Excerpt
It was early June 2018 when Abigail Hirst packed up all her belongings to make the long journey to Friendship, a journey she had not taken in a while. Grandma had passed away, so it was time to say goodbye. Goodbye to her life in Everett and her job as a reporter at The Herald, and to move back, back to Friendship, to Grandma’s beautiful house and antique shop, the Second Hand Rose. By her side was her little terrier, Jake, who despite his size could handle just about anything. She fastened him securely in the van and started the long journey home. Abigail was twenty two years old when she’d left home for the big city lights, determined to be a reporter. Gran never stopped her; she just knew she’d be back when she could. The happy thoughts of Gran kept her going as they travelled, along with Jake’s occasional barks at the cows.
After what seemed like hours, they arrived at Gran’s home. Abigail had always loved this house. The trustees of the will had left the key under the flowerpot on the porch, so they let themselves in.
Grandma Rose’s house was colonial, like the houses in New Orleans were. The architect of Friendship had gone to New Orleans on holiday when he was a kid and the beautiful houses had stayed with him. When he designed Friendship he made a mini version, he said then he would always be on holiday. It was the best of both worlds, Rose had always said. The house was old fashioned with dark furniture everywhere; Abigail had already decided she would sell most of it in the shop. She had also decided she would keep the Tiffany lamps; she loved them and the dining table, mostly because when she was little she’d written her name on it, and Grandma said it was now always hers. None of the table’s chairs matched, because Grandma had broken all the original chairs over the years and bought replacements from yard sales. Abigail loved the fact it didn’t match, it was so quirky, so Grandma. There was a veranda around the front of the house and Abigail was looking forward to a glass of wine with Jake by her side on a warm evening, listening to the crickets. The furniture on the veranda needed updating, she decided that was her first task – it was nearly summer, after all. “Priorities, Jake,” she said looking down at him. She took the box from the car labelled ‘kettle’, grabbed Jake’s bits and bobs, and settled in for the night. It was early when she awoke. Jake was still snoring next to her. It had been a long journey, so she decided to leave him where he was and start unpacking. It was such a beautiful day; she unpacked as quickly as possible so she and Jake could explore the town and visit the antique shop, which was now hers, a fact that still hadn’t really sunk in.
The town was just as she remembered it, nothing had changed in the ten years she’d been away. With streets on either side of a wide road and the mountains in the distance, it was a cross between Twin Peaks and Boulder in Mork and Mindy. She walked past the sheriff’s office, the coffee shop that Martha used to own, the B-and-B, called Friendship Forever that was owned by Sophia Chapman, the bar owned by Geoff Sampson – she loved this town. It was perfect. Jake had so many new smells and new places to explore, and he was happily wagging his tail at every one who said hello to him. She thought to herself, why did I leave?
The antique shop was perfect, and the smell of the furniture brought back so many memories, happy memories, sad memories. “I miss Gran,” she said to herself. Being here brought that back. She loved old stuff, and now anything old she had a lot of, right in this shop – some beautiful, some not so beautiful. One particular not- so-beautiful piece was a big bedroom wardrobe made from really dark, nearly black wood. She had always hated it, but Grandma said it was special. There were lamps everywhere, but the shop was dark and uninviting. She would change all that. The shop had two big bay windows either side of the front door, so she would take the dark furniture out from them and bring light in. “I can do so much with this shop,” she said.
As she looked around, she wondered where the trustee had left the keys, and which one fit the ugly wardrobe. She’d never seen it opened – well, now she owned it she could open it. Just as she started hunting, the shop door opened and there stood Sophia Chapman. Jake wagged his tail and ran over. Sophia looked down at him and said, “Oh.” Abigail remembered Sophia was a cat person, she’d had ten of the damn creatures ten years ago and lord knows how many she had now. Jake didn’t understand why he didn’t get fussed, and then he smelt cats and ran around the shop trying to find them. It kept him busy while Abigail and Sophia caught up. They talked for an hour or so all about the town, Abigail’s job at The Herald, and, of course, Grandma. Then, Jake finally came back, probably as he couldn’t find any cats, and because he was hungry. Abigail said goodbye to Sophia and said she would pop in the B-and- B tomorrow – without Jake, which went without saying. She closed the shop and started the half mile walk home. It was a beautiful evening and Jake didn’t mind walking; Abigail had a pocket of biscuits for him. It was Abigail who was now starving.
After what seemed like hours, they arrived at Gran’s home. Abigail had always loved this house. The trustees of the will had left the key under the flowerpot on the porch, so they let themselves in.
Grandma Rose’s house was colonial, like the houses in New Orleans were. The architect of Friendship had gone to New Orleans on holiday when he was a kid and the beautiful houses had stayed with him. When he designed Friendship he made a mini version, he said then he would always be on holiday. It was the best of both worlds, Rose had always said. The house was old fashioned with dark furniture everywhere; Abigail had already decided she would sell most of it in the shop. She had also decided she would keep the Tiffany lamps; she loved them and the dining table, mostly because when she was little she’d written her name on it, and Grandma said it was now always hers. None of the table’s chairs matched, because Grandma had broken all the original chairs over the years and bought replacements from yard sales. Abigail loved the fact it didn’t match, it was so quirky, so Grandma. There was a veranda around the front of the house and Abigail was looking forward to a glass of wine with Jake by her side on a warm evening, listening to the crickets. The furniture on the veranda needed updating, she decided that was her first task – it was nearly summer, after all. “Priorities, Jake,” she said looking down at him. She took the box from the car labelled ‘kettle’, grabbed Jake’s bits and bobs, and settled in for the night. It was early when she awoke. Jake was still snoring next to her. It had been a long journey, so she decided to leave him where he was and start unpacking. It was such a beautiful day; she unpacked as quickly as possible so she and Jake could explore the town and visit the antique shop, which was now hers, a fact that still hadn’t really sunk in.
The town was just as she remembered it, nothing had changed in the ten years she’d been away. With streets on either side of a wide road and the mountains in the distance, it was a cross between Twin Peaks and Boulder in Mork and Mindy. She walked past the sheriff’s office, the coffee shop that Martha used to own, the B-and-B, called Friendship Forever that was owned by Sophia Chapman, the bar owned by Geoff Sampson – she loved this town. It was perfect. Jake had so many new smells and new places to explore, and he was happily wagging his tail at every one who said hello to him. She thought to herself, why did I leave?
The antique shop was perfect, and the smell of the furniture brought back so many memories, happy memories, sad memories. “I miss Gran,” she said to herself. Being here brought that back. She loved old stuff, and now anything old she had a lot of, right in this shop – some beautiful, some not so beautiful. One particular not- so-beautiful piece was a big bedroom wardrobe made from really dark, nearly black wood. She had always hated it, but Grandma said it was special. There were lamps everywhere, but the shop was dark and uninviting. She would change all that. The shop had two big bay windows either side of the front door, so she would take the dark furniture out from them and bring light in. “I can do so much with this shop,” she said.
As she looked around, she wondered where the trustee had left the keys, and which one fit the ugly wardrobe. She’d never seen it opened – well, now she owned it she could open it. Just as she started hunting, the shop door opened and there stood Sophia Chapman. Jake wagged his tail and ran over. Sophia looked down at him and said, “Oh.” Abigail remembered Sophia was a cat person, she’d had ten of the damn creatures ten years ago and lord knows how many she had now. Jake didn’t understand why he didn’t get fussed, and then he smelt cats and ran around the shop trying to find them. It kept him busy while Abigail and Sophia caught up. They talked for an hour or so all about the town, Abigail’s job at The Herald, and, of course, Grandma. Then, Jake finally came back, probably as he couldn’t find any cats, and because he was hungry. Abigail said goodbye to Sophia and said she would pop in the B-and- B tomorrow – without Jake, which went without saying. She closed the shop and started the half mile walk home. It was a beautiful evening and Jake didn’t mind walking; Abigail had a pocket of biscuits for him. It was Abigail who was now starving.
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