Bittersweet Moments

2 | Chocolate Chips

2 | Chocolate Chips

Sweet Moments wouldn't go through a day without having tons of customers.

It was the only branch in the country ever, so we had a lot of customers coming in and out every day. It first started as Mom's little business in a small corner where we once lived. But – even without Dad's fame's help – it grew to a shop in the bottom of a small building because we needed more space to accommodate the customers.

Mom's recipes were killer. Too bad, it's not every time I work, I get to taste the food. Isn't it frustrating to be surrounded by countless candies, chocolate and smoothies and not get to eat them? It's pure torture for me, the girl who grew to have a sweet tooth like her mother.

I worked in the shop to help out Mom. Not that I had much of a choice. It doesn't mean we had a sweet shop that I enjoy working. And the varied jobs aren't helping either. See, I don't just wait tables because when there's no one else to do the job, I get to mop the floors, clean up tables, man the counter for a while and I even get to assist in the kitchen. Mom took advantage of it especially because we lived above the shop.

I entered the shop and inhaled the sweet smell of the desserts – something I already got used to. People were bustling about, be it the workers or the customers. Sweet Moments wasn't just a restaurant or shop. It was where teenagers hung out (mostly from Clevemore), where businessmen met up and where people just relax with endless sweets surrounding them.

"Oliver, is that you?" Mom asked from the kitchen. I was still standing by the front door.

I went straight to the kitchen, where our chefs and bakers, Douglas and Reg were busy, including Mom, who was working on a pile of dough.

"So you have X-ray vision now?" I asked Mom, grabbing my apron.

"Call it a maternal instinct," she replied, glancing at me. When I finished tying a knot at my back, I began stuffing my hair into a hairnet.

"Where were you today?" she asked, suspicion lacing her tone.

"Hey, before you accuse me of something," I held up my hands, "It's a very long story. I promise you there's a perfectly reasonable reason I'm late for work."

"I don't think it was Mitch's car I saw out there," she stated, pointing the rolling pin at me. "Explain yourself before you get to work."

"It was," I lowered my voice a little, "Brennan who dropped my off, okay? Like I said, long story." If she asked about Mitch, I'd have to tell her about Starbucks. And she will not like that.

"Where's Mitch? And your bag?"

I sighed, "Mitch had to leave for her grandma and I left my bag in my car. I walked for a few minutes until Brennan found me."

"And why were you out of her car?"

Uh oh.

I put on a straight face, "I realized I left something at school. We weren't very far so I just walked. When I came back, Mitch was gone."

She only raised an eyebrow. Damn her maternal instincts.

"Okay! I went to Starbucks to get meat sandwiches. On the bright side, they got ran over by Brennan's car. Happy?"

"Oliver," she started, "Why do you have to buy from the others? Isn't this shop good enough for you?" I opened my mouth, but she didn't give me a chance to say anything. She continued, "You're lucky we own this shop and you have well-paying job."

I looked at her incredulously. Is she serious? "Mom, you call this a well-paying job?"

"What? I pay you, don't I?"