Tango by Eileen Beha

Author:Eileen Beha
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA
Published: 2009-09-23T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 26

McKenna’s Gift

After tending the shop for twelve hours, McKenna had sold seven of her thirteen enchanted candles. She sat on the bench and counted the money she’d made: 3 tens, 4 fives, and 5 ones. Except for the twenty dollars she planned to give Jeannie Cody for groceries, the rest was all profit. Doc Tucker told McKenna she could wait a few weeks before paying him back.

The lights were still on at Miss Gustie’s. She’d go over and thank her. Without Miss Gustie, McKenna would have nothing.

Before going, McKenna erased the price and then wrapped the candle named Lilac Cloud. Just in case one of the Cody kids had sticky fingers, she locked the door.

“I didn’t sell anything, not a single sweater,” Miss Gustie lamented after McKenna arrived. “A tall woman came in, bigger than me, and found a sweater she loved—that red sweater there—but she needed it in a size 44, and I only had a 36.

“Then a tiny bit of a woman came in. She wanted the blue sky pattern in size 36, but I only had a 44. And so it went, all the day long—my worst day yet. If I have too many more days like this, Pup and I will both be eating dog chow.”

McKenna hung her pouch on the back of a kitchen chair and sat down.

“So, how did you do?” Miss Gustie finally asked.

McKenna felt her face flush. She wanted to gush out her good news, but after hearing Miss Gustie’s complaints, she held back. “Okay, I guess. Listen, I can’t stay long. I have to make some more candles.” McKenna held out her gift. “But here. I brought you something—for helping me.”

Miss Gustie’s face brightened as she untied the ribbon. “Is it enchanted? Enchanted enough to make my sweaters fly off the shelves?”

“If you believe it is, then it is. That’s what Doc Tucker says.”

“Why, thank you, McKenna.” Miss Gustie folded the tissue paper, smoothing it into a neat square. “What a nice surprise. Now, don’t hold out on me, how many candles did you sell?”

“Seven.” McKenna beamed.

“Good for you.”

The gray-haired woman smiled as if she truly meant it—kind of like a grandma might, McKenna thought.

“You should feel real proud of yourself,” said Miss Gustie.

McKenna quickly shooed away the vision of having a grandmother.

“You know,” she told Miss Gustie, “it’s almost like I knew which candle they’d choose before they did. Spooky, huh?”

“Yes, I know how that is sometimes.”

Since Miss Gustie seemed in no hurry for her to leave, McKenna told her about her first customer and the ritual she’d improvised.

“Oh, it gives me the shivers just thinking about you playing around with a person’s dreams like that.”

“Except for one little girl,” explained McKenna, “no one else even asked if they were really enchanted. One lady bought one because it matched her bathroom.”

“And what did you say to the little girl?” asked Miss Gustie.

“I told her the truth.”

“And what is the truth?”

“That I didn’t know.”

Miss Gustie released a deep breath, nodding her approval.

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