Mary and Alvin

The Cupcake Catalyst

Mary stepped out of the front door of the bank. Hannah was in her sling, patting at her mother's face and babbling. Mary didn't think she was really saying "mama", but had chosen to believe it anyway.

There was a tall, thin woman standing on the sidewalk, wearing a very short denim skirt and holding a white cardboard box. She looked like she was lost or confused, so Mary stopped. "Excuse me," she asked her, "are you looking for something?"

"Yeah," the young woman said, "This is a bank, right, do they have a loan office or is it just, like, a call center or something?"

"It's an administrative facility. Yes, there's a call center, but there's no customer service."

"Fuck. Okay, well, thanks." She flopped down on a bench, the box in her lap.

Mary started to walk away, but looked over her shoulder and realized the woman was crying. She turned back.

"Are you okay, dear?" she asked.

The woman nodded, but Mary walked over to the bench and sat down next to her. "What's your name, honey?"

"Jessica Dixon."

"Well, nice to meet you. My name is Mary. This is my baby, Hannah."

Jessica looked up at Hannah. "What a pretty little girl. How old is she?"

"Ten months."

"I've got a little boy." She shrugged. "Well, I don't have him. He's in foster care."

Mary winced. "So,Jessica, why do you want a bank loan?"

Jessica flipped open the box. Mary looked down and saw a half dozen cupcakes, each topped with a different color frosting.

"Try one," she urged.

Mary picked up a pink topped cupcake, peeled back the paper and took a bite. It was delicious, rich chocolate with a creamy strawberry frosting.

"Wow, that's really good."

"You have frosting on your nose."

"Oh thanks." Mary wiped the frosting off with her finger. Hannah grabbed her hand and yugged it toward her mouth. Mary pulled back, but then decided to let the baby lick the frosting.

"Well, that's an endorsement," she laughed.

"Yeah, I have a talent." Jessica sniffled and wiped her eyes on her sleeve. "Not that it does me any fucking good."

"That's why you want a loan? To sell cupcakes?"

"They are just a sample. I can bake anything."

Mary swallowed the last of her cupcake. "I believe you," she said.

"I went to every bank in town. Then I went to the banks in Camden and a couple in Rockland. Nobody would give me the time of day."

"Let me take a look at your proposal," Mary said, flicking crumbs from her skirt.

"You just ate it."

"Oh, no, you have to present the lender with a detailed plan, how much you need, what it will be spent on, listing your collateral, all that sort of thing."

"Won't matter. It was stupid to think anyone would want to help me."

"Why do you say that?"

Jessica looked off into the distance, shaking her head. She put the box of cupcakes down on the bench and stood up. "You can take those home to your family."

As the young woman walked away, Mary looked down at the cupcakes. Damn, they were good. When she looked back up, Jessica was already halfway across the parking lot.

"Hey," she called after her.

Jessica kept walking.

"Hey!"

She turned and looked at Mary.

"I want to help you."

"Why?"

"I don't know," Mary said, "Why not?"

Jessica marched back to the bench. She stopped in front of Mary, leaned down close and looked her in the eyes.

"Because six months ago I walked out of Women's Correctional after serving two years for selling drugs."

Mary held her gaze."Were you good at it?"

"At selling drugs? Yeah, I was wicked good."

"Then you ought to be able to sell cupcakes. Especially really good cupcakes."

"So, you going to get me a loan?"

Mary stood up. She took her wallet from her purse and pulled out her business card.

"No," she told Jessica, putting back her wallet,"But if you decide to get serious, give me a call. I'll do what I can to help you."

Jessica took the card and read it. "Okay, thanks," she said, sounding dubious.

Mary started to walk away, then turned back and picked up the white box from the bench. "And thanks for the cupcakes," she said.

***

Alvin took a bite from a yellow frosted cupcake. "Jeezum," he said, "that's some kind of raspberry with a lemon top. Wicked good."

He looked into the box. "I thought you said there were six. You ate one, I have one, but there are only three left."

"Yeah," Mary said, grinning, "Hannah ate one."

Alvin laughed. "Right, Hannah did. Well no doubt they are good, but that don't mean this girl can run a business."

"That's why I thought I could help her. Teach her how to make and keep to a budget, control her inventory, set her price points..."

"All the stuff you want to teach Diana, but she won't let you."

"Basically, yeah."

Alvin picked up another cupcake. "But, honey, you know nobody's going to give her a loan. With a criminal record? No experience or probably much of an employment record? It's not going to happen."

"Maybe not, but at least I can give her a fighting chance."

Alvin looked thoughtful as he finished his second cupcake. "Here's my concern," he said at last, "you just started back to work a couple of weeks ago, you've got a baby that, whether you know it or not, is soon going to be more of a handful than she already is, and you are still dealing with getting Jennifer's business in order. So, taking this on too, helping this gal, is going to put even more on you. I have to ask you, what makes it worth it?"

Mary shook her head. "I don't know, Alvin, all I can say is that I'm not an impetuous person and I'm a pretty good judge of character. There's something about her that makes me feel like she's worth taking a chance."

"Well, I won't argue with you. You know that I'll back you in whatever you want to do."

Mary reached across the table and took his hand. "The last time I took a crazy chance on somebody it was some man who wanted to take me sailing. That worked out okay."

"Well, but he was a real sailor."

"True, and he was so charming."

"And handsome."

"Yes, and handsome," she ran her hand up his leg to his crotch. "And he had a beautiful cock."

Mary slid off her chair and knelt in front of Alvin. She tugged down his zipper and slipped her hand inside his jeans.

"You know that I already said I'd go along with whatever you want to do, right?"

"Yes, baby," she said, "this isn't a bribe, it's a reward." She tugged his jeans down over his hips and ran her tongue up the underside of his cock.

Alvin reached for the cupcakes. He picked one up and ran his finger through the chocolate frosting. Mary looked up to see what he was doing, and watched as he smeared the chocolate around the head of his cock.

Mary flicked her tongue at the chocolate, then ran it down the underside of his shaft, leaving a trail as she went. When she reached the base, she worked her way back to the tip, licking and sucking off all the chocolate.

Alvin held her head in his hands as she sucked him. She looked up at him and he chuckled.

"What's so funny," she asked.

"Your face is just smeared all over with chocolate."

She rose on her knees and kissed him. "Now your's is, too," she said, returning to his cock. After a few minutes of sucking, she noticed the tell tale signs that he was nearing his climax; he arched his back and began to shift his feet back and forth. She sucked harder, bobbed her head faster, and before long she tasted his salty fluid on her lips. she slathered it with her tongue, mingling it with the last traces of the frosting.

When she finished, Mary sat back on her heels. Alvin reached over to the table and picked up the cupcake he had taken the frosting from. He separated it in two, then held the top half out to Mary. She leaned forward and ate it from his finger, then watched him eat the bottom half.

"Yes," he said, "Those are some wicked good cupcakes."

***

Mary waited for Jessica to call, and after a week, assumed that she would not hear from her. So when she answered her phone the following Friday evening, she was surprised that it was her.

"I thought you might have given up," she said.

"No," Jessica answered, "I did some research on the internet and I've been working on the things you talked about, how to make a proposal and all that. So, I'm wondering if you'd look over what I've got and maybe give me some advice."

"I'd be glad to. Why don't you come to the house tomorrow for supper, and we'll talk."

"You want me to come to your house?"

"Sure, why not?"

"With your husband and kids and all?"

"Well, just one kid."

There was a long pause, then Jessica said, "Alright, that would be cool."

Mary gave her the address and said good night. She shook her head in thought. Jessica responded to even the simplest kindness with surprise. She looked down at Hannah, sleeping on the couch by her feet and thought, it's a hard world for women, sweetie, we are going to have to raise you to be strong.

The next night, as she finished preparing supper, Mary heard car tires on the gravel driveway. She looked out the window and saw Jessica getting out of a beat up jeep. She watched as she leaned back across the front seat, kissed the woman who was driving and picked up a box from the seat. Another white box, she thought with a grin.

"Alvin, can you get the door," she called into the living room.

Alvin was sitting in the rocking chair reading

The Life of Pi

. Mary had to call a second time to get his attention, and Jessica was already knocking on the door. He crossed the room and opened it. She looked younger than he had expected, and his first impression of her was that she was scared.

"Hi, come on in," he said. He introduced himself and saw her glancing at the book he still held in his hand.

"Do you like that?" she asked.

"Yes. Can't take my nose out of it. Mary got me to read it because she figured I'd be interested in any story about a boy at sea..."

"And a tiger."

Alvin smiled. "So, you've read it."

"Yeah, I read it when I...Yeah, I have."

Alvin realized where she had read it, and he could see that she knew that he had.

"You're with friends, here, dear," he said, "Come along to the dining room and have a seat."

"Thanks," she said, "I hope you like cheesecake, I figured I ought to bring something."

"Well, that was thoughtful," Mary said as she came in from the kitchen carrying a platter of sliced roast beef.

"We really liked your cupcakes," Alvin said, grinning. "Mary was particularly fond of the chocolate frosting."

The small talk over supper was awkward at first. Alvin and Mary were careful not to say anything that Jessica might think prying or judgmental. But when she asked them a few questions, about the farm and the wharf, the atmosphere became more relaxed.

"When I was a kid, we used to go to Faulkner's Wharf." Jessica said.

"I wonder if we met," Alvin replied.

Jessica looked at him closely. "No, I think I'd remember you."

"Did you have a boat?"

"No, we used to rent kayaks." She looked puzzled when they both laughed, and Mary told her the story of how they had met.

Angus wandered in to the room and jumped up into Jessica's lap.

"Hello, kitty," she said, hugging him and scratching his head. "Is it okay if I give him a little something?"

"Might as well," Alvin said, "He'll just steal it anyhow."

He watched as she picked up a scrap of meat from her plate and held it in front of the cat. He snatched it from her fingers and swallowed it. That old fella is usually a pretty good judge of character, Alvin thought.

When they finished eating, Alvin helped Mary clear the table. Hannah began to cry and he went to see to her, so that Mary and Jessica could get to their business. After changing the baby, he carried her into the dining room and sat at the end of the table, listening as Mary went over Jessica's proposal, tweaking and editing it.

Once they had improved it to Mary's satisfaction, Jessica looked it over, then laid it on the table. She sighed and looked at Mary.

"I really appreciate this," she said, "but I'm really just whistling into the wind, aren't I? I mean, I have no business experience, no credit, no collateral. Maybe someday I could do this. If I can get a decent job, maybe I could save up or something. But..." She shrugged, her voice trailing off.

Alvin stood up. "Will, you take the baby?" he asked Mary.

Mary took Hannah from him, puzzled as to why he had broken in on the conversation. "Hold on," he said, "I'll be right back."

Mary shrugged at Jessica as Alvin left the room.

"Hey, if he wants to hire me to scrape barnacles or something, I'll take it. I've done worse to make a buck. Lots worse."

"He's got that 'I can fix things" look on his face," Mary sighed, "So who knows what he's got in mind. Anyway, let's have some of that cheesecake. What kind is it?"

"Mocha chocolate chip."

"Oh good god, yes," Mary said as she opened the box.

They were halfway through their cheesecake when Alvin came back in.

"Honey, you have to have some of this," Mary said, cutting him a piece.

Alvin sat down and took a bite, as the two women stared at him expectantly.

"Damn, that's wicked good," he said. He looked up and saw them staring. "So, what will it cost just to buy enough flour and sugar and whatnot to get started?"

Mary looked down at her scratch pad.

"We figured that start up costs..."

"You figured in rent and insurance and utilities and all that."

"Of course."

"Forget that. What if it was just what you need to start baking?"

"A couple grand, I'd guess," Jessica said.

Mary nodded. "Seems right, but there's so much more to it."

"No, there ain't," Alvin said. "Not if someone owns a fully equipped commercial kitchen that sits unused seven months of the year."

Jessica looked from Alvin to Mary with a puzzled expression.

"The diner at the wharf?" Mary asked. As soon as she said the words, she knew that it was a great idea.

Alvin looked at Jessica. "If Mary agrees, and I'd be some surprised if she don't, we will front you the money to get your supplies, and when Audrey closes down in September, you can move in. You'll have to close up for the summer, or maybe the two of you could work side by side. We'll have to see. But one way or another, it gives you a start."

"Will Diana go along with this?" Mary asked.

"That's what I was just doing, talking to her. She don't want to be a part of it, but as long as we don't interfere with Audrey, she don't care." He looked at Jessica. "This sit right with you?"

Instead of answering, Jessica burst into tears. Mary moved closer and put her arm around her shoulder. Jessica wiped her eyes with a napkin. She looked at Mary and asked, "Why are you guys being so nice to me?"

Mary thought for a minute, unsure of her answer. "I go to work every day and we talk about all the good we do, but I don't see it. All I do is push paper. And I guess that when I met you, I thought, here is someone who just needs one good break. And maybe I can help her find it, so why shouldn't I?"

Hannah began to cry. She needs to be fed," Mary said.

"I guess I ought to get going," Jessica said, "I'll call my Mom to come get me."

"Alvin, maybe you could run her home, so her mother doesn't have to come back out here."

"Sure," he said.

"Really?" Jessica said, "You don't mind?"

Alvin swallowed his last bite of cheesecake. "Don't mind at all." He got up and grabbed his jacket and keys while Jessica said good night to Mary.

As they walked to the car, Jessica stopped suddenly, looking down towards the house by the pond.

"Is that a sheriff's car over there?" she asked Alvin.

"Yeah, that's just my daughter in law."

"She's a cop?" Jessica asked as she slid into the passenger seat.

"Yes, she's a deputy."

Jessica didn't say anymore until they had pulled out on to the road, then she looked at Alvin and asked, "So, did you have her run a check on me?"

Alvin shook his head and shrugged. "Never even occurred to me."

Jessica was quiet again for several minutes.

"You're up off the Searsmont Road, aren't you?" Alvin asked.

"Yeah, just past Route 150." After a pause, she said, "You know, I totally get why people don't trust me. I've fucked over everyone who ever did. So, when your wife just takes it for granted that I'm not up to no good, that's a big deal."

Alvin thought about the story Mary's brother Steve had told the night before their wedding; how young Mary had shown her dance lessons to a disabled girl and risked punishment to keep it a secret. Helping Jessica did not seem out of character for her at all.

He looked at Jessica and shrugged. "I think she figures she loses more by being distrustful than she would by being robbed."

As they turned into the driveway of her mother's house, Jessica asked, "What about you, why do you trust me?"

"Not sure I do," he said, "But I trust her, and she ain't let me down yet."

***

Alvin finished tying off the Claire and helped her captain push off, bound up the coast to Acadia. He gave a wave, then headed into his office. Laura was at the bathroom sink, washing up.

"You done for the day?" he asked her.

"Yeah, Derek and Jimmy can close up." She came out of the bathroom, drying her hands, "Listen, Alvin, I wonder if I can ask a favor."

Alvin noticed a worried expression on her face. "Of course, what's the matter?"

"Probably nothing, but I haven't heard from my dad in a few days. I tried calling him, but got no answer."

"Well, hell, you know how he is, he might have wandered off to god knows where to some junk auction or something."

"He's been known to do that, true," she nodded, "But I'm a little worried and I promised Emily I'd be there for her softball game."

"So, I'll run out to his place and check up on him."

"Thanks, Alvin, you're probably right, he's off on a gallivant somewhere."

"Like the time his truck wouldn't start and he drove all the way to Pittsfield on his tractor?"

"Something like that," she replied, but her face still showed concern.

"I'll go take a look around. Tell Emily I said good luck."

"Thanks I will."

"Tell her don't spread her feet so wide at the plate."

Alvin called Mary as he drove the five miles out the Waterville Road.

"Hi, darling," he said when she answered. "I'm going to be home a bit late. Laura asked me to check up on Harry. She ain't heard from him for a touch."

"Alright, I am making that lemon chicken you like for supper. It will hold."

"I'll get home quick as I can. How's the princess?"

"She's scuttling around the floor like a little crab."

Alvin laughed. "She better say 'dada' soon."

"Honey, don't be jealous, all babies say mama first."

"Alright, I'm almost at Harry's. I'll see you in a bit."

Alvin slowed and turned when he saw the sign reading "Harry's Scrap And Surplus". He drove down a lane between two rows of derelict cars, through the yard and around the old chicken barn that held Harry's vast collection of unsellable junk. He pulled up in front of the house. As soon as he stopped, he saw the coffee brandy bottle laying in front of the open door of the attached garage.

He got out of the car and called for his uncle. "Hey Harry, you around?" Somehow, he knew he would not get an answer. He walked toward the garage, his stomach in a knot. He looked inside and saw Harry, sprawled in a plastic weave lawn chair, his legs outstretched in front of him and his head tipped to one side.

Passed out drunk, Alvin thought, knowing it was not true. He gripped Harry's arm to shake it. It felt rigid. Harry did not respond when he squeezed and shook it.

There was another empty brandy bottle on the floor. He picked it up and walked out into the sunlight. He stopped and took a deep breath, then dialed 911. He explained the situation to the dispatcher, then hung up and stooped to pick up the other bottle.