"Delivery"

Today is the day the delivery comes. I'm so excited to start this adventure. With the help of the delivery driver, Axel and Beau we have everything brought in and in place fast.

"Well ma'am, I believe this is all of your items. All I need you to do now is sign over and confirm you've got all the items you ordered." The delivery driver hands over a clipboard and I start to walk around and check everything.

With everything I ordered in place I check off the last item and sign over all the paperwork. I hand it back to the driver and we say our goodbyes. He leaves out the back door and Beau locks it up.

"Is there anything else you need help with, Miss. Nova?" Beau asks. He doesn't talk much but that's fine Axel takes up most of the conversation anyways.

"No, I think we've got it all covered if you wanted to head back to the clubhouse for the day. Axel and I can handle it from here, right Axel?" Axel looks over his shoulder and gives me two thumbs up.

With that Beau takes his leave and Axel and I get to baking. He's asked me how to make a sugar cream pie. He told me his grandmother used to make them for him before she passed away.

Obviously, I couldn't tell him no so we got started. "First, we need to make the pie crust." I gather all the ingredients and I guide him on what we should be doing.

After the pie crust we start working on the filling for the pie. We need to get everything in the saucepan and go so we can get it in the oven. "So Axel, tell me about your grandma."

He's quiet for a second and then I see him smile. "She was so mean but in a good way. I was always in trouble when I was little and she would be smacking me around with her sandals." He looks at the pan and stirs it slowly.

"I would sneak over to her house when my parents were fighting or if they had their scary friends over. I was a runt and I couldn't protect myself like I can now. Back then they would all pick on me and I hated it." He seems to get lost in some memories so I poke his side.

"Well, tell me what you would do to get the sandals. You couldn't have been that bad, you're a sweetheart now." He lets out a chuckle and shakes his head at me. I can tell this will be good.

"Well this one time my friend and I put saran wrap on her toilet hoping she would try to use the toilet. Well, she didn't. She had seen our poor wrap job and took it off. She didn't come out of the bathroom right away. I started to worry maybe she was cleaning up a mess and I went to check on her. That's when she came out throwing her sandals at me and the other at my friend." I let out a laugh shaking my head.

Smacking him in his stomach I pull my arm away from him. "Axel! You were such a little shit. What did she do after that?"

"Well, she made my friend and I go outside and dig holes for no reason. Like, I thought she was going to plant some shit or something but no. She just made us cover the holes back up." I really start to crack up now.

"Oh my god Axel. That's awful. I love this story though. I bet your grandma was the best." Axel looks over and smiles at me.

"She really was. I miss her but I'm glad she went peacefully." We finish up with the saucepan and I let him pour the pie filling into the crust. As we stick it in the oven I hear the front door jingle and Axel instantly steps away to go check who's come in the shop.

I hear some running and an excited voice. Eleanor has shown up with Madz and she's jumping all over the place.

"Hi Nova! How are you? I just got done with school and I told all my friends how we were going to bake together one day. What are you baking right now?" Eleanor just keeps going on and on.

"Woah, little lady, slow down." Madz says as he plops down on a chair next to a table I have in the kitchen. "She is going to lose track of all those questions you asked her." He grabs the back of her shirt and gets her to settle down.

"Hi Eleanor. I hope you had a good day at school. Axel and I were just making a sugar cream pie. His grandmother liked to bake with him too." Eleanor gives me a wide smile.

"Really, Like my grandma. She bakes all the time. Actually, she is baking this week because there is a fair this weekend and a baking competition. Are you going to enter it?" I look up at Madz and tilt my head. No one said anything about it.

"Oh shit, I forgot all about that. There is still time to enter Nova. If you wanted to. The fair is Friday through Sunday but the competition is on Saturday night. You can make whatever you want a group of ladies from town will pick the winners. The winners get a ribbon and a special recipe from them." Madz looks mad at himself for forgetting.

"That sounds like so much fun. I think I'll do it. I've got everything I need to make a lot of things. What do you think I should make?" I bend over and give Eleanor a quick poke. She giggles.

"Oh my you're asking me?! I've really really been wanting chocolate cake. Do you think you could make that Nova?" That sounds simple. My dad had a killer chocolate cake recipe. I think I can handle that.

"Oh course I can do that. That sounds wonderful Eleanor. Good choice. Today is Wednesday, so it looks like I don't have much time. Do you think you can help me gather what I need for the cake Eleanor?" She nods her head and grabs my head.

We head to the pantry and start to gather what we need. "I need the coco powder, the sugar and flour and we're done." Eleanor grabs the basket by the door and puts everything in it. We walk out hand and hand and Madz smiles at us.

"What?" I tilt my head and wonder why he is smiling at us.

"You two are just so cute. Axel is about to head out. He is taking Eleanor back to my moms for the night I had to grab her from school today and took her out for dinner." Eleanor points and sets the basket down.

"Aww man. I didn't want to leave, I wasn't ready yet. I thought I'd get to help with the cake." Poor thing looks so sad. Grabbing her hand I pull her close and whisper in her ear.

"How about we make your favorite thing to bake next week after school. We could bake anything you'd like. How does that sound?" She gives me a big hug and nods her head.

"What are you two planning over there?" Madz asks in a fake mad tone. He's got a frown on his face as well.

"I can't tell you uncle Madz. It's for Nova and I to know and for you to not find out." Eleanor stands tall and puts her hands on her waist. She's so sassy.

"Well okay then. Miss thing. I guess I'll have to wait and find out. Won't I?" Madz walks over and gives her a big hug. "It's time to head home now. Grandma is waiting for you. Axel is going to take you home tonight. I'll see you tomorrow. I love you."

I start to melt into a puddle when I see them together but this. This is something else. He loves her so much. I don't think I can handle the sweetness. The hug lasts for a while and I can hear tiny whispers but I can't tell what is being said.

"You got it dude." Madz gives Eleanor one last hug and her and Axel head out the door. Madz walks to the front and locks up. "The shop looks wonderful today. It looks like you've got everything in place and ready to go."

"I did. The guys were a lot of help and we got everything done. It was simple. The driver even helped us put things up. So it was a quick process. Sir, why didn't you tell me about this fair?. Madz looks at me and gives a puppy pout.

"With everything going on I really forgot about it. I didn't even think about it till Eleanor said something about it. I think you will be the perfect person for this. Do you want me to enter you in the competition?" I nod my head yes and give him a hug.

"I really missed you today." Madz snuggles in closer and puts his head on mine and I can tell he's taking it all in. He said it's been too quiet and he thinks something is going to happen soon. Him and his brothers have all been on their toes waiting for the ball to drop.

"I missed you too darlin'. I really did. All day at work today and at the clubhouse you were all I thought about.

"By the way, that's a yes to entering me. That sounds really fun and exactly what I need to become part of the community. I don't care if I win or not." Madz laughs and shakes his head.

"I think you'll be fine and I also think you are a wonderful baker and they better watch out." When I hear a timer go off I walk towards the oven and pull out Axels pie.

"Oh shoot, I forgot to give Axel his pie. I guess I'll see him tomorrow and I can give it to him then." I pull out my phone and shoot him a quick text. He replies with a simple thumbs up and I set my phone back down.

"Okay. Let's head upstairs and get ready for bed. It's been a long day and I need to show you how much I missed you." Madz grabs my hand and we walk towards the apartment door. I can't believe this is my life now.