Page 38 of Of Potions and Honey
“No, I don’t think you are. Not without a drop of cleanser, at least.”
“Hm.” Now that Yoni had said it, Mira vaguely recalled a mention of that in Uncle Lochlin’s book. “Maybe next time.”
After a moment of silence, Yoni said: “I come out here once or twice a month.”
Mira waited, but there was nothing else. Her mind spun its wheels like it rarely ever did. Was that an invitation? Or just chit-chat, and it didn’t mean anything?
“Maybe a little break like this once a month couldn’t hurt.”
And, much to her delight, Yoni’s response was a narrow but noticeable smile.
Sixteen
Withthestoreopen– and slowly gaining more traction as Mira spent countless hours perfecting her basic recipes and attempting to learn new ones – Mira found herself on a schedule that was both familiar and wholly new. Back in Willow Harbour, she had always worked around other people’s schedules; whether that was watching Paul after school, or coming in for an extra shift after receiving an early-morning telegram from Mr. Lewis that left no room to argue. Whatever she had wanted to do, she’d have to fit it in whenever nobody else had any requests.
Now, she still had little free time to spare. When she wasn’t at the till, she was in the back at the stove, and when she wasn’t dodging scalding drops of a failed experiment from the pot, she was maintaining her house and garden, or trying to work on her stories. The next time she met up with Yoni for a walk seemed like a veritable escape. Even if Mira nearly fell asleep in the shade of a large oak tree while Yoni was gathering her latchweed sprouts nearby.
It also meant that she had to fit in her shopping whenever she had a few hours to make the walk into town, usually in the afternoon. As the year went on and summer was in full swing, every grocery run became a battle with the midday sun, and came with a promise to herself that she would figure out a better system, which she promptly forgot about as soon as she closed the door behind herself and poured herself a large glass of ice tea.
One day, at long last, she managed to make the trip early, right after breakfast. She’d woken at the crack of dawn, and with her shelves fully stocked from a long afternoon the day before, she had nothing to do to get the shop ready. So she put up a sign in the shop window announcing that she’d be opening late today, grabbed her basket and grocery list, and gone off to do her weekend shopping, so she would actually be able to fully enjoy said weekend come closing time.
With the day crisp and clear, the walk into town went by much faster than it did when Mira dragged herself through a muggy afternoon. She’d be a little early for the general store to be open, too. Not too early for the town to be waking up though. She passed by a lively group of children heading for the village green to enjoy the summer holiday, and a group of tired-looking adults waiting for the first carriage to Heartfield. Kian was outside, decorating his display case while his daughter gave helpful suggestions. And when she approached the main square, a deep rumbling announced a large waggon coming up the street. When it turned the corner, Mira noticed the flash of golden yellow with disdain, wondering what kind of superfluous knick-knacks and gadgets Golden River would be selling this week. Every time she saw one of those deliveries, she wondered where it all went. The warehouse at the edge of town sure seemed too small to hold it all.
“…see what they are doing!”
When Mira turned onto the square, Harper’s voice cut across from where she was standing in front of her store next to a harried-looking man her age; Mayor Lloyd. Harper was gesticulating sharply in Mira’s direction, who instinctively wondered what she had done wrong, before she realised with the next sentence that Harper was probably not talking about her.
“Anything that store might be doing for the town is temporary at best!”
“You can’t know that,” Mayor Lloyd replied. “It’s only been a little over a year, you of all people should know that you cannot get a business off the ground so quickly.”
“They’re Golden River, not Mira and her potions!”
Well, perhaps shehaddone something, though Harper had not noticed her yet. Mira probably wasn’t even supposed to hear this. Yet, she could not help but stop, half hidden by the still empty fountain, and listen.
“They have plenty of resources to deliver on those promises, and so far, I’m not seeing any of it.” Harper’s cheeks were flecked with red. “Matter of fact, did you notice how much worse many of us have been doing,incidentally, this past year?”
“Oh, please!” Lloyd huffed. “This town has been on the decline for much longer than Golden River has been here. If anything, they have brought the town some more employment opportunities.”
“People who would have otherwise worked for me, or Cassia, or at the inn.”
“Which you have told me yourself you cannot even afford.”
“Because they undercut all of us at every turn and take business they have no right to take!” Harper inched a little closer, and the Mayor flinched – almost retreating, but not quite. “You have seen their prices. Oh, don’t look like you don’t know, I’ve seen you come out of that store! There is simply no way they are making a profit at those prices, not with everything factoredin. They’re being subsidised, and you and I both know there’s only one reason for that.”
“It’s a new store-”
“It’s soon going to be the only store! That’s what they do. They make themselves so cheap that every store around them looks like they’re overcharging to the moon and back, and once all the customers have jumped ship to Golden River and they’re the only place left to shop at, prices oh so mysteriously have to be raised forbusiness reasons.”
Mayor Lloyd’s impressive moustache trembled. “Please. You cannot possibly know that this is going to happen.”
“I can, and you know that. Do you think I don’t have anyone to talk shop with? I’ve heard enough to know that I don’t want this store here another day.” Harper exhaled sharply and took a step back. “I know I can’t make you do anything, Milton, but at least I can’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“That you have, many times,” Lloyd grumbled. “AndIam telling you, things will be fine. We’ll soon get more opportunities, and a rising tide lifts all ships. You’ll see.”
“I hope for all our sakes that I will, but I’m not holding my breath, and frankly I don’t think anyone else is, either.”
With that, she turned and stalked away, back into her shop. Mayor Lloyd looked after her for a moment. With a heavy sigh, he ran a hand across his tightly braided salt-and-pepper hair and trotted off towards the town hall. Mira waited until he was clear of the square before she cautiously approachedMore by Moore’sfront door. It was open, signalling free entry for customers, but she stopped and knocked anyway.
