Chapter 14
FOURTEEN
ZALE
The bakery had never been this busy. And considering we'd just survived Christmas, that was saying something.
We were in the middle of a bake-a-thon with the proceeds going to the Ridgedale Youth Fund. It was our way of giving back instead of having a traditional baby shower.
I surveyed the controlled chaos from my spot behind the counter. The display cases were packed with fresh goods. The ovens were running nonstop. Mrs. Trent and her friends were manning stations, taking orders and packaging baked goods as fast as we could produce them.
I was five months pregnant and despite Hawthorn's protests that I should nap every afternoon, I was energized. Morning sickness was behind me and I was in my second trimester and looking forward to the day I held our baby.
"You should sit down." Hawthorn appeared at my elbow with that worried look he'd been wearing for weeks. It was so sweet but we had four months before I gave birth. I feared waking up one morning and being cocooned in bubble wrap.
"I'm fine." I pressed a hand to my rounded stomach where our pup was currently doing acrobatics. “The baby's awake and says hi, you have to stop hovering."
He side-eyed me. "I’m not and the baby is saying you should rest more.”
"You absolutely are and our little one says you’re wrong.” I kissed him. "Go make more cookies. We're almost out of the chocolate chip." He grumbled but went back to work.
The line of customers stretched out the door. People had come from neighboring towns when word spread about what we were doing. Everyone wanted to support the cause and get some of Hawthorn's famous baked goods.
"This is amazing!" Adrian was beaming. "We've already raised over three thousand dollars and it's only noon."
Three thousand. My eyes stung with tears. Damn pregnancy hormones.
"That's wonderful." I should have been used to the tears that sprang up when I saw a puppy, a baby or an elderly person kissing their mate, husband or wife. I reached for the box of tissues, one of many I’d placed around the bakery and our apartment.
"The news crew should be here soon." The mayor was proud of his connection to a local TV station. "They want to interview you both about the bakery and the event."
I'd agreed to the interview because it would bring more attention to the fundraiser, but the thought of being on camera made my stomach clench. Or maybe that was the baby. It was hard to tell these days.
The bell chimed and a woman with a camera walked in, followed by a man with a microphone. I recognized the woman as a reporter from the local news.
"Hi! I'm Annabel Courtis from Channel 7." She offered me her hand. "Thank you so much for letting us cover this. What you're doing is wonderful."
"Thank you for coming." I tried to ignore the camera pointed at us.
"Let me grab my mate." I called Hawthorn. He emerged from the back, flour coating his forearms as always, and I experienced that familiar warmth in my chest. Even dusted in flour and exhausted, he was still the most attractive man I'd ever met.
Annabel set up near the Easter egg display in the corner that I hadn't dismantled after the egg hunt we’d organized for the local kids last month. The camera guy positioned himself and suddenly we were live.
"I'm here at Hawthorn's Bakery in Ridgedale where owners Hawthorn and Zale are hosting a charity bake-a-thon," Annabel began. "All proceeds from today's sales are going to the Ridgedale Youth Fund to help local families in need. Hawthorn, Zale, thank you for talking with us."
"It’s our pleasure." Hawthorn took my hand.
"So tell me, how did this bakery get started?"
"My grandmother owned this place. I spent every summer here as a kid, learning from her. When she got sick ten years ago, I took over."
"And Zale, how did you come to work here?"
My story was pretty simple. "I got off a bus at the end of last year with nothing but a duffel bag and saw the 'Help Wanted' sign.” My palms were sweating buckets and I glanced at my mate for support.
“I ummm needed a job and yeah Hawthorn needed help.
It was meant to be." I was so nervous and hoped the audience at home understood what I was saying.
"That’s so romantic and now you’re going to be parents. That's quite a love story. Congratulations."
"That’s why we’re doing this… you know the charity bake-a-thon instead of a traditional ummm baby shower." If I said ummm one more time, I was going to cry.
Annabel asked whose idea it was.
"Mine," I admitted. I took a deep breath, hoping to calm my nerves.
"This town has given us so much love and support.
We wanted to give something back." I paused to catch my breath.
"And there are families here whose kids need school supplies, toiletries, clothing, bedding and food.
If we can use the bakery to make a difference, that's what we want to do. "
Hawthorn squeezed my hand. He’d told me a hundred times how proud he was of me.
"That's beautiful." Annabel continued, "And I understand the whole town has gotten involved?"
"Everyone's been amazing," Hawthorn added. “Our friends have been here since four this morning helping us bake and people have been donating ingredients. Our customers have been incredibly generous and we are very grateful for their support.”
As if on cue, Mrs. Trent appeared with a tray of fresh cookies. "These just came out so they’re still warm!" She offered Annabel and the camera guy one and we introduced our friend to the TV audience.
Annabel took a bite of her cookie and declared it delicious. "Can we get a shot of the operation?"
The camera panned across the bakery at the baked goods, our volunteers and the line of customers that was now around the block. Benjamin waved from his station and Marg grinned and held up a perfectly frosted cupcake.
"What does it mean to you both to have this kind of community support?" Sarah asked.
I looked at Hawthorn but he encouraged me to answer.
"Everything," I said. My voice cracked and I didn't try to hide it.
"I didn’t grow up with community support.
Coming here, finding Hawthorn, and being welcomed by this town, it showed me what family and community really means.
Our baby is going to grow up surrounded by people who care.
That's the greatest gift we could ever give them.
" I did it. I managed to get it all out without tripping over the words.
Hawthorn pulled me close and kissed the top of my head.
"And Hawthorn, what would your grandmother think of all this?" Sarah asked gently.
"She'd love it. She always said the bakery was supposed to bring people together and nourish the community. That's what we're trying to do. Honoring her legacy and building something good for our little one.”
Sarah wrapped up the interview with information about the Youth Fund and how people could donate. When the camera finally turned off, I sagged against my mate
"That was terrifying," I muttered. “I could never be on camera all day."
"You were great and no one would guess you’d never done this before.” He kissed my temple. "And I was scared too. I’m not used to talking about personal stuff." He draped an arm round me. "Now will you please sit down for a few minutes?"
I was about to argue when the baby kicked hard enough to make me gasp. "Okay, fine. Five minutes."
He settled me on a stool behind the counter with a cup of tea and a cookie. Through the window, I could see the news van outside and people were still lined up despite the cold.
Mrs. Trent came over. She wiped her eyes with a tissue. "That was beautiful, what you said."
"I spoke from the heart." She sat on a stool beside me "You've all been so good to us."
“We love you and Hawthorn and the baby,” she told me. "This whole town is going to spoil your little one rotten."
I laughed through tears and she handed me the tissues. "I'm counting on it."
The afternoon flew by. Our interview aired during the evening broadcast and the line got even longer. By the time we finally closed at eight, we were exhausted but triumphant.
"Final count," Adrian announced. "Seven thousand, three hundred and forty-two dollars!"
The group of volunteers still there erupted in cheers. Over seven thousand dollars for kids who needed it thanks to our bakery and the community.
I burst into pregnant-person tears.
"Hey." Hawthorn pulled me close. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." I hiccuped. "Everything's right and I’m so happy. We did something good."
Hawthorn rubbed my back saying how proud he was of me for coming up with the concept.
The volunteers helped us clean up and filtered out, but not before each one hugged us goodbye. Mrs. Trent was the last to leave, pressing a container of soup into Hawthorn's hands. "You two need to eat and rest. You've earned it."
When we finally locked the door and climbed the stairs to our apartment, I was dead on my feet, but my heart was full.
"Come here." Hawthorn guided me to the couch and sat down, pulling me against him. His hand found my belly where the baby was still active. "Hey, little one. Your parents did something pretty cool today."
The baby kicked against his palm and Hawthorn's face lit up.
"Thank you for supporting my idea." I pressed my hand over his where it rested on my stomach. "Our baby is so lucky to have you as their dad."
"You gave me your love and a family, two things I never expected to have."