Welsh Cookies

Welsh Cookies

An Interview with Ceri and Bron

by Cal

Cal made his way to Bron's house where he was slated to meet with her and her sister. He was excited about this interview. It would be the first time he got to meet the twins for one thing and it would be his first interview with more than one person.

He stepped up on the porch and stopped for a moment. He could smell something baking? Cake maybe? Whatever it was it smelled sweet and delicious.

Bron leaned against the counter top watching Ceri up to her eyes in baking. she was so glad that they were living so close, she knew that both she and Ed would be well fed. But why did she insist on cooking when Cal was due at any minute...nerves?

Before Cal got tagged as a burglar, he figured he'd better knock on the door. The vision he had of Biebe hauling him off in the back of the prowler gave him a chill as he rapped lightly.

"Oh lord, that must be Cal. Take your time answering the door, Bron and try to stall him. I need to get cleaned up a bit"

Cal looked at his watch. Yep, it was the time that he'd set up to be there. Maybe it was the wrong day. Since no one answered the door, he started back down the steps, scratching his head as he went.

Bron opened the door slowly and spotted Cal walking away from the house. Deciding not to give Ceri a chance to get the flour off her face she smiled and coughed.

He turned and smiled "Oh hello. I thought I was in the wrong place. Since Ceri is in the kitchen then you must be Bron. I hear you're hard to tell apart." he extended his hand to her. "Whatever you are baking smells wonderful."

"Hello, pleased to meet you too, Cal. Yes, I'm Bron, the younger, prettier one, but don't tell Ceri I said that, she's a bit touchy about her age. She's the one doing the cooking.. She found a recipe for ANZAC biscuits that she just HAD to try out. Please come in."

He stepped inside and took another deep breath. "Mmm don't believe I know what an ANZAC biscuit is but I figure it must be good." Catching site of Ceri, he snickered. "I know how I can tell you apart now. The one with the flour on her face would be Ceri." He grinned. "How do you do, Ceri. I'm Cal and I'm ready to get started if you two are."

Ceri frantically tried to brush the flour from her face and glared at her twin sister. Bron knew she was in trouble, but Ceri would be nice until Cal had gone, then Bron would run to Ed for protection. Ceri shook Cal's hand and smiled. "Sorry I'm not quite the ticket, please come in and sit down, I think the lounge room would be better than the kitchen right now."

"Works for me." He followed the two lovely women into the sitting room. He waited for them to sit then he followed suit. "Are you both married? I don't mean to sound personal but our readers would be curious."

"Well, damn." Call snapped a finger. "I was hoping to wear that crown." He teased. "Where did you grow up? As if I can't tell by your accents." He added.

"Ah, quite the investigative journalist are't you, "Bron winked. "I think our names are a bit of a give away too. We were brought up in the Rhondda Valley in South Wales."

He chuckled "I suddenly have a craving for Welsh cookies, and please don't take that wrong. My mother used to make them for me back in Pittsburgh. The were a regular treat at the holidays." Jotting a bit down on his note pad he directed the next question at Bron. "I understand that Mister Hoffman was injured. It must be quite the hardship for you right now. How's his prognosis?"

"Thank you for asking, Cal. Ed was in a pretty bad was for quite a while, he took three bullets, one in the shoulder, one in the thigh and one was lodged in his hip. He's now walking with the aid of two sticks and a shoulder to lean on, and the prognosis is very good, it's just going to take time, and he's not always the most patient of men."

"I am sure our readers will be sending their best thoughts and wishes. This has become a very tight knit community in a very short time." He then turned his next question to Ceri. "I understand that Mister Skinner was quite the wolf on the exchange. How did you meet him?"

"That's right. He was quite the man of the moment. I have to say it wasn't love at first sight though. I was commissioned to photograph the offices he worked at for a business magazine. My first glimpse of him was that of a statue, arms folded, one of those stupid bluetooth gizmos in his ear, and he seemed an arrogant SOB." Ceri laughed

"I'm glad you took the edge off of him." He smiled. "What kind of work will you both be doing at the Glen?" He directed to both of them.

"Okay, I haven't really thought of what I'm going to do yet. I'm a painter and had my own gallery back in London. Bron has pointed out that one of my out buildings has the perfect lighting for a studio, so I may take up the brush again." Ceri said.

"As for me, "Ceri chipped in. "I'm a professional photographer, have you seen any of my work? The other section of the outbuilding would be just right for me to work out of, so I'm going to start up again once Ed is more mobile."

"A Galllery huh? That's wonderful. I hear there is a new woman in town. I think her name is Abagail. She too is an artist. Perhaps she could do an exhibit of her work at your gallery. She and a gentleman named Alex are building a studio of some kind but I don't have much information about it yet. I'm sure the Glen Times will be interviewing them in the near future. Anyway, have you met any of the other residents yet and if so, who?"

"Well, it's going to be more of a studio here than a gallery, but if she is going to build something maybe we can get together and work something out. It would be lovely to work with others." Ceri said.

"As for the other residents. We've met you, " Bron giggled. "We also met Steve and Millie and their delightful little tyke. Jack and Bridgid waved to us the other day, but they seemed to be in a tearing hurry, and the Sheriff came calling to check we were legal I think."

"That's a good start. As Toni and Richie Roberts will be getting married shortly, I think everyone will have a chance to meet and greet at their reception. Their announcement it going to be in tonight's edition and they're inviting everyone. Fine folks, they are. After meeting you two I have to say that this is proving to be a wonderful place. Is there anything that you'd like to let our readers know about you? Just for the record."

"We both look forward to receiving an invite, and if they need any help with the wedding photos, I'm sure I could team up with Steve, and Ceri is such a good little baker, she would be happy to contribute to any community get together's that might come along in the future, like a summer BBQ or a good old fashioned garden party. Our doors are always open," Bron concluded

"That's great. I believe my partner Colleen will be calling on both Max and Ed soon. One way for us all to get to know each other is to talk to the people who are the mouths of the community. That'd be me and Colleen of course. By the way, we will be needing some free lance photography work for the paper. I'll give you a call if you're interested." He winked.

Ceri smiled thinking that might be a good idea to get her back into the swing of photography. "Should we warn the boys that a lovely young lady is coming to visit them, or should you warn Colleen about our boys? And I may well take you up on that offer."

"Colleen can handle herself. She's been a reporter in Washington DC and believe me, she can deal with anyone. Max and Ed are both savvy guys but I believe Colleen will hold her own. She's a wonderful woman but don't tell her I said that. I don't want her to get a big head or anything." Laughing a little he paused to read through the notes he kept. "I should print that if anyone is holding a bake sale, they should contact you two. This house still smells wonderful. You reckon I could have one or two of those biscuits before I leave you to your work?"

"Yes, of course you can, Cal. I'll put some in a bag for you to take back to the office," Ceri smiled rubbing her face once more to make sure that there was no more flour lurking on her nose.

He grinned to himself. They were so different yet carbon copies at times. It seemed they had the same facial expressions, laughed at the same time and they moved in unison here and there but he could tell that even though their sibling rivalry, they were very different. They couldn't be a more interesting pair.

"Thanks for the biscuits. I'll have something to nibble while I edit this article. Let me add, thank you very much for the enchanting experience of meeting the pair of you." With that, he stood to leave. He did have a biscuit in the car on the way back to the office, but he saved one for Colleen.