by Linda Apple
“Why, one of them cinnamon scones. You know they are my favorite.”
“Will do. See you this afternoon.”
“Bye now.” Felix turned and ambled down the road. What a good man. He’d taken Miss Cladie under his wing when Fred died. There wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for her. And if I knew that woman at all, she’d do all she could for him.
The day dragged by. I could hardly concentrate on my baking for thinking of what I wanted to write Colin. The paws on my cat clock took their sweet time to point to the twelve and the five, but finally the cat’s mouth opened and the little bird on the tip of its tongue chirped five times. My obsession with cats knew no bounds.
I was about to turn the closed sign around and lock the door when Lexi rushed up and yanked it open.
“MK, I need a triple-shot before you close.”
“Sorry. No time. I’ve got to go.”
She put her hands together. “Please, please, please? I’m fixin to take my column to Vince, and he isn’t going to like it one little bit. I’ve got to be on my toes.”
“Well, I’m going to let you in on a little secret. If it is caffeine you’re after, brewed has more than espresso.”
She squinted at me through her big brown eyes. “Really? Never heard that. Will you make me some?” A strand of auburn hair fell across her brow. “Please.”
“Well. All right. But I’ve got to hurry. Miss Cladie is expecting this bread, and I’m already behind time. She’s got company tonight.”
“Tyler Jackson. I know.” She came in and I locked the door behind her and turned the sign to Closed. We hurried to the back where I kept the small coffee maker for emergencies such as these. While I measured coffee in the filter, she started sniggering.
“What’s so funny?”
“Oh, I was just thinking about Avalee and Ty tonight. I’d like to be a fly on the wall when he and Avalee are alone together. I’ll bet the sparks will fly. He sure is one sexy guy.”
“What?” I put my coffee measure down and stared at Lexi. “He’s young enough to be your...”
She raised her hand. “If you say my son, I’m going to knock the fire out of you. I was twelve when he was born, and so was she.”
“Well don’t go putting them together.” I poured water into the pot. “They both loved Marc. That’s all there is to it.”
“I don’t think so. You weren’t in my office.”
“May be, but she doesn’t need to go and make Ty into Marc. That would only hurt them both.”
Lexi wrinkled her nose. “Well, when you put it that way.”
When the maker sputtered out the last of the coffee into the pot, I took a grande cup, filled it, and handed it to her. “Now go do battle with your old goat editor.”
She grinned. “When he reads it, I feel sure he will recognize himself, and he won’t appreciate it one little bit.” She took a sip. “Mmm, that’s good. Okay, I’m off.” Crossing her fingers she said, “Hopefully, I’ll convince him this column will push a lot of hot buttons and get a lot of attention. Who knows? Maybe someone from the Big Apple will notice. Wouldn’t that be great?”
“Yeah. Great. Now scoot out of here. Miss Cladie is probably wringing her hands about now.”
Lexi slipped out the back door while I wrapped the bread and stuck it in a sack. After setting the alarm I walked in the sultriness of late afternoon. Even though I lived just a few blocks from my shop, I wished I had driven. Heat undulated from the sidewalk billowing under my skirt. Miserable.
As soon as I reached her house, Miss Cladie met me at her door. “Bless your heart, girl. You’re red as a tomato and sweating to beat the band.”
“I beg your pardon, I don’t sweat. I glisten.”
“Whatever you do, get your glistening self in here and have some sweet tea.”
“Yes, ma’am. I believe I will.” I handed her the bread and strode to her black oscillating fan like a bee martin to a gourd. I unbuttoned the top portion of my shirt and held it open. “My momma had one of these.”
“It helps move the air around a bit. On days like today, my air conditioner just isn’t enough. “
“I liked sticking broom straws between the blades to hear them click. It’s a wonder I didn’t lose any fingers.”
Avalee jogged down the stairs like a teenager. “Hi, MK. Have you recovered from last night?”
“It took three cups of coffee and a hot shower.” And Colin. “I finally cleared up. How about you?”
“I laid around all day. I feel fine now.”
“Laid around, huh? Must be nice.” I took a long drink of my iced tea.
“It really isn’t. I’ve got to get busy or go crazy. I’m not used to all this leisure time.”
Miss Cladie handed Avalee a glass of tea. “You girls go chat somewhere else, out of my way. Thank you Molly, honey, for the bread. How much do I owe you?”
“Not a thing Miss Cladie.”
“I can’t let you do that.”
“You can send me pumpkins and mums for my porch when fall comes.”
“Fair enough. And as far as I’m concerned, fall can’t arrive soon enough.”
“That’s the truth.” Avalee took my arm. “Come on. Let’s go.”
We settled in the living room. I took a coaster from the holder and set my tea down. In mere seconds condensation droplets had formed on the outside of my glass and puddled around the bottom. Miss Cladie was right. Fall couldn’t come soon enough.
“It sure is good to have you home, Avalee. I don’t believe I’ve seen such a sparkle in your momma’s eyes in years.” I took a drink and then rubbed the glass across my chest.
The grandfather clock ticked out a comforting rhythm. Avalee looked around the room. “I know. I’ve been away too long. I had my reasons and felt I did the right thing.” The clock sounded the half hour. When it finished, Avalee said, “But as the cliché goes, there truly is no place like home.” She looked away and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. “I need to face my demons here and get on with life.”
“You mean Marc?”
She nodded, but remained silent and left me hanging. Shoot. What about Marc and demons? I had to know. I prodded a little deeper. “And you think Ty might help with these demons?”
Avalee shifted her eyes to the window. “I don’t know. Maybe.” She sipped her tea and sighed. “I just don’t know.” In an abrupt mood change, she slapped her leg and smiled at me. “Enough about me. What’s up with you?”
Well. Her emotional pivot threw my little investigation right in the trashcan. But I wasn’t about to give up. Besides, I had something else I wanted to investigate. Her face was the same heart-shape she had as a teen. Not a saggy jowl to be seen. And I had my suspicions.
“I’ll tell you a secret if you will tell me one.”
Glancing at me over her glass she murmured. “Ooooookay?”
“I know you have a secret. It is written all over your face.”
“What?”
“Spill it. You’ve had plastic surgery, haven’t you?”
“Yes. I have.”
And that was all she said. She threw a look at me as if she’d made her chess move and waited for mine. Okay, I could play this game.
“So, what did you have done?”
She shrugged. “Face lift and lipo in various places.”
“Wow.”
“No biggie really. In New York City it is just part of business. I had to look fresh, young, and relevant. But I wasn’t competing with just women. My largest client base and biggest competitors were...are you ready for this? Gay men.”
“Seriously?” In all of my fifty-six years, I couldn’t remember ever having met a gay man.
“They are a very discriminating group. They keep themselves dapper, and they expect those who work for them to do the same.”
“Well, Avalee, all I can say is I still love you even though you make me look like a bowl of oatmeal.”
“Oh psssh.” She rose from the chair. �
��Want some wine?”
“Sure.”
While she poured she said, “Okay, I spilled. Now what’s your secret?”
Oh brother. I wished I hadn’t started this game. It seemed like a good idea to weasel something out of her. But now that it was my turn, I wasn’t so sure. On the other hand, I really did need someone to talk to, and Ava had a level head. She wasn’t a drama queen like Lexi.
“I’m interested in a guy. Very interested.”
Ava handed me wine and sat. “Really? Who?”
“His name is Colin.”
“How wonderful, MK. Where did you meet him?”
I hesitated. “Well, technically, I haven’t met him. Face to face, that is.”
Ava pulled her leg under her and tipped her head. “What do you mean?”
Here goes. “I met him on the Internet.”
She frowned. “You’re kidding, right?”
“No.”
Avalee jumped up like she had discovered a rattlesnake under her rear. “Are you crazy? What if he’s married? What if he’s a convict? What if he’s a serial killer?”
“Hold on. Just hear me out.” Sheeze, I expected a reaction like that out of Lexi, not Avalee.
She plopped back in the chair. “This better be good.”
“So, you remember at martini Monday how I said I managed to meet men? Well, a few months ago, I got this wild hair while watching those dating commercials for people our age and decided to try it out. I dated a few guys, but it felt awkward going out with perfect strangers, and lemme tell ya, I met some real doozies. Anyway, because of those goons, I decided right away when Colin and I were matched up that I wanted to email back and forth like Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan did in that movie, You’ve Got Mail. So when Colin emailed me to ask me out, I wrote back and explained how I wanted to start off this relationship. No contact physically or verbally. He agreed. Seems he’d had the same experiences. So we haven’t met or spoken on the phone. But, unlike the movie, we have exchanged pictures.”
Avalee swirled her wine. “Well, I have to admit, you’ve taken a sensible approach.”
“It’s worked out pretty well. I’ve learned a lot about him.”
“Well, you may think you have. He could be lying, too. Just promise me if you decide to meet him it will be at a public place. Not at his house or anything.”
“Lands sakes, Avalee. I’m not stupid.”
She raised her eyebrows.
I stood and wagged my finger. “Don’t say it.”
Laughing she got to her feet, walked over and hugged me. “I want you to be happy. You know that, don’t you?”
“I do.” I handed her my glass. “Now go help your momma before that hot, tight-jeaned hunk of manhood comes for supper.”
“Oh, you.” She popped my bottom. “Go write that Internet serial-killer boyfriend of yours.”
We hugged again. I was so thankful Avalee had come home.
****
Gypsy lay curled on the welcome mat. She glanced up at me and opened her mouth in a silent meow. I understood. It was simply too hot for conversation. “Come on inside, sweetie, and get out of this heat.” In one silky move she leapt off the mat and slipped between the door and me.
While I changed clothes, I thought about Colin’s email. I supposed I would have to give him an answer about meeting. But what?
On my way to the office, I mentally drafted an email. However, when I sat at my computer and put my fingers on the keyboard, my mind froze. Whatever I’d planned on writing vanished. I was a complete blank. So now what? Maybe a cold glass of chardonnay would help. In the kitchen, Gypsy rubbed against my leg while I poured.
“Merrowl?”
So much can be said by a single cat word.
“Hungry?” She rose up on two legs and stretched her right front paw up my side.
“Okay, Mommy will get your food.” I scooped fancy flaked tuna in her little fish dish and stood there a minute to admire my kitty while sipping wine. “Time to get back to Colin.” Gypsy looked up and then went back to business. I topped off my glass and headed to the computer.
My mind began to relax. I decided to start with Gypsy stories, ask about Kricket, maybe tell about Avalee. Then ease into the meeting conversation. When should I suggest? Heck, I wasn’t even sure if I was ready. If we did, then where? Certainly not Tupelo. Maybe I could suggest Oxford? Someplace on the square?
Gypsy jumped on the desk and spread herself on my keyboard.
“Do you mind?”
She cleaned her paw, totally unconcerned. I picked her up, carried her to the door, and dropped her on the front porch. “Out ya go.”
Up the street, I noticed Ty’s car in the Preston’s driveway. And so it begins—again. I spoke to the night, “Please be careful, Avalee.”
Back at my computer, I debated about meeting Colin. If a decision was this hard, I reasoned, then it just wasn’t time. Besides, I couldn’t tell him I had fallen in love with him, because I wasn’t sure. I knew I admired him, but love? As bad as I hated to, I had to put him off.
Dear Colin,
Kricket is adorable. And she will be a good friend for you. There is nothing like the unconditional love of a dog. Cats? Well, they love us because we unconditionally love them. I don’t think I’ve ever asked you, but do you like cats?
If he didn’t, this relationship would have a severe setback.
I don’t understand how people can just leave pets on the street assuming that they won’t be run over or that someone else will take them in.
So you like to cook? Somehow, I didn’t pick up on that from your other emails. I love to cook. That is why I opened a bakery
Shoot! I hit the delete button thankful for my decision to not speak on the phone. “You are in insurance Molly Kate.” This deception thing was hard.
I like to bake and do it quite often, which explains my fluffy figure.
Another reminder for Colin. If he preferred skinny women, he’d better run now.
Good news! My best friend, Avalee, moved back home. We’ve been friends since childhood. But she moved away after college and has been in New York City for over thirty years. She’s my forever-friend. Do you have any close friends?
About Facebook,
Now I had to make up another lie. I drummed my fingers on my desk while I thought. Whoever said that about tangled webs when we deceive was right. Finally an idea came to me.
I didn’t set one up because of my insurance job. The last thing I want is a disgruntled client to find me and complain after hours. I get enough of that during the day.
Good. That made sense. It bothered me how I had gotten so skilled at lying. The only way out of this was to meet him and come clean. Perhaps we should meet.
Now, about our meeting.
I inhaled and let the air out slowly.
Let’s wait a few more weeks. How about meeting in Oxford around the first of October? That seems to be midway for both of us and gives us a little more time to be sure this is the right thing to do. Let me know what you think.
I’d better close for now. Give Kricket a pat from me.
Hugs,
Mary
I hit send and swiveled in my chair to face the photo of Randy and me on our fifteenth anniversary.
“Randy, I hope you are okay with this.” Unbidden, tears filled my eyes while I gazed at the photograph. “Why did you have to die? I’m still so mad at you I could stomp on your grave. Why didn’t you take better care of yourself?” I hugged the picture to my chest and had my little cry. Then I kissed the picture. “I’m just kidding, honey. I wouldn’t stomp your grave.”
I put the picture back. The room felt so empty. So quiet. Something inside me had changed since Colin. Hugging pictures and snuggling cats was no longer good enough.
Maybe it really was time for us to meet.
Chapter 9
AVALEE
Plans
Momma’s kitchen was a sauna. Her face glowed red, and glistening diamonds of swea
t formed on her brow. She moved from stove to counter to fridge to sink like one of those super heroes in the cartoons I watched as a kid. Knives flashed, spoons clattered against boilers and bowls, beaters spun, pot lids vibrated from escaping steam, pans banged from the stove to the counter.
“For crying out loud, Mom. Slow down.”
“I’m fine, honey.” She mopped her face with her towel. “I’m in my happy place.”
“Your happy place is going to send you to the ER.” I scanned her kitchen in utter amazement. Even though Momma moved around the kitchen like a cat with its tail on fire, the room was perfectly clean. Not a single dirty dish anywhere. The counters were pristine. If I cooked as much as she did, my kitchen would look like Bourbon Street the morning after Mardi Gras.
“What time is Ty coming?” Momma asked as she whisked by me.
“Six.”
She shot a glance at the happy apple clock that hung over the stove. “Mercy Lord, it’s five-thirty already, and I haven’t set the table.”
“I’ll do it, Momma. Don’t worry.”
“No, you just give him a beer when he gets here and go talk. I’ll handle this.” She surveyed the stove and counter. “I just hope there is enough.”
My mouth dropped open. “Are you kidding me? There’s enough food here to feed the entire congregation of Moonlight First Baptist.” And there was, too. Pot roast with carrots, potatoes, and gravy. Creamed sweet potatoes, snap beans, fried okra, butter beans, crookneck squash, sliced tomatoes, purple onions, chow-chow, hot cornbread, Molly Kate’s bread, and three desserts. “Just the roast and veggies would have been enough.”
“I’m not going to have Tyler Jackson telling his momma that all I served him was pot roast.
“Well, far be it from me to spoil your reputation.” I hugged her and went to the fridge for some tea. “Want me to pour you a glass?”
“Yes, that sounds good.” She picked up the eight-layer cake, took it to the buffet in the dining room, and placed it between the banana pudding and the custard pie.
I gave her the tea. “I need to freshen up a little. Are you sure you don’t need any help?”
“Get on outta here. There’s hardly enough room in here for me.”