Episode 1252: Safe & Sound?

“Closed for renovations,” Adria read, “as always take-away service is available inside.”

“No, it’ll take too long, we can just have cookies for a treat. We already have cookies at home. Can we go please?” Miranda tugged at Adria’s wrist, kind of bouncing around in place like she hadn’t just used the restroom right before they’d left the park.

The hand Miranda wasn’t tugging on, Adria used to shield her eyes from the sun as she peered in the ice cream shop’s window. “There’s hardly anyone in there, it shouldn’t take much long than the window would have.”

Adria turned to her daughter. “It won’t take long. And it’ll be nice, don’t you think? The four of us, out on the balcony, soaking up the sun and spoiling our dinners with dessert first, feeling peaceful and safe, so different from-”

“Okay,” Miranda said after studying the window and glancing up and down the empty sidewalk. “I guess we won’t have to be in there that long and I, I like the idea of feeling safe and peaceful, not like yesterday.”

“Me, too, sweetie.” Adria pressed a kiss to the top of her daughter’s head.

The bell overhead rang as they walked inside, the sound just like the one in the bookstore, the similarity sent a shiver through Adria. She’d flinched and since she’d been holding Miranda’s hand at the time, she felt the need to explain it away.

“It’s so much chillier in here than outside, hazards of being an ice cream shop, I guess.” If Miranda hadn’t equated that bell with the one that had announced the gunman’s arrival in the bookstore, Adria wasn’t about to point it out to her.

Adria reminded herself this was completely different, a different day, a different shop, no one aiming a gun.

“Everyone’s usual orders, you think?” Adria asked Miranda as they stood in line behind another lady. Miranda nodded and squeezed Adria’s hand tighter.

When the other woman stepped aside to await her order, Adria and Miranda moved forward. “Hi, um, we’ll have a lady’s delight sundae, a banana split, Neapolitan gelato cheesecake and a Black Forest cake ice cream sandwich. All to go, plea-”

Right then the bell over the door rang out, just another customer, Adria knew that’s what she should have thought, but again, that bell triggered a reminder of the moment when the gunman had arrived. Poor little Miranda’s mind must have gone there, too, because when that bell rang they both automatically dropped to the floor of the ice cream shop, Adria shielding Miranda’s trembling frame with her own.

Episode 1253: Whenever You Call