Page 2 of Finding Tane (Foggy Basin Season Two)

Dillon

S ix weeks earlier

“There you go, Dillon,” Dad handed the keys to Foggy Basin Grocery to me. “Now it’s official.”

I took a deep breath. It was only an old keyring with two keys on it, one for the front door and one for the back... but it was the weight of responsibility hitting me.

I was in charge now. The grocery was mine. Mine to manage. Mine to run.

Sure, I’d been working towards this all my life, I knew how the store ran. I knew all the regulars. I’d even taken a business course and read all the books on business I could find... but I was still nervous.

Taking over the family business from my folks was a big deal.

Mom must have seen it in my face, because she hugged me tight. “You’ll be great Dillon. And besides, you can always call us if you need to.”

“Yeah, I know. Thanks Mom, thanks Dad.” I hugged Dad next. They were itching to leave, you could see it in their faces.

Their second-hand motorhome was parked right outside the store ready for them to jump in and drive off into new adventures.

It was bittersweet. I was ready to stand on my own feet of course, taking over the family business was my lifelong dream. But having the two of them leave me alone to do it was frightening all the same.

Still, no one could argue they hadn’t earned this. A traveling retirement, driving around the country, seeing all kinds of beautiful sights? They had worked long and hard for this.

“Okay, get out of here already.” I put on a brave face for their sake, making a joke of it so they didn’t linger until Mom started to tear up.

“Take care of the place, son,” Dad slapped me on the shoulder.

My chest filled with something warm. Being trusted, the prospect of my own future... I don’t know. I waved them off, and turned to go inside, ready to start the day.

***

Six weeks later

“Another postcard for you!” The mailman handed me a card from the Glacier National Park in Montana.

On the back was Mom’s familiar handwriting.

The same old message ' Having a wonderful time, wish you could see it. I’ll send photos when we get some wifi, love you, hope the shop’s going well!

Make sure you check on Ivy Xoxo Mom and Dad'

Dillon tacked it up on the pinboard alongside the others, which tracked their progress from southern California.

Christian was running the till, giving me time to take care of the accounts, which were pretty much stable.

I hadn’t changed anything besides hiring Christian to help out. I had kept on stocking the same milk, cheese and fresh produce as ever. My suppliers all knew me so they brought all the same things by default. I’d kept the store open by doing the same things.

The locals asked about my parents. I went through the motions of the shop each day. They were familiar routines and there was a comfort in that, but I found now I was in charge, I wanted to shake something up. Just a little.

It was bugging me actually. I wanted to put my own mark on the store, find a way to make more money, and show my parents I could be successful without them. Try something new.

But how?

The idea that had been niggling at me for over a year, ever since I’d been sick in bed and fallen down a YouTube rabbit hole of Korean cooking.

Interested, I’d experimented with Korean dishes and got a taste for it, but I had to go to the Asian supermarket two towns over to get supplies like kimchi and cellophane noodles.

I wondered if there would be a market for that, here?

I could dedicate half a fridge to some kimchi, couldn’t I?

The locals would love it, wouldn’t they?

Heading to the small office, I sat at my dad’s desk and booted up the computer. I’d upgraded it for him the year before so that it actually did things like go online, and send emails, unlike the ancient thing he’d been working with.

I went online and looked through the supplier’s website, adding some new things to the cart for the delivery later in the week.

My heart sped up a little, like I was rebelling for the first time in my life.

Sad. Age twenty seven and my first rebellion against my parents was to order gochujang for the store shelf?

Well. Better late than never.

I smiled to myself and clicked ‘order’.

“What’re you doing?” Ivy appeared at my elbow. “You’re grinning like you’re getting away with something.”

I pressed my hand over my heart. My little sister had a particular knack for walking silently and scaring the crap out of me.

“Ordering something new for the shop,” I said.

Ivy shook her head. She was twenty-two and studying post-graduate creative writing at California State University in Sacramento, but she was home on spring break.

“I need you to live a little larger, Dill. You’re breaking my heart.

You never go out, you never meet anyone new, and your entire life is this dang shop. ”

I laughed, elbowing her to make space so I could tidy up the desk a little. Ivy leaned against the wall in the corner and watched me.

“You’re not denying it.”

“Why would I?” I shrugged. “I love it here. The shop is the family business, and since you’re the baby you get to follow your big dream and be the creative one. I’m happy to take this over and make it my own.”

“Okay, fine,” she rolled her eyes expressively. “So you’re planning on being a bachelor forever?”

I hesitated before answering this one. Of course I wanted a boyfriend, a husband, someone to look after me when I was sick, someone to go out on dates with.

Some small towns were still unkind to gay folks but Foggy Basin wasn’t like that. Heck, sometimes it felt like half the town was queer. But that didn’t mean I was constantly running into hot guys who wanted to marry a grocer.

“It’s not the time for it,” I said, making excuses that both of us knew were excuses. “I want to get myself fully settled in here, make sure I’m confident in keeping the business running before I—”

“Before you have some fun?” Ivy sighed. “You’re pathetic, Dill. You can’t just keep on putting off your own wants and needs forever.”

“Well, there’s the other stuff as well.” I turned to look at Ivy, significantly.

Ivy shook her head. “Autism is far more well understood and accepted these days, Dill. You know that. So you like some things done a certain way, that’s not a deal breaker you know. You’re a good guy with a steady job and a great heart. The right guy will love you for all of you.”

I sat back in the chair and rubbed my hand over my face. “When did you get so wise, Ivy?”

“At college,” she said. “I’m a genius, I’ll have you know. My tutor reckons my poetry is going to change the world.”