01

Have you ever pictured a baker with a very messy apron on? Of course you have since that is probably one of the most stereotypical look of a baker. What about the same baker with eyebrows furrowed together with an annoyed grimaced face? I bet you picture Gordon Ramsay right now with his mouth that spits out curse words that would put Eminem’s song into shame.

Well you better start picturing that baker as me. But the difference is that it isn’t the cooks who bother me- well a part of it is. What bugged me the most was my sister. Yes, my sister. And no, she doesn’t work with me in the bakery like Buddy’s sisters does in Cake Boss or Carlo’s Bakery.

“Please?”

“No.”

“Please?” my sister begged. “All you have to do is just to drop him by when you go to work and fetch him when you’re going home.”

“I go home at seven Reese.” I started to reason out. “And he finishes by five.”

“Oh please,” and I could imagine her rolling her eyes. “He loves it at the daycare. I’ll pay extra for him to stay a little longer. He won’t say no.”

“Well I am.”

“Please? And plus, you need to bond with him. He misses you.”

“Fine.” I sighed and agreed, giving in to her request only because he misses me.

“That’s great! Thank you Beth, I owe you one.” I heard her squeal on the other line. “I’ll drop his stuff later at around nine because we’re leaving at twelve.”

“You had to wait at the last minute so I’d say yes, didn’t you?” I silently groaned to myself.

“Partly but my neighbors are also going out of town next week to visit their son in college.” I could hear delight in her voice. “I knew you I could count on you. Love you Beth!”

“Have fun on your honeymoon.” I sourly greeted and we both ended the call.

My sister was going to South Africa and Brazil for their honeymoon and is leaving their four year old kid, Liam, with me. Don’t get me wrong. I love kids but they want me to babysit Liam for a month or two, the time length would still depend on whether they would travel to Asia or not.

My sister got pregnant five months before their wedding and at that time, and they couldn’t leave a newborn baby to someone else’s hands even if it was to me, and my mom wouldn’t allow it since a mother has to spend time with her baby. It is a rule, my mom would say to her and at times to me- I don’t know why. I’m not planning to get pregnant or even married - so they postponed their honeymoon to now, four years later. They have been saving up too and for my wedding gift to them since I couldn’t give them any at the moment; I paid for their plane tickets for South Africa and Brazil.

Liam. He is adorable, sweet and delightful. I visit them regularly- once a week but sometimes I can’t manage to so I end up visiting them every two weeks. And I always bring with me cupcakes when I visit. Maybe that’s why he likes me so much.

But his parents? Not so much. In fact, they cut off his sugar treats because I always give him some when we see each other. He’d drag me to the candy store when we go to the malls. When they’d visit me, he always takes a peak in my fridge since I always have ice cream in the freezer- yes I am one of those girls who eat their heart out when their sad for example, a break up but that hasn’t happened to me for years so scrap that out of the list.

And whenever they’d visit me in the bakery, he’d always let go of Reese’s hand and slowly sneak at the counter asking someone if he could have a cupcake or three; and times he’d go in the baking or decorating rooms asking for cake or the frosting.

Reese supposedly should not know that but I doubt it. Liam had me sworn in secrecy with a contract written in blue crayon and a pinky promise.

I love him to bits, as if he was my own son.

It was still four. I had to pick up Liam at seven when the birthday party he was attending would end. And I had still had cakes, cupcakes and pastries in the ovens.

The bakery smelled amazing. In the front, the smell of coffee and vanilla was astounding. And my favorite place, the baking room, the aroma of chocolate, and vanilla was just beyond incredible.

It was like the Pillsbury Dough Boy just decided to fart everywhere. Okay so that was not an appealing description, but you get me, right?

Pillsbury Dough Boy farts in the baking room.

Now that just sounds funny.

Pillsbury Dough Boy farts in the baking room.

Pillsbury Dough Boy farts in the baking room.

Pillsbury Dough Boy farts in the baking room.

I had to stop.  But just one more.

Pillsbury Dough Boy farts in the baking room.

“Beth do we still have pig cakes?” Andrea asked as she walked in through the doors. “Someone wants one, now.”

“It’ll take thirty minutes.”

Andrea went back to the front and a few seconds later she emerged with a clipboard and a thumb’s up calling out “Go.”

I called a few of the decorators to start making the pig face parts. There was pink fondant available already from one of the cakes that we were making so I took it and started flattening it out and laid it over the cake.

It never really took us thirty minutes, just twenty but the extra ten is just for reassurance just in case something went wrong.

Pig cakes. We were supposed to make Piglet from Winnie the Pooh but one of my decorators forgot about Piglet so what he did was decorate a round cake with pink fondant, added a little but more details and it looked like a cute cartoon pig.

And the customer who ordered it actually liked it better. It was for his best friend who loves Piglet and apparently eats a lot so the pig just suited her. He loved it. She- his best friend loved it too. But we offered them a dozen cupcakes for free because of the little mishap.

Well, customers love the pig cake. I kind of do too.

After a little bit of this, and a tiny tad of that, the pig cake was out of our doors.

“Beth, am I doing this right?” Marcus called me from the baking area. “It doesn’t seem to cook! I believe your oven’s broken.”

I dusted flour of my hands and walked towards where Marcus was. I opened the oven door and found out that the cupcakes didn’t cook. I checked the oven control panel and found the reason why it wouldn’t bake them

“Marcus you dimwit, you didn’t turn it on!” I punched the correct temperature and closed the oven.

“Sorry. I didn’t know how to work that thing.” Marcus smiled sheepishly.

Marcus was my cousin and he wanted a job so I offered him one in my bakery but seemed like baking wasn’t his forte. Maybe he’d work better in the woodshop or as the waiter outside.

I bit my lip. “Can you work in the woodshop? Or are you willing to work here in the baking room?”

“Woodshop would be better for me I think.” Marcus said scratching his head. “I don’t really know how to do these things. It’s complicated.”

I laughed at him and patted his back. “Go to the woodshop and ask Dan to teach you how to do stuff there.”

Marcus sprinted to the woodshop as if the baking room was hell. I checked my watch and saw that I still had twenty minutes before the cakes are done and around forty for the cupcakes that just when in the oven.

“Your sister’s on the phone again Beth.” Someone called out to me.

I grunted and marched towards the phone where I greeted my sister with an annoyed hello. I still had work. I just didn’t stand at the sides and order people around which was her job.

“Yes?” I snapped irritably. “This is you third call for the day.”

“I know and I’m sorry.” She apologized. “I just wanted to inform you Liam has another birthday party to attend. I forgot when though but it’s either this Saturday or the one after this. I’ll drop the invitation later just so you could clear your schedule to fetch him.”

“Okay.” I answered and nodded although I was well aware she couldn’t see me.

“And can you prepare me some of your muffins so I could get them when I drop Liam’s stuff later?”

“Yeah whatever.”

“Thank you so much. Love you.”

She ended the call I got back to work which was piping icing on the cupcakes and frosting cakes. I set aside some blueberry muffins and various cake slices for my sister.

Two and a quarter hours later, I got two batches of cakes and cupcakes out of the oven and in the fridge for tomorrow, another call from my sister- that was her fourth call already, and thirty cupcakes and five cakes out of bakery. They were keeping the stuff and cleaning the kitchen since it was almost closing time. My staff in front were cleaning tables and disposing food.

I was in my office, finishing my papers for the day, balancing some checkbooks and checking what supplies were going to arrive tomorrow. After signing a few documents, I filed them and left my office, locking the door behind me as I left.

Some already left and some were getting ready to and I was one of them. After checking and making sure everything was clean and closed, I locked the doors to the bakery and closed the bakery.

Marcus closed the shutters. It was usually someone else but he offered to do so everyday unless of course he really couldn’t. Taking the large padlocks, he locked the shutters to the ground and tossed the keys to me,

“Bye Beth!” some called as they walked away. I could only smile and reply ‘Bye’ back.

Tossing my bag in my car and my other stuff, I started the engine and pulled away from the parking area. I still had to fetch Liam.

“You want a lift home Marcus?” I offered to my dear cousin who just shook his head. “It’s getting pretty dark out here.”

“Thanks but,” he smiled at my generosity. “I have a date tonight with my girlfriend. I haven’t seen her in weeks.”

“You have a girlfriend?” I asked teasingly.

He faked a hurt look. “Of course I have Beth. And of ten months now too.”

“That is great!”

“Of course it is.” Marcus smiled. “I love her.”

“Well did you get her something?”

Marcus shook his head again. “Uh, no.”

I gave him a look before launching myself in the back seat. Most of the cupcakes that weren’t sold today were either left in the fridge or be brought home. Don’t misunderstand that. Our pastries are either fresh or just a day old. It’s cake! Who could eat them at one day? People usually store them in the fridge for days anyways.

Today we couldn’t really fit the rest in the fridge so I’m taking some home. I had a total of four boxes at the back, three filled with cupcakes and the other one muffins for my sister. I took one box and gave it to Marcus.

“You haven’t seen her in weeks.” I handed it to him. “You got to have something for her. Here.”

“Beth, you don’t have to-”

“No,” I interrupted him. “I need to.”

Marcus just smiled at me and I grinned back. “Now go to your date or else you’ll be late!”

Marcus gave me a salute and jogged off to the other way and I waved by to him.

There wasn’t much traffic as I thought there would be. Headlights mostly kept the roads well lit.

When I stopped at a little fast food, I could see a few children carrying balloons and loot bags as they exited the building. At least I wasn’t late.

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First chapter of Sugar Rush! This wasn't much of a chapter though, just a little introduction/ filler chapter for the upcoming ones.

And a shoutout to @Delthalee for the first vote of the story and to @WhereIsThe Pizza for the first comment of the book!

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