Chapter 31 #2
“Welcome to Story Lake, where we’ll work together tirelessly to destroy you,” she said cheerfully.
“I was afraid all the details were going to fall on my shoulders and therefore be immediately forgotten and Reader Weekend ruined,” I confessed. “I’m not great with organization.”
“Girl, with the rest of us, you don’t need to be. We need your big ideas and your ability to put out fires when the chaos hits. You did great during Summer Fest when the heatstroke hit and the boat sank.”
I had, hadn’t I? I gave myself a mental pat on the back.
“Besides, we need you to figure out how to ruin Dominion’s stupid Boozetag,” she continued.
“Oh, I have a few ideas,” I admitted.
“Tell me after everyone leaves for plausible deniability purposes.”
I grinned. “You got it.” Not only did I have a team of people executing all the details that scared me, I now had a partner in crime. Maybe there really was something to be said for small-town life.
“All right, folks. I think we’ve done some great work here,” Felicity announced. “You all have your assignments. So let’s get out there, complete all our tasks, and be productive as hell!”
Garland’s hand shot in the air from the gamer’s chair he had positioned in the kitchen. “Obviously I won’t be reporting on any of our preparations because it could give Dominion an unfair advantage.”
“We appreciate that,” I said dryly.
“However, I would like to volunteer as community journalist turned spy. I can spend some time in the enemy’s camp and report back on what they’re planning, giving us the unfair advantage.”
“You’re hired,” I said. “And by hired, I mean we have no money to pay you, so I’m approving your volunteerism.”
“I’ll need a daily report with the intel you’ve gathered,” Felicity said. “See if you can get your hands on a schedule of events, information about party rentals, restaurant specials, that kind of thing.”
“And I’d like to see some pictures of their Boozetag platform construction,” I added.
Garland saluted. “You can count on me.”
Felicity looked my way. “Okay, boss. Send them off with a few words of wisdom?”
Public speaking. Yet another thing I didn’t really like at all.
I rolled out of the beanbag and gracelessly worked my way from hands and knees to standing.
“Uh, thank you, everyone, for your participation. I have one more thing on my list. We need to designate an ultimate bingo commissioner to oversee the game on Sunday, and I think Emilie Rump should do it.”
I braced for any flying potatoes but only got some frowns and grumbling.
“I know that she played a role in our last battle with Dominion. She made a mistake, but she did eventually stand up to Nina. And she knows the rules of the game better than anyone. It could be a trial redemption,” I offered.
There were more frowns and grumbling.
“Look, it’s for one weekend. One second chance. If she screws us over again, then I will personally potato her entire house with you until it looks like a mountain of mashed potatoes.”
“Fine. But if she sabotages us in any way, you’re getting potatoed too,” Chevy said. There were several nods of agreement.
“Great,” I said with a feigned smile. “Also, our accessibility panel starts at Pushing Up Daisies tonight at seven. We still have a few spaces left. I’ll put the registration link in the message group. Now let’s go kick Dominion’s ass!”
The cheers were so loud they rattled Felicity’s windows.
I was in the middle of rearranging Felicity’s white fur chairs around her dining room table with my good arm when Frank Bishop tapped me on the shoulder.
“Hey, Frank. Thanks for being here. I think planning an open house at the farm during Reader Weekend is a great idea as long as you can keep it skunk-free.”
He chuckled. “Gage told us about Nana’s new friend.”
“How do you even get rid of a skunk?” I asked. “You know what? Never mind. My brain is full, and I don’t want skunk removal knowledge rewriting any of the things I need to take care of for Reader Weekend.”
“Wise choice. I just wanted to say thank you.”
I blinked. “For what?” The only thing I could think of that was Bishop related was the sex I was having with Gage, and I really hoped that wasn’t what Frank was grateful for.
“For the social media tutorial things you sent me. I studied up on ’em and got to impress my granddaughter at her workshop by already knowing most of the answers. Even got to help out some of the other old fogies like me,” he said proudly. “She asked me if I’d help teach the next one.”
I slapped his arm affectionately. “Frank, that’s great.”
“You’re doing good work here, Zoey. Don’t you forget that.”
“I’ll try not to,” I promised. I would also try not to fuck it all up.
Frank filed out with the rest of the attendees, and Felicity joined me in the dining room. “I just wanted to thank you for letting us have the meeting here. I know I don’t make it easy, but it means a lot when I can be included,” she said.
“This worked out great for everyone,” I assured her. I watched her return the Lego flower arrangements to the center of the table. “Do you mind if I ask why you don’t…?”
“Like to leave my house to the point that it’s weird?” she asked.
“Well, yeah. But feel free to tell me to mind my own business. This town’s rubbing off on me and making me nosy.”
“It started in college. Looking back, I was probably stressing about finals and drinking too many energy drinks. I wasn’t sleeping well.
My anxiety was so high. I had a full-blown panic attack in the middle of my Game Balancing class.
I was terrified and then beyond embarrassed.
The panic attacks kept on happening for a few months, and I just kept making my world smaller. Home became my safe space.”
“It’s a great safe space,” I said, sweeping my arm to encompass Felicity’s cozy living area.
She perched on one of her dining chairs. “Yeah, but it’s also awful. I get really mad at myself. I mean, everyone else can do it. Why can’t I?”
“I can empathize. I too have spent a long time wishing I could be like everyone else.”
“What’s your safe space?” Felicity asked.
“Uh, I don’t know.” I thought about the college-age me fresh out of surgery, getting dumped. Of my parents’ persistent reminders that I was hard to love. “I guess I try to make sure no one expects too much from me or is so inconvenienced by me that they abandon me.”
“You’re not doing a very good job of that first part. Aren’t you in charge of a huge community-wide event that dovetails with your best friend and client’s comeback?” she teased.
“Yeah. Can I throw up on these Lego flowerpots?” I joked.
“Definitely not. Maybe you’re just growing your safe space?”
I thought of Gage cutting up my waffles. Gage confiding in me. Gage wrapping his arms around me.
“Maybe,” I hedged. “It’s terrifying, but maybe…”
“Worth it?” she guessed.
“Maybe.”
“Well, from one messed-up girl to another, I’m cheering for you.”
“Thanks, Felicity. For what it’s worth, I’m cheering for you too.”