Page 10 of Throw Away the Key
“Sure. Well, anyway, I see my friends so I should go.” Sadie was in motion before she’d finished her sentence.
“Okay, bye.” Emma’s voice trailed off as she turned around and headed toward the produce.Maybe next time I run into her,I should just walk the other way.She picked up nectarines, red potatoes and a bunch of young carrots.
“Do you have a recipe in mind that you're gonna be cooking?” An older woman asked, her white hair pulled into a long braid she’d slung over her shoulder.
“I really don't. I'm actually not a very good cook. Honestly, looking at these now, I don't even know what I would do with them–I just know I like these ingredients. Your produce looks so fresh, it’s hard to resist,” she admitted. “I’m Emma, by the way.”
“Nice to meet you, Emma-I’m Tonya. Hmm. Well, with potatoes and carrots, I can give you a good recipe for roasted chicken, which you could put the potatoes and carrots with. I'd say you probably just want to also get it, maybe an onion and a couple of lemons? Perhaps some fresh thyme or rosemary. I usually carry some recipe cards with me for folks looking to attempt something new.” She flipped through a container with receipts and other papers until she found a bundle of cards rubberbanded together. “Yes! Here you go.”
“Okay, I could try that,” Emma nodded tentatively as she read the instructions. “I’m having some friends over for dinner after work, and I bet this could really impress them. At worst, I’ll have takeout on standby!”
“Great. It's one of those easy dishes where you just put it all in the same pan with some seasonings and–”
“Wait, is there a booth that has seasonings? I don't think I have those at home yet,” Emma winced, wondering if she should just order a pizza instead.This whole cooking thing requires so much more preparation than making an order from DoorDash.
“Yes, it's actually right next to the honey booth.”
“Oh, perfect. I was headed there anyway!” Emma thanked Tonya after paying and carried her parcels toward the honey booth. As she walked up, she found Sadie with two of her friends. “We meet again!” she smiled brightly, nodding at the others.
“Uh,” Sadie sputtered.
“Hi, I'm Joy.” A tall woman with boho braids and gold earrings in the shape of Africa reached out a hand. Her peach-colored sweater hung off one shoulder, exposing her glowing brown skin. She wore wide-legged jeans and combat boots.
“Hi, I'm Emma. I just moved into Sadie's building.” Sadie had yet to move or form a coherent sentence. She appeared frozen.I wonder if she’s embarrassed. Maybe she was talking trash… I don’t want them to get the wrong idea about me.“She told me to check out this booth along with some others,” Emma smiled easily. “I love your braids!”
Joy flipped them over her shoulder and toyed with the curling ends. “I love yours! You’ll have to tell me who your technician is, because mine doesn’t do color like yours. I love the ombre effect.”
Emma beamed and immediately began to rummage in her purse. “Of course! I carry around a few of her cards–she’s so talented and sweet too. As the weather gets warmer, I try to go lighter with my color–sort of a 1B/30/27 vibe.”
“Wait, yes! So you're the new neighbor,” Joy glanced at Sadie as she accepted the card from Emma. “Thanks for this–I bet your tech loves you for promoting her business. This is my partner, Sheena.”
“So nice to meet you both. Do y'all come here all the time too? Um, I understand that Sadie's been here before,” Emma kept her eyes on Joy. She could feel a look from Sadie burning into the side of her face and didn’t want to trip over her words.
“Yeah, pretty much every weekend. Are you new to the area?”
“Yes, but just to this neighborhood. I used to live with my friend over in Mount Rainier, and so there's a closer farmer's market, but I was really excited to come and see this one since it's so much bigger. I’m trying to make a new routine.”
Joy leaned in like she had a secret. “Well, let me tell you, you definitely gotta get some of this honey. It’s locally sourced and great for anyone with allergies. She even sells bee pollen if you don’t mind the potency of it.”
“Sadie mentioned this booth specifically, so I had to come check it out. And Tonya over in the produce section told me to stop at this place for spices,” Emma pointed to the next booth.
“Oh, do you cook?” Sheena asked, her thick hair framed her face in chunky twists. “I’d like to think I’m the chef in our household.” Joy nodded proudly at Sheena and rested an arm on her shoulder. The chemistry between them was so undeniable that it made Emma’s heart flutter.
“I really don't know how, to be honest, but Tonya gave me a recipe for roasted chicken that I want to try out. My best friend and her grandmother are the cooks–I’m usually just along for the ride,” Emma laughed. “But now that I'm living on my own, I'm going to be learning the ropes.”
The first few days in her new apartment had been quiet–almost too quiet, but she’d busied herself getting the place furnished. Her new sofa had been delivered, and she had put together some stools to sit at the kitchen counter. She planned to buy more bookcases and a few more pieces once she figured out exactly what she wanted, but she felt no rush.
“This is your first time living alone?” Sadie asked, puzzled, as Joy and Sheena’s gazes swept from Sadie to Emma.
“Yeah, I went from the dorms straight into my best friend's house. She inherited this big ole house from her parents, but she didn't want to be there alone and it made life easy for me too since I work at her bookstore. Sadie was kind enough to approve my application and let me move in.”
Joy and Sheena exchanged a glance before eyeing their friend.
I wonder what that means…
“Oh, Zora,” Sadie nodded, staring off at something on the ground.
“Yep, but now that Zora and Reid are getting more serious, I just wanted to give them a little bit more space. So, I decided to move out and try solo living.”
