Made to Shine - Shining Light - WATTY AWARD Winner

Made to Shine - Shining Light - Chapter 18

Chapter 18

‘Doors that someone has closed in the past, may one day be opened by those that you least expect. When the door of opportunity and reconciliation opens, walk in faith knowing that God has your best interests at heart.’



The next few days, Emily tried to relax, eat on schedule and drink more water. She also took her prescribed blood pressure medicine. The hardest part was giving up responsibility to others. Things she had always just taken care of herself. Scott convinced her to hire someone that would come in at four in the morning and do the tasks of mixing dough and cake mixes and she did not need to be there until six thirty, just before the bakery opened, cutting two and a half hours off her morning. And when she arrived, she could have all the cakes done and ready for her to decorate.

“Remember darlin’, you need to delegate and run a business, and we are here to help you. Besides, if we need any help, we know where to find you and you are not far away!”

The week after being released from the hospital, Emily took her first day off, if that is what you want to call it. Emily convinced Grandma to go shopping with her to look for things for the expanded bakery. So, even though it was her day off, she was still working for the bakery. Ben and Scott did not push the issue since she was out and hopefully having fun.

On the outing, Emily and Grandma were enjoying a nice lunch at a sidewalk cafe when suddenly they were interrupted by a voice approaching from behind.

“Mother, what are you doing out away from the bakery? Is everything OK?” Julie asked.

“Oh yes dear, why don’t you join us.”

Seeing that it was Emily she was sitting with, Julie looked down her nose and said, “That is OK, we really must be going.”

Emily looked over her shoulder at a mini version of herself. She had never met her siblings. She had seen them at a distance and now looking at Stephanie, she was seeing herself at thirteen all over again.

Emily did the only thing she knew to do, she stuck out her hand, “Hello Stephanie, I am Emily, your sister.”

The shock on Stephanie’s face was evident that she did not know anything about Emily. She looked from Emily, to her mother and back again. They all shared the same auburn hair and green eyes, although Emily and Stephanie still sparkled and shined more than their mother’s.

“Hel . . . Hello,” Stephanie said.

“Don’t confuse the child,” Julie snapped.

Emily looked up at her mother, “Did you not carry me? Did you not give birth to me? I don’t care how I was conceived, but I know at one point you loved me enough not to abort me. And for that, I will always love you even though you abandoned me,” Emily took a sip of her water, “I would like to meet my sister, and let her get to know me, even if you don’t want to know me.”

“I know all I need to about you,” Julie said.

“Stephanie, would you like to get to know me?”

Stephanie looked from her mother to her sister to her grandmother whom she just realized was there also. She walked around the side of the table, giving Grandma a hug in the process and sat down in an empty chair, “I would like to know about you, Emily.”

“And I would like to know more about you too.”

Julie sat down in the last empty chair, “My goodness.” She was upset because the life she had tried to keep from her past was now crashing together and she realized there was nothing she could do to stop it.

Emily proceeded to tell Stephanie about the bakery and growing up in the bakery, about Grandpa and finally about Ben.

“I am getting married in just a few months. I would love it if you would come to the wedding,” Emily said, and then looking at her mother she added, “both of you.”

When Emily’s story was finished, Julie’s heart had softened a little towards her daughter. She looked over at her mother, “Mother, why are you out today? You never leave that bakery.”

“Well, as an engagement present, Ben paid a down payment on the hardware store. We are in the process of converting it and expanding the bakery. Today Emily and I are out shopping for bakery supplies, cake plates, cabinets, decorative items for the front of the shop.”

“Mother,” Emily said, “I just had a wonderful idea. You decorate all the time, you know more about this stuff than we do. I just know what I like. Why don’t you help us? It will also give Stephanie and I time to get to know each other better.”

“I can’t we really must be going, we have wasted too much time already,” Julie said as she stood up.

“Stephanie, maybe you can come and see us sometime at the bakery. I would love that!”

“Me too! Mother, can I?”

What Julie said was, “We will see,” what she thought was, ‘Over my dead body!’ She hated that place and there was no way that she would let her beloved daughter, the daughter she had done so much to make sure she was raised going to the right schools and having the right friends, would ever be caught in that bakery other than purchasing something to eat.

As the duo walked away, Grandma said, “Well that went well!”

Emily added, “Better than I ever expected,” Thinking for a moment, she added, “she must be getting soft in her old age.”

Grandma chuckled.



The following week, Emily was putting the finishing touches on a cake that looked like a larger than life iPhone for a boy’s bar mitzva when Grandma peeked into the kitchen, “You have a visitor,” she said with a smile.

Gwen had already headed to her night class and Scott was off today. It was almost closing time and Emily had no idea who it could be. Ben had moved into the apartment next door a few weeks before, but he wasn’t due home for another hour. And tonight they were going to pick out paint colors for the rooms of the apartment. Wondering who it could be, Emily laid down her spatula and pipping bag, wiped her hands and headed out front.

Sitting at a table with a plate full of cookies and a glass of milk was Stephanie. She smiled as she saw Emily walking towards her.

“Stephanie, what a pleasant surprise,” Emily said taking the seat across from her.

“These are really good,” Stephanie said with a full mouth.

“Thank you,” Emily picked up one of the cookies and took a bite herself. “This was Grandpa’s recipe. I began making these when I was younger than you. Maybe in a while I can take you in the kitchen and show you what I am working on.”

Stephanie smiled up at her, “I would like that.”

“So, what brings you here?” Emily asked and quickly added, “does Mother know you are here?”

“I wanted to see you. And NO! She would have a fit if she knew I was here.”

“Where does she think you are at?”

“With my friend at the museum.”

“How did you get here?” Emily was surprised at Stephanie’s courage and nerves. They may look a lot alike on the outside, but Emily would have never been able to do this at age thirteen. She wouldn’t have been able to do it at age 20 if it had not been for Ben bringing her out of her shell a few years before.

“A taxi,” Stephanie said taking a sip of her milk. “Why doesn’t mother like you?” Stephanie looked up into Emily’s eyes and had no problem jumping right in and asking the hard hitting questions first.

Not bothering with the trifle questions, ‘What is your favorite color? What do you like on your pizza? What was it like growing up with Grandma and Grandpa?’ No, her little sister had to ask questions she did not have the answers to herself..

“I don’t know. I guess you need to ask her that.”

Stephanie’s brow knotted, “I did.”

“And what did she say?” Emily didn’t want to seem to eager, but this question had been haunting her her whole life. A few months ago when she learned how she was conceived, she understood somewhat why her mother abandoned her, but still, she was a part of her mother too, not just the creep that raped her.

“She said you were a nice girl and she doesn’t hate you, but you remind her of something bad that happened.”

“Well, that is true I guess,” Emily said taking a bite of her cookie, “but, I don’t blame her.”

“Why not?” Stephanie looked rather shocked at the news. As a thirteen year old, Stephanie was beginning to blame her parents for everything.

“Because she is my Mother. She did bring me into this world and even though she could have left me somewhere on a street corner to fend for myself, she made sure I was in a home where I would be loved and cherished,” Emily took a deep breath, “Trust me, I hated her and myself for so long growing up. But now, when I think about it, she did what she could to give me the best life possible. I could not imagine growing up without Grandma and Grandpa in my life.”

Emily looked over at Grandma with a loving smile on her face. Grandma smiled back. The day she had longed for was happening. Her two granddaughters getting to know each other. Grandma had limited contact with Stephanie growing up, but she had seen her on several occasions. Julie had always made a point to make sure Emily was busy or at school when she would invite her mother to dinner or to an event. Today, many years of prayers had been answered, thanks to a chance meeting on the street. Grandma smiled again.

The bell over the door jingled. Emily looked up to see Ben walking in. “Stephanie, can I introduce you to someone?” Stephanie nodded. Ben walked up to the table happily surprised to see Emily sitting down and relaxing. She had released a lot of stress over the past few weeks and he was glad she was relaxing a lot more. Then he noticed the smaller version of Emily. Emily had told him about meeting her sister the week before, but he did not realize how much Stephanie resembled Emily.

Ben smiled, “My goodness, she does look like you at that age.”

“Stephanie, this is my fiance Ben, Ben Hayes,” Emily said, standing up and putting her arm around Ben’s waist, in turn Ben did the same and leaned down to give Emily a soft kiss on the cheek.

“Wow! You are cute!” Stephanie said.

“Why don’t we take you home,” Emily said, “I need to talk to Mother anyway.”

“I guess. Will you stay for dinner?”

“I don’t know. We will see. But, Stephanie, you are welcome here any time,” Emily said with a smile.