Chapter 37

They spent the weekend in the shop, making sure everything was exactly right, and moved some stock to a different location, and moved them again, until sometimes the dried plants ended up back in their original place. They tinkered with displays to improve their appearance. Frank thought it was a useless task when they were dealing with dried out bunches of plants that all looked the same.

Mary had a different view. She recognized each and wanted them to look a specific way. Marjorie and Gail seemed to understand, and they worked hard to please her. By Sunday night, The Healing Witch was as ready as it would ever be. They swept the floor, spruced up a spot here and there, and could only wait for 9 AM the following day to open, twelve hours away.

“I don’t know if I’ll be able to sleep tonight,” Gail said as they climbed into the car.

Marjorie leaned forward toward the front seat and asked Mary, “What do you think?”

“We will see,” Mary answered. “I think we will have a good number of people show up. Some will be curious, and I think others will want to buy. We have to mingle, talk to them, and make sure they’re getting the right thing.”

“I’m not sure I know enough to tell someone what they need,” Gail admitted.

“If you don’t know, get Marjorie or me,” Mary said. “I think you will surprise yourself with how much you have learned.”

On Monday, they were at the shop at 7 AM, went through it, and made a few minor changes, and at 8 AM Mary could wait no longer. She unlocked the door and they were open for business, an hour earlier than most of the other shops in town. It didn’t take long before the first visitors arrived. Frank instantly recognized the husband and wife as tourists. They were an older couple in their sixties, the man dressed in knee-length shorts and the wife wearing an unflattering muumuu with a distinct Hawaiian flavor.

Gail approached them and asked if she could be of help. Before long, she was showing them an herb and explained how to use it. Mary hovered close by but did not interfere. Marjorie and Frank stood and listened.

“She’s doing well,” Marjorie said. “We might have our first sale.”

The woman made the purchase. She had more questions at the counter where Frank handled the sale and cash register. He brought Marjorie in, and she deferred to Mary.

While the woman spoke to Mary, Marjorie nudged Frank, and they moved away a few feet.

“She’s one of us,” Marjorie said.

“A traveler?”

Marjorie nodded. “I didn’t realize it until she began talking to Mary.”

They went back and listened to the conversation.

“Oh, my,” Mary said. “Jane Hawthorne. I did not recognize you.”

“I took the path shortly before you left for Danielsford,” Jane said, “and settled in Massachusetts, in 1980. I’m now sixty-six. Growing old changes you.”

“Yes, I remember your passing.” Mary glanced at Frank and Marjorie. “She had consumption. By the time they called me, it was too late.”

Jane nodded. “I made the jump. When I left the path and met my husband, I knew this was a good place and time, so married and grew old with this old grouch.”

“There are others here?” Marjorie asked.

“Yes, quite a few,” Jane nodded. “You are Marjorie Cloyce.”

“I was,” Marjorie nodded.

“I will tell all I see,” Jane said with a smile, “though I think many are already aware of your opening. It’s good to know you are both well and happy.”

Jane and her husband left after a few more minutes of chatter. Mary and the others watched them leave the shop.

“How do they know about us?” Frank asked.

“I don’t know,” Mary said, “but I’m glad they do.”

“She said there are other travelers here in town. Is there a secret network?” Gail asked.

Marjorie shook her head that she didn’t know. “If there is, I never heard about it.”

“They learned of us somehow,” Mary said. “She said ‘quite a few.’ We might be busier than any of us thought. Gail, you did well. I’m proud of you.”

Gail blushed. “Thank you. You were right. When I had to know, I did.”

“And you had a tough customer. She knew what she was looking for, but was polite enough to let you explain it to her. You didn’t make any mistakes.”

More people came, two different couples, one with a teenage son who, at first, seemed disinterested until he saw Gail. While his parents wandered the aisles, he hovered near her trying to get her attention. She noticed immediately and moved away, approaching the other pair and asking if they needed help. Disappointed, the boy left and went outside to wait.

Before an hour passed, a dozen visitors filled the shop. Even Frank was on the floor trying to help. He knew where to find most of the stock, but knew little else about it.

At noon, the volume of customers slacked off. Frank returned to the cash register. In four hours, over forty people passed through and most made purchases, nearly emptying sections of the shelves. They had nothing left in storage to be able to restock.

“We will have to go looking,” Mary said.

“Or visit an herb farm when we run out of stock,” Gail said. “Otherwise, we just won’t have any until we get more. That will cost us sales.”

“I think it would be wiser to go to place that grows them,” Mary said, looking around. “There are farms nearby. We will see if we can, what do you call it, make a deal with them.”

“We can.”

“Can you go?” Mary asked. “I’m concerned about leaving the shop. If they come like this after lunch, Marjorie cannot handle it alone.”

“Sure,” Gail said, pleased that Mary trusted her enough to make her responsible for selecting and purchasing supplies. “Make me a list.”

They went to Frank and told him. He handed his car keys to Gail, and she was out the door.

“I never expected this,” Mary said, watching Gail hurry away. “We thought we would have customers, but nothing like what has happened.”

“Opening day,” Frank said. “A month from now will tell the story. When the novelty has worn off.”

She nodded, as three people came in and began slowly navigating the aisles. Marjorie went to them and they began talking, while Mary busied herself tidying up a section.

Gail returned shortly after five o’clock with the trunk full of herbs. There were enough to stock the shelves and keep some in reserve. Mary inspected each bundle as Gail brought them into the shop. Customers roamed the aisles and, again, Frank was on the floor assisting as best he could.

“These look very good,” Mary commented, smelling one batch, which was dry and ready for use. “We should put them up now.”

“I also got some fresh,” Gail said. “We’ve got to dry them, but I thought it would be good to have extra.”

“How much did it all cost?”

Gail gave Mary the bill. “They cut the price because we’re a business. It’s still a lot, but better than most places.”

Mary looked at it. “The price of doing business. It’s much cheaper to raise your own. Our next crop should be ready soon.”

Gail went out to bring in the rest of the purchase, and Mary went to assist a group of people. And, at 7 PM, their agreed upon closing time, customers still came in.

“Maybe close at 8 PM?” Marjorie asked.

Mary laughed. “Frank says in a month we’ll wish it was this way.”

“He’s probably right, but none of us expected this. So many.”

When the last shopper left, Mary closed and locked the door and hung a closed sign on the inside. It was 9:15 PM. Frank ran the sales figures, shook his head, and ran them a second time. He looked at the register tape in disbelief. He took the tape to Mary. She stood at one of the almost empty bins. Several others were nearly empty again.

“I checked it twice,” he told her. “It’s way beyond what we expected.”

“Gail has to make another run tomorrow,” Marjorie said.

“I’ll get out first thing in the morning,” the girl said.

“Pay them for what we bought today,” Mary said. “If tomorrow is this busy, we might need you to go in the afternoon.”

“I don’t mind telling you, I’m beat,” Frank said.

“We’re all tired,” Mary said. “I think this was a successful opening by any standard.”

“We had 137 purchases,” Frank said. “Some were big. And we had over 200 people come in.”

The rest of the week was just as active. No one could explain why the shop attracted so many people, and the number of sales was several times what they expected.

On Thursday, Gail went to the herb farm to replenish the stock and learned they were running out of some of the plants on her list. They referred her to a different farm, there were several in the area, and she got everything needed.

Mary shook her head at close of day on Thursday. Neither she nor Marjorie had an explanation for the incredible week they experienced.

“I thought we would be busy,” Mary said. “This overwhelms me. I don’t understand it.” She glanced at Marjorie. “But I’m not complaining, even though my feet hurt and my legs feel like lead.”

“Makes two of us,” Marjorie said. “Some of them were travelers, but they alone can’t account for the amount of business we’re doing.”

“Don’t knock it,” Frank said. “We’re blowing the doors off the other herb shops in town.”

“I wouldn’t say it too loud,” Marjorie warned. “It might jinx us.”

“The farms I’m using say they’ve seen nothing like it,” Gail added. “They’re asking for our secret.”

“If I knew, I’d tell them,” Mary said. “I’d share it with everyone.”

“We’re their biggest customer.”

Mary smiled. “We prosper, and they prosper. It’s as it should be.”