LOVE IN THE BAKING

LESSONS

"There, you can delete the columns with the shortcut."

Callum gave different courses; Tuesday night was the office pack. Excel was what people wished to learn the most. The spreadsheet remained the privileged software for work, but it was also an absolute labyrinth for those without basis.

The adults he taught were from all horizons and took the course for various reasons. Callum wasn't curious. He just taught because he knew how. Becoming a teacher wasn't a vocation. Callum just loved the idea of having multiple holidays throughout the year.

He fell in love with the job and the notion of transmitting knowledge. Callum also learned a lot about people and himself. He wasn't someone special, just an ordinary bloke impressed by average things.

He neither dreamt of being rich nor accomplishing anything in particular. The man planned to drift through life until that day on that rooftop ledge.

"I'm tired, sir, I'm tired of living. What's the point of it all?"

"Reese, look at me. Look at me, Reese," Callum tried to grab the boy's attention, but Reese was already drifting away. The teacher wanted someone came to wake him up. It couldn't be happening; Reese was too young to have such thoughts.

"I don't want this life. Bye, sir."

Callum stretched out his hand, but he wasn't fast enough. All he did was grasp the thin air Reese left behind.

A world crumbled that day. Callum learned that a smile sometimes hid desperation at its utmost worst form.

Reese Kipling was fourteen and tired of living what he thought was a meaningless existence. Callum Mac Cormac was listless. He never questioned his existence once until then. For the first time, the man felt his heartbreak. For the first time, Callum cared and became conscious of his sorrowful existence. Callum didn't want to live a life without a purpose anymore. The man knew he could find himself in Reese's shoes if he didn't find something or someone he wished to live for.

"I'm done with this," Callum said when he gave in his resignation letter.

The man didn't want to teach anymore. Yet there he was years later teaching, again.

"Alright, everyone, time is up. See you all on Thursday."

"Aren't there any cupcakes today?" Lydia asked.

Callum smiled, "sorry, we sold them all today."

The man didn't let life eat him up after his pupil's suicide. Callum traveled the world after he quit. Like Julia Roberts, he ate, prayed, and loved.

The man discovered his adoration for cakes and Abby Sweeny. His father had mocked him, saying it was funny to see Callum travel the world to bring home an Irish lassie.

Callum didn't listen to his father; Abby was the one. He had found his missing piece. Abby came into his life at a time when the man sought someone to treasure. The timing was perfect; Callum knew what he wanted to do with his life and with who he wished to spend it.

And suddenly, Abby disappeared, only to reappear, leaving Liam at his doorstep like a fruit basket two years later, but that part is for later. In the present, Callum declined an invitation.

"Fancy having a drink with us, Mr. Mac Cormac?" Mr. Ernest asked.

"Thanks, maybe next time."

Proximity.

Human nature makes people deceitful. Callum feared the intimacy that comes from friendship as much as the one within a relationship. He liked people and appreciated them better when they were far. Thus the man took his time to observe anyone who wished to enter his bubble.

It was just a drink, but for Callum, it was already too much coming from people he barely knew. Also, he detested mingling work with his personal life. It was too much of a hassle. Callum didn't go out for drinks with anyone at the bakery, though some worked with him for years.

His employees knew as much about him as the customers that passed in the bakery. He was just Brenton's baker.

Callum drove home with Harry Styles As It Was. Other songs followed, but only this one stuck. Caitlin was a One Direction fan because of her; he knew all their songs and, like his sister Callum appreciated Harry Styles, the solo artist. Harry was charismatic and handsome. Callum looked in the rearview mirror.

He was no Harry. All Callum saw was his ears poking out of his bob haircut. He wished his hair had grown faster. At the same time, he wasn't much of a fan of his hair color. The longer the hair grew, the more the Celtic copper shade came through.

Did it matter?

Who cared about his hair color or overall appearance?

He was forty and no longer part of the desirables. Callum doubted he interested anyone. The man couldn't know if his thoughts were correct or not. He spent most of his days baking and most of his nights reading. He sometimes went to the cinema alone.

"You look as though you're emotionally unavailable, that's why. You live like a monk. You're a beige flag," Caitlin told him one day.

His sister used terms the man wasn't acquainted with, and she never gave him time to ask what some meant as she jumped from one topic to another.

A beige flag, what on earth? Thought the man as he parked and got out of his car. He looked across the road. The light was still on the first floor.

The bedroom light was what made Callum pay attention to Mr. Chiromas's absence. Mrs. Chiroma began to sleep with the light on, and it remained on even when he left for his bakery at 4 AM.

The man couldn't guess Thandie worked. She sowed all night; if she wasn't doing that, she was finishing off Box, Lemonade, or Twisted braids. During those times, the light was on in the room formerly used as Moses' office. Of course, the ladies that came never wanted anything but short hairstyles. Only teens got jumbo or Pop Smoke braids that took no time. The older customers always wanted tiny and meticulous braids.

Callum noticed the people that came out of her house at ungodly hours. Neighbors began saying she was probably an African marabout.

Caitlin had laughed and said, "why are you all up on that black woman's business? You make that TikTok sound so true," when Callum told her.

The man had asked, "what TikTok?"

Caitlin had taken a few minutes to show him some videos.

"Being nosy is part of human nature," Callum replied after watching a few.

"Yes, but we are particularly curious when events concern people of color. They know it, and they're mocking us."

Embarrassed by his actions, Callum stopped checking on the Chiroma's or at least he tried. With quarantine, there wasn't much to do; while some took time to get fit or find love, Callum baked.

Habits changed during the pandemic while Callum lived in his secluded world. The internet kept people occupied and connected. Apps of all sorts invaded the world, Caitlin became a little crazier, and Liam a little more like an ordinary boy, thanks to his grandparents who stopped Callum from having the boy admitted to a special institute.

Now the world was back to normal, but Callum was still stuck in his own space.

He went inside his house. Pebbles came running to him and placed his front paws on Callums' legs while wagging his tail.

"Yes, I'll take you out," Callum grabbed the leash and took his dog for a walk.