Chapter 4

Betty arrived back at her apartment and was pleased to see that her furniture had been delivered and set up to her specifications. Her cream-colored sofa was against the far back wall of the living room as she requested, and a soft armchair rested comfortably beside it. A pale blue and white plaid wingback chair sat in the corner next to a small end table with a lamp carefully positioned on it. It would be her reading nook. She had also vowed that even with her new managerial position, she would allow herself the luxury of finishing at least a book a week. Reading had been her passion growing up, and thought of experiencing new worlds through fiction or learning new facts made her brain hum with pleasure.

She was also delighted to see the movers had even taken the liberty of installing her flat-screen television on the wall above her fireplace. Despite the seemingly seasonable temperatures, she had read when researching her new locale that the winter actually could be quite chilly as the northern winds could blow in a cold front at any given time. When searching for space, she wanted to definitely make certain that a fireplace was an amenity. In fact, her spoiled pooch made it imperative it be in the contract. In the snowfalls on the East coast, beaux Jacques could often be found stretched out, warming his back against the flames lazily happily dreaming of what Betty could only imagine were warmer fields and grass for miles.

While Betty wasn’t a big television buff, she realized that most people did expect to find a television in a home just as they would a refrigerator or oven. If she did have the occasion for a company, she didn’t want them to feel out of place, and it would be a nice touch for entertaining should the need arise. Betty had avoided actually watching the network shows for years until she found that to be social with some of the ladies at her office, she had to familiarize herself with some programs so should contribute to the conversation when asked a question about the latest episode of a singing competition or the newest detective adventure show. As her thoughts drifted, she suddenly remembered that she didn’t have any bedding. She had already discarded her older things and did want a clean start in her new apartment anyway. She exhaled and cursed under her breath. She didn’t want to make another trip back into town, especially since Beaux Jacques was already settled on her old sweatshirt for the evening, but she didn’t have any other choice. She grabbed her keys once more. This time she would drive into town since it was, after all, well past dark. She only hoped she didn’t get lost looking for the nearest retail store.

She pulled out her phone and was pleased to see a national chain which would have bedding in stock was fairly close off the highway and was still open. She programmed the address in her phone’s GPS and would use voice navigation to guide her to the destination with ease. She also would make a brief stop by the Cornerstone before she returned home, just to make sure everything was still in order for her first day. Beaux Jacques saw her grab her keys and immediately stood up, looking at her warily. He grumbled disapprovingly as she neared the door. “Beaux, I’ll be back shortly. I need you to stay here and keep an eye on the place while I go to town. I won’t be out long.”

The dog huff and whined as he realized he wouldn’t be coming along for the adventure. “It’s okay, old guy. I’ve got this one, Commander.” He wagged his tail upon hearing her nickname for him and gave her a lick on the face as a goodbye. She made a mental note to also pick him up some dog food and new treats on her trip to town as well. She climbed in the front seat of her sedan and plugged her phone up to the aux port. The voice system boomed through the speakers and proceeded to give her directions to the highway. It was still quite comfortable outside, so she decided that she would forego the air conditioning and roll the windows down, letting the evening breeze flow through her hair, and the light from the stars caress the crown of her head through the moon roof. A late-night trip anywhere was definitely out of the ordinary for the homebody, and Betty felt odd electricity and excitement in the air. She then turned on the radio and found a favorite song of hers playing on a classic rock station she happened to pick up while scanning through the stations. She felt the burden of responsibility lift from her shoulders and felt like the teenager she should have had the opportunity to be in the past but didn’t allow herself the luxury of being.

Pulling into the lot of the local supercenter, she was pleased to see that it wasn’t terribly crowded. She, of course, never had to worry about getting the best deals because of her financial stability, but she did find herself uncomfortable in larger crowds. She always was on point in the courtroom, but what most people didn’t realize was it came at quite the effort to keep her nerves in check. She simply focused on her words, one at a time, and pretended, it was merely a conversation with herself with no one in attendance. In a social situation, however, she found it exceptionally difficult to control her anxiety. When out say, for example, holiday shopping, she practiced a mental routine of memorizing facts about other shoppers, or even sale prices on items she had no intention on purchasing to ease the ailment. She nodded at the door greeter and, being unfamiliar with the store, politely asked him what aisle the linens could be found in. She thanked him for his instructions and proceeded to grab a cart and push it to her destination.

She mulled over her choices and was pleased to see the store offered a good variety of colors and patterns to choose from for her new sheets. She chose a deep purple set and a plush purple and black comforter to go along with it. She then also got a corresponding accent pillowcases. Deciding to splurge and finish out the new color scheme, she wheeled her cart to the next aisle over and picked out a set of rich eggplant colored drapes to match the sheets. She then also picked out a few different scented candles that appeared to be warm and inviting. She did use candles as a trick to fool her brain into relaxing for the evening, meditating on their soft light and flickers until she was lulled into a near sleep. She would then blow them out, blissfully drifting off into a peaceful slumber. Before she had a chance to pick out her favorites, she was interrupted by another shopper who lingered at the end of the aisle. “I see you’re facing a tough decision there. Let me help you out some… try these.” He picked up a box and put it in her shopping cart. “I tried these as accent pieces in my boyfriend’s house because, well, you know men never remember to turn off the coffee pot, let alone blow out a candle. They are magic, honey.”

“Oh well, these do seem nice… they’re battery operated?”

“Yes. No fuss, no messy wax dripping everywhere… unless you’re into that kind of thing.”

Slightly taken aback at his outlandish comment, Betty reddened some. She couldn’t ever imagine herself doing anything remotely kinky, let alone some type of candle wax torture foreplay. She then laughed softly at his apparent joke to let him know it was okay to continue their conversation. “Oh, I’m sorry if I’m too forward. My boyfriend tells me all the time I don’t know when to butt out of people’s business. I really do love these though. You simply change the color at the touch of a button, so it can change with your moods. I’m Tyler, by the way.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Tyler. My name’s Betty. I’m still trying to get used to the layout in this store. It’s very different than the one I used to frequent back home.”

“Yes, change is always difficult, isn’t it, darling? “He looked at her and took stock of her appearance. She did seem to be a bit lost and in need of a friend. “So how did you happen to be here at this moment, Betty?”

“Oh, it’s sort of funny. I just moved into my new apartment today and forgot my bedding, so it was definitely a necessity.”

“Well, I must say you’ve picked an exquisite palette. You’ve got good taste.”

She looked down at the set of electronic candles and smiled up at her new friend. “So do you, Tyler. In case you’re wondering what I do, I just bought the Cornerstone.”

“Oh! I love that place! The previous owners held such great events there. I hope you’ll continue the tradition.”

“Trust me, you’re not the only one who has given me that piece of advice. Let’s just say I think I’ll be lynched if I don’t. I’m going to stop by there after I leave here just to make sure everything is in order for tomorrow when I officially begin running the operation.”

“Well, then it seems as if tomorrow evening a celebration is in order for you.” Tyler pulled a business card out of his wallet and handed it to Betty. His email address and phone numbers were listed on it along with the title of ‘interior decorator.’ She smiled broadly at him and said, “Well, I really didn’t plan on having a party.”

Tyler placed his arm around her as he led her out of the aisle with her wares safely in the shopping cart. “Now none of that. How else are the residents of our little hamlet supposed to get to know the new face in town? I insist. Call me tomorrow after you get your business taken care of, and I’ll attend to everything.”

Betty couldn’t believe she was agreeing to a meet and greet, let alone an entire party, but she knew this could be a golden opportunity for her to meet business contacts and also get to know the townspeople. She did want to be friendly and show that she just wasn’t another corporate conglomerate sent to take over their small town. “Okay. I’ll let you know when I’m finished with all my staff meetings.”

“That’s my girl! Now go forth and conquer.”

“Haha, well, what are you going to do? Oh… well, I’m going to linger spending my boyfriend’s money, of course. Shopping is an art and should be savored just as much as the creation of any masterpiece.”

“If you say so, Tyler. Thank you again.”

With that statement, Betty pushed her cart quickly through the store, picking up Beaux Jacque’s treats and promptly checking out before she was roped into any other social outings.