ZANE, MEET THE ASHIDA FAMILY

CHAPTER 55 / THE BAKERY

NANA

After my talk with Aaron, I managed to make my way home, stumbling on all the cracks and crumbles on the footpaths, as I went. 

Once I closed the door silently, I hoped that no one was home, yet I couldn't hear anything. I untied my bandana and folded it safely in my hands. 

"Hey, Nana!" Zane welcomed, me from behind me, I jumped and trembled like when you see your worst fears out of the blue. I fiddled with my fingers quickly, unfolding the bandana and scrambling it over my eyes. I looked down at the ground, so he couldn't see my eyes. 

"What's wrong?" he asked, "How'd the talk go with Aaron, did it help?" 

"A little, we settled some things but triggered our eyes... Zane, I'm okay, but I can't look at you right now, because of... you know... for your safety..." I explained. 

"Right... okay... fine..." he sighed.

"It's not that I DON'T want to look at you... but... I wanna protect you..." 

"I know... I'm going to make dinner soon."

"Ooh! What're you making tonight?!"

"I don't know, maybe shepherd's pie, or Mac and cheese, or nachos."

"NACHOS! I LOVE NACHOS!"

"Nachos it is," he laughed.

"Well, I'll be upstairs calming my eyes, and working on the prep for the bakery."

"Sure thing, I'll be here if you need me."

I walked up the stairs to my room, er, our room and I organised all the papers on the large bed. I had two reasonable places for the bakery near the maid cafe, I completely remember that recently Aph mentioned the counters don't have enough space for the sweets daily. 

The Kawaii Sweet Bakery in Phoenix Drop was automatically going to be connected to Aph and I's maid cafe, from the moment I found out. 

The building that seems most suitable, already has all the renovations in mind, well in my mind if you get it, they look the same as Mrs Oates' bakery setting. 

So, here's what I'm thinking, when you're standing outside it, the bakery is casually looking, with pink and white mini triangular flags, and a large sign reading, 'Kawaii Sweet Bakery' and the words, Phoenix Drop underneath. 

Inside would be pastel pink and white checkered tiles, a glass counter and shelving on the right side of the room, with shelves scaling the top of the wall to the ceiling, that would be filled with styrofoam cakes and other displayed items. 

On the large counter where you buy the sweets, the left side has a small-ish window facing into the kitchen, so people can see the bakers decorating, and such. At one point the view is cut off and the huge kitchen was remaining, in the way like Mrs Oates' bakery.  

There would be tons of space for storage and many other things, under the counters and the endless cabinets across the walls. Including an office for bills, and custom cake orders. All the walls would be painted in an ivory colour, with hand-painted delicate cherry blossom branches. Gives it a homey touch, especially for me. And of course the bathrooms, lights and air-cons and all those necessary things. 

"Nana... are you okay?" Zane asked, leaning against the doorway, of our bedroom. 

"Yeah, I'm good now, the bakery took my mind off it," I replied.

"C'mon let's go eat!" 

"Finished already!?" 

"Mm-hmm. Let's go." 

I glanced at myself in the mirror, who could ever love this heap of cursed junk? But somehow he still does, he still does... Zane and I have fun with dinners, most of them ending with some sort of food fight or game - laughing our lungs out. 

Zane does have the cooking genes, his recipes are amazing and he cooks them to perfection. It's amazing! Once dinner was finished, (nachos are the best) we headed out to the creek for a creek walk, my favourite place to walk with Zane. The twilight covered the sky with a dark blanket of darkness, with hundreds of burning balls of gas lighting it up. 

It was perfect...

WORD COUNT: 670