Free Long Memory by Christa Maurice Page A

so that shoots our main food vendor in the foot. Two of the school buses are down for repairs so we don’t have enough buses to bring people in from satellite parking and run them back and forth to the berry farm. Mr. McMannus had a fucking heart attack and Mrs. McMannus closed the garage. I have no idea if it’s going to reopen in time. Beth, this thing is in two weeks and it’s totally–”
    “All right,” Beth cut her off before she swore again. “Calm down. James is staying with the girls so I can do some grocery shopping. I’ll swing by on the way and see if I can help you out.”
    “Thanks, Beth. We’ve always done this as a trio. I’m not ready to solo.”
    “Don’t worry about it. As long as I’m not away too long, it should be okay. See you soon.”
    “Bye.”
    Beth snapped her phone shut and pulled out of the driveway trying to work out solutions to the problems Lily had listed. This kind of stuff happened every year. It was just a matter of being creative. Turning onto the main road, she ended up behind a sheriff’s car. Sheriff Daniel, as a matter of fact. He had a last name, but it was three feet long and composed entirely of consonants. When he came to town everyone started calling him Sheriff Daniel and so far he hadn’t objected. She flashed her lights at him until he pulled over.
     
     

 
    Chapter 6
     
    “So you asked the sheriff to pick up the cookies from Mrs. Coin’s,” Lily said. She sat down in the leather wingback chair in her living room and crossed her legs. If Beth couldn’t see that Lily was wearing jeans and a t-shirt, she’d assume her friend was dressed in formal attire.
    “Yes. They’re on their way if they aren’t already there.” Beth nodded.
    “And you picked up Elaine and brought her here.” Lily and Beth looked at Elaine, who slouched on the couch glaring back at them.
    “Getting her in the car was the hardest part. Eventually her civic pride won out,” Beth explained.
    “You promised I wouldn’t have to talk to anyone but you two. No phone calls, no visits,” Elaine insisted.
    “I promised.” Beth folded her hands in her lap. Lily was right. Elaine was being weird. When she arrived at her door this morning, Elaine had been wearing a nightgown and her hair looked like it hadn’t been combed in days. Some cold water on her face had reduced the puffiness, but she’d insisted on wearing the grubbiest clothes she owned and wearing a huge sunhat and sunglasses for the drive over. Beth had hoped to have a long chat with her about James so her friend could smack some sense into her. That was not going to happen.
    “And Chubby Hubby ice cream,” Elaine added.
    “Bob is getting it as we speak.”
    “That’s the other thing.” Lily broke in. “You got Bob to do your grocery shopping?”
    “I gave him a detailed list. He’s going to be at the grocery store anyway.” Beth shrugged. “It’ll take him half the time it takes me.”
    “You asked the manager of the grocery store to get your groceries for you.”
    “Yes.”
    “Bob.”
    “Yes.”
    “To put the groceries in the basket for you.”
    “Yes.”
    “And ring them up.”
    “All right already!” Elaine shouted, leaping to her feet. “Lily, get it through your head. Bob is getting Beth’s groceries for her so all she has to do is pick everything up on the way home. How hard is it to understand?”
    Lily stared at Elaine for a beat and turned back to Beth. “Michael’s father.”
    Elaine stomped into the kitchen. “Christ. Lily, do you have any wine around here? Beer? Rum? Vodka? Rubbing alcohol?”
    “Yes, Michael’s father, but they’re Nonie’s groceries. Elaine, don’t drink rubbing alcohol. It’ll make you blind.” Beth snatched a notebook out of Lily’s hands. “James told me this morning that I should ask for help once in a while and it occurred to me that I could. So I did.”
    “So tell me about this James. He’s cropping up in conversations all over town.” Lily