Becky's eyes caught sight of a familiar figure standing at the entrance of the grocery store looking at her.
It was Mike, dressed in a work shirt and jeans, bearing evidence of his craft with wood shavings and dried glue clinging to his clothes. An admiring smile appeared on Becky's lips as she observed his appearance, appreciating his sense of purpose and practical nature.
Mike stood there, smiling foolishly, momentarily dumbfounded, his gaze fixed on Becky. It was Becky who broke the silence, calling out Mike's name in a jovial tone, as if rousing him from a daydream.
"Hey Mike, wakey wakey!" she said, her voice carrying warmth and familiarity.
A rush of joy surged through Mike as he heard Becky's voice, it brought a welcome surprise to his emotionally charged day. He approached the counter, and they embraced each other in a heartfelt hug, a silent affirmation of their friendship.
As they parted, Becky's eyes wandered to her own shirt, noticing the wood shavings transferred from Mike's clothes. She plucked them off delicately, examining the tiny remnants in her palm.
Curiosity twinkled in Becky's eyes as she inquired about Mike's day.
"What have you been doing today? You look and smell like you've just come from a sawmill." Her question hung in the air, waiting for an answer.
"Sorry about my clothes. I didn't get a chance to clean up or change after work. I was rushing here to pick up a few essentials."
Becky's mind flashed back to the conversations they had shared years ago, when Mike had expressed his ambition to become a builder. A spark of excitement ignited within her, and she leaned in closer, her voice filled with enthusiasm.
"So, are you working as a builder now?" she asked, her anticipation palpable.
"No," Mike's response carried a hint of disappointment, his voice tinged with a touch of resignation, "I'm still working at the hardware store. Though I get the occasional opportunity to utilize my carpentry skills on small jobs."
"It's cool that you're still at the hardware store," Becky assured him, her voice filled with unguarded admiration. She leaned against the counter, a warm smile on her face. Becky continued, her voice tinged with enthusiasm. "And what you're doing there, Mike, it's more important than you think. Helping people with carpentry work, installing cabinets, fixing doors and windows, and all those little things—it may seem small, but it has a big impact on people's lives. I remember my dad and I making many trips for materials and good advice years ago when we were renovating our front deck."
Becky's heartfelt support washed over Mike. Becky's absence over the past four years while she pursued her studies in California had created a void that now seemed to be gradually closing.
Shifting his attention back to Becky, he stepped even closer to her, a curious smile on his face. "So, when did you get back to Sommerfield?" he asked. "And what brings you here to the store?"
"I just got back a week or so ago," she replied. "I'm on a break from university. It's been way too long since I've been home, and I really missed seeing my mom and dad. Not to mention I needed a break from the craziness back in California."
Mike nodded.
"I can imagine! It's always nice to come back to the place you call home and spend time with family. I don't see your mom and dad, you're looking after the store today?"
Becky nodded, a sense of responsibility shining in her eyes. "Yep! For one day only, I am the custodian of everything you see. I wanted to give my parents a chance to have a day off together, just to relax and enjoy each other's company. They work so hard, and they deserve a break."
Mike smiled appreciatively. "That's really nice of you. Your mom and dad are always here, taking care of the store and keeping things ticking along. They're such hardworking folks."
Becky agreed wholeheartedly, a soft smile gracing her lips. "You're absolutely right. My parents do so much, not just for the store but also for the community. My mom is always running around, helping out her friends and neighbors. She's constantly running errands and even does the occasional babysitting."
Mike chuckled, picturing Sally's bustling nature. "Yeah, your mom seems to be everywhere. Ever since you left for university, it seems like she had a lot more free time on her hands," suddenly, a mischievous glint appeared in Mike's eyes. "But don't worry, I'm not implying that you were a handful when you were around," he said playfully.
Becky raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk on her face. "Oh really? Are you sure about that?"
Mike burst into laughter, shaking his head.
"You were definitely a well behaved one. Jokes aside, your mom is just naturally caring and a worrier. She must have spent a lot of time worrying over you even though you never got into any trouble."
Becky couldn't help but let out a nervous laugh at Mike's observation.
"Oh, Mike, you would have given my mom a heart attack if she was your mother." she said with a playful shake of her head.
Mike blushed, his gaze fixed on the floor. "Yeah, I've done my fair share of stupid things when I didn't know better." he admitted sheepishly.
Becky's smile widened, touched by Mike's honest admission and his endearing bashfulness. As the conversation continued, Mike shifted the topic to a more somber note.
"Speaking of neighboring shops," he began, "have you heard about what happened at Emily's Pastries?"
Becky's expression turned serious as she started shaking her head. "No, I haven't heard. Is everything okay?"
Mike took a deep breath, sensing the weight of the topic but wanting to share what he had heard from Emily earlier in the day.
"I was at Emily's Pastry shop for most of the day," he began cautiously. "That's why my clothes are a mess, and I didn't get a chance to change. Emily and her husband have been having difficulties, and her husband moved out of their home a few months back."
Becky's concern deepened, her eyes fixed on Mike as he continued.
"Yeah, it's really tough," Mike sighed. "They always seemed like such a perfect couple. Emily was like a big sister to all of us, and Steve was the cool big brother we looked up to."
Becky's sadness mirrored Mike's, knowing how much Emily and Steve meant to each other. She had admired their relationship and had imagined her own marriage to be akin to theirs.
Mike hesitated for a moment, grappling with the difficulty of the story he had to share. However, seeing Becky's concern, he pushed forward. "Yesterday, Steve had shown up out of the blue at Emily's shop. There was an argument, a continuation of the fight that had caused their split. In a fit of rage, Steve started causing a scene, smashing the glass counters, kicking the shelves, and ruining the baked goods Emily had prepared for the day."
Becky gasped, her hand instinctively covering her mouth. She shook her head in disbelief, struggling to comprehend the sudden turn of events.
"Is Emily okay? Did Emily call the police?" she asked, her voice filled with urgency.
Mike shrugged slightly. "Emily is fine, physically. As to calling the police...I don't know," he replied. "Emily was in shock, trying to process everything that had just happened."
Becky's determination was unwavering. "Emily needs to call the police, what Steve did is not right," she insisted, her voice resolute.
Mike wasn't entirely convinced. "Becky, that's not how things are done in Sommerfield," he explained. "The community helps each other out. We look after each other like family. My boss told Emily that he would cover the cost of the materials to fix her shop, but she would need to pay for my labor. I've waived my labor fee of course, but my boss, he's a good man."
Becky shook her head, her disagreement apparent. "Yes Mike. Your boss is kind and generous, but it shouldn't be his or your burden to bear," she argued.
Not wanting to argue further and disrupt the happiness they had both felt upon seeing each other again, Mike didn't disagree, instead he continued with his story.
"After I finished cleaning up and fixing Emily's shop, I had a long chat with her," he revealed. "I got the sense that she just wants to move on with her life and put Steve's outburst behind her. With her shop all sorted now, I kind of feel that we should all just move on."
Becky's eyes softened, and she reached out to gently touch Mike's arm.
"I'm sorry if I seemed confrontational earlier, it's just what happened to Emily…it's just not right…" she said firmly but with a soft edge. "You're really kind to spend time with Emily just listening to her. I can't imagine how confused and upset she must be."
A solemn silence fell between them, each lost in their own thoughts. Becky couldn't help but feel the weight of Emily's situation pressing on her, knowing she would have to inform her parents about it when they returned. Yet, she also didn't want to disrupt their day off and rob them of the much-needed relaxation they deserved
Mike offered a conciliatory smile, realizing he had been so focused on Emily's predicament without giving Becky much opportunity to share her own experiences. "Sorry for going off on such an unhappy tangent. How have you been? How's university?" he apologized.
"Mike, you have to visit one day. There is so much to do and see, I don't know where to start."
"I'll start saving up for a visit. You promise to show me around okay?"
Becky beamed, she nodded as she immediately began forming ideas of places to visit and things to do with Mike in California.
"But right now." Mike said, "I'm actually here to grab some beers for a catch-up with Dan tomorrow at my place. Have you heard about Dan? He moved away from Sommerfield a year or so ago."
"Yes, I'm aware," she confirmed without expression, "I actually caught up with him already at his parent's place. He seemed to be doing well."
Mike's surprise was evident in his eyes.
"You've already seen him and visited his parents house already?" he asked, a tinge of jealousy creeping into his voice. It quickly dawned on him, however, that it was only natural for Becky to reach out to Dan first. They had always been incredibly close.
Becky suddenly had an idea.
"You know what, we should all catch up together! How rare is it that we are all back together in Sommerfield? I didn't mean to invite myself over to your place, I just thought it would be nice if we all met up, I bet we've all got a bunch of stories to share."
Mike chuckled, his shoulders relaxing. "I understand," he replied, posturing himself for a lengthy explanation. "My planned catch-up with Dan was supposed to be a boys only kind of thing. We are going to be drinking a lot of beer and who knows what other kinds of mischief we'll get into. I wouldn't want to scare you off with our potentially bad behavior," he added, jokingly.
Becky laughed. "Oh, don't worry!" she retorted. "I want nothing to do with Mike and Dan's secret men's business. I can only imagine you two talking about video games and baseball or whatever mysterious topics men discuss when women aren't around. We can all catch up another time at a more respectable occasion."
Becky winked, her sweet smile warmed Mike's heart, reigniting a deep, forgotten attraction he had once felt for her.
Becky motioned for Mike to follow her. "Come on," she said, her voice filled with an upbeat dedication to her task. "Let me show you some really good beers that you can impress Dan with."
Mike's smile broadened involuntarily, swept up in Becky's contagious enthusiasm. He willingly trailed behind her, embracing the chance to share more moments with her, cherishing the rekindled sense of connection that was beginning to blossom anew.