Sweet Rolls

At 3 in the morning Megan made sweet rolls. Rose had suggested it on the phone.

There’s no point. There’s no one to eat them, Megan said.

You’re going to need sweet rolls, Rose said firmly. You’re going to have to call your friend Bird and invite him over. He’ll drive you over to Edith’s. You need to find out what’s going on. And I have another idea. I think you should move here. Not into my house, of course, but to Snowden. Sell your house in Philly. Your neighborhood has gotten too rough.

You should talk.

Well, it’s not so bad here. You could live in a safer neighborhood. I’d feel better if you were nearby.

I’m going to give up grass, I swear. I don’t need it. It’s just a way of life. I’ve never been approached by a criminal before. My God, I’m not paying for “protection.”

I wonder what happened to your dealer.

I’m really afraid.

Well, it’s probably not that bad. Just go talk to this Edith person and see what she says.

I’d rather die than live in Snowden.

No, you wouldn’t. You never leave the house anyway so what does it matter where you live?

Megan’s world?

Something like that.

But Dreary’s visit had unsettled her. She couldn’t sleep. At nine, after she had eaten four sweet rolls, she called Edith’s shop, but the phone rang and rang. Megan visualized Edith dead, shot by Dreary. No, no. That couldn’t have happened. She called Bird. She was a little reluctant to involve him. They were casual friends who flirted and never discussed anything important unless he chose to harangue her about psychotropic drugs. Pharmacology was king in his book. Sometimes he went on and on about Prozac and Paxil and Zoloft and how one or the other of the pills had changed people's lives. He had been on an antidepressant for a while. Yes, a lot of people in the psychiatric profession needed the drugs. He could tell stories about one of the doctors...but he wouldn’t because he didn’t want to get fired. Megan knew who the doctor was anyway because it had been gossip at the hospital when she'd worked there as a dietitian.

Bird came over and ate sweet rolls and drank coffee before they drove to Edith’s shop. He was apprehensive when he heard about Dreary’s visit and said, She leaves most people alone, but her club is supposed to be a front for money-laundering. I would definitely say drug-dealing now that she's threatened you.

Don’t say anymore. My sister wants me to move to Snowden..

Snowden, New York? He sounded incredulous. Like every other Philadelphian, he couldn’t imagine moving to a small town.

I’m thinking about it. I’m really frightened.

Edith’s shop was open. They went inside and saw the usual shoppers browsing among the designer clothes.

Edith...

I can’t talk about it, she said abruptly. I’m no longer doing that.

Rose whispered, Dreary came to my house.

Oh God. Come into the back room.

In the back room she said, I really can’t talk about it. But don’t buy from her. Maybe she’ll leave you alone. The guy I worked for is dead and she threatened me. She’s taking over. I don’t even know how he died, to tell you the truth. They’re saying it’s a heart attack but who knows?

You’re both so paranoid, said Bird.

Both women looked at him.

Did you forget we’ve been threatened? We have a reason to be paranoid.

Well, she’s just a rather stupid woman with a recent online degree from The University of Phoenix..

A stupid woman with a rock club and rockheads for bouncers.

Edith hesitated, then said, She likes to torture people. She wants you scared. It’s best just to lie low and ignore her.

Rose sighed. Will she come and bother me again?

Only if she thinks she can torment you. Just don’t let her into the house. But don’t come here for a while, Rose. She’ll think you’re buying from me.

Rose and Bird left. What do you think?

Bird hesitated. Move in with me?

Rose shoved him. Get serious.