Free The Better Woman by Ber Carroll

had to do with continuing to increase the profits of the shop so that one day they’d be able to afford a general manager to run the place while Sarah followed her career.
    I’ve got two years till I graduate. Two years to build the profits. Two years to sell the idea of a manager to Nan.
    Sarah searched for a challenge to make up for missing out on New York, but with the petrol pumps running well and the extended opening hours long established, she could see no obvious area of improvement for the shop.
    Peggy was very apologetic about the state of the paperwork. ‘I’m sorry it’s in such a mess. My eyes become addled from all the numbers and I get headaches. Getting old is a very frustrating business!’
    Some evenings Nuala would call around and Sarah would temporarily leave the outstanding invoices and overdue tax returns to go for a ride in her friend’s new car. If the day was sunny they’d drive as far as Crosshaven and wince their wayacross the pebbled beach to the cold sea. If it was dull or raining, as it was more often than not, they’d go to the city. Sarah loved to walk through the wide-aisled supermarkets and study their merchandise. Nuala knew she was looking for ideas and wasn’t shy to put suggestions forward.
    â€˜How about selling essential clothing like socks and underwear?’ she proposed one rainy evening as they strolled through Dunnes Stores.
    â€˜I’m not sure they’d sell in any great quantities in Carrick-more,’ Sarah replied. ‘No, I need something that’s on the up-and-up . . .’
    â€˜Wine?’
    â€˜Delaney’s pub is right across the road, remember?’
    â€˜How could I forget!’
    They came to the last aisle.
    â€˜Where to next?’ asked Nuala.
    â€˜Why don’t we go to the Southside?’ Sarah suggested. ‘Where the posh people shop.’
    Nuala, not a very experienced driver, grimaced at the thought of crossing the city. ‘I’m not sure how to get there, but I’ll give it a try. We can only get lost, right?’
    Nuala had proved to be a staunch friend over the years and regularly put herself out on Sarah’s account. The only thing she refused to do was socialise with Sarah’s college crowd.
    â€˜I’m the only one in this entire pub who’s not doing a degree,’ she’d pointed out the first and only night she’d met them. ‘I feel like a fish out of water. I know they’re all very nice, but I’m just not comfortable here.’
    As a result, Sarah usually saw Nuala on her own and they steered clear of grungy college bars. They talked about everything. Everything but the abortion. Even though it was neverspoken of, the abortion had accelerated their friendship from the adolescent to the mature and bound them together in the way that only shared secrets can.
    After a few wrong turns and a lot of swearing, Nuala parked her little Fiat on the main street of Douglas village. It was worth all the effort as Sarah found the idea she’d been looking for.
    Peggy, as expected, was resistant at first.
    â€˜Videos? Who in Carrickmore would want to buy videos?’
    â€˜Not buy,’ Sarah corrected. ‘Hire.’
    â€˜Buy, hire, what’s the difference? Don’t you need a contraption to play them?’
    â€˜Yes, you do need a video player. I’d say practically every house in the area has one already.’
    â€˜Go way outta that!’
    So Sarah asked the customers.
    â€˜Do you have a video player?’
    â€˜Would you be interested in hiring videos from us?’
    The answer, on both accounts, was a resounding yes.
    Peggy could hardly believe it.
    â€˜If everyone has one of those contraptions, then why don’t we?’ she asked indignantly. Then she folded her arms. ‘Well, I’m not selling, or
hiring out
, something I don’t understand. So you’d better buy one so I can see for myself if