I Didn't Pray For These Baguettes Novels & Stories

The nights were long, and all day the wet wind gnawed; business at the bakery, however, grew only stranger. Early mornings, bleary-eyed delivery boys would find offerings on the stoop—peculiar breads wound with cress and copper coins, single slipper orchid buds tucked into the scoring, loaves that, when sliced, spelled letters of the alphabet, trailing acrid, hopeful promises. As if the city’s hunger had grown a tongue, and now spoke in crumbs and crusts.

"Two turkey sandwiches and a loaf of sourdough. Just... put it in a bag to go, Tessa." "Coming right up," I whispered, my fingers trembling so violently I could barely grab the tongs to pull the bread from the shelves. I packed their food in absolute silence, the heavy, suffocating quiet in the bakery making the sound of the brown paper bags rustling sound like explosions. When I passed the bag to Mark, he didn't try to smile or make conversation. He handed me the cash, took the food, and hurried out the door with his friends, none of them daring to look across the street at the two silent sentinels who watched their every step until they disappeared down the avenue.

On the fifteenth of every month, Rowan Hawthorn and I would swap homes. Eighteen years ago, a hospital accidentally swapped our embryos during IVF and put them into the wrong mothers. When the truth came out, my biological parents, Frank and Ronnie Hawthorn, wanted to keep Rowan. But his biological parents, Eugene and Rowena Cooper, wanted him back. They decided that he would live with each family for one month. Then, we would switch on the fifteenth of every month. I, on the other hand, became the unwanted burden. Wherever Rowan went, the house would be fully stocked with snacks and drinks. He would receive a thousand dollars as his monthly allowance, and the sunlit room would always b

“What do I do?” At the front of the church in the altar, Father Cresson put the paper into a silver bowl. His clear voice, speaking in tongues Jake didn’t understand, filled the church rafters and reverberated from the walls in such an eerie fashion, Jake had goosebumps. As he brought the sing-song prayer to an end, Jake felt a rumble. From the ground or from the church itself was unclear. Father Cresson lit incense in a tiny metal holder attached to a chain and began swinging it around until a choking cloud filled the room.

I knew he was smiling, a smile that made the invisible weight on his shoulders seem to evaporate. Twenty minutes later, we made our successful departure from Paris Baguette. We arrived just as our favorite pastries were being brought out from inside the shop, and the tantalizingly sweet scent of warm, buttery bread wafted from the paper bag hanging from my wrist. Despite having just eaten, I almost drooled as I looked into the bag, confirming that I had gotten the amount of bread I had paid for. “I have to go back.” I looked up. On his cell phone, Miles was texting with someone, the small crease between his eyebrows the only clue I had as to his emotional state.

Marcie caught her eye and flashed a thumbs-up, easing some of Selene's tension. Another customer stepped up to the counter. A middle-aged man in a tweed jacket who smiled warmly. "Good morning. Could I get a baguette and two almond croissants, please?" Selene's fingers hovered over the register as she mentally rehearsed the steps Claudia had shown her. "Of course, sir," she said, grabbing a paper bag and carefully selecting the croissants. Her hands trembled slightly as she reached for the baguette, but she managed to complete the order without incident.

It was warm and heavy. "What is this?" I asked suspiciously. I opened the bag with curiosity. The delicious smell of baked goods came out, making me feel so hungry. "Warm croissants, strawberry milk... and a chocolate baguette," he said as he started the car. I frowned in shock when I saw something huge inside the bag. I reached my hand in to grab a big box. A small gasp escaped my mouth. "Wait a minute... did you buy a whole box of strawberry milk?"

omg they are cute together, I wish I can also get a person like them. I can't help but giggle at their silly cute jokes, I find peace around them, I am an orphan and the love they provided to me is indescribable. I hugged them involuntarily, they kissed me on my forehead. " I love you both more than infinity ". " we love you too". Another interesting day, another interesting chapter of my life. ( this was a huge sarcasm). " these are your freshly baked breads as you ordered " aunty said placing a dozen of bread bundles on the counter.

“Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday, Happy birthday, Happy birthday, Marie.” “What? Oh, in my busyness I even forgot that it is my birthday today.” She felt sorry for God as she did not utter thanks for another year God has given her in her thoughts. She prayed a while ago but for the prayer requests, they made during their Wednesday prayer meeting. She was absent for two Wednesdays already, so she caught up with the previous schedule.

Jake sat beside aunt Pauline while I took my seat beside him. Mom already prepared one of her sweet delicacies. She always preferred to be alone in the kitchen whenever she wants to prepare a meal that is why no one ever helps her in the kitchen. I guess I took my baking skills from her though. "Why don't we say a prayer?" My dad suggested and we all murmured in agreement as we joined out hands together. "Gabriella?" "Father, we bless you for giving us our daily bread. May Angels from the North, East, West and South protect us." She said the prayer smiling.