A/N: Hi everyone! I've recently rediscovered my love of Pushing Daisies, which led me back to Fic-Writing. Be patient, i'm still a little rusty :). Oh and yadda yadda yadda, I don't own anything, blah blah blah.
Friend.
She tossed the word around her brain and it spread to her mouth like wildfire. Sparks ignited in her ears and soon she couldn't see properly. She reached her hands down to her dresser for stability. Her blonde hair formed a small curtain across her face. Her teardrops began to fall onto the numerous strands of pearls below her.
Friend. Friend. Friend.
A great wave crashed in her stomach as she fell backwards onto her freshly made bed. She fell into a world of embroidered flowers and crushed dreams.
Olive Snook knew what Ned was. He was her employer, her neighbor, and her world. She also knew that just a few feet of insulation away, he was with Chuck. His childhood friend, his room mate, his world. She was definitely, not just his friend.
"Stupid contact." Olive fell to the floor and searched for small piece of plastic that gave her vision. She had just run out, and didn't dare wear her glasses around the Pie Hole.
"Missed a spot." The familiar rough voice from above bellowed down.
"I'm not cleaning, Emerson. Simply misplaced my contact."
"Well, when you find it." He paused. "Peach cobbler, a la mode."
She smiled, he smiled, the bell above the door jingled, and life went on.
"Blueberry, Boysenberry, Peach?" Ned the Pie maker threw the fruit quizzically in front of his face. It was a slow day at the Pie Hole, and Ned wasn't sure if he needed to have extra Peach Pie on hand.
"Hiya Ned. Need a slice of peach pie for Emerson pronto. A la mode."
Ned tossed the fruit again, then tightened his apron strings.
"Can you grab me the ice cream from the fridge?"
"Well, I've gotta.."
"You've got time." He smirked.
She knew that he was right. She wanted to spend time with Ned, but it was pointless. At any moment Chuck would…
"Howdy!"
Drop in.
Olive feigned a smile as Ned's bundle of sunshine barreled through the door. She carried a sack of flour, and a heart full of love for the Pie maker.
"Hi Chuck." He smiled shyly and went back to his pie.
Olive felt increasingly awkward. It was as if she jumped into a page of their love story. But in their love story there was no place for Olive, the meddling waitress.
She took a slice of Triple Berry Pie out to waiting customers in booth #6. It was a young couple, no older than 35, with a young boy of about six. He was expertly dressed in a smart sport coat and tie. He had messy tufts of blonde hair, but exquisite posture.
"Here ya go! One slice of Triple Berry Pie, fresh out of the oven and made with love!"
She watched as the little boy gobbled down the pie, his parents smiling. And it was in this very moment, Olive came to a realization.
All she wanted was to be happy. With or without Ned, that was possible. She wanted to be surrounded by love, whether from people, or from things she loved the most. She wanted her ratio of happiness to crush the one of loneliness and despair. She wanted a family, she wanted mess, she wanted it all. And there was no way that her feelings for a supremely tall baker were going to get in the way.
Her eyes lit up like sparkles.
"I'm going to be happy!" She bent down to the little boy who was almost done with his slice. "Thank you sir!" She put out her hand, and he gave her a high five.
"Olive." Ned was holding a slice of peach cobbler with ice cream.
She calmly made her way to the Pie Maker, eager to share her epiphany.
"Ned, I would like your permission to take the day off."
"Is everything okay?"
"Yes." She smiled assuringly. "Everything is wonderful."