“Okay. But, Maisie, I didn’t–”
“I know,” she said and stood. “I’ve got stuff, too, India. You’ve got stuff, and I’ve got stuff.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Baggage. Issues. I need to walk this off, okay?”
“I don’t know whatthisis, but okay. I’ll… I’ll be here if you need me.”
Maisie looked down at India and knew that she would. Then, she left her at the café and walked to the shop, where she entered through the front and proceeded straight on into the back office, past Lainey and Mr. Barnard, who was still browsing, apparently.
“Maise?” Lainey said as she hurried by her and into the office.
“Everything’s fine,” she replied, lying but determined to make it true.
Maisie sat down at her desk and tried to figure out why she struggled so much when India was only offering to help her. Other people would have told India to make those calls and take whatever steps there were to be taken to get what they wanted, but she hadn’t been able to be like other people in that moment. And now, India was probably sitting at that table, wondering why she was even dating her ass. Maisie had only brought her trouble since they met, and she knew it. She understood where it came from. She just hated trying to deal with it. She also hated being a cliché, but shewasa cliché.
Her mom had left her, and she’d been just old enough to understand what that meant and even apply her own meaning to it. It meant that her mother hadn’t wanted her. Maisie hadn’t been good enough, smart enough, funny enough, prettyenough, or whatever it was that made other mothers stay. She hadn’t been enoughthen, so she had worked her ass off to become enough. She had made sure to be the most well-behaved little kid in the world to keep her father. She’d tried to be the smartest kid in class, the kid with no disciplinary issues, and the one who never talked back. Her father had left anyway. Of course, it hadn’t been his choice, and as an adult, Maisie understood more and more that her dad never would have left her had he had the choice, but by then, the damage had already been done. She’d put that wall up around herself, blocking others from getting to her, from hurting her again. She didn’t need anyone to hold her. She didn’t need anyone to help her with the shop after Grams had died as well. She didn’t even need her friends to help her with the campaign. She could’ve done it all herself.
As she sat back in her chair, which had once belonged to her grams, she knew that all of that was wrong. She loved being held by India. When Lainey had tried in the past, it had felt awkward to her. Sex, Maisie could do. Even making love, which was what she and Lainey had done once, had been fine. But just being held in the middle of the day or when something bad had happened and Lainey had wanted to comfort her, had been a challenge.
With her campaign, she’d started out on her own. She had even moved that table out from the storage closet on her own, despite how heavy it was and how difficult it had been to get it into place. She had raised money on her own at first. Lainey and Paige had been preoccupied with preparing for the upcoming soccer season and running a summer soccer league for local girls. When they’d come up for air, they had both offered their help, but Maisie had resisted until one day, she’d walked into the shop, and Lainey had posters printed. She’d still said no at first, but Lainey was stubborn and knew her well, so Maisie had given in.
She’d only hired Lainey at the shop because Lainey had needed a second job, and they’d both thought that if they had to work, why not work with their best friend? Then, she hadhired Sarah because Sarah had actually walked in one day and applied in person, which was something that hadn’t happened in years. The high school student loved books, though, and Maisie wanted to give her the chance to be around them and make a little money. She hadn’tneededthe help, so she considered hiring Sarah as giving something toher, not the other way around.
She’d always been this way, and she had, apparently, still been this way even with India, and she had loved waking up with her that morning. She’d loved how India had held her close, kissed her neck, and taught her about wine the night before. She also loved how India was clearly working on her flexibility issue and had given Maisie more than she’d gotten from her. Maisie would have to work on her own crap because India deserved it, but this thing she’d started with city council – getting her shop the protections she felt it deserved – was important to her, and it was one thing that she wanted to do on her own. She needed to make this happen for her family, for her dad and her grams, for the ones who came before them and for the ones who could come after.
“Hello. May I speak with Mr. Jameson, please?”
“May I ask who’s calling?”
“My name is Maisie Lincoln. I recently ran for city council against Colter Stone. I was hoping to speak to him about getting on the meeting agenda for this week.”
“All agenda requests must–”
“I know there’s a process. But I also know I was on the agenda until Colter offered him something else, and I’d like to talk to him about that, please.”
“Um… Let me just see if he’s available,” the woman replied.
“Great. Thank you,” Maisie said.
She listened to the soft jazz music until she heard the phone click.
“Hello. This is John Jameson.”
“Hello, Mr. Jameson. My name is Maisie Lincoln. I recently ran for–”
“Yes, I know who you are, Miss Lincoln. What is this in reference to?”
“I was supposed to be on the agenda this month, but Mr.Stone used up all his favors, I guess, and now, my shop isn’t on the list of topics to discuss.”
“I understand that, but there is a process to get items included on the agenda.”
“And I’ve followed it twice. I’ve also been denied twice, and I’ve never been given a real reason as to why. Now that I’ve been involved in running for a city councilor position, I’ve spent a lot of time around Mr. Stone, and I understand more how things are done. I believe he gave you something to get himself something, and while that may not be illegal, it’s also frowned upon when you’re supposed to be acting in the best interests of the citizens of New Orleans and your districts.”
“I assure you that we are acting in the best interests of the citizens of this city, Miss Lincoln. Now, if that’s all, I’m afraid, I must be going.”
“I’ve done more now, Mr. Jameson. I’ve got more to show the council to get the historical landmark status.”
