He walked down the stairs toward her. “I was just leaving this for you at your door. I didn’t want to miss you when you came in.”

She reached for the envelope in his hands. “What is it?”

He pulled on his fingers so hard, she heard one of his knuckles crack. “I’m sorry to have to do this to you. You’ve been real good at paying your rent on time, better than most of the people who’ve stayed here, but my brother is coming back to town.”

“Your brother?”

“Yes, and technically, he owns half of the bait shop business with me. It was our father’s, you see. And he wants to live here.” He flipped his hand around halfheartedly to the room behind him. “You’ll need to find a new place to live. I’d be happy to talk to anyone and tell them what a great renter you are.” The thought seemed to cheer him, or at least take away the sting of kicking her out.

“But I can’t afford anywhere else.”

“I’m so sorry.” He twisted his hands again. “He’ll be here next Saturday.”

“A week? I have a week to find a new place to live?”

“I’m sorry.” He was still saying it as he opened the screened door to the bait shop and disappeared into its fragrant depths.

* * *

The next day Maya worked a shift at Two Sisters in the morning, then an afternoon shift at the Sugar Shack before she was back at the art shop for an art class with Trudy at six thirty. The frantic pace of the day had left her no time to even think about finding another place to live, but the extra money at the end of the month would be nice. Anywhere else she lived would no doubt cost more than the spare room above Fritz’s Bait Shop.

As she and Trudy prepared for class, filling small jars of shells, wood fragments, sea grasses, beads, and other odds and ends for the attendees, Maya could feel Trudy’s stare on the tips of her hair and the back of her neck. Finally, she felt a jab at her elbow. Trudy held out a note.

Out with it. What’s going on?

Maya exhaled. The first class attendees were just beginning to trickle in. “I have to move out,” she whispered. “Fritz just told me last night.”

Where are you going to go?

“I have no idea. He acted like I can go out and just find a new place, but has he even seen the rent prices of most places around here? Have you? They’re insane.” Her voice rose, and a man settling down in a chair at the end of one of the tables glanced up at her. Heat flooded her cheeks and she gave him an apologetic smile.

More students came in, and they started the class promptly at six thirty. Maya gave verbal instructions to the class as Trudy went around and pointed out various materials to the assembled students. Once the class got started, everyone’s hands and mouths busy in work and quiet conversation, Maya stepped to the side and crossed her arms. A moment later, she felt Trudy at her elbow. Trudy reached an arm around Maya and squeezed. Maya leaned into her and rested her head on her shoulder. When she moved back, Trudy handed her a piece of paper.