Prescriptions and Promises

by Jessica Matthews

  Jenny discussed the salary she could afford to pay, but Zoe didn’t bat an eye at the bad news. Taking her stoic acceptance of those conditions as a good sign, Jenny didn’t waste any time making an offer.

  ‘The job’s yours, if you want it.’

  Zoe’s face lit up. ‘I do. When do you want me to start?’

  ‘Whenever you can.’

  ‘I’ll have to find a place to stay…’

  ‘If you’re interested, you can live in my unc—my house, rent-free,’ Jenny said, willing to compensate for the lower income in this manner. ‘That is, if you don’t mind sharing with me when I come to town.’

  ‘Not at all,’ Zoe said. ‘I’ll be here next week.’

  ‘Perfect. We’ll have about a month to work together and learn the ropes before school starts.’

  After working out a few other minor details, Zoe left with a definite spring to her step and a smile on her face.

  Jenny watched her leave, satisfied that everything was working according to plan. Her gaze landed on her uncle’s blue coat hanging behind the door. Hiring Zoe was in the pharmacy’s best interests, she thought.

  She knew all of this in her head, but not in her heart. The prospect of leaving her store in someone else’s hands—even if they were capable—pained her far more than she’d dreamt it would.

  CHAPTER TEN

  JENNY reminded herself of the facts. Her options were limited and this was the solution. The only solution to her current problems.

  The sight of Twyla Beach coming into the store seemed like a horror of fate. Too bad Zoe wasn’t available to deal with this woman. Carrie couldn’t, which meant the task fell to Jenny. However, before she could rescue Carrie, Twyla marched up to the eleven-year-old.

  ‘Is Jennifer in?’ Twyla demanded.

  ‘She’s back there,’ Carrie said, pointing toward the prescription area.

  Jenny stepped into her line of vision. ‘Good afternoon, Mrs Beach,’ she greeted her politely from behind her counter. ‘How are those pills working for you?’

  The sour expression on the older woman’s face matched Eunice’s perfectly. ‘Fine,’ she said shortly. ‘I only came in to tell you what I’ve heard.’

  Jenny stiffened. The sudden sly look in Twyla’s eyes worried her, although she pretended indifference. ‘Oh?’

  ‘I just came from the Chamber of Commerce. My neighbor is their secretary and she told me the most interesting tidbit.’ She paused in an obvious attempt at drama.

  ‘A new drug store is coming to Springwater.’

  Jenny’s smile froze. The town could barely support one, much less two. ‘Competition is always nice.’

  ‘Yes, but that’s not all,’ Twyla added triumphantly. ‘Dr Kimball invited them to town.’

  This time Jenny couldn’t disguise her surprise. ‘He did?’

  ‘Oh, my, yes.’ Twyla waved a hand airily, although her gaze remained sharp. ‘Apparently Dr Kimball contacted the corporate office and suggested they look into opening a branch here. In fact, he’s meeting with them this afternoon.’

  Jenny swallowed hard and hid her clenched fists in the pockets of her smock. She’d never imagined he’d do such a thing to her and her mind reeled under the weight of the information.

  ‘It’s rather shocking since you two have gotten so, shall we say, chummy? Then again, maybe he knows something that the rest of us don’t.’

  Jenny’s anger rose at the innuendo. ‘As one of the town’s doctors, he obviously does or he’d be spending his day spreading rumors like certain other small-minded people in this town.’

  Twyla gasped. ‘Small-minded? Are you implying…?’

  ‘If the shoe fits…’

  Twyla blinked like an owl before she raised her nose in the air and sniffed. ‘Well, I’m not going to stand here and listen to this.’

  ‘No,’ Jenny said evenly. ‘You probably shouldn’t.’ She might regret her outspokenness later, but right now it felt satisfying to give the Twylas of the world a dose of their own medicine. ‘Have a nice day,’ she added in dismissal.

  Twyla stomped from the building, slamming the door hard enough to rattle the window.

  Shaken by the whole encounter, Jenny retreated to her makeshift office. Noah had invited a business rival to town? The idea seemed far-fetched, considering how much he’d helped her, and yet it made perfect sense. He would do whatever he could to achieve his own goals. Apparently, he doubted her ability to weather the latest setback to her business and had taken matters into his own hands.

  The traitor.

  When would she learn that men looked after their own interests? Well, it was high time she did the same.

  She began filing away Zoe’s and John’s résumés for safekeeping, hating to see the tremor in her hands as she stuffed the papers into her employment file.

  Contrary to what she’d told Twyla about competition being a good thing, in Springwater it spelled doom. Two pharmacies couldn’t survive, especially when a large chain store boasted distinct advantages over those of private ownership. She couldn’t benefit from their ability to purchase large quantities at a discount, then turn around to pass the savings onto the consumer. Naturally, consumers patronized those places where they could buy their necessities at a lower price, and eventually small businesses like hers withered and died.

  Once again the death knell of Ruscoe Pharmacy seemed to sound in her ears. She sank onto a chair and mulled over her next move. None came to mind. Her stomach churned at the idea of bringing Zoe into this mess. Hopefully, she could contact her and rescind her offer before Zoe resigned her present job.

  Frustrated tears burned in her eyes and she quickly brushed them away. She wanted to march over to Noah’s office and give him a piece of her mind. Surely he was finished meeting with his new cronies.

  ‘I’m sorry, he’s not in this afternoon,’ Tanya apologized after Jenny telephoned his office. ‘He’ll call in for his messages before long, so I’ll ask him to get back to you.’

  ‘Don’t bother. I’m sure I’ll see him later.’ Jenny broke the connection. A few hours’ delay wouldn’t make a difference. Time wouldn’t diminish the anger—and hurt—burning inside her.

  ‘Jenny?’ Carrie’s small voice sounded tentative.

  Jenny looked toward the half-door and saw Carrie’s face framed in the opening. ‘Yes, honey?’

  ‘Are you OK?’

  Jenny cleared her throat. ‘Yeah, sure.’ Her words carried a husky quality and she swallowed hard. ‘Why do you ask?’

  ‘I heard what that lady said. Why did Noah invite another pharmacy to move into town?’

  She sighed. ‘I don’t know, dear. I wish I did.’

  ‘I thought he liked our store.’

  So did I. ‘I don’t know what he thinks,’ Jenny answered honestly. ‘But it doesn’t matter. We won’t give up yet. Just because another company is considering opening a branch here, it doesn’t mean they will.’

  ‘Then we don’t need to worry ’cause they can change their minds?’

  Jenny nodded, forcing herself into optimism. ‘Absolutely.’

  ‘I’m glad. Maybe if Noah tells ’em that we don’t need ’em after all…’

  How ironic to hear Carrie express her faith in the man who’d caused this disaster. ‘It doesn’t work that way. The company will make their own decision.’

  ‘Are you mad at him?’

  ‘Furious’ described her feelings more accurately, but she watered them down for Carrie’s sake. ‘Let’s just say he’s not on my list of favorite people at the moment.’

  Carrie nodded, her expression knowing. ‘That’s what my mom says when she’s mad at someone.’

  Jenny managed a smile at the little girl’s insight. ‘I guess I am.’

  ‘My mom says it’s healthy to let yourself be angry, as long as you don’t let it last for ever. You aren’t going to stay mad at him for a long time, are you?’

  ‘I don’t know, Carrie. I just don’t know.’
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br />   But she did know. Her anger would last until the hurt faded. She stopped a moment to consider why his actions had caused such pain and realized the reason a split second later.

  She loved him.

  Now was certainly a fine time to figure that out, she thought crossly, wishing she could turn those feelings off. Sadly enough, she couldn’t.

  ‘Oh.’ Carrie seemed to consider Jenny’s comment before she spoke again. ‘Miranda and I have our lemonade stand set up outside. Is it OK if we start selling our drinks now?’

  It took Jenny a few minutes to register the shift in conversation. ‘Yeah, sure,’ she said, glad to see Carrie would have a friend to keep her company while Jenny reconsidered her plans for the future.

  ‘I’m going to keep Bugs with me.’

  ‘Watch out for Mr Henderson’s Dobermann,’ she cautioned, hating the idea that the rabbit might become an entré. Although the furniture store owner kept Chester in his store, and swore the pet was well-behaved, who knew what would happen if he caught the scent of fresh prey?

  Carrie nodded. ‘I will. I’ll keep Bugs on his leash the whole time. If he starts acting funny, I’ll bring him back inside.’

  Noah slid out of his Blazer and smiled at the children gathered around a card table in front of the drug store. One girl, who was close to Carrie’s age, held Bugs in her arms while two others jostled each other to be next.

  ‘How’s business?’ he asked, noticing that the sign’s message included the opportunity to hold Bugs with every purchase of lemonade.

  ‘Pretty good,’ Carrie said, before she glanced at her watch. ‘Time’s up,’ she announced. ‘Who’s next?’

  ‘Me!’ another youngster piped up as she plunked down her quarter. Ignoring the cup Miranda had placed on the card table, she held out her arms and waited for Carrie to hand Bugs into her care.

  Obviously, Carrie had decided to capitalize on Bugs’s appeal to sell her drinks. From the half-full cups lining the table, the kids preferred holding the rabbit to wetting their whistles.

  ‘Is Jenny inside?’ he asked.

  Carrie nodded. ‘Yeah, but I wouldn’t go in there if I were you.’

  His hope of telling Jenny about her potential competition before she heard it elsewhere died. ‘Then she’s heard?’

  She motioned him to the side, away from the small crowd. ‘Yup. Mrs Beach told her this afternoon.’

  He was too late.

  Noah rubbed the back of his neck and heartily wished Twyla Beach would suffer a severe case of laryngitis, one that would be incurable for at least several months.

  ‘No siree. Jenny’s not happy with you.’ She planted her hands on her hips. ‘Neither am I.’

  If the situation hadn’t been so grave, he would have been amused by Carrie’s expression. Unfortunately, the situation was serious and all he could do was explain, cross his fingers and hope for the best.

  ‘Don’t you like our store?’ she asked.

  ‘I do,’ he said.

  ‘Then tell the other people not to come,’ Carrie demanded.

  ‘I’m afraid it’s not that simple,’ he said gently, wishing it could be otherwise.

  ‘I thought you were our friend, but you were just pretending, weren’t you?’

  ‘No,’ he insisted. ‘I wasn’t pretending.’

  Carrie rolled her eyes. ‘Yeah right. Jenny’s in her office. At least she was earlier. If she doesn’t talk to you, don’t say I didn’t warn you.’ She walked away to rejoin the group surrounding Bugs.

  Squaring his shoulders and steeling himself for a tense encounter, Noah entered the store. If not for a radio supplying background noise, he would have thought the place deserted.

  Jenny appeared at the prescription counter’s window. Her welcoming smile disappeared. ‘Oh. It’s you.’

  Her flat tone bothered him and he tried to break the ice. ‘I see Carrie’s found a way to attract a crowd.’

  ‘At least one of us is successful.’

  ‘Look…’ He moved in closer, aware of how she kept the barrier of the counter between them. ‘I came to explain.’

  She held up her hands and shook her head. ‘Don’t bother. I’m not ready to listen. Later I might be, but for right now I want to be angry.’

  ‘I can understand that, but let—’

  ‘You hurt me, Noah.’

  Her quiet tone worried him more than if she’d ranted and raved. ‘I didn’t mean to. I’m sorry.’

  ‘You let me think we were in this together—us against them. Instead, you had so little faith in me you switched sides for the one guaranteed to come out on top.’

  ‘No. That’s not how it happened.’

  ‘In the end,’ she continued, ignoring his protests, ‘the town would have its pharmacy and you would be hailed as a hero.’

  A muscle worked along his jaw. He suspected he’d be several inches shorter by the time she was through venting her anger.

  She gestured in the air to caption a headline. ‘KIMBALL NAMED CITIZEN OF THE YEAR. SAVES CITY FROM LOSS OF—’

  ‘That’s it,’ he said, grimly advancing toward the half-door and throwing it open. ‘Enough is enough.’ She backed up until she hit the edge of her desk.

  He leaned over her, nose to nose. ‘You may not believe me right now, but I’m going to explain and you’re going to listen. Then, if you want to tear more strips off my hide, go ahead.’

  Noticing her precarious balance, he placed his hands on her shoulders and gently pressed downward until she had no choice but to sit on top of the desk or topple over into his arms.

  She sat. Several pieces of paper fluttered to the floor, but he ignored them.

  ‘None of this is what you think.’

  She raised one eyebrow but, as if sensing his mood, wisely kept silent. Instead, a mulish light came into her eyes and she set her jaw in inflexible lines.

  ‘I’m sorry about inviting Prescriptions Plus to check out the potential in Springwater. I called them right after you announced you were going out of business. They never got in touch with me and I thought they weren’t interested. The very next week I learned that you had decided to stay and I completely forgot about them.’

  The stubborn tilt to her chin softened and the fire in her gaze fizzled out by slow degrees.

  ‘It’s true,’ he insisted. ‘You can ask Della.’

  For a long moment she didn’t say anything. Noah watched her intently, waiting for a sign of some sort to indicate that she understood.

  ‘I admit the whole thing looks and sounds suspicious from your point of view. Fault me for being impatient and taking matters into my own hands, but not for anything else.’

  ‘And what am I supposed to do now? You met with the competition. Are they coming?’

  ‘They haven’t decided yet,’ he said honestly, hating the position he’d placed her in. ‘They prefer to locate in larger towns, but admitted they saw an opportunity here.’

  ‘That’s some consolation, I suppose.’ She met his gaze. ‘So why did you come around and help me? Were you only keeping tabs on us?’

  ‘I wanted you to succeed.’ He hoped she’d accept his simple explanation. ‘At first, I wanted it because of what your business meant to the town, and for what Ruscoe Pharmacy had meant to Earl. Later, I wanted it because of you.’

  ‘Fine,’ she snapped. ‘Then I expect you to give the same attention to my employee after I’m gone.’

  ‘Employee?’

  She raised her chin. ‘I hired my replacement today. Ms Doran’s starting next week.’

  He couldn’t believe she’d made her decision so quickly. ‘Next week? Why so soon?’

  ‘Because she’s free and it’s high time that I went back to where I belong.’

  ‘You belong here.’

  She blinked, clearly startled by his vehemence. ‘Do I?’

  ‘Of course you do!’ he exploded. ‘Why wouldn’t you?’

  Before she could reply, Miranda dashed into the store, wailing as if she�
��d suffered a mortal injury.

  Jenny jumped to her feet, the bitter taste of fear in her mouth. ‘What’s wrong?’ she asked, pushing her way past Noah to join the girl.

  ‘Bugs ran away. Carrie says you have to help us find him,’ she sobbed, tugging on Jenny’s hand to pull her toward the door.

  ‘What happened?’ Noah asked.

  Miranda sniffled. ‘We were busy watching out for Mr Henderson’s dog so we didn’t notice Mr Kravitz and his St Bernard coming from the other way. Baron started barking and Bugs jumped out of Ashley’s arms. Before Carrie could grab his leash, he was gone.’

  ‘Where’s the dog?’ Jenny asked, afraid to hear that Herb’s pet had chased after Bugs and was presently making mincemeat of him.

  ‘Mr Kravitz took Baron home to calm down.’

  Jenny glanced down both sides of the street. ‘Where’s Carrie?’

  Miranda pointed to the right. ‘She and the other girls went over there.’

  ‘Let’s fan out,’ Noah said. ‘He can’t have gone far.’

  Jenny rounded the corner, conscious of Noah matching her strides. Carrie stood a block away, calling out Bugs’s name in a voice laced with tears, while her friends combed the bushes along the sidewalk.

  As soon as Jenny caught up to her, Carrie flung herself into her arms. ‘Oh, Jenny,’ she cried. ‘I can’t find Bugs and I looked everywhere.’

  Jenny hugged her, hating to think of how Carrie would cope if Bugs had disappeared for good. ‘Are you sure he came this far?’

  ‘I saw him run past this building.’ Carrie motioned to the discount store a few feet away. ‘Then I didn’t see where he went.’

  ‘We’ll find him,’ Noah promised.

  Jenny privately warned him not to make any promises he couldn’t keep. As if he’d understood her unspoken message, he matched her gaze with a steady one of his own.

  Carrie wiped her eyes and rubbed her nose with the back of her hand. ‘He’s dragging his leash. He could choke to death if it catches on something. And what if he gets stuck some place and a dog decides to eat him?’