Page 9 of Flying

We all pretend that “Peacock Springer” isn’t run by the women of the Salvatore family, but it’s obvious. Curl Up & Dye is the Salvatore family salon and the center of all town gossip except for the rumors about Carmine & Anna Lucia being part of the mafia, with suggestions of money laundering. Those go on in hushed whispers far from their matriarch. Her daughter, Ava Marie, and granddaughters Bella, Chiara, Tina, and Sofia all work there on and off too. The Springer could be any of them, but my guess is that it is all of them.

I watch her face twist and wince painfully as we pass the old townhouse. Following her gaze, I elbow her lightly and tease, “The grass fared just fine. Only you know where things went down. Don’t stare too hard.”

“Don’t care about the lawn,” she nods towards the townhouse, “it’s… she’s… look up.” She stutters on her words, and I follow her gaze. There’s no doubt that it is the outline of a woman behind the sheer curtains that holds her gaze —we’re being watched by her ex Grant Morgan and his wife. His second wife, the same high school sweetheart he cheated on Lily with, Mrs. Landan Sherman Morgan.

My phone buzzes again, and I gaze at the screen and chuff out the air in my lungs.

PEACOCK SPRINGER: LS: *UPDATE* Lily Long photographed outside ex-husband’s home. Stalking? [pic]

Placing my hand low on her back, I turn Lily away and guide her towards the corner restaurant. I pick up the pace a bit and lean in to whisper in her ear, “Chin up, shoulders back, the Springer has alerts going out about you.”

“You heard me,” she hisses out faux anger that turns to laughter. Then pauses, “The Springer? The weekly flier?”

“Someone upgraded to town wide text alerts. I have two about us already, let's get back indoors. Here,” I hand over my phone, “call yourself. Let’s rally the troops.”

I watch her pull up her phone and decline the incoming call from me before handing back the device. Her screen is cracked and she blushes, “it’s just the screen protector, I need to get a new one,” as she peels it away. She reaches the trash can outside of town hall and stops to drop the protector in a bin. Her gaze lands on the pillory stocks: one cement bench, two columns flanking it. A set of wooden boards with four circular cut outs for four ankles on the ground in front of it. The boards are held together by an ancient brass lock.

“Forget this is here,” I whisper and take her by the elbow next door to the bakery and coffee shop.

The shop is busy for this time of morning, but not so busy that we’ll need to wait. We settle at a table and she’s attempting to hidebehind the gold-and-amethyst menu, studying it as though it was ever updated. I think this menu was last reprinted in 1980, she knows exactly what she can pick from, but the menu blocks her from the townsfolk and them from confirming if it’s her. That doesn’t stop the whispers.

Hearing the buzz, she leans towards me to apologize if she’s being weird or rude. She grabs her phone and quickly shoots off a text that leads to a bunch more:

New Group:PS, I’m Home! [Lily Long, River Hendrix, Nessa Rabin, Delia Shane, Seth Whitter, Lee Carter]

Lily:

Ran into River when I got in late last night. Since my dog ruined our breakfast, we’re over at CC. Already took a stroll past Curl Up & Dye. River said you all should have heard… they made the weekly flier a text chain? What do we tell the future Mrs. Lee?

Seth:

You really came for the party?

Nessa:

You said came

Delia:

You are too predictable, ughhh. How about we try: WELCOME HOME LILY!!!

Lily:

Thank you, Delia. At least I know there is ONE PERSON happy I’m here.

Seth:

When has anyone called me “happy” about anything?

Lee:

I’m the newest, so someone tell me. Was there one really great Christmas where he got a playstation or something?

Nessa: reacted HAHA, Delia: reacted !!,

River: reacted !!, Lily: reacted HAHA

Seth:

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