The Witness (H.S.)

9

In the next days I create more motif cakes and cupcakes in the bakery. Christa is fascinated by my work and suggests to add the cakes to the range for ordering. So I made more of them to take pictures off and then put a small booklet together for the customers to choose from. My cupcakes are selling good so they became a part of the daily offer. Eddy and I are working side by side without getting into each others hair as if we never did anything else. In the afternoons I meet up with Gemma. It is nice to know that there is someone who likes to spent time with Ava and me. The first days after Harry's departure we worked on the playhouse. It's now layered in an off-white colour. The window frames and door are in a pretty pink and the walls inside are wallpapered. It's furnished and cushions, blankets and curtains make it cozy. The fence surrounding the little front yard is in the same pink we used for the door. Yesterday we planted all the flowers and paved a way leading up to the porch. It surely does look like something out of a fairy tale. We even managed to finally finish the vegetable bed. Today we're going to be doing nothing. Together. Not alone. And so I'm not surprised to find her on my porch when Ava and me come home.

"Hey Gems. Did you wait long?", I ask and unlock the door. I enter the code in the security system and slip out of my shoes. I then help Ava with hers.

"No. I just arrived. Harry says hi", she tells me happily and follows me in the kitchen where I start a can of coffee.

"Oh. How is he? Tell him I said hi, too when you speak next time, yeah? You want something to eat?"

"You've got cake?", she asks.

"No, not today. But hey, we could make some. I could teach you how to do the decor", I suggest.

"Sounds good to me. And about Harry... I refuse to be a mediator. Why don't you just text him?" Well, she has a point there. Even though we exchanged numbers we didn't make use of them.

"Oh. Well, I don't want to interrupt anything", I fib. Surely it's partly true but actually I just don't know what to write. I mean he probably has more important stuff to do and people to text with.

"Excuses", Gemma murmurs.

"Let's bake!"

For two hours straight we create flowers, butterflies and other stuff out of fondant and put them decorative   on the already cooled-off and frosted cupcakes. Afterwards we plump onto the couch and put our legs on the glass table. Mine hurt from the long day in the bakery. Ava sits next to me cuddling into me. Mindlessly I switch through the channels to see if I can find a movie to watch but a news channel catches my attention. Shocked I stare at the picture in the upper left corner of the screen. There can be seen an elderly woman I just know to well. Her grey hair is like always in an up-do on the back of her head, the creases around her eyes and mouth seem deeper thanks to the smile on her thin lips. The words of the presenter barely register in my brain:

"Went into cardiac arrest.
Died.
Yesterday.
In the age of 75.
Bequeathes considerable fortune.
Sole heiress.
Rosetta Bouletti."

Before I know what is happening to me, I feel Gemmas arms around me and listen to her calming words.

"Hey, shhhh... It's ok. It's ok." She caresses over my back and lets me rest my head on her shoulder without so much as one question. That there are tears running down my cheeks and my body trembles I only notice now.

"Hayden, it's alright." As she says my name I come to my senses with a jolt. Oh shit! Immediately I pull away and straighten up. I wipe over my face to get rid of the tears. Desperately I search for an explanation.

"Oh, ugh... I don't know what just happened. Probably hormones, you know it's that time of the month", I say unconvincingly. Gemma looks sceptical but doesn't comment my lame excuse. 'She doesn't believe me.'