Page 1 of Party With the Kraken
Chapter 1
Juniper
Quirking my head to the side, I assess the plastic goose’s purple mohawk, then reach forward and adjust the wig until it’s centered. A smile spreads across my face as I take a step back and admire the entire window display of my shop.
A gaggle of quirky porch geese stare at me with their beady eyes and what I’d like to think is approval. The one with the mohawk and silver-studded denim jacket is my centerpiece and by far my favorite. Not that I’d tell any of the other geese that.
Flanking him, there’s a cutie in a yellow polka-dot bikini—with a matching sun hat, of course—and a gentleman goose dressed in a charming blue sweater with a pair of glasses perched on his beak.
My shoulders have no choice but to do a little cheerful shimmy. This might just be the best display I’ve ever done.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
I whirl around at the sound of gentle knocks against the window, only to find a smiling goblin waving at me. My face splits into a grin, my surprise quickly morphing into delight as I recognize Doc Calla.
She gestures to the door and I nod. Treasure Hunters is technically not open for business yet, but for Doc Calla, I’ll always be available. I hop down from the platform, my seashell bracelets clinking together with the move, and practically bounce toward the door to unlock it.
“Doc Calla!” I greet her warmly, holding the door open to let her in.
Kindness radiates off the doctor and my heart fills with joy. There’s something so disarming about her, like she has this air of acceptance that never requires me to dim myself for even a fraction of a second. I’ve always been a little weird by most people’s standards, but I’ve never gotten a hint of judgment from Doc Calla. I think she rather appreciates my knack for taking some people’s discarded items and giving them a new lease on life.
Everyone deserves to be someone’s treasure. That’s a motto I live my life by and apply to “things” too.
Sometimes an item only needs some sprucing up and a fresh coat of paint before it can bring a new owner a ton of joy. Creatures too—a change of hair color, a new outfit, a tattoo, or a fresh piercing can be a catalyst for happiness.
The elderly doctor places her hand on my forearm, her long green fingers splaying gently over the constellation of freckles dotting my sunkissed skin, and I put my own hand on top of hers.
A soft smile tips the corners of Doc Calla’s mouth up. “Juniper, it’s good to see you again.”
I lean forward to admire the jewelry dangling from her large pointed ears. “My goodness, you’ve got some magnificent earrings on today.”
Doc Calla shakes her head to make her clunky earrings swing back and forth, the light catching on the blue sea glass. “A friend made these earrings for me. They’re pretty wonderful, aren’t they?”
“They’re gorgeous!” I say and bend down further to admire them more closely. I’m not particularly tall for a human, but next to Doc Calla’s three feet even I have to lean down to see them more clearly. Not that her height makes her feel much smaller than me, quite the opposite in fact.
She inclines her head toward the geese. “I like what you did with the display. Particularly the one in the center. There’s just something about purple hair that gets your attention.”
I playfully puff some air upward, making the wispy bangs of my freshly dyed hair flutter with the movement. “I’m glad you appreciate the purple. I touched up my roots last night and thought it a good idea to dye the goose’s mohawk to match. If I honor my own head with such a vibrant color, it only makes sense to give my favorite goose the same treatment. Unfortunately, only one of us can pull off a mohawk.”
Doc Calla raises a single brow at me. “I think pulling off purple hair is a feat in itself. I can’t even tell what your original hair color was.”
I lift my chin. “That’s a secret I’ll take to my grave.” I wink at her and both of us giggle. “How long are you in Cape Easton for? I hope nothing too serious brought you here today.”
Doc Calla squeezes my arm gently. “That’s sweet of you to worry, dear, but it’s just a checkup for a patient. We don’t have fancy MRI machines on the island, so it’s best to make the tripout to ensure she’s properly recovered from her injury. Plus, I get the benefit of seeing you.”
Cape Easton University Hospital is right next door to my thrift store. Whenever Doc Calla is in the city to escort a patient she usually pops in to say hi. Tilly, her daughter-in-law who runs her practice with her, used to frequent the shop before she settled in Starry Hill and got married to Doc Calla’s son.
Apparently the whole island knows about Tilly’s love for thrifting and the beautiful set of dishes she found here. On one trip to Cape Easton, Doc Calla stopped by to see if we got anything Tilly might like and introduced herself to me. I was instantly charmed by her and have grown quite fond of the wise old lady.
We move to the back corner of the shop and take a seat on some old armchairs I reupholstered.
“I also came today to give you your invitation.” Doc Calla reaches into her bag and places a card in my palm.
“Ooo! The answer is already yes. What’s the occasion?” I ask, not even looking at the card in my hand.
Doc Calla’s brows lift in amusement. “Bodin and Tilly have insisted on throwing a birthday party for me and the whole town has decided to make it a big to-do. Something about it being a milestone and needing to celebrate it properly. I’d love for you to come too.”
“That sounds absolutely wonderful. When’s the party and what can I bring?”
