“That I do,” Joe said, ruffling the boy’s hair.
“She’s sleeping over there.” He pointed in the direction of the couch. “She’s out like a light,” he added, using a term he’d heard from his grandmother. “Auntie Kristine! I mean, Auntie Krissy,” he laughed. “Wake up! Somebody is here to see you!”
Joe cringed. “It’s okay. Don’t wake her…”
“Too late,” Kristine murmured, as she swung her legs over the side of the couch. “So who’s here again?” she asked groggily.
“Joe!” Devon told her. “Open your eyes. He’s right here.”
Joe smiled wanly and patted Devon on the head. “That’s okay. Let’s give her a minute to wake up.”
Devon laughed. “Look, she’s sleeping sitting up. She does it all the time. The other night, at dinner, she was sitting there and all of a sudden, I looked at her and she was sleeping!” He slapped his leg and laughed uproariously. “You should have seen her when she smashed her face into the mashed potatoes.”
Joe looked horrified at the image. He bent slightly to see her face, and sure enough, she appeared to be sleeping sitting up. Unsure what to do, he walked over to her and took her by the shoulders. He urged her to lie back down.
“I’m up, I’m up,” she murmured.
“She’s really tired,” Devon observed. “Do you want me to get a class of water?”
“For her to drink?” Joe asked, confused.
“No, to throw in her face. So she wakes up.”
Joe gave the boy a startled look. “You don’t really throw water in her face, do you?”
He grinned. “No, but it would be funny.”
“I don’t think she would find it funny,” Joe said. “So let’s not ever do that.”
“No, let’s not,” Kristine said, finally sounding semi-awake. “And by the way, young man,” she directed to Devon, “I was under the impression we adored one another. I would never throw water in your face. And when did you get so talkative?”
He grinned sheepishly. “I don’t know. But you know I love you, Auntie Krissy,” he said, emphasizing the nickname.
Kristine glared at Joe, who shifted uncomfortably under her angry glare. “Lori isn’t here,” she told him.
“He came to see you,” Devon supplied.
“Oh.”
Suddenly, she remembered her conversation with her mother, prior to her nap. Had it been a dream? Surely it had been a dream. Her mother would never suggest selling the bakery.
She spun toward her mother, who was standing in the doorway. “Mom, was I dreaming, or did you really ask me if I wanted to sell the business?”
“You weren’t dreaming.”
Kristine turned to Joe again. She regarded him through narrowed eyes. “Did you need something? Or, did you stop by to dispense more unsolicited advice?”
He lifted both shoulders in a confused shrug. “I don’t…”
“Did you tell my mother she should sell the bakery?
He began shaking his head and spread his hands wide. “No. Well, I told her to do what makes her happy.”
“And I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about that while you’ve been sleeping,” her mother declared cheerily. “And…” She giggled. “I’ve decided, I’m taking a trip.”
Kristine was suddenly wide awake. “Where are you going?”
“I don’t know. That’s the beauty of it. I’m going where the winds take me.”
“Oh, heaven help me,” Kristine muttered, now shooting Joe a look of daggers. Obviously he’d said something that had caused this change in her formerly stoic mother. Suddenly, she was alive with a capital ‘A.’ And although she was pleased her mother had apparently snapped out of her depression, she had hoped that when she did, she would get her mother back. Not this smiling, flighty version who seemed more like Lori than herself.
“I’m going back to sleep,” Kristine declared in a surly voice. “Don’t wake me up until … next Sunday.”
Her mother laughed. “If we sell the business, you can sleep as long as you like.”
“But, where will we get our cupcakes and cookies?” Devon asked, suddenly very concerned.
“Grandma will make them,” Kristine said, “between her flights of fancy.”
“Now, Kristine…” She cleared her throat. “Did you forget? We have company. He came to see you.”
Kristine spun and glared at Joe. “Did you need something?”
“Uh, yes. I was going to ask you if you’d like to come by my place. I’ve finished Gracie’s dog run and if you’ll remember, I invited her former owner and family over to see it. I thought you might like to come, as well.”
She furrowed her brow. “Why?” she asked, for the sake of being obtuse.
“Auntie Kristine is cranky when she doesn’t get enough sleep,” Devon offered by means of explaining her impoliteness, and then gave Joe an imploring glance. “So, you got a dog…? I’d like to see your dog. Maybe I could come over instead.”
“There’s an idea,” Kristine said. “A fine idea. Bring him back by six—oh, what the heck. Keep him as long as you want.”
“Kristine!” her mother scolded.
“If you’re taking Devon, you may as well take Mom too,” Kristine suggested.
Joe gave her an assessing glance. “You know,” he said congenially. “I think you’re on to something there. Let’s all go. I have hot dogs in the refrigerator. Let’s barbecue. Maybe the Williams will join us too.”
Chapter Six
Inside the cab of Joe’s truck, Kristine struggled to stay awake. Her mother had climbed into the back with Devon, despite her protests. Kristine was left with the gloriously heated passenger seat that was presently lulling her back to blissful slumber.
“I like your truck, Joe!” Devon said enthusiastically. “The back has real seats!”
“Yep. I’m glad you like it. Ruth, are you comfortable back there?”
“Absolutely. There’s plenty of room.”
“Someday I’m going to have a red truck too,” Devon announced.
“Make sure it has heated seats,” Kristine murmured, as she turned slightly toward the passenger window. She found herself dozing…
Devon noticed and struggled to reach her in order to wake her up. Unable to reach that far, he urged Joe to shake her awake.
“Why don’t we wake her up when we get to my house?” he suggested.
“Or, we could just let her sleep. She’s actually really nice most of the time, but Grandma said she’s cranky like a sick toddler when she doesn’t get enough rest.”
“She must not be sleeping much,” Joe said, and then realized how it had sounded. “I mean…” He sent a glance at Kristine, hoping she really was sleeping and hadn’t heard the remark.
Ruth, in the back, laughed. “Kristine works far too hard. I think it is time she had a break. I know she’s always wanted to travel too. Maybe if we sell the business, she’ll be able to take time to see the world before she decides what her work future holds.”
Joe considered her words. “I sort of got the impression she wasn’t particularly eager to sell the business.”
“I sprung it on her,” Ruth said. “I know that my suggesting selling the bakery was the very last thing she expected to hear me say.”
“Are … you sure you’re ready for such a big step?” Joe asked. “Branton’s has been a Cooper Glenn institution for many years.”
“Close to a hundred,” she supplied. “But times change, people change, goals change…”
“True,” Joe said. “But maybe Krissy can’t imagine her future without the bakery in it.”
“It’s possible,” Ruth acknowledged. “She’s certainly responsible for making it the successful business it is today, but…” She sighed. “At a cost. How will she ever have a life of her own if she doesn’t let it go, or at minimum, learn to delegate?”
Joe laughed. “Did you ever learn to ‘delegate’?”
“Yes, but it took me losing my husband t
o do it.”
“Ruth, I’m sorry. I didn’t…”
“Oh, honey, no. You didn’t say anything wrong. I’m simply telling the truth. After Rod passed so unexpectedly, I was left reeling. I could barely manage to function. Going to the bakery was an impossibility for me. I was forced to ‘let go.’ And frankly, it’s been the best lesson I could have learned. Much of the time I spent at the bakery, I could have spent with…” She took a shuddering breath. “With Rod,” she said. “With my girls.”
He considered her words. “I understand.”
They rode in silence for several moments. “I’m sorry. I should have asked—how’s your father today?” Ruth said.
“He’s struggling to come to terms with letting go of his business. He, too, is learning some hard lessons.”
“I hate hard lessons,” Ruth said with a humorless laugh. “I really do.”
***
Kristine stared out at the passing scenery. Joe, her mother, and Devon believed she’d been asleep while they were talking. She’d actually heard their entire conversation.
She knew her mother still missed her father terribly, despite this new lease on life she’d suddenly embraced. It broke her heart to think her mom was feeling remorse for all the days she’d worked when she could have been home with her husband and girls. But for whatever reason, it had led her to the realization that she didn’t want to waste anymore time.
But was Kristine’s time at the bakery wasted? Was her mother right? Was it time to sell the business and move on? But what would she do with herself?
One could only do so much traveling. And it wasn’t as if the Branton family had an unending supply of cash. Even the money from the sale of the bakery wouldn’t last long. Proceeds from the sale would be divided between her mother, Lori, and her, but Branton’s was a small bakery in a tiny town. It would hardly be a boon for them.
Kristine felt a wave of anger wash over her. While she understood her mother wanting a break from the responsibilities of business ownership, where was Lori in this picture? She enjoyed the perks of owning a family bakery but never, ever put in the time to help out. Frankly, if Lori were to pitch in on a regular basis, Kristine was confident they could keep the bakery open without anyone having to give up all of her free time in the process.
And what would Lori do if they sold out? She was well on her way to a ‘Mrs.’ Degree at the college of Poor Schmuck, but what if her marriage failed this go-round? How did she intend to make a living? Devon’s dad was hardly forthcoming with child support.
Kristine sighed. She wasn’t being very nice about her sister, and she knew it. She felt guilt for her fury at her sister, but couldn’t help herself her anger. Lori was four years older and behaved like a fourteen-year-old. It was the weekend—she could be spending time with Devon—but she’d chosen her boyfriend instead.
She took a steadying breath, to calm her angry heart. It wasn’t like her to get so riled up about anything. She was the steady sister, the one with her head on straight.
It was a relief when Joe announced they’d arrived at his house. Kristine made a play of pretending to wake up and glanced around. She gasped when she saw his house.
A massive Tudor on a level, green acreage, it was beautiful. He drove along a long, wide lane and parked in front of a three-car garage.
“I like your house, Joe!” Devon cried eagerly. “Your front yard is bigger than the park by Grandma’s house.”
“I’m glad you like it,” Joe said with a smile. “Hold on, Devon. I’m going to help the ladies out of the truck and then I’ll help you. Okay?”
“Okay!”
Joe dropped out of the truck. He rounded the hood and helped Kristine out, and then Ruth. Devon scrambled across the seat and he lifted him down.
“Thanks, Joe! Where’s your dog?”
“I’ll introduce you in just a minute,” he said, smiling at the eager little boy. He sent a tentative glance at Kristine. She seemed distracted, but then, her mother had just given her a shock by suggesting they sell the bakery.
He glanced toward the end of the lane when he spotted a minivan turn into his drive. “It looks like the Williams are here,” he said. “We got here just in time.”
The group waited for the new arrivals and after quick introductions, Joe led the group into his garage and then out a door to the backyard. They immediately spotted Gracie in her new dog run, which Joe had placed parallel to the fence. He’d poured a thick concrete pad on which he’d constructed a huge dog run. The four corners boasted pillars, which supported the roof. There were no gaps to allow Gracie a means of escape, and to the surprise of the Williams’, she seemed content in her new home.
Joe had built a large doghouse within the space, despite the fact that Gracie already had a roof overhead. Joe hurried to let her out of the run and she immediately greeted every member of the group.
Joe directed his attention to the five Williams’ children. “I want to thank you for giving Gracie to me,” he said. “I want you to know I’m taking really good care of her.” He slapped his leg. “Come on, Gracie! You can play with the kids.”
Joe’s backyard was massive and he encouraged the children to play. He gave one of the boys a ball and he tossed it across the yard. Gracie took off like a shot.
“She looks great,” Mrs. Williams said, smiling.
Her husband agreed. “She seems happy.” He laughed. “Her room is nicer than ours,” he teased.
“Everyone, grab a chair,” Joe said. “I’m going to fire up the barbecue.” He sought Kristine’s eyes. “Would you like to join me?”
She couldn’t very well say ‘no’ without seeming impolite. She followed him inside the house and into the kitchen. He pulled hot dogs from the refrigerator, and then placed all the necessary condiments and non-perishables on the massive, granite-topped kitchen island. “We’ll bring everything outside to the picnic table in a minute,” he mused, and then smiled her way.
She watched him awkwardly.
“So you know, I didn’t suggest your mother sell the business. We were simply having a conversation.”
“About…?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. About priorities, I guess. About the pursuit of happiness…” He gave another shrug. “I’m as surprised as you that it precipitated a change in your mother, but…” He raised a qualifying finger. “She seems like she’s doing well now.”
Kristine couldn’t deny that and realized she should probably be thanking Joe for inspiring a change in her mother. Her mother was actually out of the house and seemingly enjoying herself for the first time in a good long while.
When she followed Joe out of the house, she found Ruth engaged in a rousing game of fetch with Gracie. The dog was running in circles around her, eager for her to throw the ball.
“You can do it, Grandma!” Devon shouted.
Kristine couldn’t help smiling. Her mother seemed hopeful and alive for the first time in a long while.
She turned and saw that Joe had fired up the barbecue and was putting hot dogs on the grill. The Williams had taken chairs close by. “Can we help?” Mary Williams asked.
Joe shook his head. “No, thank you. We’ve got it under control. Relax,” he said, smiling.
Mary began speaking. “Joe, I didn’t tell you. I took your advice and went by the humane society. I saw those darling little poodle mix puppies…”
“And…” he prompted with a smile.
“And…” she said, returning his smile, “we are now the proud owners of Suki, the runt of the litter.”
“She’s a runt all right,” her husband groused. “She can fit in the palm of my hand.”
“She’s adorable,” his wife gushed.
“Mary, you know I’m a big dog kind of a guy.”
She scoffed. “You should see this big lug with his little Suki. Wouldn’t you know, the little thing positively adores Jim? When he gets off work each evening, she’s the very first name he calls out and that dog…” She
laughed at the memory. “That dog is determined to be in his arms.”
“She loves me,” Jim said smugly.
“And you love her!” she insisted with a laugh.
“What is it you do for a living?” Joe asked with interest.
“He’s a deputy sheriff,” Mary answered. “Big tough cop and his little chihuahua poodle mix…” she teased.
Ruth overheard the latter part of the conversation when she joined them. “I’ve always been partial to small dogs, but that Gracie… She’s special.”
Mary smiled. “She is a sweet girl. According to the vet, she’s an adolescent, so be warned, Joe.”
He chuckled. “She’s doing great. She absolutely loves riding in my truck with me. She’s well-mannered inside. All in all, she’s just a good girl.” He directed his attention to the hot dogs for a moment, moving them around the grill a bit for even cooking. “I have enrolled her in a training course. I think she would benefit from it.”
“I’ll say,” Jim said drolly, and then added smugly, “My little Suki, however, is already potty trained and can sit and shake hands, er, paws.”
Mary laughed. “The kids are pleading with us to go back to the Humane Society to get a second puppy. They complain constantly that Daddy stole their dog.”
Joe chuckled. “You might want a second one. Suki probably doesn’t take up a lot of space, and she would likely enjoy a companion for those days she’s home alone.”
“Jim, what did I tell you?” Mary said. “Joe is right. Suki needs a friend, and the kids need a fair shot at time with their puppy,” she said, emphasizing the word.
Kristine sat quietly by, listening to the exchange. It occurred to her she might like a dog. Unfortunately, she didn’t have time for a dog, and she couldn’t very well keep one in the bakery. The Health Department might have something to say about that.
“Krissy…?”
She glanced up. Joe was watching her expectantly. “Would you help me bring everything outside?”
She rose. “Sure”
Ruth stood up, as well. “Put me to work,” she said.
Kristine couldn’t believe the change in her mother. What had Joe said that had prompted such a turnaround?
The Icing on the Cake Page 5