A Bitter Cup Page 5

  "Yeah, yeah. I know."

  Still sucked.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Friday, March 20th

  Barry Bear sat at the counter sipping his Rosary Pea Cold Brew and I fought the urge to reach across the counter and brush back his hair.

  I could not decide if his new trend of frequenting the cafe was his way of keeping tabs on me or because he discovered his favorite drink. Regardless the reason, he was welcome to grace my counter with his presence any day of the week.

  "What do you think?" Barry asked.

  Tea-tart! I had not been listening.

  "Sorry," I said. "My mind was somewhere else."

  "Boring you, am I? What's a customer got to do to get attention around here?" He chuckled at his attempt at humor.

  "Barry Bear, you could never bore me." I smiled at him and leaned my forearms on the bar, hands clasped in front of me. Turn the shoulder down just a bit, yup, that is going to make it hard on him. "I could give you plenty of things to do to keep my attention."

  Like where something other than that uniform, so I was not constantly distracted by every muscle in your body. Would it kill you to miss a workout? At this rate he would be fit to star in the next superhero movie.

  "How do you do that?"

  "Do what?" All innocence and rainbows over here, Barry Bear.

  "Turn everything into sarcasm and sexual innuendos without a second thought."

  I bet that smile sealed deals for him. Too bad it was not going to get him anywhere with me. Though, he was probably just trying to butter me up so I did not solve this crime for him too.

  "That doesn't sound like me at all." I winked and sipped my espresso. Between him and Aubrey, I did not know who was making the cafe more enjoyable with each passing day.

  "Oh yeah?" He took another drink of his coffee.

  Mart walked in, dressed in his county sheriff's uniform. The star badge on his chest, caught the overhead light, and in turn captured my attention away from Barry.

  "Need your signature," Mart said to Barry, producing a metal cased clipboard.

  "No problem," Barry said, taking the pen Mart offered.

  "We checked out Doug."

  "And?"

  "Nothing there, like I said."

  "Good," Barry said and handed the pen back.

  "Don't see why—"

  "Got to do our jobs."

  Mart grumbled under his breath as he tucked the pen in his front pocket, behind the badge.

  "William made a list," Mart pulled a folded piece of paper from his other front pocket. "We're each taking three. You've got the last three."

  Barry glanced at the paper, "Oh."

  "Yeah," Mart glanced up at me. "Best to keep this between us," he tapped his nose.

  "I understand," Barry said.

  "You coming then?" Mart asked.

  "Sure," Barry finished off the last sip of coffee. "See you around."

  "Bye Mr. Bear," I said.

  He turned his face so I could not see it flush, and hurried after Mart.

  "You're pure evil," Azure transmitted.

  "Like it's a bad thing?"

  "No," Azure said. "Having a cop in your pocket could be beneficial. Good work cadet."

  "Shouldn't you be getting your beauty sleep? Tired kitties don't win pageants," I transmitted.

  "Cat shows are prestigious."

  Laughter filled the transmision.

  Aubrey came to stand next to me and whispered, "You are so evil."

  "You enjoy it."

  "True." She picked up my espresso and drank the rest of it.

  "Hey now. Hailey doesn't share coffee."

  She stuck her tongue out at me, and started to make a fresh cup. "Can you believe they've already cleared Doug?"

  "No kidding, that Mart guy seems shady." I said. "Wonder who Doug had to pay to get them to lay off him."

  "Right?!" Aubrey said. "Best not tell Jess though."

  "Yeah, no reason to make her worried."

  "Are we still on for tomorrow?"

  "Of course!" I said, worried she was still disappointed by the news that Tori would be taking over the baking again.

  "Sweet," she said. "I didn't know if it was still a good idea with Jess worried about Joshua."

  "It's probably better for her to be here to keep her mind off it, instead of home and worrying."

  "True."

  "Besides, I'm looking forward to seeing Madison and Sawyer. Got to keep up my reputation as the cool aunt."

  "More like a cold wet blanket," Azure transmitted.

  "Watch it," I transmitted.

  "Oh, they've been talking about it all week," Aubrey said. "It's a shame William can't come, but with the investigation. . ."

  "We'll have fun without him," I said. "Besides. The caves aren't going anywhere."

  A comfortable silence spread between us as we drank our coffee.

  "I was thinking . . . we could add some afternoon sweets that pair well with coffee," Aubrey said. "The customers like their sweets in the morning, but a fresh pie for the afternoon might increase business."

  "That is a fantastic idea!" I said with a slight squeal. Duh, that was so genius. It would be the perfect afternoon pick-me-up for customers.

  "Really?"

  "Heck ya it is, What kind of desserts are you thinking?"

  "Well, I make an excellent lemon meringue."

  "I'll volunteer to be the taste tester," Azure transmitted.

  "Too bad you're watching your figure," I transmitted.

  "Har har, I can always make room for lemon desserts."

  "How about a pecan?" I asked.

  "My mother has a pecan cheesecake recipe I could borrow."

  "That sounds heavenly." My mouth started to water at the thought of so many desserts coming into the cafe.

  "We could also look up some coffee flavored stuff, like caffeinated brownies or something."

  "Yes! Let's add coffee to all the things."

  "Woah now, maybe not all the things."

  "Most of the things?"

  "A few of the things." She said, laughing at our silliness. "I wonder what you would be like without coffee."

  "You know, it's the craziest thing, I was told if I went off it even for a day, I would get mind altering headaches that no doctor would be able to explain. So I guess we'll never know."

  "You know that's called caffeine withdrawal right?"

  "Shhh. . . no need to bring negativity into this."

  A fit of laughter over took us both.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Saturday, March 21st

  The Longhorn Caverns were about a fifteen-minute drive outside of Marble Falls, up in the hills. The drive gave you a clear understanding as to why the area was referred to as the hill country. It was a curvy, scenic drive through hills of all sizes. Some were high enough above the river that on a warm morning, like it was, the fog hung over the houses blocking their view.

  My favorite part of the drive was getting to sneak a peek at the Falkenstein Castle through the trees. As a child I would make up fairy tales for the couple that owned it, but having attended a few weddings at the castle, I was now in awe of the peaceful life they had built for themselves.

  Mid March meant the road side was lined with a plethora of bluebonnets and other various wildflowers. The county used a purposeful mowing schedule to create the best conditions possible for the wildflower patches. The view was a once in a lifetime tourist trap that brought people to the area in droves during the springtime.

  The air smelled better. Not that Marble Falls had bad air, there was just something about the elevation that gave it a crisp smell.

  I carpooled with Aubrey, so when we said goodbye to Jess it was bittersweet. Not only was it the first time she was being left alone to run the cafe, but also the first time I was leaving it in someone else's care since inheriting it. I was thankful that just like Aubrey, she had picked it up like a natural. I knew I could trust her, but I would be lying if I said it did not bother me to leave the cafe in the hands of someone else.

  Even in the morning when Aubrey opened, I was always up stairs in case of an emergency. If anything went wrong, there would be no way for Jess to get a hold of us. About the only thing a cell phone would be good for in the caves, was a flashlight.

  Azure left earlier in the morning as a bat to fly ahead of us. The trip was a way for me to spend time with Aubrey, Madison, and Sawyer. Something I had not done since taking over the cafe. But it was also an educational opportunity. Azure wanted me to learn about what it meant to be a dragon protector. And since dragons came from the caves, I had to visit.

  "Aunt Hailey," Madison said. "Do you think girls can be cave explorers? Sawyer thinks it's a boy's job."

  "They can't!" Sawyer said. "Girls can't do boy jobs! Mason said so!"

  "They can too!" Madison said.

  It always amazed me how sure of themselves kids could be. Playground banter was instantly fact, and they knew what they knew with no doubts.

  "Of course, they can," I said. "Is that what you want to do when you're an adult?"

  "I don't think so," she said.

  I laughed, "I don't blame you. Caves are dark and damp. And they can be dirty. I much prefer working in my cozy cafe."

  "Cafe's are girls' work." Sawyer said. He crossed his arms in defiance.

  "Can I work in your cozy cafe when I grow up?" Madison asked.

  "Of course, you can," I said and gave Aubrey a smile. "So can you Sawyer."

  "No I can't, I'm not a girl!" Sawyer said.

  "Okay you guys," Aubrey said. "That's enough of that."

  "Yes, mam."

  "And Sawyer, there is no such thing as boy jobs, and girl jobs. Our friends don't always have the facts, so it's best to ask someone you trust before repeating it."

  "But I trust Mason?"

  "That's true, and you should trust your friends, but you should also get a second opinion from a trusted adult."

  "Yes, mam."

  "Mean mommy," I whispered to Aubrey.

  "They've reached the bickering stage, thank goodness they are both still in five point harnesses."

  I laughed. Thankful I did not have to raise little ones of my own. Being an aunt meant getting to return the cuties when I wanted a break.

  "We're here," I transmitted to Azure, as the tour guide walked out of the front office.

  He looked to be in his early twenties. Young enough that he could still be in college.

  Two other families were standing as a group together.

  "Please gather round," the tour guide said. "My name is Tim, and I'll be your guide today."

  "I'm already inside," Azure transmitted.

  "These caves were formed by an underground water source," Tim explained. "As such there are several small passageways that lead off in different directions. First rule of the tour, don't leave the group."

  "You two hear that?" Aubrey asked in her motherly voice. "No wandering off."

  "Yes, mam."

  "Good," Aubrey said and beamed with a smile. "Who's ready for a fun day?"

  "Me!!" They both raised their hands and cheered in unison.

  I wanted to get into the caves, and out of the morning sun. It was only March, but already the days were heating up fast.

  "Fun fact," Tim said as he led the group into the main entrance. "Back in the thirties, the county turned a blind eye to weekend parties in the caves. There was dancing, music, and of course booze."

  Tim stopped within the first cavern and yelled out, "Long Horn."

  The sound of his voice echoed down the tunnels and back up to us. Of course, that was an open invitation for the children to start yelling out to hear their own voices. Tim smiled. No doubt he had known full well it would be the result.

  The stone walls were beautiful, rose pink, and sprinkled with quartz which caught the lantern lights.

  Suddenly there was a sprinkling of bats hanging overhead.

  "We call them the chicken nuggets of the caves," Tim said, gesturing to the bats overhead.

  "Is that you?" I transmitted looking at a bat with his eyes open.

  "Yes," Azure transmitted. "How else was I supposed to join you? I doubt the tour guide would have been appreciative of a cat following you."

  I fought down a laugh, that would have led to awkward questions from Aubrey.

  "Sneak away in the next cavern and I can show you the dragon shaft."

  "Do you realize how suspicious that would look?"

  "Why?"

  "Aubrey will surely notice if I was suddenly not standing in the group!"

  "Well, roasted beans," Azure transmitted. "That means we'll have to sneak in here when they're closed one night."

  "You could still tell me about the dragons," I encouraged.

  Anything was preferable to Tim and his explanation of the different rock formations. To me, a rock was either beautiful, or useless. I did not need to know how many millions of years it took to form.

  "What do you know about dragons?"

  "Umm. That they love salmon and lemon but not rosemary?"

  Azure laughed inside my mind, and transmitted "Figures you would be thinking of food. Besides that?"

  "That you live forever?"

  "Down here, you can see how the river that runs through slowly carved away at the base of the rock," Tim said as the group followed him down the natural stairwell.

  I held on tight to the metal railing.

  "Flowing to the low points and creating what must have been spectacular waterfalls," Tim continued.

  "Not forever," Azure transmitted. "But we do live far longer than humans."

  "I want to see the pits," Sawyer said.

  "Not today," Aubrey said. "Your father can bring you for that tour, and the two of you can crawl around in the mud."

  "No way," Madison said. "I don't want to get wet."

  "How long?" I transmitted, truly curious.

  "We won't," Aubrey said, and gave me a look that said sorry.

  I shook my head. There was no reason for her to apologize. Children had no filter. Like some dragons I knew.

  "My mother was nearly twelve thousand years old," Azure transmitted.

  I did the math in my head. In 10,000 BC, humans were still hunters. Recalling my history courses from college. My professor would be proud to know that such information came in handy once in my lifetime.

  "How old are you?" I transmitted.

  "Not yet two hundred."

  "Oh," I transmitted, not knowing what else to say.

  "We are allowed to leave our nest, deep underground where it's hot, after our first century," Azure transmitted. "It's a glorious occasion. I worked hard to be able to leave as the leader of the tribe."

  "And you picked all the dragons that came with you?"

  "Yes," Azure transmitted. "We're now bound to one another. Each of us is too weak to live on our own. In the past, we would have joined with our elders to learn our ways, but our culture and that way of life, is dead."

  "Watch your heads," Tim said. "This is the lowest point of the tour."

  The cave ceiling was nowhere near my head. I figured it was more meant for fathers caring their children on their shoulders.

  "What happened?"

  "Man," Azure transmitted, and I felt an icy burn run through my spine.

  "I don't understand."

  "You've heard tales of great knights slaying dragons?" Azure transmitted.

  "Of course," I transmitted, thinking of sleeping beauty and the black and green dragon.

  "They're not entirely made up. By time there were knights, none of us were left on the surface large enough to pose a threat. But, nearly four thousand years ago now, man roamed the earth slaughtering us as we slept."

  "I would have assumed dragons were predators and could defend themselves like a tiger would." I transmitted. "Or do you not get any bigger?"

  I was so confused as to how ancient humans could have killed dragons.

  "As dragons grow, which takes an extremely long time, the time it takes for us to digest food increases," Azure transmitted. "You think I'm like a lazy house cat now, just wait six hundred years when I'll be the size of a large dog. I'll need twenty hours of sleep after each meal."

  "Oh my."

  "Exactly," Azure transmitted. "The idea of dragons in caves has always been around, because it's the best place for us to hide and sleep. It's the only way we can digest our food in peace."

  "I'm so sorry."

  I would hurt anyone who tried to attack Azure. Annoying and stuck up, he might be at times, but he was my pompous dragon!

  "So, what happened?" I transmitted, and I followed at the far back of the group. "How did the dragons come to live as house cats? Why have protectors, if we killed you?"

  "Because it had been our own arrogance that nearly led to our destruction. Your ancestors didn't understand what we are, and mine didn't realize we could be better off with human companions."

  "Sawyer," Aubrey called. "Don't pick at the rocks!"

  He had been trying to pry lose a beautiful crystal from the wall.

  "The oil from your hands will hurt the cave," I leaned over to him. "and if you hurt it now, then none of the other children will be able to enjoy it in the future."

  Sawyer looked down at his hands and hung his head in shame, but that was not what I had intended. I gave him a hug and bent down to his level.

  "I tell you what," I said. "If you and Madison are on your best behavior for the rest of the tour, I'll buy you a each a sack at the gift shop and you can pick out all the crystals you like. Deal?"

  "Yes, mam."

  "You're too soft on them," Azure transmitted. "Children need a strong hand."

  Mentally, I gave him a blank stare.

  "So how exactly did dragons come to have protectors?" I transmitted.

  "That's a long story, for a later time. But I'll say this. Inquisition."

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Saturday, March 21st

  When I returned to the cafe, I found Joshua hanging out at the counter, while Jess managed the customers. Everything looked to be in good hands.

  "Need any help?" I asked.

  "No thanks," Jess said. "Today has been smooth, I got this if you want to take the rest of the day off."

  "Alright then," I said. "If you need anything just call."