Page 26 of The Moment They Can Never Forgive
“If you’re going to do it, Leah, you may as well do it right,” Zoe said with the confidence of someone who had always had plenty of support at her back.
“We’ll come to you on Saturday and get on that,” Birdie said. “In fact, I think you need a worker bee.”
“Oh no?—”
“This is no longer just about you, Leah. You have a child to consider. So accept the help,” Zoe said.
“I can accept help,” Leah lied. But it had never been easy. She remembered the shame of people leaving food and worn clothes on her father’s doorstep, her family too poor to refuse. She had sworn never again to be that girl—never again that desperate,that exposed. But Hudson changed everything. For him, she would swallow her pride when the time came… just not yet.
“If you bring those buildings up to scratch, you could maybe lease out some of them too,” Sawyer said.
“Small business in this town is growing,” Zoe added. “You could also get someone’s livestock in to graze your paddocks for a fee.”
“We need to help you clear out so you can start making income,” Birdie said.
“Your fences will need checking if you want people putting their stock on your land,” Sawyer added.
“Can I get back to you on this?” Leah said. “The clearing out part, I mean.”
“You better get back to us,” Birdie said, looking a little mean, which she must have got from her man because she’d never known how to be that way before.
“My wife, the hard-ass.” Sawyer looked proud.
“Good morning!”
They turned to watch Abilene Copeland, a.k.a. Mrs. C., enter the shop in her exercise clothes.
“Morning, Mrs. C.,” they all called back.
She was short and wore mint green shorts and a matching shirt, with a sweatband around her long black braided hair.
“Busy morning of exercise?” Zoe asked.
Zoe had purchased Petticoat Homeware from Mrs. C. Since then, according to Zoe, the woman had been on a fitness crusade.
“Always busy, Zoe. Keeping the brain and body working is the key to aging well, Bart told me,” she said. “Now, I need to look at your curtain swatches. It’s time to update my bedroom.”
“You know colors better than anyone, Mrs. C.,” Zoe protested.
“I’m done with that. It’s your domain now,” the woman said. “What day can you come around with samples?”
“Tomorrow at 2:00 p.m.,” Zoe said after opening the large book on her counter.
“Excellent. See you then.”
“You like organic vegetables, Mrs. C.?” Sawyer asked.
“Who doesn’t?”
“Leah’s growing them soon,” Birdie added before Leah could stop her.
That was the problem with this town. You said one small thing, and people ran with it, putting their take on it until it grew into something completely different from what it started as.
“As you know, Birdie, your mom and dad grow stuff, but mainly for themselves and not enough to feed all of us. So more would be welcome,” Mrs. C. said.
“Well, there you go, then,” Zoe said. “Sounds like you have a plan.” She smiled at Leah.
“Excellent, and if you need help pulling weeds, just call me, and I’ll drag my lazy son along to help.” Then with a raised hand, she was jogging out of the store.
