you stagger the orders?”
Leon closed the door. “Did you forget what’s comin’ next week?” His foot tapped impatiently on the linoleum.
“I guess I did.” Sherry’s face turned red as recognition hit.
“I was wonderin’ why you hadn’t ordered any dresses.” Leon licked his lips. “The Annual Charity Dance is next weekend. You always help out with that. Did anyone mention it to you?”
“Reverend Telly mentioned it durin’ service last Sunday, but I guess it slipped my mind,” she explained. “I guess I’ve been so pre-occupied worryin’ about the damn therapist’s appointment tomorrow.”
“Listen. Don’t sweat it,” Leon said. “We’ll get through it even if you go out there and serve Lina the Mean-a.”
Sherry’s face softened. “I’ll be right back.”
Perusing the meager summer dress collection Lina glimpsed Sherry coming out of the storage room. “This all the dresses you’ve got? I may have to go out of town to get somethin’ decent.”
“No worries, Lina,” Sherry said impassively. “We just received a large shipment today. They should be on the racks later today or tomorrow.”
“I’ve been lookin’ forward to takin’ a trip, maybe I’ll do that instead.” Her nose was in the air.
“Sounds like fun.”
Lina scoffed but said nothing.
“So I guess our county fire starter is outta business,” Lina added conversationally, still perusing the rack. “Seems he’s lost his touch. Ain’t been no fires in a coupla weeks now.”
Sherry tried for positive. “Well maybe our prayers have been answered.”
Lina ignored the comment, changing the subject. “So Greg sold Jinny Marx’s house.”
“Oh yeah? Who to?” Sherry checked herself. “Sorry, you probably can’t tell me that.”
Lina waved. “Oh, please! Greg don’t care who I tell things to. Hell, he’ll prolly be happy I told you .”
Sherry’s hands rose in defeat. “It’s your choice.”
“Ah, never mind,” Lina teased. “I’ll be back in a coupla days to take a look at them dresses.” She walked out the door, knocking over a few pajamas on hangers, seemingly by accident.
Sherry sprinted over to the rack, replacing the clothing. Leon heard the bell ring when Lina left. He popped his head out.
“She gone?” he asked. “I ain’t in the mood for her today.”
“Coffee?” Sherry offered, placing the last garment back on the rack.
“Yes, please,” Leon pleaded, handing her the money.
Sherry waved to Wade Thomas in the barber shop, who was sweeping up after a client. He came to the door as Sherry walked past on her way to the coffee shop. “Hey, Sherry, how ya doin’ today?”
“I’m doin’ fine, Wade, thanks.”
“Hey, tell Kenny to come on over for a buzz. I ain’t seen him in a while. Saw you guys at church last week but the wife run me on out right quick to get to some linen sale.”
“Sure. I’ll tell him.” Sherry waved. “Take care.”
Wade winked, heading back into the barber shop.
Vern’s Café was desolate as Sherry opened the door, activating the overhead bell. Jenny Martin was behind the counter. “Hey Sherry, what can I get ya?”
“Two coffees to go, please.” She placed the money on the counter.
“You guys busy over there today?” Jenny asked. “We ain’t had hardly anyone in here today aside from about a half hour ago.”
“Not today so far, but we’ll be busier tomorrow.”
“Oh yeah? Havin’ a sale?”
“Not exactly.” Sherry explained as Jenny poured the coffee into Styrofoam cups. “Everyone’ll be shopping for dresses for the dance next weekend. Stock just arrived.”
“Oh yeah, that’s right,” Jenny smiled. “Lucky my sister got married last summer and I still got the dress.” She placed plastic lids on the cups. “Are ya goin’ to the dance?”
“Yeah,” Sherry shifted her weight uncomfortably. “I usually help out at those, chaperonin’, sellin’ tickets at the door, stuff like that.”
“I could help out,”
Leon closed the door. “Did you forget what’s comin’ next week?” His foot tapped impatiently on the linoleum.
“I guess I did.” Sherry’s face turned red as recognition hit.
“I was wonderin’ why you hadn’t ordered any dresses.” Leon licked his lips. “The Annual Charity Dance is next weekend. You always help out with that. Did anyone mention it to you?”
“Reverend Telly mentioned it durin’ service last Sunday, but I guess it slipped my mind,” she explained. “I guess I’ve been so pre-occupied worryin’ about the damn therapist’s appointment tomorrow.”
“Listen. Don’t sweat it,” Leon said. “We’ll get through it even if you go out there and serve Lina the Mean-a.”
Sherry’s face softened. “I’ll be right back.”
Perusing the meager summer dress collection Lina glimpsed Sherry coming out of the storage room. “This all the dresses you’ve got? I may have to go out of town to get somethin’ decent.”
“No worries, Lina,” Sherry said impassively. “We just received a large shipment today. They should be on the racks later today or tomorrow.”
“I’ve been lookin’ forward to takin’ a trip, maybe I’ll do that instead.” Her nose was in the air.
“Sounds like fun.”
Lina scoffed but said nothing.
“So I guess our county fire starter is outta business,” Lina added conversationally, still perusing the rack. “Seems he’s lost his touch. Ain’t been no fires in a coupla weeks now.”
Sherry tried for positive. “Well maybe our prayers have been answered.”
Lina ignored the comment, changing the subject. “So Greg sold Jinny Marx’s house.”
“Oh yeah? Who to?” Sherry checked herself. “Sorry, you probably can’t tell me that.”
Lina waved. “Oh, please! Greg don’t care who I tell things to. Hell, he’ll prolly be happy I told you .”
Sherry’s hands rose in defeat. “It’s your choice.”
“Ah, never mind,” Lina teased. “I’ll be back in a coupla days to take a look at them dresses.” She walked out the door, knocking over a few pajamas on hangers, seemingly by accident.
Sherry sprinted over to the rack, replacing the clothing. Leon heard the bell ring when Lina left. He popped his head out.
“She gone?” he asked. “I ain’t in the mood for her today.”
“Coffee?” Sherry offered, placing the last garment back on the rack.
“Yes, please,” Leon pleaded, handing her the money.
Sherry waved to Wade Thomas in the barber shop, who was sweeping up after a client. He came to the door as Sherry walked past on her way to the coffee shop. “Hey, Sherry, how ya doin’ today?”
“I’m doin’ fine, Wade, thanks.”
“Hey, tell Kenny to come on over for a buzz. I ain’t seen him in a while. Saw you guys at church last week but the wife run me on out right quick to get to some linen sale.”
“Sure. I’ll tell him.” Sherry waved. “Take care.”
Wade winked, heading back into the barber shop.
Vern’s Café was desolate as Sherry opened the door, activating the overhead bell. Jenny Martin was behind the counter. “Hey Sherry, what can I get ya?”
“Two coffees to go, please.” She placed the money on the counter.
“You guys busy over there today?” Jenny asked. “We ain’t had hardly anyone in here today aside from about a half hour ago.”
“Not today so far, but we’ll be busier tomorrow.”
“Oh yeah? Havin’ a sale?”
“Not exactly.” Sherry explained as Jenny poured the coffee into Styrofoam cups. “Everyone’ll be shopping for dresses for the dance next weekend. Stock just arrived.”
“Oh yeah, that’s right,” Jenny smiled. “Lucky my sister got married last summer and I still got the dress.” She placed plastic lids on the cups. “Are ya goin’ to the dance?”
“Yeah,” Sherry shifted her weight uncomfortably. “I usually help out at those, chaperonin’, sellin’ tickets at the door, stuff like that.”
“I could help out,”
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