Page 180 of Seasons of Love
I smile when I see my next customer.
“Ethel, you’re a sight for sore eyes.”
She waves me off. “You’re a charmer.”
“But I don’t lie. What have we got today?”
“Just a few essentials.”
I ring up her stuff and take the payment.
“How’s your new hobby going?” I ask.
“It’s great. I gave some of my fish to the vet out in Chester Falls, and he’s going to put them up for sale there. Can you believe it? He’s such a sweetheart too. I wouldn’t want anyone else looking after my cats but Doctor Micah Sawyer.”
I try to keep my laughter in. I wonder what the poor vet thinks of Ethel’s crocheted fish. “That’s very entrepreneurial of you, Ethel.”
“Just goes to show it’s never too late to do something you care about. You remember that.”
“I will, Ethel. Do you want help to the car?”
“No, I’ll be fine, dear.” She leans over the counter and whispers, “My son thinks I can’t see what he’s doing, parked out there spying on me. I’m not du-lah-lah yet. And I can still do everything myself.”
I smile. “Ethel, I want to be just like you when I grow up.”
She blows me a kiss and off she goes, holding on to her walker with her groceries in the basket.
“So, is it true? You and the school teacher are a thing?”
I bite my tongue and put on a fake smile before I turn around.
“Who wants to know, Jimmy?”
He puts his elbows on the counter and leans forward.
“Maybe I want to know.”
“Why?”
“Because maybe I think you and me together would make more sense? If that woman who’s going around saying she’s Sara’s grandma takes her away to look after her, you’d be free from that responsibility. Maybe you could start acting like you’re twenty-six instead of sixty-six.”
I stare at him in disbelief. He couldn’t have just said what I think he did.
“So what do you think? Ditch the old teacher and come out with me?”
I leave my register and head toward his. He smiles, thinking he’s won me over, but I see the moment he realizes that couldn’t be further from the truth.
I grab him by the collar of his shirt. “Don’t you ever talk about me or my daughter in that way, or any way, for that matter.”
“She’s not your daughter,” he bites between gritted teeth.
Red boiling rage builds inside me. I’ve never wanted to punch someone so much, and I’m so close to doing it. Jimmy sees it in my eyes because he tries to get out of my hold.
“Milo. Leave him. He’s not worth it.” I listen to Pauline’s words and release him. The last thing I want is to do anything that could jeopardize my custody of Sara.
“You wouldn’t be so precious about your little perfect teacher if you knew why he came to live in Stillwater,” Jimmy says.
“Jimmy, you shut your face, or I’ll shut it for you,” Pauline threatens.
