High on Love

Chapter One

Wonder what’s going in there? Cheyenne mused, pointing towards a formerly empty storefront. There was a crew working away, installing new window glass and repainting the wooden trim around the doors.

Larissa shrugged and kept walking. Froyo or something, I’m sure, she said. It was always a yogurt shop, or a bagel shop. Larissa sometimes wondered if anyone, aside from her and her family, bothered to cook at home anymore. Even the other moms in the group didn’t bat an eye at spending three dollars on bottled water or buying a cookie off the coffee cart in the bookstore. Larissa brought all her baby’s snacks from home, mumbling excuses about keeping her on an organic diet instead of admitting that she had to watch her pennies closer than the others. She didn’t need more pity or looks from the happily married girls in the group.

There’s a sign. Cheyenne pushed her stroller up the sidewalk, just a few feet away from the workers. Now, she was just plain being nosy. Larissa followed her, but only because it seemed like Amirah was about to fall asleep and stopping now might jerk her awake. Rainforest Relief. Wonder if it’s like Banana Republic or something? That would be nice.

Never heard of that store, Larissa said. Let’s get to the park. They were so close to the rectangle of greenery that barely counted as a park. It was just beyond the main street shops and tiny town hall. There was really nothing that interesting at the park. It had the same swings and worn slides she remembered from years before, but Amirah loved it and a visit could kill at least an hour of her interminable day. She was moving towards the park, but when she realized Cheyenne didn’t follow, she stopped after a few steps.

A well-groomed, tanned man in a blue polo shirt and dress pants had come out the front of the store. He waved at them, and Cheyenne was waving back, giving him a neutral smile. He has no idea what he’s in for, Larissa thought as he stopped in front of them. His hair was long on top and slicked back away from his face with the sides shaved down. His smile revealed perfectly white, even teeth.

Can I help you ladies with something? We aren’t quite ready for customers yet, not until tomorrow, but I’m happy to answer any questions, he said.

I was wondering what kind of business this is going to be? We live right around the corner, Cheyenne said.

Larissa rolled her eyes as they waited for his answer. Everyone in this neighborhood was so fucking nosy about everything that happened, whether or not it concerned them. No one had anything real to be excited about, so they just picked over the same anecdotes. They visited the same boring locations, trying to uncover each other’s secrets to create a little drama in their lives. It was 2014, but it may as well have been the fifties within the borders of this town.

Oh, you’re going to love it. Rainforest Relief is a small, minority-owned business that provides compassionate care through the legal distribution of cannabis. It’s going to help a lot of people in the area, he said, handing each of them a business card.

Wait, what? she asked as she processed what he had just said. She looked at the brightly colored card, then back at him. It’s a marijuana store?

Well, in a manner of speaking. But we really see it more as a type of pharmacy, since we only dispense medication to patients who have a prescription.

This is a family neighborhood, Cheyenne said. Why would you put this kind of store right next to the park where our kids play? Her voice was suddenly sharp and aggressive. Larissa could see the change in his face as he started to understand where the conversation was likely to go.

Again, it’s not a store, not really. You have to have a legal identification card in order to even come through the door, he said.

Right, but you’re still pumping drugs into our community, and it’s only a matter of time before they get to the teenagers. They hang out at the park, too.

Larissa had known her long enough to see that she was warming up to the topic, even though Larissa wasn’t sure that her point was that valid.

What’s to stop people from getting things here and selling them in the park? Cheyenne asked.

I really think you’re misunderstanding what—

Is there an issue here, Rodrigo? a deep voice cut in and Larissa tilted her head, sure she had heard it before. That’s not surprising, given where we are. There weren’t many people in town she didn’t know in one way or another. But she couldn’t quite place this voice even as she ran through her mental directory of friends, classmates, and service workers.

A tall shadow filled the doorway and she looked up. For the first time since she’d left the house for this stupid walk down the same street she’d been walking down since she was a child, clutching her mother’s hand with her sticky little fingers, someone piqued Larissa’s interest. Her eyes traveled up. She took in the pair of brand-new, barely worn construction boots, up to a pair of long legs in soft, fresh-looking jeans and a sky-blue cable knit sweater stretched over a broad pair of shoulders. Her breath caught in her throat as she recognized the face from years before. His brown eyes were wide and thick eyebrows sat up halfway to his hairline, mirroring her surprise.

Austin? It wasn’t unusual to run into someone she’d gone to school with. Actually, it happens all the time. But the last she’d heard, he’d left the East Coast in the dust to go off to some fancy business school in California and made himself a success. You know, like you were planning to do before you fucked it all up.

Rissy?

You two know each other? Rodrigo looked nervously from one to the other, as if he didn’t dare to hope that the interaction might take a positive turn.

Yes. How are you? He offered his hand, and she only hesitated a moment before taking it and giving it a brief shake.

Good, so you’re going to be working here?

No, I own this place. It’s my pride and joy. I think it’s really going to bring something good to the community, he said, a proud smile spreading across his face.

Well, that’s a little bit of a stretch, isn’t it? I know it’s legal, but you’re just a drug dealer. Fancy storefront or not, Cheyenne said.

Austin laughed and shook his head. He was trying to play off the insult as if it didn’t bother him, but she could see that it had stung him. He took a moment before responding, making sure his voice was calm and his words were chosen carefully.

That’s harsh, and it’s off base. The store is a positive addition for the city, in many ways. It’s a legitimate business that brings much needed pain relief to those who need it. Not to mention, it is also bringing jobs to the community, he said. I’m going to be creating more than ten jobs for those who need work.

I can’t believe the city council bought this nonsense, Cheyenne said, rolling her eyes dramatically, her voice becoming louder on the last word. This was something Larissa had seen her do in restaurants and coffee shops, and anywhere where she felt she had been wronged or needed to share her opinion. She shifted her eyes around to make sure no one was watching the little scene Cheyenne was trying to create. It could be embarrassing to be her friend, but it was a necessary evil. Hold your tongue, it’s for Amirah, she reminded herself.

Well, they did. I’m opening in a couple days, as soon as the renovations are done, he said.

I happen to know people on the council, and I will be bringing this up in the next meeting on Thursday. This is a wholesome community, full of hardworking parents and young families trying to make an honest living. This kind of business is the last thing we need, Cheyenne said.

Don’t you tell me about the community, I’m from here. My family has been here for generations. Lately, there have been fewer stores and restaurants, more empty storefronts and pawn shops. Anyone can see that. I did the research and I know exactly how much a thriving business will help this block. So does the council, he said.

Well, I guess we will see who is right at the next council meeting. Come on, Larissa, Cheyenne said, turning to leave. Larissa wanted to say something to him, feeling a little twinge in her stomach as she looked at the expression on his face. She remembered that face from when they were in school, and he’d get carted off to the principal’s office for the third or fourth time that week. But the baby was stirring, and Cheyenne was walking fast, so she just put her head down and followed along.

Maple City, New Jersey, wasn’t the kind of place that welcomed new ideas and changing ways. It was diverse, sure, but no matter where the residents had come from originally, they followed the same routine. For as long as she could remember, the town had been conservative to the core — every family trooping to the town’s mosque, synagogue, or the church on weekends. Life here was based around faith and family, and the residents lived under a strict set of rules that few people dared to break.

Since having her daughter and becoming a single mom, Larissa had been thrown back into the strict social dynamics of the neighborhood she had grown up in instead of leaving for the city as she had always planned. Fitting in with the other moms was crucial to her daughter’s acceptance in playgroups, on the swings, in ballet class, and during religious service.

Cheyenne had been queen bee of the area since they were kids, and while she was stuck up and insensitive to other people’s feelings, she was also well connected. She’d helped Larissa get a spot for Amirah in a full daycare and stopped the parking patrol from ticketing her car. Being a single mom was beyond