Page 19 of Stronger Than Blood
When I came out of the restroom, Rory had already changed. “Just let me wash my face and arms, and I’ll be ready to go,” he said before slipping into the bathroom behind me. I walked around the room, admiring how nice it was. It still surprised me that we had such an upscale hotel in our Podunk little town.
When Rory came out, we walked to the restaurant, and Brenda met us at the front entrance. “Oh, boys, I’m so happy to see you. Elias said the two of you had hit it off. Come on in! What can I get you to drink?” she asked, making me smile despite my earlier upset.
“I’ll just have water. Thank you, Brenda.”
“I’ll have tea,” Rory said.
When she’d left to grab our drinks, I led Rory into the café to where Granny and I always sat when we came here. “So, why do you get to call her Brenda?” he asked, his face showing a lopsided grin that just made him look naughty on top of his regular gorgeousness.
I was beginning to come out of the funk I’d had from the memory incident and decided to tease him. “That would be because she’s my cousin and probably because Granny Ida hasalways called her that,” I said and winked at him. “When she got married and changed her name to Kennedy, I just got used to calling her by her first name. I probably shouldn’t, but she hasn’t corrected me… yet.”
Rory smiled. “Oh, I got the impression she wanted to be called Mrs. Kennedy.”
“She probably does, and you don’t want to piss off the cook, so I recommend you do.”
Despite the horrors from earlier, the friendly banter was helping to bring me out of what would’ve more likely than not been a nasty bout of depression had Rory not pulled me along with him to the café. Surprisingly Rory and I were chuckling when Brenda put our drinks on the table. “Well, boys, we’ve extended the buffet for tonight, so go help yourselves, and it’s on the house."
“Oh Mick," Brenda said turning back around, "that reminds me. I heard you’re no longer working with that dreadful Milner woman. I really need someone to make desserts for the small bakery we've set up at the hotel. I swear I don’t know why I took that on with all the work I’ve gotta do here. The hotel owner talked me into it,” she said, looking at Rory. “I swear that boy can sweet-talk a crocodile. Anyway,” she said, looking back at me, “if you’re needing work, I sure do need someone to take over my desserts. Reckon you might be interested?”
My eyes must’ve bugged out of my head. Emotions overtook me, probably because I was still dealing with the earlier trauma, but I jumped up and grabbed Brenda into a hug, tears welling in my eyes. “Brenda, I’ve been chomping at the bit to work here, but didn’t have the nerve to ask you since your pies are the best around.”
Brenda laughed. “Oh, honey, people have been talking about your desserts since you started working over at Milners’. I really could use the help, and you are my first choice.”
“Yes!” I said, then nodded my head. “Yes, and yes again! When do I start?”
Brenda patted my back, and I was happy I wasn’t wearing the nasty shirt. “Well, I have stuff scheduled through the week, but the weekends are what’s kicking my butt. Can you start on Friday?”
“Oh yeah, and do you want me doing nights like I did at the grocery store?” I asked.
“No, baby, but early mornings are the theme here. Can you be here by five? I have an oven designated just for the desserts, so as long as you don’t mind dancing around our morning staff, that’s the best time to do desserts.”
“Yes, again!” I said, smiling so wide it hurt.Talk about an emotional roller coaster.
“Oh, what a relief,” Brenda said. “Son, I do believe this might be the best news I’ve had in ages.”
I hugged her again, trying to resist the tears that still threatened to fall down my cheeks. When she looked at me and smiled, I lost it though. “Ignore me. I’m a mess. What with Granny Ida and losing my job. You’ve caught me at a vulnerable moment, cuz.”
She laughed. “Oh, I can’t wait until we tell your Granny. She’ll be over the moon that family are working together again after all these years.”
“Again?” I asked.
Brenda stared at me for a moment and said, “Honey, I guess you don’t know, but this café has been here since 1905. Your great grandpa’s mom and sisters opened it together. Course, it was all different back then, no buffets and such—that was my doin’—but it’s been in our family for generations.”
I was completely overwhelmed, especially when a chill went through me at the realization that I was stepping back into myfamily’s shoes, like destiny or something. “Thank you, Brenda,” I said. “I really needed some happy at the moment.”
Brenda pulled me down and kissed my cheek. “Okay, you two get to eatin'. I’ll see you Friday morning, and I’ll let you tell Aunt Ida the good news. Although you best get to that as well, 'cause I’m gonna tell her if’n you don’t!”
I chuckled as she dashed happily toward the back of the café. I sat down then stared at my hands for several long moments. It was just so much. First being thrust back into that horrible memory, then finding out Rory thought he was here on some magic mission or something, only for Brenda to bring me news that I might get to do something I’d always wanted to do. Then add on top of that the fact I was going to be stepping back into my family’s business? It was just… well, overwhelming.
“Um, wow,” Rory said, and I admit, I’d sorta forgotten he was there.
“Yeah, it’s like, how much emotion can the world throw at me at once?”
“Or maybe you cleared something so the Universe can give you what’s been waiting for you all along.”
I looked at him and shook my head. “That’s too deep for my empty stomach. Let’s eat.”
Chapter thirteen
