Chapter Twelve
“Y
ou can count today as overtime,” Benny said as he opened the truck door for Libby that Monday morning.
“Are we friends?” Libby asked and added gentleman to the long list of Benny’s attributes.
“I like to think so,” he answered. “Why are you asking?”
“Because today I want a friend, not a boss.” Libby fastened her seat belt and watched him round the front end of the truck and slide in behind the steering wheel. “I’m seeing files in my dreams, so I need some time away from the store. I have never charged a friend to spend time with them, but a boss might be a different story.”
“Then I am your friend, but not just today, Libby. What’s going on?” he asked.
“I miss Amanda—my best friend. We talk on the phone and FaceTime pretty often, but it seems like our lives are going in two different ways. She’s moving in with her boyfriend that she’s been dating for about a year, and I’m seven hours away, working at a new job. I also miss Dolly, my neighbor who was responsible for me being here in the first place. I want to be free to talk about anything that pops up, not just business,” she told him. “You don’t often leave Elvis at home. Will he be all right?”
“Like I said, I’m your friend,” Benny said. “Don’t worry about Elvis. He told me that he was looking forward to a day of resting under the table on your porch. His food and water bowls are both full, and he’ll keep one eye open to protect them from pesky birds and squirrels.”
The words your porch stuck in Libby’s mind. She kept it swept and cleaned the road dust off the table and chairs, but was it really hers? Or was it just another temporary—six months, in this case—situation?
“How many sales are we going to today?” she asked.
“Two in Marshall, and then we’ll have lunch, hit one this afternoon between there and Jefferson, and one in town. It’ll probably be dark before we get back home,” he answered. “Are you sure you don’t want to keep track of the hours?”
“Absolutely,” she answered. “I haven’t been back to Jefferson since my grandmother died. It’ll be interesting to see if the town has changed. Do you really expect to fill up the trailer?”
“Grandpa said the best lesson he learned when he decided to turn the sawmill into an antique shop was to always be prepared. The first time he went out to an estate sale, he bought too much to get into his truck and had to have it all shipped. He bought the trailer when he got back home and never left Sawmill without it. Once, he came home with only two punch bowls and a couple of vases and figured he had saved money. Then he passed a garage sale on the way through Tyler, and he bought so much that he had a full load.”
“Yep,” Libby said with a nod. “I cut my teeth on garage sales. Victoria said that the best buys were at those places because folks just wanted to get rid of stuff. That’s where the people our age usually sell off their grandparents’ crystal and furniture pretty often. Or they give it to thrift stores, and we would buy it from those places. Victoria’s favorite one was in New Boston.”
“Oh, really? We’re going right through there. Show me where it is, and we’ll stop for half an hour. We could still get to Marshall in plenty of time before the first auction begins,” Benny said.
Libby had always dreaded going with her grandmother, especially when Victoria was in one of her losing—or maybe only breaking even—gambling sprees. But today she actually looked forward to stopping at the thrift store. Maybe she would find a few more pink pieces that Raisa would be interested in buying.
“How long does it take a stranger to become a friend?” Libby asked, and then wondered if that might be the stupidest question that had ever come out of her mouth.
“Why are you asking?” Benny slowed down to go through the little town of Blossom.
“I feel like Opal and Minilee are my friends, but less than two weeks ago, they were strangers.”
“I guess it depends on the people involved,” Benny answered. “Some of my coworkers at the law firm were barely acquaintances.”
“The good morning or how are you type, right?” Libby had had several of those people in her life at the insurance agency.
“Yep, but maybe my grandfather can answer the question better than I can. He told me once that working beside a person was the way to really get to know someone.” Benny sped up as they reached the highway after the town.
“That makes sense.” Libby had worked with Benny for two weekends now, and she liked his work ethic, his kindness toward the customers—and even toward Opal and Minilee when they disagreed with him about Tatum.
“Are you trying to figure out if we are really friends?” he asked.
Her brows drew down in a deep frown. “I guess I am.”
“Are you trying to determine if we are friends enough that you can open up to me?”
She whipped around to look at his profile—chiseled cheekbones, a perfect nose, and full lips. Were they really friends, or were they just working acquaintances?
“Yes ... No ... Maybe,” she stammered. “I probably shouldn’t be asking someone that I’ve only known a little while to help me face my fears.”
“I’m willing to help you out, unless it’s got something to do with snakes.” One side of Benny’s mouth turned up in half a smile. “I’m not going to handle one of those for you. Our friendship isn’t that strong.”
Libby laughed. “Same here, but I don’t want to talk—not yet.”
“Anytime you are ready, I’ll listen. Look! Did you see that bright orange sign?” His forefinger shot so close to her nose that she jerked back.
She gasped. “No, I was trying to keep you from knocking my nose off my face.”
“There’s a garage sale one mile ahead,” Benny said. “And sorry about startling you.”
Throwing his hand across the console had stirred the air and filled the truck cab with the scent of whatever shaving lotion he had applied that morning. Something that reminded Libby of a crisp morning run with a little leather and sawdust. She turned to look out the side window, took several deep breaths, and exhaled slowly.
“Second sign says turn right on Fallen Oak Road.” He chuckled.
“What’s so funny about that?” she asked.
“Haven’t you ever heard about the directions older folks used to give? ‘Go about two miles down this here road.’” He changed his voice to mimic an elderly man. “‘Turn right at the old schoolhouse that’s falling down and then watch for the big oak tree on the left that got hit by lightning back in 1942. The house you are looking for is about a hundred yards from that tree on the right. It’ll have a blue porch swing, and most likely, Grandpa Hester will be sittin’ on the porch, sellin’ turnip greens.’” He slowed down and chuckled again. “The sign says a hundred yards ahead on the right.”
Libby giggled. “It’s been years since I’ve heard those kinds of directions. GPS kind of made all that obsolete. There’s the sale!” She pointed to a yard covered with full tables and a garage packed with furniture. “I’ll bet you that we’re going to find some good bargains.”
“I’m going straight for that four-poster bed up there on the porch,” Benny said as he parked out on the side of the road. “I wonder why we’re the only ones here.”
“It’s Monday,” Libby answered as she opened the door and unfastened her seat belt.
“That’s right,” he said with a nod. “Most garage sales are held on the weekends so folks who work can go to them, and this is pretty far out of town. Most likely, whoever is holding it depended solely on those orange signs out on the road for advertising and didn’t even put an ad in the local newspaper.”
“Good for us,” she said, “but not so much for the folks trying to sell all this stuff. Do we stay together, or do you want me to look for something in particular?”
“Let’s stay close to each other,” Benny answered. “We’ll need to make sure what we buy is authentic and not knockoffs.”
She slid out of the seat and planted her feet on the ground. A tiny black blur came from around the back of the truck, stopped dead at her feet, and put one paw up like it wanted to shake hands with her.
“Her name is Fancy, and she’s free if you want her,” a lady yelled from the porch. “She’s housebroke, been fixed, and isn’t good for anything but yapping at wild animals that come up in the yard.”
Libby bent down and picked up the little critter. “What breed is she?”
“Teacup chihuahua and mini-poodle mix,” the woman answered. “My great-aunt had her mother and thought the little chihuahua was too old to get pregnant. The dog went visiting the neighbor’s little dog, and when Fancy was born, Aunt Molly kept the puppy. She’s about three years old now, and I can’t have dogs in my apartment in Boston. I’m just here for a few days to get rid of all her things. She had lived in this place her whole life.”
Benny headed over toward the porch and nodded at Libby. Did that mean the bed was authentic? Did he like the price on it, or was he nodding to tell her that she could take the dog home with her?
“Why is her name Fancy?” she asked.
“Aunt Molly’s favorite Reba McEntire song was ‘Fancy.’ My name is Gina Woodland, and if you think anything is overpriced, just make me an offer,” she said.
“Glad to meet you. I’m Benny and this is Libby,” he said with a smile. “How long are you going to have this sale?”
“Today only,” Gina replied. “What doesn’t sell will be donated to a place that helps take care of an animal shelter. I thought Aunt Molly would like that.”
Benny picked up a punch bowl, ran his finger around the edges, and set it back down. “How much are you hoping to make on this sale?”
“I didn’t have a goal in mind. Where I come from, you can’t give this old stuff away,” Gina said with a shrug.
“What if I offered you five thousand dollars for everything here and took what I wanted?” he asked.
Libby whipped around to stare at him so fast that she almost dropped Fancy. “We can’t get all of this in the trailer,” she whispered.
“No, but we can pick and choose what we want and still have a bargain,” he said, lowering his voice. “That bedroom outfit alone will sell for three thousand, not to mention the glassware, and folks are always looking for crocheted tablecloths and handmade quilts.”
“I’d say sold, but only if you take Fancy. I can tell that Libby will be good to her by the way she’s holding her,” Gina said. “I hate to put her in a shelter, but I will if I have to.”
“I’ve got Elvis, so if we take her home, she’s your dog, Libby,” Benny said. “You sure you want a pet?”
“I’m very sure. I’ve wanted a dog since I was a little girl, and Fancy is perfect for apartment living.” She hugged the dog closer to her chest and got a faint whiff of something that reminded her of her grandmother. “What kind of perfume did your aunt wear?”
“Dew Drops,” Gina answered. “I used to send her a bottle for Christmas every year. All of her clothing still smelled like that when I donated it to a homeless shelter. Why do you ask?”
“There’s still remnants of that scent on her,” Libby replied and then turned to face Benny. “You think she could get along with Elvis?”
Benny pulled a tape measure from his pocket and measured an oak washstand. “Don’t know until we take the critter home and see.”
“If you were serious about buying it all and leaving what you don’t want, we’ve got a deal,” Gina said. “I could call the folks at the shelter and tell them to come on and take what you don’t want and be done with this whole thing today.”
“Libby, do you want to take Fancy home?” Benny asked.
She glanced down to find the dog looking up at her with big brown eyes. Of course she wanted to take her home. “Can I take her to the office?”
“Yep,” Benny said and measured a magazine rack. “Miz Gina, why don’t you go ahead and make that call. I’ll get your cash from the truck and have what I want loaded before the other folks get here.”
“This is fantastic!” Gina’s voice went all high and squeaky. “The new owners wanted the house cleaned out by the weekend. The guys I paid to haul all of this are sitting around back in the shade. I’ll get them to come and help you. I can’t believe that I’ve been this lucky. While y’all go through things, I’ll get Fancy’s collars, leashes, and what food she has left.” She almost sprinted across the yard and into the house.
“I can’t believe that either of us just did that. Do you often buy out a sale like this?” Libby asked.
“I’ve only done it one time before, but this stuff is mostly gold, Libby—and you get a pet for free.” Benny smiled, and his eyes twinkled. “You’ll be amazed at how much I can pack into that trailer.”
Fancy squirmed, so Libby set her down on the lawn. “Does this mean we’re going back home after we’ve loaded up? There won’t be room for anything more after that.”
Benny headed for the truck in long strides. “No, let’s go on down to Marshall and Jefferson. We’ve still got a little room in the back seat of the truck—and maybe the bed, if we don’t need it to pack stuff.”
Fancy ran along beside him and hopped up on the running board, but that’s as far as she could go. Libby picked up the little dog and put her in the cab of the vehicle. She jumped onto the console and sat there like a queen.
Benny pulled a bank bag from under the seat, counted out several one-hundred-dollar bills, and put a rubber band around the stack. “Looks like she’s eager to take a road trip with us.”
“Are we doing the right thing?” Libby whispered. “What if Fancy doesn’t like Sawmill? What if Elvis hates her? She’s so little, and he’s a big old boy. Or what if—”
“What-ifs are just worrying about tomorrow,” Benny butted in before she could finish the sentence, “and we don’t have control over that. It robs us of our joy today. Be as happy as that little ugly mutt is right now. I am over the moon at the deal I just made.”
Libby reached across the seat and covered the dog’s ears. “She’s not ugly!”
“Honey, that mutt would come in last in a doggy beauty pageant,” Benny teased as he headed back across the yard to tell the two big, burly men who had come around the house what he wanted loaded.
“Leashes, collars, and food,” Gina said and handed off a tote bag to Libby. “Evidently, Aunt Molly bought birthday and Christmas presents for Fancy.”
Benny gave her the stack of bills. “I counted it, but you should do the same.”
Gina let out a long sigh. “Thank you for everything. If there’s really holes in the floor of heaven, Aunt Molly is peeking down through them and smiling.”
Libby attached one of the leashes to Fancy’s collar and set her back on the ground so she could get a little exercise before they hit the road again. “Come on, baby girl. Stretch your little legs because you’re going to do a lot of riding today.”
Two hours later the trailer was packed solid from front to back, and as Benny drove away, a large moving van pulled up to take the rest of the stuff. Fancy must have been used to traveling, because she sat up on the console and seemed to enjoy the air from the air-conditioning vent blowing back the fur on the top of her head.
“Do you ever think about selling out and returning to a law firm or maybe starting your own business?” Libby asked.
Benny shook his head. “Nope. I made my decision to leave that behind, and I have no intentions of going back. Especially not after all the fun we just had. Do you realize that we will triple—or maybe even quadruple—the money on what we’ve got in the trailer?”
“And yet Gina felt like she got a great deal,” Libby added.
Did you get a good deal? her inner voice asked. What happens when you leave Sawmill and your next stop says you can’t have pets?
“I’ll sleep in my SUV,” she said.
“What was that about an SUV?”
“I was talking to myself,” she told him. “My grandmother warned me more than once that people would think I was hearing voices if I didn’t quit.”
“Sometimes it’s a good thing.” Benny made a right turn back onto the paved highway. “My grandpa often said that he had to talk to himself because he needed an intelligent person to conversate with.”
“Smart man,” Libby said with a giggle.
Fancy added a yip of agreement.