Promises Forgotten
Chapter 46

My eyes slowly opened and I looked around the room. I was alone in bed, and I sat up. Rubbing my eyes, I reached over and grabbed my phone. I coughed when I looked at the time. It was 10 a.m. in the morning. Scrambling out of bed, I pulled on some jeans and a shirt, quickly pulling my hair up. Thundering down the stairs, I slid into the cafe.

“Well, look who decides to wake up.” Mike smiled from behind the register.

“I’m sorry! I…”

He shook his head. “You needed it. When was the last time you slept more that four hours?”

“Years…”

“Asshat and Ron left this morning with Elliot. They were going to a bookstore, I think. So go get the lunch sandwiches started. You don’t have to worry about anything.”

Nodding, I smiled. “It’s weird not waking up with him. I do need to send in my arm for repair. Just as a heads up, I’ll be one-handed for a while.”

“Got it. I’ll make you a cup of coffee.”

“Thank you!”

I hopped into the kitchen, feeling more refreshed than I have in a while. I started building sandwiches and by the time Mike brought me my coffee, I’d made enough to fit in the display. Mike just looked at the pile of sandwiches, the coffee in his hand and then up at me. Turning, he started to walk away.

“No! Come back!”

“You don’t need this.”

“But I want it. Please.”

I whined at him, and he laughed, holding it out to me. Taking a deep breath, I inhaled the warm scent and sighed.

“I’m going to make some roll cakes. I haven’t done those in a while.”

“Elliot usually is the one to do the social media posts for it.”

I nodded. “How is he so damn smart?”

“Look at his momma. Running a business that actually made money within its first year. Not many business owners can say that.” Mike gave me a wink before going out front. “When they get back, I’ll send Elliot to get photos and do the posts. We’ll need all hands on deck if we are gonna do this.”

I nodded and smiled. Roll cakes were a big deal around here. Another one of my perfected recipes. The perfect sponge with a lightly flavored filling. I had a lot of different flavors, but it all had the same base sponge cake recipe. Taking a deep breath, I walked over to the shelves and with one hand, pulled out a bag of flour. Throwing it on the floor, I got started with the giant mixer and made a huge batch of sponge. I also started on a giant batch of filling. All of which I would separate, colored and flavored, after the initial mix.

I made forty rolls and was still working through more while the third batch of batter was being mixed, when Elliot came bursting through the door.

“Rolls!”

I squatted down and Elliot came running into my arm. He hit me hard enough to knock me over and we tumbled down, laughing.

“Más despacio, nieto.” [Slow down, grandson.] Ron laughed, looking down on us. “¿Estás bien, mija?” [You okay, daughter?]

“I’m fine. How was your day?”

“We went to the park and got new books!” Elliot squealed. “I wanted to get you a book. Abuelo said you didn’t like dinosaurs.”

I gasped. “He said I don’t like dinosaurs? How dare he. I love dinosaurs.”

He turned to Ron with a pouty face. “I told you!”

Laughing, I gave him a k**s. “Are you ready? We need to do a roll post. Think you can handle it, El?”

“Yes! Gimme phone! Abuelo can help Uncle M.”

Smiling, I nodded. “See if you can get your dad to help, too. He could use some hands-on experience.”

Ron snorted and leaned over, helping me up. “El hombre no conoce el significado del trabajo manual.” [The man doesn’t know the meaning of manual labor.]

“Be nice. Please, Papá.”

“That was!”

Rolling my eyes, I handed Elliot my phone. He unlocked it and walked over to the pile of rolls. “Abuelo, can you stack? I wanna photo of all of them.”

Elliot and Ron worked together taking photos while I worked making more. I knew forty would be nowhere near enough. We had to put a cap on the amount purchased by any one person, which was lowered from five to three. Mike came in, followed by Zach. I was still working, but they were huddled around Elliot and my phone.

“Ready?” Elliot looked up.

“Ready for what?” Zach looked around, but Mike and Ron had smirks on their faces.

Elliot laughed. “The Roll Attack.”

“Do it. I will have a few more flavors in a couple minutes for photos.” I called as I pulled out the batter and hefted the bowl onto the counter.

“Jesus, Evie, every time you do that one handed, it stresses me out.” Ron put his hand over his heart.

Shaking my head, I started dividing the batter. It was now a race against the post. I needed to bake the new ones, and get the cooled ones rolled and packaged. Elliot was sitting at the counter taking photos and posting, Zach took them from Elliot and brought them out front to Mike and Ron. Though, he was still thoroughly confused about the buzz in the air.

“Z, do you mind pulling all the ones out of the oven? I need to finish these, so I have room to cool those.”

“Sure.” He opened up the walk-in oven and took out the rolling rack. I could get twenty rolls from one full rack. “How many more are you going to do?”

“Trying for three. Might only get two, though. It depends.”

I quickly filled and rolled the last of the batch and got it over to Elliot. Starting to cool the sheets, I replaced them with the sheets I already had ready from the oven. Rolling them in, I set the timer and took a breath for a moment.

“What are we looking at?” I leaned over Elliot and looked at the phone.

“Doubled the amount of shares and tripled the likes. We might even outdo last month.”

Cursing, I stretched and went back around the counter. Mixing up new filling, Mike popped his head back in.

“Start the timer. We have the first Roller. Three off the bat.”

I nodded, turning around and hitting the clock on the wall. Elliot laughed and clapped.

“I honestly don’t know what’s going on.” Zach’s brows were knit, confused.

“Mom’s rolls are the best. We make a big deal and put posts on the social. Neighbors found out and then it exploded on social.”

Zach looked from Elliot to me. “How are you this exceptional?”

A blush covered my face. “I’m really not…”

“You are, Mom! You’re the best!”

Smiling, I kissed Elliot’s forehead. “Thank you. Now, we need to really get going if I want to do another sixty.”

Going over to the shelf, I went to grab a flour bag, but Zach came over. “Let me.”

Raising my eyebrow, I backed up and watching with a smirk on my face. He went to grab the bag, but he was struggling getting it lifted off the shelf. Elliot started snickering behind us and I bit my l*p. Giving him another minute to struggle, I shook my head.

“Z, it’s okay. Step back.”

I pushed him gently away. With one hand, I hefted the flour off the shelf and onto the floor by the mixer. Zach stared at me like I was an alien. Smiling, I flexed my arm. “You might have abs, but I have the strength to back it up.”

Within seconds, Zach pulled me to him and kissed me. I was stunned, I didn’t even reciprocate before he let me go. My eyes wide, I glanced at Elliot, who is beaming at us. Closing my hand into a fist, I punched Zach in the stomach. He coughed and leaned over.

“Not in front of Elliot.” I whispered, pissed. Turning, I got started on the new batch.

“Hey Zach, we need help, you mind coming out here?” Ron poked his head in.

He nodded and took a deep breath. Grabbing the pile of rolls, he walked out. I peeked out and the whole cafe was full. The line wrapped around and out the door. Smiling, I kept my head down and I worked until I finished off eighty more rolls. Elliot fell asleep in the last twenty, but we had enough photos and publicity to keep the line out the door. Zach and Mike were using a phone and a tablet to charge people while Ron manned the register.

Pulling out the stool, I sat down and laid my head on the counter. I had finished cleaning up, but the boys were still selling the last batch I made. Closing my eyes, I felt the exhaustion settle in my body.

“Goddess divine, wake up.”

My eyes fluttered open, and I looked up to see Zach standing over me, a smile gracing his face.

“My wife, I’m going to head back to the hotel. I have a meeting tonight and then one in the morning.”

“Alright, husband. Be gone with you.” I started to close my eyes again.

He chuckled. “Oh no you don’t, not here.”

Lifting me up, he carried me up the stairs. I looked tiredly around and realized the whole shop has already been closed and the sun was going down. Zach placed me on the bed next to Elliot, who is dead asleep. Kissing my forehead, he tucked me in.

“Sleep. Goodnight.”

“Goodbye.”

I felt myself falling asleep fast and hard.

–

“Mom! Mom!” I heard Elliot yelling, but I felt trapped. Locked in the nightmare and it wouldn’t let me go.

“Mom! Wake up!”

I bolted up in bed. Leaning over and grabbing the trash can, I threw up into it. Elliot was rubbing my back and I heard him crying. Still trying to orient myself, I held out my hand and grabbed his.

“I’m okay. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“You were screaming. You wouldn’t wake up.”

My heart broke. It had been a while since this had happened. “I’m okay, kiddo.”

“You’re not! You’re not okay! Ms. Ruth said that nightmares aren’t okay.”

Sighing, I pulled Elliot to me and held him as he cried. I felt terrible. All I did to try and keep him safe, not feel like he’s abnormal. Here I was, f*****g it up while I slept.

“Come on, I’ll make chocolate chip pancakes. We are gonna have a family day today. Have everyone come over. Do you want the girls over, too? We can invite them.” He nodded, still clutching my shirt. “You want to shower with me?”

He nodded again. Getting up out of bed, I tossed out the bag from the trash and got the shower started. I washed Elliot and he also washed my back. We dressed and he raced down the stairs with one of his new books. Setting up on the counter, I started to make pancakes when I heard a knock at the door. Going out, I saw Mike holding up a bag of fruit. I opened the door and he smiled.

“Too late for breakfast?”

I shook my head. “Just in time. Come on.”

Mike kissed Elliot on the top of the head before pulling out a cutting board to cut the fruit. I mixed up the batter and tossed in chocolate chips. Mike looked from me to Elliot.

“Something happen?”

Elliot didn’t look up from his book and I sighed. “I’m going to make some coffee. El, do you want orange juice?”

He nodded. Walking out, I pulled juice from the fridge and then made some coffee for Mike and I. Coming back, I placed it on the counter for Elliot and Mike. I went back to making the pancakes, heating up the griddle.

We ate quietly and Mike was continuously staring at Elliot and me.