Page 54 of Where the Waves Kiss the Shore
As she swung open the door to a blast of hot, fragrant air, she wondered why she was so eager to make it temporary. So that she could wander around the globe looking for elusive images of birds? Was it worth giving up a wonderful woman, an island she loved, and friends who valued her?
“Tierney? Is that you?” Kasia came rushing through the kitchen door and halted as Ruane ran toward her.
“Have you got cookies, Kasia?”
“Ruane! Remember your manners.” Aoife strode after him.
“Hello, Kasia, how are you? Have you got any cookies?” Ruane’s words tumbled out. Everyone laughed.
“Well, come with me, and we’ll see.” Kasia led him into the kitchen.
Aoife and Tierney followed to see Kasia pull a box from the worktop. “We’ve got chocolate chip.” She pulled off the lid and held the box for him to take one.
“Thank you, Kasia.”
The cookie he picked out was almost as big as his head.
Aoife plucked it from his hand and lifted him to sit at the kitchen table. She broke it in half. “Eat that now, and you can have the rest after your dinner.”
Ruane scowled at her and took a bite.
Kasia produced another box. “And for the grown-ups, we have peanut butter.” She flashed Tierney a sad smile.
“Ooh, Tierney loves these.” Aoife pulled out a golden cookie and crammed it in her mouth. “Mm. Me too.” She swallowed. “Wow, Kasia, you should open a bakery. These are amazing.”
“I think I could manage that, around my other work.” She caught Tierney’s eye and mouthed, “Are you okay?” as she held out the box.
Tierney nodded and her cheeks warmed. Kasia wasn’t angry at her outburst. She bit into a cookie. “Aoife’s right,” she mumbled around the crumbs. “I’ve eaten a lot of peanut butter cookies, and these are the best.”
“I used to love to bake.” Kasia replaced the lid and put the box on a shelf. “My grandmother taught me when I was young.”
Tierney’s throat tightened at the sadness in her voice.
“Did you get anywhere with inviting your brother and his family over?” Aoife asked. “His girls would have great fun with my two.”
“He said our grandmother is too ill, and they don’t want to leave her at the moment.”
“And don’t you want to go and see her?” Aoife turned to Tierney. “You’d hold the fort here, wouldn’t you?”
Tierney wished she’d leave the subject alone. “Of course.”
Kasia had turned away and was busying herself at the sink.
“Things aren’t that simple for Kasia and her family, but she knows she could go anytime if she wanted to.” Tierney wasn’t sure what else to say.
“That’s right.” Kasia turned with a smile plastered on her face. “Tierney is a very considerate employer, but the time isn’t right for me to travel home.” She wiped her hands on a cloth. “I need to do some chores upstairs. Take some cookies for the girls.”
She took the back stairs quickly. Tierney watched her go while Aoife wrestled the box of cookies from Ruane.
“Do you have a bag, Tierney? Ruane, put them down. Stop being greedy.”
Tierney roused herself and helped her cousin pack up some cookies, then walked with them back down the road. Big spots of rain started to splash off the road when she turned back, so she took the last few yards at a sprint.
“Kasia?” She closed the door and went looking for her.
“I’m here.” Kasia appeared on the stairs. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t in the mood to talk about my family.”
“I understand that. Aoife was too busy trying to prevent Ruane from throwing up chocolate chips to notice.” She took Kasia’s hand and pulled her down the last few steps. “Thank you for the cookies. And I’m sorry for my behavior earlier.” She wrapped her arms around Kasia and buried her face in her hair.
