After three years, she’d become a part of the town and not just when they were fundraising. If the weather permitted, she walked in the evening and even found a few friends to join her. The main source of entertainment was the local high school sports teams. Even the cheesy holiday choir and band concerts were can’t miss events in Braden. No one looked at her strange for not having a child there. She was part of the town and the more she did with the citizens, the more she was embraced.
“Hey Merryn, I’m about to head out,” Kristy said as she poked her head into the kitchen.
Merryn had been sketching out a plan for making the three hundred and seventeen pies. “I’ll walk you out.” She pushed up from her chair and they walked into the front. The chairs on the seven tables had been turned over and the floor swept. “Thank you for this. I’m going to really need you next week.”
“Am I going to need to come in early?”
“No, but you’ll have to run the front. I’ll see if Bea can help you through the lunch rush. I’m going to need to hire those fifth graders to sell during the Founder’s Day festival next year.”
“They’re that good?”
“I’m going to have to order more pie pans.”
“We had a gross of them didn’t we?”
“They sold over two times that much.”
“Damn,” Kristy said as she pulled on her coat and buttoned up. “Is anyone making their own pies this year?”
“I don’t know, but have fun this weekend.” Merryn locked the door and was flipping the closed sign when a man knocked on the glass. When she’d lived in Los Angeles she would have never opened the door to a stranger, but more than likely she’d met this person at one time or another. “Hello?” Merryn called as she cracked the door a bit.
“Hi, is there any chance you have something quick I could grab to eat?”
“How quick?” Merryn asked the man with cool blue eyes and thick dark hair. There was something familiar about his face, but she couldn’t place a name.
“I’m late getting to my mother’s and there’s never anything good to eat there.”
“I was getting ready to go through my ready made sandwiches,” Merryn said as she opened the door wider and let the man come in from the cold. “You’re in luck.”
“Why do I think I’m saving you a trip to the trash can?”
The man had a nice lilt to his voice that brought a smile from her. “If you want fresh come before I close or head down to the bar. I hear they have burgers on pretzel rolls today.” Merryn opened the refrigerated section of her display case to retrieve the plastic wrapped premades. “Looks like a ham and Swiss on a crescent or turkey and provolone on a baguette.”
“Which do you prefer?” he asked.
She walked behind the counter and set the sandwiches down. “That’s not a fair question.”
“Why not?”
“What if I lied?”
“Now, why would you do that?”
“Because one of them is my supper.”
“That’s not a proper dinner.”
“And yet, you’re keeping me open late, so you can eat one.”
“This will tide me over. I’ll eat when I get back to Waterloo.”
“Ah, big city guy,” Merryn said as she placed the ham and Swiss in a bag.
“Not originally. Born and raised…well not born, but raised in Braden. You on the other hand, are new.”
“You sure?”
“I would have remembered you.”
Merryn felt her face flush with heat.
“Guess I still have it.”
“Have what?” Merryn asked as she bit her lower lip.
He shook his head. “I’m Brad.” He extended his hand to her.
She shook it, noting the soft palm in contrast the manual labor men she usually dealt with in town. “Merryn.”
“What a beautiful name. I don’t think I’ve ever heard it before.”
“I’m nothing if not unique.”
“How much do I owe you?”
“I was going to throw it out anyway,” she said with a sigh.
“Yeah, but I kept you open late. I usually don’t get here early enough and I have to say, I was a bit curious about this place.”
“I hope I was able to quell the curiosity.”
“Stoked a bit, but it is more inviting than when I was a kid.”
“I better close up now Brad.” Merryn walked to the door and held it open. A bitter wind whipped through the door and bit at her exposed skin. “Enjoy the sandwich.”
“I’m sure I will, thank you Merryn…did I say that right?”
“You did.” As she closed the door and locked it, she watched the man in a suit walk away. A suit. He was from the big city, but the suit wasn’t custom, it was off the rack. It was nice to see a well dressed man, but as memories of Erik rushed to the forefront of her mind, she turned and headed to her kitchen.
Erik Sota had been her everything for too long. Well dressed, custom suits and a crooked smile that sent her into a tailspin. Even three years and halfway across the country, the memory of him had her crawling into a hole. Maybe it was the way they divorced. Not enemies, not even upset with each other. She couldn’t give him the one thing he wanted and the disappointment in his eyes had become too much for her.
Chapter Two
“Hello,” Austin said as he answered his phone.
“Hey Aust, it’s Brad,” the younger brother who seemed to get everything Austin wanted announced himself as if it would be possible to forget his voice. “I got some strange bills to my office today.”
“Strange how?”
“They said overdue. All you have to do is write the check as soon as the bill comes in. You can’t put them off.”
“Oh, I didn’t understand that was how it worked. I stupidly thought money had to be in the bank to cover the checks. Shit, thanks Brad…that opens my life up to endless possibilities.”
“Smart ass, what do you mean there has to be money in the account? Mom’s social security and disability checks are direct deposit. There should be no reason for money not being in the account.”
“At the beginning of the month yes. Property taxes took most of last month. And I thought having the lights on was important too.”
“Where’s the money going?”
“She has twenty-four-hour a day caretakers. Not the cheapest thing in the world.”
“Then sell her house and move her in with you.”
“The farm. She hated it when she was married to dad. I never saw a woman move as fast as she did, once he was gone. Why would I put her back in that environment? Anyway, I wouldn’t be able to board five guys here if mom lived here. You think I like living with five other guys?” Austin snapped. “It’s the only way I can keep the farm going. More importantly, how could I care for her and work it?”
“Dad left that farm to all of us.”
“And I paid you for your share. Mom too. I’m just digging out of that catastrophe. I don’t make a hundred grand a year destroying families.”
“That’s not all I do and you know it.”
“Whatever. If you’re so damn worried about the bills, how about you pay them for awhile.”
“I shouldn’t have to. Mom has Medicare and disability.”
“She also has three kids. Have you seen Gretchen in the last six months? I’d say pool our money but last I knew, you couldn’t get blood from a turnip. Sorry to tell you little brother, you have two turnips for siblings.”
“Don’t act like I’m not here for mom. I come almost everyday.”
“Almost? You told me you came every night.”
“It’s unrealistic to expect me to come there every night.”
“Then why didn’t you tell me that?” Austin’s rage hit a high. Nights he’d been home doing nothing and could have very easily come into town. “Damn it, she’s been alone at night.”
“No, she has round the clock nursing care. Jesus, you act like she’s alone in
the house wallowing in her own mess.”
“Brad, if coming to see your own mother is too much of a task for you, then let me know.”
Austin had worked his father’s farm for free more years than he should of because they covered costs with Daisy and Rae, giving them a room while he worked part time as a janitor at night. He’d stupidly thought the money he was getting would go to a home somewhere else. But his father wanted someone to take on the farm. Talk of selling the farm had been shot down by everyone…everyone that didn’t need to work it. It was the place they all liked to visit. It reminded them of all the good times and growing up. Reliving the past for a day or even two is very different than living in it.
“Now, don’t play the martyr with me. You made your bed. Better yet, you made the back of your pick-up truck. Or was it behind the dugout? What was it five dollars for a box of condoms back then?”
“At least I got laid before graduate school.”
“Fuck you. Pay the damn bill. And I’m going to audit mom’s accounts. If I see you used one penny for anything beyond her expenses I swear to God, I’ll come down on you harder than the federal government.”
“Always a pleasure Bradley,” Austin said as he snapped the phone shut and was about to throw it when he realized he didn’t want to have to buy a new one.
Fucking baby of the family. Spoiled in every damn way. Austin never brought up the fact his parents took out a mortgage to get Brad through law school. A second mortgage that was added into his when he took over the farm.
Pulling on a coat and tugging on his boots, he took off to walk the parameter of the farm. When he opened the door, Bo bolted to his heels. The dog always enjoyed a good walk, even at ten the dog showed little slowing and at times, still acted like a puppy.
“Alright, but it’s cold and I don’t want to hear any bitching from you,” he scolded the dog who sat back on his haunches waiting for the command to go.
The weather had gotten colder. At the edge of the farm, he could smell winter just on the brink. Gretchen had already sent her apologies for not coming for Thanksgiving this year. He wasn’t surprised. It would probably just be Brad and him unless Brad got a better offer.
This year, his daughter Trinity was at Rae’s house and he would get her for Christmas baring any last minute changes. That would be better anyway, because she tended to stay longer then.
With a thousand acres, the two mile walk exhausted him enough to push aside his anger. What did he expect? The only curve ball Brad ever had in his life was when Austin’s girlfriend, Rae, moved in. followed by a niece a few months later. Even that wasn’t upsetting to him once Daisy had been sleep trained. He would play with her, but babysitting or doing anything above and beyond a game of peek-a-boo was too much for the tween brother.
When he got back, the four guys who lived with him had cooked some beef stew and were watching Thursday night football.
Bo checked in with the men and lapped up some water after the long walk.
The first stop had been Hank Lathrop, in his fifties, a lifelong bachelor with no notion of changing. He’d worked for the Larsen’s for years. When Austin offered him a room after Rae moved out, he jumped at the chance. Austin took out less than half of what Hank had been paying in rent from his paycheck. Just made sense.
Next was, Bishop, he’d been a few years behind Austin in school, like Austin, Paul’s marriage fell apart. Although he had a slight drinking problem, he was working on it and never let it get in the way of his chores.
Then, Lane and Ty Sampson were brother’s from a few towns over. Only twenty and eighteen respectively, they’d been looking for work since their parents kicked them out. He knew they’d caused a few fights in Buddy’s the last few years, but who didn’t fight at Buddy’s. Not a reason to kick them out. Especially, when they worked hard.
Although, they all got along, he wouldn’t consider them more than roommates. Except for Hank, when he looked at his old weathered face, he couldn’t help seeing his father. And when the new farm conglomerate, Zackary Pork, comes knocking to buy the farm, he knew he would think of Hank and all he would lose if Austin sold the farm.
* * * *
If Merryn saw another pie, it would be too soon. She said that every year, but this one was different. She calculated she needed at least forty-eight hours to move on from the amount of pies she’d baked in the last thirty six hours. “Bea,” Merryn called from the kitchen. “I’m going to pull my truck up to the front door. Can you help me load these pies?”
“No problem,” Bea said as she topped off Darryl’s coffee cup.
“Any of them for me?” he asked Merryn.
“Did a fifth grader shake you down?”
“No. But that’s my mother’s recipe making you a millionaire.”
“Please, you know I’m already a millionaire. I’m just waiting for you to kick, so I can send your coffee bill to your beneficiaries.”
“Ha, just for that, I’m going to stay and drink three more cups.”
“It’s your prostate,” Bea chided as she began bringing the boxes of ten inch pies out.
“There you are,” Buddy yelled as Merryn tried balancing ten pies in her hands.
“That’s right, give me a few minutes and I’ll be over there,” Merryn said as she walked out the door and placed the pies down next to Bea who was fidgeting with the back seats.
“You are trying to poison my customers,” Buddy growled as she went back into the bakery.
Merryn turned to see the mop of blonde hair trying to escape the skully cap he wore. Rage burned in his coffee colored eyes and Merryn tried to keep her cool. She’d gone to Buddy’s bar a handful of times and she would’ve gone there more often, if he didn’t consider her an infection from out of town. A good burger was a must in her mind once a week at least and having someone else cook it made it even better.
Just serving a few sandwiches and salads as an alternative to bar food was enough to have him snap on her. Then again, even in this small town there was a group of younger bad boys that tended to think they ran the place. What’s the worst she could have done? Three, maybe four burgers a day if that?
“Poisoning them?” She snapped back as her customers all dropped their sandwiches and stared at the two of them. “How exactly could I have poisoned your customers?”
“First off, I told you I wouldn’t touch your buns if they were dripping in honey, covered in powdered sugar, and came with a free t-shirt.”
“Now, I’m just confused,” Merryn said as she crossed her arms. “Are you talking about my ass or something I put in an oven?”
Buddy looked thrown off by her comment.
Yes, that’s exactly what she wanted. Ten years younger than her, Buddy was intimidating and although she was sure he’d never hit a woman when his rage was up, gooseflesh erupted on her body and every sense was heightened. The biggest one being that right now, they had an audience hearing she’d poisoned people. Not the best PR for an eatery.
“Here.” Shoving two bags of buns in her face, he snarled at her, “Take these back.”
“You do realize you’ve been using my buns for over a week now.” Merryn batted the plastic bags out of her face and tried to hold her composure together, even though her body was beginning to tremble.
“Jenny told me you’re her new supplier.” Again, he shoved the bags in her face only this time they flew back along with Buddy out the door.
Merryn followed quickly to see Buddy being dragged by the back of his neck outside by Austin. She glanced up and saw it was eleven. Thank God for egg salad sandwiches.
“Now, Buddy,” Austin seethed as they got to the edge of Merryn’s picture window.
She had to strain to hear him because he was leaning in close and hitting a pressure point on the back of Buddy’s neck that had him contorting down to his hips.
“You’re not a fan of the Triple B, but I am. You’re going to go back in there and apologize.”
“The hell I—” Bu
ddy snarled, only to let out a little yelp.
“Don’t forget who taught you all your moves,” Austin growled low in his throat, then released Buddy who rubbed at his neck. “Now turn around…” Austin guided Buddy around and saw Merryn not two feet behind them.
“Hey Austin.” Merryn’s nervous laugh made her getting caught eavesdropping even worse. “Egg salad on honey wheat?”
“Yes ma’am,” he said as sweetly as ever. The gruff rage was gone from his voice.
She didn’t know what to make of the Jekyll and Hyde act. “Cookie?”
“No thank you. Buddy, would you like to explain to Merryn what your problem is?”
“Jenny was stuck one day, she shouldn’t have kept buying from you.”
“Why did she then?” Merryn asked as she folded her arms, knowing full well why Jenny came back. The patrons already loved Buddy’s burgers, but on fresh non processed rolls, they were ordering two and three.
“Pure laziness,” he lied. “We have a supplier and unless she messes up again, we don’t need your rolls.” With that, Buddy took off back down the street to his bar.
Merryn went inside to make Austin a sandwich on the house. As she opened the door, Bea was there holding five pies heading for her SUV. Crap. Here Austin had come to her rescue and she had to deal with these pies.
“Kristy will you make Austin his sandwich,” Merryn said then turned to him. “It’s on the house. Thank you, there’s nothing worse then having someone yelling about me poisoning people.”
“He’s been a little shit since he was five, but his heart is pure as gold. Maybe he’ll grow up soon.” Austin walked to the counter.
Merryn returned to moving her pies. When she looked back at him standing by the counter, he wasn’t watching Kristy, his eyes were locked on her. For the first time, they didn’t turn away. She gave a smile and a wave, feeling herself flush a bit like a kid.
Folding her back seats flat, Merryn hoped she had enough room, so it would only take two trips to the school. She’d underestimated. Four trips later, she was sweating as she, the janitor and Principal Harris set up tables with the five kinds of pie. Brandied pecan, the town’s signature pie, pumpkin, apple, cherry and blueberry. She then had one last table with the extras, including a few mincemeat and the last of her strawberry rhubarb from the summer.
Triple B. Baking Co. Page 2