Sweet Bits (2 page)

Ben laughed to himself. Top lawyer. He used to actually aspire to be called those words. Now it made him cringe.

“Well, do you think you’re going to quit or something?”

“Or something,” said Ben.

“What? Seriously? Hey, you should think about it carefully. My buddy Brian left his job in advertising thinking he’d get another better gig easy-peasy, but he’s been out of work for nearly six months. It’s rough out there now.”

“Yeah, I know.” Ben sat up and stretched. “I won’t quit. I’m just dreaming, I guess.”

“Well, dream all you want but keep the paycheck coming in.”

Ben smiled at him. He guessed that was his fate in life right now. Dreams were free and didn’t make waves in your life. He thought about his dreams and wondered where they went. He had wanted to work with kids, be a teacher or a coach or something. His Dad’s pressure to follow his own footsteps into law had worked. He’d given up what he really wanted to do to please others and was now suffering the decision.

“Hey, you’re never going to believe who I saw the other night,” said Dirk suddenly lightening the mood.

“Who?”

“Ali.”

Ben looked straight at Dirk expecting a smirk and realized his friend was serious.

“Ali? Really? Where?”

“I saw her coming out of a building not too far from here.”

“When?”

“Uh, let me see. I think it was last Tuesday. Around 6 p.m.”

“You’re sure it was Ali?”

“Dude, I know Ali. It was her.”

Ben sat back in his chair. Ali. Could it be? She was here in the city?

“I
thought
you’d be interested,” smiled Dirk.

A slow smile crept across Ben’s face. Ali.

“Hello, Sweet Treats Personal Chef Service,” said Ali.

“Hello? Bobby get off of that!” yelled the voice to someone in the background.

“How can I help you?

“I need a cake, no actually a few cakes for a birthday party,” said the woman. “I’m not going to tell you again,” she shouted again to an unknown person. Ali pictured a harried mother and hooligan boy with a dirty face and mussed hair climbing on the furniture.

“How many is a few?”

“Well, let’s see. I need one for the party, one for the family, one for the class…that’s three,” said the woman.

“OK, sure. What’s the occasion?”

“It’s my son’s birthday. He’ll be seven.”

“And when do you need them?”

“Next Saturday. Oh, I need one Friday and the other two on Saturday. And no chocolate. My son hates chocolate.”

Hmmm, thought Ali. A child that hates chocolate. I’d yell at him, too, she thought.

“Certainly. Can I ask how you heard of me?”

“I got your flier. I picked it up somewhere and my cousin used you and gave you a great recommendation.”

Ali smiled to herself. She had spent a lot of money having fliers designed printed and distributed. She was glad to be getting some calls from them and good recommendations were always welcome. She’d done a lot of birthday cakes around town and was starting to get a good reputation.

“So…how much?” demanded the woman

“Well…” started Ali.

“Oh, never mind. Bobby, I warned you…” she yelled. “I have to go, but I’ll call you back with all the details.”

“Oh, that’s fine,” said Ali. She hung up the phone and wondered what kind of trouble the little birthday boy was causing at that moment.

The phone rang again and she answered quickly expecting the harried woman.

“Sweet Treat Personal Chef Service.” Ali speaking.

Instead of the woman it was a male voice. One she hadn’t heard in years.

“Ali?”

The deep voice took her back. It swept her back nearly six years. It was the voice from her past. She couldn’t say anything.

“Ali? Are you there?” said the voice.

“Ben?” Her voice cracked.

“Yes, it’s me.”

The line was silent on both ends for a moment. Finally, Ali found her voice.

“Ben Harper? Really? It’s you?”

“In the flesh,” said Ben.

“Wow, I can’t believe it. What’s it been…like six years? How’d you get my number?”

“Yes, it’s been awhile.” Too long, thought Ben. “I actually saw a flier of yours at my sister’s house. She said you make cakes and stuff for birthdays and had made one for her neighbor.”

The fliers were really paying off, thought Ali.

“Oh my gosh, that’s crazy. I can’t believe it.”

“So, when did you come to the city,” he asked.

“A couple years ago. I should have called you, but I wasn’t sure…” she trailed off.

“Oh, geez, Ali! Of course you should have called!” Ben remembered why she might not feel so good about doing that and went quiet. “But I get it.”

“Yeah, well, I thought I would one day…”

“Yeah, no biggie,” he said. But he didn’t mean it.

“So, how have you been?” She asked wanting desperately to change the subject. She felt bad about losing touch with Ben and knew it was all her fault. It was amazing to talk to him now.

“Pretty good,” he said. “You?”

“Good.”

“So, you’re a chef now, huh? You always wanted to cook and be a chef.”

“Well, I wouldn’t call me a chef exactly,” she said. “I have a personal chef business and I make specialty cakes and stuff.”

“Well, you were the best darn cook I ever knew,” he said. “I’ll bet you’ve got them lining up for your cakes.”

“Well, not exactly.” She was doing well, but lining up? No, not quite.

“Hey, remember that lemon chiffon cake you made for my mom on Mother’s Day that year? You know she still talks about that cake.”

“Oh, yeah, I remember. That was a good one,” agreed Ali.

More awkward silence. Each struggled with what to say.

“So, where are you living,” asked Ben.

“I have an apartment at 12
^th
and Sunrise. It’s pretty small, but it’s got a good kitchen.”

“Yeah, I know that area. I live over at Crosswood and Bonaventure.”

“Oh, swanky,” said Ali.

Ben laughed. “Yeah, it’s pretty nice. No biggie.”

“You still say that? No biggie?” She remembered he used to say it all the time. People started calling him No Biggie Ben.

Ben laughed. “Yeah, I guess old habits you know.”

Ali laughed. It was so good to talk to him. They had been so close. Hearing his voice was like a soft, warm blanket.

“Well, you want to get together and catch up?”

“I thought we just did,” teased Ali.

“You know what I mean. I’d love to take you to dinner and see you.” He suddenly realized he didn’t know if she was already involved or married.

“Oh, uh, I mean if that’s OK. If you don’t have a jealous boyfriend or husband or something.”

“No, not jealous anything. Not even a cat,” she chuckled. Sometime she felt like she was becoming the stereotypical old maid. All she needed was the cat. “I’d love to Ben,” said Ali. He could hear the warm sincerity in her voice and for the first time since dialing he felt good about the call.

She hung up and sat in a large, overstuffed chair in her living room. She grabbed the throw pillow and hugged it close.

Ben Harper.

She thought about the last time they saw each other. It had been so many years ago…six? Yikes. Where had the time gone? She could see him, his dark hair ruffling in the wind. His blue eyes crinkled, his brow furrowed as he stood next to his old Chevy packed and ready to leave.

He’d left for college six months early. His high grades had gotten him a scholarship and early acceptance to a good school and his father had made him take it. His dream was to have his son follow in his footsteps as an attorney and even though Ben wasn’t quite sure it was the right path for him, it was what his father wanted, so he did it.

They’d parted on a windy day that had threatened rain. She had gone to his house to see him off. It hadn’t gone well. She wanted nothing more than to wish him well and let him know she would support his decision.

Until that day, all their decisions had been made by consulting each other. They’d been best friends for years. Ever since the day Tommy Jagger had pushed her down and stole her lunch in second grade. Ben had helped her up and threatened Tommy Jagger that if he ever did that again he’d have him to contend with. Tommy was skinny and stood about two inches under Ben’s taller, athletic build, and it was all but written in stone since that day that if you messed with Ali, Ben would come calling.

But when Ben had decided to take the scholarship and go to school and then law school, Ali couldn’t stay silent. “Ben, you don’t want to be a lawyer. You know you don’t!” she cried. “You’re an amazing guy. You told me you wanted to be a teacher and work with kids; maybe even be a counselor one day.”

“I know, Ali, but that’s not my reality. I need to think of my future. This is a great offer.”

“You’re going because of your dad and you know it.”

“So what’s wrong with that?” Ben got indignant.

“Nothing, but you know it’s not for you. You’ve told me so many times.”

“Well, maybe it is. Maybe it’s just exactly for me,” said Ben. He didn’t want to even sort of entertain the fact that Ali could be right. It was too painful and he’d forced himself to put those thoughts away. His Dad had all but laughed at the idea of him being some second grade teacher.

“You’ll never earn enough to support a family,” he said dismissively. “The law will not only give a great career, but a substantial future.” Ben knew the truth of what his Dad’s words meant. He was a top attorney in the city and well-respected, even up for a judgeship. Having his only son work in some public school teaching snotty-nosed kids was not the kind of future he’d mapped out. What would people say?

Ben had relented and was soon leaving for school. He and Ali parted after arguing and had only cursory phone calls and a few cards for the first year or two. The relationship had been strained; possibly beyond repair. As Ben graduated from law school he’d heard less and less of Ali. After his graduation, he received a simple card that said only:

Congratulations! I hope your life is all you deserve.

- Ali

That had said it all. They were on separate paths.