Chapter 18

Betsy appeared at the door. Behind her, Dan stood and watched. Frank nodded to him, and he returned the greeting.

“Mr. Jackson.” Betsy opened the door wide. “How nice to see you. It isn’t time for the rent.”

“I wanted to talk to you and Dan.”

“Come in,” she said. “What’s on your mind?”

She stepped aside to let him in, and she and Dan led him into the kitchen where they took seats at the table.

Frank began telling them Mary’s plan. They listened, and Dan nodded as Frank laid out the options. When he finished, Betsy sat back for a moment, staring at the ceiling.

Dan was the first to speak. “We have a place on Central Street. It’s empty and it’s in need of some work.”

Betsy agreed. “The town has been after us about it. We pay the taxes, but it isn’t good enough for them.”

“How big are we talking?” Frank asked.

“I’d say just what you’re looking for,” said Betsy. She spent a minute describing the store.

“We can have a look,” Dan said.

“Mary will have to approve,” Frank told him.

“How about you meet us in an hour?” Betsy gave him the address.

“An hour.” Frank stood to leave. “See you there.”

One hour later, they waited at the vacant property for Dan and Betsy. Mary peeked in the window and made a circuit of the building, studying it.

“It has a room in back,” she said. “It is larger than my shop, but needs to be with so many more people.”

She left for another trip around, looking at the walls, and in windows again to assess it.

“Betsy was right,” Marjorie said. “It needs work.”

“Cleaning,” said Frank, “and some repairs, but it won’t cost a fortune.”

“What are they asking?”

“We didn’t get that far.”

She studied the store. “About a thousand, eleven hundred square feet, but you don’t know what those two will say.”

“They’re different. I think they pick numbers out of the air.”

“Here they come.” Marjorie looked past Frank and waved.

Frank turned to greet them. They walked hand in hand, chattering back and forth to each other.

“Love birds,” Frank said.

“Soul mates,” Marjorie replied.

“What do you think?” Betsy asked when they arrived.

“Where’s Mary?” Dan glanced around and saw her coming down one side of the building.

“May we see inside?” Mary asked and greeted Dan and Betsy with a hug each.

“It needs some TLC, inside and out.” Betsy found the key and unlocked the door. She moved aside and waved Mary in.

“What is TLC?” Mary asked.

“Tender Loving Care. Cleaning, painting, some carpentry repairs, and someone to take care of it.”

“TLC,” Mary said. “I like it. We would give it a great amount of TLC.”

Betsy grinned. “I know you would.”

“What are we talking?” Frank asked.

“Painting and repairing things,” Dan said, “we guess at about $6000. There are clapboards needing replacing along the bottom. The roof is good. Interior and exterior painting is most of the expense.”

“We can do that,” Marjorie said. She looked at Frank. “The painting, I mean.”

Frank agreed. “We’d need a carpenter for the physical repairs.”

“Then,” Betsy said, “we’ll let you have it for property tax plus $300. It’s just sitting here wasting away.”

“What’s the tax?” Frank asked.

“About $3000 a year. It’s outrageous,” Dan grumbled. “Figure you’ll be out $500 a month.”

Mary and Marjorie both turned to Frank. It was a rent payment none of them imagined.

“Electricity, water, heat and all is on you,” Betsy added. “None of it is cheap anymore.”

“Tell you what,” Dan said. “You buy the paint, find a carpenter, and get receipts. We’ll take it off the rent.”

“You’ll have other expenses,” Betsy warned. “With the kind of store you’re planning, the State will stick its nose in. I’d imagine there are certifications you’ll need.” She made a face. “You can’t move any more without them wanting something.”

“It isn’t like it used to be,” Dan said.

“Outsiders.” Betsy spat the word. “They’ve ruined it for all of us, and this town is full of them.”

“We’ll wade through all the licensing,” Frank said. “I don’t foresee us getting it open for a couple of months at a minimum.”

“In time for winter,” Betsy nodded. “If then. Licenses take time. You’d think with computers they could speed it up, but they don’t.”

“It slows them down,” Dan finished. “So, you’ll take it?”

“We will,” Mary said.

Frank chuckled. “I guess so.”

“Come by the house and we’ll make it official,” Betsy said. “I’ve got a blueberry pie that needs eating, too.”

“We will come by after the supper, if that is suitable,” Mary said.

“That will be fine. Say around 7 PM?”

“We will be there.” She gave Betsy and Dan a hug and turned back to the building. “It will make a fine shop. When we fix the problems, it will return the love.”

Frank thought about it. “This is the 21st Century. Do you think you can generate enough traffic to make it?”

“Traffic?” Mary asked. “Do you mean people? They will come.”

“They’re sick of being poisoned by the drug companies. Lots are returning to natural cures,” Marjorie added.

Frank stared at the shop. It was eerie. If his memory was correct, the building was like Mary’s store in Danielsford. It was double the size, but the layout was almost identical.

“Yours was like this?” he asked.

“Very much the same, only smaller.”

“We’ll need a sign,” he said.

“Above the entrance.” Marjorie said. “Large but not ostentatious.”

Frank thought of his woodworking equipment in Boston and wished he still had the tools. He had given all the machines and tools away when he moved to Woodstock. He had never had the chance to use some of them.

“How will you get the supplies?” he asked.

“From the forests and fields,” Mary answered. “Those not available, we will order.”

“It may be difficult. The names could have changed.”

“We will see. First, we have to get the shop ready,” she said.

“That will be a job.”

“A little sweat is good for the soul,” she said. “Unless you work for what you have, you never appreciate it.”

He turned to Marjorie. “You'll be working here?”

“I’ll be helping and learning,” she replied.

“It might be a while before the store makes a profit.”

“Maybe, but I don’t think so. Anyway, you’re stuck with me a little longer.”

“Do you know how to paint?” he asked, staring at the building.

“I’m a little out of practice, but it will come back.”

“That makes two of us.”

“Three,” Mary added. “I have never painted. Let us return home.”

While Mary and Marjorie prepared supper, Frank went over his finances. To his surprise, he had far more than expected. It resulted from working from the house on the computer. Not only did he now have more accounts, he was bringing in 25 percent more business than when on the road.

“What’s the verdict?” Marjorie asked.

“We’re good,” he said.

A knock on the door interrupted him. He went to answer. Gail Collins stood on the stoop. She smiled at him.

“Gail,” he said, motioning her in. “Where have you been hiding?”

“Something told me to come by and say hello,” she said.

“We’re glad you did. They’re in the kitchen.”

Mary came out, saw Gail, and rushed to her.

“Such a welcome guest. You will stay for supper,” she said, enveloping Gail in a tight hug. “We have a surprise.”

Marjorie and Gail hugged while Mary began telling the girl what they were doing. Gail sat on the sofa and listened.

“Is there room for a third?” she asked.

“We cannot pay until people find us,” Mary said.

“I don’t care. You’re as much family as my own. Besides, we’ll get the building ready quicker with four of us working.”

Mary smiled and nodded. “That is true.”

“Plus, I’ve been studying herbs and cures ever since we were together last, with Rebecca. I know quite a bit. Ask me anything.”

Mary began quizzing the girl. Other than the plants whose names had changed, Gail’s answers were correct. By the time they finished, she impressed Mary.

“What do you use the ones I didn't recognize for,” said Gail.

Mary began with the name and what the herb cured.

Gail gave her the modern name of most.

“What do you think?” Mary asked Marjorie.

“We need her,” Marjorie said.

“I can collect what we need,” Gail said. “I know where a lot of it grows in the woods around here, and in the mountains.”

“Bring in what you find, remembering to leave most of it for next year,” Mary said. “This is how I will learn the new names. Come. Supper should be ready. We will talk more after.”

She took Gail’s arm and led her into the kitchen.