Page 96 of Hope After Loss

Everyone’s hand goes up.

She and Mom cut the cake and pass out slices.

“We need to add another girl to our girl gang,” Erin says as she and Jena move the old desk out of the way while Sandra and Anna sort her belongings and Sheila vacuums.

“Another one? Why?” Anna asks.

“We need us a sturdy girl.”

“What’s a sturdy girl?”

“You know, a girl who’s got some girth behind her. I mean, we have Ansley; she’s the sweet one, and she comes with the caffeine. We have Taeli, who is the levelheaded one. She comes with a bit of Chicago bravado too. We have Isley, who comes with mayoral power and can probably get us out of a speeding ticket. Then, there’s Maxi, who is street-smart and she’s not afraid to punch a bitch in the face. But we need a girl who can toss some people around. Male or female. A girl that people just look at and back the hell off,” Erin explains.

“True. Wait, what am I?” Jena asks.

“You’re the spunky one.”

“Aw, thanks.”

“What about Anna and Brandee?” Isley asks.

“Hmm, Anna’s the pretty one, and Brandee is the sarcastic one.”

“And you?” Anna asks.

“I’m a little bit of everything. That’s why I’m the leader of this gang.”

Leona laughs as she and Mom pack up the remainder of the cake and clean off the table.

“She thinks she’s the leader,” she mutters to Mom.

“Clueless,” Mom agrees.

Once the new furniture is in place, Mom and Leona take Sandra, Sheila, and Kaela to Anna’s house to get settled in.

They plan to stay for a little over a week, which is convenient because Anna is accompanying me on a business trip the next few days.

Mom and Leona were planning to keep Kaela for us, but now, Sandra and Sheila can have quality time with their granddaughter.

Perfect timing.

Weston

The four-day artisan festival in Asheville is an event that sees tens of thousands of attendees every spring. Vendors from all over western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee descend on downtown. Every kind of business—from artists to crafters to musicians, chefs, and performing artists—are showcased. Attendees enjoy live music on the banks of the French Broad River, a dog show in the park, street performers on every corner, and they can peruse the hundreds of tents for unique wares. I’ve attended the event since I was a child.

Mom and Pop loved to pack us up and spend the long weekend in the city. Then, once we got older, they put us to work at a tent for their real estate company, and later, Graham set up a tent beside them, showcasing some of his work and drumming up custom build business.

This is the first year that I will have my own space.

Anna and I will be networking with local businesses, handing out information fliers, signing up folks to receive our new newsletter, passing out samples of our products, and hopefully making a ton of sales.

It never hurts to have a beautiful woman manning the tent. Every single man who meanders by will be drawn to Balsam Gold’s space.

Once she reels the fish in, I’ll be there to clean them. We’re the perfect team.

When I pick her up this morning, she is beaming as she sprints down the steps of her home to my truck.

“You ready for this madness?” I ask as she settles in beside me.