As soon as they got back to the shop, Iris locked the doors and pulled down the shades over the windows. It was just barely sunset, but this plunged the shop into a darkness that was only broken by the small pools of pink and blue neon light that spilled out from the shelves of […]

“Iris!” Iris bolted out of the back room to see Andrew locking the door of the shop behind him, despite the fact she’d only been open an hour. “Andrew, what the hell is-” “They’re buried,” he said, coming closer and motioning for her to go into the back room with him. She followed his lead […]

According to local law, they needed to register the Limerick with Town Hall. The other permits, the ones involving sales and food distribution, were settled with the state and ready to go. Setting those up had been expensive, but simple. It was entirely online. But registering their business with the town of New Winslow had […]

Roman knew it was impossible to completely plan out how to avoid that Vivien lady. But if he was quick and quiet when he made his way through the Countess, maybe he’d lessen his chances of another encounter with her. There was a possibility that she was nice under all that blustering, but she was […]

Cleo had canceled her delivery shift today in order to bring Edie to rehearsal. They’d said they were fine, they were just going to stay home tonight. There was plenty of time until the tour, they could miss another night. But it had been three days since they’d gotten temporarily trapped in New Winslow and […]

Despite all the shit she’d gone through there, Olivia was currently grateful for her time at Keegan’s. At least she knew that opening her own shop was going to be filled with bullshit. It was her dream, but she was also experienced enough to know what that dream came with. And as she looked at […]

Andrew was awake, lying on the couch with a movie playing. It was about midnight and the house was silent except for the low volume of whatever stupid film he was watching because he couldn’t sleep. Olivia had gone to bed a little earlier, after making sure that he was okay. He was, he really […]

Edie sobbed the entire way home. Cleo held their hand with one hand as she steered with the other, trying not to cry herself. How had she let this happen again? It was unbelievable how lucky they were that it had only lasted an hour this time. Cleo knew better, she should have put her […]

The party had gone so perfectly. Now that it was done, Olivia was taking some time alone in a hot bath with a glass of white wine. The tub was small, and there were scribbles on the wall from where the totally washable tub markers had, in fact, not been so washable. But the water […]

The sun was streaming through the kitchen windows as Olivia wrapped up the final touches on Mia’s birthday cake. Pink and white frosting shone on the top, with a carefully written message saying HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MIA, in swirling print. She was alone in the kitchen for the moment. Mia was off playing with the first […]