Haven Bakery (mxm)

An Old Friend

My morning had me awaken by loving gentle licks being smothered all over my face, and the room mixed with the annoying echo ring of my alarm clock. I quickly smash the contraption to silence. 

        "Morning to you too," I groaned softly, pushing the large fluffy white head away from my now fully moistened face.

Hunter barked in response to say that I have finally woken up, and then jumped to the floor from my bed and waited eagerly for me to get out of my comfortable duvet. His tail just wagging happily. I soon muster the will to get out of my warm bed, and get myself ready for work and decided it was better to bring the big dog with me. I couldn't bring myself to trust the safety of my processions in my tiny apartment with such a large white beast of a dog, even though he appears to be nothing but a huge softy and a gentle giant.  

After some breakfast, I drove Devin's car and arrived at the bakery and went to unlock the doors and switch on the main lights, and switch the ovens to preheat mode. I led Hunter behind the main counter and set a blanket down for him to lay there and not cause any disturbance. "Be a good boy and STAY!," I commanded, not really sure if he understood that command.  

Unfortunately, he didn't obey and followed me to the storeroom while I was getting supplies. At that point, I started to realize I missed Devin and his physically stronger body to help carry the sacks of flour out of storage. He made them seem so easy to handle. Even with a wagon at my disposal, it still took effort to push and wheel the thing into the kitchen. 

Hunter then step in and helped push the cart without much of an effort, making it easier for me glide it across the tiled floors into the kitchen. With Hunter's aid we took out the rest of the needed ingredients in no time. "I don't know if I should be angry or grateful," I patted his head, confirming he really did seem a lot like his owner in more ways than one. 

I continued my usual activities but now shadowed by a large bear of a dog, which I didn't mind so much. Hunter never bothered my movements or blocked any of my paths, he wasn't a nuisance, a great contrast to his owner that takes any given opportunity to hinder me in anyway possible. 

When the employees came streaming into the kitchen, I had to return the dog to his blanket and really enforce the command to stay. He followed it very obediently this time around. Something I will have to make note to the attorney upon his return that his dog is more well behaved than his owner. 

When the quiet time of the day arrived at mid afternoon I took Hunter for his walk in the park just down the road from the bakery. The big dog needed to go do his thing and stretch his long legs. I soon returned back to the shop few minutes later and had an unexpected visitor, a dear friend from those days in college, Sylean. 

He was one of my closet friends and probably someone I would label as my male best friend. He made his fortune as a novelist, going on a book signing tours, help promote his latest installment of his very popular sci-fi series. He failed, intentionally, to tell me he was passing by my city. He actually wanted to surprise me. And I was surprised. 

I took the rest of the afternoon off and left things to Melanie and the rest of my employees. My friend and I went to the nearest cafe to have long chat and to catch on things, but of course, I brought along with me Hunter.

        "You didn't tell me you were going to get a dog," Sylean and I was shown to our seats at a table outside a small cafe. 

        "No, he's actually my boyfriend's," My heart thumped hard in my chest when I  unconsciously spoke out loud that Devin was my boyfriend. It didn't even feel so weird or wrong to have said it, it felt even natural....?