Read Online Renewal 2 - Echoes of the Breakdown by Jf Perkins - Free Book Online

the idea. The gravel was tightly packed and free of dust and debris. All four of the corner buildings had deep porches and at least a bench or two for sitting and talking, except for the church, which had a simple facade. Four broad wooden steps led up to a small porch painted battleship gray. Two large flower pots full of pansies adorned the entrance and framed the white double doors. The side held a row of simple double hung windows, no stained glass to be seen. The church’s only other mark of pride was that, in a town full of rustic brown buildings, the whole church was painted white, from the stone lower walls up to the galvanized metal roof.
    On the opposite corner, the northwest, there was a more typical building. In fact, it was the mirror image of the tavern he had visited, which was on the northeast corner. Its porch was lined with benches, where the tavern had small round tables out front. There were no signs on any of the places, so Terry could only guess at what was inside, but the last building on the square had a vaguely official look about it that he couldn’t quite identify, but if he were to guess, he would have called it the town hall.
    As he surveyed the square, a stout older lady with rosy cheeks and curly silver hair burst out of the double doors across from the tavern. She saw Terry standing there and waved vigorously in his direction.
    “Hi!” The word was drawn out into about four syllables. “You must be Terry!” she said, trundling over to where he stood.
    “Hello, ma’am,” Terry replied, shaking her hand with a little bow of his head. “Yes, ma’am. I’m Terry Shelton. I’m pleased to meet you.”
    “I’m Eleanor Tate. Call me Ellie, please. I’ve heard so much about you,” she said, practically gushing over him.
    “You have?”
    “Oh, sure. It’s a very small town.” Ellie laughed at her own joke.
    Teeny Town. Got it. “Well, I hope it wasn’t all bad,” Terry said, joining in the fun.
    Ellie threw her head back and cackled, a full belly laugh that had her entire body shaking. Terry caught a whiff of her breath and realized that she had either gotten an early start on the celebration, or she just liked to drink. From the visible blood vessels in her cheeks, he would have guessed the latter.
    “Well, Terry. It was a pleasure to meet you. I have to finish up my work before the gathering starts.”
    “Uh, Ellie, if you don’t mind me asking, what is it that you do?”
    “Oh, not at all. I’m in charge of the records, over at town hall.”
    “Oh, I see.”
    “It’s boring, but somebody has to do it, right?”
    “Yes, ma’am.”
    “Well, I’ll see you in a little while. Go in and say hi to Aggie. She’s been saying nice things about you.” Ellie looked him up and down with a look that was approaching a leer. “I can see why.” She winked at him and pinched his cheek like a long lost aunt. She paused for one more look and scuttled over to the building he had guessed was the town hall.
    Terry’s next guess was that the store must be the place Ellie had just left. He walked over, stepped up on the porch, and tentatively opened one of the broad French doors. Sure enough, Aggie was standing behind a polished wooden counter ten feet in from the front doors. The counter held a mechanical cash register that could have been easily 150 years old, and a row of large jars holding a variety of foods and other tidbits.
    “Hello, Terry. Did Bill talk your ears off?” Aggie said, smiling at him.
    Terry stepped inside and let the door close behind him. “Yes, ma’am. He did, but it was interesting, so I didn’t mind at all,” he replied, smiling in return. “I also met Sally. I think Bill said she’s your second daughter.”
    “So I’ve heard, but I really don’t know where she came from. Maybe the stork brought her.”
    Terry responded with a confused expression. “Uh...”
    “Never mind. Old story... Anyway, I heard that you have met. She was in here earlier