Page 10 of Brews and Banishments
Shops along downtown were riddled with customers. Daisy felt a pit grow in her stomach the longer she looked intothe windows, noticing how lines were pulled out the doors and countless products were being removed from shelves. She couldn’t remember the last time her store was full of patrons, much less when she ran out of products to sell. At that point, Daisy made tonics just to make them and practice her craft, not to fill her shelves.
“Good afternoon, Daisy and Tessa,” Anne said as they passed by the entrance to a squat apartment building. The older woman was sitting in her usual spot, on a bench near the entrance, watching the traffic going past.
“Good afternoon,” they both quickly replied.
Daisy smiled. Anne was one of the most wonderful people Daisy had ever met. Not only was she heavily involved in the animal rescues in town, she worked at Daisy’s shop when needed, always looking to get out of the house and give back to the world. She was a short elderly woman with rustic brown skin, white hair, and the kind of smile that always reached her eyes.
“Early day?” Anne asked.
“Unfortunately so,” Daisy replied, trying not to think about how little business the shop had had lately.
“Not busy?”
Daisy’s gut turned. “The shop was dead, so we let Susy close.”
Anne smiled. “Don’t worry. I’m sure things will turn around soon.” Then she glanced toward the shop. “I’ll be sure to stop by and check on her.”
“Thank you,” Daisy said, loving that she hadn’t even needed to ask.
Anne watched them as they walked by, her warm eyes holding onto them till she needed to pull her glasses out to see them.
“That just makes you feel like a bag of sour apples, doesn’t it?” Tessa suddenly muttered.
Daisy glanced sideways at her. “Like what?”
“Sour apples,” Tessa repeated.
“I don’t get it.”
Tessa sighed. “Doesn’t it make you feelbadto see Anne?”
“What on earth for? We love Anne!”
“Sure, we love Anne,” Tessa said. “But hasn’t she been waiting for a call from you? About shifts she can work at the shop?”
Oh.Daisy’s shoulders sagged, the sudden feeling of being a bag of sour apples resonating more than she thought it would. Anne had worked at Fields’ Herbson and off over the past few years. She lived close to the shop and was always willing to work. Daisy realized that, unfortunately, the only reason Anne left her house somedays was to be at the shop. But, with times being as they were, Daisy couldn’t afford multiple employees, even if she wanted them both to be there.
“Let me guess,” Tessa said in a quiet voice. “We can’t pay her, can we?”
“I would if I could, Tess.”
“Believe me, I get it.” Tessa shook her head as they rounded a corner, leaving the downtown block behind and slowly delving into a tightly knit neighborhood. “What have the finances looked like recently?”
Daisy sighed. The numbers blared in her head but she shoved them away. The sun above in the cloudless sky was too beautiful for her to begin to taint the day with all the dreadfully negative numbers she recently saw on the store’s ledger. “We need more customers,” was all she could say. “And we need them desperately.”
“It can’t bethatbad,” Tessa said with a small smile. “Right?”
“I don’t want to worry you.”
Tessa stopped walking and grabbed onto her hand. “Daisy,” she whispered, “not only am I your best friend, but I haveworked alongside you for years. For longer than I can even remember. Share your burdens with me. Put them on my shoulders so it isn’t so heavy. Trust me,” she paused and flashed a quick wink, “I can take it.”
Daisy’s shoulders relaxed as the words washed over her. Who needed a good luck charm or a money-inducing potion when she had Tessa, the best partner she could ever ask for? The stress pooled out of her lips instantly.
“I don’t know how much longer the shop will be able to stay in business,” Daisy whispered.
Tessa’s brow shot up. “Really? It’s that bad?”
“When was the last busy day you saw?” she asked with a shrug. “I honestly can’t remember.” Daisy lowered her head, memories of being half the size she was now, running through the shop barefoot and bright-eyed flooding her mind. The tears welled up before she could even think to stop them. “Fields’ Herbalshave been in my family for generations. I can’t imagine Willowbrook without it, you know?”
