I'm Still Here

Not A Warm Welcome: Part I

June 2016

Susanna's POV

I winced hearing the front door of the bakery slam as Sadie stalked out. Doing my best to bury down the guilt, I tried to not think about all I had missed from being gone. Before I even made it back into the kitchen Steph started in. I just leaned against the counter letting her have it. I pursed my lips listening to Stephanie complain at me for what felt like the thousandth time since I had made it home two weeks ago.

Do believe she had yelled I was too Frenchiefied while throwing a wooden spoon at my head the other day. Needless to say she'd shipped me off to the location near campus for the next few days stating she had our Jefferson location firmly in hand. Honestly made me feel like my presence wasn't wanted in this whole town. While a bakery had been my dream, it wouldn't be a reality without Stephanie. Or having more than one location now. Steph was the one who kept things running while I had been in France.I owed her and Josh so damn much.

It was a slightly chilly homecoming to say the least. While Mama and Daddy were thrilled I was home, the sting of me missing Christmas was surely felt. Granny Hale had looked like she swallowed a bitter pecan when she opened the bottle of French perfume I had brought her for a late birthday present. Reminded me of her because of the smell along with the elegant crystal bottle. Swore I heard her mutter she would have rather settled for a dozen of my macaroons instead. I'd yet to have seen Brantley which I was dreading.

Sadie had quit answering my calls or texts after I had missed Bo's birth. I wasn't even here for Tiffany's going away party since she accepted that job in Atlanta. We'd gone to dinner the other night but things were off with her as well. I felt a million miles away from everyone and everything that I had missed being across the ocean. Snapping fingers pulled me from my deep thoughts. I lifted my head seeing Stephanie's glare darken.

"And another thing," she snapped motioning at me. "What the hell is that outfit? Since when have you ever worn a skirt to work? A black one at that with..is that kitten heels? What the fuck Suz? This isn't you!"

"What does it hurt to look nicer for our customers?" I snarled back putting my hands on my hips. My cousin scoffed with a shake of her head before going back to work kneading the dough before her. I walked over bracing my hands on the counter meeting her glare head on. "I can't change things up."

"Change things up huh?" Stephanie asked through clenched teeth. "No, what has happened is you have changed! This is not you Susanna! France changed you!"

"Did not!" I argued back. I had heard the same muttered remark from our own grandmother the other day. "There is a life outside this small town Steph. You used to dream of leaving too!"

"Well if you loved it so much you should have stayed," she hissed making me gasp. Stephanie closed her eyes with a sigh shaking her head before opening them again. "I'm sorry Suz. I shouldn't have said that. You followed your dream. No one can fault you for that."

"But what can you fault me for?" I asked in a wounded voice. Her words cut deeper than I wanted to admit to myself. "You pushed me to go. I learned a lot over there. Stuff that really can set us apart."

"Yes you did," she admitted with a nod. "I love some of the new recipes you have created or found. The ones you sent me to incorporate have been a hit. But there also are staple favorites. I'm scared you forgot your roots Susanna. You never dressed like this for work unless for a luncheon. And then you changed so fast my head would spin. I miss the Susanna that loved to bake barefoot. Who thrived on the kids coming in for the latest cupcake creation. This French music is not soothing. It's annoying as shit. There any reason you changed it from the local country station the other day?"