London Harmony: The Pike (13 page)

When the pizza showed up, Ash made a show of paying with her PayPal credit card, using part of the haul we made at the Pike.  I shook my head at her as I smiled.  She sauntered past me with the divine smelling pizzas with a smug look on her face, placing a surprise sneak attack peck on my lips that made me blush as K-bot said, “Awwww.”

Ash's hands moved so painfully slowly as she signed out, “So you didn't say.  How long are you staying?”

Katy rolled her eyes and shoved Ash's shoulder as she chuckled. “You don't have to go that slow, I'm not that bad.”

Ash chuffed and retorted, “If you say so.”  She avoided another shove of her shoulder by defending with an open pizza box.  My best friend was appropriately distracted as she smiled at the pie and took a slice.

She said as she stuffed a bite into her mouth, “Just a couple days.  Mom and Dad want me to go to the Frontier Days Rodeo with them in Chewelah on Friday.  You know how dad is about that stuff.”

I smiled as I stole the piece of pizza Ash had picked for herself.  I defended my action by scrunching my nose at her, she scrunched hers back and took another slice as I nodded and agreed, “He's into the whole Rodeo thing.  I don't think I've never seen him ride a horse once.  I've seen you and K-mom ride but not him.”

She giggled as she fought a long string of cheese. “He's sort of scared of horses.  I don't understand his obsession with the rodeo.  Maybe he figures he's a farmer so he is obligated?”

I nodded absently as Ash asked, “Where are you staying?”

Katy said, “There's a travel lodge not far from here.”

I blurted with rare confidence, “Bullshit.  You're staying with us.  Bobbie won't mind.”

Katy cocked an eyebrow in amusement and asked, “Bullshit?”  Then she turned to Ask with an amused tone as she signed poorly, “Just what are you teaching little miss potty mouth here?  I think I've only heard her cuss a handful of times in my life.”

Ash shrugged innocently and signed back, “I honestly don't know where she gets that shit from.”

We all shared a laugh, and I realized I couldn't stop my smile.  It felt just like we were back in the dorm bantering like fools, and it felt good.

Ash held up a finger and pulled out her cell.  She texted something and waited for a few seconds then nodded to herself when she got a reply then texted something else and pocketed the phone.  She grinned at both of us as she explained, “Bobbie told us we can take two days off to show Katy around Seattle.  I love my boss.”

We all grinned, grabbed more pizza and dug in as we crammed onto the small couch to watch some movies.

The next morning, we heard Vernon leave the cabin to get an early start, as usual, I don't even know when he got in, we had been up gabbing until two in the morning, and he hadn't come home yet.

After we all got ready for the day, Katy inched toward the last two pieces of pizza in one of the boxes.  Ash slapped her hand as she passed by her, just to wrap her arms around me from behind.  I spoke for her, “No eating, you'll spoil your appetite.  We have someplace special to show you.”

She nodded sagely and made an ushering notion as she said, “Lead on MacDuffs.”

We turned and started toward the door, and I grinned and made a buzzing sound without looking back, “Eeent!”

I giggled when she muttered behind me, “Drat.” And I heard the pizza hit the box.  Ash was chuffing entirely too cutely at my side, and I melted into her as she led us to her rust bucket of doom.

When we descended upon the city after a hair raising ride on I90 again, Katy said incredulously, “Dear Lord, let's never do that again.”

I was grinning, it was even more of an adventure than normal.  Old Gerty had more problems getting up to speed with three people than with two.  I couldn't believe Ash dared to chance it, she's so much braver than I am... well I guess a rock is braver than me, but you know what I mean.

Ash had said we needed to chance the freeway if we were to be on time for breakfast.  I think she just wanted to rattle Katy for the fun of it.  She's a stinker at times.

I looked back, and Katy checked her seat belt for the twentieth time.  She was nervous with only a lap belt, but that is all they had in the seventies.  It was sort of surreal to me, for once my fearless friend was looking anxious, and I was finding the whole situation funny.  Had I gotten so used to riding with my Amber that my anxiety had settled down?

Son of a... as soon as I thought it, my anxiety slammed into me.  Me and my big mouth.  I checked my seat belt too and closed my eyes to take a deep breath.  Ash's hand landed on mine, and she gave it a little squeeze.  I just nodded to let her know I was ok.

I forced a smile on my face and commenced teasing K-bot.  “Drama queen.”

She giggled at me and then said to Ash, “How did you ever get her to even get into this old bucket of bolts?  Our girl here isn't good in tight spaces.  She could barely handle sitting in her family station wagon.  And this thing feels like it will shake apart any second.”

She was doing that on purpose now.  As the world pushed down on me, I said through gritted teeth, “Not helping.”

She gave me a smug, 'so there' look.

Ash signed out with one hand as she navigated us through downtown Seattle, “It was quite a task.”

I saw Katy's furrowed brow, she hadn't caught all of it, she could barely read proper two-handed ASL, she couldn't always catch everything one handed.

I said with mock hurt, “I thought you were on my side.”

She signed quickly with a heated glance at me, “Always.”

I melted right there, my blush consuming me.  I looked down at my hands as I wrung them together.  Then I moved some of my long dark hair out of my eyes and tucked it back behind my ear.

We drove slowly through Pike Place, it was only a half hour after opening bell, and the street and arcade were already teeming with people.  I pulled into myself a bit.

We pulled into the parking garage and found a parking spot almost right away as an old couple pulled out of one on the first level in a truck with Florida plates.  I smiled thinking about being with someone for so long and still driving across the country to see the sites.

I shot a quick look to Ashley and said a silent prayer that that would be our happily ever after too.  I know we are young and have only been seeing each other for two years, but I really couldn't see myself happier than I am with that amber eyed pixie.

Ash pulled into he spot before a jerk in an SUV could poach the spot from us.  He honked his horn and flipped her off.  She hung her hand out the window and let her own salute sway in an imaginary wind.

Katy was grinning as she unbuckled her belt, she turned to me and nudged her head toward Ash, “Her... I like.”

I blushed and lowered my head as I squeaked, “Me too.”

I snorted as Ash got a silly look on her face as she wiggled her eyebrows and relayed, “Ooo, I have a harem.”

I signed back, “Watch it lady, or you'll have nothing but a cold bed tonight.”

She chuffed and smiled happily as she said, “I love it when you get assertive.”

That broke me, and I had to try to hide the perpetual blush I seem to have around her.

Katy said to us as she shook the front seat, “Let me out, there is food out there, you can have your lover's tease fest later.”

Ok, that was it, I was officially ready to curl up under a rock and die of embarrassment.  I swallowed and exhaled with my eyes closed and prepared myself for what was waiting for us on the street.  I nodded once, opened my eyes and hopped out of the car.

Katy pushed the seat forward and slid out of the back seat.  This was actually the first two door I had ever ridden in, well besides a truck, so I found it fascinating that the seats flopped forward to let the people in the back seat out.  Fine, I'm easily amused.

Ash came around and laced fingers with me, and I hugged onto her arm.  Katy looped arms with me on my other side.  I felt oddly protected with the two of them doing what they always did together, just like at the Academy.  It emboldened me.

We quickly navigated through the crowd, Katy kept looking between Ash and me then commented, “Just how in the hell did you ever convince her to be out in crowds like this, Ash?”

I tried to ignore the weight of the words, knowing if I thought about it, it may bring on a mini panic attack.  So I tightened my hug on Ash's arm, concentrating on that.

I relayed as she signed with her left hand, her facial expressions telling the story just as well.  “One step at a time.  The reward is worth the sacrifice as my dad always says.”

Then she added, “She's stronger than she thinks.”

I didn't relay that, and she grinned at me, rolling her eyes as she released my hand for a moment and signing it to Katy before reclaiming my hand, I glommed back onto her arm, looking at our feet so I didn't have to see the crowd we moved through.

I glanced over to see Katy smiling with a look of approval in her eyes.  She just said quietly, “You're good for her.”  That was apparently that.  Then she perked up raising her head and sniffing the air.  She chirped out, “Food.”

Ash and I laughed at our friend.  The thing I wanted to know, is how the heck Katy could always pack away so much food and keep her amazing figure.  She must have won the genetic lottery.  I attribute it to all the hard work she did on her family farm, and she worked the farm on all the school breaks too.

Ashley nodded, and I relayed for her, “That smell... is our destination.  Just through here.”

I grinned as we turned into the Post Street Alley buildings.  When we stepped into the north building, Ash stopped and released me to sign, “So, where would you like to eat breakfast, Kat-McBat?”

Katy inhaled the aroma of fresh baked bread and coffee and pointed, “Forward my trusty steeds!”  And she was off on a mission, following her nose.  She led us right up to the door of the Pike and opened the door.  The scintillating smells that assaulted us had her almost drooling as she shot us a questioning look we just grinned and nodded, and she slipped in, closing the door in our faces.

We chuckled and followed her in.  I blinked.  The Pike was pretty popular, but it seemed the past few days it had been so much busier.  There was a line to the counters, and the three small expanded metal tables were full up.  I glanced outside to the five tables lined up along the building, and they were full up too.

It was so crowded in there, and everyone was using up all of the oxygen.  I knew it wasn't true, but I was finding it harder to breathe.  Ok Leigh, find something to distract you.  Oh, amber eyes looking worried, they are so pretty, I could live in them forever.  I felt my breathing normalizing as she gave me a little smile and reassuring squeeze of my hand.  She would keep the world at bay for me.  She couldn't keep all the anxiety at bay, I don't think anything ever could, but her handling the world for me was enough that I could maintain my composure.

Zoey's little sister, Eve, saw us.  Well, she's not so little, she's a full grown woman, short as she is.  She waved cutely then her eyes looked suddenly concerned as she excused herself from the front counter to come scurrying over to us.

She stole me from my escorts, looping her arm under mine and leading me to the front counter.  “You look positively pale.  Let's get you out of this madhouse.”  She nudged her chin at the girls, and they followed us into the kitchen, where I felt like I sort of decompressed, the weight of the world sliding off of my lungs.

She gave us an over-peppy smile.  She was always so cheerful, I don't think the word 'stress' is even in her vocabulary.  She released me and pointed at a new addition to the kitchen along the wall between prep stations.  There was one of the small expanded metal patio tables there with four chairs around it.

She bobbed her head as Zoey came walking over, covered in smears of white flour, dusting flour from her hands onto the white apron.  Eve blurted and signed, “The VIP table.”

Zoey was all smiles as she said, “Sit sit.”

We did as we were told and I remembered my manners. “Zoey, Eve, this is my best friend ever, Katy.  K-bot, this is one of the owners of this bakery, Zoey, and her bubbly sister, Eve.”

Katy shook their hands as she looked around the kitchen with great interest. “It is a pleasure to meet you two.”

Zoey said as her hands almost danced, “The pleasure is ours.  It is great to know that you are flesh and blood.  The way the girls have spoken about you, I thought you were a unicorn.”

The two exchanged cheesy grins.  Just great, there are two of them now.  I had to smile.

Then before Katy could add to my embarrassment, Zoey was in motion, calling back and signing with one hand, “You ladies just sit put and let me get you some breakfast, Leigh looks like she hasn't eaten in days.”

I blushed, she was always telling me I was too skinny.

Eve gave us all a nose crinkle and said as she dashed off. “No rest for the wicked... and I am wicked.  Nice meeting you Katy.”  Then like a ghost, she was gone, leaving the kitchen door swinging in her wake.

I watched Zoey as she deftly took loaves of bread from the oven, organized trays for the orders up front, and other trays for the front display cases like she had done it for decades.  She made it all look so simple.  Eve wandered in to retrieve the trays at regular intervals.  All of the delectable smells were driving my salivary glands into a frenzy and my stomach growled.

Then Zoey stepped over to us with one of the trays and set it down in front of us.  She beamed at us, “Bon Appetit.”  She just stood there with her hands pressed together against her lips.

We looked at the familiar bread bowls, but something was different.  Instead of the white gravy, they had brown gravy.  She was playing around with the recipes?  I squinted at it as I took a forkful, why in heaven's name would she ever change... I stopped and moaned as the taste sensations hit.

I never thought I could love something as much as I loved my Ashley, but that breakfast bowl was close.

We all chuckled as Katy just sat there with her fork in her mouth with her eyes wide.  She said, “Oh my God.”  But it came out “owf mei golf” since the fork was still in her pie hole.

She removed the fork, chewed and swallowed then looked over at Zoey. “Marry me?”

Zoey looked as pleased as a chipmunk at our reactions, she grinned at Katy and spun her wedding ring with her thumb and said, “Alas.”

My bestie said with drama, “Drat.”  Then she perked up again, “But seriously, this is amazing.”  We nodded agreement.

Zoey seemed overly pleased as she grinned and then turned to get back to work, saying, “I'm glad you ladies enjoy it, I'll put it on the menu my little guinea pigs.”

We had a great time eating and visiting, whenever Zoey or Eve were passing by, they would interject and always had us laughing.  It felt more like we were sitting down and having a family meal at home than sitting in the kitchen of a business.

Then the evil redhead by the ovens shot us an innocent smile and started tapping on a tray with a spatula in a tap tap tapity tap tap tap beat.  Ash began to sway.  Oh, dear lord, she's going to get her to... too late, Ashley started spinning an empty coffee cup in her hand as she caught the beat and duplicated the rhythm by flipping the cup from top to bottom and lightly thumping it on the table.  Using her fork tines on the edge of her plate to add another instrument.

I caught Zoey hiding her smile as it became something playfully wicked as she stopped taping and returned to her work, bobbing with Ash's beat, her evil prompt successfully rendered.

I pursed my lips, trying to hide my amusement.  Then Katy nudged me as she started humming to the beat.  God saw fit to give her looks to die for, but he forgot to install the latest vocal software in her.  She could hum beautifully and keep time well, but her singing voice made me smile because of it's imperfection and just how off key she was.