Seriphina Joseph
GRIFFIN IS SLEEPING peacefully next to me.
An arm tucked under my pillow, the other holding me to his side.
He was ridiculously sweet and supportive yesterday.
He didn’t complain about sitting with me at the clinic, or the melancholy mood I was in.
He helped me through it like it was the most natural thing in the world. I’ve never felt more cared for.
The bed doesn’t make a sound as I unwrap myself and crawl out of it.
I grab clothes from my closet to take to the bathroom.
The shirt I choose is form fitting at the top and low cut but the rest hangs down in an asymmetrical handkerchief pattern, in deep purple and forest green.
I pull on leggings and slide on flip-flops.
The coffee pot whirs to life as I start it for Griffin.
I almost drop my muffin when I grab my phone and my kindle to make my way downstairs.
I flick the lights on. The subtle changes that Jax installed aren’t as noticeable as I expected. Looking around, not much has changed except for the doors and windows. I navigate through the shop, preparing to open for the first time since returning from the cabin.
A short while later, the bell above the door rings as the first of the Biddies Gossip Club walks in.
Darla gasps loud enough to be heard two blocks over.
She’s holding a tray of pastries from the bakery down the street.
Her coral pink tipped fingers flash as she sets them down on the nearest table and rushes over to me.
Her arms are outstretched like she’s performing in an elaborate ballet not dishing out an aggressive hug.
“Well, look who decided to grace us with her presence!” She squeezes almost hard enough to crack ribs before pulling back to scan every inch of my face.
I’m grateful the bruise on my cheek was light and only lasted about a week.
“You didn’t return one call. Not even when I threatened to send Father O’Malley up there with his holy water and that dramatic Latin chanting he does. ”
“I didn’t exactly have cell service on the mountain.” I provide, like it’s a logical explanation.
She squints at me suspiciously. “And what on Earth was wrong with calling me when you got back?” Darla has a sixth sense for bullshit and a nose for gossip. And right now she’s looking at me like she can smell everything I’m not saying.
“I only got back last night.” Butterfly pea flower tea swirls in the bottom of the teacup in front of her. “I knew you’d show up this morning.” I shrug as Marci and Helen walk through the door.
“I swear you’re gonna give me premature gray hair.” Helen’s knitting supplies thump on the floor, dropping them to wrap her arms around me as soon as she’s close enough. “Why didn’t you return our texts? We thought you’d been kidnapped and stuffed in someone’s basement.”
Esther rolls her eyes, strolling in and leaning her hip against the counter.
“Oh please, like any of you actually thought she was kidnapped. The most exciting thing that’s ever happened in this town was when the mayor got drunk and went skinny dipping in the fountain, in front of the courthouse, on the Fourth of July. ”
I fill her teacup next to the other three, pouring their usuals while listening.
When they find out about Griffin, I’ll never hear the end of it.
And I can’t exactly say the Russian mafia tried to take over my store and the guy I’m sleeping with is tracking them down for me.
With the five of them, it would be all over town before lunchtime.
So I opt for silence and bare minimum details until they get distracted by some other gossip.
Darla points at Esther. “That’s beside the point. The fact remains that our little Seriph disappeared off the face of this town for two weeks with no explanation.” Her voice rises as Katherine arrives, clutching her pearls that she pairs with yoga pants.
“Seriphina Joseph! I had to hear from Loretta at the post office that you were missing!” Her designer tote thudding as she drops it next to Helen’s knitting supplies. “Loretta! The woman who thinks fax machines are cutting edge technology.”
Marci is peering at me like a detective examining a crime scene. She leans in conspiratorily. “You’re glowing,” she whispers, then louder, “You didn’t disappear! You were holed up!”
“I was not holed up! Not in the way you’re implying.” Embarrassment floods my cheeks, I finish pouring the last of their teas and begrudgingly follow them to the sitting area.
Darla takes her place at the center of their little gathering, her eyes narrowed like an investigator. Marci, Helen, Esther, and Katherine all take seats on the couches surrounding me, like I’m now part of their tribunal.
“And why should we believe you, Seriphina? You vanish into thin air. We contact the police to file a report on your absence and they’ve already been notified that you were leaving town,” Marci admonishes.
“And now you come waltzing back in here after two weeks and try to deny the truth? You look flushed. You’ve got that rosy glow of a woman in love. ”
“I am not in love!” I deny it a little too enthusiastically. “I just went away for a while. It was a...” I try to think of a way to explain it without giving anything away. “Spontaneous spur of the moment getaway.”
Esther nearly chokes on her tea, while Katherine puts a hand over her mouth. Helen shakes her head, and Darla leans forward in her chair, eyes glinting with predatory delight.
“Oh honey.” Darla smirks, her spoon hitting the sides of her teacup. She pauses like she’s about to reveal a secret. “No woman takes a spontaneous getaway and comes back looking like that unless there’s sex involved. You got dicked down.”
“Darla! Is that really appropriate?” A nervous giggle bubbles out of me.
Helen cackles from her spot on the sofa.
Darla waves dismissively. “Oh, don’t play coy with me, missie! You haven’t been this flushed or glowy since... Well, since never. So go on. Spill. Where’d you hide away? Who took you there? What do they look like? Name? Profession? Hobbies? Shoe size? Favorite flavor of tea?”
“Oh my gods.” I lean forward and put my hands over my face. “Darla, stop.”
Katherine pipes up from her corner on the other couch, eyes wide with excitement. “Oh! Did you have a summer fling?” She clasps her hands in front of her like I’m her personal soap opera drama. “I love a good summer fling. We had that one year when all the college boys were home on break, and—”
She’s interrupted by a huff from Helen. “No one cares about your college boy phase Katherine. This is about Seriphina. She’s blushing. And she’s clearly been getting some.”
Marci rolls her eyes at Helen. “Oh fuck off, Helen. Just because you are still going through your college boy phase doesn’t mean you have to be a bitch about it.”
Esther snorts out a laugh at Helen’s expense, while Helen flushes a deeper shade of red than I am.
Darla redirects the conversation back where she wants it. “Well? I’m waiting, Miss Seriphina. We all want to know who managed to sweep you off your feet. And if he has a brother, or a dad, or a cousin...” She raises her eyebrows and sips her tea.
Katherine and Esther cackle next to her.
Marci contributes with her usual dry, sarcastic, sense of humor, rolling her eyes.
“Yeah I’ll bet. She probably met some burly, lumberjack type who lives alone in a cabin in the wilderness.
Probably has more plaid shirts than she could count and an obsession with chopping his own firewood.
And a scruffy beard and wears those heavy boots with suspenders and—”
“Stop.” Darla holds her hand up. “You’re giving me ideas.”
Helen crinkles her nose.
Katherine scoffs. “You would say that, Marci. You wish someone would come along and sweep you off your feet so you could finally stop going to that terrible speed dating night at the senior center.”
Darla, envisioning a stacked lumberjack, turns her attention back to me. “So this mystery man of yours. He is handsome, right?” She smirks, hoping the answer is yes.
“There’s no mystery man,” I lie. “Can we talk about what happened while I was gone? Did Marci ever decide if she was going to get her nipples pierced?”
Darla’s eyes light up. She slams her teacup down on the table with enough force to make Katherine jump, and leans in. “Oh no no no, sweetheart. You don’t get to redirect that easily.” She wags a finger at me. “We can talk about Marci’s nipples later. Right now, we are focused on you.”
Marci, who has been sipping her tea with an air of detached amusement, chimes in dryly, “I did. And they look fabulous.” She winks at me as my mouth drops open. “But we are talking about you, darling.”
Before I can respond all five of them go silent and stare behind me with matching expressions. Their mouths are open and their eyes are wide. I’m surprised they don’t drop their teacups. I groan. Please let him be wearing more than the gray sweatpants he thinks passes for appropriate clothing.
“Mornin’, Sunshine.” His voice is rough from sleep and thick with amusement. “Tried sleepin’ in. But woke up to cold sheets.”
I slowly turn around. He’s leaning one shoulder against the wall at the bottom of the stairs.
Every inch of his muscled, tattooed torso is on full, mouthwatering display.
He’s unfortunately wearing the sweatpants and they hang low on his hips accentuating his v-line.
He stands there looking like some kind of deity.
Helen is now fanning herself aggressively. Darla is shamelessly staring, Katherine looks like she might faint, and Marci looks mildly amused like all of this is completely normal.
Esther makes a sound somewhere between a squeak and a moan before whispering loudly to Katherine, “Oh my God, he has tattoos!”
“Haven’t you ever heard of no shoes, no shirt, no service?” I glare at him, standing up, my hands on my hips.