Jigi felt her neck and the tip of her ears redden at the comment. She turned towards the window to hid it, cleared her throat and stared out the train window as the world flashed by. Clearly trying to ignore Wyatt's presence. Jigi heard a chuckle from Wyatt.
"Where to?" Jigi asked trying to change the subject.
"Home. I just came from basketball practice with Cam." Wyatt answered and Jigi nodded turning back to face him.
"How's Cam." She asked. Jigi was reminded of Wyatt's bossy cousin.
"He's fine. He might have sprained his ankle while playing. I'm curious though, why are you asking for him." Wyatt demanded. There was a teasing smirk on his face.
"So I can't ask about your cousin's health?" Jigi challenged scrutinising his face as she narrowed her eyes to glower at him.
"Well, you did ask for his not mine." Wyatt declared.
"Besides, I'd like you to think and ask of me." Wyatt continued as his smirk increased. Jigi just stared at him bewildered and speechless. He quietly snickered in his seat.
"Shopping ?" Wyatt continued to asked pointing at her shopping sitting near her feet.
"Yes." She briefly answered swiftly looking at her feet then back at him.
"Guess you're heading home then." Wyatt probed. He turned her gaze towards her.
"I'm actually going to work." Jigi said maintaining eye contact with him.
"With your shopping?" He questioned in disbelief. He was looking at her like she had said the most outrageous thing ever, maybe she has.
"Yep." She abruptly answered making the ending consonant pop.
They sat there in comfortable silence as the train came to a stop and took off again.
"I haven't seen you at the ice rink after our initial encounter?" Wyatt stated.
"Yeah. I don't plan on going there again." Jigi replied staring out the window.
"Why not?" Wyatt asked
"I don't even skate." Jigi responded and she continued to explain, "I just wondered in there in a trance."
"I guess it was a good accident I met you." Wyatt concluded cockily leaving Jigi bewildered again.
"Would you stop that?" Jigi exclaimed in a daze.
"I'd like to see you at practice or at a tournament." Wyatt declared the next stop was in view. It was Wyatt's apparent stop. He stood up and held a rail in order to face her and quickly said.
"That reminds me. Would you be available on a date tomorrow?" Wyatt asked.
"No can't. I have a thing. What about Saturday then. I would be fancy what do you think." He asked as the train came to a stop and people began to rush out.
"Alright." Jigi smile and blushed slightly.
"Nice. I'll text you." He yelled as her raced through the closing doors of the train, missing by an inch.
He stood outside as Jigi was now on her feet slightly shaking by Wyatt action. Yet, he stood here like nothing happened waved at her as the train resumed its journey.
Jigi then realised that Wyatt's actions and utterances had grabbed the attention of the passengers. Jigi slowly at down slouching in her seat to avoid the judging gazes and the penetrating glances.
Jigi hurriedly rushed out of the train doors the moment it came to a halt. She paused at the doorway was she noticed the time. She was fifteen minutes early.
She began to prep the place. She wore her work uniform and she waited as her other colleagues filed in. It was a chilly Thursday afternoon.
Thursdays were not very busy at the diner. So, Jigi knew there was not much to do. Jigi heard the kitchen door to the dining area open, revealing a distracted Fumiko busily speaking through the phone.
"Ich würde bald besuchen. Ja. Ich würde Papa anrufen. Ich glaube nicht, dass es reibungslos verlaufen würde-"she said coming to a pause.
Fumiko listened to her mother's last request and ended the call. Fumiko let out a sigh and Jigi looked towards her. Her eyes followed Fumiko walk to the changing room to change into her uniform. Then, Jigi knew that her shift had ended.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fifteen years ago
It was a beautiful sunny Sunday morning. Jigi was awoken by sun rays penetrating her eye leads. Jigi's mother using woke her up in the morning.
Jigi was excited about this achievement. She rushed into the bathroom to brush her teeth then down the stairs into the hall to check the time on the wall clock. It was seven thirty.
Up the stairs, she went. She rushed down the dark and narrow corridor leading to her parent's bedroom. She was told her father would come back from his journey today.
Surely, Juniper barely had any sleep from all the excitement she felt from his return. Her parents door was slightly ajar. Her mother sat at the furthest corner of the bed away. Her mother looked haggard, drawn and sapped.
She had her hair in her usual messy bun. She was dressed in all black. She wore a long black skirt, a fitted black blouse with a black knitted blazer.
She held in hand a picture frame of their wedding photo. They both smiled broadly at the camera hanging hands happily and pressed their clasped hands together in a way that their hands could press together.
She placed back onto the side table and sniffled. Juniper had seen enough. She pushed the door open. Her mother quickly wiped her tears trying to hide her sorrow.
"Maman ? Pourquoi pleures-tu ?" Juniper asked. Her mother shuffled to her feet and declared, "Vous vous levez tôt. Pourquoi ne dors-tu pas?" She cleaned the leftover tears in her eyes. Juniper stared at her mother scrutinising her face and looking into her mother bloodshot brown eyes. She was lying, Jigi thought.
"Maman-", her mother interrupted her saying, " Viens, fille. Nous avons une journée mouvementée devant nous."
Juniper wanted to question her mother of her odd behaviour. She could not figure it out. She wanted to pinpoint the source of her mother's unhappiness.
Jigi stood in front of the mirror in a long sleeved black dress with a white collar, white socks and black flats. She looked at her mother through the mirror trying to decipher what she could possibly be hiding. She returned her graze back to herself and smiled at the thought of her father returning from his trip.
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YOU ARE READING
Winter Bakery
ChickLit"Want to get out of here?" " I- I, my shift hasn't ended yet." She stuttered. "You really what yo go back in there?" Fumi asked raising her eyebrows. " Well..." Jigi strained the vowel sound. "Come on. It would be fun. I've been meaning of us to g...
