Two
It had been two weeks since the bank robbery, and people thought they were so clever, torturing poor Eliza about it.
After a group of three young men strutted into the tea shop that morning, Patty never took her eyes off them. What teenage boys wanted tea and crumpets at nine in the morning?
She’d been right to stare them down. As soon as they’d eaten their plate of chocolate chip cookies, the ringleader boy, the one with the constant smirk, pulled out his phone and started playing a video with the song.
Oh, Patty hated that song. Some goober on the internet thought it would be cute to take the security footage of Eliza fainting at the bank and set techno music to it. They had added in a scream and a laugh track and now everyone kept playing it like it was the funniest thing since George Carlin.
Patty ripped off her apron, muttering to herself. “The three of you don’t add up to a single George.”
She had only taken one step before a hand landed on her shoulder. “Now hang on.”
It was her boyfriend Reggie and his gentle, even-paced tone.
“You know Eliza doesn’t like bringing attention to it. She told you to stop yelling at people. Said you don’t understand how the internet works, and it’ll ruin your reputation as the Cute Tea Granny.”
“I don’t give a hoot about my reputation,” Patty snapped. “I care about them playing that stupid song loud enough for her to hear!”
It would be one thing if the song had stayed on the internet, but no. Instead, it had made the rounds.
The local news had featured it. Then the late-night talk shows had picked it up. And now brats had brought it into the tea shop, trying to catch her reaction on camera!
Eliza never said a word—just smiled, blushed, and darted away.
It was downright cruel and Patty was sick of it.
“How about you take a walk outside and cool down?” Reggie said. “I’ll go over to the table and start a conversation with them. I’ll bore them into leaving.”
“Like that’s going to work,” Patty snapped, but she knew he was right, and he was already leading her to the door.
He gave her a kiss on the cheek and sent her out into the sunshine.
The sea stared back at her, an endless blue wall of calm. It could teach her a wise lesson about rolling with the waves, but she wasn’t having it. Wisdom was useless when it came to someone she loved being hurt.
She walked down to the water and spied her neighbor Russell standing at his shore, talking to a young man.
Now there was an idea. Patty smiled and walked over.
“Joey, isn’t it?” she asked, inserting herself into their conversation.
“Morning, Patty. Nice to see you,” Russell said with his easy movie star smile.
It was fun to have a movie star as a neighbor. Even more fun since he’d started dating her daughter-in-law Sheila, just like she’d hoped he would.
Not hoped. Knew. In her eighty-one years on this earth, she’d learned a thing or two, even if no one wanted to admit it.
“Hi,” Joey said, sticking out his hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”
Patty smiled and shook his hand. “You’re Russell’s new pilot, right?”
She was being polite. She knew exactly who he was. She’d heard Sheila rant about how wasteful it was to buy a seaplane and hire a pilot – and she’d heard Russell’s charming, laughter-filled counter arguments.
Both of them were fully committed to building a sea pen for Lottie the orca. Russell had worked with the researchers to secure an old fishing lodge on Stuart Island, and now they were completely rebuilding it.
Sheila did her part, keeping an eye on the money, and though she was good at it, Russell’s flair for the dramatic sometimes won out.
The pilot got to stay, and Patty had never been more glad for it. “How old are you?”
“Who wants to know?” Joey asked with a dashing smile.
He looked about Eliza’s age, though Patty wasn’t sure. Anyone under fifty looked like a kid to her. He was at least young enough to know how the internet worked.
“He’s a qualified pilot, don’t worry,” Russell said. “Would you like to go for a flight?”
“No, thank you,” Patty said simply. “How would you like to make twenty-five dollars, Joey?”
He glanced at Russell. “Should I worry about the legality of how I’d make these twenty-five dollars?”
“Of course not.” Patty stepped closer and lowered her voice. “Don’t look at him. Look at me.”
Joey, wide-eyed, glanced at Russell.
“Listen to her,” Russell said, putting his hands up. “I can’t protect you from her.”
“Did you hear about the bank robbery in town?” Patty asked.
Joey scratched the back of his neck. “Uh, yes. Of course.”
Russell laughed, opening his mouth to say something, but Patty pressed on.
“My granddaughter Eliza was there when it happened. She ended up on the security footage, and it’s turned into a big joke for people, coming to the tea shop to ridicule her.”
Joey’s smile faded. “That’s not nice.”
Patty pointed at the tea shop over the hill. “I will give you twenty-five dollars if you go in there and get that table of hooligans to stop bullying her.”
Russell shrugged. “How about this, Patty? I’ll do it for free.”
“Oh shush! You would only bring more notoriety, Mr. Hollywood.” She turned to Joey. “What do you say? Twenty-five dollars. No violence, of course, but threats…might be useful.”
He laughed. “Threats. Right.”
Patty wasn’t sure if she had that much in her purse. It might only be twenty. Or maybe just five. It didn’t matter. The money was just to get his interest.
Russell grinned and clapped his hands together. “Are you sure I can’t be part of it? I never get to threaten people anymore.”
“I didn’t ask you, Russell!” Patty shot him a glare, then turned to Joey. “What do you say?”
“I think I can help.” He nodded. “Yeah, I’d be happy to try.”
Patty smiled. “Good. Follow me.”