Page 91 of The Lost and Found Girl

“Wow,” Marianne said. “Isn’t your stuff kind of vintage 1996?”

“Yes. The nineties are retro.”

“That hurts,” Lydia said, frowning.

“I remember telling Mom the seventies were retro,” Marianne said. “History repeats and repeats and repeats, and I’m in the most annoying part of it, I swear.”

“Speaking of history,” Dahlia asked. “Marianne, what do you know about the building that The Apothecary’s in?”

“It’s been about a hundred things,” Marianne answered, turning her focus to her business, which was a much less complicated situation. “But it was a jewelry shop first. When the town was built in the eighteen hundreds.”

“I’m doing some research on the history of the town, for a series of articles. And I’m trying to get Ruby to play along and do the museum displays.”

“I’m playing along,” Ruby said. “I’m just deeply uncomfortable about the aspect that includes me.”

“What are you doing about Ruby?” Lydia asked.

“It’s a compendium of town history. I would be remiss to leave Ruby out of it.”

“Wow. First the nineties are retro, now Ruby is history. You’re not doing a lot for my self-esteem, Dahlia.”

“Well,” Dahlia said, “I think it’s interesting.”

“I think everything that can be said about Ruby and Caitlin has been said,” Marianne pointed out. “Didn’t theGazetterun exhaustive coverage of both things? They were the biggest stories Pear Blossom has ever had.”

“Well, yes,” Dahlia said. “I guess it’s just that... I don’t know. I’m curious about other angles or something. The full context of the history of the town. I’m trying to reinvigorate interest in the paper.”

“I hate to break it to you,” Marianne said. “But I think print circulation is on the downhill slide.”

“You used to love the school paper,” Dahlia said. “Used to want to write,” she pointed out.

“Yes,” Marianne answered. “But then I realized I was terrible at it. In any way. I like being around people too much.”

“Well, I don’t. I hate people,” Dahlia said, grinning. “So a life spent distancing them by filtering them through the lens of their stories, and sitting by myself writing, is perfect. Anyway. I want to include some stuff about the store.”

“Well, I like that,” Marianne said.

“Great.”

“Can’t you just write a story that says I’m miraculous?” Ruby asked.

“Sorry,” Dahlia said, grabbing a French fry and dipping it into Ruby’s ranch. “Nothing is that simple.”

Marianne looked over at Ava. Sadly. She had a feeling that Dahlia was right.

20

Chase had the nerve to ask me how I’ll know if Mac is the one if I never have another boyfriend. He says he’ll have a hundred girlfriends, and then when he’s in love he’ll be sure. He’s the most annoying boy on the face of the earth, and he probably will have a hundred girlfriends because he’s handsome, and girls are that stupid.

LYDIA MCKEE’S DIARY, AGE 15

LYDIA

Lydia didn’t particularly feel like taking Ruby up on her invitation to bring the kids to the museum. Mostly because at this point in time facing her sisters wasn’t something she wanted to do. She had been putting her head down, and being as attentive a mother as she could be. Not because she was so amazing, but more because it was easier to focus on Riley and Hazel than it was to focus on what had happened between Chase and herself.

She had told him everything.

He had kissed her.