Sweet Bits (7 page)

“Nope, her attorney is all out of time. This is it.” Ben looked at his watch. “Speaking of my case, gotta roll. I’ve got so much to do this afternoon.”

He stood up and fished out some cash. Ali started to protest, but they both knew it was better if he paid right now.

“Thanks, Ben. Don’t work too hard, now!” She smiled up at him

He reached over and gave her a quick hug. “It’s good to see you. I’m sorry I’m not such a great friend lately…”

“Don’t even mention it,” she said. “Just win that case!”

With that, Ben was off.

***

“Darlin’ I just wish I hadn’t bought that stupid coat,” said Toni. “She was shaking her head. I have no way to return it because I burned the receipt. Can you believe it? I was so happy to finally buy myself a fur coat that I had a whole little ceremony and burned the darn thing!”

Ali laughed. “Don’t worry, Aunt Toni. We’ll be OK.”

“So, what about school?”

“I got my tuition back and it’s in my account. It’s all going for Dad’s surgeries.”

“No, honey, I’ll wrangle something. You go right back to that school and sign up.”

“It’s too late, Toni. I will go next year once Dad’s back in good health.”

Toni’s eyes watered. “Oh, honey, I’m so sorry we’re not a rich family.”

Ali laughed and hugged her aunt. “That’s OK, Toni. I love you anyway.”

Toni sipped her tea and munched on a chocolate nut cookie. Ali had baked all afternoon and had a kitchen full of cookies for a bake sale. She was invited to participate in a local sale as a baker and she baked all she could to sell. Most of the proceeds would go to charity, but she would be allowed to keep 20% of the total. She had no other jobs lined up so she took it.

“These are amazing!” she exclaimed. “I swear, honey, you should open a bakery!” She polished it off and went for another. Ali just watched her. She couldn’t even get excited about her favorite cookies. Nothing tasted right lately.

“Thanks, Toni,” she managed a small smile. “I have big plans...one day.”

“You know, there’s a baking competition on one of the local TV shows. I just saw it today, or was it yesterday…or well, doesn’t matter. They are having a bake-off for the best local home cooks and there’s even a big prize. I think its $10,000. You should enter!

Ali raised her eyebrows. “Hmm, that might be an idea,” she said. “What channel is having it?”

“Uh, it’s that show with the bouffant blonde and that guy who is kind of cheesy, but really good-looking? You know the one?”

Ali searched her memory. “Yeah, I think so. The woman always wears really bright lipstick and the guy is a little too tan?”

“That’s the one! I like that show,” said Toni. “I watch it almost every day, you know.”

“You said they just announced it? A baking competition?”

“Yes, I think it was yesterday’s show. I’m sure you can go on your computer and find out or call them.”

Ali was already walking over to her laptop. She hit a few keys. “Here it is,” she said as she read the screen. Toni got up to look over her shoulder.

“Wow, you found that fast,” she marveled. She didn’t often use her own computer and it usually took her several minutes to remember how to work the thing.

Ali smiled. “Yeah, the wonder of the internet,” said Ali. She continued to read. “…contestants must live in the local Chicago area, be home cooks and not professional chefs…”

“Perfect!” said Toni clapping her hands. “You can win that hands-down,” she said as she grabbed another cookie.

“I don’t know about that, but I’m sure gonna try,” said Ali with a new sparkle in her eye.

Ben looked handsome, tired, but mostly jubilant. He had won the case and the woman was being forced to clean up the building, relocate the tenants until all repairs were done and even got a bit of jail time.

“We’re happy for the citizens of the Bel Aire Towers and for the city of Chicago,” said Ben to camera news crew that was shoving microphones in his face as he stood on the outside steps of the courthouse.

Reporters were firing questions at him and Ali watched intently. Ben on TV! Wow, he looked really good. She was so happy for him.

“What’s important now is to set an example and make sure that these types of landlords know they can’t get away with this type shoddy business,” said Ben.

“Go, Ben,” said Ali to the TV. She smiled at him. Her Ben was a hot-shot lawyer on TV and cleaning up the city. She couldn’t be more proud.

She wanted to call him right then and there, but she knew he’d be celebrating with his whole team and office. She’d wait until later. It made her feel odd to want to talk to him so badly. It was a strangely familiar but different feeling.

***

The contest rules were pretty simple and the categories included baking desserts, breads, cakes, cookies or pies/tarts. Ali had decided on cakes. She baked enough of them using her grandmother’s recipe, which she adapted to include butter vs. shortening and less sugar for a more updated taste. Her cakes were always getting raves and compliments from her customers so she figured it would be a no-brainer.

Perusing the cookbook and scraps of recipes on paper she’d printed out over the years and modified she came upon it: The strawberry shortcake cake. It was summer and berries were plentiful. The cake was light, moist and dreamy. It was perfect!

As she started to read through the recipe again, her phone rang. “Ali’s Personal Chef Service,” she answered partly distracted.

“So, who wants some good news?” asked Ben cheerfully.

“Hey, you!” said Ali. She had tried to call Ben the night before and got his voicemail. Again that morning, voicemail. It was great to finally talk to him.

“So, I guess you heard the big news? It’s been all over the TV,” said Ben.

Ali could see him grinning in her mind. She could hear it in his voice. “Congratulations! I tried to call you last night and this morning. Working off a hangover, I imagine?”

Ben laughed. “A small one, yes. We partied late last night. The whole office was out. We’re all dragging today.”

“Well, I’m so happy for you,” she said.

“Thanks, but it was really a team effort,” Ben said effusively. “I was calling to see if you wanted to go out tonight, but I might need to just go home and get some sleep. How about tomorrow night? Are you free? I owe you a proper dinner to make up for all the slap-dash lunches I put you through.”

Ali smiled. “Sure thing. Tomorrow night sounds good. You want to meet somewhere?”

“No, I’ll pick you up,” said Ben. “Like a proper date,” he teased.

Ali smiled to herself. A proper date. Suddenly she was nervous at the thought.
A date with Ben
. She knew he was teasing, and of course, it wasn’t really a date, but it didn’t sound like such a bad idea.

“See you then, Golden Boy,” said Ali.

“Stop it,” said Ben. “I’m getting enough of that around here.” The entire office had been slapping his back and high-fiving him since yesterday.

“I’ll bet. Enjoy it while it lasts,” she said. “You’ve earned it.”

They hung up and Ali started to wonder why she was feeling nervous about seeing Ben tomorrow night. It was Ben after all. Sweet Ben she’d known for years and years. She tried to calm herself and told herself she was being silly.

But the feeling didn’t go away.

***

Ali looked around her bedroom at the myriad of dresses she’d tried on and taken off in disgust. Nothing was right. She hadn’t bought a new dress in months and was tired of her selection in her closet. She stood in her lace slip and surveyed them all strewn across her bed. The red one? Too sexy. The black one? Too funeral. The blue one? She’d just worn that recently. The print one? Too simple. The pink one? Maybe. It was simple and elegant. The pink would have to do. She picked it up and smoothed it out. Yes, the pink would have to do.

As she did her makeup, the constant butterflies in her stomach wouldn’t quit. She decided to have a small glass of wine to quell her nerves. Why am I so nervous? What’s the big deal? So I’m having dinner with Ben. So what? I’ve done it plenty of times before.

She dressed, slipped on her high heeled sandals and stood back to survey herself in a full length mirror. Not too shabby, she said out loud to herself. Her hair was half up, half down and fell in soft waves around her face. She had a slight tan since it was July and she’d been spending more time outside jogging and riding her bike. Her lips were glossy pink. She touched on a bit of perfume just as the doorbell rang.

Ben.

She took a deep breath and told herself to get over her silliness.

***

“So, a strawberry shortcake cake, huh?” asked Ben as the waiter poured the wine. He had ordered an expensive bottle. The restaurant was usually hard to get into, but Ben’s secretary had called and used his name and voila; a table became available. Ben was a slight local celebrity right now and Ali could tell he both enjoyed it and was embarrassed by it.

“Yeah, what do you think?” asked Ali sipping the wine. It was magnificent. Ben knew his wine.

“I think that whatever you make, the rest will pale in comparison,” said Ben holding his glass up to toast her. “To our finally being able to have a proper dinner together.”

“Don’t be silly. To your success!” said Ali clinking her glass to his.

“Thanks,” said Ben beaming. He was proud of himself. The woman who had dodged justice for two years had finally gotten the sentence she deserved. He could see various other diners looking at him and whispering. That’s the guy that nailed that slumlord woman downtown, he could imagine them saying.

The rest of the dinner Ben spent time shaking hands with the few who came to the table to congratulate him and then each oohing and aahing over the food.

“This is the kind of food I want to cook one day,” said Ali. The food was sublime and the restaurant’s reputation was well-deserved.

“I have no doubt that will happen,” said Ben. “You will do it,” said Ben to her, with conviction.

She looked at him. He believed in her and it made all the difference. She suddenly felt that with Ben in her life again all things were possible.

***

Ben’s life had calmed down a bit three days later when his secretary announced a “Jason Worthington on line two.”

Jason Worthington? Jason Worthington. It sounded familiar. He knew a Jay Worthington from his law school days. Could it be the same person? He picked up the line.

“Well, hello there,” said a somewhat familiar voice.

“Yes, how can I help you?” asked Ben tenuously.

“It’s me, Jay,” said the voice.

“Jay, hi! I thought the only Worthington I knew was a Jay, but I wasn’t sure…”

“It’s me. I go by Jason these days. How the heck are you?”

“I’m good…great,” said Ben.

“Don’t I know it”, said Jason. “I’ve seen you all over the news the last couple of days. Good for you, man!”

“Oh, yeah, that,” said Ben. It was a good case. Ben was reluctant to get too caught up in his success. Jones had already planted him smack in the middle of another case taking on similar project.

“Oh, yeah, that,” mocked Jason. “That’s some big win you had. Seriously, man, TV and all. It’s like the lawyer’s dream, right?”

“Hmph,” snorted Ben. “Not really. I mean, it’s nice and all, but I actually really enjoyed the work.”

“I’m kidding, man. Hey, how about lunch today. Are you free?”

They agreed to meet at a little café around the corner from Ben’s office. He hung up the phone. It had been a few years since he’d seen or heard from Jason. He wondered why he was calling now. They’d been casual friends in law school, but not really the type who kept in touch. Ben figured it was because he was on TV. It seemed it drew people to him. It was a strange thing and he wasn’t sure he was entirely comfortable with it.

***

Ali poured a teaspoon of sugar over the cut berries in the bowl. It was her third cake today and she was determined to get the measure of sweet-to-tart just right. She took copious notes and worked with a pencil stuck behind her ear.

“You look like a mad scientist,” said Josie who sat at the table and sampled her discarded cakes. “This one is even better,” she pronounced. “Less sweet and more berry flavor.”

“Wait’ll you try this one”, said Ali. “It’s going to be even better. I hope…”

“They’re all good,” said Josie. “Man, I can’t be around here too long or my figure will explode,” she said putting another bite in her mouth. “But, gosh, this is awesome.”

“Thanks,” said Ali distractedly. When she cooked, she was intent on her work. But now it was even more important. She had to win that money. She just had to. Her father’s heart surgery was scheduled for a week after the competition. She needed that extra money. The surgeries all combined would be over $35,000 and the insurance companies were being difficult. She wasn’t sure how much they would really cover and was told they’d likely reimburse only part. The $10,000 would certainly soften the blow.

The competition was in 10 days. Her recipe had to be perfect. This cake was truly going to be a life-saver.

“Well, I’ve got a date,” announced Josie. “I’ve got to get going to primp and prepare. It’s a blind date,” she admitted.

“I thought you swore off those,” asked Ali looking up. Her face had smudge of flour on it.

“I was, but this is some guy my friend at work knows. She says he’s really cute and nice, so I’m gonna give it a go.”

“Well, good luck,” said Ali. Her doorbell rang.