Staying Afloat

05 | help wanted

"Be strong enough to stand alone, smart enough to know when you need help, and brave enough to ask for it."

- Ziad K. Abdelnour

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I HAD UNDERESTIMATED how hard running the bakery would be without Mary. It had been weeks since she left and I was more swamped than ever. I was baking non-stop and in any spare time, I had, trying to think up brilliant new ideas to save my bakery, all coming up short.

I was simultaneously running out of time and money. This is how I found myself outside on a particularly freezing cold day taping a large white paper to my door. I stood back and frowned at my lopsided 'help wanted' sign. It would have to do. Although my income was severely lacking, I had figured that if I dug into my savings I could afford to pay an employee for a few months. I, of course, was the last person who wanted to admit that they wanted, needed, help but I assumed that change would surely occur in the most desperate moments of my life. I was slowly accepting it, no matter how much I didn't want to.

I was baking a batch of homemade croissants when a woman came in. She was a flurry of papers and hair. She ran through the doors and I was sure the sun had created a halo around her, she had to be my help. She walked up to the counter, looking at the neatly placed desserts. "Are you Bo?" She asked enthusiastically, I noted her southern drawl indicating that she wasn't from around here.

"Yes, that's me!" I grasped her free hand that was held out. Her chocolate colored skin contrasted perfectly against mine, she was beautiful. "Are you my help?" She laughed and nodded.

"I am your help. I brought my resume and letters of recommendation, anything you need!" She was bouncing on the balls of her feet, excitedly. "I am Savannah, so nice to meet you! I live pretty close to here and I have been looking at this place for so long! When I saw the help wanted sign I knew it was calling my name. So, here I am!" Savannah was extremely friendly and I instantly liked her. She handed me her resume and I looked it over briefly. She had past experience in cooking and baking and I knew she would fit in perfectly here.

"Great! You're hired!" I beamed at her and she squealed pulling me into a hug.

"Sorry," she apologized as we broke apart. "I'm a hugger." I looked thoughtfully at her. I could tell she was eager to start so I grabbed an apron from the shelf. I held it out to her.

"So, Savannah. Are you ready to save my business?"

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"We could ... have a bake sale?" Savannah asked me and I laughed.

"That would be good if we were 7 and a part of girl guides!" Savannah was trying to help me come up with ideas to spread awareness for the business. We had decided that it was the best way to increase customers.

"What if we had a car wash or something?"

"Are you going to wash the cars?" She shook her head no. "Exactly. You can definitely cross that one of the list."

"Okay..." She sounded disappointed but, her mood instantly changed when I could see she had come up with a good idea. "My brother owns one of the mansions on the outskirts of town, what if I could convince him to let us throw a party? We could invite his rich friends and a bunch of other people?" She sounded excited already.

            A party sounded like a fun idea but, I didn't think it would be reasonable. I didn't have a lot of money to spend on frivolous things. " I don't know Savannah. Throwing a party is kind of out of my budget," I said disappointedly.

            "But Beatrice, it's a good idea! We won't have to pay for the venue because it is at my brother's house and I guess we'd have to pay some money for the catering and champagne and stuff. But, we will use our baked goods as dessert! It will be so fun! I love parties!"

"I guess we can try it. It sounds like it would be a good idea as long as I don't have to spend loads of money that could be put to better use."

            "Don't you see Beatrice? This is a good use of your money! It is to save the business after all!"

            "I guess you're right! I can talk to Penny and tell her to invite some people from her work! I'm sure she'd be happy to help!" This idea was starting to sound better and better! I was suddenly filled with hope that maybe I could do this, maybe I wouldn't let my business crumble to the ground.

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THE COFFEE SHOP was buzzing with people this evening. I sat in my usual seat with my usual coffee and typed away on my computer. I was sending e-invites to people who might want to attend my little shindig. Savannah's brother so graciously let us use his home to throw the party and as the days were ticking closer I found myself becoming more and more nervous. This could be my first and last party as a business owner. I had to put in as much effort in as I possibly could and it was getting increasingly harder to stop myself from having a breakdown. Nonetheless, I was pushing.

On my way out of the coffee shop, I grabbed a few flyers advertising the party and stapled them to the bulletin board. Savannah convinced me to open it to the public. I was against doing this at first, thinking that if any random person could get in we increase our chances of having a serial killer show up. She eventually told me it was the public that was buying food from the bakery, we had to convince them to come. Besides, she was getting security to monitor the people coming in.

I was hoping we would have a good turnout, with Penny's work friends, Savannah's brother's friends, a few of my friends, and the general public, we should be able to create the perfect amount of buzz to get my business going again. I had to admit, I was proud of the work we had done to organize this so quickly.

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PENNY WAS WAITING for me at my apartment when I finally reached home. I had eventually decided to let the little email incident go, knowing that I would never even meet this man anyway. I had come to the conclusion that I was overreacting, there were hundreds of investors that could help me. Plus, she talked to some of the people at her work and had gotten them to attend my upcoming party.

She stood waiting by my door with a large bottle of wine and a bag of grocery store popcorn. "Beatrice! Thank God you're here. I was beginning to think I'd be waiting forever!" She excitedly embraced me in a hug.

"Hi, Penny! You brought wine!" She nodded and held it up to my face. I inspected the label. "Wow, you brought GOOD wine!"

"Of course, I only get the good stuff." I laughed at her as I unlocked the door. She followed me in and plopped herself down on the couch. I grabbed a bowl from the cupboard above the stove and two wine glasses. Then I followed her lead sitting down on the couch. She popped off the cork and we began our evening, drinking, talking, and eating – the perfect girls' night.

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author's note:

Hello, lovelies! This isn't the greatest or longest chapter ever but, I needed to add some background for the upcoming party. That will be the next chapter and since I am super excited about it, I will probably post it tomorrow or Saturday.

Also, I have to mention this, WE GOT TO 1000 READS!!! You guys are so amazing and I am so happy that this book has received so much love in such a short period of time. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!

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