“Again, I’m sorry.”
I gave him a nod and held up the bag before adding it to the groceries. Maybe his friend had the right idea? A bubble bath and a whoopie pie weren’t the worst idea in the world. The thought of me wedged into the tub made me chuckle. Maybe it’d be safest if I enjoyed it on the back porch. Thanks, handsome stranger. The weird still clung to me, but so did the smile. Firefly tried getting its hooks in me, even if it meant using an outsider.
I’d worry about that later. First, my belly craved a tower of French toast.
GLADYS NEVER FORGETS
“I know what you’re trying to do.”
Eyeing the box in the passenger seat, Mum had scribbled “Twice-Told” on the side in Sharpie. Since I arrived, she had gone on a bender, cleaning the house as if she were expecting company. She made a show of her ability to get around despite the boot on her foot. This had been in the back of her closet, ready to donate. She didn’t just want to purge its contents; she wanted me out of the house and mingling with the locals.
Mum had a diabolical streak. In another life, she’d have been an evil genius.
I climbed out of the car and walked around to the passenger side. I had thrown on an old button-down shirt to hide some of the tattoos. It’d be impossible to hide them all, but the last thing I needed was little old ladies running away in fear. I grit my teeth, already feeling the pressure to conform to the small town. Grabbing the box, I kicked the door shut and stared at the glass doors leading into Twice-Told Tales.
“Don’t let them see you sweat,” I mumbled.
Gladys had been a fixture in the town for as long as I could remember. Plenty of times, I had woken up on a Saturday and come downstairs to see her sharing a pot of coffee with Mum.They’d be gossiping about everything from politics to how Mrs. Henry hadn’t mowed her lawn in weeks. She acted as the switchboard for the Firefly rumor mill. Walking through those doors, no matter how carefully I chose my words, I’d be on the front page of the newspaper.
“In and out.”
I pulled at the door, and the bell above jingled, announcing my arrival. For a moment, I thought I might drop the box on the counter and leave without conversation. As I scanned the bureaus and armoires, I couldn’t find Gladys. Perhaps she had climbed into a piece of furniture and gotten trapped?
“Can I help you?”
It took a moment to realize the question had come from a trio of mannequins wearing vintage dresses. I jumped when the middle one stepped forward. She moved through the clutter with purpose, but stopped at a sizable distance between us. As innocent as it appeared, a man with a box, I didn’t fit the norm.
“Dropping off donations.”
“Oh.” She tried to justify the surprise. “Don’t mind me. There have been rumors of a motorcycle gang in town.”
Rumors she most likely started. One tattooed man arrives, and suddenly the town acts as if it were under siege.
Despite the warm weather, she still wore an oversized sweater. When she crossed her arms over her chest, her hands vanished within its folds. If this had been Boston, I might have understood her hesitation. I wanted to ask when the last time Firefly had a crime was. Their version of dangerous included jaywalkers and kids hurling toilet paper over their teacher’s house. Her worries were not only unfounded, but they highlighted my issue with the town.
“I’ll leave them on the counter.”
The offer must have brought her to her senses. Sliding between tables filled with junk, she moved toward the counter,complete with vintage cash register. She reached behind her head, tying her gray hair into a messy bun, complete with antique chopsticks. With the counter between us, her demeanor relaxed.
“We can do a consignment and?—”
“Nah, Mum just wants to donate it.”
The mention of Mum raised an eyebrow. Much like Bonnie, she quickly thumbed through her mental Rolodex. When she finished the first round, I’m sure she went through every son, trying to pinpoint my place in Firefly. Her eyes narrowed, and I couldn’t help but take satisfaction that she couldn’t place my face. Unable to identify me felt like a badge of honor. I had escaped this suffocating town.
“Thanks,” she said. I could almost smell the oil burning as the gears turned. The keeper of Firefly’s secrets knew I wasn’t a flatlander, but she couldn’t figure out how. “Tell your mum thanks.”
“Welcome.”
Victory.
She opened the box as I turned to leave. I could hear her shuffle through the contents as I reached the door. Another few feet and I’d be able to get in the car, head home, and go about my business. The gossip network would figure it out when Bonnie chimed in, but it’d give me enough time to escape.
“Charles?”
Dammit.
“I hardly recognized you.”
