Shine On by Allison J. Jewell Page A

to his left. This was ridiculous. He glanced at her. She shrugged her shoulders and rolled her eyes in reply. He wasn’t sure if the eye roll was for him or the storekeeper.
    “Look, Paul is it? I just need to have a quick word with Emmie. And I can see her…” He pointed a finger in her direction. “She’s sitting right there. It will just be a second.” He looked right at Mr. Thomas.
    “I said, she’s busy and time is money, son. What can I do for you?” Mr. Thomas said, taking a step closer to Silas.
    Silas tried to decide if it was worth the fight.
    “No thanks, Paul. I can take care of myself.” He turned and walked to the nearest aisle and started looking through cans.
    What in the world is he doing? Emmie wondered. Mr. Thomas had stopped her from having to talk to Silas, so there was at least one redeeming quality to him. She smiled to herself.
    She went back to smocking a rose pattern, stealing glances at Silas as he slowly moved around filling his basket with this and that.
    “Look,” he said, slamming a can down on the shelf.
    Mr. Thomas was more than annoyed.
    “I just came in to say,” he paused and swallowed hard, “I’m sorry. I said things I shouldn’t have.” Everyone in the shop was listening. Emmie felt red moving up her neck. Shades of embarrassment were coloring her face.
    He looked over at her. “You’re a good girl. I shouldn’t have said otherwise. I acted like some kind of fool.” Silas shrugged his shoulders and shook his head like he didn’t know what to say next.
    Emmie dropped the toddler-sized dress she was working on and stepped away from her chair. Words always failed her at times like this. Unfortunately, she didn’t have time to think of what to say.
    She may have been turning red but it was Mr. Thomas that saw red. “Out,” he screamed, pointing at the door. Spit flew from his lips. Then he composed himself and looked around at the two ladies who has just entered the store. “Customers only, Mr. McDowell.”
    Silas walked over and grabbed two more things off the shelf and took them to the counter, letting the basket smack down. “Well, you got yourself a customer right here.” He spread his arms wide over the goods.
    Emmie had never seen Mr. Thomas look at someone with such animosity. He quickly started totaling the cost without so much as looking up in his direction. She walked over to the counter next to Mr. Thomas and started putting the items in a bag. He turned around slowly and grabbed her hand.
    “Go. Sit. In. Your. Chair.” Then he whispered, “My Emma.”
    She closed her eyes and sucked in a breath.
    It wasn’t worth it.
    She sat down in the chair like a whipped pup.
    She glanced up at Silas and mouthed a simple, “Thanks.”
    She felt like a child.
    People of Mr. Thomas’s generation were so controlling.
    Just like Ronnie.
    Silas’s eyes flamed with fire. He opened his mouth to speak but closed it, clenching his fist. Mr. Thomas counted out his change. The other customers went back to their shopping.
    “Thanks, Paul,” Silas said, grabbing the goods with one arm. “Oh, and you’re wrong you know.”
    “Enlighten me, Silas. What am I wrong about?” he whispered leaning across the counter.
    “Overheard your conversation earlier. She should go to college… she’s smart enough. It’d get her away from Daddies like you,” he spit out the last part. Emmie stopped sewing; she’d already screwed up the pattern anyway. Her eyes opened wide. She wasn’t sure if she felt happy or offended at his comment.
    “Get out,” Mr. Thomas shouted. “You are no longer welcome in this store.”
    Silas smiled and touched his hat to say goodbye. “See you tonight, Em,” he shouted as he turned and headed out the door.
    “Emma,” Mr. Thomas started, then was distracted by something behind her. She turned to see his brother Will coming through the parlor.
    “Where in the hell have you been? We need to talk, now.” Mr. Thomas met his brother in the