That news was met with a round of cheers from the others as they disbanded to head home.
The days were flying by in a blur for Rose. She often was so busy that she forgot to eat, and then she would feel ill. When nausea hit, she would run upstairs and down a sandwich before returning to the shop. Once the plumber, electrician, and carpenters were finished with her prep area, she was now ready for the delivery of her parents’ equipment that she had put in storage when she and her mom sold the family ice cream shop in Maryland.
Jason’s work schedule included Thursday and Friday evenings at the tattoo parlor, but he began scheduling clients earlier in the evening so he was not there very late. She used that time to study the letters more, deciphering the passages that were a little fuzzy or where the writing was difficult to read. It appeared that Charles wrote to his wife faithfully between 1891 and1893. The romantic in her wished that they were filled with longing and passion, but for the most part, they just offered a glimpse into his work with the railroad and his instructions for her in dealing with the shop when he was gone.
She walked to the Baytown Museum and talked to Mona Jorgenson, the town’s unofficial historian. She told Mona about the letters, who grew very excited. Promising that she would bring them with her the next time she came, she said she wanted to get an idea of Baytown at the time that the letters were written. “I guess I just want to understand more about Millicent.”
Ushering her to a seat, Mona said, “The plans for the town were created because this area was going to be the southern end of the NYP&N Railroad Company. They wanted to bring the railroad down the Delmarva Peninsula, build a harbor here, and then the goods could be taken by barge and ships over to Norfolk. Baytown was a bustling small city by the turn-of-the-century. It’s been estimated that the harbor handled two and a half million tons of freight each year.”
Thinking about the sleepy little town now, Rose tried to imagine what it would be like in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Mona continued, “All the buildings along Main Street and the side streets were erected, housing banks, stores, even the theater.”
“From the outside of the envelope, I can see that their name was Carson. Is there any way to see if a Charles or Millicent Carson ran a shop in town?”
Mona’s brow lowered as she pondered, “I wouldn’t have those records here, but I bet I can find out from the library. The museum isn’t open tomorrow, so I’ll go there and do some research.”
“Oh, you wouldn’t mind?”
Mona laughed. “My dear, this is what keeps us old historians going. Always looking for a new mystery to solve.”
Rose stood, her hand extended toward Mona, when the room began to spin, and her vision blurred. Plopping back down into her chair, she rested her head in her hands as Mona jumped up and fussed around her.
“Oh, my dear! Did you stand up too quickly?”
She nodded and mumbled, “Yes,” but was uncertain that was the cause. It took a moment for the dizziness to pass, and she gratefully took the water bottle that Mona pressed into her hands. Taking a long sip of the cool water, her head began to clear. Flush with embarrassment, she stood slowly, and as her feet were steady underneath her, thanked Mona for her assistance as well as the water.
Eager to get back to the shop, knowing she had a big delivery coming that afternoon, she hurried along the sidewalk. Whatever had caused the dizziness had passed, and she quickly felt like herself again. Waving at Jason in his garage across the street, she headed inside. When the moving truck finally pulled up outside her store, she ran outside, jumping up and down, clapping with glee.
With her prep area now complete with cabinets, counters, and sinks, she was counting down the days until she could open. She watched as the moving men unloaded each of the items from her parents’ shop, trying to stay out of their way while pointing out where each item needed to go and lovingly running her hands over the surfaces.
Sophie showed up in the midst of the chaos, gaining a hug from Rose before assisting. She had been working with Rose to design the best interior layout for the store.
Two long dipping case cabinets were placed side-by-side, each holding six three-gallon tubs. She would never have twelve different flavors of ice cream to offer on any one day, preferring to create fewer, more unique flavors, but it was always important to have room for the basics such as vanilla and chocolate, especially for smaller children.
The cabinets were white with tall, heat-reflective glass lids and galvanized-steel interiors. Her parents had taken care of their equipment, and they shone like new. These particular cabinets were only a few years old when her father died.
The movers brought in boxes which Sophie directed to be placed in the prep area while Rose stood nervously watching the electrician who agreed to come and oversee her plugging in the appliances.
He chuckled at her as her fingers shook plugging the two cases in, and for a second, she held her breath until the familiar hum of the electric motors of the cabinets began.
“I’m going to hang around for a bit to make sure everything’s working,” he told her, and she breathed a sigh of relief.
She stood for a moment, her hand lovingly resting on the display cases, remembering her mother and father filling them each morning with whatever flavors they had created. The plumber’s noise from the side startled her out of her memories, and she moved back to the prep area and began opening boxes. She heard a noise at the front door and grinned as Madelyn and Jade walked in with Lia and her daughter, Amanda.
“We thought we’d see if you needed any help,” Lia said, holding her daughter’s hand and guiding her out of the way of the moving men. “Since it’s spring break, I’m coming up with things to keep Amanda from getting bored.”
Greeting her friends, she said, “I want to make sure that everything is here before the movers leave and I have to sign for the delivery. Can you check the number on those boxes and then you can go ahead and open them?”
The women began working, and soon, her countertops were filled with cold crocks, dippers, cream whippers and dispensers, two waffle cone makers, commercial blenders, and a variety of cutlery.
The movers carried one last large item from the truck, and Rose could barely wait to get her hands on it. Watching them carefully, they set the batch ice cream mixer-slash-freezer on the table near the back of the prep area. The electrician had assured her that the dipping case cabinets were beginning to chill and he moved to oversee the mixer-freezer being plugged in.
Rose stood in the middle of the prep area, now divided from the customer area by the dipping cases, and turned in a slow circle. She could not believe how well it was coming together with everyone’s help. The low hum of the electrical equipment was music to her ears, but then so was the laughter coming from her friends and little Amanda. Just like an ice cream shop should be.
Her friends were so efficient that as they unpacked the boxes and she checked them off, they placed the packing material back inside and hauled them out the back door to be picked up by recycling.
With her front door standing open, she was getting used to a few townspeople peeking in to check on the progress and wish her well. She was surprised to look up and see Corwin Banks and Paul Gillespie walk in. Both looking distinguished in their suits, she was aware that she looked like a complete mess. Rushing forward, she relaxed as she saw their wide smiles.
“We were out having lunch and saw the door open, so we thought we’d check on you,” Corwin said, his gaze moving about the room. “My, my, you’ve made such a difference in here. We used to love to come play in here when I was a boy, and my aunt ran her shop from here.”
Paul nodded emphatically and said, “Yes, yes, we did.” Looking at Rose, he asked, “Are you doing okay here, Ms. Parker? Settling in?”
“Yes, it’s been absolutely wonderful finally moving into Baytown.” Looking at Corwin, she asked, “Mayor Banks? Do you know anything about the history of the store before your aunt o
wned it?”
He blinked as he settled his gaze back on her. “Now, Ms. Parker, if there’s a problem with the building, you’ve already bought it—”
“Oh, no, no! There’s no problem. I just found some old letters from a man who used to live in Baytown in the late 1800s. His name was Charles Carson, and he wrote them to his wife, Millicent. I have no idea if they worked here or not but was just curious.”
“My family came here in the 1920s,” Corwin replied, “so I wouldn’t have any relatives here that go back that far. My family was the Banks from the Richmond area of Virginia. An old family with a distinguished lineage.”
Rose was glad that the letters did not belong to one of his relatives, knowing that if they did, she would need to turn them over to him. She did not mind giving them to the museum after she had finished reading them all but felt such a kinship with Charles and Millicent that she did not want to share them with the Mayor.
“She ran a ladies’ clothing store carrying only the finest for the townswomen,” Corwin continued. “She also sold shoes and hats as well. Only the best for the discriminating customer.”
As Corwin walked over to chat with the others in the shop, Paul turned to her with a twinkle in his eye and whispered, “Corwin and I’ve known each other since we were kids, and he was just as snooty then as now.”
She giggled, and he winked before calling out, “Corwin, let’s head to lunch.”
Excited for visitors, she was still glad when they left. Moving into the prep area again, she had just given instructions to Madelyn and Jade on wiping down the dipping cases with the cleanser she had prepared when arms encircled her from behind. Yelping, she jumped as she twisted around to see who was behind her.
Jason snuck in a quick kiss before saying, “It looks fuckin’ amazing, babe.”
Eyes bright, she replied, “It does, doesn’t it?”
Leaning down so that his mouth was close to her ear, he whispered, “You doing okay? With your dad’s stuff here?”
She stared up at his eyes full of concern. She sucked in her lips and nodded. Whispering also, she said, “Yeah. I think when everyone leaves and it’s quiet, it will hit me what it means to have all of his things here. The renewed realization that he’s gone from my life combined with the realization that he’s actually still here with me.”
Bringing one hand up to cup the back of her head, he pulled her deeply into his embrace, kissing the top of her head. With her arms wrapped around his waist, she buried in deeply for just a moment, reveling in the calm steadiness that he provided.
“I’ll get out of your hair and see you tonight. Come on over to the shop when you get a chance.”
With a goodbye kiss, this one lasting much longer than his quick kiss earlier, she clung to him for a moment before pulling back and saying, “You’d better go now, or I’m going to kick everyone out and have my wicked way with you.”
He threw his head back and laughed, before adding, “Damn, girl. You make me want to kick everyone out right now.”
He bent and kissed the tip of her nose before waving at their friends, whose faces were split with smiles. He turned to leave when Ben walked in, a wrapped box in his hands. Rose quickly looked up at Jason, whose smile was now replaced with a scowl as he stood with his legs apart and his arms crossed over his chest. Placing her hand on Jason’s arm, feeling the muscles tight underneath, she greeted the newcomer.
“Ben, nice to see you.”
Ben’s eyes shot toward Jason, and Rose knew there was no mistaking the glare Jason was throwing.
Looking back at her, Ben held out the box and said, “I wanted to offer you something for your shop.”
Ignoring the slight growl coming from Jason, she took the gift and thanked him. Pulling off the wrapping paper, she revealed a small picture frame with the words at the top of the glass etched with the saying, My First Dollar.
Offering the unnecessary explanation, Ben said, “You can hang that on your wall when you sell your first ice cream cone. I hope that you’ll let me be first in line on opening day, and I’ll make sure to pay you, so you have a dollar to go into the frame.”
“It’s lovely,” she said, grateful when Sophie moved to the side of her and took the frame from her hands.
“I’ll set it to the side with your other decorations so that it doesn’t get broken,” Sophie said.
An awkward silence settled in the room, and she was once more grateful when Lia said, “Ben, are you going to the next Chamber of Commerce meeting?”
Ben stepped toward Lia, and as they began a conversation, Rose turned to Jason. Her glare met his, and she whispered, “Jason! Play nice!”
He opened his mouth to speak, but she lifted her finger and placed it over his lips. Still whispering, she said, “He’s just another businessman in town who’s being nice. It’s no different than when Mayor Banks or Paul Gillespie came in to see me.”
He pulled her in for a hug, then whispered, “The old geezers don’t want to get into your pants.” Hesitating, he amended, “Well, they probably do…”
She rolled her eyes and slid away from him before grabbing his hand and pulling him toward the door. “You’re ridiculous, and you need to go back to work. Anyway,” she winked, “you’re the only one who’s getting into my pants!”
With that, he grinned and leaned in for another kiss, this one so searing she felt it down to her toes.
Ben left soon after, and she turned toward her friends, all staring at her. “Um…I guess you can tell that we’re together now.”
Laughter greeted her, but before they were able to ply her with more questions, the movers began unloading the furniture for her apartment. Filled with renewed excitement, she rushed upstairs to show them where to place the furniture.
A sofa, chair, long bookshelf, two end tables, and a coffee table completed the living room. The box marked ‘TV’ was placed in the corner and she would have Jason put it on the bookshelf later that evening. Her parents’ dining table was going to stay in storage, but she had one of the smaller tables from the shop, along with two chairs, to go in her eat-in nook next to the kitchen. Two boxes marked ‘Kitchen’ were shoved in the corner next to the table.
A double bed, dresser, and small chest of drawers went into the larger bedroom, and a smaller, twin-size daybed went into the second bedroom, along with the desk and chair. A few more boxes labeled ‘Linens’, ‘Bedroom miscellaneous’, and ‘Household items’ were placed in the second bedroom as well.
The movers made quick work of everything, and as soon as they left, her friends came back upstairs to help. In no time at all, sheets were on the beds, kitchen items were in cabinets and drawers, and clothes were hung or put away.
Exhausted, Rose hugged each of them, thanking them for their help.
“Don’t worry about it,” Jillian said. “Just invite us over when you start testing out new recipes for ice cream. We can be your tasters!”
As they stood at the front of her shop, Rose laughed and agreed. Watching as they all walked down the street or went back to their cars, she looked up as Jason came jogging across the street, his coveralls smeared with grease and his hair pulled back away from his face in a man bun.
“Oh, baby, I wish I could have the whole tour right now, but we’re swamped,” he said, bending to touch her lips with his. “How did everything go?”
Smiling up at him, she said, “I’m exhausted, but it looks fabulous. Anyway, I’d rather for you to see it when it’s a little bit more put together. I know you gotta work late tonight, so I’m going to go take a hot bath, enjoy my apartment looking like an apartment, and read some more of the letters.”
Kissing her once again, his eyes twinkled as he said, “Any chance I can come over soon as I’m finished in the shop?”
Grinning widely, she said, “There’s no way I want to sleep anywhere tonight except in my apartment…and I’d much rather not sleep alone.”
“Then that’s exactly where I’ll be, babe.” With
one last kiss, he turned and jogged back to his garage, and Rose hurried back into her shop, reveling in the fact that her dreams were finally coming true.
15
Normally, Jason liked the quiet time in his tattoo shop as he was doing the prep before a customer came in. After the noise of the garage during the day, the quiet of prep time gave him a chance to think.
Unlike most tattoo shops that had lots of business and multiple artists working at the same time, the only noise came from himself. When he did turn on background music, he kept it soft and relaxing.
He had always been good at drawing, and when he was not helping his parents in their diner or hanging with his neighbor learning about cars, he had made friends with a tattoo artist, soaking up everything he could. He knew working on cars and tattoos would make more money than flipping burgers and was glad his parents always encouraged him to follow his own dreams.
He would have a lot more business if he was near the Naval base in Norfolk or the vacation area of Virginia Beach, but he would not trade his small-town living for anything.
Setting up his workstation, he used foil to cover his tray, taping white paper on top. He laid out two of the disposable tubes of ink. Using sandwich bags, he covered his power supply, bottles, and fit his power cord into a plastic sleeve, taping the ends. Laying out his tattoo machine, he left everything in its packaging until the client arrived.
Once his workstation was set, he walked toward the front and looked out the window of the door toward Rose’s place. It had been a beehive of activity all day long, first with the delivery of ice cream shop equipment and then furniture for her apartment. Three times she had run across the street to find him, jumping up and down with excitement over something that had been delivered.
Sweet Rose: Baytown Boys Page 12