Chapter 3

I arrived at the bakery shop a bit late, I can’t afford a car nor a taxi ride right now so I had no choice but to walk my way to the bakery even though it’s no way near my house.

"Good morning" I smile at Nadia who didn’t look like she was happy a good morning.

"You are late young lady," Nadia said

Nadia is the person in charge of bakery store. She makes sure everyone comes on time and everything is arranged before the store opens.

She is dark in complexion, she isn’t tall maybe at about five feet one inches if not less. She is fat, her eyes are brown, she has a round-shaped nose and her lips are thick and brown.

"I’m so sorry, I can ex…."

"Less talking more working" She instantly interrupted

"Yes ma’am" I said before I entered the backdoor.

"Hi Afraah" Amal smiled as she walked closer to me

Amal is my best friend or should I say she’s only friend. She is fair in complexion, she is the same height as me, she has a pointed nose, small heart-shaped lips and she’s a bit chubby.

"Hi, how are you " I responded while putting on a hair net

"I’m good. The cakes are ready you can start laying the frost on them"

"Okay"

Once I started laying the frost on the cake, Amal came closer to me, she looked at the cake before she glance at me.

"Afraah today is Monday," She said

"I’m very much aware of that," I said still concentrated on what I’m doing

"You’re not supposed to use chocolate as the layers frost"

I widen my eyes as I realized what I was doing. Oh lord, today isn’t my day.

"The chocolate is for the doughnuts, not the cake," She said

"I know. Oh my God how did I forget about that"

"Nadia sees this, she will bury you alive" She chuckled

"What am I gonna do, you have to help"

"I have to come up with an idea," She said as she tapped her chin with her finger

"Think fast, I don’t want anyone to notice if they do Nadia will reduce my salary and you know I need money and..."

"Shut up, you worry too much," She interrupted

I was about to speak when she spoke

"Take those doughnuts and arrange it while I take care of this"

"What are you gonna do with the cake? I hope you aren’t planning on throwing it away," I said

"Don’t worry just go" She said pushing me forward.

I know what she wants to do with the cake. I was about to leave when I turned around and saw her eating the cake, just like I expected

"Nadia" I said in a loud pitch which made everyone pause their work including Amal who looked frightened.

I chuckled as I pointed at Amal whose lips were covered with chocolate frost "Coward" I said with a bit of laughter in my voice

"Will you just go." She rolled her eyes

Once I left, I began arranging the doughnuts, I looked at the time and noticed it is pass the time to open the bakery, I wonder how Nadia forgot to turn the door sign. I walked to the door and turned the door sign before I walked back to the counter and turned on the coffee machine.

"Excuse me" A voice from behind

I turned back and met a young man who is fair in complexion, he is tall maybe at about five feet seven inches, he is a bit muscular, his hair is dark brown, his eyebrows are full and brown, a small heart-shaped lips and he has a broad shaped face. He wore a white sweatshirt and black sweatpants.

"Excuse me," He said again

"Welcome to Amee's bakery, how may I help you?"

He stared at me for a certain seconds before he spoke

"I will like a twelve chocolate doughnut pack and a black coffee to go."

"Okay, please have a sit while I get your order ready." I said

"Okay" He responded as he took a sit

As I began preparing his order when Nadia came in. She looked at me before she glimpsed at the doughnuts I was packing.

"Afraah what are you doing here? I thought you were assigned for the cake frosting." She said

"Don’t worry about that, Amal is taking care of it" I responded

As I packed the order, I turned around and looked at him "Excuse me. Your order is ready," I said but he sat as if he wasn’t aware of me talking.

"He won’t hear you, can’t you see he’s wearing an earpiece," Nadia said

"Ohh! I will go give it to him." I was about to take the doughnut box and the coffee to him but Nadia stopped me.

"Stay there and attend to those customers," She said as the customers walked closer to me.

She grabbed the doughnut box and moved aside so I can attend to other customers

"Welcome to Amees Emporium, how may I help you?" I said immediately as the customer walked closer to me

"I will have two lattes and two banana muffins" She said, as she walked toward the chair she turned back and looked at me "You know what makes it three."

I nodded as I wrote it down.

"Welcome to Amee's bakery, how many I help you?" I said to the customer who just walked into the store.

Sometimes I get tired of saying the same thing to each customer. I was attending to the customer when he came and stood by the side. He looked at the time before he interrupted

"How much is the chocolate doughnuts and coffee," He said as he moved closer to the counter.

I calculated it before I responded, he brought out his wallet, without counting the money, he paid and immediately left without taking his change which is more than his payment.

A few hours later, after attending to countless customers, I called Khalil to check up on him

"Khalil, how are you doing?" I asked almost immediately after he picked up the call.

"I’m fine" he responded

"Have you eaten lunch?" I asked despite knowing what his answer will be.

"Yes I did."

"Are you lying to me?" I asked

"Yes I am"

"Come on Khalil why haven’t you had lunch, I told you…" I wasn’t done talking when he interrupted.

"Oh god! Afraah you worry too much and besides I said I haven’t had lunch because I’m having it right now," he said with a bit of laughter in his voice.

"Haha not funny Khalil by the way where did you get the food from?" I asked despite knowing I kept some leftover for him in the fridge

"I microwaved the food in the fridge now will you please let me enjoy my food?" he said while coughing a little bit.

"What’s wrong Khalil, are you okay?" I instantly asked

"I’m…fine" He said in stutter

"Khalil, are you okay?"

“I’m fine I just chocked," He said as he adjusted his voice

"Okay. How are your legs I hope they are much better now"

"Oh lord isn’t your break over, or do you want to get fired,"

“And who said I was on a break"

"Seems like Nadia isn’t around no wonder you’re making a call"

"A customer just walked in, I will talk to you later, and don’t forget to take your medicine afterward," I said before I ended the call

Khalil has been having problems with his left leg and now it’s affecting the right leg. Walking around the house has been very hard for him but he still limps his way to the kitchen as he has no choice.

Sometimes Noor stays in the house when she has no class but despite her presence, she helps Khalil once in a while as they hardly get along. I have been saving money to buy him a wheelchair because my stepmom said she won’t be able to buy it. After all, Khalil’s medicine is getting more expensive.

After attending to the customer I looked at the time before going to Nadia’s office which is directly by the counter. I knocked on the door before I entered

"Nadia" I said

"Yes" She said as she kept the apple she was eating

"It's already four o’clock and I have another….." I wasn’t done talking when she interrupted

"I know just sign this and you can go,” She said giving me the register book

"By the way how is your brother doing?"

"He’s fine," I responded while keeping the book on the table.

"Here is your cash." She said once she finished counting it.

I counted the money along with her when I noticed a mistake "Nadia I think you made a mistake, this is too much." I said after she gave it to me

"I know I’m giving you more because you’re very hardworking"

"Are you sure you want to give me extra cash despite coming to work late?"

"Hey, I know you need the money so just take it."

Well, she’s not wrong, I do need money.

"Thank you" I said before exiting her office.

Shortly I arrived at the grocery store as it wasn’t far from the bakery. I am very glad about that, I don’t need to walk for a long time before I get here.

"Good evening" I said as I knocked on the door and entered the office.

Aya was sited across the room, as she saw me, she stopped what she was doing.

Aya is the owner of the grocery store, she is very nice and comfortable to talk to.

she is fair in complexion, she is tall, her eyes are brown, her eyebrows are thin, her lips are pink in color and she is a bit fat.

"Afraah," She smiled

"Here are your doughnuts." I said as I kept them on her table

"Thank you."

"You’re welcome" I was about to leave when she spoke

"Here is your money," she said handing it over to me

"Money, I thought you transferred it to the bakery account?"

"Yes I did but this is for your delivery."

Delivery! I know what she’s trying to do, sympathizing me.

"No way I’m not collecting that," I said

"As your boss and I’m instructing you to take the money."

"We talked about this, I told you I don’t want sympathy from anyone" I said walking closer to her

"Who said I’m sympathizing with you, I mean I pay the delivery guy when he brings my delivery then why can’t I pay you?"

"I have many things to do apart from having this conversation with you," I said before I exited the room.

Am I the only one that hates sympathy? I mean yes I need money but that doesn’t mean I will be sympathized.

I went to my counter and began working when the same guy that ordered doughnuts and coffee earlier from the bakery store walked to the counter with a bunch of things in a cart.

I glimpsed at him as I packed all his stuff "That will be fifteen thousand."

Just like he did earlier, he didn’t count the money before he handed it over to me. I wonder why he does that.

As he paid the money and was about to leave he looked at me "You look familiar? Have we met before?" He said in a deep calm pitch.

"Not really but I’m the girl who works at the bakery"

"Oh that’s nice," He said before he walked away.

"That’s nice! How weird" I mumbled as I attended to the next customer.

After some hours I packed my things as it was getting late. I collected my money for the day before I left the store.

Once I arrived, I opened the house door and the first person I saw saw Khalil, my heart raced a mile a minute as I threw my bag on the floor and ran to him. "Khalil" I screamed.

Khalil was on the floor coughing out blood continuously, my heart began beating as I panicked "Khalil" I said as I kept rubbing his back. I quickly took my phone and called the ambulance before I glimpsed at Noor who was comfortably sited on the couch using her phone.

How can someone be so wicked. I can’t believe she’s comfortable right now. I walked passed her as I got him water after he stopped coughing, once he drank the water he started vomiting.

"I can’t watch this" Noor said while exiting the room.

"It’s going to be fine," I whispered. I laid him on my lap after he vomited

Some minutes later my stepmom came back. She helped me carry Khalil and kept him in the ambulance car. As she turned around to leave I spoke "Aren’t you coming with us?"

"No I have things to do," She said before leaving.