Chapter Three
When I got back home I parked and locked up my bike and went inside through the back door. It was near 4 pm so the shop was empty, with the lunch rush gone. When I walked in, all three of my moms were in the back room as well, huddled in a circle and whispering to each other. When they heard the back door swing shut they jumped.
Joy started. "Rose! You're back! We weren't- would you go to the front and watch the store for a moment? We need to..."
"We need to get the menu for next week figured out!" interrupted Carol.
"Yeah... We need to do... that?" Grace said, knowing the excuse was lame.
I knew what they were doing. My birthday was in three days. I would be turning 16 and I know my moms would be planning a surprise for it. I don't mind. They've fussed over my birthday every year.
"Sure I'd love to" I said with a smile, deciding to let them continue with their secrecy.
I went and sat behind the counter and pulled out my book again while I waited for them to be done. The store would be closing in an hour anyways. I waited about twenty minutes before they came out of the back room. Carol and Joy were smiling but I could see a worried look on Grace's face before she started smiling also.
"Thank you Rose dear, you can head upstairs now. Would you mind checking the crock-pot for me? I've had a roast in there all day for tonight." Stated Joy.
"Yeah, sounds good!" I said before I hoped off the stool and went upstairs, pushing down the odd feeling I got from Grace's worried look and my moms' secrecy. It must just be a complication with whatever they planning, I said to myself.
When I made it upstairs I was instantly overcome with a delicious smell from the kitchen. I went over to the island and looked into the crock-pot. The roast looked amazing and I couldn't wait for dinner once the bakery closed and cleaned. I decided to clean my room while I waited.
When the clock struck five I went back down into the shop to help my moms clean up and prepare for the next day. I cleaned up the tables and took out the trash to the dumpster behind the building. Afterwards I went to the back room and mopped the floor free from all the flour and other stuff that gathered there throughout the day and then went to sweep and mop the front room. These were my usual chores after the shop closed, and by the time I finished, my moms were done with their chores also. We have a nice system worked out after all the years of working the little bakery.
We went back upstairs and Joy got the roast ready while Grace and I got the table ready and Carol got the rest of the food ready. Once the table was set and the food brought over, we sat around and ate and told stories about our days, Joy, Grace, and Carol would talk about funny stories about customers from the day and I would tell them about my books or about what I saw on her bike rides about the town.
I love the comfortable rhythm we have gotten into during the summers. During the school year I would spend my days being home schooled by my moms as they took turns so two of them were always running the shop. I love the lazy schedule of summer and my ability to go to my secret forest whenever I please.
After dinner we say in the living room, Joy knitting, Grace playing with my hair as she and Carol watched a documentary on forest animals. I always loved animals and wished we could've gotten a pet. We've had the odd bird or fish or gerbil, but no dogs or cats. Pet hair and the food industry just don't mix, but I wish anyways. Sometimes I would go to the local pet store and play with the animals there.
Joy went to bed early and Grace soon followed. Carol stayed out with me until the end of the documentary. When it was over we folded up the blanket and put it in the chest behind the couch. I hugged and kissed Carol goodnight. As I passed my moms' room I stuck my head in and whispered goodnight to Grace and Joy. I then went into my own room and got ready for bed. I turned off the lights and settled into bed, falling asleep almost instantly as the documentary made me sleepy.
I was in my castle again...
I began walking through the hallways the way I always had. Nothing had changed, as usual. I walked for a while. Then I turned a corner.
What?
There was a figure in the middle of the hallway about 30 feet ahead of me. I can't see his face because his back is to me. I gasped out of surprise. He heard me and started turning around. I quickly hid behind the wall. He must have seen me because I can hear his footsteps coming closer.
What was someone doing in my castle? Why was someone in my castle? I didn't have much time to think before he got closer.
I should run. Why aren't I running? I am frozen against the wall. I could hear his footsteps almost upon the corner.
Surprisingly I'm not afraid. He made it past the corner and I wasn't afraid of him. He turned and looked at me with the same surprised face I know I must be wearing. He was about a half a foot taller than me. His hair was brown like his eyes. He was very handsome, like out of a magazine handsome. He was eyeing me in the same way I was eyeing him. I reached out to touch him. He couldn't be real. How could he? No one had ever been in my castle before.
When I reached out my hand he did the same. Our hands met in the middle…
I woke with a start.
"Who was that?"
After I woke up from my dream I couldn't fall back asleep. I knew it wasn't real- that he wasn't real- but I am still confused. Not often did my dreams vary, and when they did they were set in other places than my castle, like a place from one of my books, but as far as I could remember never before was my castle different, with another person no less. I should have been afraid, but I wasn't. If anything I was just confused and curious. He obviously couldn't be real, but why did my dream come up with him?
I sat up in bed and turned on my side table lamp. I got up and went over to my sewing box I kept in my closet. I pulled out a long strip of pale blue fabric I had left over from an old pillow case project I had. I went to my side table and pulled out an ink pen and started writing a description of what the boy from my dream looked like on the fabric.
"Boy, about my age, about 5'11". Brown hair, medium length, pushed back.
Brown eyes- very pretty. Tanned skin. Dressed like someone from the Middle Ages (?)
Might be the most beautiful person I've ever seen."
I finished writing and went to put the fabric in my backpack for later. I looked out the window and saw that it was beginning to get light outside, so abandoning the thought of getting any more sleep I got out of bed. I went to the bathroom and got ready for the day.
I came downstairs around 7:00 dressed in a tan chiffon mid length skirt I had gotten the other week, a white cropped tank top and a black cardigan, because it was still a bit chilly because of the early hour, and a black belt with black flats.
"You're up early" stated Grace when she saw I was behind the counter pouring myself a cup of coffee.
"Yeah, had a weird dream" I said as I put two teaspoons of sugar in my drink.
"What about?" Carol chimed in, quickly sharing a look with Grace.
"Nothing really" I didn't feel like getting into it. I just wanted to go to my secret place and forget about it.
I grabbed a croissant and a banana and decided to eat on a bench outside to avoid further inquiry from my moms. Why have they been acting so weird lately? Did they really think my turning 16 was such a big deal? Nothing would be changing? Sure, I would be getting a license soon, but where would I even go with that? Maybe they were worried I was going to take off and never come back. I figured that must be it as I finished my breakfast.
When I got back inside I noticed that none of my moms were up front. I quickly took care of the two confused customers that were waiting and went to the back room to look for them. On my way I grabbed my backpack from the stairs and put an apple and a water bottle in it. When I stepped into the back room I saw that my moms were huddled up like they had been the day before when I came home. They didn't hear me enter.
"What could this mean?" Joy whispered.
"It must have to do with her birthday? Right?" whispered Carol.
"What do we do?" said Grace.
I decided to alert them of my presence.
"Hello? Why is no one taking care of customers? It is morning rush hour ya know?"
They all jumped and Grace gave out a little yelp.
"Rose, honey, we were just, um, uh..." said Joy rapidly.
"Guys I know you were talking about me." I stated.
Carol jumped in "What? No we were just-"
I cut her off.
"And I know that your worried about me turning 16, but you don't have to! I'm not going anywhere!" I reassured.
As my moms stood there in stunned silence I gave them each a hug as I moved to the back door. As I was stepping out I turned back and saw they were watching me.
"And get back to work!" I yelled as I left.
I got on my bike and started to head to my secret place. Today was turning out to be one of the strangest that I could remember.