The Kid, the Boss, and the Incorrigible Nanny

Part Eighteen

There was something nice about having an unexpected day off. Kid couldn't really put her finger on it. It wasn't that she got the chance to sleep in, or to drink coffee in her pajamas, though those were nice. It was just this indescribable feeling. It was nice to have time to herself. Though, she had to admit, she did miss having her little buddy to hang out with. Making breakfast, cleaning up, and getting ready to leave didn't take nearly as much time or effort when you didn't have a four-year-old to contend with. It also wasn't quite as much fun.

"Okay, which way am I turning?" CJ asked as they pulled out of the parking lot of a trendy local coffee shop. Coffee, CJ had informed her, was the absolute essential start to any shopping experience.

Kid checked the map on her phone. "Left onto Preston, then about half a mile and right onto O Street."

"Miss Martha's, huh? You're a thrifty gal, I take it." CJ leaned forward almost over her steering wheel. Kid laughed at the sight. For a woman of small-to-average height, CJ liked to drive a massive Cadillac. "I can't help myself," she'd said. "I just like how they look."

Miss Martha's was a resale store known for having high quality, vintage clothing and furniture at ridiculously low prices. The owner, Aggie, had inherited the shop from her mother. She was proud of her ability to hunt down quality pieces in large quantities. Aggie would often disappear for days on end, closing the store's doors unexpectedly, only returning once she'd found her latest haul of "irresistible must-haves."

Aggie had a unique personality and was prone to being reclusive at times. People often thought she was being rude, but it only took taking the time to get to know her for people to understand that she just found it difficult to be tied down to a schedule. Aggie was the definition of a freebird.

The bell on the front door jingled as Kid gently pushed her way inside the store. Almost immediately, gentle piano music and the smell of peppermint and lavender greeted her. The shop was quaintly decorated. Rugs of different shapes and textures covered the floors, clothes racks sat dotted here and there throughout, and the odd mannequin sporting a floppy hat here or an old rock t-shirt there sat atop some of the racks. A set of plush, faded high-back chairs sat opposite a curtained changing area in the rear of the store. Nearby, an industrial clothes steamer sat next to a tall counter housing a mountain of clothing and a cash register.

"Helloooo," a voice rang from somewhere in the store.

"Hello?" CJ called. She leaned toward Kid. "I feel like I've walked into another dimension."

Kid laughed and assured her she hadn't. "Aggie? Where are you?"

"Kid?" A head popped up from behind the mountain of clothing on the counter. "Come on in. Make yourself at home."

Aggie was a woman of average height. Her long, thick hair was often gathered in a braid falling right at her waist, and though she enjoyed the occasional hippie skirt, she often came to work in a baggy t-shirt and jeans. She was unassuming, kind, and a bit sassy. Her tastes for the store were eclectic, but her personal dressing style was not. As she put it, she wanted to provide a place for everyone to find themselves.

"This is CJ." The aforementioned offered a wave, but Aggie had already disappeared back into her work. That was just the way she operated.

"Oh, this is cute." CJ pulled a patched skirt off of a rack. "I can see myself spending a few hours in this store."

Kid nodded, sifting through some sundresses. "I do that all the time."

"The women at the country club wouldn't approve of this at all," CJ mused. "Which means I absolutely have to have it."