by Rosie Sams
Inside, Mel filled the new bowl with food, and stood back watching Smudge devour it. She was surprised by how much such a little dog could eat. Mel thought about making something to eat for herself but found that she wasn’t hungry. Perhaps it was a side effect of everything that had happened that day. She did, however, find that she wanted a hot shower.
After her hot shower, she put on her most comfortable pajamas and crawled into bed. She had a hard time falling asleep. The events of the day kept playing on repeat in her mind. She felt so bad for Amelia. The poor woman didn’t deserve what happened to her. The only thing she was guilty of was having more money than she needed. It wasn’t her fault that others were jealous of her. Bad things always seem to happen to good people, and it was a real shame. Amelia still had so much life to live. There are so many things that she’ll never get a chance to do, to accomplish.
Mel’s heart ached for the woman. She couldn’t imagine having such a young life cut so short. It made her realize how short life really was and how fast things could change. Anything can happen, and your entire life can be turned upside down in the blink of an eye.
Wrapped up in her thoughts, Mel slowly drifted off into a dreamless sleep.
Chapter Twenty
“Mel, someone wants to order a dozen of your lemon bars.” Kerry peeked through the kitchen.
Kerry had been especially helpful and caring about her in the past few days. Melody did not expect to be shaken like that after the event. After everything that happened, Melody was glad she had something to do. She kept herself busy baking so she could forget the past days. She even avoided making De Vine for a while. It reminded her of the late Amelia who had died so soon after having the little sweet treats.
A few days passed, giving Mel time to think. After everything that happened, she was happy to get back into her normal routine. Although, she was still giving a lot of thought into expanding her business. She was not sure when, but she knew it was going in that direction. It was a welcome distraction for her. On the other hand, after intensely pondering, she decided to meet with Leslie to offer her a position at her shop. Hiring her would lessen Melody’s burden. Maybe it was time for her to focus on an important matter, like herself. What did she really want? Also, what pushed her more to hire Leslie was that the lady needed the job. Sometimes, people made the wrong decision, thinking it would be the best solution to their problems. Melody was confident that that one event of stealing would not define Leslie as a person. She reached out to Leslie and they were meeting at the coffee shop where she saw her the last time.
She waited at a table outside of the small coffee shop. Smudge was curled up at her feet with a bowl of water and a biscuit. All the necessary paperwork for hiring, was laid out in front of her. There was a slight breeze today, and it blew stray strands of hair around her face, tickling her nose. She sipped her caramel mocha latte while she waited. The liquid slid down her throat, warming her from the inside. She had always enjoyed moments like this.
It wasn’t long before she caught a glimpse of a flash of red out of the corner of her eye. Looking up, she watched Leslie approach her table with a large smile on her face.
“Sorry I’m late, Mel. I hope you haven’t been waiting long,” she said, pulling out a chair and sitting down across from Melody.
“Oh, not at all. I just got here, actually.” Mel shuffled the papers in front of her, making sure she had everything she needed.
They quickly went through the interview process. Mel asked simple questions and Leslie answered with all the right answers. Kerry didn’t know yet that Mel was hiring Leslie. She was planning to tell her that day when she got back to the shop. After all, they did need the extra help. Business had been picking up lately, and Mel and Ker had been stretching themselves too thin. Leslie was the solution to that issue. Although, she wasn’t sure how Ker was going to respond to working with the former maid.
Ker had a habit of holding grudges longer than she should. But Mel was eager to give Leslie the benefit of the doubt. She believed that everyone deserved a second chance, even someone with a history like Leslie. She could understand why the young woman had done what she did. Times were tough sometimes, and not everyone had family or friends they could rely on for support.
“Well, I think you’re going to be a perfect fit,” Mel said when the interview was over. “How do you feel about starting this afternoon?”
“That would be perfect!” Leslie exclaimed. “I’m so excited, I can’t wait to start.”
When they had both finished their coffee, they planned to meet up later at the shop, and said their goodbyes.
When Mel got back to the shop, Ker was busy decorating a cake for a new customer.
“Hey, Mel, I didn’t expect you to be gone so long. Did Smudge enjoy her walk?” she asked, bending down to pet the bulldog.
When Mel nodded, Ker continued, “I really can’t believe the two of you solved a murder. Who would have thought? It’s crazy how much can change in just a few short days. Did you ever expect to be able to add “Mystery Solver” to your resume?” Ker let out a laugh at her own remark, wiping her brow with the back of her hand.
“No, I can’t say that I did,” Mel said, laughing along with her. There was something about Ker and the way she carried herself that made her energy contagious. You just couldn’t help but smile when she was around.
She was glad that the two of them had grown so close. Mel never really had very many friends. And perhaps that’s what made her friendship with Ker so special. Ker never pressured her into being someone she wasn’t. She understood Mel for who she really was, and Mel appreciated that more than she could imagine. She was still shocked that Ker wanted her to be her Maid of Honor at her wedding, but she was also pleased at the thought.
It might be the only chance she had to be in a wedding. She surely wasn’t going to ever have one of her own. She was beginning to convince herself that she would be alone forever. If it wasn’t for her growing feelings for Alvin, she probably wouldn’t even consider dating again. Besides, she was okay being on her own… at least, that was what she kept telling herself.
As her thoughts flickered back to Alvin, she tried to push him to the back of her mind. She didn’t need to think about him now. She needed to concentrate on her work. Leslie would be coming in soon, and Ker still didn’t know that she was going to start working with them. She was a little afraid of how she would react, but she knew that she was doing the right thing. Leslie needed a job, and if Mel didn’t give her a chance, who would?
Everyone makes mistakes, and sometimes we need a second chance in order to make things right. Mel was determined to give Leslie the opportunity to prove herself. She trusted her, even though she had reason enough not to. The young woman was under a lot of pressure and felt that she didn’t have any other option but to steal from Amelia.
Maybe she had a second chance, too, Melody thought to herself. Her mind flashed to Alvin again but she shook off those thoughts. Maybe not yet.
“I want this kind of cake for my child,” Kerry said as she piped strings of rainbow icing on the cake.
Melody laughed. “You’re not even married yet.”
“Well, it’s best to plan ahead. Life’s short,” Kerry said the last part softer than her usual tone. Melody felt sad, too.
“She just wanted a new life,” Melody muttered, remembering those words Amelia had said. Kerry reached out to her and squeezed her shoulder.
“Not everyone gets a second chance to live their lives differently, Mel. Amelia’s life should be a lesson to you.”
Mel turned to Kerry, “Why do I think that was about me, and a certain sheriff, again, Ker?”
Kerry turned away from Melody to get back to icing the cake. “Just saying, Mel. You don’t have many chances; it is foolish to let opportunities pass. You’ve been hurt once but it does not mean it will happen again. Or if it happens again, who cares? You’re strong enough now to feel you can cope because you know that after
failure, there can be another success.”
Melody rarely saw this side of Kerry and she considered her friend’s words.
They were busy packaging over a hundred cupcakes when the bell rang at the door of the shop. Slipping off her apron and dusting off her hands, Mel went to see who had stopped by and she silently wished it was Alvin. He hadn’t dropped by recently; he was probably still focused on the case. To her utter surprise, it was Grant.
“Grant,” she said, astonishment filled her voice. “This is a surprise. What can I do for you?” she asked as he approached the counter.
He grinned sheepishly at her. “I just wanted to stop by and say thanks for helping to clear my name. If it hadn’t been for you, there’s a good chance that I would be sitting in a jail cell right now.”
Mel blushed. “No need to thank me, I was just following my gut.”
“Well, I really appreciate it. In fact, I was hoping you would accept a donation on behalf of clearing my name. It turns out I’m still going to inherit Amelia’s fortune, and I would really like to help you in any way I can. It’s the least that I can do.”
Mel’s eyes widened in shock; this was not what she was expecting. She couldn’t accept his money, not when all she was doing was trying to get justice for Amelia. “That’s very kind of you, but I can’t accept your money. I was just doing what I felt was right, so there’s no need for any type of reward. I’m sure anyone would have done the same.”
Grant sighed. “I’m not sure they would have, but are you sure? I really don’t mind. You deserve it after all.”
Mel smiled. “Thank you, Grant, but I’ll have to pass. I really appreciate you thinking of me, though. But since you mention it, there is one thing you could do for me.”
“Anything,” Grant said, his eyes lighting up. “Whatever you want, just say the word.”
“Well, I was hoping you would let me keep Smudge, Amelia’s bulldog. I promise to give her a good home. I’ve spent so much time with her lately that I just can’t imagine life without her now.”
Grant smiled. “Of course, Melody. I think that’s a great idea. Amelia would be happy knowing that she has such a good home. Let me know if you change your mind about the money, okay?”
“Sure, thanks, Grant,” Mel said before Grant left.
When he was gone, she went back to helping Ker with the birthday order.
“Who was that?” Ker asked, icing a raspberry cake, flour smeared across her face.
“Grant.” Mel watched for Ker’s reaction.
Ker’s eyes widened, almost dropping the frosting in her hand. “Grant? What did he want?”
“He came to offer me a reward for clearing his name,” Mel explained.
“Wow… I surely wasn’t expecting that. What did you say? Did you take the money? You know, it would give you a chance to expand the business like you’ve been wanting. We could open up a new location and finally afford to advertise. I really can’t believe that. How much did he offer you? I hope you accepted. You really could use the money, you know, Mel.”
Mel rolled her eyes. “I didn’t actually accept it. But speaking of expanding, there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you.”
Ker froze, “What is it?”
“Do you remember Leslie? The girl that used to work as a maid for Amelia? Well, I’ve hired her to help out around here. She starts today.” Mel looked down at her watch. “Actually, she should be here any minute now.”
“Mel! How could you not have told me this?! Are you sure you can trust her? What if she steals again? Oh, I don’t know about this… It seems like an awfully big risk to me.”
“Everyone deserves a second chance; didn’t you say that, Ker? And, if I don’t give her one, who else will?”
“I don’t know.”
“She really needs the job, and we could use the help around here.”
It was true, they really did need the help. Mel and Ker tried their best to get everything done on their own, but sometimes they still struggled to get the orders done on time. It would be a relief to have an extra set of hands to help run the shop while Mel and Ker prepared orders in the back. It might mean they could finish on time a little more often.
“If you say so…” Ker trailed off, returning her attention to the cake she was frosting, “but I don’t want you to get your hopes up.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Not long after that, Leslie arrived. Ker kept giving her wary glances out of the corner of her eye, but Mel ignored her. She busied herself, showing Leslie the ropes. Smudge was excited to see a familiar face and wagged her tail excitedly when Leslie entered the shop. Leslie seemed just as happy to see the little dog again, as she reached down and petted her.
“The packaging boxes are all pre-made. You just have to assemble them,” Melody said to Leslie as she was touring with her in the stock room. They walked toward the whiteboard where her inventory of items was written down.
“Make sure that each of that item has over a hundred pieces. Anything less than that should instigate a call to the suppliers.”
Leslie nodded and listed everything that Melody was saying in a small notebook.
“I did not realize that a bakery has so many things to do. All I imagine is flour and an oven.”
Melody laughed. “I always get that. Well, like any business, it requires other things to work.”
Melody knew that Kerry was uncomfortable around Leslie, so she solved it by assigning them on completely different tasks.
In had been a week since Leslie arrived and Melody noticed Kerry was not talking to the new employee.
“I’m disappointed with you,” Melody said to Kerry while they were working on a wedding anniversary cake.
Kerry stopped working. “What?”
“I know you are still suspicious about Leslie. You’re not talking to her. Do you think she would steal your items right before your face?”
“I’m sorry, Mel. I just need some time to adjust, too. It used to be us only. I’m sorry… also, if you think that I’m not being friendly to Leslie… I’ll try harder… for you.”
“She is working on the cash register because I trust her, she would not steal. I’ve checked the till, the money’s all there.”
Kerry blushed and bowed her head.
Kerry and Melody were quiet, getting back to the process of cake decoration. Melody was wishing she was able to hit her friend’s soft spot, to get the two girls to become true friends. After they finished, Mel watched her two employees.
As Kerry promised, she was more friendly to Leslie. Because of that, Leslie’s enthusiasm just grew bigger. Probably because of Kerry’s acceptance. While Leslie and Kerry were doing the inventory, Melody heard from the kitchen, the shop's bell. She washed her hands briefly and wiped them against her apron. She was happily surprised to see Alvin standing there, a grin on his handsome face. She realized that she missed his regular visit and now, instead of annoyance, her heart skipped at the sight of him.
“Hey, Alvin, what can I do for you today?” Mel smiled cheerfully.
Alvin grinned even more, running his hand through his thick hair. “I just wanted to stop by and say thanks for everything you did to help with the investigation. We really couldn’t have done it without you. Has anyone ever told you that you’d make a good detective?”
Mel laughed. “No, they haven’t, actually. But I was happy to help. It was the least I could do.”
Just then, Smudge raced out from behind the counter. “Hey, girl,” Alvin said, bending down to scratch her behind the ears. “I was just about to ask Mel about you.”
The little bulldog wagged her tail and licked his hand playfully.
When Alvin straightened up, Smudge barked, looking between the sheriff and the pastry chef.
Mel laughed, taking a hint from the dog. “So, how are you? How’s Claire?”
Alvin shrugged. “I’m fine. Another record for me, thanks to you. For Claire, well of course, she’s not fine. She still cannot
believe she’s going to jail.”
Mel felt her heart sink. “I hope she realizes how wrong she was.”
Alvin smiled. Melody noted that he was not his usual self around her now, the shy and tongue-tied man who could never say anything straight to her, was gone. His confidence was showing through. Melody was happy that their partnership had helped Alvin outgrow his shyness around her.
Smudge yelped again. Melody took this as a hint. Her face grew warm at the thought of what she was planning to say. What if Alvin’s comfortable demeanor around her indicated he was no longer interested? Kerry’s words rang into her head, who cares? She knew that after failure, there was a possibility of success.
“I was wondering… uhm.”
Goodness! It was Melody now getting tongue-tied! Now, she knew and understood what Alvin must have felt around her. She looked at Alvin’s face and his smile was reaching his ears.
“What are you trying to say, Mel?”
Mel took a deep breath. She stared at her shoes for a moment before looking up to Alvin. “I was wondering if your offer last time, you know, that night when I told you about Amelia’s disappearance…” Mel could not continue.
Alvin’s smile was growing wider and wider. Mel equally hated and loved it.
“What about that?”
“Well...”
“Well?” Alvin looked amused.
Kerry suddenly appeared out of nowhere. “Just get on with it, Melody! Say it!”
Mel breathed deeply again and closed her eyes. “I was wondering if you still want to have dinner with me. That’s what I wanted to say.” It was a relief for Mel that she was able to say it out loud. Now, she was just bracing for his possible response.
Alvin’s face lit up in wonder. “Miss Marshall, I do believe you’re asking me on a date.” He winked.
Melody blushed. “Well, yeah. I guess I am. How about tonight?”
“Sounds great, how about I pick you up around seven?” He was positively beaming at the prospect of finally getting to take her out.