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Olive

Pharmacy

FormanyyearsHenryKitteridgewasapharmacistinthenexttownover,drivingeverymorningonsnowyroads,orrainyroads,orsummertimeroads,whenthewildraspberriesshottheirnewgrowthinbramblesalongthelastsectionoftownbeforeheturnedofftowherethewiderroadledtothepharmacy.Retirednow,hestillwakesearlyandremembershowmorningsusedtobehisfavorite,asthoughtheworldwerehissecret,tiresrumblingsoftlybeneathhimandthelightemergingthroughtheearlyfog,thebriefsightofthebayofftohisright,thenthepines,tallandslender,andalmostalwaysherodewiththewindowpartlyopenbecausehelovedthesmellofthepinesandtheheavysaltair,andinthewinterhelovedthesmellofthecold.Thepharmacywasasmalltwo-storybuildingattachedtoanotherbuildingthathousedseparatelyahardwarestoreandasmallgrocery.EachmorningHenryparkedinthebackbythelargemetalbins,andthenenteredthepharmacysbackdoor,andwentaboutswitchingonthelights,turningupthethermostat,or,ifitwassummer,gettingthefansgoing.Hewouldopenthesafe,putmoneyintheregister,unlockthefrontdoor,washhishands,putonhiswhitelabcoat.Theritualwaspleasing,asthoughtheoldstorewithitsshelvesoftoothpaste,vitamins,cosmetics,hairadornments,evensewingneedlesandgreetingcards,aswellasredrubberhotwaterbottles,enemapumpswasapersonaltogethersteadyandsteadfast.Andanyunpleasantnessthatmayhaveoccurredbackinhishome,anyuneasinessatthewayhiswifeoftenlefttheirbedtowanderthroughtheirhomeinthenightsdarkhoursallthisrecededlikeashorelineashewalkedthroughthesafetyofhispharmacy.Standingintheback,withthedrawersandrowsofpills,Henrywascheerfulwhenthephonebegantoring,cheerfulwhenMrs.Merrimancameforherbloodpressuremedicine,oroldCliffMottarrivedforhisdigitalis,cheerfulwhenhepreparedtheValiumforRachelJones,whosehusbandranoffthenighttheirbabywasborn.ItwasHenrysnaturetolisten,andmanytimesduringtheweekhewouldsay,Gosh,Imawfulsorrytohearthat,orSay,isntthatsomething?

Inwardly,hesufferedthequiettrepidationsofamanwhohadwitnessedtwiceinchildhoodthenervousbreakdownsofamotherwhohadotherwisecaredforhimwithstridency.Andsoif,asrarelyhappened,acustomerwasdistressedoveraprice,orirritatedbythequalityofanAcebandageoricepack,Henrydidwhathecouldtorectifythingsquickly.FormanyyearsMrs.Grangerworkedforhim;herhusbandwasalobsterfisherman,andsheseemedtocarrywithherthecoldbreezeoftheopenwater,notsoeagertopleaseawarycustomer.Hehadtolistenwithhalfanearashefilledprescriptions,tomakesureshewasnotatthecashregisterdismissingacomplaint.Morethanoncehewasremindedofthatsamesensationinwatchingtoseethathiswife,Olive,didnotbeardowntoohardonChristopheroverahomeworkassignmentorachoreleftundone;thatsenseofhisattentionhoveringtheneedtokeepeveryonecontent.WhenheheardabrisknessinMrs.Grangersvoice,hewouldstepdownfromhisbackpost,movingtowardthecenterofthestoretotalkwiththecustomerhimself.Otherwise,Mrs.Grangerdidherjobwell.Heappreciatedthatshewasnotchatty,keptperfectinventory,andalmostnevercalledinsick.Thatshediedinhersleeponenightastonishedhim,andlefthimwithsomefeelingofresponsibility,asthoughhehadmissed,workingalongsideherforyears,whateversymptommighthaveshownitselfthathe,handlinghispillsandsyrupsandsyringes,couldhavefixed.Mousy,hiswifesaid,whenhehiredthenewgirl.Looksjustlikeamouse.DeniseThibodeauhadroundcheeks,andsmalleyesthatpeepedthroughherbrown-framedglasses.Butanicemouse,Henrysaid.Acuteone.Noonescutewhocantstandupstraight,Olivesaid.ItwastruethatDenisesnarrowshouldersslopedforward,asthoughapologizingforsomething.Shewastwenty-two,justoutofthestateuniversityofVermont.HerhusbandwasalsonamedHenry,andHenryKitteridge,meetingHenryThibodeauforthefirsttime,wastakenwithwhathesawasanunself-consciousexcellence.Theyoungmanwasvigorousandsturdy-featuredwithalightinhiseyethatseemedtolendaflickeringresplendencetohisdecent,ordinaryface.Hewasaplumber,workinginabusinessownedbyhisuncle.HeandDenisehadbeenmarriedoneyear.Notkeenonit,Olivesaid,whenhesuggestedtheyhavetheyoungcoupletodinner.Henryletitdrop.Thiswasatimewhenhissonnotyetshowingthephysicalsignsofadolescencehadbecomesuddenlyandstrenuouslysullen,hismoodlikeapoisonshotthroughtheair,andOliveseemedaschangedandchangeableasChristopher,thetwohavingfastandfuriousfightsthatbecamejustassuddenlysomeblanketofsilentintimacywhereHenry,clueless,stupefied,wouldfindhimselftobetheoddmanout.Butstandinginthebackparkinglotattheendofalatesummerday,whilehespokewithDeniseandHenryThibodeau,andthesuntuckeditselfbehindthesprucetrees,HenryKitteridgefeltsuchalongingtobeinthepresenceofthisyoungcouple,theirfacesturnedtohimwithadiffidentbuteagerinterestasherecalledhisowndaysattheuniversitymanyyearsago,thathesaid,Now,say.OliveandIwouldlikeyoutocomeforsuppersoon.Hedrovehome,pastthetallpines,pasttheglimpseofthebay,andthoughtoftheThibodeausdrivingtheotherway,totheirtrailerontheoutskirtsoftown.Hepicturedthetrailer,cozyandpickedupforDenisewasneatinherhabitsandimaginedthemsharingthenewsoftheirday.Denisemightsay,Hesaneasyboss.AndHenrymightsay,Oh,Iliketheguyalot.Hepulledintohisdriveway,whichwasnotadrivewaysomuchasapatchoflawnontopofthehill,andsawOliveinthegarden.Hello,Olive,hesaid,walkingtoher.Hewantedtoputhisarmsaroundher,butshehadadarknessthatseemedtostandbesideherlikeanacquaintancethatwouldnotgoaway.HetoldhertheThibodeauswerecomingforsupper.Itsonlyright,hesaid.Olivewipedsweatfromherupperlip,turnedtoripupaclumpofoniongrass.Thenthatsthat,Mr.President,shesaid.Giveyourordertothecook.OnFridaynightthecouplefollowedhimhome,andtheyoungHenryshookOliveshand.Niceplacehere,hesaid.Withthatviewofthewater.Mr.Kitteridgesaysyoutwobuiltthisyourselves.Indeed,wedid.Christophersatsidewaysatthetable,slumpedinadolescentgracelessness,anddidnotrespondwhenHenryThibodeauaskedhimifheplayedanysportsatschool.HenryKitteridgefeltanunexpectedfurysproutinsidehim;hewantedtoshoutattheboy,whosepoormanners,hefelt,revealedsomethingunpleasantnotexpectedtobefoundintheKitteridgehome.Whenyouworkinapharmacy,OlivetoldDenise,settingbeforeheraplateofbakedbeans,youlearnthesecretsofeveryoneintown.Olivesatdownacrossfromher,pushedforwardabottleofketchup.Havetoknowtokeepyourmouthshut.Butseemslikeyouknowhowtodothat.Deniseunderstands,HenryKitteridgesaid.Deniseshusbandsaid,Oh,sure.YoucouldntfindsomeonemoretrustworthythanDenise.Ibelieveyou,Henrysaid,passingthemanabasketofrolls.Andplease.CallmeHenry.Oneofmyfavoritenames,headded.Deniselaughedquietly;shelikedhim,hecouldseethis.Christopherslumpedfartherintohisseat.HenryThibodeausparentslivedonafarminland,andsothetwoHenrysdiscussedcrops,andpolebeans,andthecornnotbeingassweetthissummerfromthelackofrain,andhowtogetagoodasparagusbed.Oh,forGodssake,saidOlive,when,inpassingtheketchuptotheyoungman,HenryKitteridgeknockeditover,andketchuplurchedoutlikethickenedbloodacrosstheoaktable.Tryingtopickupthebottle,hecausedittorollunsteadily,andketchupendeduponhisfingertips,thenonhiswhiteshirt.Leaveit,Olivecommanded,standingup.Justleaveitalone,Henry.ForGodssake.AndHenryThibodeau,perhapsatthesoundofhisownnamebeingspokensharply,satback,lookingstricken.Gosh,whatamessIvemade,HenryKitteridgesaid.Fordesserttheywereeachhandedabluebowlwithascoopofvanillaicecreamslidinginitscenter.Vanillasmyfavorite,Denisesaid.Isit,saidOlive.Mine,too,HenryKitteridgesaid.Asautumncame,themorningsdarker,andthepharmacygettingonlyashortsliverofthedirectsunbeforeitpassedoverthebuildingandleftthestorelitbyitsownoverheadlights,Henrystoodinthebackfillingthesmallplasticbottles,answeringthetelephone,whileDenisestayedupfrontnearthecashregister.Atlunchtime,sheunwrappedasandwichshebroughtfromhome,andateitinthebackwherethestoragewas,andthenhewouldeathislunch,andsometimeswhentherewasnooneinthestore,theywouldlingerwithacupofcoffeeboughtfromthegrocernextdoor.Deniseseemedanaturallyquietgirl,butshewasgiventospurtsofsuddentalkativeness.MymothershadMSforyears,youknow,sostartingwaybackwealllearnedtohelpout.Allthreeofmybrothersaredifferent.Dontyouthinkitsfunnywhenithappensthatway?

Theoldestbrother,Denisesaid,straighteningabottleofshampoo,hadbeenherfathersfavoriteuntilhedmarriedagirlherfatherdidntlike.Herownin-lawswerewonderful,shesaid.ShedhadaboyfriendbeforeHenry,aProtestant,andhisparentshadnotbeensokindtoher.Itwouldnthaveworkedout,shesaid,tuckingastrandofhairbehindherear.Well,Henrysaterrificyoungman,Henryanswered.Shenodded,smilingthroughherglasseslikeathirteen-year-oldgirl.Again,hepicturedhertrailer,thetwoofthemlikeovergrownpuppiestumblingtogether