“Okay, but I paid for it,” Kit counters.
Pan ignores him and beams at Wendy.
“Attagirl.” He tosses the can to his other hand and gives her hair a ruffle as he strolls out to the shop. “See, I knew she’d come in handy around here.”
“Thanks, Kit,” Kit mutters as he traipses out to the front of the shop. Fox follows, with Wendy trailing, and I bring up the rear.
With every step, I feel calmer. The open space of the shop, cluttered as it is with Kit and Blue’s stuff, still feels big, with the tall ceilings going up and store windows letting in lots of light. The lounge area, all its mismatched thrift-store couches and Kit’s giant logo behind, is inviting. And the voices, the footfalls, the rhythms of it all…
It’s home.
Pan plops on one of the couches, boots on the table, and cracks his beer. “What a day.” He scrubs a hand over his face before taking a sip.
“It’s three-thirty p.m.,” Kit points out.
“Yeah, exactly.” Pan nods. “All work and no play, yada yada. I say we close for the day. All in favor?” He lifts a hand in the air. Fox does too, eagerly. Kit shrugs and follows suit: “Just gonna be walk-ins anyway, and I’d rather not.”
I raise my hand, too. Of course.
“Motion passes.” Pan pumps a fist in victory. “Emergency closure beginsnow.”
Wendy, who’s been hovering between the shop proper and the waiting area, leans in a bit. “You guys can do that?”
“Why not?” Pan says, tossing a pen in the air and catching it like a tiny baton. “It’s our shop.” He throws Wendy a grin. “You wanna flip the sign?” He jerks his head at the door, where the CLOSED—BETTER LUCK NEXT TIME sign is facing all of us inside.
Wendy brightens, and nods vigorously. Pan sweeps an arm forward.
“Be my guest. Go nuts.”
She runs to the door and spins the sign, so now we’re all staring at OPEN—AREN’T YOU LUCKY? sitting now face-out to the shop interior. Then she turns around, expectant, like she needs confirmation she’s done it right.
Pan gives her a thumbs-up. “Looks perfect.”
“Thanks.” Wendy smiles. “Um, can I have a soda?”
For some reason, Pan and Fox and Kit all look at me. I draw back in my seat a little.
“What am I, her dentist?” I mutter. To Wendy, I just say, “Sure.” I nod at the loft stairs. “Should be some upstairs. Help yourself.”
Wendy does a faintwoohooand rushes for the stairs, with Nana jumping up to follow her.
Fox snaps his fingers. “Ooh, and grab me one while you’re up there?” he calls after her. “Anything with caffeine.”
“Got it,” the tiny voice calls back.
Her footsteps pound up the stairs. Then a moment of silence.
“Good call, man,” Pan says, nodding at Fox. “I could get used to having someone to run and grab my shit all the time. You think we can teach her other tricks?
Fox looks bashful. “That’s not what I?—”
“Dude, she’s a kid, not a dog,” Kit interrupts.
“And she’s not staying,” I add.
“Yeah, yeah, I know.” Pan grins. “Still. Nice little change of pace. Some…” He spins a hand in the air, thinking. “…feminine energy in here.”
I stiffen without meaning to, but Fox speaks before I can react any more.
