As I turned on the water in the bathroom, my phone buzzed on the counter.
Home?
You know I am.
I was sure he had Johnny text after he dropped me off. And, yes, part of me was still mad over the ex-girlfriend thing, even though I didn’t show it. I mean, why was she still going to the anniversary dinner? And baking a pie? A peanut butter pie? The questions were endless.
Yeah, but I wanted you to tell me.
Of course, he added a winky emoji. Eh, I was still sort of pissed.
Exhausted. Water running for shower.
I heard the phone buzz again, but I was already naked and standing under the water. He’d have to wait.
As the showerhead literally rained down on me, I turned over dessert creations in my head. Recipes that involved apples ... maybe Price could help me with the selection? I wouldn’t make anything with peanut butter.
God, I’m messed up.
Soaping my hair, I closed my eyes and let my mind wander to things other than dessert. Price touching me, sliding down onto his knees, his tongue skimming me, making me want more. It would build slowly, reaching a crescendo ... until I came apart.
Reminding myself that I was the one living with Price in this ridiculous apartment—not her, the ex—I jumped out of the shower and read Price’s text.
Too bad I’m not there. Miss you.
Miss you too. And Tuck. And your pancakes.
I added a few emojis—a heart, a stack of pancakes, and an eggplant.
To which he sent me a blueberry, a dog, and a peach.
Mission accomplished. I laughed out loud.
Night, night.
I typed out the text quickly, tugged on a T-shirt of Price’s, and crawled into the gigantic California king by my lonesome. Snuggling with both of my bedmate’s pillows, I was out in minutes.
As I was working the counter at the bakery on Sunday, Bev rushed in, tears streaming down her face, her bright orange raincoat lopsided, the buttons off kilter, her hair sopping from the rain.
“We have to close up now,” she said, her voice shaking. “It’ll be fine. We’ll donate the leftover product down the street. This is it, the end. Maybe a day or two.”
“I can stay here,” I told her. “I don’t mind. Keep the place open regular hours and then close up. We’ll stop baking, and I can sell off what’s left. I’m happy to do that.”
“You don’t understand. My mom has something to tell you. She said,‘Bring Em back. I have the info she wants on Paula, her mom. And I need to tell her this.’You don’t get it ... her time’s running out, and I have to honor her every last request. Come on, Em. We have to go see my mom. Don’t you want to know? That’s what you came here for ... to find your mom. Maybe we can find her, finally, and I can have a connection to my mom when she’s gone. Maybe you can get her help.”
During our tiff, Bev and I had missed each other. When we made up, I’d gone back to work on the premise we wouldn’t discuss Paula. And now her mom wanted to get all Chatty Cathy on me? She still hadn’t given me Paula’s address as planned.
I couldn’t relate to Bev’s undying devotion to her mother, but it didn’t mean I wasn’t envious. A few months ago, last year, I would have given anything to meet my mom.
But now? Now I wasn’t so sure I wanted to find her. I had Price and a good life, and I was starting to talk with my dad again. Maybe everyone was right—maybe this search wasn’t worth it.
Practically turning green over Bev’s relationship with her mom wasn’t a good look for me, so I swallowed all my mixed emotions. “Of course I’d never stand in the way. If Sheila asked, let’s go.”
I untied my apron, set it on the counter, and flipped the sign toCLOSEDbefore heading out the door with Bev. She’d stopped sobbing, but every breath was labored. She seemed to be dying alongside her mother, something else I’d never truly get, especially since Paula remained a mystery. I knew she existed. I knew she’d been married to a wealthy businessman and had fought a lifetime battle with addiction. She’d disappeared recently, but where to? No one had a fucking clue.
Perhaps that’s what Sheila wanted to share with me.
“Come on,” Bev said. “We’ll take a cab. Like my mom keeps reminding me, I’m getting my inheritance early. The bakery will be all mine to do with what I want.” She stood out in the street and threw her hand up in the air.
