Bread, Love and Promises (On going)

Chapter 10 Vengeance

Alexis Rosewood

"We brought coffee." Helen announced as they entered the shop.

"And something sweet." Alexis added cheerfully.

Beth paused snipping the stems of some gorgeous blue hydrangeas and smiled widely at the sight of them, "Good morning, sweethearts. Ah, what a perfect timing."

Placing the goodies aside, Alexis balanced herself on the edge of the workstation and leaned over to give her Nana a peck on the cheek. Of course she could've just walked around, but regular was never Alexis's style.

Pops' head peeked out of the storage room, "Did someone say something sweet?" His eyes twinkled. He had a bucket of white peonies in one hand and another full of warm orange gladioluses.

Holding up the box she packed a few hours ago, Alexis winked, "You bet."

Alexis laughed jovially when he did a little happy dance all the way to her and kissed the crown of her head. Those poor peonies and gladioluses slid around in their buckets as he moved. Her mom wasn't kidding when she said that 'he'd be over the moon' and when Alexis glanced in her direction - Helen gave her the 'I told you' look.

"How is Penelope this morning?" Nana asked.

Alexis's lips twisted dolefully. "Well, she's still heartbroken. Yesterday she cried herself to sleep."

"That sweet girl," Pops shook his head, the crease between his eyebrows deepened with empathy. "This is a lot to handle at such time, her parent's divorce, her father moving out, both her brothers away for college, and now this?"

"Not to mention that her birthday is next week." Alexis added.

Nana's hands clasped woefully and her voice quivered, "My goodness, I can't imagine how crazy things must be for her."

"I don't know what I can do to help." Alexis's shoulders dropped.

"Awe, sweetheart. You're doing enough right now." Beth exhorted with a soft smile, "Having a good friend makes the worst and hardest times bearable."

And that was exactly what Alexis intended to be. Her features turned serious as she nodded sternly reinforcing her troth to friendship.

On a different note - Pops was poking around the box, "Do I smell cinnamon?" He asked, finally putting those 'dizzy' flowers down. "Did you make..."

"Aaaaha!" Alexis affirmed -nodding excitedly. She was granted an equally excited fists shake from Pops before he opened the box and took a lungful of that warm sugar and spice aroma.

"I'll go wash my hands and grab the plates." Pops announced and cha-cha-cha-ed away to the back room.

Beth came over and peeked inside the box too, "Oh my, Alexis, those look scrumptious!" she exclaimed while tugging off the gardening gloves' fingers that she was wearing. "And they look much fluffier than the last ones we've made together. Which recipe did you follow?"

"I altered yours a little bit and made a different icing." Alexis waggled her eyebrows knowing that those were going to be to her grandmother's taste.

"You really should try them, mom." Helen extolled, "You won't be able to put them down."

Alexis grinned, "I let the ones on the left bake a little extra the way you like them. And I've already forwarded the recipe to your phone." The delighted smile on Beth's face warmed Alexis's heart.

That was their thing, sharing and trying out recipes. From grandmother to daughter to granddaughter, generations of flavorful deliciousness and finger-licking recipes that they made and improved to perfection.