Chapter 12 - Clara’s Fourth Birthday
Spring returned to the valley, painting the hills with mountain laurel. Exactly one year after their world changed, Arthur walked Clara into Miller’s Pastry Shop.
This time, Clara was four. She wore a bright yellow sundress, and her stride was confident, her hand resting warmly in Arthur’s steady grip.
Mark stood behind the counter, smiling broadly as he produced a small, perfectly glazed strawberry tart topped with four bright yellow candles.
"How much for this?" Clara asked, mimicking her famous phrase from the year before with a mischievous grin.
Arthur reached into his pocket and pulled out four crisp, shiny silver dollars, placing them deliberately on the counter. "Full price, Mark. Every penny."
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Mark took the coins, dropped them into an antique jar labeled The Clara Fund for Young Bakers, and handed the girl her pastry with a theatrical bow.
"A pleasure doing business with you, Miss Vance."
