had to grin as she spoke about a kid in her sixth-grade class, Gregory. I hid a smile as I realized she was starting to notice boys. Sharing her mother's looks, she was going to be a heart-breaker when she got older. And I was proud of her for some reason, since she was so outgoing and didn't suffer from the anxiety that almost crippled me back in grade school. If it hadn't been for my best friend, Katy, I wouldn't have survived.
The tone of the crowd growing for the lunch rush sent a shiver down my spine, and I wanted to retreat back into the kitchen as Teddy hopped out to the tables to bus them for people waiting for a seat.
A flour covered Zoey stepped out of the kitchen and saw my panic and her brow creased with concern. Max came to my rescue by whispering, “Go. Get thee to the back maiden, I shall hold the wolves at bay.”
I gave her a grateful look then furrowed my brow as I almost ran to the kitchen. That sounded familiar, I think it was a line from a movie. I grinned and shook my head, even the kids nowadays are more cultured than me. I gave her another smile as I slipped through the door to relative safety.
I worked at calming my breathing, telling myself to calm down, they were just people. Ashley glanced up, and everything just melted away as I looked into her amber eyes. She and I were all there was in the world, and my anxiety just faded like a fog being driven back by the sun. She mouthed, “Hi.”
My cheeks heated as I ground my heel on the floor as I looked down and replied, “Hi.”
She signed, “Thought you might be back when things picked up out there.” She stepped close and signed, “They are just people, Itsy.” I nodded as she hugged me. I heated up and melted in her arms as I nodded into her shoulder.
She held me at arm's length to look in my eyes to make sure I was ok. I nodded again, and she grinned, wiggling her eyebrows and signing, “Good, I got my helper back just in time. We have to pull the old motor so I can attach my adapter.” I nodded and looked at the little cage she had built that reminded me of the antique Erector Set toys my father had tucked away in the closet.
With some coaxing, we were able to get the old motor, which was much heavier, out of the unit. I asked about that, and she signed, “The newer motors are much more efficient and have fewer windings and don't have this cast iron casing.”
Then I resumed my role of tool wrangler as she installed her adapter, explaining between steps. The new motor was not as long, and the mounting holes on the body were in different locations, not to mention it was configured for horizontal mounting and not vertical.
Zoey was in and out of the kitchen like a woman on a mission. I couldn't believe how much work she was doing, and I realized that the smaller backup mixer was always in motion, whipping batters or kneading bread dough and I saw how important the one we were working on was to the bakery slash cafe.
I asked Ash, “Doesn't she ever slow down? How did Mrs. Z do this on her own for all these years?”
She paused to watch a minute then relayed, “Don't you see it? She excels under pressure. She doesn't look harried at all, in fact, she hasn't stopped smiling all morning. She enjoys this, and that's what makes her a perfect fit for the Pike. Mrs. Z saw this and so did McKenzie. The torch has been passed.”
I took a moment to watch the red-headed whirling dervish. Then squinted and tried to listen as she moved past us with some of those heavenly fresh baked bread bowls full of eggs, and ham bakes which were a signature of the bakery. Was she mumbling a zooming sound as she went? I had to smile.
After a bit, we heard some squealing from the twins from up front, and we exchanged grins. Their cousin June must have arrived.
My girl finally pulled back, hands covered in grease from the old motor and a cute smudge of it on her left cheek. She sighed and
The tone of the crowd growing for the lunch rush sent a shiver down my spine, and I wanted to retreat back into the kitchen as Teddy hopped out to the tables to bus them for people waiting for a seat.
A flour covered Zoey stepped out of the kitchen and saw my panic and her brow creased with concern. Max came to my rescue by whispering, “Go. Get thee to the back maiden, I shall hold the wolves at bay.”
I gave her a grateful look then furrowed my brow as I almost ran to the kitchen. That sounded familiar, I think it was a line from a movie. I grinned and shook my head, even the kids nowadays are more cultured than me. I gave her another smile as I slipped through the door to relative safety.
I worked at calming my breathing, telling myself to calm down, they were just people. Ashley glanced up, and everything just melted away as I looked into her amber eyes. She and I were all there was in the world, and my anxiety just faded like a fog being driven back by the sun. She mouthed, “Hi.”
My cheeks heated as I ground my heel on the floor as I looked down and replied, “Hi.”
She signed, “Thought you might be back when things picked up out there.” She stepped close and signed, “They are just people, Itsy.” I nodded as she hugged me. I heated up and melted in her arms as I nodded into her shoulder.
She held me at arm's length to look in my eyes to make sure I was ok. I nodded again, and she grinned, wiggling her eyebrows and signing, “Good, I got my helper back just in time. We have to pull the old motor so I can attach my adapter.” I nodded and looked at the little cage she had built that reminded me of the antique Erector Set toys my father had tucked away in the closet.
With some coaxing, we were able to get the old motor, which was much heavier, out of the unit. I asked about that, and she signed, “The newer motors are much more efficient and have fewer windings and don't have this cast iron casing.”
Then I resumed my role of tool wrangler as she installed her adapter, explaining between steps. The new motor was not as long, and the mounting holes on the body were in different locations, not to mention it was configured for horizontal mounting and not vertical.
Zoey was in and out of the kitchen like a woman on a mission. I couldn't believe how much work she was doing, and I realized that the smaller backup mixer was always in motion, whipping batters or kneading bread dough and I saw how important the one we were working on was to the bakery slash cafe.
I asked Ash, “Doesn't she ever slow down? How did Mrs. Z do this on her own for all these years?”
She paused to watch a minute then relayed, “Don't you see it? She excels under pressure. She doesn't look harried at all, in fact, she hasn't stopped smiling all morning. She enjoys this, and that's what makes her a perfect fit for the Pike. Mrs. Z saw this and so did McKenzie. The torch has been passed.”
I took a moment to watch the red-headed whirling dervish. Then squinted and tried to listen as she moved past us with some of those heavenly fresh baked bread bowls full of eggs, and ham bakes which were a signature of the bakery. Was she mumbling a zooming sound as she went? I had to smile.
After a bit, we heard some squealing from the twins from up front, and we exchanged grins. Their cousin June must have arrived.
My girl finally pulled back, hands covered in grease from the old motor and a cute smudge of it on her left cheek. She sighed and
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