Cupcakes and Tattoos

Chapter 2

Arizona stood outside her bakery before morning light. As a baker, she had to be up before the rest of the world. People want their pastries, breads, and coffee for breakfast, so that's what they would get. Arizona believed in same day freshness. She would never serve day old product. Always use the finest ingredients and never ever cheap out on quality, no matter the cost. That's what her dad taught her. As a little girl, Arizona believed he was the smartest man alive. Even in her late twenties, she believed that. So, every morning she'd be up at work at 3:00AM preparing for the day. She didn't really need to be here early today, since her bakery doesn't officially open for another couple of days, but old habits die hard. She still couldn't believe she was the boss now. Arizona still expected her dad to walk in the kitchen and hand her the days cake orders. She was a gifted artist, so she had always done most of the decorating. Her brother helped, before he found another passion. Arizona thought of all the good memories she had working in her parent's bakery in New York as a child teenager with her brother. Those were her favorite memories. She clung onto them. They were all she had now. They were her life.

She sighed as she looked at her dream. Was this the right choice. Contrary to popular believe, she actually didn't really like the color pink. Her parent's shop was pink and she wanted to bring the quirky shop out to California. It was her mom's doing. Her dad gave her mom whatever she wanted. He loved her more than anything. She wished she could find a love like her parents. "I miss them," she said out loud to herself and smiled wistfully. She turned her head to look at the dark shop next door. They wouldn't be in for hours. She thought about the group from yesterday and thought that maybe they could be friends. She wanted much more than friendship with Callie. She has never had such strong feelings for a stranger. She wasn't sure she could bring herself to try anything. Not now. Maybe not ever. She almost wished Callie to be straight, so she wouldn't even have a chance. She should try to find out soon to put herself out of her misery. It's not really something that comes up in everyday conversation. She spotted the little rainbow bar sticker in the window. Well, that could mean anything. She sighed again and unlocked the doors to her shop. She still had hours of work to do on the mural she was creating on the walls and she needed to get to work if it was going to be finished on time.

I hope you're proud of me, brother.

"Hey Joe! How's business?" Cristina asked as she spotted the owner of the bar her and her friends frequent walking in through the doors of Evangeline's.

"Business is great. You lot sure help me out with that," Joe joked. It was true, just Cristina and Meredith alone kept the tequila companies in business. He was sure of it. "Is Callie here? I'd like to talk to her about getting some more work done."

"What, you don't want to talk to me? I'm clearly the better choice. Way better than Mopey McMoperson back there. What can I do for you? Pin up girl? 'I heart my momma' on your arm? Something tribal on your ass? An anatomically correct human heart? That's my specialty."

"I know you're great, Yang. You wouldn't be working here if you weren't. But Callie and I have a standing deal worked out. She gets drinks and I get ink."

"Oh please, you don't have enough space on your body to get the amount of tattoos done to equal the amount that girl drinks."

"Just... is she here?"

"CAAALLLIIIEEE!"

"Jesus Christ Cristina, would it kill you to get off your lazy ass and walk back to get me?" Callie asked, coming out of her office with her arms full of various sketches she had been pretending she was working on for clients. She had really been in her office for the past hour day dreaming about the sexy baker she had met the day before. She had to find a way to apologize to Arizona for insulting her choices, even though Callie felt she was correct in this. Way to go Torres, sticking your foot in it again, as always.