Where the Tea Meets the Sea [✓]

"Madame, you know we can't afford that type of deal, if there's any other option you might have..."

Unfazed, she looked him dead in the eyes. She knew her business was the only thing the little town was hanging on to. "Well, I suppose you'll just have to figure something out then, sir." Madame then turned on her heels in the sand and with one last look at Henderson, uttered, "Good day."

At this point, Henderson did not know what to do other than to watch her make her way to Oakland's docks, her sky-blue dress billowing in the wind. At last, when Madame was certainly out of earshot, he grumbled, "Good day, Madame," then closed his eyes and prayed to God that all fifty crates of the Oakland-grown tea had made it aboard that ship.

···

This story is dedicated to my father. It was my gift to him for his fiftieth birthday.