Desserts & Dramas

Chapter 22

If Saturday had been a rough day for Sofia, mainly because of Gabriel's participation, Sunday was the opposite. Lunch went better than she could have expected. Although her mother had gone beyond the limit of insinuations, he didn't seem bothered. She made sure to check with Tomás at the end of the day.

On the vast majority of weekends, she divided her time between family, rest, and the bakery, however that Sunday she wanted the day to herself. She didn't know if it was the roller coaster of emotions that the presence of a certain gentleman was causing her, but she was tired and deserved to have a day at home.

Sunday was quite busy for the Siùcar shop. On sunny weekends, the square where it was located was filled with passers-by. Families, couples, singles, young and old, all took the opportunity to stroll around, and why not have a sweet in that nice little door?

Although it had a sophisticated modern style, the Siùcar Fine Sweets had been conceived as a place for leisure. The many plants and fresh flowers that Sofia made sure to change every week, combined with the variation of the menu, made the space ideal for both business meetings and family lunches.

When the cuckoo clock on the wall beside the cashier struck two o'clock in the afternoon, Mrs. Maria turned the little sign hanging on the door to open. She and her daughter Yasmin had already cleaned up the place, as Sofia had established, and now she would be in the kitchen with Gisele while Yasmin served customers at the counter.

Both were humble people, but they respected Sofia and were willing to work. Mrs. Maria learned to cook from her grandmother when she was a little girl and had a knowledge of cooking that took years to acquire. She was not used to dealing with recipes, she did everything by eye and common sense and, one way or another, her cakes always worked out. However, Sofia learned from her first baking class that proportion was essential for success, and she demanded exact measurements from all her staff. Soon Mrs. Maria got used to the store's working method and learned the recipes that the chef made. On the other hand, Yasmin was still learning to cook, both from her mother and from Sofia. She was fascinated by gastronomy, but lacked knowledge and technique, which left her with less stimulating tasks. Cleaning, basic processes, organizing schedules and customer service were her duties at Siùcar. And she liked it. She went to work every day happy to be a little closer to the world she wanted to be part of. Her enthusiasm was a factor that made her stand out at the counter.

"Hello."

An older man had approached with a boy of four, maybe five years old.

"Good afternoon, sir. Are you familiar with our menu?" Yasmin answered as Sofia had taught her.

She was a simple young girl, in the way she dressed, acted and spoke. However, she had the will to learn, and Sofia recognized the potential. With the right training, Yasmin had become charming with customers. Her long, brunette hair was braided on the side and her black T"shirt was hidden behind a burgundy apron, making up the uniform of the bakery.

"No, this is the first time."

"Let me introduce it to you then. Here on this first shelf, we have some traditional sweets in individual sizes, and at the bottom, cakes with the same flavors in larger sizes."

Yasmin took two steps to the side as the man nodded.

"Here we have our chef's special creations, with innovative ingredients and used in unusual ways, they are our best sellers. And finally, on the bottom shelf, within the children's view, we have the children's desserts, following the line of what they like the most, and the surprise candy."

"What is the surprise dessert?"

"The surprise dessert has a caramel coating, sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon, but the filling is a surprise. It can be chocolate, vanilla cream, something tasty, as well as chili pepper ganache or Brussels sprouts. Even we don't know which filling can be found, there is no identification."

"What do you think, young man?" he asked the boy, probably his grandson. "Shall we try our luck?"

"Yes, yes, but if it comes with vegetables inside, I won't eat it. Mom already makes me eat enough at home."

Yasmin and the grandfather laughed at the boy who crossed his arms resolutely. Nobody would make him eat salad on the weekend.

"Will it be for traveling or for eating here?"

"Here, please," the man replied.

"Feel free to sit down, I'll bring it to the table."

The man nodded and walked away with the boy.

From the kitchen window, Gisele watched Yasmin's service and the movement of the store with a certain disdain. She was tired of that routine and knew she wanted a change in her life. She just didn't know what or where to start.

"A little distracted, Gisele?" Mrs. Maria called her attention.