Basic Neighbors

Chapter 6

The sun dipped low, streaking the sky with a honeyed glow as I packed up the last of my apple butter jars. The Farmers' Market buzzed around me, the day's success clinging to me like the sweet scent of autumn harvest. It had been a good day, a really good day. My apple butter was a hit, the praise genuine, the community supportive. I felt something stir within me—a jittery blend of hope and daring.

"Maybe it's time," I murmured to myself, watching people wander between stalls, their laughter mingling with the rustic aroma of fresh produce. "Maybe L'endroit."

With fingers sticky from jar labels and a heart pounding with newfound zeal, I fished out my phone from the depths of my canvas tote. Meredith. She'd know what to do. Her number, already a familiar pattern on my screen, connected me to her steady voice.

"Hey, Mer," I said, trying to sound casual but probably failing. "Thinking about selling at L'endroit. What do you think?"

"Jade!" Meredith's voice crackled through with excitement. "About damn time. Let's talk shop."

Days blurred into a whirlwind of paperwork and plans. Alton's lawyer friend had a firm handshake and an even firmer grasp of small business legalese. His blue eyes didn't miss a thing, just like Alton. They were alike in that way—keenly observant, unwittingly unsettling.

"Looks good, Jade," he assured me after I signed my name with a flourish that felt more like a declaration of war against my old life. "You're officially in business."

I stared at the contract, the neat rows of text anchoring me to this new reality. I was in business. My own business. A tiny, fierce thrill snaked through me, coiling tightly around my resolve.

"Thanks," I managed, my gratitude a whisper lost in the cavernous office.

Stepping outside, New York City wrapped around me—a relentless tide of noise and motion. But instead of being swept away, I stood firmly rooted, a solitary figure amidst the ebb and flow of the bustling crowd. The city's lights seemed to dance for me, celebrating this moment of quiet victory.

And within that pulsating heart of urban chaos, I found solace. I was small, yes, but I was mighty. And I was mine.

For weeks on end, my fingers have danced across keys, my hopes hitching rides on resumes that seem to find their way back to me with polite rejections. The corporate world with its glass ceilings and revolving doors had spit me out, and now, as if mocking my persistence, refused to take me back.

"Jade." Rosa's voice crackles through the phone, like a warm beacon cutting through fog. "Enough with the job hunt for today. You've got something to celebrate!"

"Doesn't feel like it," I reply, but the weight in my chest lifts a fraction at her insistent tone.

"Girl, you just started your own business," Meredith chimes in, the smile in her voice practically audible. "If that isn't worth raising a glass to, I don't know what is."

"Alright, alright," I concede, a ghost of a smile tugging at my lips. "Where are we headed?"

"Found this quaint little place," Rosa says, her words painting images of ivy-clad walls and twinkling lights. "Outdoor seating so we can bask in the crisp air. They've got these heated lamps that make you feel like spring's come early."

"Sounds perfect." I imagine us there, wrapped in the warmth of friendship and the soft glow of success, however small. The city might be a beast, but tonight, we'd find our pocket of peace.

"Meet us there at eight," Meredith adds, determination lacing her tone—the same determination that saw me through countless craft fairs and now, the birth of my own brand.