Page 10 of Always the Baker

“I’m sure they did but we can’t worry about that now. Can we afford a new batch of shirts?”

Mom’s head shook and drooped. “No, not really, but we have to make it work. Having to wait on the shirts will push three orders back. God. This is the last thing we need right now.”

Leaning against the wall, I tried to think of something to help. The only thing that came to mind was going to look on the website and see if they had any clauses about their shirts having defects and being sold as-is. If not, I’d call and threaten to sue. Ifthat didn’t get them to give us a refund or a new batch of shirts, I didn’t know what else I could do.

As the day wore on,I was less and less sure about what to do. I was able to convince the distributor to replace the shirts, but he charged a rush fee to send new ones, which was half of what we would have had to spend for a whole new batch. Every time I made progress on a project, my phone vibrated with another excited message from Ember about my trip. She was more anxious for me to go and enjoy myself than I was. Every time she sent a place for me to try or thing for me to do, it felt bittersweet. The city was calling, but so did my family’s business.

I sighed and rubbed my temples. Just thinking about leaving them was stressing me the hell out. How could I leave when they needed me here? But how could I stay when the escape I needed was just a few hours away? A weekend in Rose Valley Hills held so much promise. Even with my funds and time there being limited, I was confident I could have a great time.

Mom’s voice cut through my thoughts, reminding me that the day was still dragging on. “Billie, honey, can you stay late tonight? We need to finish those banners for the high school fundraiser. I’m going to expedite their order, so we won’t have to worry about it when the new shirts come in.”

I felt my excitement for the trip deflate like a punctured balloon. The last thing I wanted was to stay here a second longer than I needed to. I needed to get home to pack and continue finalizing my plans. “But, Mom, I…”

“I know you hate staying late,” she said, her tone light but loaded. “It’s just, your father and I really need your help. Thebusiness has been in our family for generations. It’s not the life I pictured for myself, but I had you and—”

I swallowed hard as guilt tightened around my throat. “I know, Mom. You don’t have to remind me of what you gave up to have me. It’s just…”

“We’re counting on you, Billie,” she added softly. “This town, our clients, they’re all like family. And family sticks together, right?”

My shoulders slumped. Jesus. It was nothing for her to pile the guilt on. If she wasn’t reminding me of how my birth crushed her dreams, as if I asked to be born, she was reminding me of our duty to our small town.

“Right,” I mumbled, feeling my balloon fill with frustration. There was no doubt in my mind she was going to get me to skip out on this trip. When she turned, I stood and called her name. As she turned to face me, I said, “I can stay as long as it takes tonight to finish the banners and the flyers for the church event. I have plans this weekend and won’t be available. So if there’s anything else you need me to do, I need you to let me know now.”

She eyed me skeptically as I nibbled my bottom lip. I always felt myself shrink with her. Not because she was abusive or mean or anything, but because I often felt like I had to be gentle with her. I never wanted to hurt, upset, or disappoint her… even if that meant disappointing myself. But this weekend couldn’t play out like that.

“Plans huh? What kind of plans?”

“I don’t want to talk about it yet, but it’s really important to me, so I can’t miss it.”

She gave me a curt nod and released a low hum. “Okay. Well, that’s all for now. If something else comes to mind, I’ll be sure to let you know in advance.”

“Great, thanks.”

A small smile lifted the corner of her mouth as she curiously eyed me before nodding and walking away.

Hours later,I made my way into Ember’s favorite sushi place, feeling like I’d been run over by a truck full of responsibility. While I didn’t have proof, I felt like Mom found extra shit to give me to do just because I told her I had plans. My entire body ached from the fourteen hours I’d spent at work today, and I was in even more need of a break.

“There’s my city girl!” Ember chirped, waving from our usual booth.

I slid in across from her, forcing a weak smile. “Hey.”

She frowned, chopsticks pausing midair. “Uh-oh. I know that look. What happened, Bill?”

I sighed and fiddled with my napkin. A part of me didn’t want to tell her how I was feeling. I already knew what she was going to say, and I really didn’t want to hear her mouth.

“I don’t think I can go this weekend. The shop’s swamped and my parents need me.”

“No, ma’am. I don’t want to hear that shit.” Ember cut me off, pointing her chopsticks at me accusingly. “You arenotbailing on this, Billie. Not this time.”

“But, Em...”

“No buts!” She leaned forward, eyes blazing. “You weresoexcited about this. You deserve this. This can literally be a glimpse into your future—the city life, the fast paced lifestyle, the fun and opportunities. One weekend won’t sink the family business.”

I bit my lip, torn between loyalty and longing. “What if they need me?”

Ember’s expression softened. “They will. But you need this too, Billie. You need you. You deserve a chance to spread those artsy wings of yours. Whether you do that with a paint brush or a whisk… you need this.”

We continued to talk until the waiter came to take my order. I thanked God silently for blessing me with a friend who took her role seriously to edify me. Our conversation turned lighter and shifted gears as the minutes passed on. As the waiter set down our usual order, I felt a tiny spark of hope reignite. Maybe I could have both? My dreams and my duty. At least for one weekend.

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