Nightingale

Chapter 6

                                                                                Chapter Six

                                                                                 Resolution

I walked straight to the far wall of the hardware store, picked out the largest FOR SALE BY OWNER sign they had, and took it to the check out.

"Hey, Huey, how's it goin'?" I asked the sweet old man behind the counter. Huey had owned the hardware store since it opened in 1955. I started coming here every Saturday with Daddy when I was about three. He would pick me up and sit me on this same counter and shoot the bull with Huey.

"Ain't you just tha prettiest thing I've seen all day!" he said and hobbled around the counter to hug my neck.

"You've said the same thing to me every time I've seen you for the past thirty years." I grinned and kissed him on the cheek.

"Just speakin' tha truth." He turned to see his wife of fifty years leaning against the counter.

"Dirty old man," she huffed.

"Hey, Mrs. Martha," I said. She glared at Huey while he scurried back to his spot behind the register.

She looked at me questioningly for a minute and then her eyes widened with surprise. She hurried toward me. "Well, as I live and breathe!" she exclaimed while plump arms pulled me to her for a hug. "Samantha, I almost didn't recognize you, sugar. How's your mama doin'? I haven't seen you in ages. I was so sorry to hear about you and the Parker boy. I never did think he was good enough for you. He's been trouble from the git go," she rattled. I shook my head up and down since I couldn't get a word in. "I heard the Weathers boy, Michael, was back in town. Heard he was startin' up a fancy new clinic. Such a handsome young man."

"Yes, ma'am," I said when she finally paused. "The new clinic will be opening in about two weeks."

"You know," she smiled slyly, "I heard he ain't been seein' no one since he's been back. I bet he'd love to take a pretty girl like you out on the town..."

"Not gonna happen, Martha," I cut her off politely. "We're going to be working together at the clinic. I don't think dating would be such a good idea," I said trying to pacify her sudden interest in my love life.

"Oh," she said disappointedly. "You two were such a cute couple back then. Now don't let workin' together stop you two from seeing each other. Me and Huey here have worked together since the day the store opened."

"Yep." Huey piped up. "Forty-five glorious years," he said sarcastically. Martha rolled her eyes. "Now, leave the girl alone, Martha, and let her get what she came for."

"I'm just saying..." she trailed off and waved a hand while she walked toward the back of the store.

"Nosy old woman," Huey muttered under his breath. "Now let's see whatcha got there, sugar." He picked up the sign. "You gonna sell your house? You just got it all fixed up."

"That's the plan," I replied.

He eyed me suspiciously. "The Parker boy ain't still givin' you trouble is he?"

Martha poked her head around the end of the aisle she was pretending to dust so she could hear my response. I had to bite the inside of my lip to keep from laughing. "No, sir, I think it's time for a new project."

He leaned forward and slid his reading glasses down on his nose. "You know...I got a shotgun in the back. I'll be happy to fill 'er up with rat shot and let ya borrow it for a spell."