Happily Ever After

Word Count: 11k

"Ah shit!" you cry out as you drop the muffins you were carrying on the counter. You hold your hand, rubbing your thumb over the birthmark on the back of your hand. Ernie, your boss, pops his head out from the swinging door to the back room to see if you're okay. You hold your hand up and shake your head. "It's just hurting again."

"You know that means your soulmate is around here," Erie teases, a playful smile on his face. He steps past you to survey the small dining area in front of the bakery cases. He hums, tapping his chin with one flour covered finger as he eyes the customers. There are only three of them in the sitting area. A couple of elderly ladies who came in every couple days to gossip, a older man with a long beard that he was picking crumbs out of.

"I really don't think it's one of our customers," you chuckle as you gather the muffins and turn to put them on the glass display stand on the counter. You place them one by one in a circle and then stack the last three on top before putting the cloche over them. "Besides, it always happens so fast that I'm starting to think it's just a nerve or something."

"No no," Ernie protests, waving his flour covered hands at you. "Soulmate marks don't lie. That guy...or girl, whatever, it out there passing this shop every day. One day you're going to meet them."

"I sure hope so," you laugh and start to straighten up the large display case attached to the front counter. "I'm real tired of being single." You squat down and Ernie puts his hand on your shoulder comfortingly. "I know, you want me to be happy, but maybe it just isn't in the cards for me y'know? I'll just take over the bakery in a few months and live my life as a lonely bakery lady."

Ernie lets out a defiant grunt. "Don't talk like that kid. You're still very young, besides, all you have to do is find out which person it is that passes the shop everyday. You're practically halfway to happily ever after. Besides, you don't have to take the bakery. I can sell it to someone else."

You look up and Ernie is beaming down at you. You put your hand over his on your shoulder and smile back. "You know I can't let you do that. I was practically raised in this place, but thank you for having faith in my soulmate even when I don't."

"You're like a daughter to me. How could I do anything less?" he says softly and turns to go back through the swinging door to the back room.

Your hand aches again, throbbing like you'd been burned by one of the sheet pans. It was an ache you knew all too well, but this one couldn't be cured by some ice and aloe vera gel. It was particularly bad today too. You sigh, sliding the display case door closed as you stand up. The second you're upright you see a guy standing outside the front door. He's on the phone, pacing back and forth while talking. Quickly, you scan the windows of the shop, looking for anyone else that may be standing around. There is absolutely nobody. The ache in your hand gets worse and you reach for the damp rag on the shelf below the counter. It's not much but it feels like it takes the edge off a bit as you press it to your hand.

The guy turns around, looking into the shop and you swear to god your heart stops. He is looking right at you, a confused expression on his face as he says something to the person on the phone. Quickly he hangs up, pocketing the phone as he walks into the bakery and up to the counter. You're sure your heart is beating out of your chest like in the cartoons. It had to be obvious, he had to know too. Wait, why wasn't he holding his hand like it hurt? Was his not burning too? Was he not the one?

"I need to order a dozen muffins please," he says in the loveliest voice you've ever heard.

You stare at him, dumbfounded as if he had spoken some language from another planet. "Huh?" you ask quietly, eyes locked on his way too pink lips. Why were they like that? Was he biting them? They didn't look chapped. Who had lips that pink? Why did he have to look so good? Why was he smiling? Oh god he's smiling. His teeth are gorgeous. Why is he smiling like that?