Love, Amor, Amour

《Chapter 13》

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Mina's parents made a big announcement; they had thought it through for almost a week. The impact would have on their future business, the bakery, and of most importance, the family. A decision that could change much more than already thought. They weighed the pros and cons but made the choice to leap anyway.

"So, you all know we have the important charity event to cater soon and since Geoffrey has to focus on school now with the new semester coming, we have more work than ever. That being said, these next few weeks are too much for just the four of us to prepare and work the bakery."

Mina had asked her father what made her parents think they couldn't accomplish the trials that were yet to come. Although she believed they could and could do it as well as always the facts were there. It was an overwhelming amount of work for them and time was also to be factored in.

"We, your mom and I, have decided to expand catering."

An expansion was slightly more comforting than where her original thoughts were. She did, however, ponder what exactly that statement meant. Why ever would her parents think that more was necessary, to hire more people, add on more members to the family business.

"Yes, we're going to hire some extra people to help with catering and if everything goes well we might hire more, the catering needs many people if it grows to be successful."

That left Mina and Alden in charge of interviews, as per her father's requests. She was hesitant on their terms of hiring or dismissing people on first meetings, the person's demeanor is never certain to one's internal self. Her thoughts were unquestioned, but Alden was clear on his offer to help make the final decision if she wasn't entirely up to the task.

"Remember we need them with at least some food experience."

The following days were a little tricky, on Wednesday she interviewed Jacobi. He stopped by when he saw the flyer on the bakery's front window that read the help wanted. He was the second person she had interviewed that week, the first being an older man who had worked at a grocery store before abruptly being fired from his job for stealing fruit every so often. Mina made the quick judgment of denial to his application. So far, Alden had hired one of three applicants that he was subjectively sure of. A woman named Trudy, in her mid-thirties, with a perfect resume and background of a two-year occupation at a breakfast diner the next town over. Yesterday she and Alden interviewed their last applicant, Andrea, a mother in her early forties with who had a part-time job as a hostess at another restaurant in Bloomington. Mina admitted to feeling sympathy for the woman who had less than support from being a single mother of three. She wasn't sure why she couldn't keep her feelings in check for some of these interviews, her sentimental side had shown itself all week.

The short interview on Wednesday afternoon with the high school graduate and former pizza delivery boy had really touched her heartstrings. Just by the look on his face, it reminded her so much of Geo she couldn't deny him employment that day. Alden had given her a look that day that displayed what she already knew but ignored it and continued her day.

"So that's us, my family's bakery catering is one of my biggest priorities now," She summed to Mr. François while they sat in the garden soaking up today's gentle sun rays.

"How do you have time to do anything else?"

"I do have weekends off and my mom closes the bakery earlier on Fridays, Saturdays, but on Sundays, we're closed because they go to church and I take advantage to sleep all day." She heaved a sigh through her nose in longing, then carried on with a teasing smile all's while looking ahead, "Before I volunteered for early mornings for you, I came here at five o'clock."