Chapter 1 #2
Ruth heard the wonder in the young girl's voice, and she was stunned at the visual connection that Katie had made. "You know, I've never thought of that. That's a wonderful connection you made."
Katie seemed a little embarrassed by the praise. "It's nothing-"
"Don't say that," Ruth shook her head gently. "You're just discovering your talents. What do you see in the world? What you're discovering in yourself? It's not nothing." Ruth grinned at her. "It could be everything."
Katie looked at her with a little bit of wonder. "I... I do like art."
"Wonderful!" Ruth pulled off her oven mitts and touched her finger to the top of one of the cookies.
"Oooh, this might be a little too warm, but.
.." She moved over to the other rack on the countertop.
"This one came out about ten minutes ago.
" She touched her fingertip to one of the cookies and found it cool to the touch. "Let's taste test!"
Katie reached out and paused. "Are they the same flavor?"
Ruth understood the question. The other rack was green where the cookies she just pulled out of the oven were red.
"Yes. They're both peppermint."
Katie picked up a cookie at the same time that she did, and they watched each other while they took a bite and chewed it.
Ruth loved the sensation of the peppermint melting on her tongue, but she couldn't get lost in the sensation. She watched Katie as the girl's eyes closed and her chewing slowed.
"OH," Katie swayed from side to side, "that tastes so good."
Katie's eyes opened up in a heartbeat and she lifted a hand to cover her mouth. "Sorry."
Ruth's shoulders shook with laughter. "No need to be sorry. I love that you like it."
"Like it?" Katie took another bite, muffling her words. "I love it!"
"Glad to hear it." Ruth took another bite and smiled at the taste of it on her tongue. "How are your rehearsals going?"
"Good." Katie stopped chewing for a moment, and she looked away before she raised her gaze again. "Really good."
"Really?" Ruth reached up into the cabinet and pulled out a plate with a festive painted scene on its face. "I hope you're going to let me know when the tickets go on sale. I want to see the show."
"Great!" Katie rose up a few inches on her toes.
Ruth couldn't help but smile. It was Katie's go-to physical expression of excitement. It really was sweet. And joyful.
"Speaking of the show..."
Katie rocked back on her heels and Ruth's eyes widened.
"There's this thing that happens after all of the matinee shows on the weekend. It's called the Sugarplum Tea. Like a party where the kids who come to see the show can come to the tea party and meet some of the characters and get pictures."
"Oh," Ruth nodded, "that sounds lovely. I'll have to come and see the show a few times. Including a matinee."
"I was hoping..."
Katie bit into her lip again and Ruth set what remained of her cookie down on a napkin.
"...that you might want to come to the show for all the matinees. We need someone to organize the Sugarplum Tea and..."
Katie was going to draw blood if she didn't come out with the question.
Ruth had a feeling she knew what it was, but she also knew how important it was to let Katie say the words. Cutting her off wouldn't help at all.
"I was hoping that you might be interested in doing it. The tea. I mean, organizing the tea."
Ruth opened her mouth to answer, but Katie cut her off.
"I know. I know. It's crazy to ask you. I mean, there's like a hundred kids in the company and no one volunteered to help.
And you're a super baker, but you're not even related to anyone in the cast. I just thought," she took a step back and then a step to the side, leaning to look out of the window toward her house, "you'd be the perfect person to do this. "
Ruth didn't look out the window to see what or who might be looking over through the window, her attention was centered on Katie. "What exactly would need to be done?"
Katie rocked back on her heels and widened her eyes. "What?"
Ruth shrugged. "I'm curious. What would someone organizing the tea have to do?"
Katie blinked at her and then she started talking.
"Well, we'd need to have enough snacks and desserts for the kids attending the show. Their parents. And the cast members who come out in costume."
Ruth nodded, her eyes moving over the cookies already on the countertop.
"Oh," Katie continued, "and drinks, but Missus Brannigan, the head of the parent volunteer corps said she could handle that. She just," Katie lowered her chin and her smile broadened, "she just can't bake. She did say she'd just buy cookies from the store if it came down to that, but-"
"You can't do that," Ruth shook her head, "I can't see Chips Ahoy or Oreos at a tea party."
Katie shrugged. "I know, but that's all we're going to have if we can't find someone to help out, and- I know it was crazy to ask you, but-"
"Hey, hey." Ruth moved closer and gently put her hands on Katie's shoulders, "take a moment and breathe."
Katie took a deep breath and Ruth breathed along with her.
"Okay," Ruth gave her an encouraging smile, "feeling better?"
Katie gave her a weak smile. "Yes."
"Okay, now..." Ruth gestured to one of the stools along the counter in her kitchen. "Why don't we sit down and discuss this a little more. I'll need more information about this Sugarplum Tea if I'm going to organize it."
"Yes!" Katie jumped up in the air, her arms raised above her head. "You're the coolest!"
A knock at the door turned both of their heads.
For a moment, Ruth didn't want to answer the knock. It might be easier to ignore it and finish this conversation because she wasn't sure she'd be able to handle who it was on the other side of the door.
But here she was trying to bring out the best in Katie, so how could she stand there and cower from something as simple as opening a door.
"Hold on, sweetie."
Ruth moved to the door with a purpose in her steps.
She could see who it was through the glass, not that there were a lot of options.
Ruth opened the door with a smile, a forced one at that, "Hello, Mister Stone. Can I help you?"