*Reminiscence

Intro: I started this story with the intention of writing a different take on Goldilocks and the three bears. It ended up being something different and I think it turned out okay.

Heidi ran the brush through her hair one final time before running out of the house. Her bag bounced on her shoulder as she dodged through the morning crowd. A few people grumbled in her wake but most moved out of the way, almost as if they didn't really see her. Heidi still wasn't use to living in a city where people could ignore the crowds. She ran down the stairs and watched the train pull away from the station as she scrambled for her metro card.

"Blast."

The people flowed around her as she continued to stare at the empty platform. When someone bumped her shoulder, she stumbled forward. The man continued without a word and Heidi sighed.

The next train to the east part of the town would make her late for the performance and taking a cab this time of night was insanity. She had missed her only chance. As she walked back up the stairs she glanced up but the light from the signs blocked out any chance of seeing stars.

Moving from the country to this city wasn't her first choice, but her career as a designer meant more options in cities and there was nothing really in the country holding her there. Her plan was to work in the city and build up a clientele then move back to the country and work remotely. The problems arose when she realized how rarely her plans panned out as — planned.

She started the seven block walk back to her apartment.

A delectable smell wafted by. Heidi stopped amazed that through the grime of the city she could smell something as wonderful as apple pie. She looked around and finally spotted a small store nestled between two sky scrapers. It looked as if the store had forced its way up from the ground taking a small piece from both buildings. A man wearing a white apron stood out front sweeping the concrete and nodding to those that walked past. None of them nodded in return. He glanced her direction and smiled. Heidi couldn't help but smile in return.

It took a minute for the cars to break long enough for her to dash across. Her first time jaywalking and it didn't bother her as much as she thought it would.

"Good evening," the man said. Up closer she could see his dark hair was streaked with white. Though his hair showed traces of age, the rest of him could have passed for someone closer to her in age.

"Hello," Heidi replied. She took a nervous breath and caught scent of the pie again, stronger this time. She glanced around the entry way but could see no sign or name.

"Would you like something to eat?" He stood to the side and gestured. "Please, come on in."

As soon as Heidi walked in the air softened. She could no longer hear the noise of the street. The room held five tables and the smell of the apple pie grew even stronger.

"Please, have a seat. Would you like something to drink?"

Heidi slid into one of the chairs, her back facing the door. "Water."

"Of course. I'll bring that right out." He slid a menu on the table, though she wasn't sure where he'd picked it up. And headed to a door at the back of the room. When the door opened more tantalizing smells escaped. Pot roast, mashed potatoes, and corn if she was any judge.

She glanced at the menu and the plain script caught her attention.

"Reminiscence." She murmured and flipped it open. Though the smell of the pot roast competed with the apple pie to fill her senses, she still struggled with indecision as she looked at the menu items.

The man placed a tall glass of water in front of her.

"What would you like?"

"It all sounds so good," she confessed. She looked up and met his gaze. "What would you recommend?"

"My personal favorite is the apple pie."

"For dinner?"

"Why not? If you really must have a dessert I would recommend the banana cream pie."

Heidi let out a little laugh, reminded of café back home. She had dated the proprietor's son which had ended in a disaster and her moving here, kind of running away but also trying to move on with her life.

The man ran his hands through his hair and the white shifted and some of it drifted down.

"Blast," he murmured as he looked at his hand. "I shouldn't do that."

He wiped his hands on his apron which on closer inspection wasn't as white as it had looked. Flour continued to drift to the floor and Heidi let out another little laugh.

"Sorry about that. I thought I'd cleaned up all the flour after I finished making the crusts."

"So you made the pies?"

"Well, I make everything here. I don't really have the income to pay for help," he replied with a shrug. "But I can't give this place up; it has been in the family for years."

"You could probably make a lot of money if you sold the place."

"Now you are sounding like a city chick. I pegged you for a country gal."

Heidi fingered the glass on the table. "I would like some apple pie. It's really why I came in here." She fought her emotions down. "I could smell it."

"One piece coming up." He says and walks back to the kitchen.

"Bring two," she calls and the man turns, his eyebrow raised. "I wouldn't mind some company."

"Guess I was right after all. You are country."

As the man brought the two steaming pieces of apple pie, complete with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, Heidi felt her body relax. In the six months she'd been in the city, she had finally found a place she could see the stars if only in her memory. If she could smell apple pie, she could see the stars. This was enough for now.