She gave me a quick nod of approval. “Actions are more important than words anyway. What can I get you?”

I took in the bakery cases full to the brim with pastries, cakes, and pies. The store was aptly named, with cakes decorated in outrageous designs and baked goods in all sorts of combinations you thought would be odd but were actually delicious. “Are the snickerdoodle muffins still Bell’s favorite?”

A huge smile spread over Jules’ face. “They sure are, and I just pulled some out of the oven.” She turned to the kitchen. “Carissa, will you grab me two snickerdoodle muffins?” I pulled my wallet out, but Jules held up a hand. “Don’t even think about it. This is a welcome back gift. It does my heart good to see you coming to your senses.”

I cleared my throat. “Thanks, Jules. I missed you, too.”

“That girl missed you more.” A wistful look filled her features. “She still comes in every Saturday like the three of you used to. Still gets an ice cream from Two Scoops every year on the day school lets out. Vi might be gone, but there are still people here who love you.”

“Jules…” Her name came out as a hoarse plea. I couldn’t take it. Couldn’t handle her words. Just being in the bakery was almost too much to bear. The treats I used to pick up to leave in Vi’s locker as a surprise. All the times we’d brought Bell here to escape the girls’ parents. But when you added the pain I knew Bell had experienced because my reflexes hadn’t been fast enough… It was all too much. That familiar, insidious black tar of self-hatred inched through my body in a slow wave.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought it up. I’m just glad you’re back.” Jules smiled at me, but it was forced now.

“It’s okay.” I looked out to the street. The sidewalk the three of us had walked down countless times. It felt like another life. But it was one I had to make peace with. Because if I didn’t, I’d lose everything I had left: my family, the bar, Bell. I’d pushed them all to the side for so long, I’d forgotten how important they were to me. But less than a week back, and I knew I didn’t want to put them on the back burner ever again. They were too important. Too vital. So, I was just going to have to deal with the past.

“Ford, do you remember my granddaughter, Carissa? She was quite a bit younger than you, but she grew up here, too.”