18. Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Eighteen
Laynie
“Okay, I think we should film the orange almond ones first,” Macie says as she sets up the tripod behind the bench of Golden Hour.
Morning sunlight streams through the glass windows, brightening the space with hues of yellow.
It really does make this place look golden.
I like to think that’s because of the name I picked.
A few tables are occupied, but more are bare as we prep for another day of taking photos and videos for the cafe.
I’m not normally someone who sits on their phone and scrolls.
In fact, I don’t think any of us are, but I have slowly seen the gain of followers and interest in my cafe since working on its socials.
“I just want to add a slice to the top, then it’ll really pop,” I tell her, rushing back into the kitchen to grab the container of dried orange slices I prepared.
Placing slices on top of the cream cheese frosting, I grin as Macie snaps a few photos from various angles.
Taking the phone off the tripod, she films a clip before looking through and giving a small nod of approval.
“These are going to look great on there. My mouth is watering just looking at them.”
I snicker, “You know you can have one when we’re done, right?”
“I know, but I have my eyes on the caramel pretzel blondies. I think they might be the top seller this season.”
“That or the pistachio cream croissants. It seems to be a flavour everyone’s loving right now. They’re popping up on my phone, so it’s good that we’re jumping on it before everyone else does.”
She hums, turning off the phone. “Pistachio is the new pumpkin of autumn and winter?”
“Hardly,” I snicker, “Pumpkin and cinnamon are classic winter flavours. Just pistachio I suppose is now in the mix too. It’s not bad.”
Macie smirks. “I guess I’ll have to try one to see what all the fuss is about. What a shame…” Sarcasm drips off the tip of her tongue.
I chuckle. “A big shame that you’ll have to eat some of my baking. How devastating.”
The act of Macie throwing her hand over her forehead and pretending to faint has me cackling. “I suppose I’ll have to.”
I push her shoulder, and a giggle bubbles out of her as I move the plate of orange almost slices out the way. “You should have been an actor.”
“Pfft,” Macie blows out, helping me with the decorations we set up as the backdrop for the desserts. “I’m not that good. You remember when we had to do drama in Year Nine for a semester? That was horrible.”
I laugh louder, holding onto my chest as I shake my head. “You couldn’t get the lines out properly.”
“Not my fault I’m dyslexic…” she drawls under her breath.
“I never said it was. It was more Jarrod who stuffed you up with his weird inflections.”
“Yeah, who says please sir, can I have some more and inflect the sir? It’s just so wrong. It stuffed up my brain.”
Snickering, I place the caramel dipped pretzel blondies on the plate and sprinkle some blondie crumbs and drizzle caramel sauce to spice it up some more.
“Maybe we should have been those people who take photos of food?” Macie adds.
I peer up at her and smile. “Isn’t that what we’re already doing?”
She waves her hand. “Yeah, but you know what I mean. Like, professionally. I’m definitely still an amateur at best.”
“Well, it seems to be working. We just got two more followers in the past hour.”
“Score.” She takes the phone off the table as I move out of the sunlight. It gives the desserts a warmer, inviting feel. Exactly what we want for a place called Golden Hour, which is why we usually take photos in the morning before the sun is too strong and the place gets busier.
Getting in the rest of the shots, I then quickly tidy up and clean the table we used as Macie starts serving the early risers.
I was energised this morning, which felt amazing compared to the past few weeks.
Either I was rushing to the toilet to empty my stomach, or I was dragging myself out of bed to get here at a reasonable hour.
Macie has been opening the cafe, which she offered to do as soon as I told her about my pregnancy.
She didn’t give me time to argue. Just took the spare keys from the top of the light fixture out the back in the alley where I park Betsie and told me to sleep in an extra thirty minutes.
It might not seem like much, but that extra half hour was so worth it.
But today, I feel like I have energy again.
My knee won’t stop jiggling, and my pulse has been steadily racing since I left the ranch.
Today’s the day of my first ultrasound to check on the baby.
I’m beyond excited, nervous, and intrigued.
It’s hard to control all these conflicting emotions, which is why I think I’m buzzing so much.
I’ve had the last few days to wrap my head around that phone call with Scott.
Yes, it hurt me, but after crying for what felt like days, I realised that this is probably for the better.
I won’t have to force him into being there for his child, because that’s the last thing I would want.
I’d rather struggle on my own and love my baby than bring it up in a home where its parents are just co-existing and not in love.
I think that would be worse.
We’d probably just get divorced anyway and be right back where we started. So, really, I see this as a sort of blessing now.
Plus, I have Mum back with me, as much as guilt still riddles me for ruining their holiday plans. But now that they have a caravan, they’re already talking about going on another trip once my baby is born and settled.
Taking everything out the back into the kitchen area to get them out of sight, I help serve customers as Macie focuses on coffee orders. It’s busy enough that I have things to keep me busy and occupy my mind, but I’m not running around like a headless chicken or needing to catch my breath.
Placing some croissants and bagels into a cardboard box, I hand them over to Mrs Spencer. The door-bell chimes, and in walks Hazel with Aspen on her hip. Macie rushes over, snatching Aspen up, who immediately dives into a story about one of the chickens.
Hazel approaches me at the bench.
“How are you feeling this morning, dear?” she asks, not bothering with small talk, which I appreciate. I hate small talk as well.
“I’m feeling much better, actually.” I give her a small smile. “Thank you for letting me sleep over last night. I really needed some time in my own room.”
She frowns. “Your own room?”
I nod. “Yeah, my cousin is staying with us right now, and our house is tiny, so she’s sleeping on the spare mattress on the floor of my bedroom.”
“Oh dear. Well, you are welcome to stay over any time you need. With Reid now living in his own place, the room is available.”
A giggle escapes me. “I think you just like having your house full.”
“Well, when you have five boys, you notice when it’s quieter, and it’s not always enjoyable.”
Macie makes some takeaway coffees for Hazel to take as Aspen sits on the edge of the bench. I grab her a small shortbread jam biscuit, and she munches it down. Hazel tells us more about the farmer’s market she’s attending most weekends in Hollow Grove.
“Laynie, maybe you should have a stall there to sell some more desserts? I bet they’ll love them, and it might bring more customers.”
Macie and I exchange a look, and the corner of my mouth curls. “That’s not a bad idea.”
“You can use Grayson as well. I’m sure he’d help you with setting up and driving.”
“Betsie might not make it that far with her boot full,” Macie adds.
I snort, “She barely makes it with just me in the car, but I’m riding her out until her death, which hopefully isn’t for a while still.”
Hazel smiles, but I can see some hesitation in her eyes. I wonder what that’s all about?
Macie hands over the tray of coffees.
“Well, if you do decide to come along, I can have our spots next to each other. I know Garrett who runs the market, and he’s a good man. He’d do anything to help,” Hazel says.
“I’ll look into it and let you know,” I say.
Nodding, Hazel helps Aspen onto the ground and takes her hand, leading her out of Golden Hour as Macie and I watch.
“She’s so adorable.”
I nod, feeling my cheeks pinch. “She is,” I admit before looking away. “I might contact Garrett later and ask him more about the market. It might be something we could do once a month.”
“Yeah, call him, but after your appointment,” Macie reminds me.
I nod and open my calendar. The appointment with the midwife is at three today. If it takes an hour, and then there’s half an hour driving back, that leaves me a bit of time before Ashwood Afterhours picks up with dinner…
Macie cuts off my trail of thought, “Are you silently calculating your time again?”
“Maybe.” I mumble, feeling my cheeks heat. She snickers, and my head tilts. “I like planning out my day. Don’t look at me like that.”
“I wasn’t. I just find it funny you’re so organised, and yet…”
My hand touches my stomach that has definitely gained a bit of weight, but I smile. It might have been a surprise, but I’m still excited for this next chapter of my life.
I’m just unsure how I’ll go being a single mum, but I’m going to try my absolute best.
My skin involuntarily shivers as I lay down on the uncomfortable table.
The paper sheet crunches every time I wriggle, and as much as I try to stay quiet, my body doesn’t seem to want to listen.
Pulse thundering, I stare up at the many posters covering the walls of the room.
Information on the labour process, various injections, the female anatomy, and many other things to do with pregnancy that I didn’t really know before.
Like why the heck does your water break? Well, lucky for me, there’s a poster explaining just that.
And it goes into very vivid detail. Yikes.
Fingers drumming uncomfortably on the side of the table, my knee jiggles.
Mum rests her hand on it, slowing the movement. “It’s going to be fine, Laynie girl.”
“I know,” I try to say with confidence, but the waver in my tone says otherwise. “Just nervous.”