Claire wasn’t really listening to my answer; she was staring at the young girl helping out a drive-through customer.
“Not like that, Allie. Your check is upside down.” She sighed and gave me a quick smile. “Sorry, I’ve got to go help.”
As Margie rang up my deposit, counting out the cash and running the checks through the scanner, I watched as Claire walked the other teller through the deposit process. I could tell this wasn’t the first time she’d been corrected when the girl rolled her eyes when Claire’s back was turned. I blessed the two, now three, employees I had. At least they wanted the job. This girl seemed like she was more interested in the polish on her nails than learning the right way to process a deposit.
As I waited, I tried to convince myself to relax. This missing money thing was only a blip. Claire would find it and we’d be fine again. Except something in Sasha’s pained expression when I’d confronted her made me wince.
Margie handed me a slip and then I remembered the funds transfer. I explained what I needed and in just a few seconds, I had a second slip in my hand. I loved the ease of making banking transactions lately. Besides, I never remembered account numbers to fill out those blank generic deposit slips.
Walking out of the bank, my cell buzzed. Glancing at the caller ID, my heart sank. Not Greg, Mary.
“Hey, what’s going on?” I paused in front of the bank. If I needed to go to Mary’s South Cove Bed and Breakfast, I’d be turning west. If not, I’d be going east. The sunshine warmed my face as I stood on the empty sidewalk in front of the bank.
“Ashley’s in labor. Of course, it could just be a false alarm, but I’m not waiting. I’m taking off this afternoon for Boise. Did you want to go over the preliminary report for the council with me before I leave?” Mary didn’t wait for an answer. “I’ve already sent the PowerPoint to your email and you know what’s scheduled. Of course, we won’t have solid sales numbers until the next meeting, but they always want to know what their council funding is buying. You can just deflect those questions until the next meeting. Bill should be there to help you out if they get crotchety.”
“Congrats. Do they know if it’s a boy or a girl?” I’d have to put together a welcome basket of books for the new arrival. And get Ashley’s address from Bill.
“They wanted to be surprised. Ashley is convinced it’s a boy though. I don’t think she even picked out a girl’s name. I hope she’s right. A girl just won’t sound right being called William Anaston the third.” Mary paused and laughed at something in the background. “Of course, Bill’s pointing out the baby can’t really be the third since he won’t have the Sullivan surname.”
I started walking toward the bed and breakfast. Amy couldn’t even gripe about me missing class for this. But then Mary started talking again.
“So I guess if you’re fine, I’ll just leave now so I can be there first thing in the morning. I should fly, but with rates as high as they are, it would cost a fortune. Lord knows if I’d even get out of here today. No, driving’s better. And I should be there for the birth.”
I heard Bill talking in the background.
“Yes, I know.” Mary yelled back. “He said I won’t be there unless I leave, so good luck with the council and let your aunt know I’ll call her from the road later this afternoon.”
The phone clicked off and I found myself standing in front of the bed and breakfast watching Mary drag her suitcase on to the porch. She started when she saw me.
“Well, look at you. I guess I didn’t need to call after all.” She looked at her watch.
I kissed her on the cheek and watched as Bill grabbed the suitcase from her. “Don’t worry about me, I was on my way to work out when you called.”
“Did you have any questions? I guess I went through that pretty fast.” She paused as I opened the car door for
“Not like that, Allie. Your check is upside down.” She sighed and gave me a quick smile. “Sorry, I’ve got to go help.”
As Margie rang up my deposit, counting out the cash and running the checks through the scanner, I watched as Claire walked the other teller through the deposit process. I could tell this wasn’t the first time she’d been corrected when the girl rolled her eyes when Claire’s back was turned. I blessed the two, now three, employees I had. At least they wanted the job. This girl seemed like she was more interested in the polish on her nails than learning the right way to process a deposit.
As I waited, I tried to convince myself to relax. This missing money thing was only a blip. Claire would find it and we’d be fine again. Except something in Sasha’s pained expression when I’d confronted her made me wince.
Margie handed me a slip and then I remembered the funds transfer. I explained what I needed and in just a few seconds, I had a second slip in my hand. I loved the ease of making banking transactions lately. Besides, I never remembered account numbers to fill out those blank generic deposit slips.
Walking out of the bank, my cell buzzed. Glancing at the caller ID, my heart sank. Not Greg, Mary.
“Hey, what’s going on?” I paused in front of the bank. If I needed to go to Mary’s South Cove Bed and Breakfast, I’d be turning west. If not, I’d be going east. The sunshine warmed my face as I stood on the empty sidewalk in front of the bank.
“Ashley’s in labor. Of course, it could just be a false alarm, but I’m not waiting. I’m taking off this afternoon for Boise. Did you want to go over the preliminary report for the council with me before I leave?” Mary didn’t wait for an answer. “I’ve already sent the PowerPoint to your email and you know what’s scheduled. Of course, we won’t have solid sales numbers until the next meeting, but they always want to know what their council funding is buying. You can just deflect those questions until the next meeting. Bill should be there to help you out if they get crotchety.”
“Congrats. Do they know if it’s a boy or a girl?” I’d have to put together a welcome basket of books for the new arrival. And get Ashley’s address from Bill.
“They wanted to be surprised. Ashley is convinced it’s a boy though. I don’t think she even picked out a girl’s name. I hope she’s right. A girl just won’t sound right being called William Anaston the third.” Mary paused and laughed at something in the background. “Of course, Bill’s pointing out the baby can’t really be the third since he won’t have the Sullivan surname.”
I started walking toward the bed and breakfast. Amy couldn’t even gripe about me missing class for this. But then Mary started talking again.
“So I guess if you’re fine, I’ll just leave now so I can be there first thing in the morning. I should fly, but with rates as high as they are, it would cost a fortune. Lord knows if I’d even get out of here today. No, driving’s better. And I should be there for the birth.”
I heard Bill talking in the background.
“Yes, I know.” Mary yelled back. “He said I won’t be there unless I leave, so good luck with the council and let your aunt know I’ll call her from the road later this afternoon.”
The phone clicked off and I found myself standing in front of the bed and breakfast watching Mary drag her suitcase on to the porch. She started when she saw me.
“Well, look at you. I guess I didn’t need to call after all.” She looked at her watch.
I kissed her on the cheek and watched as Bill grabbed the suitcase from her. “Don’t worry about me, I was on my way to work out when you called.”
“Did you have any questions? I guess I went through that pretty fast.” She paused as I opened the car door for
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