Love At Last

One of those awful days

Lily

Yes… I was having one of those utterly awful days were any and everything I tried doing wasn’t going to plan, were I plug one hole and three more larger holes open up, each of which large enough to swallow me in it. It was every definition of a completely shitty day. Even my attempts to make any pastry proved futile as they all came out unevenly made, it was almost like the entire world around me was collapsing inwards and I couldn’t do a single thing to stop it.

It was rush hour as usual but today there was barely any rush, there were more cupcakes in our showcase than there were customers, even Granny in her old age would be able to attend the number of customers that came in that morning without a sweat. Unlike others day were we would be pushing out batches of different pastries to accommodates the buzzing rush period.

As it now seemed, word had gone round that I failed the competition supervisor’s survey and that my service provision was poor compared to other bakery stores. This made people perceptive about patronizing me today and some had even gone to try other bakery stores that did well to see for themselves if the survey was right. But I consoled myself that this was just one of those bad sales day and that things were going to pick up in the coming days. Moreover I was will to double my efforts to make sure we were back to our glory days.

Little did I know that in all my worrying and contemplating, I had forgotten to send the gifts I wanted to send to Cayden’s prospective second date as a way of persuading her to reconsider going in a date with him after my screw up in our last conversation.

“Hey Jarod, how bout we get rid our this gloomy mood of ours and step out, maybe go to the market and get a few things for sime new recipes I found on pinterest” I made my move to try and savage the little joy and happiness we had left in us ” No worries, I’m sure the other staffs can handle things for the time being till we get back”

Jarod lifts his heard from it’s position he place it on as he sat on a nearby stool “I guess I do need some fresh air myself, let’s go”

“Great, I’ll leave Candy with Granny I don’t want him getting tanned by the sun” I pick up Jacek “hey Candy! Uncle Jorad and want to go get a few things from the market, so you go upstairs and keep Granny company, alright baby?”

“Okay mama” I lay a kiss on his forehead and promise to get him from ice cream on my way back before I set him down and watch him minion run up the stairs.

“Alright shall we?” Jorad and I both took off our aprons and made for the walkway that led to the bus stop.

***© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

We arrived at the market and as I’d suspected, the sun was in a very mood either with our shadows becoming more defined now. Jarod finally speaks after being mute all through the ride here.

“I’m still not happy Lily, about the supervisor’s review. What could’ve happen, we’ve always been know to offer the best customer services and outmr pastries are the most tasteful so what went wrong?” His pitch grew and he became more audible as more words found their way out of his mouth.

“Oh my dear Jarod, if people only knew what really happened” I sick my face into my palm in sadness

“That’s why I’m asking, I know what everyone knows but what really happened?” Maybe Jarods inquisition was born out of the guilt of not telling me he had seen the mail that stated the supervisor was going to becoming within the week but the guilt had not beguiled him enough to want to feel bad about it yet.

“Well the supervisor came in disguised as a regular customer and order for one of our pies, which I served him with the brightest of smile. He then requested to see my cooking area which I instinctively felt was inappropriate for a customer to ask for and so I declined. I’d admit that at some point I might have thought he was a competition who came to spy on my recipes” I take in a deep breath and then continue “it wasn’t until he introduced himself as a supervisor from the contest organizers that I knew I had really fucked up, there was very little I could do at that point”

Now the real effects of the guilt swept Jarod like a wave. The humidity became more evident as he began to sweat profusely. I ignorantly continue by asking him if he had by chance seen the mail and he head on lies to me “No baby girl, I didn’t see any mail”

“This is so unfair honestly, I know someone in that shop saw the mail and I swear to God, I will fire that unfortunate person the very moment I find the person.

“If it isn’t the two musketeers in flesh and blood” familiar voices distracted me from my brewing anger. I turn around to see Michael and Christopher, I had not seen them since I transferred from my previous college of study and a join that was soon going to vanish erupted from within me.

“Hey guys! How long has it been?” I ask in bubbling excitement.

“Not long enough it seems, you guys still look the same” Micheal comments. I didn’t know if to take that as a compliment or sneer, my excitement had become slightly

“Well you lads don’t look bad yourselves” I responded this time in a subtle like counter sneer, he wasn’t about to let them have this one. We all share a brief laughter and then I continued

“What are you guys doing in these parts?”

“Well we were made to know about the pastry competition that was hold and decided to participate, put our prowess to some big winnings”

I was shocked to hear this, I didn’t know Micheal and Christopher did this kind of business, I was both happy and disturbed at the same time. These two were barely ever serious or committed to anything in their lives, over pampered brats they were.

“Well that’s wonderful” I try to hide my confusion

“Ofcourse, in fact we just might win it this time, sadly I doubt we can say the same about you. Word spreads like wildfire yunno” Christopher intrudes this time with arrogance painted all over his person.

“That was a rather unfortunate situation that happened in my shop but I’m still very hopeful” I try to cushion the effects of Christopher’s words on my now shattered heart.

“I doubt hope is gonna cut it this time my dear Lily. You had one thing to do right but fucked that up too, just like you did when you got pregnant out of wedlock… how old is you child now by the way”

Lord knows blood was going to start splattering around if Christopher did not stop spitting venom from his mouth. But I understood this was a trap, they needed me to do something that would give them a reason to tell the organizers why I didn’t deserve to participate in the competition anymore. So why Jarod tried to defend me like I trusted him to always do, I intervened and told the boys and told the boys we would appreciate if we could take out leaves from that space. They didn’t argue and in minutes we were out of there and free from an atmosphere free from ego and pride. And so I’d home for a very long and wet sobbing session with my pillow.