Clover Village

Chapter 2 - Incentive Tourist

JESSE

I finish the glaze work on the last one of the shot cups. I place it next to the window to let it dry and tomorrow, I will bake the glaze. I'm grateful that the Barrows commissioned the fifty cups for their wedding anniversary. At the same time, I'll be glad when I deliver them. I enjoy making unique pieces much more than the mass production.

I guess I was always destined to be a potter. I loved making things out of clay when I was a child. Mom found it curious that instead of making caterpillars and mixing the clay, I would make cups and plates. She then bought me a set of air-drying clay, and I have never stopped since.

I wash my hands and head downstairs to the store. The three of us still live in our childhood home. I work in my bedroom and have the kiln in a shed in the backyard.

"I'm heading to the café. Do you want something?" I say to Sue, who is sitting in her usual chair and is embroidering handkerchiefs.

"Yes, please, anything. I'm trying to refill what got sold, so I haven't had time to eat anything."

"Is Eric at the workshop?" I ask.

"No, he is doing a repair job at Evan and Donna. He will be home tonight."

I nod and head outside. I feel guilty. Eric is the one that earns the money to support us. He is a carpenter and in his free time; he makes wooden puppets and other toys to sell at the shop. Sue and I sell our wares at the store and get special projects from time to time that helps us to earn extra.

I look ahead and see a family on the sidewalk. The kids look tired; the woman looks worried, and the man looks hot and bothered. They are looking at a paper as I walk next to them.

"The damn middle of nowhere. That is where we are," the man says, shoving the paper back in his pocket.

We are not exactly in the middle of nowhere, and this is a big village of about 20,000 inhabitants. We are a bit off the main road, which gives the place its unique character, but it is accessible, and we have all the services that we need.

"Hey, you!" I hear the man say to someone. "This is not only a shit place, but the people are rude as well."

Is he talking to me? I turn around, and he is staring at me. What is wrong with him?

"Good afternoon, sir. What can I help you with?" I say, walking towards him.

My courtesy takes aback the man and is opening and closing his mouth like a fish.

"We are looking for a place to eat. Not a fast-food chain, please," the wife says.

"You are in luck. I'm heading to the café. The coziest place in Clover Village. Would you care to follow me?"

The man huffs but walks next to me.

"What brings you to this place? Visiting family? Pleasure?" I say, trying to make conversation.

"Bad luck. That has brought me here," the man says.

"Where are my manners? My name is Jesse Garnett," I say, offering a hand to shake. "Why bad luck?"

"My name is Will," he says, shaking my hand. "I lost a sales competition at work. The winner is sipping cocktails by that new resort by the sea, and I won a long weekend at a bed-and-breakfast here."

"Sounds to me like you won the best prize. I guess you are staying at Cloverfield with Mrs. Constance and her daughter. Am I right?"

"Yeah," he says.

"Have you tried her bread? It tastes like butter. The best in the village."

"It was delicious, I must admit," Will says.

"I sincerely doubt that your colleague has the best bread in the area. More like processed food in a crowded restaurant. Even the eggs that Mrs. Constance uses are from a local farm with the happiest hens on earth. They have a giant field with trees and comfortable coops. I know that first hand because my brother built them."

"We have adorable blankets in the room. Are those also produced locally?" Will's wife says.

"Yes, by no other than my sister Sue. You should have a look at Garnett House. We sell needlework, pottery, and wooden toys."

We arrive at the café, and I introduce Will and his family to Old Simon, the owner of the café. While they are settling at a table on the back terrace, I take Old Simon apart.

"What is this about?"

"The man is frustrated. Lost a sales competition and Clover Village is the consolation prize. I want to show him that this is the best place to be."

"But that is what we are," Old Simon says with a big smile.

"Could you please send one of your guys to Sue with something to eat? The photo tourists depleted her handkerchief assortment."

"Anything for your sweet sister. I also had to make more apple pie bourbon. They all came like a storm and afterward I wasn't even sure what happened. They drank me dry," Old Simon says with a chuckle.

I devour my sandwich at the bar and keep an eye on Will and his family. Little by little, they relax. After they are done, Old Simon refuses to be paid for their meals.

"I feel like an ass. I didn't do justice to this place," Will says to me as he is about to leave.

"Would you like a drink? Your wife can look at Garnett House while you relax a bit," I say. He looks at his wife, who nods and leaves with the kids.

He takes a seat at the bar, and I order two shots of apple pie bourbon, Old Simon's specialty. I take a sip of mine, and he drinks his in one gulp. We keep talking about stuff to do in town with his family. I write everything down on a small pad while he keeps drinking. His wife pops in to say that she will bring her purchases and the kids to the bed-and-breakfast, and he says that he will meet her there. It's then when I realize he has had four bourbon shots. In a moment, he even takes my glass by accident and gulps it down.

"At farmer Tom, you can pick a few baskets and pick your fruit to bring home..." I say as I write the information down.

"He is an ass. I should have won," Will says and burst into tears.

I don't know what to do, so I pat his arm. He then grabs me in chokehold hug.

"Simon! A bit of help here," I say. Old Simon laughs as I try to unglue Will from my neck. A guy enters the area of the bar and greets him.

"Jesse, this is my nephew, Victor. He and his girlfriend just moved to Clover. One day, he will inherit all of this and keep the café tradition alive."

I shake hands with the guy awkwardly as Will is still hugging me. Victor looks familiar.

"I need to bring this one to Cloverfield. His wife will kill me for getting him drunk, but I can't stand any more affection," I say, trying to support Will under his arms.

"I will help you," Victor says, holding him on the other side, and I feel grateful. "Karina, I will be right back."

I feel a chill down my spine, remembering the name on the card on my night table. I turn around and see the girl that kissed me.