Leaving At Last Chapter 16
With the materials sorted out, we were ready to head back to Sonoma.
Before boarding, I hugged my parents and told them, very seriously, “I’m going to make the shop a success.”
“Once everything is stable, I’ll bring you over to live with us.”
They both smiled.
“That’s our girl. Once you set your mind to something, you see it through.”
“But don’t work too hard. No matter what, you’ll always be our daughter.”
Back in Sonoma, Auden’s family ran a bed-and-breakfast.
My new shop was just a short walk away.
As I put the finishing touches on everything, I stood before the countertop shipped all the way from the East Coast, looking at it for a long time, carefully wiping it down with a cloth.
Auden curled his hand into a makeshift microphone and teased me.
“We’re here with the proprietor.”
“Tomorrow at nine a.m., your dessert shop, Blair’s Sweet, officially opens.”
“How are you feeling right now?”
I immediately played along, pretending to straighten my collar.
“I’m honored. I’m excited.”
“And I fully intend to make the best desserts in the world.”
“Then I’ll do my best to become the husband of the world’s best pastry chef.”
Laughing, we left the shop together.
It was already dark, and the streetlights cast a warm glow.
A sudden breeze swept through the alley.
Auden pulled me along, and we broke into a run.
Spring in Sonoma was always full of flowers.
As the wind blew, petals drifted down around us.
They landed on my shoulder and brushed against my cheek.
I knew, in that moment, that I had finally found the life I truly wanted.