Page 48 of What Remains True
A booth of cinnamon brooms was right across from the register. Not exactly a smell she usually associated with summer.
“Hello.” Flossie raised her bony arm in the air. “Merry Anna! Good to see you. Let me know if you have any questions.”
“Yes ma’am. I will.” The front half of the store was mostly twelve-by-twelve-foot craft booths on consignment. The back half was where the real money was made. Flossie had dealt in antiques in this region for most of her years. Everyone in town said this was the place to find the good stuff. Rumor had it she cherry-picked most of the estate sales before they even went public.
Merry Anna had no idea what she was looking for, but she wanted to make that bunkhouse feel more like her own, even if it was just temporary. Maybe she’d find a nice piece of furniture. There was a beautiful sideboard, with all original hardware and hardly any wear. She pulled the drawers out and inspected the piece. It was a little pricey, but once this wager with Kevin was over, she could spend whatever she liked. This would definitely be on her list.
Merry Anna turned to go chat with Flossie about the sideboard, when something else caught her eye: the mostbeautiful, elegant bed she’d ever seen. She stood there picturing it with fine linens and a billowy, crisp-white comforter.
Flossie’s instincts must’ve been ringing up dollar signs in her mind, because right about that moment, she poked her head around that old sideboard. “Find something you like?”
“I did, but then I turned and saw this bed.”
“Oh yes. It’s one of my very favorite pieces.” Flossie walked over, twisting the diamond on the dainty golden chain around her neck. “An estate piece. Rumors were flying that Liz Taylor had slept in it. No idea if that was true or not, but it made for an interesting day of speculation. Drove the price up, too, I’m afraid.”
“I love how simply elegant it is. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a wooden bed that looked so feminine but not ornately so. Does that make sense?”
“That’s what initially drew me to it too. It’s the burled walnut that gives it the unique look. Very rich looking, but with simple lines. Truly exquisite. This is an 1880s Victorian Eastlake.”
Merry Anna ran her fingers across the wood. “I didn’t see a price on it. Don’t tell me it’s not for sale.”
“It’s for sale.” Flossie hooked a finger, and Merry Anna followed her to the headboard. She slipped her hand behind the wood and pulled up a hangtag on a string. “I might even be able to do you a little better on this piece, with you working down at Hardy House and all.”
“Really?” She stepped over and read the price tag. “What can you do?”
“Ten percent off?”
“It’s out of my budget for this month.”Stupid bet with Kevin.She had half a mind to cheat and sneak it, but then she’dnever be able to lie to him. “Could I put some money down to have it held for me? I could do three payments.”
“Three equal payments? One now and one each of the next two months?”
“Yes. I’m sorry to ask you to do that.”
“Don’t be. I’d love for you to have this bed.” Flossie leaned in and nudged her with an elbow. “I like you. I can do that for you.”
She hated that this stupid bet with Kevin was making her buy time, but she couldn’t risk her amazing find slipping away. “I can’t believe this will be mine. I hope the time flies.”
“You don’t have to wait,” Flossie said. “Pay me that third, and I’ll schedule delivery and setup immediately.”
“Really?”
“Yes. That bed deserves to be somewhere besides this store. I think it’s a perfect fit.” Flossie smirked. “Don’t really think you’re much of a flight risk anyway.”
“I promise I’m not. Thank you so much, Flossie.”
Merry Anna wrote Flossie a check, then walked out of that store with a spring in her step.
In a couple of days, she’d have her new bed. On her way out of the store, she spotted a stained glass panel. “Flossie, can you deliver this with my bed? I can pay you today for it.”
“Sure can. Salvaged that from an old church. The white paint has charm, with the multiple layers and slight curling at the edges, but aren’t the colors vivid?”
“They are. When the sun comes up in the morning, it shines through my bedroom window. I’m going to hang this from a wire in front of the window. I bet it will cast those colors across the whole room and my new bed.”
“Now, that’s the way to greet a new day,” Flossie said.
14
Merry Anna spent the betterpart of the week working on updates to the bunkhouse. Krissy volunteered Grady to go pick up the old bed and a couple of other things that Merry Anna wasn’t using and store them upstairs at Hardy House. In the meantime, Merry Anna and Krissy went to work picking out new bedding and a rug for the room.
