15
Kelly
The walk to the bakery never felt better for me. I moved quickly towards the shop, bouncing along with energy I rarely had early in the morning. The last two days with Damian had been truly special and had given me much to look forward to. My mind was suddenly filled with ideas for the shop and for me, both professionally and personally. I was inspired like never before, and I was grinning ear to ear as I walked along. I even said a friendly “hello” to a few of the early morning joggers and fishermen I passed on my way to the bakery. I got some odd looks, but I didn’t care a bit.
I got closer to the bakery and noticed the T-Shirt Cabana, the t-shirt and souvenir store next to us, wasn’t just closed as it normally would be this time of the morning. The storm gate had been pulled down over the front of the store, something they never did unless there was impending bad weather coming.
That’s odd, I thought to myself as I gazed at the gate and the closed sign hanging on it. Harry Chapman, the owner of the store, was one of the nicest guys on the boardwalk and always had a smile, kind word, or helping hand for business people and the community. He and his family had the shop for many years and were the best neighbors. I hoped everything was okay with him and his family as I turned the corner to get to the rear of the bakery.
The back door was already unlocked when I arrived, meaning someone was already here and starting to open. I felt guilty about being a bit later and knew I was going to get all kinds of questions about it as soon as I walked into the kitchen.
Jodie was there getting the ovens going, and I could smell the first batch of cinnamon buns underway already, the distinct smell filling the air in the kitchen. Jodie had the music turned up loud enough where she didn’t even hear me enter, so I just grabbed an apron and got ready to get started. I heard an audible gasp when Jodie turned and saw me standing there.
“Shit, Kelly, you could have at least made some noise when you came in,” Jodie said, juggling the canisters she had in her hands and placing them on the table.
I went over and turned the music down a bit so we could hear each other without yelling.
“Sorry, I just slipped in under the music I guess.”
I looked around and saw a bunch of pastries already prepared and ready to go for the day.
“What time did you get here this morning? I didn’t think I was this late,” I asked her as I looked at the racks filled with cookies and donuts.
“Oh, I couldn’t sleep last night, so I came in a few hours ago and got things started. I just had some energy I guess.” Jodie wiped her hands on her apron and looked over at me with a grin.
“So, I guess yesterday went pretty well, huh?”
“What makes you say that?” I answered coyly.
“Well, you never came by to claim your dog last night, and you’re still carrying the bag of clothes we packed yesterday, so you never made it home either. It’s pretty easy to figure out where you ended up.”
“Jodie, it was an amazing day,” I said to her, moving closer to her so we could talk.
I told her all about our adventures in the balloon, the good time we had at Seacrets, and then how we spent the rest of the night together.
“He’s nothing like I thought he would be, Jodie,” I explained to her. “You think about the typical rich guys that come down here, and Damian is just the opposite. He’s not hung up on money, or showing off, or bragging. He’s a gentleman, he’s caring, but he’s strong when he wants to be or needs to be.”
“I guess so by the way you said that,” Jodie added with a laugh.
“Oh, he definitely knows how to take charge.”
“Take charge of what?” I heard from behind us and spun around to see Mom and Alex coming through the door.
“These donuts,” I offered, trying to cover up as quickly as I could. I grabbed the tray of donuts that needed to be filled with jelly and moved them over to one of the free tables.
“Jodie has left these sitting here without filling them, so I’m taking charge of them.” I grabbed a pastry bag and quickly filled it with some of our raspberry jam and start pressing it gently into the donuts.
“Mmmm, Hmmm,” Mom said with her knowing look as she hung up her coat. She walked out to the storefront to start things out there while Alex stayed and put on her apron.
“You were talking about your date yesterday, weren’t you?” she said quietly. “What happened?”
“Alex, this isn’t really the time to get into all of that. All I will say is that we had a lovely time and I hope to get to see him again.”
“Really?” Alex replied with a pout. “That’s all you’re going to tell me, but you have no problem telling Jodie the details? That’s pretty shitty, Kelly.”
“Alexandra, language please!” Mom shouted from the store. Alex rolled her eyes and trudged out to the store to help Mom.
“She’s going to be mad at you, you know,” Jodie stated.
“I know, but what does she expect me to do? Go into details with Mom standing right there?”
“I think you need to give her a little more credit, Kel.” Jodie walked over from her station and stood next to me. “I think she gets jealous a lot because we’re so close. She feels a little left out of the sister stuff at times.”
“Okay, I get it.” I finished filling the jelly donuts and brought them out to the shop.
Mom was taking the chairs down from off the tables while Alex prepped the coffee station. I carried the tray over to the display case and began to fill the area with donuts.
“Alex, can you go grab the other tray for me?” I asked her. She looked over at me and stomped off into the kitchen to get the other tray.
It was difficult for me with Alex sometimes because of the age difference between us. Jodie was only a couple of years’ difference with me, but Alex was several, and it seemed like there was a big gap between us at times in a lot of ways. I never meant for her to be excluded, and it was tough for me to think of her as a young woman now and not just the little kid that was always getting into my stuff.
Alex came out with a tray filled with frosted chocolate donuts, glazed donuts, and plain donuts and placed it on the counter next to me. She started to move back towards the coffee when I asked her to help me fill the case. I looked over at Mom, who saw what I was doing, and shifted my eyes toward the kitchen. Mom took the hint and went in to help Jodie.
“Alex, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…”
“Be insensitive?” she interrupted. “I get it, Kelly. I’ve been dealing with it my whole life.”
“Hey, that’s not fair,” I said to her. I stepped back from the display case and leaned on the back counter, staring at Alex. “You have to understand that Jodie and I are close in age. We relied on just each other for years before you were born. It’s just different is all. I know I act too much like the oldest sister at times, and I don’t treat you like the young adult you are now, and I’m sorry about that. I promise to be better about it, okay?”
I put my arm around Alex after she filled the case and pulled her to me, making sure to wipe some of the powdered sugar that was on my gloved hands right on her chin.
“Does that mean you’ll tell me about your date?” she asked me.
“I will, I promise, but not right now, not with Mom here. It feels… weird.”
Mom came walking out of the kitchen with a tray of warm pastries.
“You know, you three go around hiding all this talk about boys, men, dates, sex, and whatever from me like I don’t know anything about it,” she said calmly as she placed pastries in the case. “Where do you think you three came from? The stork didn’t deliver you, you know.”
“Ugh, Mom,” Alex answered, crinkling her face in disgust. “I don’t want to hear about you and Dad.”
“Go get the rest of the trays,” Mom said to Alex, shooing her into the kitchen and giving her a light swat with a towel as Alex sped by.
Mom walked over to me as I was looking over the cases to see what else we might need for the day.
“Did you have a nice time, honey?” she asked me as she wiped down the counter.
“I did Mom, it was great,” I said to her.
“I’m glad to hear it. It’s been so long since you started seeing someone. Do you want to come over for dinner tonight? I’m making your favorite – chicken parmesan.”
“You know I can’t resist your chicken parm. Of course, I’ll be there.”
Once the bakery was opened, it was the usual madness of a Tuesday morning. Locals and visitors rushed in and out to get coffee, donuts, pastries, and snacks, and we were kept moving for hours. The morning quickly vanished and spread into the early afternoon before things started to slow down. I seemed to have boundless energy and kept moving, getting things prepped, baked, and out to the shop. I even took a turn working the register and helping customers when it looked like Mom could use a break.
After the early afternoon rush died down and closing time was nearing, I saw Damian walk in. He was wearing a dark green polo shirt that clung nicely to his body, and a pair of khaki shorts that looked just as nice on him. I smiled as soon as I saw him and watched him walk towards the counter.
“Hi there,” he said to me with a big grin.
The room suddenly felt ten degrees warmer to me just from the look he gave me.
“Hey,” I said trying to be casual, but I knew I had a huge smile on my face.
“I just thought I would drop by and see if you had any jelly donuts left.” Damian scanned over to the display case with the donuts, and there wasn’t much left in there.
“I don’t think we have any left,” I said to him. I could see he looked disappointed, but then his gaze turned back to me, and he smiled again.
“That’s okay. I’m sure I don’t really need them anyway,” Damian said as he patted his firm stomach.
“I might have a few left in the back,” I said, pointing to the kitchen doors and I started to move to go look. Damian reached out and grabbed my hand, holding it, to keep me in place.
“Don’t bother,” he said to me. “I didn’t really come in looking for donuts. I just wanted to see you and see if you were free tonight.”
The heat turned up even more as he held my hand. Damian’s index finger lightly stroked mine, and it made my heart race.
“I would love to,” I replied. I then snapped out of my haze. “Oh, wait, I’m supposed to go to my Mom’s for dinner tonight. You know, a sisters-daughters-Mom kind of bonding thing.”
Damian looked disappointed, but Mom then popped up right behind me as he held my hand.
“Damian, you are more than welcome to join us for dinner if you like. It’s nothing fancy; just a home-cooked meal,” Mom chimed in.
I looked back at Damian, expecting him to politely say no. Why would he eat a chicken parm dinner in Mom’s cramped house when he could eat anything he wants at his place?
“I would love a home-cooked meal,” he answered. Part of me was thrilled that he accepted, and another part of me nervous about him getting grilled by my sisters.
“Great!” Mom exclaimed. “We close up here in a bit. Come on by around five. I’m sure Kelly can show you the way.”
I came out from behind the counter and walked with Damian as he moved toward the front door.
“You don’t have to come if you don’t want to,” I said to Damian, trying to give him an out.
“I really want to come,” he said seriously. “I want to get to know your family. It will be fun.”
“You think so, huh?” I said sarcastically. “Be prepared for what my sisters have to bring.”
Damian let out a chuckle. “You’d be surprised what kind of questions I have been asked over the years, Kelly. I don’t think they can throw anything at me that I haven’t heard before.”
“Don’t let them hear you say that,” I warned. “They’ll take that as a challenge.”
“Stop worrying about it,” Damian told me. “What’s the address?”
“18 Allan Drive,” I told him. “I won’t be offended if you don’t show.”
“I’ll be there.” Damian leaned in and kissed me, placing his hands on my waist.
I felt myself drawing closer to him as the kiss lingered. It was only the “Oooh” from my sisters that caused me to break it and shoot them a stern look while they stood laughing behind the counter. Damian just smiled down at me and ignored them.
“I’ll see you at five,” he told me before he walked out the door.
I closed the door behind him, locking it and flipping over the sign, so it showed “Closed.” As soon as I looked towards Alex and Jodie, both started making kissing noises, wrapping their arms around each other.
“You guys are jerks. I should fire both of you,” I said as I stomped towards the counter.
“If she’s this worked up now, wait and see how she’ll be at dinner,” Alex prodded.
“If you embarrass me at all, you can be sure I will be telling Mom about your little skinny-dipping adventure with your friends two weeks ago down on the beach.”
Alex looked worried for a second and then burst out laughing.
“It’s okay, it will be totally worth the grounding,” she said with a laugh.
“It’s going to be a long night,” I lamented out loud as I walked into the kitchen to clean up.