Page 80 of Traces Of You

“Maureen?”

She whipped her head around at the woman’s voice that called her name. “Yes.”

“Hi. I thought that was you.”

“Do I know you?” Reenie asked cautiously. Maybe this was the person who was watching her. It just felt too personal for it to be eyes on Ford.

“I was in the bakery on Wednesday. You waited on me.”

The air escaped through her nose. “Oh. Hi. I’m sorry. It’s hard to remember everyone.”

“Especially when you’re new to the area.” The woman’s hand came out. “I’m Cora. I stop in there once a month to get donutsfor the office when we have meetings. It’s on my way to work in Glens Falls. I live up the road a few miles from the orchard.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” she said. The woman was a little older than her. She noticed the wedding band on her hand, then saw a young girl move closer.

“Mom, can I get these?”

“You’ve gotten more than enough today, Lila,” Cora said.

“But they are only ten dollars.”

Cora took the shorts out of her daughter’s hand. She’d put the girl around eight and hadn’t realized they’d been browsing the rack next to her.

“Fine,” Cora said. “But nothing else.”

“Sweet,” Lila said. “I’m just going to keep looking though.”

“She always says that,” Cora said, “but somehow I end up buying her more. Anyway, I just wanted to introduce myself formally since you’ll see me around if you stay.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” she said.

“Everyone says that,” Cora said. “But it’s a small area and not that busy half of the year. People move on. Brooke has new people there all the time or does it on her own. That woman is a rock.”

“She is,” she said.

Ford moved over and put his hand on her shoulder. “Sorry about that.”

“Not a problem,” she said. Reenie was going to introduce the two but didn’t even know Cora’s last name.

“How are you doing, Cora?” Ford asked.

Guess no introduction was needed.

“I’ll be better when I get Lila out of here and my credit card can get locked back up. See you later, Maureen.”

Cora moved to the side and she turned to Ford. He had two T-shirts and two pairs of athletic shorts in his hands.

“Ready?” she asked.

“I am unless you want to look some more.”

“I’ve got everything I need.”

Ford paid and they crossed the street to his truck, got in and drove around the corner to a restaurant for lunch.

Once they were seated, she felt uneasy again.

She got that creepy crawly feeling like when one of her mother’s boyfriends used to throw bugs at her, often when she was sleeping, to watch her sit up and scream.