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Listening to the laughing conversation from the front end of the bakery, I smile. My life isn’t all that bad. I am well settled here. I am working my way towards an MBA degree, with my twice-a-week night classes at a top-tier college uptown.
It is ironic, really, that it had taken helping Erik out with his pending mergers that taught me that I might have a head for business after all. That ultimately put me on the path to this degree.
The jingling of the doorbell that indicates the arrival of the first customer, makes me quickly wrap up the icing and move towards the front room.
I am surprised to see Agatha standing there, dressed in a red blouse and sharply-pressed black trousers. She is leaning over the counter, showing something to Sonya on her phone, while Riley just rolls her eyes at the two of them.
“What’s going on?” I ask, wiping my hands on my apron. Sonya grins.
“Agatha’s showing me the photos from the fashion show in Paris from two weeks ago.”
Sonya is currently enrolled in an art school. She is majoring in fashion design, something which thrills Agatha to no end. Both my childhood friend and my employee can spend hours debating over clothes and designs if they aren’t reined in.
Agatha waggles her fingers at me in greeting, as if she hasn’t just spent the night over at my place. It warms something in my tattered heart that she knows just how to handle me right now.
All three of these women are my closest friends, and all of them are treating this past week as if it never happened, dragging me into normalcy. I can’t help the curving of my lips.
“Are you going into work?” I ask Agatha as I pack up two slices of banana bread and a spinach roll for her. I put the brown bag next to her and give her an expectant look. She makes a face.
“I should really say no to this, but I’m greedy.” I give her a confused look, and she flashes her teeth at me in a smile. “I’m meeting Ian for lunch.”
“Oh,” I raise a brow as I reach for the bag, “Guess you won’t be needing?
?” Agatha immediately grabs the packaged food from within my reach, glaring at me.
“Did I say I didn’t want these?” She cackles almost maniacally. “These are going in my fridge.” I shake my head.
“You worry me.” She smiles.
“Come on. Walk me out.”
I oblige, and wave at one of the local shopkeepers, who is putting up the promotion board outside his shop.
Agatha’s smile disappears.
“How did it go? What did Philip say?”
“Nothing.” I stick my hands in the pockets of my apron, not bothering to hide my upset. “He didn’t agree to sign the papers. He hardly stuck around for more than ten minutes.” Agatha sighs.
“I tried to talk to him, but he told me that this was between you and him and that I should butt out. The spin on the story I put out… I was just trying to protect your reputation at that point. I didn’t want that rat bastard to make you a laughing stock.”
“Maybe,” I mutter. “But we’ve already fielded off one reporter, and now that the shop is open, more will follow. I’m not – I don’t know how to handle the media, Agatha. I’m not one for the spotlight. And since this involves Philip, they are bound to hound me.”
Agatha puts a hand on my arm.
“I wish you would consider staying at my place for the next few weeks.”
“You know I can’t do that.” I shake my head. “I have my classes and I have the shop.”
I am barely able to make ends meet as it is, with the increased rent and the fees for the classes. I know it is just six more months, but I am still struggling. If Agatha finds out, she will try her best to loan me some money, and I don’t want that.
“I’ll try talking to Philip again. I was so angry at the time that I didn’t think of the consequences of what I wrote. God, this whole thing is such a mess.”
I stop her.
“Don’t. I’ll handle this. I don’t want to come between you and your brother. I’ll convince him, and even if I can’t, he’ll come to the realization himself that whatever he’s trying to achieve here is pointless.”
Agatha is quiet, a troubled look on her face.
