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“That’s what the last one went for at auction. Depression glass is super popular right now, and this is a rare piece.”
Mae nodded a quick confirmation. “Atleastthat much money in your hands. You have a real eye for this, Amelia.”
“Thanks. It’s what I do.” I playfully rolled my eyes.
It’s all I’ve got was more what it felt like. I’d struck out in the love department more times than I cared to admit. I’d lost my best friend of twenty years when she ran away with my boyfriend three years ago. The apartment building I’d lived in for ten years caught fire four months ago and had been demolished as of last week, and my trusty ride of eleven years finally gave its last wheeze three days ago.
So, yeah. Finding the diamonds in the rough was what I did best. It started as a hobby as a kid at my parents’ antique store, which turned into an after-school job during my teen years before going to college and getting my degree in history. Then, our family store, Baubles and Curiosities, beckoned me back, and here I was with the mindset that I was planted for the duration.
I noticed Audrey checking her phone.
“Have a hot date tonight?” I joked.
“As a matter of fact, I do.” She blushed, and her green eyes brightened a smidge. “I need to catch the ferry in thirty minutes.”
“What are you waiting for? Amelia, Emily, and I can finish up.” Mae shooed her away from the box. “It’s not every day we have a reason to get off the island on a Friday night.”
I nodded in agreement, still clutching the glass. If I were to be completely honest with myself, which I didn’t enjoy doing too much because living in a bubble of fantasy was a bit more fun and a lot less complicated, I might envy my sisters’ abilities to put themselves out there.
Just a little.
But I was seldom honest with myself, so I was pretty sure I wasn’t actually jealous of much, especially when it came to getting a heart broken because that was inevitable once you opened the door.
“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” I called after my sister as I bounded into the antique store where my mom was dusting behind the counter to the left.
Did I mention we looked exactly like my mom? My dad had blond hair and hazel eyes, but if he stood in the light just right, there was a tinge of green, which he claimed tied us all together.
I heard a snort from behind and saw Dottie on the move to her next resting station. Life was good for that pug in her green mini-shawl my mom had whipped up for her to keep the chill away.
“Is that what I think it is?” My mom straightened and shoved her emerald-green shawl over her right shoulder, knocking a dangling, sterling silver earring in the process. Yes, her shawl matched Dottie’s. Always did. Every. Single. Day. Another thing was that we all had an affinity for the costume jewelry that came in here. It might possibly be a downfall of ours someday.
My mom also loved living in the past, which explained why she'd named her children after memorable figures in American culture. Amelia Earhart for me. Emily Dickinson for my next oldest sister. Audrey Hepburn for the second to oldest sister, and finally, Mae West, who started the naming tradition. My brother, who was technically the second oldest sibling, was named after Marlon Brando, but everybody wound up calling him Brad, and I really had no idea why. Maybe my parents figured out that being named after a fish when you live on an island is too much for other kids to handle. Granted, the fish is spelled with aniand not ano, but kids wouldn’t care.
I placed the green glass on the counter, and she smiled. “You have the magic touch. The vision.”
Chuckling, I shook my head. My mom always loved to believe her children held superpowers.
“If the junk box indicates what’s to come from this bulk estate sale, we might have really scored.” I grinned, glancing at my sisters coming inside.
“Did I just hear Amelia call this a junk box?” Mae chuckled, shaking the contents. “Is the world ending?”
“So, what do you girls have planned for your Friday night?” my mom asked, eyeing each of us individually.
“Audrey has a date in Seattle. She’s already headed to the ferry.” Emily shrugged. “As for me, I’m headed to Milo’s.”
Even though it sounded like she had a date with a man, Milo’s was actually one of the local pubs we had here on the island. It wasn’t unusual for Emily to go kick it up on the weekend as much as one could on Marigold Island.
“I’m working on the final details for the coffee shop,” Mae explained. “It’s only three months out, and they’ll be breaking through this wall next month to add the access between the two places.”
“It’s going to be so cool.” I nodded, glancing at one of the unopened boxes from the estate sale sitting behind a curio cabinet. “My entire paycheck will probably go toward lattes and mochas.”
My mom’s gaze caught mine. “What about you?”
“I plan on opening up a few more boxes, grabbing a take-and-bake pizza, and curling up with a good book.”
She rolled her eyes. “You’re so my daughter.”
“I take offense.” Mae chuckled, knowing she was more like our dad than any of us.
