I woke up to face another Tuesday, the start of the week. I closed the shop on Mondays, just because if it weren't a special holiday the need to indulge themselves did not find people as often on Mondays. So Tuesdays it is. It also meant a later arrival, less customers and more playing around, perfect.

I arrived at 5:03 am and started changing into my work clothes which consisted of fairly tight carpenters pants (you cannot believe how convenient all the pockets are) and a white V-neck scorpions t-shirt, I completed the "outfit" with sturdy working shoes and an apron with our logo on it that tied at the waist.

Angela arrived shortly after and while she changed I started with a cup of tea, then we sat down and planned out the day.

"So, Angela I was thinking of trying some new flavor combinations out today, since we probably won't have a huge flow of customers, how does that sound?" I asked.

"Well, it sounds good, I mean it's the start of the week and all... What should we fill up the display case with? Does the Almighty Creator have any new ideas?" I rolled my eyes at that ridiculous nickname I had somehow gotten after a week of frantic inspiration and no holding myself back. I might just have been sleep deprived... I had gotten ideas of a combination of beetroot and spinach with dark chocolate - scratch that, I had definitely been sleep deprived.

"Nooo, Angie" I sighed. "Not that many or that weird, just two for now. One praline with cream caramel and Baileys and one with parsnip and white chocolate, I wa..."

"Parsnip and white chocolate? What in Gods name made you think of that combination?" Hmm, I actually surprised her, but now I had to explain an half-formed idea. Not my forte.

"Yes well, I know it SOUNDS weird, but that's kind of the point! It's attention grabbing and besides it's not as if I would just coat a raw parsnip with the white chocolate and put it in the display case. Have some faith woman!"

"I don't have much of a choice now do I?, Ooh Goddess of all chocolate."

"No, you don't." I said feeling quite smug. "Still going to be my Nr. 2 tester, now get to baking." I said while grinning. The only response I got was a massive groan and that was good enough for me. Angela started going into the bakery as I turned away to get my sketch book from the counter, I turned back to say with a wink:

"Ooh and Angela, that nickname I'm okay with." A small guaff was heard from the back of the shop.

I had just started working on the casing for the Baileys pralin - a dark chocolate with a cream swirly pattern and just for the little girl in me, some silver dusting, yep I went there. I felt quite satisfied when I heard Angela right beside me.

"Oh, pretty is that for the Baileys one?" Swear to God I love this woman, read my mind she does.

"Yeah, it turned out well, so what do you want to talk about?" I asked as I put the tray away to set. "You know not to bother me when I'm in the zone."

"Umm, sorry 'bout that, but umm..." She looked really hesitant, I've only seen her like this twice, once when she was 3 hours late because of a hook up the day before (understandable, the guy obviously fucked her brains out) and once when she managed to pour 3 liters of cinnamon custard over my notebook, thus ruining a week worth of ideas. (less okay with that situation, but as a former clumsy person myself, I could sympathize.

"Spit it out Angie, I know it is not my notebook this time so if you haven't manage to crash down the 4 tiered cake I am working on next, it really shouldn't be a problem."

"Yes point taken, never go near your notebook with custard agai..."

"Or any liquid for that matter."

"Okay, I got it! No liquids." I think she got the point, so I smiled.

"So what did you want to tell me Angie?"

"Do you remember when we talked about employing someone new?"

I nodded and said "Vividly, what about it?" We needed someone to handle the cashier so I was free to work some more with Angela, thus rotating the work force so we all could get some days off, well deserved days off. I had interviewed a few people, but no one seemed bubbly enough or passionate enough or just knowledgable enough to... I might be picky for the job of a cashier, but I have a hard time standing incompetence, okay?

"I have a friend that I think will fit in perfectly, her name is Alice Whitlock and the worst thing about her is that she is waaaaaay to bubbly at 6 am. Oh! And she has some baking experience as well, she could help with the tedious longwork, like rolling and frying cannolis!"

"Like rolling and frying cannolis." I had kept my promise to my Nonna, whenever she was here, she got a butt load of fresh cannolis. It was however a pain in the ass to make the shells every 2 days... It was after all one of our big sellers.

"Sound good enough, but is she worth an interview? And where exactly did you meet this fabulous woman?"

"Bella, she is definitely worth it and I met her the other day when I picked my car up from Rosie's, she was there talking and I overheard her saying she needed a job away from overbearing brothers and husbands and I thought, hey! I know a male free zone, so what do you think?"

Rosie's was a carshop owned by Rosalie Hale, a power woman if I ever saw one, incredible with cars and blond bombshell extraordinaire plus a friend of mine, although we hadn't talked much since she had gotten a new guy attached to her... I should really call her...

My musings were interrupted by an anxious coworker.

"So what do you think Bella?"

"When can she come on an interview?" The last thing I heard was a delighted shriek and then I was being squeezed to death by my enthusiastic baker.