Chapter 6 - The Stranger Who Stayed

SOPHIA'S POV

The stranger stared back at me like he could see my soul. He looked lost, and my back was starting to ache. I cleared my throat, and that seemed to bring him back. He pulled me up and took a step back.

"I'm sorry, miss, I wasn't looking," he said, looking a bit nervous.

"No, I'm sorry. I was searching for something in my bag. I didn't know..." I trailed off, looking away. There was an awkward silence. I didn’t walk away or feel the need to, and neither did he.

"My name is Lucas," he said, breaking the awkward silence between us and stretching out his hand with a broad smile.

"Sophia," I replied, meeting his big hand with my slim one.

"A beautiful name for a beautiful lady?" he said, and I scoffed.

"Isn't that a cliché, Lucas?" I asked, tilting my head a little to the side with a silly smile plastered on my face.

"You got me right there, but I'm not just saying it—I do mean it," he said with a serious expression. I quickly untangled my hand from his hold.

"I should get going," I said, tucking my hair behind my ear.

"Ooh! Yeah! I was actually looking for a bakery called Sophia's Sweet Treats." I was about to say something when he gasped.

"Are you the Sophia of Sophia's Sweet Treats?" he asked with wide eyes, making me laugh. Who is this guy who has made me laugh so much in a few minutes?

"Yeah! That's me. Flesh and blood," I said as I walked towards my bakery, unsure of what to do with the stranger behind me.

Then it hit me.

Wait. My pocket!

I had forgotten to check my trousers pocket in my foggy state, clouded by the emotions of everything going on. I had been so focused on my bag that I didn’t think to check my pocket. I always forget them there sometimes, but this time, I didn’t even consider it. I reached into the side pocket of my trousers, and sure enough, the soft jingle of keys greeted me. I let out a relieved breath. How could I have missed them?

"I've heard so much about your treats. I can't wait to have a taste of them," he said behind me, suddenly bringing me out of my thoughts. I scoffed.

"Well, you'll have to wait. I'm just starting my day," I announced to him. But that didn’t stop Lucas from following me inside my dusty shop.

"That's not a problem. I can help with little things. I'm on lunch break, so I don't have a problem helping out," he said and started rolling up his sleeves. He was serious, and I didn’t know why he would want to help out.

"Are you sure about that? I don't want to..." I tried to decline his offer for help, which I knew I needed.

"It's fine, Sophia. By the way, why are you just resuming work now? Did something happen?" he asked as he picked up a broom.

"It's a long story," I replied as I started cleaning the tables and chairs.

"Make it short," he simply said, and I rolled my eyes.

"Don't you think you're asking too many questions for someone you just met?" He was such an inquisitive person, and it left me confused about how to deal with that.

"Are we not friends?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. I sighed.

"We're not enemies, Lucas. Besides, if we were not friends, I wouldn't even let you walk into my bakery." He smiled at that.

"Great! Friends ought to know about each other and ask questions," he replied.

"Is this a kind of question-and-answer session or an interview?" I asked as I became uncomfortable with his questions.

"Come on, Sophia. Loosen up a bit."

"Fine. What would you like to know?" He paused for a bit before speaking again.

"Why did you lock your bakery for two days? I mean, I came here countless times, and it was locked. I almost gave up. You know, for someone who people talk so much about, I wasn't expecting such... disappearance."

"Lucas..."

"What happened? Did you travel? Were you sick?"

"You won't stop asking, right?"

"Nope."

"Fine. I went for a pregnancy test," I blurted out.

"Oh!"

"Yeah, and I found out I'm pregnant. It ruined my mood, so I had to stay back at home for a while." I had no idea why I just told a stranger I had met today, who claimed to be my friend, this part of my life. Maybe it’s because I needed a friend or because I needed to let my feelings out.

"Oh dear! I'm so sorry. I absolutely had no idea."

"Now you do," I said and walked away to get my ingredients.

"Now I see why you didn't want to say anything. I'm sorry, Sophia." I nodded as I continued my work. He sighed, not knowing what else to say.

"Sophia?" he called, and I turned to look at him.

"Uhm. Lunch break is over. I need to head back to the office, okay?"

"That's fine. Thanks for helping out."

"The pleasure is all mine," he said with a smile and headed out of the bakery.

Did I scare him off by talking about my pregnancy? Well, whoever wants to be friends with me should accept me for who I am. I started preparing my treats as customers began to come in, one after another.

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Later that day…..

"Hello!" someone said while walking towards me.

"We've closed for the day, sir," I answered, recognizing it was a male voice.

"I know," the person said, making me look up. It was Lucas.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to see my friend and to have some treats. Do you have any left?" he asked, taking his seat. I sighed.

"Yeah, but the bakery is closed. I'm exhausted. It’s been a long day for me," I said. I wasn’t even expecting him to come back, but here he is, asking for my treat.

"I'll be very fast, but if you don't want me to have a taste, I can take my leave," he said and stood up.

"Oh! It’s fine. I'll bring it in a moment." I quickly microwaved it and served him. He told me to join him, but I declined, saying I needed to clean up.

"Sophia?" he called, and I hummed in response.

"I don't think I'll ever stop coming here," Lucas said, beaming with a smile and a mouth full of food.