With a heavy sigh, Abigail leaned up against the edge of the
display case in her bakery that was not only her livelihood, but also a great
source of satisfaction and joy to her. After hanging up the phone following the
disturbing phone call, she couldn't help but think back to her childhood. She
had been raised by her grandmother and a maiden aunt after both of her parents
were killed a car accident when she was only six years old. Abigail barely
remembered them after all these years. She did however have fond memories of
all the days she spent baking wonderful smelling treats with her grandmother
and aunt. She's sure that was what led her to opening up a bakery and was in
part the reason for the success she was having.
As a child she would help bake cookies, pies and cheesecakes
for bake sales, and as special treats for shut-ins from church. She loved the
creativity she felt when she came up with a new twist to an old favorite and
over the years she had even won several awards for her endeavors. Because
baking was her first love, she decided that she should go to college to get a
business degree which would be helpful for when she realized her dream of
opening her own shop. It was in college that she met and fell in love with Tad,
the man she eventually married. After graduating and from college with a degree
in business, she and Tad married and moved to the town where Tad had been
accepted into law school. It was a 5 hour drive from the town where Abigail had
grown up and at first she felt the distance from her family a great deal and
with Tad so busy with his studies, she decided to get a job in a local bakery
so she could start saving money for her own business.
Even though she loved working in the bakery, Abigail still
felt the need to have her own business where she would have more control over
all aspects and be able to use her creativity more. This need eventually was so
intense that she sat down with Tad one evening when he was taking a break so
she could discuss it with him. As always, Tad was very supportive but the money
issue was what was the concern. No matter how much he supported her ideas,
starting a business was not a cheap endeavor.
Even though she didn't want to do it, she accepted the money
her aunt and grandmother offered her to use as a down payment after they found
out about her desire to start her own business. That was seven years ago and in
those years, she had made her bakery into a very successful one. Things were going
well not only with the bakery, but with her husband's law practice as well.
They had eventually ended up repaying the money they had borrowed and Abigail
finally viewed the bakery as her own.
The call she had just received was from her aunt telling her
that her grandmother had just been admitted to the hospital with what looked to
be a small stroke. She told Abigail that her grandmother didn't want to bother
her but Abigail immediately told her aunt that she was on her way.
Fortunately Abigail was confident in the employees she had
working for her and knew that everything would be fine at the shop while she
was away. Over the past few years Abigail had become confident in the fact that
her shop was well cared for during her regular visits to visit her family.
After making sure everything was being taken care of by her
capable employees at the bakery, then quickly called Tad to tell him what was
going on. Tad expressed his concern and regrets over not being able to
accompany her to be at her grandmother's side. A big case was going to trial
that week and there was no way he could leave. Abigail went home to pack a few
things and she pulled out of the driveway a few minutes later.
During the long drive, she thought back to all the support
she had received over the years and remembered fondly the worn, handwritten
copy of her grandmother's favorite baked cheesecake recipes that she
kept on a shelf with all of her other recipes in the bakery. She referred to it
frequently and many of her desserts were based on tried and true recipes from
that book. She cherished the book that her grandmother had painstakingly
written over the course of many years and looked upon it as a stamp of approval
for her to live her dreams.
As she neared the hospital exit, Abigail's thoughts were
brought back to the present with a nagging concern about what she would find.
She hurried into the hospital and headed toward the room number that had been
given to her by her aunt earlier in the day. The door to the room was closed
and she hesitated slightly before giving a light tap and pushing the door open.
With a small sigh of relief, she saw her grandmother sitting by the side of the
bed with a weary smile lighting her face when she saw her beloved
granddaughter. Her aunt gave her a quick embrace before Abigail approached her
grandmother for a hug and peck on the cheek.
Her grandmother gave Abigail's aunt a mild scolding about
bothering Abigail and making her leave her shop on the spur of the moment when
there was really no need. Abigail shushed her and said that she was glad her
aunt called and of course she wanted to be there. She was just happy to see her
grandmother looking better than she had expected. Several minutes later her
grandmother's nurse poked her head in the door and informed them that the
doctor would be in shortly. Her grandmother slowly got back into the bed with
very little assistance and leaned back against the pillows.
After examining her, the doctor said she was recovering
nicely and he expected her to return to her home in two to three days with no
problems. He said she had been lucky and the residual effects from the stroke
should be minimal. Abigail assured her grandmother that she would stay with her
and her aunt for several days to make sure things were going okay.
The day her grandmother was discharged, Abigail picked her
up and drove her the short distance to the home they had lived in as a family
ever since she could remember. Her aunt had stayed at home to make sure things
were in order and greeted them at the door. After settling her grandmother into
her favorite chair in front of the TV, Abigail went into the kitchen and
returned with some delicious baked goods she had prepared as a welcome home.
Her grandmother always appreciated the efforts that her granddaughter put forth
in her kitchen and showed it by sampling most of the wonderful treats.
Abigail realized just how fragile life was and was grateful
for moments like this when she could visit her beloved family and enjoy
delicious food that she created from her grandmother's wonderful recipes. She
knew she would always be grateful for the love, advice and help she had
received in realizing the dreams she had growing up.
It was with a much lighter heart that she was able to return
to her life with Tad, the bakery and the knowledge that at least for the time
being, everything was good with her life. She had a career that she loved, a
wonderful marriage with her husband, and a loving grandmother and aunt who she
knew would be there for her as long as they were able.
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