Sanctity

Chapter 18

We were friends before we were anything else so it was awkward for me to transition into a relationship with him but Charlie was patient and generous with his feelings. As we grew closer I thought more and more of him and having never had strong feelings for anyone else I decided that I was very much in love with him. We ended up dating throughout our senior year and he did everything he could to keep our relationship going once we graduated.

After high school I followed through with my intentions and went to the Culinary Academy. It was a long commute from Margaret's so she helped me get a little apartment about halfway between school and home. Charlie ended up not much further from either of us after he decided to study engineering at one of the nearby technical colleges and moved into one of the dorms.

I pursued my degree in culinary arts first then decided that desserts were my true passion and enrolled for another two years in the pastry arts. Charlie graduated one weekend and I graduated the next. He took a job and moved into an apartment downtown. Our lives were starting to take shape and seemed to be steering us down a predictably safe and secure path.

We visited Margaret often and one night not long after graduation I mentioned to her and Charlie over dinner that I wanted to open up my own shop someday and they both seized upon the idea before I could fully explain my plans. I had hoped to get a little experience working for someone else first, maybe even manage a bakery at some point and progressively work my way towards a coffee or dessert shop or something along those lines of my own. I never had a chance to express any of those thoughts though.

"Why wait," they both persisted.

Before I knew it the two of them had me in the thick of things and I was quickly realizing that there was much more to starting a business than I ever envisioned. After finding a suitable location and months of planning Charlie and I began putting the finishing touches on the café I envisioned. We were at the shop the weekend before we were scheduled to open and I was edgy with nervousness as I imagined a couple of all-nighters so that when I opened the doors Monday morning I would have something to offer the first of what I hoped would be many customers.

"No, a little more to the left," I exasperatedly motioned with my hand and called to Charlie as I pushed my unproductive thoughts aside. He adjusted the table a few more inches from the door.

"Now back, more towards me. That's good. Right there."

Charlie was looking at me with his are you sure this time expression again.

"Yeah, that should be good," I circled the table to be certain there was enough room to navigate between the front door and the other nearby tables. "OK, let's get the stools."

Charlie followed me to the back loading dock and we started bringing the stools in one by one. I gave him an apologetic smile as I reminded myself that I would never have gotten through it all without him and Margaret and their constant encouragement. They were both with me every step of the way while I tried to put my business together and I knew I needed to show them, especially Charlie, how grateful I was for that. I couldn't help sighing as we placed the last of the stools and I looked to Charlie with relief.

"That's it," I breathed.

Charlie took a step towards me and gathered me into a loving embrace, "You did a great job." He gave me a kiss on the cheek as he took a step back and surveyed the results of all our hard work.

"We did a great job," I corrected. "I could never have done this without you and without Margaret. I can't believe we're here. I can't believe I'm so close to getting started." I looked at my watch, "Let's call it a day," I checked that the doors were locked, took Charlie's hand and led us to the back dock by way of the kitchen. I took one last look around at all the shiny new appliances and countertops and the equipment resting in each of their appointed positions before flipping the lights. "I thought I would like to eat out tonight but now I'm not so sure."