Sister Pact: Surrendering to Mr Snow

CHAPTER SEVEN: SQUARE ONE

One week later

Scarlet was becoming frustrated with herself, this was the second batch of cupcakes that she had burnt and she honestly hoped that Rosanne was still out a little bit longer so that she could hide the evidence.

“Scarlet just breathe,” she told herself, taking in deep breathes and exhaling in order to calm herself down. She quickly got rid of the burnt cupcakes and cleaned up the evidence that was once there.

Someone had rung the bell from the front of the restaurant and Scarlet rolled her eyes, Abby the waiter was up front, unless the teenager was out on her smoke break again. Scarlet left what she was doing, prepared her fake smile for whichever customer that she was about to meet and she walked out from the back of the coffee shop and all the way to the front.

To Scarlet’s surprise, it was her aunt standing there with a smile on her face, which looked forced.

“Hey aunt, what are you doing here? it’s too cold outside, you should be at home taking care of grandmother” Scarlet told her aunt, for the past few days Scarlet’s grandmother had worsened and none of the medications were working, added to that her grandmother refused to visit the hospital to get further treatments.

“Oh but I brought you something to eat” her aunt aid and she reached into her oversized bag and pulled out and pink lunch box and she placed in onto the counter. Scarlet examine the contents and handed it back to her aunt.

“I can’t take this aunt, this is too much food. I want you to take this back and give it to grandmother” as much as Scarlet had tried not to sound mean to her aunt, it still came out wrong and she could see that she had hurt her aunt’s feeling even though she did not intend to.

“I’m so sorry aunt, it’s just that we’re not in the position to be making such good food and worst of all you’re giving me such a huge portion of food,” Scarlet told her aunt.

Scarlet was hurt that for the first time she could not help her family and she failed them, growing up in the Albertson, home food was never an issue for them and there was always plenty of it.

Now food was like gold, once it was received it was highly appreciated. Her wages at Rosanne’s was barely enough to cover all the cost that all three women had to pay.

“I just thought that I should bring you something to eat, I mean you are always so hard working and I thought that you deserved something special” Scarlet’s aunt said, sadness laced in her voice.

Scarlet knew just what she had to do, although she did not like it but if it made her aunt happy then she would certainly do just that. Scarlet reached for the lunch box and accepted her aunt’s kind gesture. Scarlet kept in mind that her aunt did take her time to make this food for her so it was best to accept the little that she had received.

“Thanks aunt, I really appreciate and I’ll have it as soon as it’s my lunch time. Scarlet watched as her aunt looked at her watch and immediately her eyebrows were raise, scaring Scarlet that maybe something was wrong.

“Is something the matter?” Scarlet asked her aunt, who simply smiled at Scarlet.

“It’s just that I needed to go and pay for your grandmother’s medications” Scarlet smiled at her aunt then she paused for a bit.

“I thought you paid it last week, aunt” Scarlet reminded her aunt, who lightly slapped herself over the head.

“I forgot to tell you, the pharmacy was closed and I had to turn back. Don’t worry this time, I’ll be there on time this time” her aunt smiled at her and Scarlet was glad that finally her grandmother was going to get the best medication and treatment possible.

Scarlet watched as her aunt said her goodbyes and left the shop, she was now at peace and ready to start another round of baking, hopefully these ones were not going to flop as the previous two did.

The door opened and Abby walked in, back from her smoke break and rubbing her hands together to keep warm from the unforgiving cold from outside.

“Oh, so you’re back” Scarlet said sarcastically but the teenage girl did not seem to care about anything that Scarlet had said, which drove Scarlet nuts. Now that she thought about it, she understood how her sister’s felt whenever she refused to listen to her sister’s about one thing or the other.

“Look, I’m going to the back, please take care of the café while I’m at the back baking” Scarlet told Abby.

“Are you still baking? Look at the displays, it’s almost empty and still you have not made anything worth displaying” Scarlet swallowed the lump in her throat, because she was scared. Lunch hour was almost about to start and for a small town Rosanne’s Café and bakery got very busy during lunch hour.

Scarlet did not answer Abby, because she knew that the teenager was right about what she was saying but Scarlet would not admit that she was in trouble.  As soon as she got to the back of the store, she sank onto the floor and began weeping.

She regretted telling Rosanne that she could bake and now she was doomed, the customers would come to the store, there would be no delicacies for them to munch on, and it was all going to be her fault.

“You should have just told me that you couldn’t bake, it’s not as easy as I make it look” Scarlet looked up and there Rosanne was at the entrance of the kitchen, smiling down at Scarlet. Scarlet quickly stood up from the floor and wiped her hands on the side of her jeans.

“Hey Rosanne, I can explain” Scarlet tried to explain but she stopped when she saw that Rosanne was smiling at her. Rosanne dropped the plastic bag onto the counter and walked towards Scarlet.

“Come on Scarlet, I’ll teach you how to bake. Grab the recipe book from the counter at the window ad hand it to me” Rosanne said, stunning Scarlet. She took the book from the counter and handed it over to Rosanne who studied its contents carefully.

Scarlet did not understand why this woman was like this, she was kind, soft spoken and barely ever got mad at anyone. For a moment Rosanne reminded her of her mother, who was also soft spoken and rarely got mad at anything her daughters did, instead she gave advice.

Scarlet was glad that she had met her biological family but she also missed her family back home. She missed speaking with both her sisters. They might have broken the pact that had led to their disagreement but she missed them not but her pride would never allow her pride would never allow her to call the and speak to them.

Scarlet watched how effortlessly Rosanne worked in the kitchen mixing all the ingredient like it was not difficult at all, making Scarlet look mediocre.

After an hour of continuously baking and filling up all four ovens at the very same time, they were done with their baking, all the delicacies were placed on the display counter and Scarlet was happy.

Scarlet clapped her hands together; she was filled with excitement at the thought of finishing all these desserts.

“Rosanne, you did it” Scarlet told Rosanne, with a lot of excitement in her voice.

“I didn’t do it, you did and I simply just directed you through it” Rosanne said and Scarlet realized that Rosanne was absolutely right. She did not just watch how Rosanne worked but she too contributed to fetching the recipes that was required, measuring the quantities and decorating the cupcakes.

Scarlet looked up and just like that the customers started walking in and getting ready for their lunch breaks and Scarlet smiled at each and every one of them that walked in, this time her smile was not fake neither was it forced. Scarlet was simply happy that people were going to taste her pastries and from the looks of everyone, they loved it and complimented her.

After serving the cakes and desserts that they had made, Scarlet rushed and worked at the cash counter whilst Abby and Rosanne served the guests.

A beautiful blond woman walked to the counter, brought a cheesecake, she handed over her money to Scarlet and Scarlet gladly accepted it.

“Thank you so much, madam would you like anything else?” Scarlet asked the woman.

“No, I think I’ve had enough lovely sweets for today but thanks for asking my dear” the blond woman told her. Scarlet could not help but notice that the woman kept looking at her whilst waiting for her change.

“Here you go madam” Scarlet handed the change over to the woman and the woman smiled at her.

“You’re not from around here are you?” She asked Scarlet. Scarlet smiled at the woman politely as she proceeded to answering the question.

“No, I’ve actually just moved here not so long ago”

“Oh, I see. It’s just that your accent sounded American, anyway welcome to the town. I hope you are not too lonely living by yourself” The woman answered.

“I’m Scarlett by the way and I don’t live alone,” she told the blond woman nicely.

“Oh my bad! Where are my manners? Anyways, my name Sally and I own the super market store right at the beginning of town”

“Oh, I saw it on my way into town and I should come over there and shop sometimes” Scarlet remembered the time when she drove into town and she saw the mini super market, it was nothing like the mega stores that she was used to in New York City.

“You should are you here with your husband?” Sally asked Scarlet, causing her to smile at the woman’s obscene idea.

“No, I’m actually visiting my aunt and grandmother who live here” The woman’s eyes widened and a smile appeared on her face.

“Oh that’s great! Do I know them?” sally asked causing Scarlet to smile at how nosey and kind Sally was.

“I’m living with both my aunt and grandmother, Marilyn and Cinder Carter at the wooden house up the hill” All of a sudden Sally’s mood changed, she was not longer bubbly and full of sunshine, she looked like she had retreated into a hole and shut Scarlet out.

Sally smiled but it did not reach her eyes and Scarlet found it strange, that someone who was smiling just a while ago looked serious all of a sudden.

“Ok. I guess I’ll see you later, bye” Sally waved her goodbyes. She walked out of the shop and she quickly got into her car and drove way. Scarlet could not help but look at where Sally’s car was parked, something about Sally’s reaction did not seem right Scarlet at all.

Rosanne stood in front of Scarlet blocking her view and snapping her out of her thoughts.

“Is anything the matter?” Rosanne asked Scarlet.

Should I say something or should I not? Scarlet mentally asked herself and just as she was about to answer, Rosanne was called by one of the customers and Scarlet had missed her chance to say anything to Rosanne.

Scarlet it go, there was no use now as more customers were walking into the shop and Scarlet’s job got more difficult as she was tried too handle all the money  that was coming in all at once.

She handled every penny but her mind was not there at all, she kept thinking of sally’s reaction and why she acted the way, she did.

“Hey!” Abby called out to Scarlet, snapping her out of her day dreaming once again and Scarlet was embarrassed.

**

Douglas loved his aunt, no doubt about that. Now as he lay in his bed with a full stomach, after being fed by Aunt may he remembered how she had come in earlier to fed him, according to her, he was not taking care of himself.

Douglas hated when people fussed over him and about his health and Douglas hated that. He was prepared to spend another day in a cold house that did not have a single piece of food in his house.

But now he was here, sitting at his dining room table with a fool meal placed right in front of him and he had to eat it otherwise there would be trouble.

“I’m not hungry” Douglas told his aunty, who was trying to force feed him and he was not too happy about being treated like a little child. He knew that the past few years he’s been ignoring his health but there was no need for his aunt to come all the way to his home on the hill to feed him.

“Douglas, do not make me mad you will eat your food whether you like it or not, his aunt threatened him and he knew that there was no way of getting out of this. He hated handouts and his aunt bringing him food free of charge, definitely felt like a handout.

“You know ever since the— I just want you to take care of yourself more, I worry about you all the time” His aunt told him. Douglas knew that his aunt loved him but at the space that he was at now, he felt like he deserved no one’s love.

How could he? When he could not even protect his loved ones, he had failed as a man and he was reminded of that every day.

Douglas sat down and ate his food, at least he tried to finish it otherwise aunt May would have his head. He sat there eating his food for nearly an hour, not really tasting the flavors but just eating to fill his stomach.

He watched his aunt walk into his dining room, pleased to see that Douglas had tried eating most of the food that was on his plate. It made him happy to see that his aunt was happy, she was always alone and often Douglas was her only friend.

Douglas stood up from his chair, although he loved his aunt he was in no mood to socialize with her or anyone now. Douglas was in pain but he tried to hide it from her.

“Why are you limping?” Aunt May asked him and immediately Douglas wished that he did not stand up just yet.

“It’s nothing” Douglas lied to his aunt but the look on her face was evident to Douglas that aunt May did not believe a single word that he had said.

“You don’t have to lie to me, I already know that someone knocked you over about a week ago” Douglas’ss eyebrows were raised; he had no idea how his aunt had found out about the accident that had happened over a week ago.  There was one thing that he did know and that was that, in this town news got around fast and that the forest had ears.

“How did you find out about the accident?” Douglas asked his aunt, who simply smiled his way and she walked away but she stopped halfway.

“A little bird told me” Aunt May told Douglas as she walked out of his dining room, leaving Douglas wondering who it was that had told his aunt all this.