Page 7 of Whisk Me Away
“Hey, Gram,” I said holding the phone to my ear with my shoulder while I straighten the papers scattered across my desk.
“How’s my favorite grandson?” Gram was always saying I was her favorite. It made me smile even though I knew she told my brothers the same thing.
“I’m good, and how is my favorite Gram?” I said laughing into the phone.
“I am doing quite alright. I actually heard some pretty interesting news today.”
I rolled my eyes and prepared myself for the inquisition. I knew it wouldn’t take long for the gossip mill to start turning. Part of living in a small town was accepting the fact that anyone and everyone knew what was going on in your personal life, even if ninety percent of the time it wasn’t accurate.
“And what news would that be?” I asked, even though I knew it was a mistake to entertain this conversation. I should shut it down and move on but a part of me was actually curious to see how they spun the interaction I had with Karis earlier today.
“Word on the street is you had quite the dramatic encounter with Karis Thompson at the local diner,” Gram snickered.
I leaned back in my office chair, a mix of confusion and intrigue washing over me. "Dramatic encounter? What are the little old ladies from the knitting circle saying now?"
Gram took a dramatic pause, savoring the moment. "Well, according to the grapevine, you serenaded Karis with a love ballad right there in front of everyone. They say it was a grand romantic gesture, complete with a spotlight and a choir of angels singing along."
I couldn't help the burst of laughter that bubbled out of me as the absurdity of the rumor hit me. "Gram, that's not even close to what happened. We just had a conversation, that's it."
She laughed, clearly enjoying the embellished narrative. "Ah, my dear boy, the gossip mill has a way of turning a simple conversation into an epic love story. Just remember, there's always a kernel of truth in those tales, even if it's buried beneath layers of exaggeration."
As Gram continued to weave her entertaining version of the events, I couldn't help the annoyance that took root in my heart at the town's penchant for storytelling. The small-town gossip mill had transformed a casual, although unfriendly, encounter into a spectacle that, in reality, bore little resemblance to the truth.
I didn’t mind the knitting circle of retirees spending their days gossiping until I was the focus of their tales. I knew they all expected me to be married with at least one kid by now but sometimes life didn’t go the way we planned, and I’ve learned to not only accept that, but embrace it.
CHAPTER 5
KARIS
Iabruptly stopped in front of the charming building that had housed Heavenly Bites, my hometown’s beloved bakery that had been open for as long as I could remember. Ida Waters was the sweet, grandmotherly type who always gave unsolicited advice about your life alongside her delicious treats. I remembered my dad telling me a few months ago about her passing. Still, I figured she left the bakery to someone in her family who would take it over.
I was shocked to see it sitting vacant along Main Street, drained from the vibrant life it had always held. I fished my phone out of my pocket and brought up the contact of someone who could give me the tea.
"Hey, K! What's up?" Mia's cheery voice greeted me.
"Hi! Mi, tell me, what happened to Heavenly Bites? I knew that Ida passed away, but I’m standing in front of it right now, and it's all boarded up,” I stepped closer and pressed my face against the glass, squinting to see behind the layers of built-up grime on the windows.
"Oh yeah, it's unfortunate actually. No one in Ida's family wanted to come back here to run it, so they put it up for sale and, as far as I know, haven't had any luck finding a buyer,” Mia explained.
That would make sense. Her family moved away from Ashwood Falls years ago. I couldn't remember a time when they came back to visit her, even for the holidays.
“Hmm," the sound came out almost involuntarily. My mind was racing. I wondered if it would work and how much the family wanted for the space. I would need to talk to my dad and get his input, of course.
"Heelllooo?" Mia dragged out the word as if it had 10 syllables, pulling my thoughts away from their racing.
“Sorry! Okay, thanks, I have an idea, but I need to think through the logistics of everything and I need to call my dad. I'll talk to you later,” I hung up and dialed my dad before Mia even had a chance to say goodbye.
"Hey, Pumpkin. Do you need something?"Oh, shoot!I forgot that Dad did most of his sermon prep on Wednesday mornings.
"Shoot! Sorry, Dad, I forgot you are studying. I can talk to you later tonight at home."
"Don't worry about it. My brain could use a little break anyhow. What can I do for my girl?" This was one of the many things I loved about my dad. He never put ministry above our family. We always came first especially if something was happening at home or with one of us girls.
I spent the next few minutes pacing the sidewalk outside the abandoned bakery, unloading all my thoughts and questions on Dad. I was talking so fast I'm not even sure he caught half of what I was saying.
"Wow. Okay, that's a lot to take in. I can clearly tell this is something you are excited about. You always talk 90 miles an hour when you have an exciting idea,” Dad chuckled. I couldn't help the smile that tugged at my lips. This could really work. “Buying the building and creating your own bakery is an excellent idea, Karis. This town has been missing that place, something fierce, and who better to bring it back to life than one of our own?"
Pride swelled in my chest. The confidence Dad always had in me was unmatched. Anything I set my mind to, he was there to cheer me on. My original plan was to open my own bakery in KC after college, but sometimes God had other plans. That was beginning to be a theme in my life.