Chapter 13
Noel slept like a rock and woke up on Small Business Saturday with more energy than expected.
She imagined it would take forever to fall asleep because when she first crawled into bed, her mind raced about the fate of the candy shop.
She remembered wishing for Fletcher to be lying next to her with his usual good advice.
He probably would have spoken his encouraging words softly while giving her a back massage although not expecting anything in return.
However, once his fingers started caressing her body, one thing usually led to another.
The intimacy they shared seemed otherworldly, and she would give anything to be wrapped up with him in these sheets feeling the warmth of his skin against hers right now.
He always had a way of setting her at ease.
Maybe last night, he found a way to comfort her because her tired body somehow overpowered her busy mind.
Hopefully that would make life easier today.
“Thanks, Fletch,” Noel whispered into the universe that seemed to swallow her more often than not these days.
Shockingly Noel found the kids not only awake in their bedroom but also out of bed and on the floor working away at something.
“What are you up to?” she asked as she pushed their door all the way open.
Laney’s and Levi’s necks jolted at the sound of her voice, and they wore a guilty expression on their faces.
“Um, we are making signs,” Laney announced.
“What kind of signs?”
“Hot chocolate stand signs,” Levi exclaimed.
The two kids looked at each other communicating through eye contact about the mission. First thing this morning, they decided that they couldn’t keep the hot chocolate stand a secret, but that didn’t mean anyone had to know the purpose.
The skin between Noel’s eyes wrinkled as if squeezed with a clothespin. “When and where is this hot chocolate stand taking place?” she inquired, holding her chin with her thumb and pointer finger.
The kids held each other’s gaze again, and for a moment neither said anything.
“Today,” Levi finally confessed. “In front of the candy shop.”
“Oh really?” Noel asked amused.
“Yeah, we want to make some money,” Laney added.
Levi’s eyes bulged a little.
“Do you have an adequate supply of the ingredients?” Noel inquired knowing the kids helped her make homemade hot chocolate mix recently but wondering if they considered the amount needed to sell in bulk.
In the candy shop kitchen as well as her own, she always tried to teach Levi and Laney to consider all the possibilities and challenges while still letting them help.
The kids looked at one another each hoping the other knew the answer. “Probably,” Levi eventually surmised. “We helped you make some the other day.”
“Our homemade hot chocolate is the best ever,” Laney stated. “Our customers will love it.”
Noel smiled proudly. “Yes, they will. However, I think you will need to make more of the homemade mix. Do you remember the ingredients?”
“Sugar,” Levi blurted out quickly.
“Which kind of sugar?”
“Powdered,” Laney, her little chef, knew off the top of her head. “Cocoa powder, too.”
“And powder milk,” Levi blurted out.
“Powdered, but yes,” Noel corrected. “What do we add a splash and a dash of?”
“Vanilla and mini chocolate chips,” Laney added enthusiastically, vividly recalling making it with her aunt.
“What goes in last, Levi?” Noel checked.
“Marshmallows.”
“Yes, little dehydrated marshmallows,” Noel noted. “Then what do we mix it with to serve?”
“Milk,” Laney answered.
“Mom, will you help us make enough for our customers?” Levi asked energetically.
“Please,” Laney added, clasping her hands together.
Noel sighed. “Today is going to be a really busy day at the store,” she reminded them, or at least she prayed it would.
“We will do all the work,” Laney promised.
How could Noel say no to her little helpers wanting to become entrepreneurs? “I will assist with heating up the hot chocolate and transporting it from the kitchen to the stand, but you two have to do the rest.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
“You’re the best, Aunt Noel.”
Noel grinned wondering what she was getting herself into. She couldn’t keep her own store afloat, so what made her think she could help the kids start a small sidewalk business?
“You are also going to need a table and jackets because it’s cool outside.”
Thankfully today’s forecast was much nicer than yesterday’s. However, almost all November mornings arrived with a chill in the air.
The kids finished making their signs, scarfed down cereal, brushed their teeth, and hustled downstairs to the candy shop kitchen to collect the ingredients from the cabinets and set them on the prep table.
“You are also going to need disposable insulated cups with lids since you are serving this to the public,” Noel explained when she joined them in the kitchen. “And we will store the hot chocolate in an urn so that you two won’t have to pour such a hot beverage.”
“I know where the cups are,” Laney claimed.
“I will get an urn,” Levi announced.
Before Noel flipped the candy shop’s sign to open, the kids set up a table on the sidewalk, complete with a Christmassy tablecloth, an urn full of hot chocolate, paper cups, and two poster board signs affixed to the front of the stand.
“I’m not sure how many people will stop for hot chocolate this early in the morning, but we will see,” Noel mentioned.
Mrs. Madelyn appeared on the sidewalk with a large smile. “A hot chocolate stand,” she said enthusiastically. “I want a cup.”
“You are our first customer,” Laney announced.
“It will be one dollar,” Levi stated, holding out his little hand.
Mrs. Madelyn rummaged through her purse and pulled out a crisp dollar bill from her wallet. “Where is your tip jar?” she asked.
Laney and Levi shared a puzzled look.
“What’s a tip jar?” Laney asked.
“A jar you tip over like a cow?” Levi speculated with a grin.
Noel, Mrs. Madelyn, and Laney all giggled.
“How do you know about cow tipping?” Noel inquired.
“Uncle Keaton,” Levi explained.
“Ah, I see,” Noel replied.
“A tip jar is nothing like cow tipping, silly. It’s a jar that sits on the table so your customers can give you extra money for your good service,” Mrs. Madelyn explained.
“We didn’t think of that,” Noel confessed.
“We definitely need one of those cow tipping jars,” Laney proclaimed.
Again, everyone laughed although Laney didn’t quite know why what she said was so funny, but she went along with it.
“I will bring you one,” Noel promised.
The kids offered their thanks, and then Levi held a cup beneath the spout while Laney flipped the lever.
“There you go,” Levi said as he handed over the cup.
Mrs. Madelyn took a sip. “This is delicious,” she approved. “You might sell out.”
“Hopefully we sell out of candy today, too,” Noel wished.
“It is going to be a good day,” Mrs. Madelyn predicted.
“Let us know if you need anything,” Noel reminded them before heading through the door with her helper.
“Just a tip jar,” Laney repeated.
“Oh yeah,” Noel responded.
“Be sure to flip the Christmas countdown signs,” Mrs. Madelyn advised when she spotted the outdoor chalkboard and candy cane-themed pole holding the red octagon signboard still reflecting yesterday’s number. She recalled both parents and children alike reading it aloud with excitement.
Laney immediately raced in her direction. “I almost forgot,” she claimed, switching the chalkboard’s number to twenty-five.
Levi hustled inside to change the second sign.
A few minutes later Mrs. Madelyn delivered the tip jar and placed three one-dollar bills inside.
“Wow, that’s more money than the hot chocolate,” Levi exclaimed after she walked away.
Laney high-fived her cousin. “We are going to save the candy store.”