Like Bees to Honey | gxg

4. A Talent for Delegation

At the big dining room table in the creaky old farmhouse Sabina had grown up in, glitter flew and shards of construction paper fluttered to the floor. Sabina stood at the head of the table where her siblings and Riley were working, conducting the chaos from the idea list in her hand.

Tomorrow, Saturday, was the last day of her first week at the market. Every day she'd been stuck in that crappy spot, and every day she'd come home with too much unsold product. Even the Saturday surge wouldn't be enough to make up for her poor first-week sales. She and Riley had spent the slow days brainstorming ways to improve the stall in order to win the Best Vendor Prize, and she'd finally convinced her sisters to help. Or rather, she'd annoyed them so much that they had agreed just to get her to stop asking.

"Christina, that lettering is fabulous," she said, pointing with the end of a marker. The little sign read free samples. "Those swirls are the perfect touch of sophistication. Next, can you do the same thing on the big sign?" It was more of an order than a question.

Christina, who was sixteen this year and more interested in playing tennis than helping out on the honey farm, leaned back in her chair and groaned. "My hand is cramping."

"If you want to take a break, Mom could probably use some help in the kitchen."

From the kitchen, Mom called, "Sure could. Mrs. Bell is expecting six dozen honey cakes for the church picnic. These things don't bake themselves."

"You're gonna owe me if my hand swells up and I can't hold a racket," Christina grumbled.

"I'll freeze the ice pack myself."

Making a big show of it, Christina reached for the cardboard that Sabina had spray-painted gold. That slightly streaky spray paint was the complete extent of her artistic talent.

Spicing up the stall's look was the first improvement they'd decided on. The old sign, white plastic with HIGH VALLEY HONEY printed in plain black letters, didn't have any of the razzle-dazzle that Mr. Chibana was looking for from a Best Vendor winner.

As Christina started outlining the lettering on the sign, Sabina turned to her other sister. "How's the brochure looking, Helena?"

"I still don't understand why you wouldn't just let me make it in my graphics software," Helena muttered, without looking up from her glitter pens. That surly tone had become her default lately. She used to worship Sabina, but apparently, at thirteen an older sister no longer makes an appealing role model.

Sabina tried not to sound impatient. "People don't come to a farmer's market for high-end graphics. The handmade look is more appealing."

"You do realize I can make it look handmade using the magic of technology, right?"

The scar on Helena's cheek puckered when she pursed her lips, and the tang of guilt rose in Sabina's throat the way it always did when she was reminded of the accident. It had been her fault, and she would never let herself forget it.

Gathering a breath, she found a smile and squeezed Helena's gently. Her sister squirmed away from the touch. "I know. You're a wizard. Thank you for trying it my way first."

From the other side of the table, Riley held up the sign they'd been making, prices spelled out in chalk paint on a black background. They didn't quite have the artistic touch that Sabina's sisters did, but the result was still charming. "Product list ready to go."

"Amazing." Sabina clapped her hands together. "This is looking great, everyone."

Christina sighed loudly over the big sign. "Shouldn't this be your job? Weren't you so proud to be handling the market alone this year?"