Kelly
Kelly parked in front of her old elementary school. It hadn’t changed since she had last been here. From the brick exterior and the flagpole with the American flag to the principal standing out front, greeting the students as they arrived. She only remembered bits and pieces of her time here, her memory fading with age. This was where she met Melody. They were in kindergarten and thick as thieves, best friends from the first day of school. Now, she was dropping off her daughter, in the middle of the school year no less. Not something Kelly had ever planned.
She was that parent. The one who vowed her child or children would maintain lifelong friendships, like she had with Mel. They would stay in the same school district, even if it meant living in the bustling city as opposed to the suburbs, forgoing the house with a large picture window, shutters and a white picket fence. Friends would be there when a crisis hit, that much Kelly knew.
“Are we going to go in or sit in the car all day?” Kori’s voice startled Kelly. Her daughter was right at her shoulder, in her personal space. She wanted to tell Kori to get back into her seat and to buckle up, but she knew deep down she was being ridiculous. Life happened and life changed. Kelly needed to accept it and move on. In under an hour, she’d open the doors to the Java Hut, and would welcome the first customer. Tomorrow, her mother or Melody would take Kori to school so the coffee shop could open at six in the morning. Something Kelly was dreading.
“I was just remembering what it was like when I went here.”
“Mama, that was ages ago.”
“Thanks for the reminder.” Kelly smiled and pulled the lever to open the door of her Wrangler. Her plan was to ask her father to remove the doors, at least the front ones. There was no way she’d drive around with Kori in the back and no door to protect her. She didn’t care how silly it made the vehicle look.
Kelly reached for her daughter’s hand, but she had other thoughts as she skipped ahead, meeting up with Brett and Carolyn, with Melody waiting. “You look exhausted,” she said, greeting Kelly.
“I was up half the night with worry.”
“Everything will be fine. I’ll be there. So will your mom and dad.”
Kelly shook her head and tried to smile. Her motto recently had been “fake it until you make it” but she was starting to wonder how much faking she was going to have to do. She didn’t know if she was trying to convi
nce herself, or the people around her, and for either, she wasn’t sure if she was doing a decent job. “It’s not just the shop. What if she doesn’t fit in?” Kelly pointed to Kori, who was already walking hand in hand with Carolyn.
“I don’t think you have anything to worry about there.” Melody tried to comfort her friend and for the most part, it worked. Kelly didn’t know what she’d do without Melody and her husband, Chad. Without them, she’d still be in New York trying to piece her life back together. At least here, she had her family and now a business that she was determined to make successful.
Stepping inside the classroom was like walking into a time machine. Fragments of memories came rushing back as soon as Kelly saw the finger-painted art taped to the walls, the cotton ball clouds resting over the rolling green construction paper grass with the student’s pictures stuck in mid-air. Children brushed past her, while she stood there, taking it all in. This room was nothing like Kori’s back home. No, this classroom screamed love and nurturing, not tuition.
“If I’m not mistaken, you’re Kelly Taft.”
Kelly’s eyes went wide as the older woman approached her. They clasped hands as she took in the woman who was once her teacher. The long dark tresses of Mrs. Lange have since been replaced by a mountain of silver kept tidy in a bun. Her once soft face was now wrinkled with time and age, yet just as beautiful as Kelly remembered.
“Mrs. Lange, I had no idea you were still—”
“Alive?” the teacher chuckled.
“Well, not exactly.”
“What can I say, I love what I do.” Kelly nodded in agreement. Mrs. Lange’s love showed throughout the classroom. There wasn’t a spec of visible wall available, each space adorned with pictures, artwork, and posters of various places throughout the world. This was exactly where she wanted her daughter to study. “What brings you by?”
Kelly pointed over her former teacher’s shoulder. “Kori Franklin is my daughter.” Mrs. Lange eyes grew wide, with a smile to match.
“She looks just like you at that age.”
“How do you remember?”
“I remember everything.” Mrs. Lange winked at Kelly and Melody, who laughed. Melody hooked her arm into Kelly’s and told her it was time to leave. While this may be Kori’s second first day of school, she was in good, capable hands and Melody knew this.
“How come you didn’t tell me Mrs. Lange was their teacher?”
Melody shrugged. “Because sometimes you need a little surprise in your life and this was one of them. Ida’s one of the best teachers, the most caring and perfect for our girls. I wanted you to walk in and remember. Not only where we met, but also how warm and welcoming her classroom is. Kori didn’t realize you were in the room. Everyone made her feel at ease.”
“Well she had Carolyn there, so that helps.” Kelly couldn’t help but be a bit negative. Embracing the good is sometimes hard after the blow she went through. She was trying. She looked at her friend, who only shrugged. “See you at the shop?”
“I’ll be hot on your tail.” Mel walked toward her car. Kelly watched her, wondering how lucky she got in the friendship department, and questioned how she’d ever pay her back for all the support and love that’s been sent her way.
At the Java Hut, Kelly stood in the entryway, looking over her business. Cupcakes, brownies and muffins filled the display case. Kelly, her mom, and Melody were up all-night baking, eating more than their fair share of batter and testing finished products. Stomach aches aside, the women pulled off a masterful feat, leaving a variety of products to sell today.
Going forward, she had a loose plan. She’d bake throughout the day and do what she could on her own until she was able to hire someone to run the front while she worked in the back. Baking was her favorite thing to do, and she found the task soothing. She liked having the flexibility of making whatever she wanted, and if it didn’t sell during the day, she had Kori, Carolyn and Brett who would gladly eat the sugary treats.