The Magnolia Cafe(8)

“We’ll sure keep you busy. I can promise you that.” Becky Lee sat down at the counter with a tray of silverware and a stack of napkins and started rolling silverware in the napkins for the dinner rush.

“Here, let me help.” Natalie started to sit down.

“No, hon. You’ve worked a good long shift for your first day. I’m sure you’re ready to go home and put your feet up.”

“I admit that. I need to find some more comfortable shoes to wear. I’ll go talk to Keely and see when she wants me to come back tomorrow.”

“Okay, I’ll see you then.” Becky Lee efficiently rolled the napkin rolls. She’d been doing it for years. She could probably do it in her sleep. She finished up the post lunch chores and glanced around the cafe. Two tables were still filled with people sipping coffee. Tonight Keely had two part-time waitresses working with her. At least Tuesday nights were usually slow. Becky Lee would offer to stay, but she’d made plans with her best friends, Jenny and Izzy. They were going to work on plans for Jenny’s upcoming wedding to Clay.

Becky Lee said goodbye to Keely and hurried out the door to walk home. She was having her friends over for dinner tonight. She had most of the food already made and had baked an almond cake she wanted Jenny to try in case she’d like that for her wedding cake. The warmth of the afternoon sun surrounded her. She loved this time of year before the hot, humid heat of the summer made everything unbearably muggy.

She walked up the steps to her cottage and pushed inside. She hooked her purse on the coat tree by the door, opening windows as she headed to the kitchen. She loved her little kitchen with its gas stove, the red formica-topped table that Izzy had found for her, and a big window overlooking her backyard herb garden.

She opened the fridge and grabbed the pitcher of sweet tea. She poured it into one of her much loved but mismatched glasses and took a sip. She had just enough time to change clothes and finish up getting things ready for her friends.

~ * ~

Jenny and Isabella—Bella to most of the town, and Izzy to Jenny and Becky Lee—climbed the steps to Becky Lee’s cute little cottage. With a quick rap on the door, they both went inside.

“Back here,” Becky Lee called from the kitchen. “Be out in a minute.”

Jenny and Izzy wandered back to the kitchen. “Smells delicious.” Jenny peered over her friend’s shoulder trying to see what Becky Lee had made. Becky Lee was the cook of the three friends. She cooked, she baked, and she came up with the most delicious concoctions.

“I hope you don’t mind eating here in the kitchen. Or we could eat out on the patio, though the temperature has dropped since this afternoon. I heard we’re going to have a run of chilly days again.”

“Eating in the kitchen is fine.” Izzy dropped a three-ring binder on the counter. “I’ve got lots of ideas for Jenny’s wedding. Pulled some things together to show you.”

Becky Lee nodded toward the refrigerator. “Jenny, you want to pour us some wine? I have it chilling in the fridge.”

Jenny walked over to the cabinets and pulled out three wine glasses, then opened the refrigerator and saw a bottle of pinot blanc that Becky Lee had chilled. She pulled it out and poured each of them a glass.

“Let’s go sit in the front room while dinner finishes. We’ll go over the plans and see what we still need to do.” Becky Lee took a glass of the wine and led the way to the front room. Jenny took a sip of wine and followed her friend.

Jenny sat on the couch, glad to be off her feet. It had been a long day at school. Her students were getting antsy as spring break grew near. She didn’t blame them. She was ready for break to start herself. Especially with her wedding coming up, there was so much to do.

Izzy opened the binder with her ever growing checklist. “Okay. Becky Lee has the menu all planned with Sylvia. We’ll have the reception at Sylvia’s Place in her new upstairs room she’s opened for events and receptions. Becky Lee, any final decision on the cake?”

“I’ve made one more cake for you to try tonight, then Jenny will have to decide.”

Jenny didn’t know how she would have ever pulled off this wedding without all the help from her friends. Izzy was the ultimate planner and had organized so much. She’d even found a vintage wedding dress and altered it for Jenny to wear.

“I’ll be glad for spring break so I can just concentrate on the wedding. Danielle and Abigail want me to take them shopping for dresses for the wedding. Kind of an almost-stepmother-daughter thing. They said Clay wasn’t a good dress shopper, and I couldn’t agree more. The man hates to shop, so it will be a fun outing for the girls. I think I’ll take them into New Orleans. Nathan needs new dress pants and a dress shirt, too. I swear that boy of mine outgrows clothes every week. I thought they slowed down their growth spurts in high school.” Jenny took another sip of the wine, her mind whirling with all the things she needed to do.