Strawberry Sundae Afternoon

By L. M. Gonzalez

Ally Garza and her son return to San Antonio to care for her sick mother. She needs a part-time job but can’t find anything. When Henry offers to hire her at the store, she’s reluctant—she’s hurt because her past attempts to contact him brought no reply. What happened to the love they had shared?

Henry Ortiz happily operates his family’s ice cream store and serves customers from a truck at the lake where he met the girl he fell in love with years ago. They spent many summer afternoons enjoying strawberry sundaes together, until she moved away…and never even sent him a postcard.

Independence Day fireworks, strawberry sundaes, and a child’s innocence might rekindle the romance.

• Language: Unknown
• Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
• Release date: Aug 3, 2022
• ISBN: 9781509243648

L. M. Gonzalez

L.M. Gonzalez writes about the loves and lives of women and the challenges of romance the second time around. Her stories, set against a backdrop of strong Latino culture blended with an American lifestyle, are refreshing and capture the essence of everyday Hispanic life.

Book preview

Henry caught up with her. Jimmy found a bench and sat down to happily eat his ice cream. Seven years ago, Henry hadn’t stayed with her. What did he want?

I’m glad to see you. Why did you leave so quickly?

He smiled with no cares in the world. Why not? His life had gone according to his plan. He hadn’t had a child to give birth to, raise, or provide for. Why should he bear any rancor? Still, anger filled her. When he would have taken her hand, she moved away.

I don’t have anything to say to you.

What? He raised his eyebrows.

Our lives went different directions. Or at least mine did. Yours seems to have stayed the same. My mother told me you didn’t have many prospects. She was right.

Ah, yes, your mother. Tia Lotta told me she’s not doing well. I’m sorry. I don’t wish ill health on her, though she never had anything but bad things to say about me. So what are you doing back?

I’m going to help take care of my mother for the summer.

Must be nice to be able to take off for weeks at a time. He glanced at Jimmy and laughed.

Jimmy was licking the container.

Your son liked it. That sundae is magic.

Yes. I mean, yes, I’m happy I’m able to take off for weeks at a time. I’m doing very well in Austin. Ally would not tell him of the hardships she endured, or the loneliness.

Praise for L. M. Gonzalez and…

NO ACCOUNTING FOR LOVE:

International Digital Award, Oklahoma RWA, 2016

~*~

TOO LATE FOR ROMANCE:

Love can happen at any age and this story proves it!

~Krista, Coffee Time Romance

~

I enjoyed the realism in the story…it wasn’t all a bed of roses.

~Mimi, Night Owl Romance Reviews

~*~

A LOVE FOR ETERNITY:

This story kept me captivated from beginning to end. It flowed easily and was very interesting.

~Azalea, Long and Short Reviews

~*~

Strawberry Sundae Afternoon

by

L. M. Gonzalez

One Scoop or Two

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.

Strawberry Sundae Afternoon

COPYRIGHT © 2022 by L. M. Gonzalez

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or The Wild Rose Press, Inc. except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

Contact Information: [e-mail]

Cover Art by Tina Lynn Stout

The Wild Rose Press, Inc.

PO Box 708

Adams Basin, NY 14410-0708

Visit us at www.thewildrosepress.com

Publishing History

First Edition, 2022

Digital ISBN 978-1-5092-4364-8

One Scoop or Two

Published in the United States of America

Dedication

To the memory of my son,

Michael Alexander Gonzalez,

who flagged down the ting-a-ling in our neighborhood to buy a raspa.

He was so excited he forgot to order a jumbo pickle.

Chapter 1

Alicia Ally Garza sat in the rental car and gazed at the glistening water of Winwood Lake. The place hadn’t changed much. More playground equipment had been installed, but the lake remained unobstructed. She opened the car door, and the humid air of the early summer heat in San Antonio, Texas hit her. After the coolness of the air conditioner, the afternoon heat was oppressive.

Mommy?

She opened the back door to let Jimmy out. He’d been sleeping for the last few miles of the drive into town. We’re here, Jimmy.

At Grandma’s?

Not yet. But come out here. This is one of my favorite places.

Jimmy rubbed his eyes with his small hands and climbed out of the car. What is it, Mommy?

Winwood Lake. I used to come here with my friends and we’d play. Others would fish. Or we’d swim in the pool because you can’t swim in the lake. The currents are too dangerous.

I like to swim.

I know you do. Ally smiled.

Then, she heard music. The ting-a-ling—the term she and her friends had used for the ice cream truck because of the sound of the tinkling music. Henry had driven the vehicle. That’s how she’d met him. She and her friend Mary had run, yelling Stop! She’d remembered her childhood until she’d seen Henry. Then, she’d been so glad she was a woman.

"Mommy, the ting-a-ling ting-a-ling! Jimmy ran. Stop. Stop. Stop!"

Jimmy, wait.

Ally’s heart beat fast. Surely it wouldn’t be Henry. He lived in Houston with his wife. She ran after her son.

Thankfully, Jimmy was running toward her. Let me have money, Mommy. I want to buy ice cream.

We’ll come later. We have to go.

Her son insisted, and after Ally handed him a couple of dollars, he ran to the truck again.

What about a strawberry sundae?

She hadn’t believed Henry when he’d told her he had sundaes in the truck. But he’d come out with a small round carton with vanilla ice cream and swirls of strawberry inside. He’d handed her a little wooden spoon to use. She’d been so excited and thrilled at the idea.

What can I get for you, little guy?

Henry’s voice. Enrique Santiago Ortiz. Ally closed her eyes before she walked around the front of the truck to the side where the driver would hand out the ice cream and other confections to customers. Why was he here?

I don’t know what I want, Jimmy said.

Get out of the way then. I know what I want, a little girl demanded.

I was here first, Jimmy yelled.

Ally forced her feet to move before an incident could occur. She met Henry’s eyes. He stood behind the counter of the ice cream truck. His body was as lean and strong as ever. The muscles on his arms still stood out, showcased by the white T-shirt he wore, which bore the logo of the family business—a vanilla ice cream cone with the name Ortiz across it.

What about a strawberry sundae?

Her heart beat erratically.

Jimmy turned and spotted her. Is it good, Mommy?

Yes. She glanced at Henry again. At least it had been for her on the afternoon she and Henry had shared a strawberry sundae, because she’d been on one of her fad diets—one where sweets were prohibited.

Henry turned behind him, turned back, and handed Jimmy a plastic container with the sundae. Ally was glad of the change. Things were different. Time had gone by. She and Henry were part of the past—a very sad past. And she had to leave before Jimmy blurted out his whole name.

On the house, kid. My treat, Henry said.

I have money.

You can pay next time. Your mom and I used to be friends. What’s your name?

Before Jimmy could answer, Ally pulled her son away. His name is Jimmy. Thank you for the sundae. Let’s go. Your grandma is waiting.

Ally’s feet itched to run to the car. She must leave now. This was an area of her life she was not ready to re-open.

Mommy, let go, so I can eat my ice cream. Jimmy pulled at her hand.

You can eat in the car.

Ally, wait up.

Oh, no. He’d followed her.

Henry caught up with her. Jimmy found a bench and sat down to happily eat his ice cream. Seven years ago, Henry hadn’t stayed with her. What did he want?

I’m glad to see you. Why did you leave so quickly?

He smiled with no cares in the world. Why not? His life had gone according to his plan. He hadn’t had a child to give birth to, raise, or provide for. Why should he bear any rancor? Still, anger filled her. When he would have taken her hand, she moved away.

I don’t have anything to say to you.

What? He raised his eyebrows.

Our lives went different directions. Or at least mine did. Yours seems to have stayed the same. My mother told me you didn’t have many prospects. She was right.

Ah, yes, your mother. Tia Lotta told me she’s not doing well. I’m sorry. I don’t wish ill health on her, though she never had anything but bad things to say about me. So what are you doing back?

I’m going to help take care of my mother for the summer.

Must be nice to be able to take off for weeks at a time. He glanced at Jimmy and laughed.

Jimmy was licking the container.

Your son liked it. That sundae is magic.

Yes. I mean, yes, I’m happy I’m able to take off for weeks at a time. I’m doing very well in Austin. Ally would not tell him of the hardships she endured, or the loneliness.

Same here. No complaints. Henry put his hands in his jeans pockets. I’ll be here for the Fourth of July fireworks. Maybe I’ll see you then.

Ally’s gaze followed his hands down to his strong legs, then moved up to his face, where his dark wavy hair blew a little bit in the hot wind and his brown eyes didn’t twinkle as they had when he’d first seen her and suggested a strawberry sundae.

I’m going to be very busy with my mother—and my son. I doubt I’ll have time for frivolity.

Yeah. Well. See you around. Henry turned to walk away.

Goodbye. Let’s go, Jimmy.

Thank you, mister. Best ice cream I’ve ever eaten, Jimmy said.

You’re welcome. Come again. Henry ruffled Jimmy’s dark wavy hair.

For a second, Ally was startled. Why hadn’t she noticed before? Jimmy’s hair was the same as Henry’s.

Get in the car, Jimmy.

Bye.

Ally climbed into the car, took a deep breath before she drove off, and forced herself not to look at the rearview mirror to catch a final glimpse of Henry—the only man she’d ever loved…and Jimmy’s father.

****

Henry entered the ice cream shop and waved at Ethel, her red curly hair under a cap as she worked at the counter.

She’s waiting in your office. Ethel kept her eyes on the customer she was helping.

Thanks, Ethel. Hello, Mrs. Trevino. Henry held out his hand to the gray-haired lady who’d been a loyal customer since his uncle started the business.

She pushed his hand away and hugged him. "Ay, Henry. You can’t shake my hand. I’ve known you since you were a baby."

Henry laughed. Finding everything you need?

As always. You know how Juan loves his ice cream sandwiches. We ran out, so I’m here stocking up.

"Tell him hello for me. Good to see you.