THE WESTPORT WHISPER — EDITION FOUR The Westport Whisper All the news that's fit to whisper — and some that isn't

Dear Reader, your correspondent has had a busy week. So has Westport. As usual, it had no idea it was being watched. As usual, it was.

🔹 TILLY — All Things Nice, but is everything?

Tilly runs the cupcake shop on the corner of Price Lane and is, by all accounts, the happiest person in Westport. She is always smiling, always has something warm coming out of the kitchen, and has the particular gift of making whoever walks through her door feel like the most important customer she has seen all day. This correspondent adores her. Westport adores her.

Which is why the closed sign on the door at two o’clock on a Tuesday gave several residents pause. Tilly is never closed at two on a Tuesday. Sources report the lights were on. The trays were out. And a man this correspondent has not been able to identify was seen leaving through the back with what appeared to be a folder of paperwork. Tilly, when asked, said everything was fine. She smiled when she said it. She always smiles. This correspondent is watching.

* * *

🔹 LIZZIE & RILEY — is it a house or is it a plan?

Lizzie Fuller and Riley are living together, which Westport considers old news. What is new — and considerably more interesting — is that the two of them have been spotted lingering outside a certain property across town with the specific expression of people who are trying very hard to look like they are simply passing by. They are not simply passing by. Sources close to the situation suggest there is talk of buying it. Restoring it. Possibly going into business together.

Lizzie, a bookkeeper, and Riley, a man who can build anything, going into business together. This correspondent cannot think of a single reason why that would be complicated. Not one.

* * *

🔹 GRACIE SAUNDERS — Geoffrey has been relocated

Gracie Saunders’ rat Geoffrey has been moved from the bedroom to the lounge, which Gracie describes as a temporary arrangement and Nancy describes as progress. The dachshund, the guinea pigs, and the birds remain exactly where they were. The new owner of The Ivory Veil, who has now been on the premises long enough to know all of their names, has not yet commented on the collection. He did, however, arrive on Monday with a rather large bag of bird seed that nobody asked for. Gracie told Nancy it meant nothing. Nancy did not appear convinced.

* * *

🔹 ALEXANDRA — Sam McDermott has her number. Literally.

Alexandra, who prides herself on a reliable intuition she admittedly ignores on a regular basis, was spotted at the Café by the River on Thursday. She was alone. She was also on her phone. She was also — sources in the adjacent booth confirm — smiling at it in a way that suggested the message was not from her mother or her bank. Sam McDermott, cameraman, Chloe McDermott’s brother, and a man who has apparently been trying to get Alexandra’s attention since well before either of them would care to admit, has recently been in contact. Georgie, who knew this was coming, has said nothing. Georgie is very good at saying nothing when it suits her.

* * *

🔹 GRANDMA MABEL — the competition is fierce and she knows it

Grandma Mabel was overheard at the pathologist this week — don’t ask — informing Molly that the number of eligible men at her age is dwindling fast, that women outlive men considerably, and that one must stay on top of these things. She then smoothed down her blue polyester dress and went to give blood with the air of a woman who had somewhere better to be afterward. This correspondent understands she did, in fact, have somewhere better to be afterward. Whether Barry Crosby knows he has competition is unclear. Whether Grandma Mabel cares is not.

The Westport Whisper sees all, says most, and leaves just enough unsaid to keep you wondering. Until next week — your faithful correspondent remains, as always, delightfully anonymous. 🕯️