Like many small towns in the southern United States, Benton's principal commercial district was Main Street. Here along this bricked paved section of street, one would find the backbone and lifeblood of the community, its numerous small businesses all locally owned and operated. Some were well over one hundred years old. Two famous examples were Potter's Mercantile, a general store that had been owned by generations of Potters, the family I came from. And Brewer's Hardware Both had been founded the same time as Hannah's Landing, that was before Hannah's Landing had grown into Benton. 

All of the main offices of the township were located on the street too. The town's only branch of The Bank of Yazoo was located just across from the small Post Office. Further down would find the town's only full line grocery store Sunflower across from Sunflower would find the town's library. Rumored to be haunted.  Beside the library was the open square called the triangle. At the tip Main Street intersected with Canal Street and a little ways down Canal Street would find the town's only public High School. 

Anyway, my sister and her best friend had opened a small coffee house with an added on bakery a year or so ago. It was a cute little cafe that was molded after the maid cafes you see in Japan. It was really cute. She and her best friend had decided to call it “Sweet Magnolia Tea Room and Bakery” Because the Magnolia flower was the state flower of Mississippi and was also the name of one of our aunts who had put up a good chunk of the start-up money. 

Magnolia Potter was the kind of aunt you love to talk about. Nothing was really known about her. She had kind of remained in the background for most of our lives. We knew however she had graduated from Benton Academy a year before our father had. She had gone on to attend Mississippi State University for four years before graduating with a business degree. She had married some wealthy merchant from Boston and moved up north till that marriage had fallen apart. 

Our aunt now wanted to return to her hometown and start a small business. And seeing that her brother had already owned one business, and she had helped her niece set up another business. And seeing a remarkable number of other people were opening up business she decided to open up herself here in Benton. All of those thoughts floated through my head and pushed away the thrill of turning sixteen. Of course the rich Aunt would be there.

“Jamie.” I heard a voice call. I blocked that voice out. “Jamie!” The voice came again a few seconds later. I once more managed to block the voice out. “Jamie Sarah Potter!” The voice came for a third time.

I could not block out the voice that time. So I snapped out of my day dreaming and noticed the crossed face of Robin Peers peering at me. Robing was Lily's best friend, she was also the manager on duty today. And right now her arms were folded across her chest and under her breast. She looked like she wanted to box my ears instead she let out a long sigh.

“Jamie you've been cleaning that same table for five minutes.” She said, shaking her head from the left to the right. “I think it's clean enough. You have seven other tables to clean. And the whole front area needs to be swept and mopped. Madeline has just finished doing the outside windows.” She said, taking a deep breath as she fixed me with a hard stare. “Try not to drift back into your world of dreams before you've finished cleaning. I know your head must be filled with foot lose fancies. But try, try to focus on the task at hand. Getting this placed cleaned up so Lily does not have a cow when she comes in tomorrow.”

I poked my cheeks out and closed my eyes.  I could feel a hot blush starting to color my cheeks as I peered toward Robin. For a long moment our eyes met before she turned away and stalked into the side office. And I returned to my cleaning. It took less than five minutes for me to clean all the tables. And another fifteen to twenty for me to clean the gum off the bottom. Then it was break time.

“So.” Madeline said as she peered toward me. “How's everything going?” She asked as she wrapped her fingers around her cup of hot chocolate. Slowly she lifted the cup to her mouth and slowly she blew away a few wisp  of steam.

“It's going.” I said sighing as I leaned back in my chair and peered toward the heavens. “Life is just ticking on by. One day just seems to bleed into another and into another.” 

Madeline blinked. And took another sip of her hot chocolate. She then eased her cup down upon the table and peered at me. “Sounds like you've found yourself in a bit of a rut.” She said in a very gentle and understanding tone of voice. “I often find myself in a rut when I'm bored. Volunteering for something or trying something new always seems to help me. Why not volunteer for something?”

That suggestion totally threw me off guard. But the more I thought about the more it made sense. I was riding high when football season was at its peak. When I was too busy with cheer practice to think about anything but cheer practice and traveling with the other cheerleaders to away football games. 

“Sure, volunteering sounds fun?” I said starting to play with my own drink. “But volunteering for what?” I asked.

“They're always looking for somebody to play 'Dotty the Dalmatian princess' you know. Let's face it girl, you're popular. You just don't know it yet.” Madeline said, smirking a little. “And the cherry on the sundae you're a cheerleader. Cheerleader's always draw in the big bucks. And plus, you'll be helping the town's only no-kill animal shelter. The money raised from that event is used to buy food, toys, bedding and other stuff.” Madeline added.

I blinked and blinked again.

“And those that play 'Dotty' always get their names in the paper, they get mentioned on the groups official Facebook page. And like it or not, you're something of a headline chaser.” She said in a coy tone of voice as she peered toward me.

I blinked and blinked again.

“Oh come on. Don't play dumb with me. You know you like seeing your name in the paper. And if you ask me, that's why you've been so moody lately, because you think the worlds gone and forgotten about you. You enjoyed seeing 'Jamie Sarah Potter' printed in the social section. It's the reason you volunteered for the dunking booth and it's the reason you put toy fish in the school's fountain. Come on girl, just come out and say it, you love being in the spot-light and the minute the light turns away from you. You want it back.” Madeline said, sighing as she folded her hands under her breast.

“Oh somebody in a mood.” I barked a little.

Madeline smiled a little.

“Jamie, you're my sister from another mother. And as your sister, I gotta look after you. Somebody does. Since it seems Lily is afraid of hurting your feelings. Just think about it. If you volunteer to play 'Dotty' then I'm sure you're going to get the attention you need to make you feel better and then you'll be reminded that you're this town's little darling starlet.” Madeline said as she drained her cup.

I was just about to say something when Robin broke upon the scene. Her face was blushing red and it seemed like she could snort fire from her nose.

“Okay ladies.” She said, taking a deep breath. “That 's quite enough talking. You're both fifteen minutes late. That means I should dock both your pay by at least fifteen to twenty minutes. But I'm not because I'm sure you both have a good reason for taking those extra fifteen minutes. So, before I change my mind. I would like both of my two favorite employees to go into the kitchen and start cleaning up so we can get out of here on time. '' Robin said in a scolding tone of voice.

Madeline and I both blinked at the same time and looked up at Robin. We've never seen this side of her before. It was like she was a totally different person today. Robin blinked as she peered at us. She took a deep breath, released and heaved out a sigh.

“NOW!” She bellowed at the top of her lungs. I swear the whole shop shook as she bellowed out. “Before I change my mind and dock both of you and give you both a write up to boot.” And with that she left.  Leaving both Madeline and I speechless. I guess a title really changes a person. That or Robin was on her period or something.

Two and a half hours later. Madeline and I had that kitchen looking good. Every inch of that kitchen we had gone over and over again, even getting down on our hands and knees and attacking the corners with a butter knife. The counter top was clean as a whistle, the floor had been swept, mopped and swept again. The stock room had been swept and mopped. Heck we checked the states on the stuff. Not that we found anything out of date, Lily and I had been trained since the crib to always pull the old product from the back to the front and put the new product behind that. I mean our mom and dad ran a general store after all.

Anyway, all we had to do was finish washing the few odd pots and pans. 

“You know something?” I said, taking a deep breath. You see Madeline and I had worked out a little system. I would wash and scrub the dishes, Madeline would rinse and dry them. And every so often we'll pause and put away what we washed

“What?” Madeline said, taking a deep breath. “That Robin been acting like a slave driver all afternoon.”  She added, she sounded a bit crossed.

“I feel like Cinderella.” I added a little. It seemed my good humor was starting to return a little. 

“You look like Cinderella.” Madeline said with a sigh. “Blonde hair, baby blue eyes, slim frame. Perky breast. And three wicked step-sisters, Lily, Robin, and don't forget Joan. Who has this weird rule about how many times you can kiss her brother on a date? I mean does she stalk you guys or something. And does she know you two have done the deed.” She said leaning back.

I felt myself starting to blush.

“NO!” I shouted. “Besides that was only once and that was because it felt right. We've not done that in a while and I'm saving the next time we do for something special. Like the night of the prom or something. Something big.” I added as I returned to scrubbing the dishes. 

“Beside.. I only told you that because your my best friend.” I added. “It's not like you and Matt have done anything before?” I said blushing as I started to pout. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted Madeline starting to smirk a little as she rinsed off the last few dishes.

“A lady never kisses and tells. I don't go around telling the world my personal life. Ms. Potter.” Madeline said, smirking as she removed her apron. She took a deep breath and tossed it to the side. “Man talks about a day in the salt mines.” She said looking around the kitchen. It was spotless, not a speck of dirt remained. “We make quite the pair.” 

“Yep! And I've been thinking. I might just volunteer to play Dotty . I mean it's for a good cause after all.” I said removing my own apron and tossing to the side as well. 

“Cool,” Madeline said. “You can pick up the forums at either the library or Croft's Veterinarian Clinic. Just fill the form out, turn it end, and Ms. Croft will give you a call, email or text and  tell you when you are  needed.” She said, ``Simple as that.” 

At that moment Robin once more made her appearance. She came storming into the kitchen. She looked at Madeline first and then at me.

“I'm hearing a lot of noise in here. I'm going to assume you two have finished with your work. And you're not just standing around running your mouths as it's five minutes till closing time. I think I've given both a verbal warning today.” She cut herself off mid sentence as she looked around. Her jaw fell open and both Madeline and I stood there smirking. 

“Good job ladies..” She said, blinking. “I guess, we can  finally promote you two to full time staff. And give you an increase in pay..” She said after pausing for a moment. You could tell she was struggling for words. “Now, your first duty as full time maids would be to teach Cerridwen, Lauren, Daisy, and Taylor how to clean like this. Also Maid Jamie, your second duty is to teach them how to bake an apple pie like you do.” She added. A sudden blush appeared on her cheeks.

“Alright ladies.” Robin said, taking a deep breath. “Hit the clock, go home and get some rest. And thank you for all your hard work today. You can expect a little pump in pay on your next check.” And with that she marched away. No doubt to wonder what kind of magic trick we pulled on her. 

The End of Chapter 2.