The Icing on the Cake

by Rosemarie Naramore

  “Oh, okay, that’s fine,” she said, trying desperately to hide her disappointment.

  “I’m sorry. I’m disappointed too.”

  ***

  Kristine busied herself the next morning by tidying up Joe’s place. By mid-morning, she was bored and considering her options for the rest of the day. She wished Joe was able to make it home, but there was nothing she could do about that.

  She decided to take Gracie for a long walk and after, headed back to the house and did a load of laundry. After awhile, bored with chores, she decided to drive into town. She placed a quick call to Minnie and asked if she could meet her for lunch at the café.

  “I’d love to join you,” she said. “There’s uh, something I need to talk to you about.”

  Kristine heard something in her tone that made her heart give a thump. “Is something wrong, Minnie?”

  “Let’s just talk at the café,” she said.

  “Okay, I’ll see you soon.”

  Kristine put Gracie in her dog run and then drove into town. She worried the entire way in. What news did Minnie have for her?

  When she arrived at the cafe, she spotted Minnie at a corner table. She hurried to join her, her brows furrowed with question. “Is everything all right?” she asked, now worried for her friend. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine,” she assured her. “It’s…”

  A waitress appeared at the table. A long-time resident of Cooper Glenn, she smiled sympathetically at Kristine. “I’m so sorry about the bakery,” she said. “I miss those fritters so much.”

  “Thank you,” she said, attempting a smile. It was difficult. Minnie’s facial expression was so troubled, she couldn’t help but be fearful.

  “Can I get you ladies a beverage?” she asked. “Water, soda, coffee?”

  “Water for me,” Kristine said.

  “Me too,” Minnie said distractedly.

  “Do you know what you’d like to order?”

  “I’ll have the club sandwich,” Kristine said.

  “Cheeseburger and fries for me,” Minnie said.

  The waitress nodded and hurried off to tend to their order.

  “Minnie, what is it?” Kristine asked.

  She sighed. “Well, it’s probably nothing, and you may already be aware of it, but Joe came into town today…”

  “Wait,” Kristine interjected with a pronounced frown, “that can’t be. I mean…” She blew out a breath. “He told me he was coming into town, but then he called yesterday evening to cancel.”

  Minnie’s face fell and she shook her head sadly. “He was here. I saw him, here,” she said, enunciating the word.

  “Here? At the café?”

  “Yes.” She leaned forward in her seat and sought Kristine’s eyes. “He was with Lori.”

  Kristine shook her head, confused. “What time?” she clarified.

  “Around seven, I guess,” she answered, trying to remember. “Yes, that’s right. I was up early because I needed to drop some things by my sister’s place. Anyway, I drove by and spotted them.”

  “Could you be mistaken? I mean, if you were driving by, it might be easy to confuse someone else for them…”

  “I saw them outside the café, just as they were walking in. It was them,” she said adamantly. “Joe, always the gentleman, was holding the door for Lori and then walked in after her.”

  “But…” Kristine’s face fell. Joe had lied to her. He said he couldn’t make it today, yet he was able to meet up with Lori. Had he been ‘meeting up’ with Lori all along? She remembered the day at the hospital, when she sat with Joe during his father’s surgery. Lori had called and said Joe was meeting her late that evening. She hadn’t believed a word of what Lori had told her, but now… She remembered the other occasion in which she’d spotted them together. Was Joe playing her for a fool? Was he pitting the sister’s against one another?

  She suddenly felt sick to her stomach. She cared deeply for Joe, had fallen irretrievably in love with him. She’d been so stupid. How could she have been so gullible?

  Minnie reached across the table and squeezed her arm. “Honey, I’m sorry. Maybe I shouldn’t have told you, but, I just felt like you needed to know.”

  “No, I do need to know,” she assured her. “I’m glad you told me. It’s better I know Joe is apparently toying with both of us.” She shook her head. “I really believed he was a good guy,” she said, sighing. “I thought…”

  “I know, sweetie. I know.”

  She felt a wave of guilt wash over her. She had essentially chosen Joe over Lori, her own sister. Despite the fact that Lori hadn’t been particularly good to her, she had behaved badly too. She should have believed her own sister—or at least, given her the benefit of the doubt. And now, thanks to her, her own mother doubted Lori too. She felt awful.

  When their food was placed in front of them, Kristine could only stare at her meal. She wasn’t hungry anymore.

  ***

  “Maeve, could you possibly keep an eye on Gracie for Joe?” Kristine asked. “I’m afraid I can’t house sit or pet sit for Joe any longer. Something has, er, well, something’s come up.”

  Maeve eyed her speculatively, but nodded. “Of course. May I bring Gracie here?”

  “I’m sure that’s fine,” she said. “But if she gets to be too much, don’t hesitate to put her in her dog run.”

  “Okay. Was there anything else?” she asked with concern.

  “No, I think that’s it,” she said too brightly.

  “Okay.”

  Kristine could see Maeve was disappointed she was leaving. “Oh, I need to exchange phone numbers with you,” she said. “We have more baking to do. Are we still on for next week?”

  Maeve nodded, clearly relieved.

  “Okay, great then,” she said, after they’d shared their numbers. “I’ll see you soon. Please call me if you need anything in the meantime.”

  “You mean, if my sweet tooth starts acting up?” Maeve clarified with a smile.

  “Anytime,” she assured her. With a smile and a wave, she climbed into her car and drove away.

  A part of her was hesitant to go home, but since she and her mother had been on good terms these past few days, it seemed the prudent thing to do. Besides, she didn’t have anywhere else to go.

  When she arrived home, her mother definitely seemed pleased to see her. She greeted her with a hug. “I’ve missed you,” she said. “And not just because you’re a superb cook.”

  “Well, thank you,” she said.

  Her mom pulled back and stared intently into her face. “What’s wrong?”

  Kristine forced a laugh. “Nothing,” she said.

  “No, no, something’s wrong,” her mother insisted.

  “May we talk about it later?” she asked.

  “Are you home for … good? Or are you going back to Joe’s?”

  “I’m home—for the time being anyway,” she said, and with a bleak smile, headed upstairs to her room.

  There, she felt oddly out-of-sorts. The room felt foreign to her, as if she hadn’t lived here for years. It was disconcerting. This was home.

  She began unpacking her bag, when Lori suddenly popped her head into the room. “You’re back?”

  She nodded. “I’m back.”

  She watched her for several seconds. “Have you heard anything from the insurance adjustor?”

  “I’m afraid not.”

  Lori nodded. “Will you let me know when you do?”

  “Sure.”

  She was about to step out of the doorway when Kristine said, “Lori, did you see Joe today?”

  She hesitated slightly, but then shook her head. “Nope. I didn’t see him. Why do you ask?”

  Kristine knew she was lying. The slight hesitation in her response time was a clear indicator. But why was she lying? Why wasn’t she rubbing her face in the fact that she and Joe were running around behind her back? Lori would have taken absolute delight in that fact only days before. What had chan
ged?

  “Well, welcome home, Kristine. I’m glad you’re here.”

  Kristine was taken aback. Lori had just told her she was glad she was home. She was uncharacteristically gracious. She suddenly felt as if her world had gone topsy-turvy.

  After spending a moment or two sorting through her clothing and hanging up her clean garments, she sat down on the edge of the bed. With a sigh, she fell back, hitting the mattress with a pronounced thump.

  She lay still, staring at the ceiling. Her heart was breaking. She’d finally allowed herself to feel something for someone—a man—and look where it had gotten her. She was back home, in her childhood bedroom, and wondering what the future might hold for her.

  Did she even want to stay in Cooper Glenn now? Could she bear to see Lori and Joe together? It would be awkward for the lot of them. The town was small and tongues wagged.

  She sighed. If only her beloved bakery hadn’t caught fire, she would still be working there from morning to night. She had known her place in the world when she was at the bakery. She had found her niche. If it hadn’t burned down, and she was still there, she wouldn’t be in the position of second-guessing her every move.

  She suddenly felt weary and decided to take a nap…

  She woke with a start.

  “Kristine!” Lori cried from downstairs. “Please come here!”

  Disoriented from sleep, she sat up in bed and perked her ears. Had someone just called her name?

  “Kristine! Please!” Lori cried.

  This time, she registered it was Lori calling her and not her imagination at work. She pushed off the bed and hurried downstairs, holding the banister to assure she didn’t take a tumble. A fall was the last thing she needed.

  She found Lori in the kitchen, holding the phone to her ear. Her eyes were wide, her mouth formed in an ‘o.’ Kristine read abject terror on her face.

  “Lori! What is it?”

  Her sister stared at the phone in her hand. She returned the antiquated phone to its cradle with a shaky hand. “It was Devon’s school,” she relayed. “He didn’t return to his class after recess.”

  “What?”

  She nodded. “He’s gone, Kristine! The principal told me they’ve searched everywhere! What if someone took him? Oh, God, oh, God,” she murmured.

  Kristine ran to her sister and wrapped her arms around her. “Lori, take a deep breath. We’re going to find him.”

  She pulled back, her features contorted with fear. “But… What if…?”

  “Has the school called the police?” Kristine asked, her own heart pounding out of her chest. If something happened to her precious nephew…

  Lori shook her head, uncertain whether law enforcement had been called.

  Kristine forced away the thought that Devon may have come to harm and prayed for his safe return. “Lori, listen, you wait here,” she said. “Wait—where’s Mom?”

  “Grocery shopping.”

  “Okay, um, call her and tell her what’s happening. I’m going to start searching for Devon. Even if the school called the police, I need you to call them too. Find out what’s happening as far as a search.”

  “Okay. I’ll do that.”

  Kristine ran out of the house and to her car. She drove right to school. She spotted several adults, including a police officer, milling around out front. She pulled to a stop and ran toward them. “I’m Devon’s aunt,” she said. “When was he last seen?”

  “He went out for recess a half hour ago, but didn’t return to his class with the other children,” a woman told her.

  “Did any of the other children see anything?”

  “No one,” a man said.

  Kristine swallowed over a lump in her throat. “Is, uh, Pete Williams in his class?”

  “No,” the woman told her, “but they are friends.”

  “May I speak to him, please?”

  The woman hurried to find the boy. Kristine soon spotted them exit the building together and she hurried to meet them. “Pete,” she said, attempting to keep her voice even, “do you remember me? I’m Devon’s aunt. We met at the barbecue at Joe’s house. You know, Gracie’s new owner.”

  He nodded. “I know who you are.”

  “Sweetie, do you have any idea where Devon went?”

  He shook his head, averting his gaze.

  “Honey, please. Did you see anyone approach him? Or try to talk to him?”

  “No,” he said, failing to raise his face and make eye contact.

  She gently lifted his chin. “Honey, please, if you know anything, you have to tell us. He’s only six…”

  “I’m seven!” he declared.

  “I know, but you see, Devon isn’t as old as you, or as big as you. He shouldn’t be walking around alone, without an adult with him. You do understand something bad could happen to him?”

  “I told him that!” he cried, and then realized he’d said it. He shuffled awkwardly.

  Kristine took both his hands in her own. “Sweetie, please tell me where Devon went. If you know, you must tell me…”

  “I don’t know where he went!” he cried.

  “But did he say anything to you?”

  “But I pinky sweared I wouldn’t…” He sighed with frustration.

  “Honey, I understand you don’t want to break a promise, but if something happens to Devon, won’t you feel bad then?”

  He nodded.

  “Will you tell me what you know? Please.”

  He finally looked up and sighed again. “He was mad because the kids were telling him his mama is bad. They said she burned down her own bakery.”

  Kristine nodded. “Okay. I understand why he was upset. But he didn’t tell you where he was going?” she clarified.

  “No. He just said he was leavin’ ‘cuz everybody is so mean to him now. He said he won’t come back to school, because nobody will leave him alone anymore. The other kids say he’s going to burn down the school and they call him mean names. I don’t call him names, ‘cuz he’s my friend.”

  Kristine’s heart broke for her precious nephew. “Thank you for telling me, honey,” she said, and then spun on her heel, intending to begin searching for Devon. She found Lori standing behind her. She had heard everything Pete said.

  “Mom’s at the house,” she said, her lips trembling. She met Kristine’s gaze, her eyes filling with tears. She shook her head, unable to speak now.

  Kristine took her hand and pulled her to her car. “Come on. We’ll look for him together.”

  Inside the car, Lori broke down crying. “It’s my fault,” she said. “I should have figured Devon was having trouble at school. He pleaded with me not to make him go this morning.”

  “We’re going to find him, Lori.”

  “But, what if…? He’s just a little boy,” she moaned. “This is all my fault.”

  Kristine wondered what she meant that it was ‘all’ her fault. Was she indicating she had started the fire? Regardless, she reached for her sister’s hand. “Don’t think the worst. Devon’s a smart little guy. He’s going to be fine. We’ll find him.”

  They drove the nearby streets, but saw no sign of him. “Let’s go by the park,” Kristine suggested. There, she parked and hurried to search the playground. He was nowhere to be found. When she spotted an overturned tunnel, she hurried to look inside. No Devon.

  She jogged back to the car. “He’s not here,” she said, as she started the ignition.

  They continued driving around, searching—to no avail. When Kristine’s cell phone rang, she nearly leapt out of her skin. She snatched it off the seat beside her. “Hello!”

  “Kristine?”

  “Yes?”

  “It’s Maeve…”

  “Oh, hello Maeve. I’m sorry I didn’t recognize you. I’m having a family emergency right now. You see, my nephew is missing…”

  “Is he about six, adorable little fellow, with blond hair?”

  “Yessss,” Kristine said, relief cascading over her like a shower of w
arm water. “You’ve seen him?”

  “Indeed I have. I heard Gracie barking—making a bigger fuss than is usual for her—and I went next door to investigate. Suffice to say, she’s not the only one occupying her dog house at the moment.” She chuckled. “I spotted the little guy, but I’m fairly certain he didn’t realize I saw him. Regardless, I’m outside now, watching him through a gap in the fence.”

  “Oh, Maeve, thank you,” she said, so relieved. “You can’t know how grateful we are to you. We’ll be right there.”

  When they arrived at the house, Maeve greeted them out front. Kristine made hasty introductions and then perked her ears. She noted all was quiet.

  “I think Gracie is pleased to have company,” Maeve said with a chuckle.

  As the women dashed through the house and out back, Kristine spotted Devon peering out the door of Gracie’s doghouse. He spotted them and hurled himself deeper into the space. Gracie turned and watched him and then scooted backward to join him.

  “Devon!” Lori cried. “You scared me! I thought something awful had happened to you.”

  He remained silent.

  “Devon?” Kristine prompted. “Come on out of there. Honey, you scared me too. Please don’t ever run away again.”

  “But, the kids at school are mean to me. They said Mama burned down the bakery.”

  “Sweetie…”

  Lori began to cry. “It’s all my fault,” she sobbed. “If I wasn’t so…” She couldn’t manage to get the words out.

  Kristine sensed she was about to collapse and hurried to her side. She wrapped an arm around her and helped her to a chair on Joe’s back patio.

  To her surprise, Joe burst through the back door. His eyes were wide with fear. “Maeve called me…”

  “I wasn’t sure what to do,” she said with a shrug. “I knew Joe was out-of-town but…” She furrowed her brow and met Joe’s gaze. “Anyway, I called you first and it turns out, you’re … in town after all.”

  He nodded in reply, and when he spotted Devon, his expression relaxed. “Thank God he’s all right,” he said, turning to Kristine and Lori.

  He smiled at Kristine, but she watched him wearily. He noticed and frowned.

  She hurriedly averted her eyes and walked away to deal with Devon. He was still in the doghouse. She resisted the urge to join him.