she begin? She just packed the essentials into two big suitcases and then rang her friend and told her where to find the keys and money to get her things shipped.
Hours later, as she drove her rental towards London she listened to The Light by Common and thought of a nine year old boy with brown curls, very scared as he wonders about the nature of the world and why someone would want to take out their vengeance on the innocent. If he is a New Yorker he was certainly in the midst of all of the madness to locate lost friends and loved ones. He is nine and he is likely very scared.
~June 2002~
“Happy Birthday!” Leslie leaned forward and blew out the thirty candles that had been piled onto her cake. She couldn’t believe that she had been so thoroughly surprised by the party. She would have never thought that anyone would care enough to try to usher her into this next decade of her life with a party…it certainly wasn’t something she wanted.
She did smile graciously at everyone present which included Derrick and Missy, their girls, Glenn and his third or maybe fourth wife, then there were some of the bakers from various stores, the owner of the supply company that they used for each bakery, and then last was Missy’s mother. There was no boyfriend, no child of her own. But she smiled gracefully and tried to count her blessings instead of her woes.
After all, she was the owner of three of the most successful bakeries in her city. Glenn had sold them to her as he felt that it was time to do some travelling with his new wife before he got too old to enjoy either. Leslie had kissed him on top of his balding head and thanked him profusely for having faith in her. He blushed, grumbled and then gave her a brief hug and kiss in return.
“What’s wrong?”
Leslie smiled. “A year older, that’s what’s wrong.”
“Wow…you’re old.” Missy joked. Leslie gave her a hug. “Thank you for the party.” Missy glanced at James, one of the bakers.
“James is cute and I think he likes you.” Leslie glanced at the man. He was sweet, and yes, she knew that he did like her.
“James is…sweet.”
Missy laughed. “I guess he ain’t the one, right?”
“Right.”
“Who is the right one, Leslie? Does he even exist?”
Leslie looked at her. “I’m not sure. I used to be, but it’s been so long, I’m not even sure anymore.”
Chapter 10
~2006~
Leslie stared at the cake. This year it was square; a chocolate cake with raspberry fudge between each of its three layers and a chocolate gonash covering it. White powdered sugar and dusky brown cocoa created an intricate pattern.
She placed 15 bright red candles on it. Once she lit each she watched it burn for a moment before blowing them out.
“Fifteen. I can’t believe it has been fifteen years since I’ve seen you.” She closed her eyes. “You think that you are a man, and you can’t stand being told anything. You think about girls all of the time. You listen to music like Radiohead and maybe even some old rap like Run DMC because it’s hip. You probably got your first pair of chucks and are wearing t-shirts with bands like Red Hot Chili Peppers. Have you smoked your first joint, taken your first drink…or do you remember how much you hated when I did that?” She sighed. “Do you even remember me? Are you forming lifelong bonds with…with girls your own age?”
Leslie cut into the cake, the slice uneven, the gonash tearing. She placed a slice on her plate and began to eat but it would not go down. She finally gagged and spit it into the garbage. She boxed up the remainder of the cake and placed it into her refrigerator. She had spent hours on the cake, but she knew that in a few days she would just end up throwing it away.
She paced the floor restlessly and then headed to the bathroom of her condo. Her home would sell for three quarters of a million dollars whenever she
Hours later, as she drove her rental towards London she listened to The Light by Common and thought of a nine year old boy with brown curls, very scared as he wonders about the nature of the world and why someone would want to take out their vengeance on the innocent. If he is a New Yorker he was certainly in the midst of all of the madness to locate lost friends and loved ones. He is nine and he is likely very scared.
~June 2002~
“Happy Birthday!” Leslie leaned forward and blew out the thirty candles that had been piled onto her cake. She couldn’t believe that she had been so thoroughly surprised by the party. She would have never thought that anyone would care enough to try to usher her into this next decade of her life with a party…it certainly wasn’t something she wanted.
She did smile graciously at everyone present which included Derrick and Missy, their girls, Glenn and his third or maybe fourth wife, then there were some of the bakers from various stores, the owner of the supply company that they used for each bakery, and then last was Missy’s mother. There was no boyfriend, no child of her own. But she smiled gracefully and tried to count her blessings instead of her woes.
After all, she was the owner of three of the most successful bakeries in her city. Glenn had sold them to her as he felt that it was time to do some travelling with his new wife before he got too old to enjoy either. Leslie had kissed him on top of his balding head and thanked him profusely for having faith in her. He blushed, grumbled and then gave her a brief hug and kiss in return.
“What’s wrong?”
Leslie smiled. “A year older, that’s what’s wrong.”
“Wow…you’re old.” Missy joked. Leslie gave her a hug. “Thank you for the party.” Missy glanced at James, one of the bakers.
“James is cute and I think he likes you.” Leslie glanced at the man. He was sweet, and yes, she knew that he did like her.
“James is…sweet.”
Missy laughed. “I guess he ain’t the one, right?”
“Right.”
“Who is the right one, Leslie? Does he even exist?”
Leslie looked at her. “I’m not sure. I used to be, but it’s been so long, I’m not even sure anymore.”
Chapter 10
~2006~
Leslie stared at the cake. This year it was square; a chocolate cake with raspberry fudge between each of its three layers and a chocolate gonash covering it. White powdered sugar and dusky brown cocoa created an intricate pattern.
She placed 15 bright red candles on it. Once she lit each she watched it burn for a moment before blowing them out.
“Fifteen. I can’t believe it has been fifteen years since I’ve seen you.” She closed her eyes. “You think that you are a man, and you can’t stand being told anything. You think about girls all of the time. You listen to music like Radiohead and maybe even some old rap like Run DMC because it’s hip. You probably got your first pair of chucks and are wearing t-shirts with bands like Red Hot Chili Peppers. Have you smoked your first joint, taken your first drink…or do you remember how much you hated when I did that?” She sighed. “Do you even remember me? Are you forming lifelong bonds with…with girls your own age?”
Leslie cut into the cake, the slice uneven, the gonash tearing. She placed a slice on her plate and began to eat but it would not go down. She finally gagged and spit it into the garbage. She boxed up the remainder of the cake and placed it into her refrigerator. She had spent hours on the cake, but she knew that in a few days she would just end up throwing it away.
She paced the floor restlessly and then headed to the bathroom of her condo. Her home would sell for three quarters of a million dollars whenever she
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