Welcome to Character Café, Hope Fuller! I heard that congratulations are in order!
Aww, thank you, Amy! Yes, I am the proud aunt of the sweetest little niece, Isabella Catherine Georgia Gaines. I’ll be in town for a few weeks to help take care of her.
I bet her big brother just adores her. Who does Isabella look like?
Well… I say she looks like a Fuller. She has red hair the same color as mine. Oh my goodness, she is too cute for words, let me show you a photo.
Look at that fluffy red hair! I hate to say it, but I see some Gaines in her too.
Sigh… Check out that dimple in her chin. It’s just like her Uncle Dylan’s.
Do I hear a little swoon in your voice?! Dylan Gaines is certainly a good- looker. Weren’t you and Dylan an item at one point?
Yes, we gave dating a try a couple of years ago. It didn’t work out. But we stayed friends. We are sharing a workspace in his office building for the summer because I needed a quiet area to do my online tutoring. We’ve started hiking together too. He even talked me into crossing the old bridge that goes across the gorge.
But I doubt if we will ever date again. He will be staying here in North Carolina, in Briar Creek – he has a new law office and everything. And I am most likely taking a teaching job in Florida so I can stay near my parents.
Most likely?
Well, there is a chance that I could stay in Briar Creek. I have an interview on Thursday at Briar Creek Elementary. I am really going to have to pray about whether I am meant to stay or go if I am offered the job.
Do you still have feelings for Dylan? Sorry to get so personal, but you have a tinge of sadness in your eyes – especially for someone who has the whole world in front of her. You’re young and beautiful and talented. Your sister showed me some of your photography. Faith is so proud of your work.
She is? Well, I guess Faith never saw the work of my college friends. Their photos are vivid and splashy. My style of photography is boring compared to theirs. And Dylan – he could get any girl on the planet. He’s…. well, you’ve seen him. He’s gorgeous. And he’s a lawyer, for goodness sakes. If I wasn’t enough for him the first time, why would it work a second time around.
Oh, honey. It’s time for you to live up to your name! It’s good to have hope! Things will work out.
Jeremiah 29:11, right? Thanks for the reminder, Amy. Now what is your specialty at Character Café? I must give you a head’s up, though. I’ve gotten spoiled with the coffee and goodies at Briar Creek Café.
You are going to love our special of the day. I know your whole family likes blueberries. And today’s special is a dessert rarely heard of outside of North Carolina. Do you know what I am talking about?
Not a clue.
Sonker! It’s a Scottish-North Carolinian concoction, probably invented to feed a crowd in a hurry. Our version is basically a buttery-crispy pancake baked overtop blueberry filling. And we serve it with homemade vanilla bean ice cream. Here’s a Southern Living recipe similar to what our baker made: https://www.southernliving.com/recipes/triple-berry-sonker-recipe
I’ll take it! And do you have hazelnut coffee or creamer?
Of course. We also have a new tea on the menu, for our many tea drinkers – Chocolate Hazelnut, from one of my favorite brands – STASH. https://www.amazon.com/Chocolate-Hazelnut-Tea-Decaffeinated-Stash/dp/B00CX6FFOK/ I’ll bring you out a sample when I bring out your coffee.
It’s been so nice to sit down with you, Hope. I can’t wait to read more of your story in A Journey for Hope. I have a feeling your story will be just as meaningful and have just as lovely an ending as your sister’s story, A Promise for Faith.
Thanks for having me. I hope you enjoy the novel. You can find it here on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Journey-Hope-Briar-Creek-Love-ebook/dp/B0B5KD88JQ/
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