Triple B. Baking Co.

by Michel Prince

  “I’m shocked.” She walked away and assessed the mess.

  Thankfully, Beatrice, Kristy and Summer all volunteered to help her without pay tomorrow. Her place couldn’t hold the numbers they were estimating, so she’d be back at the high school and the girls would run the food back and forth for her, so she could be with Austin. If he wanted her.

  It was a nice April evening with only a slight chill in the air. Running the dishes back and forth to her Jeep made it easy to keep warm. Loaded up, she took one final look, secretly hoping Austin would come out, but he didn’t and she wondered if it would be better if she stepped back. The next few months she wasn’t sure her depression wouldn’t make it worse on him.

  Digging in her purse, she pulled out the paperwork from Dr. Snyder. Unlike previous pregnancies, the baby did attach. Their heartbeat was strong, but she’d had that before. Her due date was close to Thanksgiving. Part of her felt it could be a sign. A sign this child would live. Tracing the black and white blot of her ultrasound pictures each labeling Baby Sota, she wanted to relabel them all Baby Larsen, Baby Sota’s had a bad track record. She had a box tucked away with Baby Sota ultrasounds. This was new, this was hope, this was…She looked up and caught sight of the family already created.

  Rae, Trinity and Austin stood together talking and laughing about something. Austin held his daughter close to his side and Rae, her mother and his ex was removing a piece of lint from his lapel. He smiled down at her.

  Merryn turned her Jeep over, so she could drive away. She didn’t belong here. Not if he couldn’t even tell her he was moving.

  * * * *

  Time and experience changes a man. Putting childish things aside, Austin wasn’t about to play those games with Rae. Merryn was secure in their relationship. At least this morning, she seemed that way. Rae could lay down any little barb she wanted to. He wasn’t going to bite. As he sat at the stop sign across from the Triple B, he started to question that fact. Taking a quick turn, he pulled in behind the bakery and went to the front, tossing a few pebbles at the window for her apartment. There was a dim light, but she usually left the light above the sink on, so he couldn’t count on that.

  After five pebbles, he knocked on the front door. Still nothing. Although unconventional for their relationship, he pulled out his phone and dialed.

  After five rings, the answering machine picked up. “You’ve reached Braden Buttery Bites Bakery. Our regular business hours are Tuesday through Sunday. Six a.m. to five. Please leave a message and we’ll get back to you during regular business hours.”

  “Merryn, it’s Austin, I see your Jeep, where are you?” He hung up and stepped back, deciding if she didn’t come out in a few minutes he’d head down to Buddy’s to settle that little disagreement. Austin thought the loss of his mother would crush him, instead he felt liberated. As if his whole life was opening up for him. Hank had gone to the bank and secured a loan that wasn’t near what Zackary Pork was offering, but it felt as if he were keeping the farm in the family with Hank running it. He’d keep on Paul, Lane and Ty. Finding another farmhand wouldn’t be hard. Not in this economy. Especially, with the opening of room and board included in the deal.

  One more attempt at knocking didn’t bring any sign of Merryn, so he wandered down to Buddy’s. It was bursting at the seams with people who a few hours ago had been at his mother’s wake. Fighting his way through the crowd was more to get past the condolences than rude patrons.

  Behind the bar, Buddy had removed his tie and unbuttoned his shirt.

  Austin wasn’t surprised to find him with his plaid shirt and wife beater underneath.

  “On the house,” Buddy said with all sincerity while passing Austin a chilled glass of beer. “I’m sorry about earlier. This is all I have, you know that.”

  “You have me.” He smiled.

  “That and fifty cents wouldn’t get a pack of gum.”

  “It would when we were kids,” Austin reminded him as he took a long drink. “Look, Buddy, Merryn’s nice and just trying to not go stir crazy I think. If she was trying to blindside you and take over your customers, I don’t think she would of sent me to ask permission.”

  “If you’re bringing logic into this conversation you know I’m going to get lost.”

  “She hasn’t been pestering me to follow up with the conversation we had in January…January Buddy. I don’t know why you think her whole goal is to take over your bar. So far, all she’s done is help you with customers.” Austin turned their focus to Jenny who was balancing six burger baskets with Merryn’s rolls surrounding the burgers Buddy was famous for. When she set them down in front of the customers Austin turned back to Buddy.

  “What did I tell you about logic?”

  “I know Friday night in the summer is huge.”

  “And she’s threatening to take it over.”

  “No she’s giving an alternative to the families with small kids that don’t want a frozen pizza with a side of alcohol.”

  “Everyone wants a side of alcohol. Even the kids.”

  “Yeah, about that, why do you serve Ty and Lane?”

  “They pay double and I know when the inspectors are coming. And don’t I always pull their keys.”

  Austin crossed his arms.

  Buddy sighed. “Lane will be twenty-one soon.”

  “Back to Merryn.”

  “Fine, she can make her pizzas.”

  “You do understand she didn’t need your permission.”

  “As long as you know I’m only saying this under duress and respect for Aunty Harriet.” Buddy poured himself a beer and they toasted to the agreement. No more was needed, Buddy was a man of his word. “How good are those pizzas?”

  “I’d just stop serving yours before ten thirty when people are drunk and can’t tell the difference.”

  “I hate you.”

  “Of course you do. We’re family.”

  When he walked back to his truck, he saw Merryn sitting on the steps of the Triple B. “Hey mystery woman?”

  “I’m not the one leaving messages that he was waiting on me.”

  “I was, you didn’t come, so I headed to Buddy’s for a beer.”

  She didn’t look impressed with him.

  “You can start serving pizza.”

  “I didn’t need his permission,” she glowered.

  He sat next to her. “I relayed that point.” Austin bumped her with his shoulder. “Are we okay?”

  “You tell me,” Merryn snipped. “One moment I’m telling you I love you, the next you’re selling the farm.”

  “Yeah, those two things couldn’t be related,” he teased, but saw she wasn’t tracking with him. “I kept the farm in case my mom recovered. A few times a year in the summer, I would take her out for a day and let her sit in the sun. She hated and loved that farm in the same breath. She raised her kids there.”

  “You did too,” Merryn said. “Guess I don’t understand, not being family and all.”

  “Family?” Austin scratched at the back of his neck. “What’s that comment about?”

  “Nothing.” She looked down the street at the few parked cars and seemed to check out of the conversation.”

  “You’ve never said anything without intention. What did you mean?”

  “And it’s not just a home. It’s a job. You’re walking away from it all. What will you do? I know what it’s like to be lost and wander. I didn’t know you felt that way.”

  “Unlike you, I’m not a fan of my job. Tell the truth, how often are you in the kitchen downstairs, instead of snuggled into your cozy apartment.”

  “You sayin’ I have a small place?”

  “I’m saying sometimes I see a look of…oh, that’s here?” His eyes got wide as if he’d just seen a pile of gold. “On your face, as if in three years you hadn’t noticed. What about what’s outside your apartment?”

  “I’ve walked the mean streets of Braden more than once. I too, have warm weather activities you don’t know about.” />
  “Any include a bikini?” he asked and wiggled his eyebrows.

  “I’m trying to be mad at you.”

  “Shit, you want me to tell you your gluten free sucks?.”

  “Um, I’m not a moron. I know my gluten free sucks, but I’m working on it.”

  “A girl after my own heart.”

  “Fine, then what are you going to with your days if you’re not farming? Or will you work for the new owner?”

  “Did you not here me say I hate farming?”

  She looked out across the street then back to Austin. “Are you going back to school?”

  “I don’t know. After I pay off the mortgages and debts, I’ll have a little money left. Well, more than a little, I’m not sure. Don’t you have an apartment behind yours? I mean there is a door across from yours upstairs.”

  “I want to answer you, but I’m afraid to.” Merryn leaned away from him and rested against the doorjamb with her head resting on the soft blue trim making her eyes stand out.

  Damn, she was beautiful in the streetlight with her oversized sweater wrapped tightly to her body. It was then he noticed she was barefoot and he marveled at how cute her toes were. He’d never thought about a woman’s foot, but there wasn’t a part of her that he didn’t find alluring. “You’ve never opened the door have you?” he asked when his mind stopped wandering.

  “Please, of course I have.”

  He gave her a questioning look.

  “I tend to shove things in there and close the door, but I have opened it.”

  “What kind of things?”

  “Sex swing, dwarf tossing bulls eye…you know, the usual.”

  “You do know I need to see it now.”

  “I don’t want to be a landlord,” she said with certainty. “If I did, I would’ve set it up when I moved in. Lord knows Kristy’s asked more than once.”

  “Are you really mad about me selling my farm?”

  “No, that’s your choice. I’m not happy with how I heard about it.”

  “Hank’s a bit excited.”

  “Hank? No your daughter.”

  “I haven’t told Trin.”

  “Rae told her,” Merryn said and stood up. “I have a ton of cooking to do in the morning. I need to turn in.”

  Her voice told him he wasn’t invited. When did Rae have time to tell Trin? And why would she? Until the summer when he got her for a few weeks, if Rae let him, it wouldn’t affect her. Something told him he’d missed a major part of the wake. He wasn’t in the mood to deal with Rae’s games tonight. Tomorrow though, there would be a conversation, a long one.

  * * * *

  “I demand my morning cup of coffee,” Darryl grumbled at the door of the Triple B.

  “We’re closed for a funeral. You know that.” Merryn stood fast in her doorway. “I told you yesterday , we wouldn’t be open.”

  “I can smell you baking.”

  “Pay your respects to Harriet Larsen and you can eat for free.”

  “Never met her.”

  “Lie again. You just hate being around death, because you know the reaper is after your dodgy ass.”

  “You get grumpy when people die.”

  “Depends on the person.” She arched her eyebrow at him.

  “You know she wouldn’t cheat on her husband with me.”

  “Now, I know why you didn’t like her.”

  “You on the other hand, I bet you wished I filled your coffee cup every once in a while.”

  “If I give you coffee will you promise to never…ever…ever…ever…speak to me that way. I’d hate to kill my most loyal customer.”

  “It worked for Austin.”

  “Yeah, that’s what got me getting all hot and bothered.” Merryn went into the shop with Darryl on her heels. Pouring coffee into a to go cup, she sealed the lid and placed it on the counter.

  “How much do these things cost?”

  “Let’s see, your tab is somewhere around the gross national debt of Ghana.”

  “If they don’t have to pay, why do I?”

  Merryn glared at him trying not to break into a smile.

  “You know I’m leaving you everything in my will.”

  “I’ll hold my breath. Any chance you have a dollar on you?”

  “There’s always a possibility,” he said digging out a worn out wallet and thumbing through receipts. He landed on a five and placed it on the counter. Merryn popped it into the register and looked back at him.

  “Change,” he said.

  “I wish you would.”

  “Hey. I take offense to that.” He headed to the door. “Tell Austin I’m sorry for his loss. His mom had a nice ass.”

  “I’ll pass on part of that.”

  Back in the kitchen, her three workers seemed energized. Even Kristy who had earned overtime that week.

  “This is so cool. It’s like we got to go into the chocolate factory with Willy Wonka,” Summer giggled.

  “I’m not that protective am I?” Merryn asked.

  “I never knew a person could be so protective of a few recipes,” Beatrice said.

  “It’s not like…” Merryn looked at Summer and Kristy. “…Well, it’s not like I haven’t cooked for my whole life.”

  “I took home ec,” Kristy said. “All four years of high school.”

  “It was good luck the firemen were there that one day with elementary students.”

  “So not my fault.” Kristy laughed then looked at Merryn. “I swear, Murphy tossed the water on the grease fire, not me.”

  “Yeah, but you started it,” Beatrice said then bumped Kristy’s shoulder.

  “Please don’t make me regret this,” Merryn pleaded.

  Gretchen came with Trinity in tow to help with the first run to the school. Trinity was such a respectful child, still trying to pull off the hard ass routine this time with purple stripes on either side of her head. It went well with her black dress. Soon, she’d be asking for tattoos, but they wouldn’t be anything more dramatic than flowers or stars. Just enough to say she didn’t fall into a category. And she didn’t. If the child growing inside Merryn grew up to be half as wonderful… she shook her head. That wasn’t an option. She needed to stop fantasizing about things that weren’t in her control. Although she was taking her vitamins and using the oh so fun suppositories that were supposed to distribute enough hormones directly to her body, she wasn’t about to believe this child would see the light of day.

  She’d had the best doctors in the world at Cedars Sinai and still lost her children. It wasn’t fair. Austin was a wonderful father. Then again, he had a teenager, not a baby, he was ready to be done raising a child. Would he even want to start over again?

  “Right Merryn?” Trinity asked.

  Merryn had to shake her head to clear herself from staring at the blonde teenager. “I’m sorry, lack of sleep. What was the question?”

  “Dad’s selling the farm.”

  Gretchen stared at Merryn. “I’ve heard rumors.”

  “Gossip,” Gretchen said waving her hand at the women all staring at Merryn as if she knew the answers to everything in the universe. “Just that. I’ll talk with him I’m sure he wouldn’t sell to that conglomerate.”

  “Zack farms?” Kristy asked. “They are paying top dollar. I bet if he was, he is getting a pretty penny. Maybe even enough to retire.”

  “Every farm has debt. Ours isn’t any better,” Gretchen said as if she worked it and had the debt tied to her. “But he’d never give it up. We loved living there.”

  “Love seems a bit strong,” Merryn said then went back to loading things in the travel trays.

  “Well, mom says he’s seriously considering moving to Cedar Rapids with me. Would you sell this place?” Trinity asked Merryn.

  “I love Braden. I’m staying here.”

  “Oh…” Trinity’s face paled. “You’re not breaking up are you?”

  “Ask your mom, she seems to know everything.” Merryn didn’t mean to be so snippy, bu
t this whole is Austin coming or going was getting on her nerves. Especially, when Rae seemed to be behind it. At the funeral, she would be spreading rumors and everyone would believe it. She was Rae Larsen, hometown girl and Austin’s first love. Who was Merryn? Some woman he was currently screwing.

  Her head was a jumble of information, none of it lining up. She didn’t like games and hated puzzles even more. Today wasn’t the day to confront Austin and it wasn’t like he would be signing paperwork today and walking away from the farm. They had time. She looked at Trinity and her gut closed in on her. The cramping knocked at her heart and she excused herself to the bathroom.

  With her hand between her lips, she silently prayed. She’d put the idea of being a mother out of her mind. Even when she started dating Austin, that was her last thought, now here she was nine weeks pregnant and cramping. Disappointment had her gripping the sides of the sink. She wasn’t ready to see if the miscarriage had started. Another sharp pain made her curl downward. It was now or never. She’d have to check for blood. To her surprise, there was none. Her panties were clear and soon the pain passed. She didn’t understand what had happened, but at least for the moment she was still with child.

  “Merryn,” Trinity called as she knocked on the bathroom door. “You okay?”

  She cleaned herself up and opened the door. “I’m good and I shouldn’t have said what I did. Your mom and dad are closer than he and I. If she says he’s considering moving to Cedar Rapids, she’s probably right.”

  “Why wouldn’t you move with him? Don’t you love him?”

  “I do,” Merryn said placing her arm around Trinity’s shoulders. “Very much.”

  “I’m glad, my mom’s boyfriends have all been losers.”

  When Merryn got the food set up for the repasts, she saw Darryl standing by the door of the gym. She walked up to him and nudged him with her shoulder.

  “You seen him?” he grumbled.

  “Austin? Not yet.”

  “Not him, that damn grim reaper. I know that bastard’s waiting for me.”

  “Oh him, yes he said you should eat the macaroons.”

  “You joke.”