Falling for the Gun-Toting Accountant

1. Summer Longs for Better Days

There was a point in her life when Summer Hong could unequivocally state she would never consider going into a place like this.

Today was a different story.

She stared up at the bold sign. MILLIE'S MEDICINALS, it proclaimed in navy-colored block lettering. In stark contrast, a rainbow-striped marijuana leaf sat cheerfully at the end, as if to assure her this place wasn't so stuffy or serious. Not that there was anything wrong with stuffy or serious. Back in the day, her father's idea of "cutting loose" was wearing jeans on a weekday.

Back in the day.

She missed those days.

Reminded of why she was here, Summer took a deep breath and pushed through the front door.

She wasn't sure what she was expecting, but it wasn't the playful sound of chirping birds. She paused to look around for its source and found a little statuette of a blue jay. Its motion-sensing lens was pointed at the front door.

Cute, she thought. Motion-activated birdsong. With the tiny mystery solved, she allowed herself to absorb her surroundings.

The shop was no bigger than a gas station convenience store. Tightly packed rows made the space feel even smaller, but at least it was tidy.

"Hello!"

The female voice, though not quite bellowing, was loud enough to fly across the store and startle Summer. She looked up from the display of gummies to find a middle-aged woman beaming at her from behind the counter. The woman's blond hair hung in a thick braid down her back, and she wore the ugliest tie-dyed maxi dress Summer had ever seen.

Summer liked to think she had a poker face when it came to personal opinions, but she wondered if maybe some of the disdain seeped out when the woman said, "I tried tie-dying for the first time yesterday. It looked fun, you know?" She looked down at her dress and plucked at the reddish-greenish, mottled gray material. "Christmas is coming up, and I thought this would be festive." She looked up at Summer. "But it kind of looks like decaying steak, doesn't it?"

"Uhh..."

"I think I mixed the green and the red too much. Or maybe they were supposed to be in different buckets? I don't know. I never was great at following instructions. But this material is so comfy, so I wore it anyway."

Summer wasn't sure if she was supposed to reply.

The woman let go of the material and smiled at her again. "Anyway, I'm Millie, and welcome to my shop! I haven't seen you before. Do you need something specific? If not, I can help you figure out what you want."

"I, um." Summer was used to polite conversations about the weather or balance sheets. This woman seemed to have no qualms disclosing personal information to complete strangers.

"You know, you remind me a little of my daughter, Jenny."

She's half-Chinese too? Summer thought. Or maybe she also has trouble getting a word into conversations with this woman? "I do?" she said instead.

"Jenny's a careful soul, but loves with all her heart. You seem like a careful soul too."

Summer cleared her throat. "I, uh, need something for pain."

"Right to business then, eh? That's all right." Millie winked. "I understand. What kind of pain are we talking about? Migraines? Muscle spasms? Arthritis? You're too young for arthritis though. Are you even eighteen yet?"

Summer was used to incorrect age guesses. "Twenty-eight, but it's not for me. It's for my father. It's..."

One does not discuss family problems with strangers, her father would say if he was here right now.