Bibi's Back
By Linda Jordan
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About this ebook
Seven stories of women, life changes and healing set against the backdrop of Seattle’s Fremont District. Magical objects abound in Bibi’s Bargain Boutique.
Includes the stories: The Lava Lamp, The Christmas Tree, The Wind Chimes, The Clock, The Christmas Mug, The Desk and The Little Black Dress.
Lovers of stories about transformation, pull up a cozy chair, a cup of hot tea and settle in to enjoy.
Linda Jordan
Linda Jordan writes fascinating characters, visionary worlds, and imaginative fiction. She creates both long and short fiction, serious and silly. She believes in the power of healing and transformation, and many of her stories follow those themes.In a previous lifetime, Linda coordinated the Clarion West Writers’ Workshop as well as the Reading Series. She spent four years as Chair of the Board of Directors during Clarion West’s formative period. She’s also worked as a travel agent, a baker, and a pond plant/fish sales person, you know, the sort of things one does as a writer.Currently, she’s the Programming Director for the Writers Cooperative of the Pacific Northwest.Linda now lives in the rainy wilds of Washington state with her husband, daughter, four cats, a cluster of Koi and an infinite number of slugs and snails.
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Bibi's Back - Linda Jordan
Bibi’s Back
Linda Jordan
Metamorphosis Press
Copyright © 2017 by Linda Jordan
Published by Metamorphosis Press
Contents
The Desk
The Lava Lamp
The Christmas Tree
The Christmas Mug
The Wind Chimes
The Clock
The Little Black Dress
About the Author
The Desk
Virginia didn’t have the courage to say it out loud to Sheila. She’d have to write it all out. It was time. She finally felt old enough, at 79, to tell the truth. Her sister, Maryann was dead now. She couldn’t possibly care any more about secrets .
She shifted her achy hip and gazed out at the garden below, rain battering against the windows. She’d put the desk here. In front of the window. But she couldn’t use Roland’s old desk. That wouldn’t do. He’d used it for his campaigns where he’d made up lies. Because that’s what politicians do to get elected and then to survive.
No, she needed to pick out a desk of her own.
She’d tried to write about everything at the kitchen table, but the kitchen was filled with too many warm memories of meals together. Of fights and makings up. Of revelations and storytelling. Of love. It wouldn’t let her tell the truth.
She’d tried the dining room and living room, but they were too formal. Too public for secrets that should never have happened and that had been kept too long. The bedroom had different memories and she couldn’t write there either.
No, she needed to write in this room. Make this now blank empty room, hers. She could close the door, look out on her garden and write.
So she needed a desk for truth telling. An honest, straight desk, because she’d told some whoppers in her life and now she needed to set things right. It couldn’t be a desk with fluttery things on it, because there would be no more softness or mollycoddling, she’d done that to herself ever since Sheila was born. Just a good solid desk to write on with pen and paper. Not one that was meant to hold a computer. She’d probably need to go to a second hand store or an antique store.
She just hoped that once the desk was here, she’d have enough courage to tell Sheila the truth. To tell everyone the truth. She needed a miracle in order to find that courage.
Except she didn’t believe in miracles.
On Tuesday morning Sheila arrived at the house for their outing. She wore some sort of patchouli perfume which made Virginia wrinkle her nose.
Hi Mom, so where do you want to go today?
she asked.
Virginia slipped on the blue, knee-length coat over her navy pants and sweater, then buttoned it. The hood would help keep the rain off.
I want to go to some antique stores or second hand stores,
she said, picking up her purse.
Okay,
said Sheila, raising her eyebrows.
Virginia never bought anything second hand, so she knew Sheila was surprised. Virginia’s parents had grown up during the great depression, where nothing was wasted and everything reused. Her entire childhood had been filled with second hand this and hand me down that. She’d vowed as an adult that that would not be the case.
Somehow, buying a used desk, even if it turned out to be an antique, amused her.
Sheila followed her out the door, Virginia locked it and they got into Sheila’s little red car, which always made Virginia feel as if her knees were at her shoulders. She was too tall for this car. She hoped the store would deliver.
Sheila drove them down the hill towards Fremont.
It’s one of the best places for antiques. But we can also go up Greenwood if you want,
Sheila said.
Her daughter was carefully not prying.
They’d been doing this for about six years. Ever since Roland died. And Virginia didn’t feel comfortable driving anywhere except the grocery store. She could afford to get groceries delivered. And sometimes she walked. It was close enough. The car was so big and traffic in Seattle had gotten so bad over the years. Soon she’d probably have to move into one of those retirement homes. She dreaded dealing with everything in the house. But it needed to be done.
Anyway Sheila picked her up at ten, every Tuesday and they went somewhere. They took turns choosing. Museums, shops, movies and then out to lunch. It was quite fun. She liked spending time with her daughter. Many of her friends couldn’t say the same thing.
So, how are you this week?
she asked, watching Sheila flip the wipers on and off.
Not having the greatest week. The water heater died yesterday. Leaked all over. Gerald’s working at home today and dealing with the repairers. Hopefully, it’ll be all done when I get back. We leave for Maui on Thursday. I really think you should have come. Seeing the sun would do you good.
No, I’m happy being here. I really do love the rain. And I’ve never liked the tropics. You have a great time!
The last thing she wanted was to tag along on what should be a second or third of maybe sixth honeymoon for the two of them. Sheila so rarely had time alone with her husband between their two jobs and volunteer work and their own children, now grown.
Well, I hope the water heater damage is all done. I guess it could’ve been worse. It could’ve happened while we were gone. I’ve got a million things to do tomorrow and laundry is one of them.
Well, then it’ll be fixed. And if it’s not, you didn’t need those clothes and you’ll go shopping tomorrow for travel clothes. Or on Maui.
Her kids, both Sheila and Jeff, had money enough to deal with their lives. That felt good at least. Knowing they were taken care of.
The first antique store had things from the 50’s. A lot of ‘retro’ things, Sheila called them. No desks. Then there was the Antique Mall, which was low on furniture, high on kitsch. The third store, Bibi’s Bargain Boutique’, didn’t sound promising, but turned out to have quite a bit of furniture. Tall oak and mahogany bookcases lined the walls, cedar bed frames and dressers sat in little groupings. Incense filled the store, making her remember a business trip to India that Roland went on and she had tagged along with him. The woman who worked there was bustling about arranging things and putting out new merchandise.
Hi, I’m Bibi. Let me know if you can’t find what you’re looking for,
she said, brushing her frizzy red hair back from her eyes.
Thanks,
said Sheila, as she wandered off to look at some jewelry.
Virginia kept searching. Then, finally after she’d looked through the entire store, asked, I’m looking for a desk, but I don’t see any.
Oh,
said Bibi. I don’t usually get desks, but I did find one at an estate sale last weekend. It’s in the back, I don’t have a place for it out here yet. Would you like to see it?
Certainly,
said Virginia.
She followed her to the spacious back room, brightly painted turquoise and smelling of varnish and paint and oils. There