I was decorating in the back of the bakery when my phone started ringing. I saw Tiff’s name on the screen so I quickly washed my hands and hit the green button to take her call.

“Yello!”

“Hey, girlie. I need your help.”

“Sure, what’s up?”

“I want to get Candy a new set of baking pans for Christmas, but I have zero ideas what to get her. I got her a mixer before, but she had told me exactly what she wanted. “

“Why do you think she needs new ones?”

“She keeps complaining that she doesn’t have enough variety in shapes and sizes.”

“Ahh, okay.” I lean up against the counter. “I can help with that. What’s your willingness to drive? There is a great restaurant store in Fargo if you’re willing to go there.”

“I don’t mind making a day trip out of it, what would your next day off be?”

“Tuesday would be best. Maddie can come in early on Tuesdays to help.”

Tiff sighs, “I have Annabelle on Tuesdays, is that going to be a problem?”

“For her to come with us? Of course not.”

“I guess it’s a date. She’ll be excited to hear that we’re taking a girl’s trip!”

“I’m looking forward to it. Talk to you later!”

“I’ll text you if I need anything, thank you for much, Holly!”

“You’re welcome, bye.”

I hang up the phone and go back to the batch of snowmen cupcakes that I’ve been working on all day. I took three cupcakes and put them together with a skewer and then topped them with big swirls of white frosting. Each of them varied in size a bit to make the three parts of a snowman.

Gio is working on his piping skills on Christmas cookies. He continues to express interest in becoming a baker. I even gave him information on the culinary school that I went to because he is going to need to look at colleges soon.

“What do you think of this, Holly?” He holds the cookie up that he’s been working on.

“Oh wow, those look like real poinsettias. Good job!”

“I used a tutorial on YouTube, is that weird?”

I laugh, “Pretty sure you told me before not to reinvent the wheel. Using your sources like YouTube is great for learning!”

“I guess you’re right. I just love seeing the new techniques that they use.” He slides the cookie onto a drying tray and picks up another blank one. “So I know the first week that I’m off for Winter Break I have a basketball tournament, but if you need anything that second week, I can work every day. Even the morning shift.”

“You’re really stepping up, Gio, I’m proud of you.” That was the truth. It seemed like anytime he wasn’t in school or doing something with basketball he wanted to be here. Sometimes he seems more dedicated than I do.

“I promise I won’t open a rival bakery after college,” he smirks at me.

“Haha. Thanks, I appreciate that.”

-----

Tuesday rolls around and I am packing up a special batch of donuts that I made last night to take on the trip to Fargo. I’m looking forward to spending girl time with Tiff, but also with Annabelle. She’s a sweet little girl and she deserves all the love and attention in the world. I know that she isn’t getting that from any mother figure, so any extra love and attention I can give her I want to.

The doorbell buzzes right as I put the last donut in the containmenr and I buzz the two of them up and open my front door. Tiff has Annabelle in her arms and lowers her down to the ground once she’s inside.

“Hey Annabelle, good morning!” I saw in a cheery tone.

“Too early.” She rubs her eyes and leans up against Tiff’s legs.

Tiff wraps her arm around Annabelle’s shoulder, “She’s not a morning person.”

“Aww, I could have met you in the car.”

“She’ll be fine. “

“Well, maybe one of my chocolate donuts will make you feel better?” I hold up the container.

“Donut?” Her eyes open wide and she stands up straight.

“Yep, I made donuts for the ride there. But only if you want one. I don’t know, maybe you’re too tired.”

“No, not tired. Annabelle wants a donut!” Her attitude changed in a heartbeat.

“Well looks like you found the key to her heart!” I say to Tif.

“Usually if you offer chocolate to me, it cheers me up as well.” Tiff reaches for one of the donuts, but I jokingly swat her hand away.

“Not until we get to the car.”

I slip on my boots and put on a large winter coat, then grab the container of donuts off the counter. I follow Tiff and Annabelle downstairs after I lick up my apartment. Tiff does the automatic start on her car and slips into the backseat to get Annabelle into her car seat. Before I gt buckled in, I turn around pass the container of donuts back to Tiff.

“Promise you won’t get all messy?” Tiff asks her before handing her the donut.

“Nope!” Annabelle answers with excitement. Tiff and I both laugh at her honesty in the answer, but she hands her a donut anyway. Tiff gets into the front seat and takes her own donut and takes a bite.

“Yum! I swear between you and Candy I’m never going to lose any weight.”

I shake my head, “Shush lady, you look perfect.”

“You’re too sweet.” Tiff puts the car in drive and travels down the alleyway until she turns onto Main Street. “I’m going to run by the coffee shop quickly, mind if I just leave the car running and you stay with her?”

“Not a problem!”

“What do you want?”

“Just tell Stacy I want my regular.”

She pulls into one of the front spots and heads into the shop. It is a little busy as we’re at the very end of the morning rush, but it only takes about ten minutes for her to come out with our piping hot coffees. I take a sip and feel it heat up my entire body as it goes down.

“Oh, that is perfect,” I say and take another sip.

“I agree. I’m kind of glad I’m not actually pregnant so I don’t have to give up my coffee.”

Tiff takes the main road out of Harlington until she hits the turn off for the highway and then we are on our way to Fargo.

“So I’ve been wondering, tell me to shut up if it is too personal, did you and JImmy have a hard time conceiving your own?” I have been wanting to ask her ever since they brought up adoption at Thanksgiving, but I didn’t feel like I knew enough about the situation to ask that day.

“We actually never tried. I’m not sure most people will understand, but after so many talks about starting a family, Jimmy and I just felt pulled to adoption. Our first step was to apply to work with this agency and then we were also going to apply with the state to be foster parents.”

“Oh wow, and you still plan on being foster parents?”

“We filled out the paperwork, but we haven’t turned it in yet. We were not expecting to get picked by a birthmother right away. Now that we’re going to have a newborn, I think we’ll wait to see if and when we want to move forward to be foster parents.”

“Are you nervous about the entire thing?”

“Very!” Tiff admits. “I’m not sure that’ll go away until the 90-day point where we get to officially adopt the baby.”

“Wait,” I reply shocked, “can they change their minds before 90 days?”

“No, not in this state, but they don’t consider it officially closed until that mark. Our counselor said we have nothing to worry about, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to not worry about it.”

“I would probably be nervous if I were in your or Jimmy’s shoes too. I hope everything goes smoothly for you. You’re going to make an amazing mother.”

“Thank you, we’re excited. I am already thinking about Annabelle and this baby playing and whatnot.” She glances over at me and smiles. “Speaking of, in the weirdest way to make a segway ever…..how are you and Wes?”

I laugh a little bit, I should have assumed that she’d figure out a way to bring the two of us into the conversation. “We’re doing good, I guess. I don’t know what to say. I like him, I really do. There is still just this nervousness when it comes to him and it prevents me from totally taking that leap.”

“You seemed pretty cozy at Thanksgiving,” she reaches her elbow over the center console and nudges at me.

“You think so?” I reply pretending to be confused.

“Pssh, I saw the two of you holding hands through dessert.” I turn my head as I can feel the blush filling my cheeks. “Listen, you’re my good friend and Wes is my brother-in-law. I think the two of you got off on what seemed like a good foot, but actually was kind of uneven. That doesn’t mean you two don’t deserve happiness and if all it takes is one of you taking that leap of faith, dammit just do it, lady!”

I look at her and smile, thinking about the time that I do spend with Wes and how much he has occupied my brain, especially since Thanksgiving. “You’re probably right. I just don’t want to get my heart broken. And I don’t want to mess anything up with my friendship with you. And I’m especially worried about how sleeping beauty back there would react to it.”

“I hear you. You have a good heart thinking about everybody else, but Holly, it’s okay to think about yourself too.” Holly looks over at me and grabs my hand. Her smile is genuine and I can tell she means well.

“Thanks….OMG TIFF WATCH OUT!!!!!!!”