Page 116 of Just Like Starting Over
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SYLVIA
Sierra comes on the bus from Toronto on Tuesday. School is done for the year and she’s moving to Empire for good. I expect her to be a bit emotional about leaving behind the life she knows, so I’ve planned on some shopping after I pick her up in Havelock. I’m not going to spend all of Mike’s support payment, but she does need a few things.
I’m so proud that he talked to his dad, and I love that he’s excited about his work even if his dad isn’t listening. He called Monday night and talked with such enthusiasm that I wished I’d asked him over. On the other hand, it was romantic to lie in bed in the trailer with his murmur in my ear.
To my surprise, Sierra gets off the bus with a large package as well as her backpack. She also has a suitcase under the bus, a reminder that my teen has roughly five times the wardrobe I have.
We’re going to need an extra trailer.
“Lila’s mom must be surprised by how big her house is now,” I say and she sticks out her tongue at me playfully. “What’s this?” I take the package from her so she can grab the suitcase.
“The sign.Mysign.”
Why does she need a sign? We get her stuff to the car and put it in the back.
“You should look at it, Mom.”
This is clearly important. She’s waiting and watching, eyes bright.
I unwrap the package and find the cutest sign inside. It’s maybe fifteen by twenty-four and saysBee Happyin big type. Below, in smaller type, is writtenFlowers & Herbs. There are line drawings of flowers, the obligatory bumble bee with a dotted line behind it and a faded gingham border. It looks professional and attractive.
“Lila did it. For the greenhouse.”
“I thought you were just going to grow some herbs for Merrie.”
“No, Mom. It’s my summer job.” She pulls out her phone and shows me a whole lot of pictures in a collage. “I remembered Merrie’s vision board, so Lila and I made one forBee Happy. Mike said that he knows someone who grows flowers and sells them at the farmer’s market. He told us about it at Rupert’s.”
“I remember. I think that’s Pat,” I muse as I scroll through Sierra’s compilation. I’m impressed by how much work and thought she’s put into this. “You did all this?”
She nods. “Lila didn’t help that much, but she painted the sign. Her mom put some coating on it so it can be outside, on the door of the greenhouse.”
I realize that if Mike is going to teach Sierra about growing under glass, I can teach her about running a business. Our shopping plan changes immediately. “All right. If you’re serious about this, there are things we need to do.”
“Like what?”
“You need a business license, a bank account and a tax number. We’ll set up as partners. You also need a way to take people’s money if you’re going to sell retail. You need a place to sell, either online or in person.”
“I need a website,” she says and she’s probably right. “And socials to draw in new customers.”
“You need a product.”
“Mike and I planted seeds.”
“Whose seeds? If you’re selling a product, you have to pay the costs of it.”
She looks crushed and I see how serious she is. “I don’t have any money.”
“Yes, you do. I’ll put five hundred dollars in that account.”Thank you, Mike. “We’ll go open it now and make it joint between us. It’s your seed money.”
“I’m not going to spend that much on seeds!”
“No, seed money is what I’m investing in your business to get you started.”
“It’s not very much.”
I almost laugh at how quickly she swings from ‘so much’ to ‘not much.’ “No matter how much you have, it’s not enough. That’s how you learn to get the most mileage out of your money.”
