I’m late. It’s full on dark with only a sliver of moon to shine any light in the nighttime sky. Clouds hide the stars.
The steering wheel remains gripped in my damp palms despite the fact the engine is now cold. My foot taps against the rubber floor mat in a steady staccato.
It took me a good hour to work up the nerve to get in the car and drive over here. I almost canceled a half a dozen times.
Getting a social life and a hobby outside of baking be damned. The occupants of my stomach are threatening a mutiny.
I’m late, and yet here I still sit staring at the small ranch house with solar lights lighting the pathway from the driveway to the house and a floodlight shining on the driveway. I parked on the street since cars fill the driveway and a few are parked along the road.
Monica lives in a rural part of town where neighbors aren’t in waving distance.
What made me think I am ready for this? Yes, I went over Olivia’s house and went shopping with her today and I had fun on both occasions. Except for her twins though, it was one-on-one fun, not a bunch of people I don’t know. A group I am expected to converse with and make intelligent comments. If I knew someone else I am comfortable with was in there, it wouldn’t be so bad.
Yanking my phone from my purse, I dial Olivia’s number.
“Hi Franny.”
“Hi.”
“Aren’t you supposed to be at the book club tonight?”
“Yes, that’s why I’m calling. How would you like to go with me?”
“I’d love to but, I’ve got the boys tonight.”
“I’ll watch them for you. You can go in my place.”
Her chuckle echoes over the phone. “You’d rather babysit my demons than go to a get together serving wine and cake? What’s going on?”
In a heartbeat. Kids are much easier. They don’t expect witty conversation. They just want to play and have fun.
“I’m not a party person.”
“Where are you?”
“In my car.” Full confession time? “Sitting outside Monica’s house.”
“Okay, here’s what I want you to do: Breathe in for three seconds, hold it for a count of four, exhale for three seconds, and then repeat. It will help you relax.”
Nothing will help me relax.
“I don’t hear you breathing Franny. Try it. It helps, I promise. I do it when my kids make me want to scream like a crazy person.”
Fine, it can’t hurt, I guess. In one, two, three. Hold one, two, three, four. Out one, two, three. Repeat.
“Better?”
Dropping my hands into my lap, I take stock. My heart is no longer pounding, and my nerves don’t feel like over stretched guitar strings ready to snap. “Actually yes.”
“Good. Now go enjoy yourself. This isn’t supposed to be a chore.”
“What am I supposed to talk to people about?”
“It’s a book club. Talk about the book. Tell them how you burned the cookies, they’ll get a kick out of that story.” Olivia certainly had when I told her.
Frowning, I stare at the house once again.
“Franny, no one will judge you in there, and if one of them does, then that’s on them, not you.”
She’s right, I know she is, but it’s easier to understand that than to put it into practice.
“Open the door and get out of the car.”
“Okay. Thanks, I will. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Oh no, don’t hang up. I want to hear you getting out of the car and going to the door.”
“Really?” Laughing, I climb out of the car and lock it. “There, I’m out.”
“Start walking. I want to hear the doorbell and everything, then you can hang up.”
“Olivia, this is ridiculous.”
“It’s helping isn’t it?”
Looking down at the walkway I am now standing on, I must admit she is right. “Yup, I’m walking up to the door. Thanks for talking me through it. Sorry for dragging you into my piece of crazy town.”
“Not a problem. We all have our own bits of crazy. That’s what friends are for, either to talk you out of them or join in.”
Laughter bubbles out as I push the button for the doorbell. Monica opens the door with a smile before my finger leaves the button.
“You made it. I’m so glad. Come in.”
“Got to go Olivia.”
“Have fun and I’m taking a raincheck on your offer to babysit.”
“I’ll be happy to babysit any time.”
“Hah, you say that now, just wait. See you.”
“Bye.”
Stepping into the house, I glance around the living room and spot several familiar faces, including Sally sitting on the green couch. She grins and pats the cushion next to her. Shaking my head, I skirt around the chairs set up and plop down on the couch.
“Why didn’t you tell me you belonged to the book club?”
“You didn’t ask.”
Monica stands on one side of the loosely formed circle and taps the side of her glass. “Ladies, most of you know our new arrival, but for those who don’t this is Franny Dawson. She owns The Sweet Spot.”
“Oh, I love that bakery.” An older woman sitting in a mint green club chair across from me throws both her hands in the air making her triceps jiggle.
“Thank you.”
“Introduce yourselves to her everyone. Franny what can I get you to drink?”
“Water would be great, thank you.”
“I’m Tina Swanson. I’m a teacher at the elementary school with Monica.” Tina’s hunter green sundress complements her blonde hair and green eyes.
I smile.
The brunette sitting on the chair next to her waves. “I’m Kerry Barton. I’m also a teacher, but at the high school.”
I’ve seen them in town and in my bakery, but we’ve never talked.
The older woman who said she liked my bakery stretches across the space between us and holds out her hand. “I’m Aggie, by the way.”
I shake her hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”
A woman sits down next to me. Light brown hair brushes the edge of her jawline. Dark brown eyes, almost black, stare at me. “I’m Rebecca Terrance. I own the florist shop.”
“Oh, you bought that last year, didn’t you? My mother is much happier with your selection and service.”
“That’s good to hear. Wait, Dawson? Is Elaine Dawson your mother?”
“The one and only.”
Rebecca smiles and sits back, crossing her legs. She swings her foot letting the sole of her three-inch heel tap against the heel of her foot. “Your mother is a discerning woman and one of my best customers.”
My mother insists on fresh flowers throughout the house. As soon as one flower wilts, she tosses and replaces the whole bouquet.
“I haven’t seen you at the Small Business Association meetings. You should attend.”
It’s on my to do list.
“I’ve been meaning to.”
“We’re trying to organize a marketing campaign for local businesses to participate in. You would be a terrific addition. The fare at the meetings would improve if you felt obliged to bring along confections from your bakery. Usually one of us brings store-bought packaged donuts.”
“I can definitely do better than that.”
“We are meeting next week at the library. Tuesday, seven o’clock.”
“I’ll be there.” I swallow hard. Now I’m committed to go.
“Great!” She grins and I return her smile.
Okay, I’m stepping out of my comfort zone all over the place. No disasters yet.
Monica hands me a glass of ice water.
“Thank you.”
She sits in a chair with a glass of wine in her hand. Jeans and a peach cable-knit sweater replace her normal school attire. “Okay ladies, what did you all think of the book?”
Aggie fans herself and we all chuckle. “It packed a lot of heat.”
“I’ll say, that scene in the shower? My pint of ice cream was soup by the time I remembered it was sitting on my nightstand.” Tina patted her pink tinged cheeks.
“I burned two trays of cookies at the bakery because of that scene.”
Laughter rings out in the room from everyone.
Sally swats my leg. “No more reading in the kitchen for you.”
Conversation circles around the book for several more minutes before drifting off onto tangents and small talk. Monica serves the cake she purchased at my bakery and there are a couple moans of ecstasy as they sample the chocolate nirvana cake. It’s three layers of chocolate cake with a one layer of chocolate mousse and one of white chocolate mousse, all covered in a chocolate ganache.
Monica sets her plate on the table. Her bracelets jangle together, tinkling a melodic sound.
“Franny, we rotate our meetings at each of our houses. The hostess supplies food and beverages and picks the book we all will read and discuss.”
I can’t envision inviting them over to my parents’ house. I guess I could host at the bakery. There should be just enough room to fit all of us in front if I add a few chairs.
“Next up is Rebecca.”
Monica sits down and all eyes gaze at Rebecca who smiles and reaches over to her tote bag leaning against the couch and pulls out a book. She holds it up for us all to see.
“It’s a thriller. I thought we could all use a slight change of pace after the hot and heavy romance this month. We don’t want to overload our hormones after all.”
Aggie dons a pair of glasses and peers at the book Rebecca is holding up. Sally writes the title and author down on a napkin while the rest of the group snaps a photo on their phones. I grab my phone to do the same.
“It comes highly recommended. My cousin said she reread it twice, so if it’s terrible we can all complain to her. She’s coming for a visit and will join us next month.”
Chuckling, I put my phone down on my leg and take a sip of water.
Rebecca leans towards me. “Let’s exchange phone numbers. I can text you the details of the business meeting and my address for next month’s book club.”
“Oh, of course.” I pick up my phone and enter her information and then give her mine.
“That’s a clever idea. Franny do you mind exchanging information with all of us?” Monica smiles at me.
After a few mistypes trying to enter everyone’s information, Rebecca laughs and takes my phone. “Here, I’ve got a cheat.” She snaps a picture of each member and enters their phone numbers. “I’m always forgetting names, but I remember faces. So, I take everyone’s picture and add it to their profile. You can add more of their information later.”
“Thanks.”
Everyone snaps pictures of one another. Aggie peers into her flip phone. “I don’t think mine has that option.”
Sally cackles after taking a picture of Tina and then shows the group her picture. Tina has one eye closed and looks a bit like a pirate because she was talking at the time and with the one eye closed it looks like she is saying, “Aargh.”
Tina rolls her eyes and shakes her head. “That always happens. I have to be the most unphotogenic person on the planet.”
“Oh I beg to differ.” Monica scrolls through her phone and shows us a photo of herself a family member posted on social media. Her eyes are closed, she has fish lips, and her hair is wrapped around half her face.
“My dear brother took that while we were on the ferry last year.”
Sally wipes the moisture from the corner of her eye. “Ah, brotherly love is a beautiful thing.”
Monica laughs. “It’s become a bit of a competition between us now. Who can take and post the worst picture of each other?” She shows us the photo she took of him with beer spitting from his mouth. “I took this one after waiting for him to take a drink of beer and then telling him I stuck the tip of the bottle under my armpit.”
We all laugh. Monica isn’t the prim and proper schoolteacher I pictured her as all this time.
Aggie hauls herself up from the chair. “It’s past my bedtime. I need to get going.”
Kerry stands and stretches. “I have papers to grade.”
“Me too.” Tina stands and starts giving out hugs.
I thank Monica for inviting me and promise to see everyone next month for the meeting and then I walk Sally out to her sedan.
“Goodnight, Sally.”
She pauses with her fingers on the handle of her car door. “I am proud of you, Franny. You’re finally coming out of your cocoon.”
“It feels a bit like that.”
She opens the door and turns back to me. “I overheard what Caroline Roberts told you about me.”
Oh boy!
“You haven’t treated me any different and I appreciate it.”
I step forward and lay my hand on her shoulder. “Sally, I admit what she said threw me, but that’s really between you and her. I’m here any time you want to talk, but if you don’t…well, that’s okay too.”
She squeezes my hand and stares off into the woods surrounding Monica’s house. “I’m not trying to make excuses, but I had just lost my Herbert to cancer. I had retired the previous year and we were planning to buy an RV and tour each of the states. But then he got sick and it spread so quick. It was over before I could catch a breath. I was devastated and in a bad place. In walked Charlie Roberts with his bigger than life personality and I…”
Sally shakes her head and sniffles. “I was stupid.”
“You were grieving and from what Mrs. Roberts has told me, he was good at manipulating people to get what he wanted.”
“Yes, he was, but I still should have known better and I should have asked questions.” She turns to look at me. “I swear I had no idea he was married. In hindsight, I should have. Perhaps I didn’t want to know.”
I give her a quick hug. “We all make mistakes and it’s usually only when we look back that we can see the signs.”
She nods. “I’m glad we had this talk, Franny. It’s been bothering me something fierce.”
“I’m glad too. I’m learning it’s not a good practice to keep everything bottled up. Sometimes we have to take the first step and have the uncomfortable conversation.”
She climbs into her car. “That’s sound advice. I’ll see you tomorrow.” I close her door for her and wave.
It’s good advice. Unfortunately, I haven’t been following it myself. It’s time Mitch and I talked about my building.
And about our past.
And maybe the future too.