Chapter 34

Gail was back in less than an hour, and in a bad mood. No one had to ask what was wrong. She would tell them when she was ready, and it didn’t take long.

“Mom is bent out of shape because I want to stay here for a few days,” she finally said. “It’s okay if I go off to college, where they don’t know who I’m hanging out with, but she thinks I need her permission here.”

Mary thought about it for a few seconds. “You live with them; so, you must follow their rules. Haven’t we talked about this before?”

“Dad said it was okay. So after she ranted for a minute or two, he told her I could come here and she gave in. I think they’re probably having a big fight right now.”

“It’s about Jacob. Right?” Frank said.

“I think so,” Gail shook her head. “I can manage him. She can’t.”

“She is the mother, and she must assume the role,” Mary said. “You are of the age where you want to spread your wings, while she wishes you to stay and care for your brother.”

“Exactly,” Gail said. “She’s said almost the same thing a lot of times. I have a responsibility, and I need to accept it. To her, Jacob is a ‘responsibility,’ not her son.”

Frank glanced at them, and said, “We can discuss it, but we can’t get involved in family issues.”

Mary started to reply, thought about it, and agreed. “You’re right, Frank. But, Gail, you can stay here as long as you want. You know that. You’re one of us, and have been from the day we met.” She shot a dark look at Frank. “Yet, we cannot be involved in the family.”

Marjorie came in from the kitchen. She had heard Gail’s complaints. “I thought it was all pretty much settled after the Rebecca thing.”

“It was,” Gail told her, “and that lasted about a month, then she started in again. I’m supposed to care for Jacob so she doesn’t have to.”

“Well,” Marjorie said, “what did she plan to do if you went off to college?”

“I don’t know. I’m not sure it even occurred to her.”

“Did you bring it up?”

Gail shook her head. “I never thought of it, either.”

After supper, they sat at the table and sipped coffee. No one had much to say. It was the time when Mary would tell her story, and the realization that it was finished had not hit them. After five minutes of silence, Marjorie took the lead.

“What color are you going to paint the shop?”

“White,” Mary said. “It was the color in Danielsford, and I like it.”

“Plus, we already have the paint,” Frank added.

“What about a ladder?” Gail asked. “We can’t get to the eaves without one.”

“Betsy is loaning us one,” Frank replied. “Painting up there will be the slowest part. The building isn’t big, but it might take the whole day.”

“Then we’ll do the rest the day after tomorrow,” Mary said. “We can take turns painting, so everyone gets to have fun.”

“While the eaves are being painted, why not work on the inside?” Marjorie asked.

Mary cocked her head and thought about it. “It’s better than three of us standing around watching one person work.”

“Here’s how we’ll do it,” Frank said. Everyone stopped to listen. “One person painting on the ladder. One will hold the ladder. There are some uneven areas where it won’t be stable. The other two work inside. When it’s time to get off the ladder, the one holding it will go up. The one who comes down goes in the shop and someone from inside goes out to manage the ladder and wait their turn on top.”

The three women stared at him when he finished. He waited and looked at each of them.

“Very good, Frank,” Mary said, after a half minute. “Sometimes you impress me.”

“It’s a good idea,” Gail agreed.

“I like it, too,” Marjorie nodded. “Who goes up the ladder first?”

“Frank,” Mary said. “He thought of it.”

“Okay,” Frank said, wringing his hands as if in anticipation. “Let’s get it all planned out. Who holds for me?”

“I’ll hold the ladder,” Gail said. “Then I’ll get my turn.”

“I’ll go third,” Marjorie said. “We can swap, what, every hour or so?”

“Every hour,” Mary said, “and then do it again all around the building until they’re done.”

“We might get the inside finished tomorrow,” Frank said. “The exterior, because it’s clapboard, will be slower, but day after tomorrow, the shop should be ready to set up for business.”

“Let’s go have a look at our stock, before it gets dark,” Mary said. She stood and went to the back door. “It’s been drying or a few days.”

In the backyard, Frank had erected a 14’x20’ building, constructed of clear plexiglass. In it were common folding tables on which they put the herbs and other plants they collected to dry. Mary opened the door. A blast of hot air hit her.

They walked up and down the rows, checking. None of the drying plants had any tags to identify them. Mary knew each and how it should be used. She picked up a sprig here and there and felt it, then put it back down.

“Most are ready,” she said. “We could stock the store as soon as we’re done painting. It looks like everything is set.”

“Just waiting on the licenses and other stuff,” Frank said.

“We will get them soon,” Mary said, looking at an herb. “Even when we move all this over to the shop, we’ll still have room. What should we do with the extra space?”

“Sell T-shirts,” Gail said. “People will buy them and it’s advertising.”

“I think it’s kind of tacky,” Marjorie said, “but lots of businesses sell shirts and hats with the business logo embossed on them.”

For a second, Mary said nothing. They knew she was thinking.

“We see people on the streets every day with pictures and things on their shirts,” she said. “Why couldn’t we create something and put it on shirts and hats.”

“The Healing Witch,” Gail blurted, “with a picture of witches doing something.”

“Stirring a cauldron?” Frank asked.

They all laughed. It was a stereotype that even Mary recognized.

“I don’t think a cauldron,” she replied. “Maybe three witches riding on brooms.”

“You, Marjorie and me?” Gail asked.

“Who else?” Mary glanced at Frank. “The coven.”

“We’ll be a big success,” Gail said. “I’ll tell everyone I know what we’re doing.”

“And it seems like you know everyone in town,” Frank said.

“Not everyone,” Gail said, “but most. What we need is to get known to the tourists and skiers, and to the old people who come in between tourist and ski seasons.”

“Good ideas,” Mary said. “There are so many tourists coming here; some must get injured or ill.”

“Fliers,” Marjorie said. “Have a stack of fliers printed and leave them in all the motel rooms, or at the front desks, and in the stores and restaurants. Just have the shop name and address, and what we offer printed on them.”

“There are lots of them, and more in nearby towns,” Gail said.

“What does printing cost?” Frank asked. “And does it pay for itself?”

Gail shrugged. “I bet I can find out if it’s worth it. If it wasn’t, why are they all doing it?”

“We’ll look into it and decide,” Mary said. “First, we’ve got to finish painting, putting in the stock, and opening.”

“We should have a grand opening event,” Frank said, “to let everyone know we’re here.”

“That’s something we ought to do soon after we unlock the doors,” Marjorie said. “Everybody will expect it.”

“Write it all down,” Mary said. “There’s too much being talked about to remember.”

“I’ll be the secretary,” Gail volunteered.

“Good,” Mary said. “See, we’ve already made progress.”