Page 32 of Bad Intentions

KAREN

Those from big cities will never understand why small towns are wary of out-of-towners. We are more protective of our space, our territory, our way of life. When strangers arrive, we instantly have our antennae up. Often, strangers bring trouble or change. Not sure which one is worse.

Josie is a rare example of someone who moved away and then moved back. It’s my fault she grew up in the shadow of my past. I sent Josie away as soon as she graduated from high school. She suffered enough in this place. When she came back two months ago, she was “from here” but not a local anymore. There’s a difference. She didn’t turn up her nose, but she had the city swagger about her. Connections, clothes, thoughts. That thing with the bad video going viral was a shame. Shame on those who used to praise her, then harass her. The spiteful type who become boastfully hateful when a successful person loses their footing. Some people thrive on bringing down others. I should know. Half of Burnville did that to me back then.

So, back then. We were all used to the fair crowd, of course. The Burnville Fair was an annual event, the biggest in our county. It drew crowds from all over. Good business for bars and restaurants, but all of us business owners were on high alert. Two weeks of nonstop traffic, campers, carnies, brawls, fireworks, trash, and frequent police and ambulance sirens. The no-drinking rule at the fair didn’t stop anybody from getting loaded before attending the family-friendly event. For two weeks, the whole town turned into a crazy carnival ride.

With all that, I had to keep an eye on my Alysha. She’d become a wild child, and this was her last summer at home. She was going off to Philly for college, so I let her run free. She deserved it, getting in on scholarship and all.

Donna called me on the first Saturday of the fair, at the bar.

“We’re slammed,” she said.

“Same. Good. Keep ’em coming. We have two weeks, and then it’s back to the grind.”

I scanned my bar, which was packed to the brim, mostly unfamiliar faces. Cherry and Katie were bartending. I had help in the kitchen. Things were rolling smoothly.

“Heya, who’s the handsome guy Alysha and Victoria are running around with?” Donna asked.

Donna and I, we went way back. I knew her lingo, and “running around” meant this wasn’t the first time she’d heard or seen it.

“Someone from the fair?” I asked. There were plenty of regulars who came with the event, vendors mostly, who’d been coming here for decades. We knew most of them too.

“Don’t think so,” Donna said. “Too polished for the fair crowd.”

“What does he look like?”

“In his mid-twenties, too old for them, if you ask me. Handsome, with that charm that turns girlies into a puddle.”

I grunted. That boy Derek had been to my bar several times by now. Girls flocked around him like bees on honey.

“He was at the Old Rooster yesterday,” Donna said.

“Yeah. He’s been in town for a couple of weeks now. Trouble is what he is. I know his type.”

“Is Alysha through with Dougie?”

“Who knows? For now. But that’s every other month.”

Donna chuckled into the phone.

“Keep an eye out,” I warned. “Something doesn’t sit right with me about that guy.”

I hung up the bar phone, then picked up my mobile. I liked the convenience of the modern gadget, mostly to keep tabs on my girl.

I dialed Alysha. She didn’t pick up. Not unusual, with poor reception and all. I put on my glasses. You want to learn patience? Try typing a message on a screen the size of your thumb.

Me: where are you

The answer came right away.

Alysha: with victoria, ma. see you at home

I shook my head and pulled off my glasses. Kids these days, half of them couldn’t tie their own shoes, but sure, they thought they were all grown up.

I hated it when, instead of calling me “mom,” Alysha started saying “ma,” like many at the bar. Ma Shirley’s was named after my grandmother, who had owned the place before. Many called me Ma Boots behind my back. Not that I cared. Some called me Ma, and that was fine by me. Just not when my daughter called me that.

I scanned the bar again.