by Amber Crewes
“For the reception and after-party, we are looking at twenty-thousand dollars,” Mr. Cazale answered.
“That’s not much for a funeral,” Meghan replied.
“Each,” Mr. Cazale corrected. “From my calculations, each vendor will walk away with twenty-thousand dollars. Do I have your attention now?”
Meghan pursed her lips. Even though she was understaffed at the bakery, twenty-thousand dollars was very good money for just one day of work. She thought about the anniversary party she wanted to throw next month; it would soon be the one-year anniversary of the day she opened Truly Sweet, and she wanted to throw a celebration to commemorate the special day. Hosting such an event would cost a lot, and the twenty-thousand dollars could be used to offset the costs.
“What do you think?” he prodded. “If you are unable to assist, I will call one of the catering companies in Portland, but like I said, I wanted to extend the offer to you first.”
“I will talk to my staff and clear my schedule,” she said, pasting a smile on her face. “When is this shin-dig taking place?”
“Next Friday,” he answered. “Six days from now.”
“Then it sounds like I have some work to do.”
“Perfecto!” he replied. “Would you mind coming by in the early afternoon on Friday to do some tasting sessions? The deceased’s son will be around early in the day to finalize plans, and I’m sure he would appreciate testing your menu.”
“Of course,” she agreed. “Is there anything else I can do in the meantime? How many guests do you think will be attending?”
“The agent told me to expect two-hundred mourners...I mean, guests,” he told her. “I would plan for more, just to be safe. He told me he would like a full range of desserts, along with some croissant sandwiches and cheeses.”
“That won’t be a problem,” Meghan said as she rose from the couch and extended her hand to him. “Thank you for this opportunity, Mr. Cazale. I look forward to our partnership.”
Thirty minutes later, Meghan rejoined Pamela, who had been waiting for her in the town square. “What did he want?” Pamela asked as Meghan walked up to her.
“It sounds a little crazy,” she told her. “But he wants us to cater a funeral.”
Pamela narrowed her eyes. “The same funeral where my uncle is performing?”
Meghan’s jaw dropped. She had completely forgotten about Lucky’s deal with Mr. Cazale. “It must be the same event,” she admitted as Pamela frowned. “I wasn’t sure about it at first, but it’s a lot of money, Pamela. I understand if you don’t want to be a part of it, but if you do choose to help, I will make sure you are compensated very well for the day.”
Pamela crossed her arms. “I don’t know,” she said. “That man has brought nothing but unhappiness to my family. I don’t want to be around him if I don’t have to.”
“I understand,” she replied gently. “I’ll let you think about it. Just know that I respect whatever choice you make.”
Pamela bit her lip. “How much money are we talking about?” she asked Meghan. “Roberto and I were talking about doing a camping trip in Yosemite in August, and everything will cost around five-hundred dollars…”
Meghan laughed. “If you help me, I’ll make sure that you get triple the amount you need for your camping trip,” she assured her employee. “I promise you.”
Pamela gave a weak smile. “What kind of foods are you thinking for the funeral?”
Meghan wrinkled her brow. “He wants some cheese and croissant sandwiches, along with a bunch of treats. The weather is warmer, and I think some fruit-themed items would be ideal. We can make my banana nut bread, some strawberry tarts, blueberry cobbler, and poached peach creme brulee.”
“Those sound amazing,” she gushed as her face lit up. “There’s a new recipe online for banana nut bread. Do you think I could make it myself?”
“Sure,” she agreed, thankful that Pamela was open to helping with the event. “If you want to make the banana nut bread, you can make it yourself. I’m always open to new ideas and new recipes.”
“There’s my darling!”
Meghan and Pamela turned to see Mia walking toward them. With her angular jawline and thick, pouty lips, she was breathtakingly beautiful. “Hi, Aunt Mia!”
Mia kissed Pamela on both cheeks. “What are you up to?”
“I was shopping for fruit with my boss,” Pamela explained as she pointed to Meghan. “Aunt Mia, have you met Meghan?”
“I’ve seen you around,” Meghan said kindly as Mia smiled back. “Nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you,” she replied. “You own that treat shop, don’t you?”
“I do. Truly Sweet is my pride and joy,” she responded. “Pamela works for me several days a week. She is such an asset to the store.”
“That doesn’t surprise me one bit,” Mia said as she reached over to squeeze Pamela’s cheeks. “She is such a good girl with a hard work ethic. I am so proud of her.”
Everyone smiled, but there was a long pause. Meghan gulped nervously; she hated long pauses when she conversed with strangers, and she wracked her brain, thinking of things to say to Pamela’s aunt. “So... I hear your husband is in town,” she squeaked as Mia and Pamela’s faces darkened. “Are you happy he’s back?”
Pamela’s jaw dropped. “Meghan,” she hissed as Meghan’s face turned red.
Meghan’s stomach churned. She couldn’t believe what had just come out of her mouth. She had not intended to be callous or cruel, but from the look on Mia’s face, it appeared that Meghan had made a grave mistake.
“Am I happy he’s back?” Mia repeated as Meghan’s face burned with shame. “Let me see….am I happy that my scoundrel husband--the man who gallivants around the world doing who knows what with who knows who--is home? Let me see…. ahhh, yes! I am absolutely thrilled to have someone home who only uses me for my bank account and my refrigerator. Give it another week and that no-good clown will be out of my hair again, just like he always is. Does that sufficiently answer your nosy question, Morgan?”
“It’s Meghan,” Meghan choked as she looked down at her shoes. “And yes, ma’am. It does.”
5
T he next morning, Meghan awoke to the sound of her cell phone buzzing. She groggily reached for the device, accidentally knocking over a glass of water she had placed on her nightstand the evening before.
“Who could be calling me this early?” Meghan grumbled as she saw the time on her phone. It was five in the morning, and she was not a morning person.
Meghan, it’s Trudy. Sorry to text you so early, but I wanted to let you know that I’ll be out of town a little longer than planned. Sorry for the last minute notice; my daughter needs my assistance, and I need to stay. I will be back in two weeks. See you soon! XO
Meghan sighed. She had not anticipated Trudy being gone so long, and with the funeral order coming up quickly, she needed additional help at the bakery. She was nervous to call Pamela after the scene in town with Mia; Pamela had stormed away from Meghan after her blunder, and she had left a voicemail that night saying she wouldn’t be coming in to work for a few days.
“What am I going to do now?” she asked herself as her two little dogs moaned in their sleep. “I can’t ask Karen to help again; she is busy on the committee for the Sandy Bay Half Marathon, and she has no time to spare. Maybe my mom can fly in?”
Meghan put her phone back on the nightstand and settled back into bed. “I will just have to make nice with Pamela,” she told herself as she wrapped the comforter around her body and placed a pillow between her knees. “She has to know that I didn’t mean to fumble my words when I was speaking with her aunt. I’m sure she will forgive me.”
A few hours later, Meghan mustered the courage to call Pamela. “Hello?” Pamela answered the call.
“Hey, it’s me. Can you talk?”
“I’m sleeping,” she said curtly as Meghan’s stomach dropped. “What’s up?”
Meghan paused. “I
t’s the funeral order,” she began nervously as she heard Pamela sigh. “There is so much to do, Pamela, and Trudy will be out of town for the next two weeks. Is there any way you can come in today? I will make it worth your while, I promise!”
Pamela cleared her throat. “I don’t know,” she told Meghan. “I’m really annoyed at what you said to my aunt yesterday, Meghan. You don’t even know her, and you went and drug up our family business. She was so mad at me for telling you all about Lucky, and now, my parents are mad at me too. They said that I shouldn’t be airing our family’s dirty laundry to everyone. They even took away the date night Roberto and I were planning this week. I’m grounded! It’s so unfair. I think I shouldn’t come in to work if I’m not even allowed to go on my date....”
Meghan bit her lip. “Please?” she asked. “There is so much to do. I have to prepare some of the sample treats, and later, I have to deliver a batch to Mr. Cazale.”
“Oh, do you?” Pamela perkily asked. “Well, you know, I’m sure my parents will let me come into work. I think I can make it happen. I’ll be down at the bakery in fifteen minutes.”
Meghan hung up the phone. She was curious about Pamela’s change of heart, but most of all, she was relieved to have help with the treats she had to prepare for the tasting session.
Meghan went to the bathroom to brush her teeth, wash her face, and apply a light layer of mascara over her long eyelashes. She ventured to her closet, dressing in a pair of comfortable black tights, a long pink floral tunic, and a pair of white sneakers. She threw her thick hair into a ponytail atop her head as she walked downstairs to the bakery, and she heard Pamela letting herself into the kitchen.
“Good morning,” she greeted as Pamela walked inside.
“Hey,” Pamela greeted her, a sour look on her face.
“I’m still sorry about what I said last night to your aunt,” she told the teenager as they fished two yellow aprons out of the hamper and tied them around their necks. “It was total word vomit, and I can’t believe I said what I said. I hope you know that I wasn’t trying to be nasty or rude.”
Pamela nodded. “I know,” she said softly, the angry look on her face disappearing. “It’s just hard to see Aunt Mia so upset when Lucky comes to town, and the problems he causes have even followed me home. My parents fight about him all the time, and it makes me scared. I hate when they argue.”
Meghan nodded. “I hate when my parents fight,” she told her. “It’s scary and awkward and it can hurt. I just want you to know that I am here for you, and no matter what, Truly Sweet is always a place where you can feel appreciated and relaxed. I’m sorry again, Pamela. I will be more mindful of what I say in the future.”
Pamela smiled. “I know you’re sorry,” she replied. “And I will get over it, I promise. Now, what time are we going over to Mr. Cazale’s?”
A few hours later, Meghan and Pamela arrived at the funeral home. As soon as they walked through the door, Meghan watched as Pamela’s face turned bright red. “You’re blushing,” Meghan murmured as Pamela spotted Roberto.
“I can’t help it. He’s such a cutie!” she whispered. She hastened her pace and left Meghan’s side, taking off down the long, dark hallway.
“ROBERTO!” Meghan heard Pamela squeal.
“So that’s why she wanted to help out today,” Meghan muttered. “She had her date night cancelled, so she wanted to make sure she still got to see her sweetheart…”
“Meghan!”
She turned to see Mr. Cazale walking towards her. A middle aged man and woman followed behind him. “Meghan, I would like to introduce you to Rupert Fields and his wife, Jeanne Marie. They are in from Silicon Valley; we will be celebrating Rupert’s late father.”
Meghan raised her eyebrows. “I am so sorry for your loss,” Meghan said kindly. “I am so honored to be one of the vendors for the funeral event. I hope that we can provide exactly what you need at this difficult time.”
Jeanne Marie sniffed. “It’s been more of a difficult time traveling to this sad little town,” she hissed at her husband. “I have a show coming up, and I had to leave everything hanging to make it to this.”
“A show?” Meghan asked. “Are you an actress?”
Jeanne Marie scowled. “I’m a fashion designer,” she told Meghan. “I design some of the most fabulous clothes you could ever imagine. Actually, from the looks of you, you probably couldn’t imagine the pieces I create.”
Rupert elbowed his wife. “Dear,” he said through gritted teeth. “Enough.”
Meghan smiled weakly. She could tell that the Fields were very wealthy; Jeanne Marie was dressed in a designer suit, and her matching purse was covered in diamonds. Rupert’s watch was identical to one Meghan’s father owned, and she knew it was pricey.
Mr. Cazale interjected. “The Fields are in town a bit earlier than expected,” he explained.
“Not by my choice,” Jeanne Marie muttered.
“We are happy to be here,” Rupert interrupted. “Well, as happy as we can be, given the circumstances. Meghan, thank you for your assistance in my father’s service. It is a sad loss, but I know that the event will bring comfort to all.”
“It is my pleasure,” she informed him. “I’ve never heard of such a celebration being thrown for a funeral. It’s quite...inspiring. Can I ask what made you decide to go all out with this?”
Mr. Cazale frowned. “I don’t think that’s our business,” he told Meghan, but Rupert smiled and waved him off. “It’s fine, really. My father was a vibrant man with lavish tastes, and this is exactly the funeral he would have thrown himself! I am happy to honor his wishes, even if it is a bit unconventional.”
Meghan nodded. “That’s lovely,” she told him. “Thank you for explaining it to me.”
Mr. Cazale phone buzzed. He retrieved it from his pocket and read the message that had appeared across the screen. “Ahhh, another one of our vendors is here,” he informed Rupert. “Let’s go meet the entertainer.”
Mr. Cazale escorted them into the library, a dimly-lit room featuring a large marble fireplace. Meghan quietly gasped as she walked in and saw Lucky with his arms around a black-haired woman.
“Is that the entertainer?” Rupert whispered to Meghan.
“He’s a traveling performer,” she whispered to him.
“He and his girlfriend look a little too close,” Jeanne Marie remarked as Lucky pulled away from the woman. “I would never let you touch me like that in public. Look at their lips! They’re clearly swollen from kissing.”
Rupert laughed. “I wish you would kiss me in public, dear,” he told his wife as she rolled her eyes.
Mr. Cazale cleared his throat. “This is Lucky, the performer for the event. He will be doing some tricks, juggling, the works!”
Rupert smiled and reached to shake Lucky’s hand. “Pleased to meet you,” he told him. “And this is your girlfriend?”
“Oh, no,” Lucky replied coyly as the woman batted her eyelashes. “This is my performing partner, Wendy. She helps me out with my tricks sometimes. She’ll be working alongside me during the funeral.”
Meghan bit her lip. She wondered if Pamela, Mia, and their family knew about this Wendy woman. Wendy appeared younger than Meghan, with giant dark eyes, a tiny waist, and hair that cascaded down her back and nearly reached her bottom.
“Nice to meet you all,” Wendy said as she licked her lips flirtatiously. “I’m from Las Vegas, but this bad man here wanted me to come help him. I would help Lucky with anything…”
Lucky winked at Wendy. “She’s quite a gal, this Wendy.”
Meghan watched as Wendy tucked her hair behind her ears and sidled up to Lucky. She whispered something to him, and sneakily reached a hand behind his back to swat his bottom.
“That’s enough,” Jeanne Marie declared matter-of-factly. “You two shouldn’t be flirting on the job, and I’ve had enough of your PDA. You’ve been hired by us, and I demand you two behave as professionals.”
Rupert sig
hed. “Please excuse my wife,” he apologized to the group.
“Oh, stop, Rupert,” Jeanne Marie commanded. “I will speak my mind as I please.”
Lucky marched up to Jeanne Marie and stared into her eyes. “I’ll have you know that I don’t let fancy pants women talk to me like that,” he stated as he glared at her. “I have a wife at home. Wendy is my partner for performing. That’s the last you’ll say about it, ma’am.”
Meghan’s heart pounded as she watched Jeanne Marie look into Lucky’s face. She rolled her eyes at him. “I won’t let hired help speak to me this way,” she told her husband. “Rupert, this clown and his special friend simply won’t do for your father’s funeral. Clown, you are dismissed.”
