At Sunset (ChickLit)

Chapter Six

They left for Sunset early Friday morning and got there twenty minutes later. Angela left Anna with her dad and Sophia and Heather were in charge of the store. Melanie and Angela both knew right away how that would go. Two bulls butting heads.

Before they left they ran by the store to say good bye and for Angela to give store instructions.

“If anyone asks about the sand dollar chimes, they’re in the back in the red bin. Be careful with them, they’re sand dollars.” We knew they weren’t real. Real ones were too fragile to use as wind chimes so they came up with a mold for synthetic ones. But hey, they sell like hot cakes so why the heck not?

“Now, empty the register every night after closing and make sure you lock ALL the doors before doing so. If we run out of the Life is Good T-shirts there is an extra stack of about thirty in my office, they sent us extra. We moved the Vera Bradley stationary more towards the shirts, still in the same area near the shells but just in a different spot. If someone asks tell them to look real hard. If they still can’t find it DON’T tell them they need glasses. Just go find it for them and listen to them call themselves stupid.

“We are out of the Apple Cinnamon Jelly so if anyone asks, it’ll be in Monday. But try to sell them the Sweet Winter Pickles, those things are not selling like I want. Oh! And make sure the grits and cornmeal are up front in the basket and make sure the sale is for $6.99, no cheaper and no less.”

She did a quick glance around the store before mumbling something unintelligible and putting her hands on her hips.  She clucked her tongue seeming satisfied.

“Alright, that’s it. Have any more questions call me on my cell.”

Sophia and Heather waved as we pulled out of the parking lot and drove away. Melanie waved until they were out of sight and only when she didn’t see them anymore did she turn around. Sighing, she closed her eyes and tried to relax.

They were there too soon. Myrtle Beach too would have been fine, but it was something about Sunset Beach that Angela sold her on when talking to Sunset Rentals.

Maybe it was the ocean front view and the name of the house, At Sunset, with its newly painted teal outside and comfortable beach house inside. Maybe it was the wide open porch with the rocking chairs that drew her in like a fishing lure or it could’ve just been the picture of the king size bed in a giant room with a balcony all to itself, that made her jump for the bait and now driving there was like being reeled in.

She watched as Crabby Oddwaters came into view and watched it fade away as they cut off onto the bridge. The marsh was swarming with gnats and cat tails that popped up in little colonies. Melanie couldn’t tell if there really were any fish in there but the ducks seemed to like it in the summer.

Melanie had only been to Sunset Beach once when she and Wes were dating and he suggested a date on the beach. She’d been on the right side of the pier but according to the map they would be on the left this time.

Melanie could point it out as soon as they pulled up. The teal stood out from a mile away already. The Jeep turned into the white stone driveway and eased nicely into the covered carport.

Angela was the first to get out and jog to the front of the house.

Melanie got out much slower. She’d asked before even leaving her cabin to be left alone. She wanted to use what strength she had to try to live the rest of her life as peaceful as possible, and if it meant warring with her bones then so be it!

Melanie opened the back door and began unbuckling Sawyer from his car seat with a smile on her face. There was no way she was letting this cancer stop her from spending time with her baby. He’d fallen asleep on the ride and was restless as she wrapped him in his blanket. She shrugged the diaper bag over her shoulder and shut the door with her hip.