Be Sweet Read Free

Though my heels hurt.”
    She pulls away and looks me in the eyes. “I’ve missed you.”
    â€œYou too.” Guilt washes over me in that familiar way it does when I come to Tappery, but I have my reasons for staying away. “I have to know one thing before we go any further.”
    â€œYeah.”
    â€œDoes that squirrel make messes around your house?” Okay, so I just can’t get past that wild-animal-staying-in-her-house deal.
    Janni laughs. “No. He’s paper-trained. When he has to take care of business, he goes back to his cage.”
    â€œYou’re kidding, right?”
    â€œNope. You think I’d keep him in the house if he wasn’t trained? No way.”
    I toss another glance at the hairy rodent and shake my head.
    â€œWhy don’t I show you to your room? You can settle in, then we’ll come down to the kitchen and get something to eat.” My sister’s answer to life’s problems is food. Proof positive that we’re blood relatives.
    â€œSounds good.”
    â€œWonder who moved this?” Janni asks, turning the Precious Moments figurine back to face north. Do I know my sister or what?
    Tossing a quick glance at Wiggles, I heave my luggage up the stairs behind Janni. “Just so you know, if Thumper and Bambi show up, I’m outta here.”
    â€œOh, once you get settled in, you’ll see it’s not so bad to come home for a visit.” Janni’s words come out in short puffs of air. “Harvesting syrup, working on the scrapbook, hanging out with family. The fun is just beginning.”
    Something about the way she says that causes dread to crawl all over me. But that’s silly. It’s only for a few weeks.
    What can happen?

two
    â€œI brought you a treat,” I say, as I join Janni in the kitchen. The heady scent of sweet maple hits me the moment I enter. “I’d recognize that smell anywhere.” The aroma that fills the kitchen whisks me backwards in time. “Did I ever tell you that Ariel’s Bakery in Maine makes an apple-and-maple cheesecake to die for?”
    â€œThat’s nice.” Janni turns away from the oven and stares at what I’ve brought.
    â€œIt’s a pizza cookie,” I say with pride as I open the box, and we stare at the pizza-sized chocolate chip cookie, sprinkled with M&Ms and a drizzle of chocolate. “Ariel’s Bakery.” I smile, take it over to the counter, grab a knife from the drawer, and start cutting it.
    Janni’s eyebrows arch and her chin lifts. “Guess your taste buds aren’t used to home-baked goodies anymore, huh?” She gathers a warm batch of maple cookies from the cooling rack and adds them to a plate.
    â€œNo offense, Janni, but you know I rarely cook and never bake, so I’ve just gotten used to the gourmet stuff.”
    â€œYou won’t try my cookies?”
    â€œI’m sure they’re delicious, but right now I’m in the mood for chocolate. Maybe later.” Grabbing a plate, I place a wedge of cookie on it, grab a napkin, and join her at the table.
    Janni’s watching me.
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œAre you always this hyper?” she asks in a slow, deliberate manner.
    â€œIf you think this is hyper, you should see me after three shots of espresso.” With a chuckle, I slip into my seat.
    Janni grabs a mug, throws in a teaspoon of instant coffee and creamer, then shuffles her way to the table. “I don’t know what people see in those fancy coffees. They’re so expensive.”
    â€œIt’s more than coffee. It’s an experience.”
    She stares at me. “You sound like a Hallmark commercial.”
    I shrug. After a quick prayer over my cookie, I dig into my treat. Wonder if God will answer the part about making it a blessing to my body.
    Janni reaches for a maple cookie.
    â€œDid you make those with last year’s maple syrup stash?”
    Janni laughs like a