Page 10 of Conquered

Chapter 4

Noelle Mancini sprinted down the two blocks that led to Café Eats Well. Her heart hammered inside her chest. She expected to see the red, blue, and silver flashing-lights of a police cruiser parked right in front of her café.

“Mommy, wait up,” Nikko complained trying to keep in step with his mom.

Noelle couldn’t understand the whim that made her decide to leave Miranda inside the café last night. Just before closing shop, she took a peek and noted her still sleeping form. The pallor on the girl's cheeks had transformed to a normal hue, making her utter a grateful prayer.

Her worst fear was to have to report a dead girl inside her property. She expected to see Miranda awake. But watching her snoring lightly and in deep slumber, Noelle was overwhelmed with compassion. She didn’t want to wake her up and be the harbinger of bad news that she needed to leave the premises.

Sidling closer, Noelle realized Miranda looked younger than when she first saw her slumped on the sidewalk. The pain that lined her face was gone. The tight black hair had come undone and was spread out against the pillow. Miranda was lying on her side in a fetal position, indicative of a rough and shy side to her character, which went against the soft and sensitive profile of the face in slumber.

Noelle made an impulsive decision. She scribbled a note and pinned it against Miranda’s pillow. Satisfied she did the right thing, closed shop and headed home. Her back hurt. It had been a day full of surprises indeed.

Noelle knew the reason. She tried to squash the emotion and failed miserably. She really was on a high note after the unexpected first visitor for the day, Hunter Blackwell.

She fought the urge to stare into space and moon over his memory. It was one of life’s gifts, a straight toss in her direction when it could have been just a curve ball.

She shivered at the memory of his touch when he removed the flour smudge from her chin. The way he tossed his head backward, displaying a sparkling set of white teeth in laughter when she made a funny remark. The way his eyes held her captive as he listened intently to her talk about her passion for cooking. Those reminiscences were etched clearly in her psyche and were an intoxicating recipe that could have turned her day into a disaster…or a win.

She was floating on cloud nine, and probably the reason why her skeptical nature was on full confidence mode with regards to allowing Miranda to stay the night. She was actually humming a tuneless song when she turned off the lights and headed home.

Noelle’s eyes flew open just before the sun was up in the horizon. She had a bad dream. In her dream, the café was trashed and broken into and all her hard-earned equipment gone. She broke out into a sweat, hardly believing what a stupid decision it was on her part to leave a complete stranger inside her store.

She hurried into her son’s bedroom intent on bringing him along. Their neighbor who took care of him when she was working wouldn’t be coming till hours from now, and she couldn’t leave him all alone.

“Hey sleepyhead,” she crooned as she caressed Nikko’s hair. “Want to come with me to the café? We can have breakfast at McDonald’s.”

***

“I’m sorry, honey.” Noelle apologized guiltily, slowing down her pace so Nikko could keep up.

Her eyes frantically searched the sidewalk fronting the café. No police cruiser, no activity to suggest something went wrong during the night. But the lights inside the café were burning brightly.

Through the glass window, she noticed movement inside. Instead of using her own keys as she normally did, panic made her rap loudly on the door.

Miranda opened it instantly. She was still dressed in Noelle’s clothes from the night before. She held a mop in one hand and there was a bucket of soapy water near the doorway.

“Good Morning,” she greeted Noelle shyly.

"You're feeling better?" Noelle strived to speak normally. The last thing she wanted was to offend the girl with her suspicion. Everything seemed normal. In fact, the whole place was gleaming.

“You’ve been cleaning?” Noelle noted in wonder. “Miranda, you didn’t have to do that. You are still sick.” It was then that she observed the wafting smell of freshly baked bread. “And baking too?” Noelle added in awe.

“I woke up feeling so much better,” Miranda confessed, “I used beeswax on the tables. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Miranda, that's just so thoughtful of you,” Noelle replied, besieged with shame for even thinking the worst about the girl.

“It was the least I could do for your kindness yesterday,” Miranda murmured.

Nikko who was silently watching the exchange suddenly came forward. “Hi, I’m Nikko. “What’s your name?”

Miranda’s eyes lit up as she stooped down and took the extended hand. “My name’s Miranda and I think you’ll love what I have inside the oven.”

Nikko shadowed Miranda who retrieved a character cake pan from the stovetop. Noelle had a bunch of those pans she used to cater children’s parties. Miranda turned it over gently onto a plate. The bread was the shape of a boy lugging a schoolbag.

“That’s cool,” Nikko announced, taking the plate from her.

“There’s grated cheese and hotdog stuffed inside. Be careful though because it’s hot.” Miranda replied.