Page 63 of Happy Harbor
“Hey, Mom! And Grandma,” Kendra said, suddenly appearing in the restaurant. Both women turned their focus to her.
“What are you doing here?” Josie asked, looking at the time on her phone. She had no idea school was already out.
“I stopped by to ask if you could go dress shopping with me now? Prom is next week.”
Dress shopping. More money Josie didn’t have. She was going to have to use what little money she had in savings just to survive for the next few months, especially if the restaurant got taken. Thank God the house was paid off. The thought of selling it to keep the restaurant afloat made her sick to her stomach. Maybe she could take out a mortgage?
“Oh, but we’re kind of busy here today. Can we go this weekend?”
Kendra’s face fell. “All the good dresses will be gone if they aren’t already. I was talking to my new friends at lunch today, and Katie said the dress shops sell out fast.”
Diane looked at Josie. “You know what? I’m sure the rest of the staff can hold down the fort while we go shopping for an hour. Dinner rush won’t start for a good three hours, anyway.”
“We?”
“Yes! Grandma, I’d love for you to go! This is going to be so fun! Mom?”
Josie paused for a moment. She didn’t want to disappoint her daughter, but she was so angry at her mother that it was going to take every bit of her strength not to snap.
“Of course. Let’s go. But only an hour. This place is a mess, and I need to get back.”
Kendra grinned and then did something unexpected. She hugged Josie. It was hard enough to get a normal teenager to hug their mother, but Kendra had never been overly affectionate. Josie had already seen big changes in her daughter since moving to Happy Harbor. Was it possible that the town had been a horrible place for her to grow up, but was the remedy to her own daughter’s problems?
Thankfully, the dress shop was only down the block, so they could walk there. Actually, everything in Happy Harbor was basically on the same street. Instead of a town square, they had one long main street with older buildings on each side. On any given day, people were walking down the sidewalks window-shopping.
Diane ran to the kitchen to tell the other staff that they’d be back, and then the three women stepped out onto the Riverwalk. As they walked, Josie was thankful that Kendra was doing most of the talking. She told them about her classes, what she ate for lunch, and more about Scotty.
Josie was both happy and surprised that her daughter had found such a good friend—or maybe boyfriend—so quickly. Kendra rarely opened up and allowed people in, much like her mother. She could only assume this boy was different.
“So, how are the repairs coming along?” Kendra asked.
“Slowly. Amazing how much damage a tree limb can cause,” Josie said, sighing. “And insurance doesn’t want to do much to help.”
“Oh, that stinks,” Kendra said, barely paying attention as she looked in the store windows.
“Your mom is doing a great job at the restaurant,” Diane said, smiling over at Josie.
“Thanks, but I don’t need your compliments,” Josie mumbled.
Diane looked surprised. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Just the same old stuff.”
“Josie, tell me why you’re upset. I thought things were getting better...”
She looked over at her mother. “Right now is aboutmydaughter. I would never want to ruin these special moments for her.”
Diane’s face fell, but she said nothing as they reached the dress shop. Kendra stared through the large glass window.
“Look at that black one with the slit up the side!”
“Um, no. That’s not appropriate,” Josie said.
“Mom, they wouldn’t sell it here if it wasn’t appropriate. Now, come on. I’ve got to try that on.”
Before she could push back, Kendra was in the dress shop with the black one in her hand. She still had that stubbornness lurking under the surface.
Josie and her mother silently walked into the shop and sat down in the two chairs in the dressing area. Kendra tried on the black dress but thankfully didn’t like it. She found a pink one she liked better and took it into the dressing room.
