Fern wakes up and grabs her phone off the nightstand first thing in the morning to check if she has any messages. She's waiting for a response to the ad she posted on FB Market for her car. She listed it for $7,000, but she knows it's worth about $6,000.
Fern doesn't want to scam anyone, but she really needs the money. There is a message from a man named Mr. Clark, and he wants to come look at the car at 11 am.
Fern gets up, showers, eats breakfast, pours herself a cup of coffee with cream, and opens Freeman Market.
Today is Monday, Mr. Daniels will come back Sunday.
At 10:53, Mr. Clark walks in the door of Freeman Market and introduces himself. Fern takes him to look at the car.
When Mr. Clark has finished looking over the car and driven it on 23 a little bit, the negotiating starts.
"Miss Freeman, I'll be honest with you, I'm pretty sure this car is only worth about $4,000."
Fern is taken aback, because she knows that isn't true. She has worked with her dad on cars for years, she knows the exact value of this car.
"Well, Mr. Clark, I'll be honest with YOU. This car is only worth about $6,000. I posted the ad for 7 because I wanted to make some extra money off of it," Fern fires back at him.
Mr. Clark looks shocked that this cute little girl that still looks like a teenager saw through his cheap bluff.
He recollects himself and chuckles.
"Fine, I'll meet you in the middle. 5,000 is the best I can do."
Fern knows he's serious. She was really hoping to sell it for more money, but she doesn't have a lot of time.
"Deal."
Fern holds back tears as she watches her beloved car being driven away by a stranger.
She decides to close the shop early and heads down 23 to go visit Aunt Marcy and James at the camp.
When she arrives, James is already in the water swimming, so she changes into her bathing suit and jumps off the dock to join him.
The cool water calms her, and James cheers her up by repeatedly (and unsuccessfully) trying to dunk her head.
On the walk home with a bag of leftovers from Aunt Marcy, Fern ponders what things she could do to try and earn the money before the end of the week.