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Previous chapters of the River Road story:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
How should the story continue? Voting is open on the current chapter!
Last time, after Eben and Nancy found another bouquet of roses with a mysterious card outside of Eben’s shop, they concluded that they should go to Trellis’ Flowers and gifts to search for clues as to the identity of the sender. Eben and Nancy stopped next door at the DeLorca’s gallery to tell Mr. DeLorca what they were going to do when a woman rushed into the gallery and almost tripped over Sheridan’s leash. The woman was very rude even after Eben apologized. The woman said that her name was Edie Merrill and she was a client of Mia Duomo’s. In just a few minutes there, Edie had managed to insult everyone from Mr. DeLorca to Shakuntala. When Mia came downstairs to meet Edie, she was shocked when Edie began to insult her, too. What did Mia do? Here’s what you decided.
Chapter 5: An Awkward Introduction
by Joseph Crisalli
Edie Merrill turned quickly and saw Mia Duomo at the foot of the stairs looking happy and beautiful.
“My stars!” Edie snapped. “What are you supposed to be? You look like a department store mannequin from forty years ago that suddenly came to life!” The woman laughed rudely. “You’re this Mia Gromo who’s supposed to help me? You don’t look like you could open the twist-tie on a bag of bread let alone help someone open a business.”
Never in her life had anyone ever spoken so rudely to Mia Duomo (and that’s saying quite a lot considering some of the mean things people have said to Mia over the years). Mia’s hands began to shake and she looked as though she might cry.
“I say!” Mr. DeLorca said quickly, leaping to his feet, insulted for his friend.
“Come on!” Edie continued to laugh. “Let the living doll talk!”
Mia took a deep breath and made herself smile even though she didn’t feel much like smiling. She walked forward and extended her hand so that she could shake hands with Edie Merrill.
However, instead of shaking Mia’s hand, Edie just looked at it and laughed. “Well, aren’t you well trained?”
“I am.” Mia nodded. “Edie, welcome to the DeLorca Gallery. My offices are upstairs. Let’s go there now and we can talk about how I might help you start your business.”
“Hah!” Edie barked. “Look at her talking. My stars, it’s like watching a puppet show.”
“Miss Merrill.” Mia said firmly, but politely. “If we’re to work together, I think we should discuss how to treat one another.”
“What do you mean. Mia Fromo?” Mia raised her eyebrows.
“I say, but her name is Duomo.” Mr. DeLorca interrupted.
“Thank you, Joel.” Mia said. She turned back to Edie. “What I mean, Miss Merrill, is that we should treat everyone with politeness and respect. That means no insults or comments that you think might be funny. That’s one of the most important things to remember in life—whether you’re trying to open a restaurant or just trying to walk down the street.”
“No one ever said anything about being nice,” Edie smirked.
“It’s something we all should learn and understand.” Mia continued. “Now, let’s begin again, Edie. If you would prefer not to go upstairs, perhaps Joel and Joan won’t mind if we have our meeting down here.”
“What won’t I mind?” Joan DeLorca said coming out of the back office. She noticed Edie Merrill. “Oh, we have a visitor. Hello. Welcome to our gallery. I’m Mrs. Joan DeLorca.”
“I’ve already been welcomed.” Edie snorted. “And, I’m not here to see you. I’m here to see this Mia whatever her last name is.”
“Oh, how fortunate for Mia.” Mrs. DeLorca smiled.
“Listen, Mia,” Edie continued to bellow. “This place is too busy—people coming in and out of doors. It’s like a clown car.”
Both Mr. DeLorca and Mrs. DeLorca raised their eyebrows.
“Besides, that giant bird is giving me the creeps.” Edie said. “I’ll go upstairs. You say there’s an elevator?”
“This way,” Mia said, escorting Edie to the elevator.
As Edie was getting into the elevator, Mia turned around and mouthed the words, “I’m sorry” to Mr. and Mrs. DeLorca. The DeLorcas just smiled and nodded, feeling bad that Mia was going to have to spend any time at all with Edie.
Once Mia and Edie were on their way upstairs, Mrs. DeLorca sat on the edge of Mr. DeLorca’s desk.
“She’s an interesting woman.” Mrs. DeLorca smiled.
“Yes, yes.” Mr. DeLorca nodded. “I’m afraid our Mia is going to have rather a tough time for herself. I say, but that makes me feel a bit sad for Mia. She was so excited about starting her business as a consultant and now her first client is going to be rather difficult. And, you know what happens when I’m sad. I get hungry.”
“Don’t worry about Mia, dear.” Mrs. DeLorca laughed. “After working as a model for all those years, I know Mia can handle disagreeable people.”
“Well, then. I say, but I’m still hungry.” Mr. DeLorca frowned.
“I’m sure you are.” Mrs. DeLorca nodded. “I’ll get you a cookie in a moment, but first, let me tell you how my phone call with the Board of Directors at the museum went.”
“Of course! Yes, yes. How was it? Good, I hope. And, all that.” Mr. DeLorca said brightly.
“It went very well. They’re pleased that I’ve accepted the job as curator. I’ll start on Monday.”
“Well done! I’m so proud, indeed.” Mr. DeLorca smiled. “Now, about that cookie…”
Mrs. DeLorca walked over to her desk and picked up a white box of cookies. “Mrs. Conn brought these over this morning before she went to the museum’s reception hall to set up for tomorrow. Perhaps Eben would like one. Is he still in his shop with Nancy?”
“No, no.” Mr. DeLorca shook his head. He then explained that Eben and Nancy had gone looking for clues after finding more roses. “But, I’ll take his cookie. No sense wasting it.” Mr. DeLorca added.
“That’s all right,” Mrs. DeLorca smiled. “He will be coming back, after all. We’ll save it for him.”
“Very well.” Mr. DeLorca sighed.
“That’s strange about those roses.” Mrs. DeLorca shook her head. “I hope Eben and Nancy don’t have any trouble looking for clues.”
“I’m sure they’ll be fine. Our son is over thirty, after all. Besides, he’s got Nancy with him. Even though she’s only in the fourth grade, she’s no stranger to looking for clues.” Mr. DeLorca said between bites of his cookie.
“True.” Mrs. DeLorca nodded. “I just have a bad feeling about this whole thing.”
“Well, then.” Mr. DeLorca stood up. “Perhaps we should help in some way. I’m sure Shakuntala is up for another mystery. What do you say?”
“Are you talking to me or the pelican?” Mrs. DeLorca asked.
“Both of you. And such…” Mr. DeLorca responded. “What shall we do?”
What should Mr. and Mrs. DeLorca do?
Go to next chapter!
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