Chapter 11BeforeJayda 22Brian 12"Jayda!" Brian hurried outside to where Donnie and Jayda are seated, smoking. "Putt off the cigarette" She whispered. She stomped on both stick with her feet before Brian's arrival. Donnie rolls his eyes in disbelief at her. "It's Lucy. We were playing and then she tripped and bruised her leg. I already applied first aid but she keeps crying and won't let me put a band-aid on it." The trio hurried to the backyard to find little Lucy on the grass, crying. "Hey, sweetie" Jayda bent down to inspect the scratch.  "Pass me the bandaid" she collects the strip from Brian's hand and places it on Lucy's wound carefully. "Check the lower kitchen cabinet by the fridge, bring the pack of candy in it," Jayda told Brian and he returned a few seconds later with the

Chapter 13A WEEK LATER Jayda settles on the blanket she spread on the floor of her one room apartment. She has been trying to get a job since she moved in five days ago knowing fully well that she only has enough to live for just a couple of months in the city coupled with Lucy's needs. Lucy had suggested they sell off Grandma's house but Jayda wouldn't hear it. She only went back to Minnesota to pack a few essentials like her laptop, couple of blankets and pillow, the rest she will buy in bits and then sell off after four years. She'd been on almost all job seeking platforms looking for any opening whatsoever but the ones she had seen so far require at least a bachelor's degree which she doesn't have. The only thing she learnt and did for a living back in Ely is baking. The skill earned her a job spot in one of the popular confectionaries in the town where she was able to care for herself and Lucy for a long while.

Chapter 15Jayda shows up the next afternoon in a restaurant she'd chosen for her date with Sdavies,  wearing nothing but a white round neck cotton top on blue jean with sneakers. She brings out her phone to notify him via the App message section that she's in the restaurant. "Hi, Jayda Cruz from ChaseApp," A familiar voice says behind her and it sent cold shivers down her body. She turns around to see the peculiar face. "Shawn! Are you?..." "Sdavies" he laughs. "Oh my God!" Jayda says in between shock and uneasiness. *****"I actually swiped your profile up because I recognized you from your picture," Shawn says after they settle on their respective seats. "I assumed I wouldn't know anyone plus you used your daughter as your display picture""I had to do that because of you" "Why?" Jayda asks as her smile fades. "We left thi

Chapter 17Jayda hurried to the switch to turn on the newly fixed Edison bulbs in the shop. She opens her eyes in shock at the beauty of the entire interior. The bulbs did the icing on the cake making everywhere glow up like a dreamland. She smiled at her newly accomplished goal with pride. She changed almost all the furniture as well as repainted the wall and got a few machines to add to the existing ones. The interview for a few positions will be held today and although it's scheduled for three in the afternoon, three candidates already arrived by one. She's planning on hiring a Cashier, one cleaner, for now, one barista, two salesperson and two assistant bakers. By six, she'd finished everything and gotten her workers who will be resuming the coming week which is in two days. Jayda will be using the weekend to stock up the shop with goods. Shawn arrives just before she could turn off the Edison bulbs that mostly gave the sourc

Chapter 19After the finishing touches, Jayda stared at her just-concluded creation. The two tiers red velvet cake had red crumbs around and layered with dripping like cheese butter frosting coupled with an animated picture of Moana in the middle. It's a couple of minutes past two and she is more than happy to have finished the job on time.She took a quick peep at the cake one more time before calling it a night. Although her house is just a few blocks away, Jayda couldn't take the risk of going back home especially because of the dark ally she'll need to walk through before her house. She'd brought all her toiletries in the morning and a change of clothes. She makes a mental gratitude for that.She contemplates calling Shawn, not wanting to disturb him in case he's asleep but then again, she needs to shut her eyes too. It's been a busy opening day and coupled with this order,  it is only natural for her to just go to bed. Feeling too tired to take a showe