Chocolat. We're here to give out samples of our chocolates – in case anyone's looking for a caterer. Plus, we have a chocolate shop downtown." She offered the lady a truffle from her platter.
"I really shouldn't", the lady said, almost drooling. "But they do look good. Why don't you go upstairs and stop in the mayor's office. His secretary usually handles any catering that needs to be done."
"Thanks so much," Maxine said brightly as the woman pointed towards the stairs. "Do you like raspberry?"
"Ooh, I love it," the woman groaned as she looked at the tray of glossy chocolate truffles.
"Then try this one," Maxine said. "It's dark chocolate with a raspberry truffle filling. It's one of my most popular." She winked at her. "Maybe you can tell me why after you try it."
"And one can't possibly hurt," Ellie said as the woman wavered. "It's good for the soul."
She smiled at them and popped the truffle in her mouth. An expression of pure bliss transformed her face. "This is heavenly," she said.
Gesturing with her hands for them to stop she savoured the last of the truffle. "Give me a minute. I'll call upstairs and let Kath know you're on the way. She won't want to miss these."
Maxine and Ellie looked at one another. "See. I told you those chocolates would open doors for you," Grandma Ellie said knowingly.
"Just as long as it's not a jail cell," Maxine said under her breath.
"Really Maxine. Don't even think that way," her grandma scolded her as they made their way upstairs. Kathleen Sullivan was coming out of her office as they started in the direction of the mayor's office.
She looked at them and Maxine saw a flash of recognition. She looked as if she were ready to turn and head in the opposite direction as fast as her feet could carry her. Maxine stepped forward.
"Kathleen Sullivan?"
The woman stopped. "Yes. Is there something I could do for you?" Her expression was anything but welcoming.
"You were at Ron Vandemeers funeral weren't you?"
Kathleen looked defiant. "He was a good friend. I wanted to show my respect."
"We all did," Maxine said simply. "But you seemed so upset…"
Kathleen said sharply. "He was a good friend to me. And I didn't expect…." She broke off looking upset. "I've said too much already."
"We're just here giving out samples of our chocolates. Business has been a little slow lately."
"Yes, I can imagine," Kathleen said, her voice clipped. "If you leave me a brochure I'll make sure the mayor sees it. We get sandwich trays in sometimes for council meetings and …" she shook her head. "I'll see if there's anything we can use your catering for. After all it wasn't your fault…"
"Somehow I don't see you as being to blame either," she said softly. "If you want to talk I'd be happy to have coffee with you sometime or…"
Kathleen shook her head. "We were just friends. There's nothing to talk about."
"Still. If you decide you'd like to."
"You're too kind," Kathleen said, taking the brochure. But her voice said she didn't think anything of the sort. Her voice said she wanted to be left alone.
"It's so difficult to lose someone you love," Ellie said, looking almost as sad as if she herself had experienced Ron's death in this matter.
"We were friends, that's all," Kathleen said firmly, a hint of anger in her voice. "For you to suggest otherwise…"
"Oh my dear, I wouldn't dream of suggesting anything improper," Ellie said. "But clearly you had deep feelings for him. I mean it was obvious to anyone who saw you at the funeral…"
Kathleen's' cheeks flushed pink. "I, I over-reacted. "He's been so good to me." She led them down a small highway and into a large office area. A plaque on the desk showed her name. "We weren't having an affair. But he's been an important mentor to me. See, I'm trying to develop my own business – but I'm not quite ready to give up this job until I have a few more clients. Ron, well he was just – so helpful to me. I'd never have gotten as far as I have. And then…
"I really shouldn't", the lady said, almost drooling. "But they do look good. Why don't you go upstairs and stop in the mayor's office. His secretary usually handles any catering that needs to be done."
"Thanks so much," Maxine said brightly as the woman pointed towards the stairs. "Do you like raspberry?"
"Ooh, I love it," the woman groaned as she looked at the tray of glossy chocolate truffles.
"Then try this one," Maxine said. "It's dark chocolate with a raspberry truffle filling. It's one of my most popular." She winked at her. "Maybe you can tell me why after you try it."
"And one can't possibly hurt," Ellie said as the woman wavered. "It's good for the soul."
She smiled at them and popped the truffle in her mouth. An expression of pure bliss transformed her face. "This is heavenly," she said.
Gesturing with her hands for them to stop she savoured the last of the truffle. "Give me a minute. I'll call upstairs and let Kath know you're on the way. She won't want to miss these."
Maxine and Ellie looked at one another. "See. I told you those chocolates would open doors for you," Grandma Ellie said knowingly.
"Just as long as it's not a jail cell," Maxine said under her breath.
"Really Maxine. Don't even think that way," her grandma scolded her as they made their way upstairs. Kathleen Sullivan was coming out of her office as they started in the direction of the mayor's office.
She looked at them and Maxine saw a flash of recognition. She looked as if she were ready to turn and head in the opposite direction as fast as her feet could carry her. Maxine stepped forward.
"Kathleen Sullivan?"
The woman stopped. "Yes. Is there something I could do for you?" Her expression was anything but welcoming.
"You were at Ron Vandemeers funeral weren't you?"
Kathleen looked defiant. "He was a good friend. I wanted to show my respect."
"We all did," Maxine said simply. "But you seemed so upset…"
Kathleen said sharply. "He was a good friend to me. And I didn't expect…." She broke off looking upset. "I've said too much already."
"We're just here giving out samples of our chocolates. Business has been a little slow lately."
"Yes, I can imagine," Kathleen said, her voice clipped. "If you leave me a brochure I'll make sure the mayor sees it. We get sandwich trays in sometimes for council meetings and …" she shook her head. "I'll see if there's anything we can use your catering for. After all it wasn't your fault…"
"Somehow I don't see you as being to blame either," she said softly. "If you want to talk I'd be happy to have coffee with you sometime or…"
Kathleen shook her head. "We were just friends. There's nothing to talk about."
"Still. If you decide you'd like to."
"You're too kind," Kathleen said, taking the brochure. But her voice said she didn't think anything of the sort. Her voice said she wanted to be left alone.
"It's so difficult to lose someone you love," Ellie said, looking almost as sad as if she herself had experienced Ron's death in this matter.
"We were friends, that's all," Kathleen said firmly, a hint of anger in her voice. "For you to suggest otherwise…"
"Oh my dear, I wouldn't dream of suggesting anything improper," Ellie said. "But clearly you had deep feelings for him. I mean it was obvious to anyone who saw you at the funeral…"
Kathleen's' cheeks flushed pink. "I, I over-reacted. "He's been so good to me." She led them down a small highway and into a large office area. A plaque on the desk showed her name. "We weren't having an affair. But he's been an important mentor to me. See, I'm trying to develop my own business – but I'm not quite ready to give up this job until I have a few more clients. Ron, well he was just – so helpful to me. I'd never have gotten as far as I have. And then…
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