LOVE AGAIN

CHAPTERTHREE

The cabin was warm inside and smelled faintly of cinnamon. Joseph had been a great help, after calling a couple of high school kids to clean the place for a few dollars so that it would be a little conducive for his sister Sara. “How is Gwen doing? How far gone is she?” she said as she settled into the rooms. Joseph smiled quietly at the mention of his Fiance. “She is doing great, she’s 7 months gone and I'm a little nervous because the baby will be here soon” Joseph replied, “You would be an amazing father Jo” Sara walked over to him and rubbed his back. “There’s nothing to be nervous about”. She often called him ‘Jo’ when they were kids, which brought many sweet memories, she felt an ache as she realized how much she missed their parents. Would her parents be proud of her? Having been the runaway kid, she always wanted to be as far away as possible, but now she missed them greatly. “Hey cheer up, I am sorry you had to go through this with that-” “ Milly is here, don’t say anything harsh” Sara cuts her brother off before he said more. He gestured for them to talk by the window. “He is a monster and will get back all he deserves. I can't believe he stole that place from you” Joseph continued. “Look, Jo I just want to get on with my life and start over, I just need time away from the drama and fix my life” Sara replied. Joseph nodded and agreed not to bring him up, although he mentioned investigating and taking him to court. Sara dismissed this idea and said she wanted to get into town to get things for herself and Milly. She thanked Joseph for the work and the help and hugged him goodbye, he owned a toy store in town and needed to get back to the shop. Right before he left, Joseph turned back almost like he remembered something and asked “Can you still remember your way around town?” Thus made Sara roll her eyes and say, “I drove myself here didn’t I?”

“Yes with my directions.” Joseph said as he teased her, but raised his hands in defeat and got into his car “Tell Milly, Uncle Joseph said bye and see her later, gotta run” he paused. “I’ll stop by your house if I can remember it properly” Sara joked. Joseph laughed at her comment and drove off yelling “DON'T GET LOST”. Sara shook her head smiling at herself when Milly came down to meet her, “Mom, when will daddy come?” now Sara knew how attached Milly was to her dad, but she didn't have it in her to tell her the truth. She had to tell her one way or the other, “We will talk about it when we get back and I’m sure your dad will call to speak to you soon” She lifted her for a bit and kissed her cheek, “Right now we need to get to town to get a few things okay? You can tell me what you want in the car okay?” she said, Milly just nodded in gleeful agreement.

Sara had taken a ride around town with her daughter Milly in search of house supplies, food, some extra clothing, and toiletries. She was almost done with this drive till she found a beautiful bakery, eager to know what they were making she took a turn and came down from the car “Milly I'll get an apple pie you love and some baked bread for myself, would you like that?” she asked. “Yes mummy!” said Milly as she danced happily in her seat. That was the first time Sara saw her smile since she came so that lifted her spirit a little. She got down from the car and on second thought decided to take Milly in, she noticed how eccentric the design of the bakery was and she loved every bit of it, it was a big space with so many shelves, and it had a mini restaurant inside so it was the perfect place to sit and relax in, she was still admiring the place when she bumped into something or someone but it was hard as stone, she looked up and it was a man, the impact had almost thrown Milly to the floor, but she managed to stand. “I am so sorry, I wasn't watching my way” He apologised like he cared, and was genuinely concerned but Sara brushed the offer up and just smiled politely, “Oh I'm sorry too, I wasn't looking” She turned around to find her child and was relieved that she didn't fall as well. The strange man was still looking at her and offered his hand “Hi, I'm Lorenzo, nice to hit you, u-um sorry, hit you, wait I-I meant” he was weirdly confused but he finally gained control of his thoughts “It's nice to meet you” he said slowly and she could tell he was trying hard to not use the bump earlier as a joke but he failed woefully, not like she was in the mood for jokes.

“Sara here, nice to meet you, bye” she started to walk off in a different direction but he held his hand up in an interruption “I'm sorry about that tho, I really meant, nice to meet you, I haven't seen you around much, are you new around here? Your face seems so familiar” he continued. Sara smiled awkwardly and almost ran, but she had to keep her composure. She did not want to see her pictures all over the press, as she was afraid he could be a fan. “I'm sorry I don't think you do, I have to go. Bye” she took Milly by the hand and left the stranger named Lorenzo mid-conversation, she went straight for the counter and picked a really good-looking apple pie, she was going to her brother's house for dinner and had to bring something so she bought a chicken stuffed roll, it smelled so nice she forgot the thought of her order.

“Sara? Sara Kaiser?” Sara turned to the sound of that voice, she knew the voice also because no one knew her as Sara Kaiser, just Sara or Sara Smith. Smiling and walking towards her was someone she wouldn't believe she'd see again, she ran to her and hugged her. “oh my god, June? it's been such a long time you look so good” Sara smiled. June was her high school best friend, but after graduation June and her Brothers left for Canada, they were right as thieves and wanted to start a new life. “what are you doing here” they both chorused and burst into giggles, it felt like old times, June went first “ well I own the place, after a few years in Canada, I came back here after my nana died and took over her baking business and reformed it into whatvit is now” June spoke proudly of the place, you could tell from her eyes that she loved it here. “well and you?” June asked, and Sara smiled tightly and sighed “Well it's been a long time since I heard from you, I can't even be mad, I'm here for the holidays, might stay a while after, and this is my Daughter Milly” said Sara.

June saw Milly there for the first time and hugged her “you are such a pretty girl, just like your mom, my name is June and We'll be good friends” Milly loved the sound of June's voice because she didn't let go of her, she smiled and nodded. “so the Big Start Sara Kaiser is spending her Christmas here in our small town, I'm so glad to see you, I hope we can get to talk more, where are you staying?” June asked. Sara always remembered June to be the chirper between them, that was the balance of their friendship. “yes definitely you can come by sometime, I'm at my parent's cabin for now, but I’ll be having dinner at Jo’s” Sara informs. “Yeah JO comes here sometimes, his Fiance has a bit of the crazy cravings so we always whip him something good, send my love to him would ya” June responded “and please take whatever you like on the house, I'm just glad to see you, we have a lot to catch up on” She added.

“oh June thank you June, we can meet tomorrow if that's fine by you” Sara asked. “Sure, tomorrow it is.” June replied They hugged each other and Sara waved her goodbye, she strapped Milly in her seat and got in the front seat. “Mum, I like June, she's nice,” Milly said with a serious face. “Yes love, she's a very sweet person, you'll get to meet her again. Now let's go to Uncle Jo’s for dinner, I'm starving and I know you are too, even though you've eaten a bit from that pie” That made Milly giggle like she knows she's been caught.

Sara's mind curiously went to the stranger she bumped into earlier, he had such a handsome face but she cleared the thoughts and drove over to Jo’s. She finally drove her car into the compound, after a couple of missed turns, she had to call her brother for directions. The house was a one-story building with sage green and white colours, they had some space inside where cars could be and a little space for an evening BBQ. She was always proud that her brother could afford and take care of things like this. It warmed her heart. She unstrapped Milly and locked the car, held the pie in one hand and held Milly with the other, she rang the bell and waited anxiously outside, she hadn't been there in forever and it made her nervous. The door opened and behold she saw the tall stranger in the doorway, “hello” was all she could manage out. “oh sorry, I'm just surprised to see you here” Lorenzo smiled at Milly but couldn't take his eyes off Sara, something about her face made him stare and made Sara Uncomfortable. “yeah um….I'm having dinner with my brother right now and I would really love to eat my own share dinner inside the house and not outside” Sara said snapping lorenzo out of his creepy stare. “Oh, oh my, sorry about that” he said, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment.

Lorenzo opened the door and they all filed in, “oh now I know why you looked familiar, I've seen you before at one of those Christmas bashes we used to have as kids, you don't remember me?” He asked. “I'm Joseph’s best friend” he said sweetly. At the mention of his name, Joseph came into view and smiled with a hint of mischief watching them talk, “Sara you've met my friend and an official pain in the ass Lorenzo” Lorenzo held his chest like he was about to cry in mockery and they both laughed. “you should know him, he used to come visit all the time during Christmas, he and his family moved out of town some years back but he does come to see his best bud” Joseph said while Patting Lorenzo’s back. Sara could tell how close they were and offered them the pie, she went over to the kitchen and hugged Gwen, Gwen was a petite beautiful woman with long black hair and hazel eyes, the two women spoke and Milly played with their dog, Sara sighed deeply, this smelled like home.