Little Red's Café

ONE

I think back to the headlines of the morning paper the day after they found her body. "Local Café Owner Found Dead", it read in bold print. I had just nestled into the cushions in the breakfast area that sits off to the left of the living room. The half-oval stretch of windows extends outward separating the front porch from the back.  After fetching the newspaper from the driveway, I returned to the comfort of my morning routine. Folding my legs under me as I sat down on the cushions. This was the second thing that was off about that morning. Mom usually brought in the paper after her morning jog, and she always had a cup of coffee brewed for me sitting on warm. That morning, I assumed she was running late, because neither of those things were done.

 I had taken a cautious sip of the fresh coffee I had brewed as I picked up the newspaper choking on the hot liquid. Panicked, I sat the coffee cup down and picked up my phone to call my mother. Some days she was at work before I woke up, especially during Summer.

The phone started dialing out and I nervously toyed with the hem of my tattered night shirt. Feeling the adrenaline rush through me I suddenly felt cold and regret wearing shorts. My eyes cut to the grandfather clock, and I watch it tic. "10:30" I breathed she should be prepping for the lunch rush. Her face flashed through my mind, the beginning signs of crow's feet under her hazel eyes from where her eyes crinkled when she smiled; the dimples under her high cheekbones; and her oval face caressed by her strawberry blond hair that gently brush her freckled shoulders as she moved; her hair was starting to season with silver strands.
"Mommm please pick up" I mumbled, panicked as tears well up in my eyes. I started to pace in front of the sitting area. Hyper fixating on the steam rising from the coffee cup that I had left sitting on the window seal. I wanted to scream, my throat burned like I had swallowed a spoonful of red-hot embers. There was no way it was my mom. There are at least three other Cafés in Crows Bay. This was just a coincidence; it had to be. I picked up the newspaper and stared at the article again only to find out it said, 'This story is still developing'.
"Hi!", her voice, energetic but soft, filled the other side of the phone. Hearing it brought me instant comfort.
"Oh, thank God! Momma, I-!" I inhaled, choking on the sharp reality.
"Sorry! You've reached my voicemail. I'm either baking cookies-" my blood ran ice cold, and the small hairs stood up on my neck. I looked at my reflection in the window, my pale face staring back at me.
"Or spending time with your favorite daughter!" My voice piped in energetically on the other end of the phone.
"My only daughter, Little Red." I can remember her gently pressing the back of her flour covered hand on my cheek as we both giggle. "So, leave a message after the beep and I'll ring you back!"
"BEEEEEP," Our voices sing together, our giggles drowned out with a monotone beep.

I opened my mouth to beg her to call me back as soon as she got this voicemail and just at that moment there was a soft knock on the door that made me jump. My heart was pounding in my chest, and the room started spinning as I got closer to the door. I clutched the phone to my chest and dreadfully walked in that direction. When I opened it, I saw two uniformed officers standing on the stoop. Nervously I smoothed down my untamed hair and fold my arms across my chest. This town is very quaint, so I recognized the familiar faces as Officer Quinn and Officer Parker. They are frequent customers at the Café most mornings. Both of their faces were grim, as if death painted their faces for them. Officer Quinn had been the one to knock, her long almond brown hair wrapped up in a bun perfectly on her head. She was holding something in her hand. When my gaze moved to her hand, I instantly recognized the sunflower case to be my mother's phone. I pressed the end call button on my phone and reached down to brush my fingers along Trix's back, my golden retriever, her tail was wagging excitedly at the familiar faces completely oblivious to the tension. Still in denial I plaster a smile on my face, although it doesn't reach my eyes. "Good morning officers! How can I help y'all?"