Christmas Cocoa Read online

  “Oh, yeah,” Delaney replied, pulling herself out of her thoughts. “I was just thinking about Saturday. Courtney’s not coming in. So I guess I’ll cover that. Francine and Bonnie will be in that morning as usual, right?”

  “Far as I know. They hardly ever miss, and I’m sure they’d let us know by now if they weren’t coming.”

  Francine Pratt and Bonnie Gann were older women who only worked Saturday mornings and occasionally came in if Delaney found herself in a jam. They were retired from their regular jobs, loved baking, and liked to make a little “pocketbook money” as they called it. Delaney realized the timer was about to go off on her brownies and bent to check to see if they were done. “And Joanna will be in from, what, noon to close?”

  “Yes, but if you get someone new to come help you in the morning, you might see if she can also work that afternoon shift with Joanna. She might be able to handle it by herself most of the year, but during this Christmas rush we seem to be having, I think things might be a bit too busy for her on her own,” Edie replied, throwing her purse over her shoulder.

  Delaney nodded, knowing Edie was right. Part of the problem of living in a small town was not always having the help one needed to run a small business readily available. “I’m glad for the extra traffic, but I wish I knew what was causing it. Do you think it’ll let up after the holidays?”

  “Why don’t you ask your friend Melody?” Edie replied, pausing for a moment in front of the back door. “I think she’s the one bringing them all in.”

  Once again, Delaney found herself confused. “What do you mean?”

  “She’s been wrestlin’ up business for her mom’s antique store, right? People are saying they heard about downtown Charles Town online. Whatever she’s doing to bring folks in must be trickling over to us, too.”

  As Edie wished Delaney a good evening and made her way out the back door, Delaney carefully considered what the older woman had said. Melody Murphy had been her best friend since before high school. She knew Melody had returned from Chicago recently to help her mother run their antique shop, just a few doors down from Delaney’s Delights, but she wasn’t aware that her friend had brought her marketing skills along with her. That made sense, though. She knew Murphy’s Antiques and Collectibles had hit a bit of a slump since Melody’s father, Tim Murphy, had passed away a couple of years ago. If anyone knew how to bring people in, it was Melody, and if she was doing some sort of social media marketing campaign to draw attention to the antique dealership, it could very well benefit the rest of the small business owners on the square.

  “Is that a ‘Help Wanted’ sign in the door?” Courtney asked as she brought in some dirty dishes and set them in the sink.

  “Yeah,” Delaney replied, silently debating whether or not she should do one last load of dishes before she headed home. “I thought we could use an extra pair of hands around here, particularly in the morning before school and on Saturday. Do you happen to know anyone?”

  Courtney seemed to consider the question, resting a finger against her perfectly proportioned chin. “No, but I’ll keep my ears open. Not everyone’s mom makes them pay their own car payments like mine,” she muttered and then walked past Delaney back out front.

  Deciding to help the girls out, Delaney crossed to the sink and began to work on the dishes that had begun to stack up again already, even though she could swear she had just washed them. Courtney’s mom was a bit of a rarity these days. They were what most would consider an upper-middle-class family, yet Courtney was still responsible for making her own payments on the Taurus she drove. It was just that sort of ambition her own parents had inspired in her, and even though at times she thought her father might have been disappointed that she became a baker instead of a doctor or business major, she knew he was proud of her for working so hard to build her own business.

  Finishing up the last of the dishes, Delaney dried her hands on a nearby towel and went back up front to let the girls know a few details before she took one more glance around and headed home. Even though there were still several patrons in the bakery, she knew that between Courtney and Joanna, they could handle it. They might have been polar opposites personality-wise, but they were both responsible teenagers. Delaney’s exhaustion finally overcame her and she grabbed her coat and purse and slipped out the back without even taking off her apron.

  Chapter 2

  The scent of deliciousness filled Delaney’s nose when she opened the back door, and she instantly felt her mouth begin to water. Aromas of roasted chicken, carrots, and a medley of other vegetables wafted through the air, and she paused for a minute before hanging up her coat, the wayward apron, and purse, inhaling deeply. While most of the time she tended to think about how much she was helping her grandmother by moving in with her, in moments like this, she remembered that she was also a beneficiary here. No one made chicken soup like Nana Nora Jean.

  “That you, Delaney?” her familiar voice called from the adjoining living room.

  “Yes, Nana,” she replied, approaching the crockpot, her stomach beginning to rumble.

  The shuffling of slippers behind her alerted Delaney that Nana was making her way into the kitchen. She wasn’t as spry as she used to be, but so far, she didn’t require any type of assistive device, so long as she took her time. “That chicken soup is done, honey, if you want to go ahead and fix a bowl. I know it’s not quite supper time, but something tells me by the looks of you that you skipped lunch again. You’re getting too thin, darling.”

  Delaney didn’t wait to be told twice. Grabbing a bowl out of the cupboard above her, she reached for a ladle and carefully set the glass lid on the counter next to the slow cooker. “Do you want some?” she asked as she poured two heaping ladles full of steaming deliciousness into her bowl, ignoring her grandmother’s comment that she was too thin. She knew she was not the stereotypical plump baker, but she was also on her feet almost non-stop and still tried to get some exercise in every evening when possible.

  “No, dear. I just ate lunch a little while ago. I’ll eat my share later.” Nana placed the lid back on the crockpot and bent down to look at the settings before turning the heat down, peering over her glasses as if she couldn’t quite decide whether she needed them or not.

  Delaney took a seat the table and was surprised when Nana came over and sat down next to her. “Aren’t you going to miss Judge Judy?” she asked. There were only two programs her grandmother cared to watch most days. One was the courtroom reality show starring Judith Sheindlin, who her grandmother said she envied for her no-nonsense personality, and the other was The Young and the Restless, which Nana had been watching since Delaney’s father was a little boy.

  “No, it’s okay. I watched the earlier episodes,” Nana replied, adjusting her glasses. Nana’s hair was short and almost a steel gray color. Her eyes were a pretty blue, and Delaney had always wished hers were that color instead of the deep brown of her father and grandfather. Nana was petite and had always been lithe. Her grandfather said she was built like a ballerina, which had often made Nana blush, and Delaney hoped when she was her grandmother’s age she would still be as trim as the woman sitting next to her. Besides her eyes and warm smile, the most endearing part of Nana was her hands. Soft and gentle, they knew just how to clean a boo boo, soothe a broken heart, mend a tattered toy, and as Delaney was reminded, make a loving meal for her family. It had been Nana’s cocoa recipe that had inspired Delaney to love creating in the kitchen so long ago, and though Delaney had modified the recipes she had learned from Nana over the years, the one thing she would never change is pouring her own heart into everything she made, just like Nana did.

  “This is delicious, Nana,” Delaney said between bites of the hearty soup. “Thank you for making it.”

  “You’re welcome, dear. It’s the least I could do. I know how hard you’re working these days. Not to mention coming back home and doing all the things this old grandma just can’t do anymore.”

  Delan
ey chuckled. “Nana, you do plenty. I do have a few things to check on outside, and I’ll throw in a load of laundry, but that’s nothing.”

  “Delaney, you always were such a sweet girl,” Nana said, patting her granddaughter’s hand. “How was the bakery today? Did you sell a lot of cookies?”

  Nana always asked about cookies, as if that was all Delaney baked, though she knew the bakery had a lot of different offerings. Nodding, Delaney said, “We’ve been swamped the last few weeks. I think I’m actually going to have to hire another part-time worker, Nana. I don’t know if it’s the holidays or if people are just giving into their craving for sweets more these days, but business has definitely picked up.”

  The warm smile Delaney loved spread across her Nana’s face. “That’s good to hear, dear. Is there anything I can do to help you? You know, I could bake a batch of my famous snicker doodles tomorrow and you could take them with you to the bakery.”

  “Oh, Nana, you’re so sweet,” Delaney said, finishing up her soup. “That’s okay. We can manage. Thank you for offering. I’m just going to have to get someone to cover the front for an hour or two before Edie comes in in the morning. Oh, and before I forget to tell you, I’ll be working Saturday this week.”

  “You will?” Nana asked, her forehead crinkling. “Why is that?”

  Shrugging, Delaney stood and walked her bowl over to the sink. “One of the high school girls had something come up. It’s not a big deal.”

  Behind her, she heard Nana let out a sigh. “Well, darling, just don’t work yourself too hard. It seems like you never have time to spend with your friends anymore.”

  Delaney thought about her grandmother’s words as she put her bowl in the dishwasher. It had been a while since she’d done anything fun. Thoughts of going out made her briefly think of Bradley—and then promptly push that memory aside. “If anything interesting pops up, Nana, I’ll be sure to take advantage, but as for now, there’s not a whole lot going on.”

  Nana sighed again, and this time Delaney turned to look at her. She wondered if she’d bring up her ex-boyfriend—something Nana did from time to time—but she didn’t. Instead, she asked, “What about Melody? She’s back in town. Maybe you could go see a movie or go out for dinner together, like you used to, when you were in high school.”

  Folding her arms across her chest, Delaney considered her grandmother’s advice. She hadn’t seen much of Melody since she moved back to town. It seemed they were both extremely busy. It might be nice to get together with her friend and see how she was doing. Melody wasn’t quite herself anymore since her father had passed away so suddenly, and Delaney had been worried about her, but every time she stopped by the bakery, she seemed like she had a million things to do. “Maybe…” Delaney replied, thinking she might call Melody later and see what she was up to.

  “Or…” Nana began, and Delaney could tell by the lilt of her voice what was to come next, “you know my friend Viola from church has a grandson about your age who lives over in Harper’s Ferry. Maybe the two of you could get to know each other a little better?”

  There it was. Delaney bit back a sigh of disgust, knowing her grandmother’s intentions were good, even if she didn’t quite understand that Delaney did not want to be fixed up with her friend’s grandson—or anyone else. “Nana, no thanks.” She busied herself straightening up a few items on the counter that didn’t need straightening and then considered exactly what she needed to throw in the wash.

  “I’m just saying,” Nana continued, turning to face her, “it’s been—what? Six months since, uhm…”

  “Bradley,” Delaney supplied, the disgust even more prevalent now with thoughts of the lawyer from Baltimore whose decision to end their relationship abruptly because he suddenly couldn’t handle the long distance anymore had shocked her and left her despising all men, a sentiment she was only just now beginning to get over.

  “That’s right. Bradley. Six months is a long time to go without a date when you’re young and beautiful.”

  “Nana,” Delaney said, sighing and stopping in front of her grandmother who was now turned sideways in her chair, “thank you for thinking of me, but I don’t think now is a very good time for me to be dating—Viola’s grandson or anyone else. I’m so busy at the bakery, and with the holidays coming up, things tend to get a little overwhelming. Maybe after the New Year, if Viola still wants to fix me up with…”

  “Mervin,” Nana said with a smile.

  Delaney wrinkled her nose, then realizing she was being rude and judgmental, changed her expression back to a more neutral affect, “Mervin? Maybe… maybe in January I’ll have more time to think about dating again. Okay?”

  “All right, dear,” Nana replied with a sigh. “But don’t wait too long. A young woman like you should be out there enjoying life, not spending her evenings and weekends with an old lady like me.”

  Stooping to slide her arms around her Nana’s shoulders, Delaney said, “Oh, Nana, there’s no one else I’d rather be with.” She felt her grandmother’s arms wrap around her waist and give a gentle squeeze before she kissed the soft, wrinkled cheek she loved so well and then straightened up. “Okay. I’m going to toss in a load of clothes. Why don’t you go see who Judge Judy is reprimanding today?”

  “All right,” Nana said, using the table to pull herself up and waiting a second to get her balance before she headed into the living room. “You know, I plum forgot to watch my story this morning,” she called as Delaney headed off down the hall toward her nana’s bedroom to get the clothes she was intending to wash.

  A few feet away from the bedroom door, Delaney stopped and turned to hear what her grandmother was saying. “You forgot?” she repeated. “Again?”

  “I know,” Nana called. “That’s twice this week. Not sure what’s getting into me.”

  She heard the creak of her grandmother’s favorite recliner as she spun on her heel to get the clothes out of the hamper. “Hmmm,” she mumbled allowed, lifting the only half-full container and heading back down the hall toward the kitchen. The laundry room was just off the small dining area where they usually took their meals, next to a large walk-in pantry her grandfather had added on many years ago when he first realized what a chef his new bride was.

  Raising the lid to the washing machine, Delaney put in the contents of her grandmother’s hamper, threw in a gel tablet of detergent, closed the lid, and set the washer for a load that consisted of both lights and darks. Her grandmother despised Delaney’s “new fangled” washer and dryer, preferring her old ones where items still had to be separated by color and fabric, but Delaney had insisted that if she was going to be doing the laundry, she needed something that didn’t take up so much time. The new appliances had been some of her first purchases once Delaney started making an income from her bakery.

  Taking the hamper back toward her grandmother’s room, she puzzled over this new wave of forgetfulness. There had been times in the past when Nana might occasionally forget something, but forgetting to watch her favorite show was unlike her, and now that it had happened twice in the same week, Delaney wondered if there was anything else she’d forgotten.

  After the hamper was back in its usual position, she made her way into the living room and took a seat on the plaid couch next to the recliner, waiting for a commercial break to inquire about the rest of her grandmother’s day. This sofa had been here as long as Delaney could remember, as had most of the other furnishings in the room, including all of the knickknacks and collectibles that lined the shelves on the walls and the pictures of children and grandchildren that hung above the couch and elsewhere in the room, which included portraits of her father and aunts dating back to the 1960s. Delaney loved that this was the one place in the world she could be assured of sameness and consistency. Her mother, on the other hand, loved to redecorate, and even though her parents had lived in the same house just a mile or so up the road since before Delany was born, sometimes walking into their house seemed foreign, and Delaney
spent too much time looking around in an attempt to pinpoint what had changed from the week before.

  Once an advertisement came on, Delaney asked, “Nana, did you remember to take your medication this morning?”

  With a stifled chuckle, Nana replied, “Of course, darling. Just because I forgot my story doesn’t mean I forgot everything.”

  “No, I know, Nana. Of course not. I just… it’s not like you to forget your show. You love that show.”

  “Well, darling, that’s what happens when we get old.”

  Delaney nodded, hoping that’s all it was. She had friends whose grandparents had begun to show signs of dementia at ages far younger than her grandmother’s current seventy-two, and she couldn’t imagine what it might be like to lose her Nana in any capacity. “Maybe I could set a timer to remind you—or set the DVR to record it.”

  Nana made a dismissive wave with her hand. “Oh, Delaney, don’t be silly. If an alarm went off in the middle of the day, I’d think the house was on fire. And you know I can’t figure out that blasted DVR remote. It’s fine, honey. I’ll figure out what those folks are up to tomorrow. You know, I think that Graham is up to no good. And that Ashley, she better get her act together.”

  Delaney giggled and nodded her head, though she really had no idea what Nana was talking about. It’d been so long since she watched a daytime television show regularly, she couldn’t have even named one character on any of the soaps. “Well, if you change your mind, let me know. I’m going to go out and make sure the wind didn’t blow down any more branches on top of the garage last night.”

  “Okay, dear. You be careful out there. Bundle up. It’s getting cold out.”

  Stopping to pat her grandmother lovingly on the shoulder, Delaney made her way to the back door, hoping that this memory lapse was nothing to worry about. She made a mental note to mention it to her father the next time they spoke and set about putting her coat and gloves back on. Even though she was fairly certain the old tree next to the garage was nothing to worry about, she felt responsible for Nana now, and she wanted to make sure there wasn’t anything inside or outside that could harm her in any way. It was the least she could do for the woman who had always done so much for everyone else.