Bentley Little - The Store

It was a note.

Written on The Store's letterhead.

Heart thumping, he pulled out the tack holding up the paper and read:

NOTICE:

Shannon Davis, you have been transferred out of The Store's Garden department and are hereby ordered to report for duty in Housewares at 6:00 A.M.

Tuesday morning. By order of The Store, your vacation is officially over.

It was signed by Samantha M. Davis, Assistant Manager.

"Look's like Sam's been promoted," Ginny said.

Bill didn't respond. Neither did Shannon.

They walked into the house, closing the door behind them.

TWENTY-SIX

1

Monday morning. Shannon was up before they were, waiting for them in silence on the couch in the living room, no stereo on, no radio, no TV.

"Mom?" she said. "Dad?"

Ginny looked over at Bill. He hadn't slept well, and it showed. His face was wan, his eyes red and puffy. He met her gaze, nodded, and they sat down on the love seat across from the couch.

"What is it?" Ginny asked softly.

Shannon wouldn't meet their eyes, would only look at her hands, which were twisting an already shredded Kleenex in her lap. "I don't want to work at The Store anymore."

Ginny was filled with a powerful sense of relief.

"Thank God," Bill said.

"But I don't know how to quit." She looked up at them for the first time.

"I'm afraid to quit."

"There's nothing to be afraid of --" Bill began.

"Yes, there is," Shannon said. "We all know there is."

"What I mean is that I'll go in with you, if you want. We'll both go in and tell them that you're quitting."

"I have a better idea," Ginny said.

They both turned to look at her.

"We let Sam do it for you."

Bill was already shaking his head.

"She's assistant manager now."

Shannon was nodding excitedly. "She got me the job. Now she can get me out of it. She's the one who wrote the notice, anyway."

"Let me talk to her," Ginny told Bill.

Samantha had come home late last night, after they'd gone to bed, and she was still locked in her room, sleeping.

"I'll wake her up," Bill offered.

"No," Ginny said. "Let her sleep."

His jaw grew tense. "I'm not going to tiptoe around my own house, kowtowing to my daughter because she works for The Store. We're still the parents in this household. They're still the children."

"I know that," Ginny said patiently. "We all know that. And if you'd gotten a decent night's sleep, you'd know it, too. But since Sam is in a position to help her sister, I think it would be a good idea if we talk to her when she's in a positive mood."

"Fine," Bill sighed. He turned toward Shannon. "But if it's a no-go, I'll still go down with you to talk to that Mr. Lamb. If you need moral support, I'll be there."

"Thanks, Dad."

He got up, walked over to the couch, kissed her on the forehead. "And I'm happy you decided to quit," he said. "You make me proud."

Ginny decided to talk to Sam without Bill present. He'd only get angry, aggravate the situation, cause problems. She told him that, and he agreed reluctantly -- so she waited until he was safely ensconced in his office, playing with his computer, before collaring Samantha.

Shannon was in her bedroom, waiting, and Ginny gathered both girls together in the living room, sitting them down on the couch.

She came right out and said it: "Sam, your sister wants to quit. She doesn't want to work at The Store anymore."

Samantha's face tightened, her expression hardening. "She can't quit. She starts in Housewares tomorrow morning. I got her that job."

Shannon would not look at her sister. "I don't want it," she said quietly.

"Well, you've got it. I pulled a lot of strings to get it for you."

Ginny watched Shannon's face, saw an expression there she had never seen before and couldn't decipher. "You can't force your sister to work if she doesn't want to," she told Samantha.

"She was hired to work through October."

"I changed my mind!" Shannon said.

"The Store can terminate that contract. You cannot. For better or worse, you are a member of The Store Corps. Live it, love it."

A rush of anger coursed through Ginny. "Knock this off," she told Samantha. "Now."

"Knock what off?"

"Your sister is quitting, and that's it. Period."

"It's not my decision." Sam's voice had taken on a defensive edge. "I'd let her quit if it was up to me, but it's not. I'm just following policy."

"Then Shannon and your father will just have to have a talk with the store manager."

"They can't," Sam said quickly.

"We'll see about that."

"What if I just never show up again?" Shannon asked. "They'll fire me, right?"

Sam did not answer.

"Right?"

"Will they fire her?" Ginny asked.

Sam's voice was quiet. "No. They won't fire her. They'll come after her.

They'll find her. They'll _make_ her work."

Ginny shivered. A chill passed through her, and she looked over at her younger daughter, who had suddenly turned very pale.

"You can't fight it," Sam said.

"It's okay," Shannon said shakily. "I'll work."

"You don't have to --"

"I want to." She stood, hurried off, into her bedroom.

"Sam?" Ginny said.

Samantha stood, would not look at her. "I have to work," she said. "It's going to be a busy day."

"So how did it go?" Bill asked.

"It didn't."

"Then we'll force them to quit. Or at least we'll force Shannon."

_They'll come after her. They'll find her. They'll make her work._

Ginny shook her head. "I don't think it's a good idea," she said quietly.

"Why not?"

She told him about what Sam had said, the implied threat.

"So unless we're planning to move somewhere else, I think it's safer to let them work there. It's not causing any real problems. They work at cash registers, sell things, pick up their paychecks. But if they pulled out . . ."

She let the thought trail off.

"There'd be trouble," he finished for her.

She nodded.

"I thought Shannon wanted to quit."

"She changed her mind."

He laughed harshly. "Jesus. Employment by intimidation. What's this world coming to?"

She put an arm around his shoulder, rested her chin on the top of his head. "I don't know," she said. "1 really don't know."

2

Sam dropped the bombshell after dinner.

"I'm not going to college," she said.

Bill looked over at Ginny. It was obvious that this was the first time she'd heard these words as well, and he could see the anger settle upon her face. "What do you mean, you're not going to college?" she demanded.

"I'm in the management program now. They're sending me off to the corporate headquarters in Dallas for training. It's a two-week program, and after that, I'll be back in Juniper. The Store already found me a house over on Elm, and it's rent-free. They pay for everything. I can move in this weekend."

They were all stunned. Even Shannon was silent, and they looked dumbly at each other while Samantha smiled brightly.

"I know I was planning to go to college, but this is a great opportunity."

Ginny was the first to find her voice. "A great opportunity? Assistant manager of a discount store in Juniper? You can be anything you want. With your grades and your brains, if you graduate with even a bachelor's degree, you can write your own ticket. You can get a job anywhere, with any company. You can get a job like your father's, work at home."

Bill heard the hurt in her voice. Neither of them had ever imagined that their daughters would not go to college. It had never even been considered an option. Ginny, in particular, had had high hopes for both Sam and Shannon, and he could see from the expression on her features that she felt betrayed.