A World of Misfits

The date

           

I cross the street in a run, my hair bouncing on my shoulders. I can't stop smiling! I just have this amazing feeling about tonight. Like everything, absolutely everything will be fine! I stop in front of the window of the bakery. Behind the little white curtains that makes the shop look like a dollhouse, I can see Murphy walking around in the store. Her hair is up in a messy bun, but since it's pretty short, some strands are loose around her perfectly beautiful face. She's wearing a white and pink appron over blue jeans and a white shirt. I stare at her through the window, watching her pass around cookies to the rest of the staff, smiling that wonderful smile of hers. Then, as I'm watching her be, she looks up and meet my eyes. The smile that was already on her face grows even wider and she waves at me. I wave back, smiling so much my cheek hurt. I walk to the door and push it open. I'm suddenly attacked by the wonderful smell of fresh cookies, warm chocolate cake just out of the oven and something very sweet, like caramel. Murphy picks up a plate of cookie and come meet me at the door.

-Hi, she says.

-Hi.

I can't stop smiling. I remember I have flowers for her so I lift the bouquet up so she can see it.

-Wow! She says. That's a lot of flowers.

-Lilies, I add. They are lilies.

-I like them a lot, she says. I made you cookies!

For a moment, we just stay there, the flowers and cookie between each other but our eyes locked in each other's gaze, not able to pull away.

-Murphy! A man calls from the kitchen.

-Come, she says, taking my free hand and pulling me towards the kitchen.

The small space in the back of the store that can barely hold the oven and a small counter is covered with fresh baked goods. A very tall but very old man stands in front of the oven, an apron around his waist. He's mixing something in a big red bowl.

-Murphy, he says, rolling is r. I need to run to the store. Can you finish these cupcakes?

-Sure!

She takes the bowl from his hands and that's when the tall man sees me.

-That's a lot of flowers, he says. Hello, I am Claudius.

-Samuel, I say with a smile.

Claudius smiles and passes by me, heading out the door.

-That's your boss? I ask.

-That's my grandpa, she corrects. This is his store.

Her eyes catch mine and I smile.

-Do you know how to bake? She asks me.

-No...I barely know how to make toast.

She giggles at these words and waves me over to her. I put the flowers down on a small table next to the back door and walk the three steps that closes the distances between us.

-First, wash your hands, she says.

I do as I'm told and stand next to her a moment later, my hand still a bit wet.

-Now, take this, she says while putting the bowl in my hand. Keep stirring.

I turn the spoon in the bowl, trying to mix the beige dough in the bowl, but it's so heavy and thick it makes my arm hurt. I catch Murphy watching me struggle over her cupcakes and she giggles. She adds a bit of milk and it gets a lot easier to stir. When the mixture is all nice and soft, she helps me put some in a muffin tin. She opens the oven and places the tin inside, then wipes her hands on her apron. She turns towards me.