Without saying a word to Lacey, Mona ran to her car and jumped in the driver’s seat. Jamming the gear shift into drive, she tore out of the parking space, driving like a racecar driver speeding towards Jammin’ Honey. Praying as she drove, she ran a red light and a stop sign. Frantically hoping that it was not her shop on fire, although she had a sinking feeling with each passing block that she’d arrive to find the place, her dream fully engulfed.
How could this happen?
Fear gripped her heart as she saw a police barricade surrounding the street where Jammin’ Honey sat. The barricade prevented her from driving any closer to the scene of the fire, but she didn’t need to be any closer to realize the awful truth.
My shop is on fire!
Her heart raced, and a wave of nausea broke over her as she parked the car. Flashing red lights, smoke and the crackling of fire consuming her building created a surreal scene that would be etched into her memory for the rest of her life.
Running down the street toward the fire, she was stopped by a police officer she didn’t recognize. He held her back from getting any closer to the structure fire that was her lifelong dream being destroyed right in front of her eyes.
“It’s my shop,” she wailed.
The officer nodded. “Is anyone in there?”
Mona shook her head. “No. Just my…just…my…inventory.” Her knees felt weak. “And my recipe book, too.”
Yellow and orange flames climbed into the sky, and the smoke carried the sweet scent of sugar, making Mona think of all the boxes of jam in the kitchen and strewn all over the floor of the shop.
Tears spilled from her eyes and fell down her cheeks, as she sunk to her knees on the sidewalk. The police officer helped her to a bench across the street.
“Ma’am, are you going to be alright?” the police officer asked.
Mona was too stunned to answer, she sat still on the bench feeling the weight of his eyes on her.
“Ma’am, if it’s any consolation, the fire department is doing everything they can to save it. Is there anyone I can call for you?”
“No, I mean yes, I mean - “Just as Mona was about to say Vicki’s name, her voice rang out.
“Mona!” Vicki rushed across the street arms outstretched as she raced to pull Mona into an embrace. “Oh my Lord! I was so scared you were in there! Thank goodness you got out!”
The police officer nodded, glad to see Mona taken care of. “Ma’am, I’ll be right over there if you need anything.” He walked across the street just as curious onlookers were approaching the scene.
Mona’s chest ached with the weight of a broken heart as another fire truck approached.
She gasped as sharp pain assaulted her with a shortness of breath.
Vicki rubbed her back. “You’re freezing. Let me get a blanket from my car.”
More flames plumed over the top of the building as Vicki ran to her vehicle.
I can’t watch this. Mona thought
She turned the other way and saw a group of people gathered looking at the blaze. It made her nauseous to see everyone staring at the blaze that had just moments ago held so much promise for her.
Using all her strength, she managed to stand, her hand on the bench to steady herself. Her head was swimming, her breath shallow, she knew she should sit back on the bench before she crumpled into a heap on the ground. She dug deep and found a reserve of strength inside.
I won’t pass out! She promised herself.
Summoning all her strength, she willed her legs to move forward.
She couldn’t sit still. She had to help the firefighters.
Vicki ran back to Mona. “What are you doing? Get back!” She pulled Mona back to the bench and wrapped the crocheted afghan she’d retrieved from her car around Mona’s shoulders. “Come on, girl. Don’t get all crazy on me. There’s no way I’m going to let you run back inside that building. Is that what you were trying to do?”
Mona shook her head. “I wanted to help.”
Vicki grabbed Mona’s hand. “The best help we can offer is to stay out of the way.” Vicki rubbed Mona’s fingers. “Honey, you’re frozen.”
Mona was stunned that she could be cold with an enormous fire in front of her. And yet, she did feel chilled.
Shock.
“When I heard about the fire, I called your cell. But when you didn’t answer your phone, I thought you might have been in the shop when it, the fire, happened. I was so worried”
Mona nodded numbly, “I was at Lacey’s when it happened. If only I had been in the shop, I could have stopped it. It’s all my fault for leaving.”
Vicki kneeled down on the pavement by Mona’s side and declared, “Mona, you can’t say that, if you were there you may have been killed. I’m glad you weren’t.”
“Vicki, everything is gone. It’s horrible,” Mona said, tears running down her face.
“Not everything is gone. Not you! Not you or me. That’s the important thing. We can start over, honey.”
“My Aunt Cee’s investment … it’s …” A wail bubbled up in Mona’s throat, and she let her best friend pull her to her chest to cry.
How will I ever repay Aunt Cee now?
After a moment of release Mona managed to say, “How did you hear about the fire?”
Vicki motioned over to the crowd of bystanders. “Alexander called me.”
Alexander Kaas was the owner of Magnolia Falls Wine and Cheese shop, As You Slice It. Mona and Vicki had worked at the shop for many years before Mona left in the spring to open her own store. Mona turned to the crowd and saw Alexander. There was a grim expression on his face, and he gave her a meek wave.
Mona remembered the day she told him she was leaving to begin her business; he was so mad that he turned bright red. He was furious and told her she had no business experience and her store would fail.
“He was right,” Mona said.
“What?” Vicki asked.
“I had no business trying to run a store. Alexander told me the shop would fail and now look—”
Vicki rubbed Mona’s back. “Don’t say that! This isn’t your fault—” Vicki’s hand froze mid-way down Mona’s back. “Oh … gosh, honey. When you left to go to Lacey’s shop … were you making jam—?”
“I turned off the burner! Vicki, I swear,” Mona said, a lump forming again in her chest.
I did turn off the burner, didn’t I?
***
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