Page 86 of Fire and Icing

The phone rings.

Syd answers mid-giggle. It’s the kind of laugh she and I share when we’re slap-happy from getting up too early or from working too hard. One of us says something ridiculous. We lose it and can’t regain our composure. She’s laughing like that … by herself? Maybe with our part-time help?

“Syd?”

“Yeah? Oh. Hi, Emberleigh.”

“Are you okay?”

“Yes. Of course. Why?”

“Were you laughing?”

“A little. It’s not a crime to laugh.”

“No. Of course not. It’s just … Are you alone?”

“Yes. Alone as ever. I just was … uh … looking at this meme. What’s up?”

A meme? Really?

“I get a free mid-week call and you’re it,” I explain.

“Wow. Thank you. I’m honored. You sure you don’t want to call Gran?”

“I called you. Unless you’re busy or something.”

“Nope. Totally not busy. I’m unbusy. The opposite of busy. Except work. Which is normal.”

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah. I’m not used to talking to you on the phone, I guess.” She seems to get a hold of herself because she adds, “I’m rooting for you.”

“Thank you. We’re still here at the contest. And so are other people. Bakers. You know.”

“I do know. It’s a baking contest. Hence, the bakers.”

I glance at the person supervising me like I’m a jailbird taking advantage of her one allotted phone call.

“Yeah. Well there are a lot of bakers here. You wouldn’t expect all of them.”

The supervisor raises one brow.

“I think you should expect them,” Syd says. “Are you getting enough sleep?”

“I am. In my one bed. With my boyfriend, of course.” I smile widely at the contest staff member.

“One bed! Em! What are you doing?”

“There are stories for another day.”

“You can’t just call and get all weird about bakers and then say there are stories for another day.”

“I have to save some things for later. But thanks for asking, Dustin is great.”

“I didn’t ask, but I bet he is.” Her voice drips with innuendo.

“Is Joleen carrying her weight?” I shift the subject to our part-timer.

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