Big Love(27)

Zing added a chocolate éclair to the box and rang up the order on the cash register. She collected the man’s money and he walked out the front door just as the mailman came in. The mailman put a few envelopes and a parcel on the counter.

“A box!” Zing said. “I wonder what’s in it! I love surprises, don’t you?”

“Boy, you sure are a perky one this morning. You must be new,” the mailman said. His name badge read Henry.

“I’m the new dame in town, sweetheart,” Zing said. She’d heard that line in one of the black and white movies Miracle showed her. They stayed up late most nights watching classic movies. Zing ate so much sugar she didn’t sleep much and Miracle referred to herself as a night owl. “Of all the donut joints, in all the towns, in all the world, you had to walk into mine,” Zing added, doing a spot-on Bogart impersonation from the movie Casablanca.

Henry laughed and held out a pink slip. “You need to sign for it,” he said pointing at the slip. He handed her a pen. When she was done he looked at her signature. “Zing? Is that short for something?”

Zing nodded. “It’s short for Ama-zing.”

Henry laughed again. “So, where’d you come from, Zing?”

“HQ,” Zing said, whispering. “But I’d appreciate if you’d keep that between us. I’m on a secret mission.”

“Oh? FBI or CIA?” Henry asked with a playful wink.

Zing looked confused.

“You can tell me. I’m a government employee, too,” he added with a chuckle.

After looking both ways to make sure nobody could overhear her, Zing leaned across the counter and whispered, “I’m a guard—”

She was interrupted by Carol coming out of the back room, saying, “Give Henry a free donut, Zing. Then tell him it’s closing time.” She grabbed the mail and parcel and went back to the office.

Zing picked out a chocolate donut with sprinkles and wrapped it in wax paper.

“I don’t know how you work for such a cranky boss,” Henry said.

“She’s just gruff on the outside,” Zing said. She handed Henry his donut.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Henry said. He took a big bite of the donut and walked out the door. Zing locked the door behind him and flipped the sign around to read “Closed.”

Carol came back out of the kitchen and opened the cash register. She counted the money, saying, “Well, another day, another dollar.”

“Or in my case: Another day, another dozen donuts,” Zing said. She boxed a dozen donuts for herself and the last four donuts in the case to give to Homeless Tom. “It’s really nice of you to give a donut every day to Henry.”

“I don’t do it to be nice,” Carol said. “I do it because I want my mail delivered on time and in one piece.”

“I’ve heard bad things about the post office,” Zing said.

“From who?”

“HQ. You know, postal workers have separate guardian angels. Their guardian angels are highly trained in dog defense and other dangers.”

Carol digested this bit of news. “What kinds of other dangers?”

“Oh, you know, spiders in mailboxes, lonely housewives, meth labs, drunk drivers. One time a mailman found a snake in the mailbox. He opened the lid and if his guardian angel hadn’t been highly trained in reflexology, there’d be one more dead mailman.”

“Reflexology?”

Nell came out of the kitchen waving two books in the air. She could barely contain her excitement. “Look what Dove sent me!”

“Gee, let me guess. . . Books?” Carol said sarcastically.

“Don’t be mean. One of them is for you. And they’re autographed.” Nell looked over at Zing. “Don’t worry. I told Dove about you and Miracle. She’s sending two more autographed books for you all. She really likes your name. And Miracle’s name, too. Isn’t that sweet?”

“She’s sending me a book, too?”

“That’s right,” Nell said, flipping through the pages. “Your very own autographed copy.”

Carol opened her book and read the inscription aloud, “Carol, I’ve heard so much about you and I can’t wait to meet you someday, Love, Dove Lance.”

“Isn’t she the sweetest?” Nell asked.

“Yeah, someday, my ass,” Carol said. “She won’t even meet you.”

Nell ignored her. “I’m going to text her right now.”

“Why don’t you call?” Carol asked.

“She doesn’t like to talk on the phone, so we text. That way she can answer when she has a free moment.”