How many times have I opened this door, my dad right behind me?
How many times have I skipped across the worn-down, splintering wooden floors?
How many times have I snagged a candy bag only to fill it up with all the jelly bean flavors the store had to offer, adding a touch more pear because I knew how much my dad loved them?
And now, I’m the one in charge. I’m carrying on the tradition to make a sanctuary for other kids to create memories. A place where they will be able to forget the disappointment, embarrassment, and uneasiness they experience and rather…just enjoy being a kid.
The thought of it almost feels too grand. But if there is one thing I know about myself, it is that even though I might be intimidated, it won’t stop me from proving people wrong.
So I slip the key into the lock, turn it, and then open the door to a dark store.
“Sorry I’m a little late,” Tilly says, coming up behind me. “I had a paint spill I had to clean up before it stained.”
Her words register in my head, but they mean nothing to me as I flip on the fluorescent lights. They flicker, buzz, and then illuminate the timeworn space.
But even seeing it at its worst, I’m inundated with memories.
The smell—sweet with a hint of mustiness.
The old soda shop bar where drinks used to be served but which was transformed into a sticker bar where sticker rolls are hung on dowels.
The wall of canisters full of candy—candy that I’m sure isn’t edible anymore.
The red and white sign in the back that says Rudder’s Sweets.
The lollipop wall.
The fudge counter.
It’s all so…perfect.
Tilly’s arm goes around my shoulders and she pulls me in tight. “Remember the time you brought me here and you bumped a kid out of the way to get the last giant gobstopper? They’re not even good, Renley.”
I laugh. “I didn’t bump the kid out of the way, he bounced off me because he wasn’t looking where he was going.”
“His hand was halfway in the jar.”
I chuckle some more. “I choose to see it differently.”
“That’s why I love you, because not even a child’s wish to have a gobstopper will prevent you from taking what you want.”
“Just teaching valuable lessons to children about getting in the way of adults and their wishes.”
She laughs and shuts the door behind us, locking up so no one will come in, not that they would. The windows are papered over with newspaper and the door has a Closed sign on it, but you never know. With my luck, Theo will pop in and claim he was looking for the clothing store but in reality was trying to gain a little more face time with me.
“So what is on the list from the committee that you need to do?” Tilly asks, dragging her finger over a ledge that’s holding a few canisters of candy.
“From the list they gave me, windows have to be replaced, there are a few places that have been leaking, which means I need to go up on the roof and see what needs to be patched. There are some plumbing issues as well and the bathroom has to be upgraded. But I’d like to redo the floors, I think they can be a little dangerous with how uneven they are, especially with the splitting.”
“Agreed. You don’t need a liability on your hands.” She taps a jar. “I’m assuming you’re going to throw out all of this candy.”
“Yeah, unsure how long it’s been in there, and in two months it won’t be good anyway.”
Tilly pulls out a pen and a notebook from her back pocket and starts writing things down.
“And you’re going to want to clean these canisters, right?”
“That’s a must. You can see how foggy they are; they should be clear.”
