When One Door Closes & [Elixey]
Para 700 words. — Vixey asks for advice about opening her shop.
@cinderellaashbourne
When it came to From Farm to Table, Vixey knew there was one person she had to thank above most others.
Of course, there were plenty of people who had helped her on her journey. Al, Jun, and Tiana, for supporting her. Tod for helping her with the sign and some of the more technical things. Drakken for saving her butt the other day when she’d completely mixed up the wiring. Her family for their unwavering support. Her investors: Mrs. Robinson, Mr. MacTunnag, and Mr. Ratigan--without which she never would’ve been able to afford any of this. The Board for passing her petition. The town, for signing it and wanting the shoppe in the first place.
But, mostly, she had to thank Ella, who had been gracious and wonderful through this whole process. Vixey appreciated her because not only did Ella give her the permission Vixey had felt she needed for this undertaking, but she had also gone through a huge career path change and Vixey felt like her advice was geared towards that. Vixey appreciated it. And her.
Now that the shoppe was ready to be opened (all it needed was to be filled with items now), Vixey knew that Ella was the one person she wanted to show it to before anyone else. After all, her approval meant more than most people’s. This had been her shoppe once. It had been different, Vixey was sure. (She was honestly glad she had little memory of that store, so it hadn’t influenced her decision at all.) Still, the bones were there. And the memories, Vixey was sure.
She was extremely nervous as she waited on tenterhooks for Ella to arrive. It was a big deal for both of them and she was having second thoughts: about inviting Ella (it might be too much for her or maybe she’d hate it) and about opening the shoppe in general...
Opening the shoppe was probably going to make her second guess herself until the moment when the shoppe was official. Probably after that, as she would struggle to balance the books for the first few months. The first year, if all the things she had read about it had been correct. The year stretching out ahead of her was...terrifying, but exciting. She had the flutter of butterflies, as if she wasn’t just waiting on a friend and mentor, but going on a first date.
It was silly to be so nervous because if Ella hated it...Vixey would still have to go through with things. If only because she was in debt at this point to her investors and she wasn’t going to tank her family for something like this. Some dream that Vixey had half-wanted from the start. Her family had worked too hard for what they had in this country for Vixey to throw it all away on one person’s opinion.
(That didn’t mean that Vixey still wouldn’t find it hard if Ella hated it. In fact, it would devastate her. Not only because this place had once been Ella’s, but because Vixey liked to please her friends and family, her community. That had been the motivation behind all of this to start with: helping the community. She couldn’t do that anymore as a nurse, so this was the next best thing that she had been able to think of. And she was passionate about it. Even if she wasn’t necessarily passionate about clothing.) a
The little bell that Vixey had installed herself over the front door jingled and Vixey came towards the front, a few shirts on hangers over her arms. She smoothed down the front of her shirt as if Ella was a cruel school marm who would rap her knuckles with a ruler if she wasn’t perfectly put together. Ella would never do such a thing, but--well, Vixey was nervous. She just wanted Ella to like it. She wanted this to be something good. Was it too much to want to think that this little shoppe could be a salve on memories for both of them?
“Uh, hi! Uh--welcome! I hope you like but, uhm, feel free to be harsh, I mean I am sure there are things I need to change...”
[outfit]
