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“Do what?” She pulled her wallet out of her bag.
“Everything. You’re doing so much more than I am, yet sometimes I feel like I can’t handle it all.”
Her features turned sympathetic. “I’ve been where you are. And this is still so, so hard. But this dream is what I want. It’s what I’m meant to be doing. And I have a lot of help. I’ve learned along the way not to be afraid to ask for it when I need it.”
“I keep thinking I’ll get it all together soon. Or at least I’ll know what I’m doing. But most of the time, I feel like I’m running from moment to moment,” I said honestly.
Every day, I was up before the sun. Ella and I prepped food with help from the ladies at the shelter occasionally. I spent the afternoons on my feet and the evenings inventing new creations while preparing for the next day. My menu rotated five main dishes and sides to keep things simple for now, but the cakes allowed me to be creative. It was exhausting yet energizing. Because I wanted this to be successful. It had to be.
And I loved everything about having my own business.
“We made a plan, and you’re sticking to it. There will be some rough patches, but you’ll adapt and push through.” She leaned in toward me. “Want to know a secret? Success comes from getting up and going after it.”
I did that. And even if sometimes I felt like I didn’t know what I was doing, I was proud of what I’d accomplished in such a short time.
I paid for my own produce, and we wandered toward the street.
“Delores holding up okay?”
“She’s great,” I said. “I still can’t believe how different she looks from when she was yours.”
Gemma had given me Delores when she’d purchased a new truck. She’d had it painted and outfitted to fit the concept we’d planned together.
“She looks better than when I had her.” She paused when we reached the street corner. “I’m headed out to Seattle for a few months.”
I shoved down the unease at being on my own with the business and put a big smile on my face. “You got everything worked out?”
“Yeah. We’re taking this thing bi-coastal.” She could barely contain her enthusiasm. I’d been honored she’d shared her plans to expand to the West Coast with me. She hadn’t been sure it would happen, but she’d been determined. And seeing Gemma that way had made her more real to me.
“That’s wonderful,” I said, genuinely happy for her.
“I’m only a phone call away. Nothing changes. When you need me, I’m here.” She leaned down and tickled Ella’s ribs.
Ella screamed.
We laughed. It was just my little girl’s thing.
“I appreciate everything.” I gripped the handles of the stroller tightly. “Oh, and I’ll send over my spreadsheets with the financials at the end of the week.”
Gemma never asked me to be accountable, but she’d funded my entire venture. I wanted her to see I used her money wisely. Plus, she had more experience with bookkeeping than I did. Sometimes she saw places I could trim that I didn’t.
“I’ll take a look, but so far, you’re profitable. We can definitely grow that.” She shifted her bag from one hand to the other. “I better run.”
I checked my watch, uncomfortable with goodbyes, even if they were temporary. “Me too. Thanks for making time for me.”
“I always will. And Trish?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m proud of you.”
Chapter Six
Trish
Andrew didn’t showup yesterday.
I’d tried to convince myself I wasn’t disappointed but quickly abandoned the effort. Until he didn’t come, I hadn’t realized how much I’d wanted to see him again.
