AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"Goldy is staying, too," Honey says. "We could build our business around showcasing all our talents, so that when Clover leaves, she'll have what we build here to take with her."
"If I stay, I will be busy with the preschool Brittany and I will be running," Goldy says. "I won't have time to help you run a business. I don't have time now."
"So Dani and I will run it ourselves," Honey says. "Dani was right when she said it'd be stupid to live on this land for a year and not make something out of it."
Not exactly what I said, but I like the sound of it. "I'd love to make more than the minimum wage I'll get at the bookstore."
Honey grins at me. "And I'm sick of waitressing. I want to do something I believe in and have more time to make my pottery and sculpt."
"Running a business doesn't leave you with extra time, Honey," Goldy says. "You two have no idea what you'll be getting into."
I wince. "That all depends on what kind of business it is, doesn't it?"
"Even the lowest maintenance business has taxes that need to be filed, records that need to be kept, and a million mundane details that need to be organized." Goldy shakes her head and grabs a pile of papers, waving them at us. "That's what these graphs will show you. None of us wants to build a business right now. Our time would be much better spent planning Mom's sixtieth birthday party."
"Hold on." I stand up to Goldy in a way I never have before. She's the voice of reason, the one we all looked to when we were little and needed advice that made real world sense. Our mother is wonderful, but has lived life with her head in the clouds. Goldy has always had two feet firmly planted, and she took care of us younger sisters. "Let's hear what Honey has to say. I like the idea of building a business that utilizes all our talents."
"Of course you do," Goldy says. "You're going to walk away in a year and leave me and Honey to clean up your mess."
My immediate reaction is to bristle and flee. I hate arguments, but I especially hate arguments with my family.
Oddly, I hadn't hated arguing with Grant. I push the thought away as something to ponder later.
There's something in Goldy's tone I've never heard from her before, something under the anger and the annoyance. There's hurt.
"What's this really about, Goldy?"
She narrows her eyes and opens her mouth. Then she closes it and pushes to her feet. "I'm tired. You three plan the business. I'll help if I can."
We watch her walk out of the room in a shared silence.
"You know what it's about," Clover says in a low voice. "She doesn't want to do what Dad wanted. I think she hates every second of living in this house he built."
"We could build something good from something awful," Honey says.
"We have to prove to her we've changed," I say. "She still sees us as the helpless little kids she had to take care of after Dad left. If we can show her we can do this on our own, that we can build something good and profitable, she'll come around."
Clover stands. "I can't commit to a business if Goldy's not involved. She's right. It's a ton of work and I've got my own platform to build. I'm sorry, Honey."
Honey smiles sadly. "I understand. I just… I miss my sisters. This could be a way for us to be close again."
Clover walks over and leans down to hug Honey. "We've got a year. We'll get closer. A business just isn't the way to do it. We'll fight about every little thing." Straightening, Clover stretches and yawns. "I've got an early training session tomorrow. I'm going to bed."
I turn back to Honey. "Why don't you tell me what you have in mind?"
"I don't know." Honey's shoulders droop. "All I've got so far is that we could make this into a tourist attraction of some sort. There's already a ton of hotels and B & B's in the area, so that's out. But it's so beautiful here, I thought if we could get people here for something, you could sell your desserts and I could sell my pottery. Clover could offer exercise classes. Maybe if we had some sort of spa or yoga retreat?"
"People don't typically want desserts or pottery on their yoga retreats."
Honey slumps. "You're right. It was a stupid idea." She stands before I can argue. "I'm going to the barn. I'll see you later, Dani."
She's set up her pottery wheel and kiln in the barn and spends almost all her free time out there. She makes beautiful earthenware pottery and the most delicate, handcrafted clay sculptures of trees and animals. And she listens to heavy metal music at full blast while she does it.
I sit in the kitchen, feeling lonelier than I've felt in a very long time.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Grant
