Kimberly Meter - Return to Emmett's Mill

He chuckled, knowing she was kidding, and was happy to play along. “Good to know.”

Grinning, she returned to the paperwork in her hand. “It will just take a minute to get you set up, but your first issue will take about two weeks.” She waved the paperwork in annoyance. “Something about the file system. I don’t know, for some reason, even though we don’t have more than a handful of subscriptions it takes longer than molasses in winter to get it going. Though,” she added with a wink, “once you’re in the system, it’ll take an act of God to get you out. I don’t think Adeline Merriweather has paid for a subscription in nigh five years, but she gets her weekly paper as faithful as ever.” Josh laughed outright at that and she continued with a twinkle in her eye. “Well, honestly, who can take away some sweet old biddy’s weekly news? It’s just not seemly. Anyway…here you go.”

She handed him the receipt and he tucked it into his wallet. He was in midthanks when the door jingled and he turned.

Tasha’s expression surely mirrored his own as she shut the door behind her and offered a tentative smile to both Patti and himself. “It seems you’re everywhere in this small town,” she murmured. She peeked around him to wave at Patti. “Hi, Patti. You look great. How’ve you been?”

“Can’t complain. You?”

“Same.”

“Don’t let her fool you, she’s been working for the Peace Corps for the past couple of years,” he interjected before his good sense got a hold of his mouth. She blushed at the hint of pride in his voice, and he remembered how shy she could become under the right circumstances.

“I heard you were back in town, too,” Patti said, gesturing for him to move out of the way. He pretended to act offended but they knew it was for show. “How are you doing? I’m sorry to hear about your mom.”

“Thank you, Patti. It’s been a tough transition, especially for Dad.”

“I’ll bet. If my mom died my dad would probably try to climb into the grave with her,” Patti said in commiseration. “He wouldn’t know how to function without her. I don’t even think he knows how to write a check.” A sudden thought occurred to her. “Oh, goodness. I hope to God my parents go at the same time. I don’t want to have to teach my dad to balance a checkbook!”

Tasha smiled, though Josh could tell it was plainly for Patti’s benefit. She cloaked her sadness well enough, but he knew her better than most. As if remembering herself, Patti asked, “So, what can I do for you today?”

Tasha cleared her throat. “Well, I was wondering if I could get extra copies of my mom’s obituary,” she asked, then apologized. “I know it seems morbid, but there are some members of our extended family who would like to see it and they won’t settle for a photocopy.”

Patti waved away her concern. “No problem. How many do you need?” Tasha indicated five and Patti disappeared into the back to retrieve them.

She turned to Josh and he tried not to stare like a starving man, but that’s how he was starting to feel.

“So…are you getting settled in?” she asked.

“So far so good. We rented a small place out on Darrah. It’s not the Ritz but it’s nice enough for me and Chris.”

“How’s your son adjusting?”

How’d she know to ask the one question he’d like to avoid. “Not as well as I’d hoped,” he admitted, surprising himself by answering. But it felt good to talk to Tasha. He couldn’t deny it. “He’s a shy kid, likes his computers more than anything else. It’s hard for him to make friends sometimes.”

“Natalie was like that,” she murmured.

He nodded, remembering. “I’d forgotten how awkward she was.” He chuckled. “She was an odd bird for a while.”

“Tell me about it.” Tasha’s light laughter followed. “I thought she’d never come out of that phase. She practically lived with her nose in a book, though in hindsight, she now owns a beautiful children’s bookstore so I suppose it was all for a reason.”

“I guess I shouldn’t worry about my son and his love for computers, then, huh?”

“He could be the next Bill Gates,” she offered. “You never know.”

“No, you’re right. I’ll stop worrying.”

Patti reentered the room talking. “Must’ve been a popular newsweek. You got our last saleable copies,” Patti said with a surprised shake of her head then a shrug. “Never can tell what’s going to get these people’s motor running. The weeks you think you’re going to sell out, you have extra. The week you think is going to be slow…sells out. Go figure.”

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