Secrets Abound

Sometimes I think I am finished with a story but sometimes I am not. Here is a link to 3AM Thoughts! in case you missed it, and here is the rest of the story. 

Lisette heard her alarm clock ringing at 8am. She groggily shut it off, once she could find the right button! With the way she felt now she would be needing an afternoon nap, instead of sharing tea with Miss. Libby today. 

The smell of bacon being fried and coffee perking, did awaken Lisette’s senses and she walked into the dining room with a smile on her face. 

“Good Morning Miss. Libby!”, she called out to her in the kitchen. 

“Good Morning Lisette, I hope you are hungry. I made French raspberry crepes today. ” 

“Sounds delicious!” Lisette replied, thinking to herself that she may need to jog around the block a few extra times today due to this big breakfast. 

“You spoil me!” she said, as Miss. Libby came out of the kitchen with a bowl of scrambled eggs and a plate of crepes. 

Miss. Libby laughed. “I love doing it, and remember you can stay here as long as you like! What are your plans for the day?” she asked, as she took a seat at the table with Lisette. 

“I thought I would apply at some stores today for a job.” 

Miss. Libby clapped her hands together. “Great! So you are planning on staying in town then?” 

Lisette’s heart was warmed by the light in Miss. Libby’s eyes, and her genuine smile, that seemed to really want Lisette to stay. It gave her a boost of confidence. 

“Yes, I am planning on staying, at least for a while, this seems like such a wonderful town. ” 

“Oh it is, it is! The town is finally getting back to normal after the tragic mystery of … Oh, I don’t want to hold you up. You finish your breakfast and we can talk another time. You have a job to find.” 

“But, but what mystery? Does this have to do with the Chicken Man?” 

“Oh dear, I forgot to bring out the bacon. Let me go get it.” and Miss. Libby bustled into the kitchen, returning with the bacon. 

“So what kind of job are you looking for?” she asked. 

Lisette inwardly sighed, Miss. Libby was very nice, but she could be a mystery herself at times, the way she would close up about certain topics. She guessed she was just going to have to be patient, when Miss. Libby was ready to talk she would talk. 

“I was going to see if Miss. Jill needed any help. There wasn’t any  “Help Wanted” sign on her door, but she was so friendly when I visited her shop and she had the most beautiful dresses.”

“Hmm…I know the coffee shop is hiring. They are always busy in there! You may inquire at the Fluffer-Nutter Shoppe as well. You would be laughing yourself through the day if you worked there.” 

Lisette laughed, she had met the owners of the Fluffer -Nutter Shoppe and they certainly were characters. She wondered though why she so quickly talked about other places to look for work besides Miss. Jill’s Dress Shop. She took another bite of her crepe. “This is divine!” 

Miss. Lily blushed with pride. 

“I may check out those places, but I do think I will go to Miss. Jill’s Dress Shop first. ” 

Miss. Lily stared down at her plate and just quietly ate for a few moments.  Lisette was curious now, what was it about Miss. Jill’s place? 

“Umm…Is there a reason that I shouldn’t apply at Miss. Jill’s place?”

Miss. Lily still kept looking at her plate, and when she did look up , her eyes were serious. “Being a respectable lady, you should probably look somewhere else for a job.” 

Lisette took her last sip of coffee to wash down the salty bacon. Miss. Libby was a great cook, but she Lisette wouldn’t mind if she cut back on the salt! 

“Wh-What are you saying? Are you saying that Miss. Jill isn’t…?”

Miss. Lily interrupted her.  “I am not saying anything more, Lisette dear, we do have a great town, but every town has its secrets and well …. lets just leave it at that.  I need to go now and start cleaning up the kitchen.  Good Luck with the job search and we will talk more this afternoon at tea.”

Saying that, she excused herself, leaving Lisette sitting at the trouble with questions circulating in her mind. “Every town has its secrets…” Miss. Lily’s words came back to her. What exact secrets did this town hold? 

She sat at the table holding her water glass and thinking. She hoped that Miss. Lily would tell her more this afternoon at tea, so much for her grabbing a nap. Her curiosity was piqued now, she needed to hear. 

Finishing her water and popping the last strawberry into her mouth she got up from the table and headed out the door. 

It was a beautiful day to be walking downtown. Fall was in the air and the big Maple trees that lined the sidewalks looked lovely. She paused at the Coffee Shop, seeing the sign on the door.  She opened up the door and the bell jangled, but then she turned right back around and walked out again. 

Miss. Jill was busy with a customer when Lisette walked in. Lisette browsed through the clothes, but kept one ear tuned into the conversation going on between Miss. Jill and the customer. They had hushed their tone, and she could barely hear. She then noticed the customer follow Miss. Jill to the back of the store through a door. 

Lisette went back to browsing through the dresses, an emerald green one caught her eye. She was debating about it when Miss. Jill returned just a few minutes later with the customer behind her. 

“Thank you Mrs. Gray, I hope you have a wonderful day now! And please come again!”  

Mrs. Gray smiled and said “Thank you! May you have a great day too.” 

Lisette watched Mrs. Gray exit the store. 

Miss. Jill seemed almost nervous as she approached Lisette, but her voice was calm. 

“Sorry to keep you waiting. How can I help you? Great to see you back again.”

“Well I was actually wondering if I could help you? I am thinking of staying here but I need a job first. Could you use any help? It doesn’t look like you have any other employees here.” 

Miss. Jill paused, looking uncertain,  and then said, ” Wellll … I pretty much run this shop by myself, always have, but … ” and she paused again. this time she smiled. ” Yes, perhaps I could use an extra hand here, that would leave me free to attend to other business. Let me ask you a few questions and we will see what we can work out. ” 

A hour later Lisette walked out of Miss. Jill’s shop feeling great. She had a job now. Plus, Miss. Lily gave her the emerald green dress, as a gift! Now she could write home and let her parents and friends know that she was staying. They would feel better, knowing she had a job. Life was taking a good turn! 

Meanwhile, back in the meadow by the babbling creek, there was a cow grazing contently on the grass, with an enchanted bell hanging around her neck.