Page 21 of A Table for Two
They filled plates while Pam poured chamomile tea. Serenity enjoyed watching the girls sip their tea daintily. The innocent laughter transported her back to the times she’d spent with her mother, sister, and grandmothers doing the same thing. Some traditions were worth keeping and passing along, and she knew she would do the same if she ever had daughters. An image of Gabriel cradling a baby flashed in her head, and she choked on her tea. All eyes shifted her way. “Sorry. I think the tea went down the wrong way.” She dabbed her mouth and gave them a quick, reassuring smile.
“Ms. Wheeler, you should try to swallow your tea the right way then,” Kaylee said sagely.
It took everything in her to keep a straight face. Pam and Bri were trying as well. “You’re absolutely right. Let’s see if I can do it the correct way.” Serenity took a careful sip.
All three girls’ eyes lit up, and Brianna said, “She did it.”
This time the adults all laughed. Hard. She managed to finish the remainder of her tea without mishap.
“Oh, honey, these cookies are fabulous,” Pam said. “They’re not too sweet and are almost like a tea cake. Just perfect.”
Bri held up one. “I totally agree. Please tell me you can share this recipe.”
Serenity smiled. “Of course. I’ll write it down before I leave.” While she did possess a few prized secret family recipes, the one for vanilla crisps didn’t fall into that category. Obviously, the girls enjoyed them, too, if the way they crammed the pieces into their mouths was any indication.
When it came time to leave, Pam declined assistance with the cleanup. The girls were happily playing on a swing set on the other side of the large backyard. “You made all the food, so you are most definitely not going to be washing dishes. I’ll wash your plates up real quick, so you don’t have to do it when you get home.”
Before Serenity could protest, the woman picked up the plates and strode off.
Bri leaned over and whispered, “She’s always been bossy.”
“No, I haven’t,” Pam said over her shoulder and disappeared into the kitchen.
Bri shook her head. “And she can hear everything within a two-mile radius. I think it’s a mama thing because my mother is the same way. But I wouldn’t know.”
“So is mine, and neither do I.” They both laughed. Once again that previous image floated through her mind, and she didn’t understand why. She’d known Gabriel less than three weeks, and it wasn’t as if they had some romantic relationship going on. They had barely decided to become friends.
True, but you’re attracted to the man, a mocking inner voice reminded her. But that didn’t mean she wanted to have his babies. Without warning, the line about wanting to have a guy’s baby from that old rap song by Salt-N-Pepa, “Whatta Man,” popped into her head. Just as fast as it entered, Serenity quickly dismissed it. At thirty-four, she had all but given up hope of having her own family. She was quickly approaching the high-risk category and had no prospects in sight for marriage. Not that she wanted to open herself to heartbreak again. No, she would have to be content with being an aunt. It was one more thing she had allowed her ex to steal from her. Everything had to be done on his timetable: marriage, children—everything. It hadn’t mattered that she’d wanted those things. Pam’s voice drew her out of her thoughts.
“Here you go, Serenity.” Pam handed her the two clean plates.
“Thanks, Pam.” She stood and placed the tote bag on the table. “Before I go, I have a little tea party favor for everyone.” She withdrew five small decorative boxes tied with ribbon. “There are a few vanilla crisps.”
Bri snatched hers. “Bless you.”
“Oh, I almost forgot. I promised to write down the recipe.”
“Just text it to me,” Bri said and pulled out her cell. “What’s your number?”
She recited it, and Bri called her. Serenity already had Pam’s number. She typed it in and sent the recipe to both women. “On the directions where it says to flour your pan, I know you’ll be tempted to use a nonstick spray, but don’t. I tried it and found that the cookies tend to burn.”
Pam shook her head. “A true old-school recipe. Thanks so much for coming. You’ve been an angel from the day we met.” She gave Serenity a tight hug.
Her emotions welled up. “It’s been a joy watching her grow.” She waved to the girls, and they skipped over. Serenity bent and hugged Brianna. “Thank you so much for inviting me to your tea party. I had the best time.”
“You’re welcome, and thank you for bringing all the food. Ham and cheese is my favorite.”
She embraced the other two girls. “Tell your moms I said hello.”
“Okay,” they chorused.
Serenity said her final goodbyes and left. The first thing she did when she got home was kick off her shoes. The hat had come off the moment she hit the car, reminding her why she never wore them. Those things were hot. She ran her hands through her braids and noted she needed to schedule an appointment to get them redone. She had started wearing them two years ago, after tiring of weekly salon appointments, relaxers, and bad hair days. Sure, it was an all-day affair, but only once every two months, and she could go from business to casual to elegant in a matter of minutes. Of course, she normally left her hair down for about a week or two in between getting new braids, but with the weather warming up, she didn’t want to deal with it for the moment. Also, Vonda had such a soft touch and had perfected the art of braiding without causing so much stress on her natural hair, Serenity felt she’d be okay to skip it this once.
She changed into shorts and a T-shirt, then called the salon. Her stylist didn’t have an appointment available for three weeks.
“I know you can’t get in here during the week, so I tell you what, I’ll come to your house on Sunday.”
Serenity’s disappointment turned to delight. “Tomorrow? I love you, girl! And I’ll cook.”
