bearing a cup of morning coffee. “What a nice thing to do.” She cocked her head and forced a customer-friendly smile at Eva May. “I suppose he’s expecting you?”
“But of course. Like I said, we’ve become really close lately. I make sure he gets his mail.”
It’s your job. For heaven’s sake, you’re the postmistress. You’re supposed to be sure the entire town gets their mail. Kate bit back any thoughts from exiting her mouth. She turned in time to see Melanie rolling her eyes at the ceiling.
“Hey, Eva May, did you know there’s a legend of how Valentine’s Day came about? It’s credited to St. Valentine of Rome during the reign of Emperor Claudius II. Claudius was unable to get soldiers to join his army and thought the reason was because men did not want to leave their wives and families so he cancelled all marriages and engagements in Rome. A romantic at heart, a priest of Rome, Saint Valentine, defied Claudius’s unjustified order. Along with Saint Marius, St. Valentine secretly married the couples.”
“Is he still doing it?” Eva May asked.
Kate closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She heard Melanie mutter, “Tell her, yes . What the heck? 270 AD until now? What’s a couple of years?”
Kate choked back a laugh. “Could you do me a favor, Eva May?” She used every ounce of stamina to keep a straight face while changing the subject. “Can you take two jars of jam to Tappe? One is for him and the other is for his parents. He doesn’t keep his phone with him, so tell him I can meet him around four this afternoon at the Shrimp Shack to go over the plans for Children’s Day during the town festival. I’m looking for more volunteers. Would you like to help?”
Eva May had pulled out a compact and was checking her hair and makeup. She squinted into the round mirror and batted her heavily mascara-ringed eyes. “Afraid not. I have other plans for that day. And scruffy kids with sticky hands and dirty faces really aren’t my thing.”
Scruffy? Sticky? Dirty? The town’s young people were half the reason they planned the celebration. Eyes wide in disbelief, Kate stared at Eva May and seriously thought about going postal on the postmistress. She resisted the urge to grab her by her light blue uniform collar and toss her out of the coffee shop.
Eva May snapped the compact shut. “I just heard a great new song on the radio the other day by a girl group called The Saturdays. It’s called ‘Please Mr. Postman’.” She began humming the song, then broke out in song with, “ You gotta wait a minute, wait a minute, Mr. Postman .”
“Actually, it’s not new,” Melanie interrupted her. “My mom has it on some of her CDs. It’s been recorded by the Marvelettes, the Supremes, the Beatles and other groups.”
“Well, I think it’s a fabulous song whether it’s by the Marvelous Supremes or The Saturdays.” Eva May giggled and gathered up her bags on the counter. “Tootles. Gotta run before the coffee gets cold.” She made a beeline for the door just as Jim Foster was coming in. He held it for her.
“Beautiful day, maybe a little rain. What do you think, Eva May?” he asked as she sailed past him.
“Ah, well. Rain makes the world go round, doesn’t it?” She flew onward without waiting for a reply.
He stepped up to the counter, his eyebrows knitted and face screwed into a confused, shocked look. “Did she just say rain instead of love ?”
“Ah, poor Eva May.” Melanie shook her head in despair. “She could lose a debate with a doorknob. I think our postmistress is on a mission.”
“And that would be?” Jim coaxed.
“Trying to catch Tappe Vanderberg.” She backed away and headed toward the storeroom. “Excuse me, but I have to get some supplies.”
“Tappe’s not stupid.” Jim smiled and looked over at Kate, who was transferring the strawberry jam to the back counter and wiping down the area beside the cash register. “We all know who has always been his
“But of course. Like I said, we’ve become really close lately. I make sure he gets his mail.”
It’s your job. For heaven’s sake, you’re the postmistress. You’re supposed to be sure the entire town gets their mail. Kate bit back any thoughts from exiting her mouth. She turned in time to see Melanie rolling her eyes at the ceiling.
“Hey, Eva May, did you know there’s a legend of how Valentine’s Day came about? It’s credited to St. Valentine of Rome during the reign of Emperor Claudius II. Claudius was unable to get soldiers to join his army and thought the reason was because men did not want to leave their wives and families so he cancelled all marriages and engagements in Rome. A romantic at heart, a priest of Rome, Saint Valentine, defied Claudius’s unjustified order. Along with Saint Marius, St. Valentine secretly married the couples.”
“Is he still doing it?” Eva May asked.
Kate closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She heard Melanie mutter, “Tell her, yes . What the heck? 270 AD until now? What’s a couple of years?”
Kate choked back a laugh. “Could you do me a favor, Eva May?” She used every ounce of stamina to keep a straight face while changing the subject. “Can you take two jars of jam to Tappe? One is for him and the other is for his parents. He doesn’t keep his phone with him, so tell him I can meet him around four this afternoon at the Shrimp Shack to go over the plans for Children’s Day during the town festival. I’m looking for more volunteers. Would you like to help?”
Eva May had pulled out a compact and was checking her hair and makeup. She squinted into the round mirror and batted her heavily mascara-ringed eyes. “Afraid not. I have other plans for that day. And scruffy kids with sticky hands and dirty faces really aren’t my thing.”
Scruffy? Sticky? Dirty? The town’s young people were half the reason they planned the celebration. Eyes wide in disbelief, Kate stared at Eva May and seriously thought about going postal on the postmistress. She resisted the urge to grab her by her light blue uniform collar and toss her out of the coffee shop.
Eva May snapped the compact shut. “I just heard a great new song on the radio the other day by a girl group called The Saturdays. It’s called ‘Please Mr. Postman’.” She began humming the song, then broke out in song with, “ You gotta wait a minute, wait a minute, Mr. Postman .”
“Actually, it’s not new,” Melanie interrupted her. “My mom has it on some of her CDs. It’s been recorded by the Marvelettes, the Supremes, the Beatles and other groups.”
“Well, I think it’s a fabulous song whether it’s by the Marvelous Supremes or The Saturdays.” Eva May giggled and gathered up her bags on the counter. “Tootles. Gotta run before the coffee gets cold.” She made a beeline for the door just as Jim Foster was coming in. He held it for her.
“Beautiful day, maybe a little rain. What do you think, Eva May?” he asked as she sailed past him.
“Ah, well. Rain makes the world go round, doesn’t it?” She flew onward without waiting for a reply.
He stepped up to the counter, his eyebrows knitted and face screwed into a confused, shocked look. “Did she just say rain instead of love ?”
“Ah, poor Eva May.” Melanie shook her head in despair. “She could lose a debate with a doorknob. I think our postmistress is on a mission.”
“And that would be?” Jim coaxed.
“Trying to catch Tappe Vanderberg.” She backed away and headed toward the storeroom. “Excuse me, but I have to get some supplies.”
“Tappe’s not stupid.” Jim smiled and looked over at Kate, who was transferring the strawberry jam to the back counter and wiping down the area beside the cash register. “We all know who has always been his
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