Hello! Once again a special thanks to my reviewers. I love hearing what you think, even if it's not always good. I'm always looking for ways to make my stories better. Thanks and please R&R.
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Chapter Four-Connie and Tony
Connie could smell the delicious aroma of her cake baking in the oven. It was time to take it out. She also smelled a mysterious odor coming from another one of the bakery's four ovens. Molly must be trying to cook again...just swell.
Connie removed her gorgeous cake from the oven. People often told her that she had her mother's knack for cooking, but despite the compliments Connie made sure she never got a big head. Then Connie's eight-year-old sister came rushing in to get her...creation. When she removed the "cake" all that was seen on the sheet was a mass of black and brown. Molly looked up at her sister, and gave her one of those uneasy I-did-it-wrong-again smiles. Connie just patted Molly's head and giggled, and instantly Molly's face became relaxed. Then their aging father, Jeff came in.
"Well, well, well, what have we got here?" he questioned half-uneasy. He smiled at Connie when he saw her lovely cake, but wrinkled his nose when he caught sight and smell of Molly's. "That could use a lot of work, Molly." And with that he disappeared back into the main bakery room. Molly's face turned red with embarrassment and anger.
"Ooooh the nerve!" she exclaimed throwing the sheet to the floor and stomping out the door. Connie was left to deal with the mess. She quickly cleaned up the result of Molly's temper tantrum before their father made more comments. Connie wasn't too happy about cleaning up the mess, but she understood how Molly felt and thought that her father's behavior was unnecessary. It wasn't Molly's fault that cooking just wasn't her thing.
When Connie went outside to retrieve Molly she found Molly pulling her pulling her long, neatly done braids, a habit that she did when she was angry or confused.
"Molly," Connie began, "it's okay. Don't mind Dad, he's just not sensitive of other people's feelings." Molly continued to pout. "You know, you don't have to try to cook good so hard... Let's face it cooking just isn't your thing. Why, why do you try so hard?" There was a long silence, but Molly finally did answer.
"Well," Molly replied, "...Mom is just so proud of you and everyone else in the village likes your cooking and, and..." She stopped for a moment, but kept on going. "...and I thought maybe Mom would like me more if I was a good cook like you." Connie embraced her annoying yet caring, kid sister.
"Oh silly, Mom wouldn't love you any less if you were the worst cook in the world. Why don't you invest your time in something you like to do." Molly smiled and ran into the house only to come out with the sketchpad that her mother, Elli had gotten her for her eighth birthday. She flipped to a page in the middle, and there before Connie was a beautifully drawn picture of herself. "Gee whiz Molly! This is good!" Molly just couldn't stop grinning. This was what she should spend her time doing, Connie thought, not cooking. She gave her sister one last squeeze before they both went into the bakery again.
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Meanwhile back at the beach, Stan had somehow managed to sneak off from the hassle of moving boxes, on his obnoxious donkey, Eisenhower, or Ike as everyone called him. Rob and Sandy soon discovered this, and they reluctantly gave Tony the assignment to retrieve him. After a great deal of huffing and puffing, Tony finally gave in and went off to find his brat brother.
"I hate this town!" he said to himself. "I hate it that we moved!" And with that he jammed his fists into his pockets, and continued his search. He went into town hoping someone had seen him. As soon as he saw a building with a sign reading "Bakery" something inside him told him to look there. He entered the bakery to find Stan looking at pictures with a little girl that had long, brown braids. He seemed to enjoy her company and vice versa. Then Tony almost went weak in the knees when a girl with long, goldenrod hair walked into the main room. He'd never seen anyone so beautiful, not even in the city. Her face brightened when she saw Tony.
"Hello," she greeted beaming, "how may I help you?" Tony just kind of stood there gawking for a moment, but finally came out of his daze. "I've never seen you before. Are you new to the village?"
"Uh huh," he sheepishly answered. "I'm Tony. Me and my family just moved here."
"I'm Connie, pleased to meet you." She extended her hand, and Tony gratefully took it.
"Uh, yeah same here." Connie looked over at the two eight-year-olds in the corner. Tony noticed this and he quickly explained. "Oh that's my brother, Stan over there."
"And that's my sister, Molly."
"They seem to get along pretty well."
"Yes."
"W-well, we'd better go now," Tony replied blushing a deep shade of red. "Come on, Stan!" But before he left Connie opened up.
"Uh Tony. If you want maybe we could meet at Moon Mountain tonight, and y-you could tell me about your family. I-I'd like to find out about you too." Now it was Connie's turn to blush. Tony couldn't believe it. It seemed almost too good to be true.
"Well...see you then!" Tony rushed home with Stan, gushing with joy. Connie on the other hand decided that she'd make something to eat.
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When Tony returned home, he dug into his luggage to find his best outfit, a green shirt and blue jeans. His parents suspected that something was going on, but decided to let it work itself out. At least Tony wasn't huffing anymore.
Tony never thought he'd ever be so nervous in his lifetime...especially over a girl, but every moment that he wasn't re-adjusting his hat he was moving his fingers in a tedious fashion. Each step that brought him nearer to Moon Mountain was another step closer to Connie. Oh how he wished he wouldn't make a fool of himself in front of her, but he knew he would. He'd never hit it off very good with girls for some reason. Maybe they thought he was just a hopeless macho, but he sensed that this time it would be different. As he rounded the corner to Moon Mountain, he re-adjusted his hat one last time, took a deep breath, and walked on to where he soon met Connie.
"Hello Tony!" she greeted happily waving. Well, she remembered my name, Tony thought, that was the furthest he'd ever gotten.
"Hi Connie," he replied trying desperately to stop blushing like a careless fool. They sat next to the small pond that was shadowed by the old fisherman's tent. For a moment there was a stone cold silence, but Connie decided to break it.
"So what's your family like?"
"Well, my pop's a chef-." Connie quickly and abruptly interrupted him.
"Really? My dad's a baker. That's almost the same thing!" Tony stared into her deep brown eyes stunned that she'd interrupted him so quickly. "Oh please forgive me. I'm known not only for my cooking, but, tee hee, also for my outbursts." Her cheeks blushed wildly.
They continued to talk about their families, and before they knew it, it was nightfall. Tony, like a proper gentleman, walked Connie home, and to his surprise she planted a small kiss on his cheek before she disappeared into the bakery. He blushed as he touched his cheek in disbelief. As he walked home he thought, maybe this town won't be so bad after all.
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Whew! That was a workout! It was fun though. Please forgive me if I begin to slack off a bit as far as updating. I really want to get this other story I'm making started. I'll do my best to keep up, though. Thanks so much for reading. R&R.