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That evening when I returned to Belly Row to sing, the crowd there was expectant. I noticed a lot of people had come around that evening because word had probably gotten around that I would sing there tonight.
“I haven’t seen this place packed like this in a long time,” Cherry said to me when she came out to the patio and saw me sitting by myself in a corner. She placed a plate of lemon pie in front of me, and I was probably consuming way too many calories recently, but it didn’t matter. The pie looked delicious, and its yellow exterior caught my attention.
“It’s all thanks to you,” she added before I smiled at her.
“I don’t think it is,” I answered. “People love your pastries, Cherry. They are amazing, and the customer service here is great.”
“You know that new fancy place that opened up on Wilbur Street? Next to that Italian diner run by the Delgado brothers?”
I didn’t know the Delgado family, but I knew the diner well and had seen the fancy place a few times since I arrived in town.
“Well, they came in and stole all my customers in one swoop. This new arrangement of ours will help me get them back. I’m so excited.”
She continued talking about how good business was, and while sitting with her, my mind wandered to Tommy and the look on his face when I told him I loved him.
How stupid can you be?The truth was I shouldn’t have said a thing to him. Danielle too had paled, and I hadn’t even had the guts to drive back to the cottage after leaving earlier. I just drove around town and stopped by the park to spend time alone.
“Are you okay?” Cherry questioned me when she noticed I was silent.
“I’m all right, I’m fine,” I said with a shaky smile. “I just need to catch my breath for a minute.”
Cherry’s gaze was understanding as she looked at me, then she reached out and touched my hand. “Is this about, Tommy?”
“What? Why would this be about Tommy?”
“Well, I mean … Everyone heard you say you loved him,” she replied, and heat scorched my cheeks immediately.
“Everyone?” I croaked as my eyes widened.What have I done?
“Maybe not everyone, but a good number of us was watching. After you drove off, Tommy seemed flustered, dear. I think you stole the words right out of his mouth.”
Cherry’s assumption is hilarious. Tommy couldn’t be in love with me. He had loved before, and he ended up hurt. I could only imagine the thoughts that went through his mind when I confessed my feelings.
“He must think I’m stupid,” I said to Cherry. “EvenIthink I’m stupid. Falling in love with a man twice my age is stupid.”
My hand rested on the table, and she reached out to cover my palm with hers. The warmth from her touch made me suck in a deep breath, and by the time I raised my gaze to hers, I noticed the tiny smile on the side of her lips.
“Love is never stupid, child,” she said to me while her brown-eyed gaze held mine. Cherry reached into the pocket of her apron after she released me and took out a tiny picture. “This is me and my Jay when he was alive. He was fifteen years younger than me when we met, and it did matter at first, I’m not gonna lie. He was like my son.” She chuckled as she spoke and the picture of the handsome blonde man.
“We fell in love while living in Vietnam and it didn’t matter that I was older. I loved him and he loved me.”
“His name was Jay?” I said as I took the picture and stared at the man in it right.
She nodded. “Yeah. Look, Leah what I’m trying to say is that Love is a beautiful thing, and who cares if he’s forty-four years old? If you love him then you should go for it.”
I sighed, closed my eyes for a second, then massaged the back of my neck. “He’s my best friend’s dad, Cherry. Danielle will never forgive me.”
“She will, and you know why?”
When I didn’t say anything, she continued. “It’s because she loves you two … Both of you and she wants you both to be happy.”
“You think?”
“I know,” she said, then rose to his feet and patted my shoulder. “Now eat that lemon pie and get ready to perform for the customers.”
I chuckled as she walked away, then I picked up the cutlery and took the first bite of the pie. As always, it tasted delicious.
Tommy
