4. Shattered Hope

DELILAH'S POV

It’s been a week since I had started my new life. And seven days since I was spending my nights in the bakery. I didn’t gather enough money till now to look for a place. After all, it’s just the start of my work, I couldn’t expect her to pay me just now itself.

I put out the tray of the orange cookies and let it to cool down before preparing a new set and placing it inside. The delicious smell of the cookies filled the entire pantry and almost made my stomach to grumble. It’s eleven in the morning and I didn’t have my breakfast till now. I was too occupied to have that.

Amber left me some food before going to market to buy some of the baking ingredients. I settled the cooled cookies on a plate before placing them for displaying. Not all, but some.

I rubbed my hands in the apron and walked to the nearest table. Amber bought me a few dresses and a pair of new shoes which of course I asked her to cut from my salary. I couldn’t this many favours from her. She already did a lot.

After having the toast and coffee, I walked near the counter. A half decorated cake was kept on the countertop. Amber really knows how to bake this good. Her cookies and cupcakes were just I didn’t know how to describe… scrumptious. And her cake designs were so beautiful, it made me almost emotiRonal to think of celebrating my birthday ever with them.

The bell chimed and I looked up from the cake. A tall guy walked inside, head covered in a cap and he had his shades on. He pushed his hands inside his pockets and strolled towards me. I gave him the welcoming smile I mastered a little in this week. “Hello, what will you like to have?”

He didn’t speak for a long while, his head set right never tilting even the slightest. “Hello?” He seemed to snap back from any thought and cleared his throat. “I… will like some..” He looked at the different items displayed before settling on doughnuts.

I packed him two-as he asked for- and handed him the paper bag. He gathered it and dropped the money in the nearest bowl before sauntering out.

Weird.

I settled back on my work. Amber asked me to make some colourful fondants for the cake and icing - which I learnt just three days back.

I didn’t know how long, and Amber walked in. Her smile constant on her face, and she dropped her bags on the nearest table. “How was the shopping?”

“Don’t even ask. Just plain exhausting.” I chuckled at how she fanned herself and handed her a juice can from the fridge. She was quick to gulp it down.

“Delilah, Kat will be here tonight.” My stomach churned at the new information. She was the owner of the shop and I didn’t even know if she will be willing to keep me or not.

Amber must have felt my nervousness, she patted my head assuring. “She will like you. Don’t worry.”

I gave her a tight smile, already worrying.

It’s already eight and we were near to close our shop. I hurried with the cookies tray settling them inside well and good. It’s important to preserve the left overs. They’re always few, most get sold out through out the day.

“Where is Kat?” Amber mumbled around and making the place pristine as much as possible.

“Is she an angry person?” Amber laughed at me lightly shaking her head.

“No, not angry but I will not say the sweetest. You can settle with sour and tangy.” She winked and I chuckled at her words.

The door opened and I found myself looking a tiny woman, hair up in a tight bun. Her floral dress was ironed so well I could tell even at the end of the day, and her glasses were settled on the peak of her nose. Ash-grey eyes looking over them.

I smiled tightly at her, while Amber stood up from the table she was sitting and pulled her in a hug. “You were gone for long this time.” Kat nodded her head, eyes fixed in me.

“Who is she?”

I gulped the rising bile in my throat and felt my heart thudding so hard against my rib. “This is Delilah, I told you about in the last call.” She nodded her head, eyeing me up and down.

“Does she even know how to work?” I almost crouched in front of her intense gaze. They’re unwelcoming and repulsion.

“Yes, she helped me so much here. You don’t even know but she is a fast learner.” Kat only hummed and walked inside looking around the bakery. My palms were sweating bad at the thought of losing this job.

The next one-two hours went in checking the shop and knowing all about the details in these past two weeks she wasn’t there. And thankfully she never bothered to ask me, or acknowledge me.

Maybe I was afraid unnecessarily.

It was time for her to leave with Amber and I found myself almost relaxing. “Will she not be going home?” Amber shifted on her feet smiling tightly at her.

“Umm, she will… she is the one who keeps the keys, she arrives first here.” Kat seemed to buy it and nodded her head.

“Hmm, but isn’t it risky to hand this stranger with my shop?” Amber smiled at her shaking her head.

“She can be trusted.” I found myself smiling at how she supported me. Soon, they left the shop and I was left with the keys and sleepy eyes.

I settled myself in the nearest couch, a blanket and a pillow, Amber brought from her home for me. Its so fluffy. Before I could rest my head after all day exhaustion, suddenly the door busted open and Kat walked in.

My eyes widened looking at her. She grabbed her keys-which I think she forgot behind- and her gaze landed on me. Eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “What are you doing here?”

I wanted to dig a ground and curry myself there than to answer her question. “I… I stay the night here.” My voice little more than a whisper.

“What!” I heard her audible gasp, and didn’t dare to look up and meet her angry eyes. “Why?”

I cleared my throat, “ I didn’t have a place to stay.” Her eyes widened even more and I was asked- rather demanded- to tell her the entire truth. And I did.

And the next thing I know, she was grabbing my arms and pulling me up from the couch. She pushed me out from the door, her nails digging in my skin. “How dare you spend your nights here in my shop?” She almost screamed at me, her eyes so angry that I was reminded of those eyes which were still there in my nightmares.

“I'm sorry…” I choked out, tears threatening to spill out.

“Just get the hell lost from here. You filthy creature.” She shouted at me, and I flinched at the intensity of her high pitch voice.

“Please no…” I couldn’t fight back the tears as they rolled down my cheeks. I couldn’t feel the scratches in my arms due to her nails as she continued to throw insults in me. “You whore, just get lost from here.”

I looked down at my myself, and found in the same place I started up. The same place where I thought now there must be a change for me, now there will be money to buy clothes, food and even a roof.

How wrong I was…

I found Amber rushing out from the car and trying to help me but Kat didn’t let her. “You will lose your sister, Am if you help that scum.” And that made Amber cease in her action.

Her eyes were sorry and full of regret but I just shook my head at her. It’s not her fault. She should choose her sister.

I felt the urge to even ask her for the money I earned in this one week but Kat was quick to walk inside grabbing Amber with her. And I felt myself standing under the moonlight, and back to the reality I was in a week ago.

Just this time, I didn’t even have a few dollars to help me.

How more pathetic can I be…

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