Chapter Text
Patrick Brewer smiled and shook his head. He had been smiling since he played back the first voicemail left by David Rose. His amusement only increased with each rambling message, tangent, and explanation of David's plans for the General Store. Now four or five messages deep, Patrick could almost see David's facial expressions and hand gestures as he spoke. Their only meeting thus far had been brief, but David's vivid personality had left an impression on Patrick.
Schitt's Creek was full of colorful characters and odd personalities. When Patrick had arrived in the little town two weeks before, renting a room and office space from Ray Butani to set up shop as a freelance business consultant, his only thought had been to get away for a while, and clear his head. But the more he got to know the town and its inhabitants, the more he discovered that he liked it here.
Patrick was grateful for the change of pace. For a while now, he had felt stifled in a way he could not articulate, not least because he did not understand it himself. He had tried to explain it to Rachel, when he broke off their engagement — again — but could not find the right words to express what he felt. She had been disappointed and resigned, but not devastated. No real surprise, considering how many times they had broken up in the past, only to find their way back to each other. Still, she deserved an explanation. Patrick's vague discontentment was not her fault, after all.
The problem was that there was no good reason for his dissatisfaction. He had grown up with a family who loved him. He had never suffered any real hardship or trauma. He had graduated from business school near the top of his class, allowing him to take his pick from a number of good, lucrative jobs. He had friends and hobbies that he enjoyed. He was in good health. He had been in a fairly stable and comfortable relationship since high school with a woman whose company he enjoyed, and about whom he cared a great deal. A good life, all things considered. But Patrick could not shake the nagging sense that something was missing.
"… So, anyway, for the name, I was thinking about 'Rose Apothecary'. Definitely. Almost 90% sure. Yeah. No. Yeah, Rose Apothecary. I just feel like it sets the right … ambience for the experience I want to create for customers. Probably …."
Patrick grinned.
He had overheard some members of the Town Council discussing the new management of the General Store when he stopped by the Town Hall to have some paperwork signed and filed a few days before. The mayor, Roland Schitt, was disappointed that something called Christmas World would not be moving into the space, but Councilwoman Ronnie Lee was of the opinion that the new proprietor would "class up the joint". Both had had much to say on the subject of David Rose and his family. Roland, in particular, was happy to share the exploits of the Roses at length and in detail. It seemed he knew the family well. Patrick had only half believed Roland's wild riches-to-rags, fish-out-of-water tales, but now, having met David, the stories did not seem quite so unlikely.
While Roland and Ronnie had painted David as someone who was all affectation and no substance, the longer Patrick listened to the messages on his voicemail, the more impressed he was with what he could piece together of David's business plan. It was a clever, creative idea that might actually work … assuming David could pull it off. It was clear to Patrick that there were some aspects of running a business that David had not considered, or only half thought through. Still, Patrick thought there might be enough information scattered throughout the messages to make a start. He just needed to put it all in order, then see what, if anything, was missing.
Taking a new incorporation form out of a file drawer, Patrick put his phone on speaker, and returned to David's first message, chuckling.
"Hi, David, it's Patrick …."
Patrick was bent over a table, finishing up some paperwork, when he heard a soft, "Hi," behind him.
Looking up, he found David Rose standing awkwardly in the middle of the room.
"Um … so I messed up my form. And I'm going to need another form from you," said David apologetically.
"Oh. OK."
Patrick could not hide his amusement as he glanced over the paper, with its many crossed out and messily overwritten fields.
"What?" said David, a little defensively. His posture was awkward, and he seemed to not quite know what to do with his hands.
"Nothing," said Patrick, hiding a smile. "I'm just so glad you made such good use of my business card. I'm sorry I didn't pick up; I was at a thing."
"Well, best you didn't."
"But I got all your messages," Patrick continued, going to his desk.
"Ah. And just listened to the first one, and then erased the rest?" David asked hopefully.
"No, I listened to all of them," Patrick informed him, feigning seriousness. "I kinda had to, to piece them together."
David stared at him in dismay. Patrick could not resist teasing him a little.
"Actually," he continued, "I played them for a few friends of mine. I was at a birthday party, so there were a lot of people weighing in."
"OK, um …" stammered David, looking flustered.
"Just kidding," Patrick chuckled. "I didn't play them for anybody."
"I thought the first few were very humorous, David," Ray chimed in from the next room, "and then I lost interest."
David glanced back and forth between them, speechless.
Patrick relented. "I may have played them here on speaker phone," he said apologetically.
"OK," said David. "Can I just get the paperwork, and then I can —"
"You know," Patrick interrupted him, "the good thing about the messages was that I was able to get enough information to fill out your forms."
He handed David the folder of completed paperwork.
"Oh!" said David, startled. "I wish I could remember."
He opened the folder, glancing over the forms.
"It's a good idea, your business," Patrick told him. "Rebranding local products and crafts. It's very inventive."
"Thanks," said David hesitantly, as if unsure whether Patrick was still making fun of him.
"And I like the name," continued Patrick. "'Rose Apothecary'. It's just pretentious enough."
David's eyes narrowed. "Would we call that 'pretentious'? Or … 'timeless'?"
This drew another smile from Patrick. David's eccentricity and dramatic behavior might have been insufferable in someone whose feathers were less easily ruffled, but his flustered demeanor charmed and amused Patrick. He seemed unaccustomed to compliments, or to demonstrations of kindness. Patrick thought that was a shame.
"So I'll call you when I hear something," Patrick told him. "And, hey, if I don't get ahold of you, I'll just … leave a message."
David grimaced at the gibe. "OK. Thanks."
"Ciao!" called Ray, from the next room.
David looked back and forth between them wordlessly once more, and departed.
Patrick chuckled, his amusement finally getting the better of him. "What do you think, Ray? Seems like a pretty solid business plan to me."
Ray shrugged. "I think a General Store has already failed in that location once this year."
"I dunno," said Patrick thoughtfully. "In the right hands, it could work. And it would be good for the town."
"Certainly. But do you really think those hands are the right ones?"
Patrick smiled. "Oh, I think he might manage it. With a little help."