Page 27 of Quintessentially

“Tomorrow is Saturday. It’s the busiest day of the week for sales. With the pumpkin and apple festivals around, the store should be hopping. I need to get the inventory done tonight.” I exhale. “There are still a few things at Ruth’s house. I can’t take the chance that Mr. Murphy thinks I’m hiding something. I should go pick up the boxes.”

“Are you sure what you want is still there with the contractors working on the house?”

I hadn’t thought of that. “I sure hope they are.”

“Okay,” Mom grins. “Let me take Molly home and get her ready for bed. You come home when you can.”

“I’m sorry.”

She reaches for my hand. “Why are you sorry?”

“You shouldn’t have to do so much with Molly.”

“And why not? She’s our granddaughter. There’s nothing your dad or I won’t do.” She tilts her head and her short bob of hair swings to the side. “Justin, too.”

I roll my eyes. “According to Mick, he’s been less than hospitable to our town visitor.”

Mom grins. “He loves you and Molly very much.”

“Oh, he gave me an earful for even being at the game last night.”

“You, Kandace Anne, are an adult. So is your brother even if he doesn’t act that way. He’s worried because he doesn’t want to see you hurt again.”

“Neither do I. Molly is a gift. Dax doesn’t owe me anything other than to follow through on Ruth’s wishes.” Lifting my arms, I give my mom a hug. “Thank you.” When I step back, I joke, “It’s been a long day. When I get home, I’ll share some herbal tea or maybe some of the wine you keep hidden in the kitchen cupboard.”

“It’s not hidden,” Mom says with a grin. “It’s simply in its place.”

There’s a place for everything and everything in its place.

That saying is something Mom has said my whole life. Thankfully, her advice has sunk in. If not, I wouldn’t be as organized as I am with the Quintessential Treasures inventory.

After Mom and Molly leave, I spend another hour checking boxes I’d already checked, making sure the inventory balance sheet is up to date. With my back and legs aching, and my stomach growling—my dinner consisted of the crust from Molly’s grilled cheese sandwich and a few French fries, mostly because I didn’t want to take the time to eat—I go to the old laptop in the small office. My goal is to compare my hand count to the inventory checklists.

“Stop spinning,” I say to the screen as if it will listen to me any better than my daughter does. Riverbend has improved the town’s Wi-Fi, but this dinosaur can’t keep up. A new computer is on the top of my list for when—if—Quintessential Treasures is mine.

The screen tells me what I already know. Everything is present and accounted for except the holiday inventory. That includes items that didn’t sell last year and even some new items that I’ve acquired for later this year. Homemade pillows and quilts as well as pine arrangements. As soon as Halloween is over, the store will look as if Santa lives here.

Keeping those items at Ruth’s house was to save space. Honestly, I’d forgotten all that was there, and now, after talking to Mom, I’m worried the contractors or the Richardses, Dax’s parents, did something with the boxes, not knowing what they were.

As I’m about to lock the back door and drive to Ruth’s, I change my mind.

It’s almost ten on Friday night and Ruth’s home is only two blocks away on a quiet street. The contractors won’t work on Saturday, or I hope they won’t. I decide to walk to her house, confirm that the boxes are still present, and I can pick them up tomorrow morning.

Maybe a walk will clear my mind.

The evening breeze feels good. All my hard work has me dirty and sweaty. I inhale the fresh air as streetlights send circles of light on the green grass and sidewalks. My mind clears as I stroll toward Ruth’s home.

Many of Riverbend’s residents live outside the city limits on farms or even in new subdivisions. The houses within the city are grand structures, most built before the 1920s.

Even though I have a key to Ruth’s home, I haven’t been inside of it since she passed away. It didn’t feel right. I also don’t want anyone to think I would take advantage of a kind woman who was so good to me and Molly, after she’s gone.

This visit isn’t about her belongings or the house. It’s about Quintessential Treasures.

Standing for a moment in front of the stone home with pale yellow trim and pillars on the front porch, I sigh. Ruth was truly a quintessential person. By definition, that means she represented class and quality. The darkened windows make me sad, as I recall the times Molly and I spent inside this beautiful home. Ruth welcomed both of us with open arms.

Walking around to the back, I go to a door that enters a breezeway. To the right is the garage and to the left is the house. Despite the renovation that’s being done to ready the home for sale, as soon as I cross the threshold into the kitchen, I sense Ruth. There’s an aroma and feel that is still present, bringing a smile to my lips.

Instead of looking around at the changes that have been done, I head directly toward the basement door to where I’d last seen the holiday merchandise.

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