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”Did you get my letter, dear?” Maribella Hartley interrupted her, and she knew it was going to be a while before she got back in control.
“What’s that on your face?” Sid Samuels asked, pointing to her left cheek.
“Did you get my gift card?” Mrs. Autumn shouted.
“Did you do something about the death threats I’m receiving? I don’t feel safe, Mayor Kalista, and it needs to stop.” Jennifer Harris, her part-time secretary, said, glancing around at everyone as if they were her enemies.
“Mayor Kalista, I would like it noted that Ruby Davis is now banned from my salon. I know what she said about me to Maggie—”
“What? What did I say, Anne?” Ruby Davis jumped up from her seat, ready to throw a punch.
“You said I was getting fat.”
“Well, you are. Anyone with eyes can see it.”
“Well, anyone with eyes saw you trying to grab Doc Hottie—I mean, Dr. Paulson.”
“Oh, and you’re holier than—” Ruby shouted but was interrupted by Benedict Broadstein.
“For the love of all that is right, Mayor Kalista, have you done something about Reggie and that damn goat of his? If it eats my wife’s underwear from the washing line once more, I’m going to take matters into my own hands,” Benedict said, red-faced and furious.
Kalista took a big breath, lifted the whistle she kept on a piece of string around her neck for these kinds of meetings, and blew into it. It was the only way to make herself heard.
She enjoyed the silence for a few moments before she dove right into it.
“Okay. Yes, thank you, Maribella. I did get your letter. While we’re very saddened by your decision, we also completely understand.”
Satisfied with Kalista’s response, Maribella offered her a proud smile before she settled back into her seat.
Thankfully, the other maker of preserves in Bloomings Tide had just the day before written an extensively detailed formal letter to Kalista, stating she would be declining any offer to represent the town in the TITS award on account of her not being able to handle the fame at her age when she won.
Maribella Hartley was eighty-eight years old and had taken up the hobby of making preserves a year ago because someone needed to after Tiny Finn’s collapse. To say her concoction was an unappetizing blob of … something unearthly was an understatement.
It was downright revolting, but Kalista was determined that no one in Bloomings Tide would so much as twitch a muscle when tasting Maribella’s jam or, worse, say it was terrible to her face.
She made Sheriff Jenkins put it down as Bloomings Tide law that anyone who so much as grimaced about Maribella’s ‘jam’ would be sentenced to a month of community service, which entailed sweeping the streets and washing all the windows in BT.
What harm was being done? Would it be so bad if Maribella woke up every morning for the rest of the time she had left on earth, thinking she was the best jam maker in the world? It kept her mind off the devastating loss of the love of her life, her husband, Al, twelve months ago.
“As for what’s on my face, Sid, I was a tester for Suzanne’s new face cream, and it had lavender in it, and apparently, I’m allergic to it.”
If nothing else, Kalista considered herself the town’s cheerleader. She was there to support, encourage, and hug anyone who needed it. In this case, Suzanne was trying to get her organic range of moisturizers off the ground, and Kalista was only too happy to be her first test subject, which in turn helped Kalista get to know more about herself.
She was allergic to lavender, as was evident by the red patch on her cheek.
Although, she was also sure she could feel her forehead starting to burn, her other cheek, and her chin as well. But it was fine. She’d just add enough layers of makeup to hide it if it wasn’t clear before the judges arrived.
“Well, it looks mighty angry,” Sid commented.
“Thank you, Sid. And thank you, Mrs. Autumn,” Kalista continued, moving on. “That was so thoughtful of you. I absolutely needed that cup of coffee.” Yes, the gift card was for a cup of coffee at Millie’s bakery, where she’d been getting free coffee since she stepped into office. But it made Mrs. Autumn smile, and that was all that mattered.
“Jennifer, getting love letters in your mailbox and roses on your doorstep are not actually death threats. They’re from Lenny Salinger. He likes you, Jennifer, and if you’d like, I’ve set up a lunch date for you two at Millie’s. I know he’ll be thrilled if you agree.”
Jennifer’s eyes widened; her cheeks turned red, but then a coy smile spread across her lips.
“I would like that very much. Thank you, Mayor Kalista.”
“You’re very welcome, Jenny.”
