Keepsakes of the Present

Standing on her tip toes, Anju peered in through a knot in the wood in the back door to the Stock Pot Café. Even from behind the thick slats of maple, she could smell the aroma of garlic, basil and rosemary. Before she could slip through the door, two strong hands whisked her off her feet.

"And what are you doing sneaking about little one? Avoiding your mum again are ya?" her father's hearty laugh rang through the late afternoon air.

"Maybe?" Anju laughed as he swung her through the air and then set her on the ground carefully.

Tortus Joru held the heavy door open for his daughter, his blue eyes smiling above a sunburned ridge. He had just come home from a delivery of his famous sour dough rolls out to Romani Ranch. Anju scampered in the kitchen and bounded up to her room before her mother could notice. Tortus walked over to the pot which had been simmering all day for dinner when Amelia appeared, a white apron tied tightly around her thin waist. Her pale arms crossed over her ample chest as green eyes watched her husband in mild irritation.

"How are things out with the Marshes?" she asked with genuine interest, subsiding the complaints that had been marinating her mind all day. Gracefully, Amelia took a seat on a nearby empty counter, her legs dangling from beneath her embroidered skirts.

"Oh just great. Cremia was asking after Anju as usual. I don't see why you don't let the poor girl go out there to play more often," he replied, taking a small wooden spoon which hung from a rack over the stove.

"Maybe I would if she would at least complete some chores around here. Besides, it's too dangerous for her to go out to the field by herself." Amelia paused a moment, staring at the embers of the fire that flickered beneath the stovetop. "How's the baby coming along?"

A smile appeared on the tall man's visage as he placed the cover on the copper pot after tasting the stew. Tortus often stopped to share a mug of Romani milk and friendly conversation with the young couple. Long before Cremia and Anju became play mates, he had known Isalen and Dunon from the mountain village they had all grown up in.

"Oh wonderfully. Isalen still isn't showing any; but they're already thinking of names. Dunon seems certain it's a boy…least that's what he hopes so he'll have a strong lad to help with the ranch."

"Speaking of help.." a more solemn tone took over the woman's voice as she spoke. "Work is piling up around here when you're out on deliveries. I don't see why we can't afford to hire another waitress around here."

Tortus sighed, placing the wooden spoon he used on the counter, his eyes moving their attention on his wife with a sad respect as he replied.

"You know very well we can't afford another employee at this time. Business will catch up soon. I'm sure of it darling."

Amelia got down from the counter with a small smile to walk over to her husband to give him a hug and a kiss on the cheek before leaving the kitchen to find Anju.