Tea Tokes and Cake

Vaughn

The midday was humid but thankfully not thickened by too much heat. The air just kind of hung there though broken by the odd truck rolling by and kicking up the road dust. It created the wondrous effect of wet grit. Vaughn Baker leaned his back against his truck chewed at the grit as it engulfed him again. He was a middle aged man with graying hair that was once brown and an ever present hint of a beard like he just couldn’t make up his damned mind about it. He was sporting black sunglasses, a fade black t shirt and worn out ripped grey jeans with old black sneakers. He has just rolled into Corran. It had once been the home of his maternal grandparents; John and Mary Kearney. Vaughn’s gaze was fixed on the land where their old house used to stand. It had been replaced by new housing. The whole neighbourhood had been redone but he knew the shape of the land and where the sun fell on its dips and rises. Change was a constant he knew all too well.

There was a house for rent behind him and he’d have a view of his childhood summer stomping grounds. It was bittersweet but not as bitter as his path in recent years. Vaughn turned around and refocused on the rental. A tiny house. It was trendy. He was trying to discern if it was intentionally ironic or predictably pathetic. He started laughing at the arguments in his own head. It was just a house after all, a place to store your shit, deal with shit, take a shit and as long as it wasn’t full of shit it could be a contender.

Vaughn pulled out his phone and messaged the number on the rental sign before taking a slow walk around the property and the building and having a peek into the windows. It was cottagey, kind of like his grandparents old place. Nouveau cottagey. It would do if the price was right. He gave it an affirming nod and sauntered off, walking past his truck and down the road. If he got a message back, he was parked in the right place to zip right back. Vaughn followed the road to the old corner building that was now The Dancing Goat’s tea shop. There was some sort of construction project on the side he was headed for with scaffolding and equipment spread out so he made the choice to climb the hill behind the building and loop around to the front the long way.

At the top of the hill, huddled behind the building he spotted a familiar figure leaning against the wall with a shock of purple hair, a kitsch tea themed apron and a healthy looking joint in her left hand.

“Is that the kinda herbal tea you got going on in this place?” He teased. He knew Stella Hardy from childhood or she had arrived to live here partway through his.

Stella jumped a bit at his voice and the sigh of him and then started laughing “Oh my god Vaughn. You got me. And no, no edibles in the shop but I’m tempted some days.” She reached out to embrace him as he approached and they hugged tightly. As they let go she offered him the joint.

Vaughn took it from her “Thought you’d never ask. You look gorgeous as always Stella.” He took a long drag and held it in, visibly relaxing.

Stella patted his arm “Always the flatterer. You look good too….it’s good to see you back here. “ She took the joint back from him and hesitated before saying more.

Vaughn sighed at the awkward pause as he exhaled “It’s OK. You can ask me about it. Everyone does. Everyone who knows.”

Stella’s expression was pained as she took her next drag and pondered his permission. She shook her head and exhaled “You don’t have to talk about it unless you want to. I know it’s a drop in the bucket statement…but I’m sorry for your loss….losses….” She handed back the joint as he joined her leaning against the wall.

“Thanks.” He offered tiredly and toked.

They finished it in silence and then walked together around the building, stopping in front of the old welcome sign. Vaughn looked up at it and smiled.

“Still here.”

Stella chuckled “It’s the only one. What are they gonna take it down?”

Vaughn smiled “You know it was my Grandpa Kearney who made that?”

“I remember that. And he passed his talents onto you. Come have some tea…on the house for an old friend.”

“Gladly. Got any cake?” He knew he was pushing his luck but he asked anyway.

Stella gave him a wry look “Only if you’re discreet about it being on the house…and just today.” She slipped behind the counter and he walked to the front of it.

There was another server dealing with a very indecisive man in a suit who seemed to want to know all the ingredients of everything in the case. She was a pretty young woman with dark brown hair and glasses whose smile lit the room even when it was forcibly polite.

“Basically the cupcakes are all the same aside from either fruit or chocolate and vanilla, same base…. Yep butter icing…just simple stuff. Are you allergic to something in particular?....OK then….did you want a few minutes to think it over….?”

Stella stifled a laugh as she passed behind her employee to the next customer waiting in line. He was a construction worker on break from the project outside.

“Hi there, are you ready to order?”

The young man in the hard hat looked at the young clerk waiting on the more high maintenance customer and was visibly disappointed “Yeah I’ll just have the special on the board today….”

Vaughn took a seat and got out of the way, quietly observing the interactions.

Stella served the construction worker while the younger clerk patiently waded through several more choices with the other customer before he said bluntly “You know what just black coffee.”

“Oooook then.” The young woman turned on her heel and seemed to be giving Stella some kind of look the room couldn’t see before saying cheerfully “Coming right up.”

By that time the construction worker was paying at the till and muttered “Seriously?”

Stella pursed her lips and passed him the debit pin pad. The coffee arrived on the counter while he was still waiting for his receipt and he eagerly tried to engage the young woman clerk “Hi again…how are you today?”

She looked pleasantly wary of him “Good…good. Uh you?”

He stumbled almost dropping his tea and muffin “G…g..good too. Bye now.”

The suit wearing patron held out a ten and looked at his coffee cup “Can you tell me what’s in the ginger cookies?”

The younger clerk worked hard to keep her smile but inhaled with a series of slow blinks before answering.

Stella coughed into her hand and fixed up some tea and a slice of chocolate cake for Vaughn and brought it over to sit with him while he enjoyed it.

Vaughn had been chuckling to himself at the whole thing “That guy come in here all the time? Mr. Ingredients?”

Stella laughed “Thankfully not daily.” She whispered back.

“Think construction dude’s a little sweet on your girl there.”

Stella nodded and then looked perplexed “Yes, I’ve been encouraging her…but she’s…I dunno maybe he’s not her type. Maybe she likes women? Who knows right? Chloe is her name. She’s new to Corran this year. Good worker.”

Vaughn looked around Stella “And cute…”

Stella pretended to look offended “I give you free cake and you ogle the younger woman. Vaughn you clueless ass.”

Vaughn cracked up and looked down at the cake “Is it THAT kinda cake?”

Stella giggled now “WHAT kinda cake?”

He shrugged as he ate, still grinning “I dunno, get into my pants cake?”

“Wow I should put that on the menu and see how the day goes. And no I’m not trying to get into your pants. That was a failed experiment as I recall.” She wiggled her eyebrows at him.

The man with the suit exited the shop with a to go coffee and something from the counter in a bag. Chloe waved cheerfully at him and then disappeared into the back kitchen while the construction worker pined at her from across the room.

Vaughn cleared his throat and his cheeks flushed “Sadly yep. We were young and foolish though. But moving on. Any successful experiments more recently?”

Stella rolled her eyes and shook her head “No….it’s ok I’ve given up. I’m too old for the drama of it. How long are you in town?”

Vaughn shrugged “I’m trying to rent a house. So maybe the summer for old times sake.”

Stella’s eyes widened “That would be great. Which one?”

Vaughn looked sheepish “The tiny house.”

Stella laughed “I love that house…but say it again because it’s fun to watch you get your head around it.”

He put on a Scottish accent “The tiny hooose up on the moore!”

Stella almost tipped out of her chair “Oh my god…”

Vaughn winked at her and then let his fork hover over the last of the cake before his last bite “I really should have asked you what’s in this cake.”

“Oh go fuck yourself.”