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“Thank you,” Zoe said, looking into the woman’s eyes. She looked vibrant, despite her wrinkled skin.
Marjorie nodded and walked away, leaving Zoe to continue browsing.
She saw a beautiful pair of agate bookends she knew her friend in St. Louis would love. Zoe picked them up before she thought about what she was doing. She hadn’t spoken to her friend in over a year—she’d let every phone call go unanswered. Wondering if the friendship could be revived, she decided it was worth a shot. She made a promise to herself to call her when she got home, and regardless of how that conversation went, Zoe would mail the bookends to her. She would do her part to repair the bridges she’d burned.
Zoe pottered around the store, picking up a few other things, including a tray for her bedside table. Her hands were full when she went to the counter.
Marjorie’s eyes doubled in size and Zoe predicted this was going to be Marjorie’s biggest sale of the day.
“Oh my dear, I wasn’t watching you. I should’ve come help you carry all of these things; I’m so sorry,” she said, taking them from Zoe’s arms.
When her arms were free, she waved her hand dismissively. “Not at all. You told me to call out if I needed anything, but I could manage.”
She pulled out her credit card and handed it to Marjorie.
She looked at it and Zoe saw the change in her eyes. Pity—it was a look she knew well.
Marjorie pressed her lips together and Zoe knew she was deciding whether she should say something or not.
This was exactly the scenario Zoe had always run from in the past. But not today.
“Is everything okay?” Zoe asked.
“Yes, I just...” Marjorie cleared her throat. “I’m sorry, I just realized you’re Lana Seacombe’s sister. I heard you’d moved here, but I didn’t put two and two together. I’m so very sorry for what happened to her.”
Zoe nodded, holding back tears. “Thank you. She was taken far too young.”
“Are your parents here in Redwater too?” Marjorie asked, really putting her foot in it.
Zoe’s first instinct was to lie, because she didn’t want to have an uncomfortable conversation and see more pity in Marjorie’s eyes—but she knew if she was going to heal, she would need to have these very difficult conversations.
“No, they died in a car accident a few years ago,” she said with a sad smile.
“Oh gosh, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have asked,” she said, putting her hand on her chest.
“It’s okay,” she said quickly. “You couldn’t have known.”
Zoe was about to say, “Actually, I’m a widow too,” but she thought that might push Marjorie over the edge.
“Well I’m glad you’re here. If you ever need anything, come see me,” she said, so genuinely Zoe would’ve bet her life the woman meant every word.
“I’ll do that,” she said with a smile she didn’t need to force. She picked up the three bags Marjorie had packed for her and left the store.
Zoe looked down the street, debating whether to continue her adventure or go home.
She looked over her shoulder toward her car and saw someone standing beside it. She paused until she realized it was Mitch.
The corner of her lips turned up.
When he saw her walking toward him, he waved, beaming a smile.
“Hey,” she said.
“Hey,” he responded, his eyes dropping to the bags she carried. “Did you buy the entire store?”
She laughed. “Almost! Most of it is for other people, but I may have bought a few things for myself.”
Mitch grinned. “I’m glad to hear that.”
