The Baker's Man

Bad Luck Dottie

The distant roll of thunder stopped Odette in her tracks as she looked up at the sky. A large dark cloud hovered above her as a deep frown set upon her face.

"It would rain on a day like this," she mumbled as she looked down at the folded piece of paper in her hands. She had failed her Fundamentals of Macroeconomics' exam, dropping her grade down to a 'C'. She had a feeling that the day was going to get worse. She tossed the offending exam into the back of her car as she turned the ignition and prayed that the car would start. As the engine turned over she let out a sigh of relief grateful that, at least for today, she wouldn't have to worry about car issues. With some time to waste before work, Odette decided to make a quick stop to see her mother. Evangeline always knew how to cheer her up when she was having a bad day.

Along the way, Odette drove passed her grandmother's old bakery as she did every day, and jammed on the breaks when she noticed the sold sign out in front. Ignoring the blaring horn behind her, she quickly double parked her car and got out just as a woman was walking out of the building.
"Who are you?" Odette demanded to know catching the woman off guard. She stared down at Odette as she tried to figure out what was the little girl's problem.
"Who are you? "She countered.
"The owner of this building and I would like to know why you're coming out of my building."
"Well that's funny, because as of an hour ago this became my building." she scoffed "I'm assuming you're the brat Mr. Durant was talking about. "She said as she pulled her cell phone from her purse.
"What?" Odette couldn't believe what she was hearing, the woman had to be lying there was no way Mr. Durant would sell the building.
"He said that you might come by."
"Mr. Durant sold you the building? "Odette asked feeling as if all of the air within her had been knocked out. Mr. Durant was a family friend and after her grandmother passing when they were about to lose the building he stepped in and saved them. He had promised Odette that he would keep the building for her until she completed her Master's; once she opened the bakery back up she could pay him back with the profits earned.
"I don't know what kind of deal you struck with Mr. Durant but it has nothing to do with me," she said before turning away from her to make a call.
"You can't have this building, it doesn't belong to you," Odette said stepping in front of her and the woman frowned down at her, her piercing blue eyes expressing her annoyance with Odette.
"Unless you have three hundred thousand dollars to give me in the next five seconds it is my building. I would appreciate it if you didn't come back here again." She said as she brushed passed her.
Odette opened her mouth to speak but nothing would come out. No amount of words could overcome the amount of defeat she felt.

Odette looked up at the building as she fought to keep her tears from falling.  In a matter of seconds everything she had worked so hard for was snatched away from her. There was no way she could keep her promise to her grandmother now.

"Hey lady! Move your car!" A man yelled at her and Odette realized that she was blocking the man from leaving.

"Sorry," she mumbled as she rushed back to her car as she tried to figure out how she was going to break the news to her mother. The sky darkened as fat raindrop splattered across her windshield.

Odette was only a few minutes away from reaching her mother's place when she felt her car jerk.

"No, no, no please don't do this to me, not now," she cried as the engine stalled out as she pulled off to the shoulder. "Just kill me now!" she yelled out of frustration as she dropped her head onto the steering wheel.
"Why God is this happening to me?" She wondered aloud as hot tears filled her eyes but she refused to cry. She could not understand why it seemed like all of the world's misfortune always found her. She pushed open her door and got out as smoke began to rise from the engine, the raindrops sizzled as they hit the hood. Afraid to open it she just kicked the front tire; she didn't even care that the rain was soaking through her clothes. With a groan, she pulled her cell phone from her pocket and began to search for the closest tow company as a car pulled up behind her.