Chapter 6: A Line Crossed

A few weeks had passed since Abeni started working, and she enjoyed working there. Abeni was at work, when an old, port-bellied man entered the shop.

"Hello, sir. How may I help you?" she asked, giving him her brightest smile. He nodded toward the back of the store. "I'd like a few of those tarts and some of those fancy muffins. And could you please deliver them to my table?"

She glanced over her shoulder. The dining area was filled with customers enjoying their meals. "I'm sorry, sir, but that's not part of my job description. I can certainly ring you up, though."

He winked at her. "Oh, don't worry about that. I'm sure we can work something out." There was a twinkle in his eye that made her feel a little uneasy.

Trying to be a good staff member, Abeni glanced at the old man again. With a deep breath, she shrugged and nodded. "Alright, sir. I'll be happy to deliver your order to your table."

She put the requested items on a tray, making sure to double-check that they were all there before heading towards the dining area.

She made her way towards his table, carefully balancing the tray of cakes in her hands. As she drew closer, he smiled at her in a way that sent shivers down her spine.

"There you are, dear. Just what I wanted." He reached out, his meaty hand brushing against her arm as he took one of the tarts.

Abeni felt a surge of anger and fear well up inside her. This was not how it was supposed to go. She took a step back, her heart racing.

"Sir, you need to stop that," she said firmly, her voice shaking only slightly. "I don't appreciate being touched like that."

He laughed, a low, sinister sound. "Oh, come now, sweetheart. We're just having a little fun here." He reached out again, his hand moving closer to her breast.

Abeni's temper snapped. She took a deep breath and then, without hesitation, slapped him hard across the face.

The sound of her palm connecting with his skin echoed through the bakery. The old man's cheek instantly reddened, and he stared at her in shock. For a moment, they were both frozen in place.

Then, as if coming to his senses, he stood up, his face twisted in rage. "You little bitch! How dare you?" he shouted, his voice echoing off the walls.

Before Abeni could react further, the bakery's owner, Mark, rushed out from the back room. "What's going on here?" he demanded, his expression furious. The old man pointed an accusatory finger at Abeni.

"This girl just slapped me for no reason!" he shouted. Mark looked at her, his expression softening. "I'm sorry, Abeni. I'll handle this." He turned to the old man and firmly escorted him out of the bakery.

Abeni stood there, shaking with anger and fear. Mark returned a few moments later, his expression grave. "I'm sorry you had to go through that," he said, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. "But I think we need to talk about what happened." She nodded, still unable to meet his eyes.

He continued, his voice gentle but firm. "I understand that you were defending yourself, but we can't have our employees slapping customers, no matter what the provocation. It reflects poorly on the bakery." Abeni winced as his words sank in. She hadn't thought about it that way. Mark sighed, removing his hand from her shoulder.

"I'm not trying to blame you, Abeni. I'm just saying we need to be careful how we handle these situations." She nodded, feeling chastised but also grateful for his support.

"I'll talk to the manager at that table, just to make sure he doesn't cause any more trouble for us. In the meantime, why don't you go back to your station and finish up your shift? You've had enough excitement for one day." She forced a weak smile, grateful for his understanding. As she turned to leave, he called after her, "And Abeni?" She turned back, expectantly. "I apologize for his inappropriate behavior as well. You're a valued member of this team, and we appreciate your hard work."

Abeni's heart swelled with a mixture of gratitude and relief. She nodded, unable to speak past the lump in her throat, and hurried back to her station. The rest of the day passed in a blur of customers and cakes. Each time she looked up to see Mark watching her from across the bakery, she felt grateful for his protection and understanding.