Innocent

Chapter 17

We were back on the road first thing in the morning as soon as we finished breakfast. Ash and Ethan were discussing with James and I about how we liked the adventure we had and wondered if we would ever consider going on another trip with them someday to chase more tornadoes. James answered that he wasn’t so sure on it, and I didn’t have the heart to tell them that I was terrified of tornadoes and wouldn’t want to chase them for a living. I could tell them the truth, but I didn’t want to disappoint them especially when they’re so passionate of chasing them. Don’t get me wrong, but I did have fun chasing it. It’s just something I don’t want to do all the time.

When we pulled into the driveway of Aunt Zoe’s home, it felt like she had been watching us through the window or something because she opened the door immediately, walking off the porch and over to us. She opened her arms wiped for me and then hugged me tightly.

“I missed you so much,” she said. She pulled away from me and then hugs James. “Did you two enjoy yourselves?”

“Yeah, it was really awesome,” James answered.

Aunt Zoe turned to Ethan and Ash. “Thanks you guys for taking them. Both of them have been through a lot lately and I really think that the adventure you took them on took their minds off everything.”

Ethan smiled. “It’s no problem, Zoe. They are welcome to join Ash and me any time.”

Ash and Ethan said their goodbyes, saying they had to be somewhere but didn’t say where. They promised to be back tomorrow where they were going to attend some fundraiser for cancer or something. Once they were gone, Aunt Zoe asked if we wanted to help her with some baking. Her store was catering desserts for a fundraiser for cancer. She was at home baking some while her employees were baking some as well as baking cakes for the store.

James and I joined Aunt Zoe in the kitchen, telling her about the chase.

“Have you gone on a chase with them before?” I asked my aunt as she pulled out a tray of chocolate brownies from the oven and set it down on the counter.

“I haven’t done it yet,” she said, grabbing a knife to cut up the brownies. I breathe in the smell of the fresh bake brownies, already feeling my mouth water. I couldn’t wait to try one of them. “Ethan is always asking me to come, but I’m busy running the store and I have no time to take time off.”

“You should take a break,” James said, dipping his finger in a bowl that had chocolate frosting it. He licked his finger. “I mean, when was the last time you have taken a day off, especially because you’re the manager of the store you own?”

Aunt Zoe smiled. “You know, I would love to have a vacation, but it isn’t easy when you’re running a business.”

I reached for a brownie as soon as my aunt got one section of the tin cut into squares. Just as I was about to grab one piece, Aunt Zoe smack my hand away, telling me not yet.

“I like Ethan,” I said. “I think he is really nice and he isn’t so much of a jerk like the other guys you have dated. He is really passionate.”

Aunt Zoe chuckled. “You aren’t saying that so I don’t change my mind and allow you to have a brownie even when I’m not finished with it yet?”

“No.”

Charlie strolled into the kitchen and then stood on his hind legs, placing his front paws on the table as he stood beside James and me. Aunt Zoe told him to get down from the table and he did.

“I will let you guys try the cakes once they are all finished baking,” Aunt Zoe promised. Charlie barked as if to ask ‘What about me?’ We laughed. “Yes, Charlie, you can try some cake too. How can I forget my little baby?”