Freestyle with Avery (23 page)

A lost necklace and a plot to sabotage her family’s
business threaten to turn Katani’s dream beach
vacation in Jamaica into stormy weather!

My dear Ruby
,

I know it has been a long time since I have written. I do hope you and the family are well. In your letters to me over the years you have always expressed a desire to visit Jamaica, the home of your mother’s birth, and I would so love to see you before the days run out
.

My bakery is doing well. Though it is small, it keeps body and soul together. I bake a very tasty banana bread—nice and moist and flavorful. Truth is I can’t produce enough to fill the demand. Everybody loves Nana’s Banana Bliss
.

Well, for some time I have been putting off some surgery, but can’t do so any longer. On the 15th I will be going into the hospital. Now don’t worry. It’s just something I need to take care of. But I will have to close the bakery because the young girl who’s there just can’t manage on her own. The rest of the family can’t really help out. I couldn’t bring in a stranger
.
But I really don’t want to close it and lose my customers or my growing momentum
.

Another bakery has been trying to cut me out of the business. You see, there’s a man, Mr. Biggs, who owns this bakery, and he has offered to buy me out. He only wants to use my famous name, Nana’s Banana Bliss, to sell his cheaper, not better, banana bread. I’ve made it known that I am not selling to that man, so he has been trying every which way to steal my customers and force me out of business. What do you think of someone who would do such a thing to an old woman like me? If I close the bakery, even for a week, I’m afraid it will give him just the opportunity he needs to destroy our business
.

I know you are a busy person. We are so proud of you, Principal Ruby, but my dear, we need your help desperately. Do you think you could get some time off, even just a week, while I have surgery, to come and supervise the bakery for me? I would be really very grateful, and as I said, it would be very nice to finally meet you. And if you like, please bring one of your granddaughters along. Jamaica is such a beautiful place to visit, and it is the home of your ancestors
.

I am,
Your loving aunt
Faith

Grandma Ruby finished reading, took off her glasses, and set them down on our kitchen table with a little sigh. When she looked up at me she had a faraway look in her eyes. I glanced at the letter with the Jamaican stamp she was holding
and wondered if anything was wrong. But before I could say anything, Grandma cocked her head to one side and asked, “Katani, how would you like to go with me to Jamaica?”

Hello
! Visions of beautiful beaches, palm trees, and pineapple drinks with little umbrellas began swirling through my brain.