“They’re small towns,” Missy continues. “Small towns that were invaded by tourists, and with those tourists came big, developmental companies. And those companies exploited those places in the name of profit, without a care for their identity. Would you like that to happen to Alma?”
“But those towns are all by the water.” The second voice belongs to Jane Engle, who sounds distinctly bored. “No one summers in Alma.”
“Exactly,” Missy says. “We won’t even have the benefit of being a beach destination, with summer people who demand the town keep a modicum of its charm. We’ll be like Watertown with Best Buys, Targets, and Petcos, but also with the worst public schools in the state and a population with a penchant for heroin.”
Gina looks to her right. A mere thirty feet stand between her and the sliding exit doors. She should make a run for it. She’s heard enough.
“Don’t you think you’re exaggerating a bit?” Jane is saying. “We have great schools—”
“Thanks to the ASC,” Missy says. “Which is why we have a right to know who exactly is going to run it.”
The comment gives Gina pause. What does that mean—who is going to run it? Is this about Tish’s announcement to step down? Has Tish changed her mind? Gina had been shocked when her mother-in-law decided to pass the baton over to her.
“But who says she’ll move here?” Jane is saying.
“All Dewar wives live in Alma,” Missy replies, her tone impatient.
“She isn’t a Dewar wife,” Jane points out. “We don’t even know if the baby is Bobby’s.”
“We’ll know soon enough.” Missy clucks her tongue.
Gina feels her blood run cold.
“You’re not thinking of saying something at Thursday’s meeting, are you?” Jane lowers her voice.
“Well,” Missy begins, drawing out the word. “Maybe not this Thursday. But at some point, someone is going to have to bring it up.”
“But poor Gina—”
“Don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time.” Missy lets out a half-snort.
“She hasn’t done anything.”
“She knew what she was getting into.” Missy’s voice is high-pitched. “And if you ask me, she knows her days are numbered. Why else would she be so chummy with Alice of all people?”
Fight or flight. A dichotomy that illustrates a person’s reaction to confrontation. To an attack. And that’s what Missy is doing right now: attacking Gina.
Gina’s legs make their way to the next aisle. She is now surrounded by an assortment of cereal boxes, standing next to a reddened Missy and a wide-eyed Jane.
“Hello, Missy,” Gina says.
“Gina!” Missy’s smile is wide, her eyes wild. She’s wearing dark blue jeans, a cream-colored blouse with a ruffled collar, and a pair of block-heeled tan boots from last year’s fall collection. “How are you doing today?”
Gina does not match Missy’s smile. Come to think of it, this might be the first time she’s greeted an Almanac without a smile, with the exception of funerals and other somber occasions. Instead, she turns to look at Jane. “Hello, Jane.”
“Hi, Gina,” Jane says softly. She doesn’t meet Gina’s gaze. Her face is as white as her buttoned-up shirt.
“Missy, I won’t pretend not to have overheard you, because that would be a lie, and I value honesty.” Gina is proud of how leveled she sounds. “So allow me to make something clear: I fully intend to run to be the next ASC president because I think I’d do a good job. I hope I can count on your vote.”
Missy’s face is now a deep shade of purple. “Look, Gina, I… I didn’t mean for you to hear that.”
“Obviously not.”
“But since you have,” Missy begins, and Gina can see her trying to compose herself. “Well, it might be for the best. I’m very sorry about everything that’s going on with your marriage, Gina, I really am—”
“My marriage is none of your business.” The words are liberating, cathartic. Gina has never said them before, not once. Not when she was unabashedly swarmed during the last two ASC meetings. Not when her phone was held hostage by concerned Almanacs, many of whom had never shown any interest in Gina’s personal life before the scandal. Not even when Terry created a Facebook page in support of her and Bobby’s marriage called “Till Death Do Us Part” (Terry shut down the page when word got out that Bobby was staying with Nick).
“Except it is, Gina.” Missy draws a deep breath. “Five generations of my family have lived in Alma. Anything that affects this town is my business. This isn’t a place I moved to for someone else. It’s my home, the only home I’ve ever known.”
“It’s my home, too.” Gina feels tears gathering behind her eyelids.
“Then you understand why I need to protect it. You knew what it was like, marrying a Dewar. Your personal life is mixed up with the town’s business. They’re practically one and the same.” She casts a meaningful glance at Gina. She no longer looks embarrassed. In fact, she appears empowered.
“Nothing is going to change for the ASC.” Gina feels her voice shake.
“You’re not divorcing Bobby?” Missy raises her eyebrows.
Gina is silent. She can’t answer that. Not because she wants to divorce Bobby (she doesn’t), but because if there’s anything this scandal has taught her it’s that she can’t plan that far ahead.
“And this woman, Eva,” Missy continues. “She’s not pregnant with his baby?”
This is what Gina wants to say: there’s an investigation under way, one which will conclusively prove that Eva Stone is lying. Bobby has promised Gina as much. She wants to assure Missy that Bobby is adamant in his position: he never had any type of romantic or sexual involvement with Eva. Alma Boots has issued a press release stating this word for word. Gina has promised to forgive Bobby as long as he comes clean.
But she can’t say any of this, because Gina doesn’t know what
