to worry about finding the money and without having to impose on Ben to pay.
Her thoughts wandered to Ben for a second: she had never met him, but when Diana called him after almost five years of silence, he had taken her and Sonia in without a second of hesitation. All Vicky knew about him was that Mom had dated him for two years after Vicky’s father had died, and that he was a nice guy. Diana had broken it off when it turned more serious, though: she had been terrified of committing to another man.
Diana wasn’t saying too much about it, but Vicky knew something was bubbling away just below her surface. She wasn’t about to push, but she had her radar up, and she was pretty sure that her Mom was developing strong feelings for Ben. As for him… well, why on earth would he take in an ex-girlfriend and her grand-daughter and hide them from the girl’s father unless he already had strong feelings?
The café door opened and Vicky glanced over. Her eyes widened in shock as she saw Phil standing there, drying his boots on the mat. He spotted her and a grin broke across his battered face.
“Well, well,” he said. “You have the day off?”
“Yes.” She looked down; staring in to those dark green eyes always made her feel shy. ‘What are you doing in town today?”
“Well, I just happen to have the day off too,” he said. “I was coming in for a coffee and some of Pam’s fantastic apple pie, then I was going to do some shopping for a scarf. Maybe I’ll stay in town for an early dinner, wait for the weather to clear a bit.”
Just then, Pam came over with Vicky’s slice of chocolate cake. She had put a yellow candle in it and she had a lighter.
“Happy birthday, Vicky!” Pam set the cake down and beamed at her. Vicky was one of her favorite customers – sweet and polite and kind to her staff.
Phil stared down at the cake. “It’s your birthday today?”
“Oh. Yes.”
“But why didn’t you tell anyone? We’d have had a party for you.”
Vicky didn’t know how to explain this. The truth was that the year before, she had woken up on her birthday with a broken wrist and a split lip and to a terrified daughter who had witnessed the beating. As she held a sobbing Sonia in her arms, she promised her that they were going to get away – both of them. That was the day that she told Diana the truth when she called to wish Vicky happy birthday. That was the day they started to plan her escape. That was the day she knew she deserved more, that none of this was her fault.
Vicky didn’t want a big, loud celebration today. She wanted and needed quiet; time to reflect and rejoice. She wanted time alone to fully absorb just how far she had come, how much her life had changed and improved in the past year. She wanted to turn to the fortieth year of her life on earth with joy and confidence. It was a very private moment for her, a huge moment that was bittersweet and beautiful.
Phil looked at her face, wondering why she looked so sad. “Vicky?”
She started. “Oh. Oh, well. I’ve just never made a big deal about my birthday, really. I just thought some peace and quiet and a good book would suit me fine.”
Like so many things about Vicky, Phil was pretty damn sure that wasn’t the whole story; she was holding something back from him. The woman had secrets wrapped in her secrets.
“So, what? Should I light the candle?” Pam asked.
Vicky’s smile was radiant. “Yes, please.”
Pam flicked the lighter and they watched as the flame caught.
“OK,” Pam said. “Make a wish.”
Vicky closed her eyes, opened them, blew out the candle. Phil and Pam clapped and she smiled at them. “Thank you, Pam.”
“My pleasure.” Pam hugged Vicky. “Happy birthday, hon. Give me a sec, Phil, and I’ll bring your coffee.” She walked back to the kitchen to take a batch of cookies out of the oven.
Vicky looked up at Phil. “I know you came in here for some apple pie, but maybe you’d like to share a piece
Her thoughts wandered to Ben for a second: she had never met him, but when Diana called him after almost five years of silence, he had taken her and Sonia in without a second of hesitation. All Vicky knew about him was that Mom had dated him for two years after Vicky’s father had died, and that he was a nice guy. Diana had broken it off when it turned more serious, though: she had been terrified of committing to another man.
Diana wasn’t saying too much about it, but Vicky knew something was bubbling away just below her surface. She wasn’t about to push, but she had her radar up, and she was pretty sure that her Mom was developing strong feelings for Ben. As for him… well, why on earth would he take in an ex-girlfriend and her grand-daughter and hide them from the girl’s father unless he already had strong feelings?
The café door opened and Vicky glanced over. Her eyes widened in shock as she saw Phil standing there, drying his boots on the mat. He spotted her and a grin broke across his battered face.
“Well, well,” he said. “You have the day off?”
“Yes.” She looked down; staring in to those dark green eyes always made her feel shy. ‘What are you doing in town today?”
“Well, I just happen to have the day off too,” he said. “I was coming in for a coffee and some of Pam’s fantastic apple pie, then I was going to do some shopping for a scarf. Maybe I’ll stay in town for an early dinner, wait for the weather to clear a bit.”
Just then, Pam came over with Vicky’s slice of chocolate cake. She had put a yellow candle in it and she had a lighter.
“Happy birthday, Vicky!” Pam set the cake down and beamed at her. Vicky was one of her favorite customers – sweet and polite and kind to her staff.
Phil stared down at the cake. “It’s your birthday today?”
“Oh. Yes.”
“But why didn’t you tell anyone? We’d have had a party for you.”
Vicky didn’t know how to explain this. The truth was that the year before, she had woken up on her birthday with a broken wrist and a split lip and to a terrified daughter who had witnessed the beating. As she held a sobbing Sonia in her arms, she promised her that they were going to get away – both of them. That was the day that she told Diana the truth when she called to wish Vicky happy birthday. That was the day they started to plan her escape. That was the day she knew she deserved more, that none of this was her fault.
Vicky didn’t want a big, loud celebration today. She wanted and needed quiet; time to reflect and rejoice. She wanted time alone to fully absorb just how far she had come, how much her life had changed and improved in the past year. She wanted to turn to the fortieth year of her life on earth with joy and confidence. It was a very private moment for her, a huge moment that was bittersweet and beautiful.
Phil looked at her face, wondering why she looked so sad. “Vicky?”
She started. “Oh. Oh, well. I’ve just never made a big deal about my birthday, really. I just thought some peace and quiet and a good book would suit me fine.”
Like so many things about Vicky, Phil was pretty damn sure that wasn’t the whole story; she was holding something back from him. The woman had secrets wrapped in her secrets.
“So, what? Should I light the candle?” Pam asked.
Vicky’s smile was radiant. “Yes, please.”
Pam flicked the lighter and they watched as the flame caught.
“OK,” Pam said. “Make a wish.”
Vicky closed her eyes, opened them, blew out the candle. Phil and Pam clapped and she smiled at them. “Thank you, Pam.”
“My pleasure.” Pam hugged Vicky. “Happy birthday, hon. Give me a sec, Phil, and I’ll bring your coffee.” She walked back to the kitchen to take a batch of cookies out of the oven.
Vicky looked up at Phil. “I know you came in here for some apple pie, but maybe you’d like to share a piece
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