Summer at Fraser’s Mill

Settling In

S till tired from her travels, Grace got up late the next morning and straggled into the church when Father and the altar boys were already in the vestibule, ready to come down the aisle. The choir sang nicely—they could probably use another alto, though. Mary Jane would be happy to have Grace back in the choir.

Grace had a lot of prayer intentions during Mass. Foremost in her mind was the store. She was excited about taking over Murray’s Grocery, but did she have what it took to succeed?

As she prayed, Grace came upon a note she’d stuck into her missal a long time ago. It was a quote from Jeremiah: “For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.”

She had found that verse comforting when she was a recent college graduate, ready to move across the country and start a new scary job. Now, as she prepared to save Murray’s Grocery from going out of business—although she felt peace about that, it was possibly the scariest thing she’d ever planned to do—the verse consoled her again. She didn’t have to do this alone. The Lord was faithful, and He had Grace’s well-being in mind even when things were difficult. She just had to do her best and trust in Him.

Grace had just stepped into the church vestibule after Mass when Alex pounced on her.

“You’re back!” Alex’s chapel veil was sliding off, and she was juggling an unwieldy armful of choir books and a missal. “I thought you wouldn’t be back for another couple days at least.”

“I forgot to text, and then I thought I would surprise you,” Grace said. “But I got to the church too late to catch you before Mass. It’s so great to be back!”

“Are you here for good now, or do you have to go back to California for anything?” Alex asked. Her armload of books was beginning to slide away. Grace caught the top two and held them for her.

“I’m here for good!” Grace said. “I’m done with my apartment lease, and I’ve brought or given away all my things. I’m an official Fraser’s Mill resident now.”

“Wonderful!” Alex’s dark eyes snapped with excitement. “I want to hear all about everything! Let’s go somewhere else though. I can’t hear myself think with all these adorable toddlers shrieking.”

They went outside, where it wasn’t so loud. Little groups of parishioners stood around talking, while most of the kids ran and played by a large shade tree on the parish grounds.

“I can’t tell you how glad I am that you’ve come back,” Alex said. “I was wishing you would stay, but I didn’t want to try to change your mind when you liked teaching so much. And then after the blow-up with Doc I figured you really wouldn’t want to stay. Speaking of Doc—have you seen him? Did you ever figure out why he got mad at you? He’s been moping around and acting really gloomy ever since you left.”

“What have I been doing?” Doc’s voice came from behind them. Grace whirled around.

He stood there, hands in his pockets, grinning. “Do I hear myself being accused of something?”

“Doc!” Alex flushed. “I didn’t know you were there.”

Grace raised her eyebrows at Doc. “You’re sneaking up on me again.”

“Whoops,” Doc said. “At least you weren’t holding anything breakable.” He folded his arms across his chest. “I just talked to Walt. He’s going to suggest a special meeting about the grocery store during the council meeting tomorrow.”

“Wonderful!” Grace said. “Thanks, Jim.”

“ Jim ?” Alex looked from Grace to Doc and back again. “You two had better explain what’s going on. I listened to a lot of ranting about that big argument you had. Now you’re suddenly calling him ‘Jim’? Nobody tells me anything!”

Doc pursed his lips. “It’s too late now, Grace. You’ll have to tell her all your darkest secrets, or she’ll never be satisfied.”

“Oh, go away,” Alex told him. “I know I’m not going to get any information out of you. ”

Doc grinned. “Have fun cross-examining Grace. See you around.” He strolled off, whistling.

Alex threw up her hands. “Grace Elizabeth Murray, what in the world is going on?”

“Alex Santiago Martin, I’ve been trying to tell you, but we keep getting interrupted. Walk home with me, and I’ll tell the whole thing.”

Grace told Alex the whole story about talking to Doc by the mailbox, the confusion with Hannah and Lucas, and her realization that she had liked Doc the whole time.

Alex pumped a fist in the air. “I told you so! I knew he liked you. And I had a feeling you liked him, too, but didn’t want to admit it to yourself.”

Grace filled her in on the date at the diner and Doc’s suggestion about having a town meeting. Alex was interested in that idea. “I’ll see if my dad would want to talk at the meeting,” she said. “I mean, if you’d like him to.”

“That would be amazing,” Grace said. “We need all the help we can get if we’re going to get the community to support the store. Thank you.”

§

Grace opened the store on Monday. She had gotten enough rest, and it was pleasant to walk over in the cool morning, her footsteps crunching over the gravel parking lot.

She stopped in the doorway, looking over the tidy store. Her apron hung by the cash register, ready to go. The displays of fresh produce and baked goods looked bright and cheery with the sunlight streaming through the front windows.

Murray’s Grocery might just be a little country store. But to Grace, it was a legacy.

If they succeeded in having a town meeting about the store, how would she present her case to the townspeople? How could she get the people to see the store with her eyes? She’d better start preparing what to say.

As a schoolteacher, Grace had had a lot of practice researching things to present to a group. Those skills could be handy now. Some of the lesser-known facts she had learned about dollar stores this summer would probably be useful.

Grace was at the cash register, still mulling things over, when the bell jingled and Hannah Fraser walked in. As usual, her outfit was on point, a lightweight blue-and-white sweater with short sleeves tucked into a high-waisted pair of white shorts. Her hair shone smooth and glossy.

What was Hannah doing here at eight A.M.? The early customers tended to be the town’s old-timers.

Grace didn’t have more time to wonder, because Hannah approached the register.

“I heard you and Doc were dating,” Hannah said. “Congratulations! I’m happy for you guys.”

Her tone was cool and her face unreadable, but if she really had liked Doc, it must have taken an effort for her to say that.

“Thanks, Hannah,” Grace said, and smiled.

Hannah looked down, fishing in her purse. “You probably heard I told Doc you had a boyfriend.” She raised her head, facing Grace straight-on. “I want you to know—I just didn’t want him to be hurt, you know?”

“I know,” Grace said. “It’s all right. Really.”

“That’s good.” Hannah went back to looking in her purse. She pulled out a grocery list. “Does this store carry avocados?”

“Actually, we do,” Grace said.

Hannah smiled. “Great. Now I don’t have to drive into Cadillac.”