There was another word Zona didn’t like. It reminded her of Gary and what he’d done to himself and to their family.
“That won’t be me,” she said.
“I’ll remind you that you said that.” Louise so loved having the last word.
OFF THEY WENTon Saturday morning, Louise excited to hunt for treasures, Zona half wishing she was a kid again, clueless about money and excited to find a My Little Pony or a book.
“Thanks for doing this with us,” Louise said to Martin once they had her settled in the front passenger seat.
“I’m always happy to spend time with you. You know that,” he said to her. “Your mother and I met at a garage sale,” he told Zona.
“I remember,” Zona said. Probably the best garage-sale treasure her mother had ever found.
And Louise took his devotion way too much for granted. Zona wondered if her mother even realized how very woven into the fabric of her life Martin had become. Would she see him in a new light if he lost some weight? Started going to the gym? Louise couldn’t be that shallow.
Or maybe she could. Dad had been a hard act to follow. He’d prided himself on being in shape and had sneered at menwho didn’t do the same. Maybe Louise had become a sneerer by association.
Zona knew better than to focus on the outside wrapping. Look at the two men she’d chosen. Both were proof that what was on the outside could be nothing more than false advertising, hiding something faulty beneath. Their neighbor was another example. If ever there was a woman magnet, it was him. But who knew what was hiding behind that charming smile?
“You never know where you’re going to find your next best friend,” Louise was saying.
“Or more,” added Martin.
Louise pretended not to hear. It looked like Martin was doomed to be forever kept on the friendship shelf.
After stocking up on cash, they were off to their first stop, an estate sale where Louise was delighted to find a set of pink Depression glass sherbet bowls. Louise needed more dishes like Disney needed more princesses, but it didn’t stop her from scooping them up.
“Twelve dollars for that set,” she crowed as they returned to Martin’s car, Zona carrying the newspaper-wrapped dishes in a small cardboard box along with the salt and pepper shakers shaped like roosters that Louise had fallen in love with. “I’m going to use those sherbet dishes next time I have Susan and Carol over for lunch.”
“They were a find,” agreed Martin, who had scored an old video player.
The two of them were having fun on their own. They didn’t need Zona. She said as much as she and Louise made their slow progress down a driveway past other treasure hunters to their next destination, a garage bursting with tables full of housewares, while Martin parked the car farther down the street past the crowd of vehicles.
“Of course we do,” Louise said. “Anyway, I really thinkbefore the morning is over you might find some things that you can sell and make a little money.”
“Yes, with my whopping ten dollars,” scoffed Zona.
“I have money.”
“Which I want you to spend on yourself.”
“Don’t be silly. I don’t need anything. You know that. Ooh, look. Purses!” Louise swung herself over to a rack where a large collection of purses hung.
You couldn’t not look at purses. Zona followed her.
A patchwork leather one caught Zona’s eye. She took it down and inspected it. Twenty dollars, huh? Coach. Hmm. It was in excellent condition.
“That looks like it escaped from the seventies,” said Louise.
“It’s Coach,” said Zona.
Louise took it and inspected it. “That could be worth something. Get your phone out and check,” she whispered.
Zona pulled her phone out of her back pants pocket and did a quick check on eBay. A similar purse had sold for twice that amount. She turned the phone so Louise could see the screen.
“Get it,” said Louise.
“Loan me ten? I’ll pay you back,” Zona promised. Providing she really could sell that purse. Then she’d make a profit of a whole... ten dollars? Or less minus the selling fee. Was this worth the effort?
