate being on speakerphone. Sean isn’t picking me up for another twenty minutes, so vent away.”
“Am I bothering you while you’re trying to get ready?”
“Not at all. I’ve been ready since like nine a.m.”
“Hon, I’m so happy for you!”
“It’s just a lunch date.”
“Yes, but this is huge for you.”
Nicole blushed. “I’m trying. Now vent away.”
“It’s that damn Oktoberfest. Not only are residents complaining, now the guys in public works are blowing a gasket. There have already been more complaints so far this year than all of last year, and we still have weeks to go."
“As far as the residents go, could it be that one person is making most of the calls? Do we have an old crank that doesn’t want anyone to have any fun?”
“Sadly, no, they aren’t repeat complainers, and even worse, the police have arrested five people so far for drunk and disorderly conduct! This has never happened before. I’ve even got Midwest Metra complaining about people acting up on the train. I don’t know what’s going on.”
“I had no clue! Do you have any idea why this is happening?”
"No, I’m not sure why this year is out of hand, but this can’t continue. I know the business community enjoys the bump Oktoberfest gives them, but this town can’t afford the disruption or the cost of increased policing and OT for public works. We are out of funds and I’m out of patience. The peace and safety of Marley Creek residents is my main concern."
“What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know yet. The town council meets next Tuesday. We’ll be looking at existing ordinances and considering a new ordinance that would make it illegal to have a large-scale event for more than two days without unanimous approval of the town council.”
“Wow, that would have a huge impact on the small businesses like Zaina’s and Sean’s."
“I hear you, but they would still have the Mistletoe Market and the summer tourists. I mean this is only the third year for Oktoberfest. It’s not like it’s an institution like our marathon, and if it is causing major disruption to our town, it’s my job to look out for the citizens even if that causes some short-term distress to our business community.”
“No, no, I get it. I understand where you are coming from. Your job is to keep our town safe. If Oktoberfest is a problem, then you’ve got to look at shutting it down.”
“Thanks for being my sounding board. I appreciate you.”
“Anytime Dev, that’s what we do for each other. I don’t want to imagine a world where I don’t have you and Zaina to talk me out of my worst mistakes.”
“Same. Okay, I’ll let you go. Have fun on your date with your man!”
“He’s not my man…yet.” Nicole smiled a sly smile.
