My mind went everywhere bad at once. Food poisoning. Trespassing. A resident choking. Somebody accusing her of something.
I opened the door wider. “Come in.”
The woman officer took one look at my face and softened.
Lila whispered, “Mom, did I do something wrong?”
I grabbed her hand. “I don’t know.”
The officers stepped inside. The male officer glanced at the stacked cooling racks by the sink.
The woman officer took one look at my face and softened.
“Nobody is in trouble.”
I stared at her. “What?”
The woman officer pulled out her phone.
She repeated it. “Nobody is in trouble.”
I laughed once, sharp and breathless. “Then why are there police at my door before sunrise?”
She exchanged a look with her partner. “Because this got bigger than anyone expected.”
Lila frowned. “What got bigger?”
The male officer smiled. “You, apparently.”
The woman officer pulled out her phone. “The nursing home staff posted pictures yesterday. Residents’ families shared them. One man called his granddaughter crying because your pies reminded him of his wife. She works with a local community foundation.”
The woman officer nodded.
Lila blinked. “Because of pie?”
He chuckled. “Apparently because of forty pies.”
The officer kept going. “The story spread overnight. The foundation wants to honor you at tonight’s town event. The mayor’s office is involved. A local bakery owner wants to offer you a scholarship for weekend classes if you’re interested.”
Lila just stared.
I said, “That’s why you’re here?”
The woman officer understood anyway.
The woman officer nodded. “Arthur insisted someone tell you in person before the story spread more. He said, and I’m quoting, ‘That girl did not bring dessert. She brought people back to life for ten minutes.'”
And that was it. I broke.
Not quiet crying. Full shaking, ugly crying, one hand over my face because the terror had nowhere to go now.
Lila rushed to me. “Mom? What happened?”
I held her face. “Nothing bad. Baby, I just thought-“
I could not finish.
That evening we went to the town event.
The woman officer understood anyway. “You expected the worst.”
I laughed through tears. “That has usually been a safe bet.”
Lila hugged me. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“For scaring you.”